### **Description**

Healers mend flesh and spirit alike. Whether on the battlefield, in plague-ridden cities, or during long journeys through hostile lands, their skill decides who lives and who dies. Masters of Medicine treat injuries, purge poisons, and sometimes even cleanse the soul.

The _Hands of Mercy_ tree represents a healer’s growth from battlefield medic to miracle worker, capable of saving lives that others would consider lost.

### **Overview of Tiers and Progression**

- **Tier 1 (Medicine 1+)**: Basic stabilization, diagnosis, and fatigue removal.
- **Tier 2 (Medicine 2+)**: Efficient care in combat and antidote creation.
- **Tier 3 (Medicine 3+)**: Remove injuries and corruption with advanced techniques.
- **Tier 4 (Medicine 4+)**: True mastery—miraculous healing, soul therapy, and deep cleansing rituals.

**Cost:** Each tier costs **Tier × 3 Marks**, spent from **Medicine or Focus**.  
**Advancement:** Must unlock **Tier 1** before accessing later tiers.

### **Tier 1 Abilities** _(Medicine 1+)_

| **Name**      | **Type**   | **Action/Duration**                             | **Roll (if active)** | **Description**                                                                                                                                    |
| ------------- | ---------- | ----------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **First Aid** | **Active** | 1 Action (encounter) or 5 minutes (downtime)    | **Wit + Medicine**   | You may stabilize a **Wounded** ally with no penalty. This prevents their condition from worsening.                                                |
| **Diagnose**  | **Effect** | Attaches to a Medicine roll examining a patient | —                    | Mark one die as **Effect**. If the marked die succeeds, you identify one disease, poison, or magical affliction affecting the patient in addition. |
| **Cockering** | **Active** | 2 Actions                                       | **Wit + Medicine**   | Once per scene, you may remove **1 Fatigue** from an ally through quick intervention.                                                              |

### **Tier 2 Abilities** _(Medicine 2+)_

| **Name**              | **Type**   | **Action/Duration**                         | **Roll (if active)** | **Description**                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| --------------------- | ---------- | ------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Strong Stitches**   | **Effect** | Attaches to a Medicine roll healing an ally | —                    | When you heal an ally, they regain **+1 Soak die** for 1 scene when relying on armour. Mark a die as **Effect**; if it succeeds, this bonus also applies to the next ally you heal this scene.                       |
| **Antidote Crafter**  | **Active** | 1 hour downtime per dose                    | **Wit + Medicine**   | Create antidotes to neutralize toxins or magical afflictions. Each success allows you to treat one dose or type of toxin.                                                                                            |
| **Battlefield Medic** | **Active** | 2 Actions                                   | **Wit + Medicine**   | You may treat one ally while under fire. It costs only 2 Actions to treat the wounds of an ally and remove injuries. This can be done once per combat for each of your allies. This can stabilize or remove Fatigue. |

### **Tier 3 Abilities** _(Medicine 3+)_

| **Name**            | **Type**   | **Action/Duration**              | **Roll (if active)** | **Description**                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------- | ---------- | -------------------------------- | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Expert Healer**   | **Active** | 4 hours downtime (extended care) | **Wit + Medicine**   | Once per session, you may remove **1 additional Injury** from an ally through extended care, regardless of other healing attempts on this ally.     |
| **Preventive Care** | **Active** | 1 hour downtime                  | **Wit + Medicine**   | Allies you treat gain **+1 die** to resist diseases and poisons for a number of days equal to your success margin.                                  |
| **Purging Surgery** | **Active** | 1 hour downtime (dangerous)      | **Wit + Medicine**   | Once per session, remove **1 Corruption die** from an ally by cutting out the infected flesh. If you fail the roll, the patient gains **1 Injury**. |


### **Tier 4 Abilities** _(Medicine 4+)_

| **Name**           | **Type**   | **Action/Duration**                  | **Roll (if active)**                                                  | **Description**                                                                                                              |
| ------------------ | ---------- | ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Miracle Worker** | **Active** | 1 hour downtime                      | **Wit + Medicine**                                                    | Once per session, you can bring back someone who recently died (within the last hour).                                       |
| **Soul Healer**    | **Active** | 1 full day downtime                  | **Presence or Wit + Medicine**                                        | You may heal **Bond damage** from allies through intensive physical and emotional therapy.                                   |
| **True Cleansing** | **Active** | 1 full day downtime (ritual healing) | **Wit + Medicine + Spirit** (choose Spirit instead of Wit if desired) | Remove **all Corruption dice** from a willing patient. On failure, the patient gains **1 permanent Injury** (until treated). |


>[!note] **Design Notes**
>- **Effect abilities** (Diagnose, Preventive Care, Strong Stitches) attach to rolls you are already making, reinforcing the helper-healer loop.
> - Tier 3 and 4 abilities define serious downtime commitments, so players must balance immediate utility with powerful, campaign-shaping healing.
> - Spirit/Presence substitutions are allowed on abilities involving ritual healing or psychological therapy.