Art of the Undead

Art of the Undead is a series of recordings kept on a bakelite vinyl, where the technology to create it has been lost but it has been sufficiently copied. The original vinyl is considered a sacred item. It was thought that a one point, the use of Formalin was widespread in this way but began to dwindle as Tetrahedra brought forth clocks and the radio.

The Art of the Undead - Formalin Magicks compiled by the Bloodwoad Initiates

It is recommended the dryas wear their gloves, soaked in formalin, for five to seven hours before attempting these spells.

Finding Formaldehyde in the Wilde

Applicable Terrains

Places with Methane - Boglands, Wetlands, Bromeliades - Sanguine and Phelgmatic places, Can use a Sun/UV glass  (similar to the one used in photography) to concentrate sunlight in one of these terrains and have the formaldehyde oxidize either as a powder or become part of a methanol or ammonia, easiest to find in places with a lot of decay

Mining formaldehyde fast can be done by setting things on fire and then placing methanol bowls around that the formaldehyde can oxidize into. Some people have in a pinch, done this with corpses.

Magickal Items

Ghoul Gloves - gloves which soak the hands in formalin

Spirit jars (bellarmine jars) - a way to create protective taglocks for spirits or souls, or preserve substances

Incense - Sancta Miasma - this is something that purifies the area but also kills most life forms, and Formalin lithomancers are basically the only ones who can stand it. It’s necessary for cleansing overgrowth, mold, plagues, and theoretically could depollute and reset noxious rivers with enough potency.

Incense - Near-death Purgation - this is used to clear hospitals, it does not wipe out forever chemicals or longterm pollutants like Sancta Miasma, but it does keep those in its path from dying and is often used during plagues or outbreaks
Truth Pearls - These are temporary bakelite pills that melt on the tongue and can be used for temporary truth-telling, some people manipulate them into being more like psychedelics or aphrodisiacs, and they are one of the formalin products available as a candy or edible 

Formaldehyde Tablets - Curse tablets made with bakelite that can be melted after the vow is filled, the task is complete, or the spell must be cast. Different colours and methods for different results and occasions.

The Athame - a self-heating knife that can cut through plastic resin but not human skin

The Wand - a stick containing bioluminescent lichen or using clear formalin that can absorb sunlight, like a Sun glass - mainly used for light sourcing or dowsing

The Chalice - these are bowls made of different materials which are enchanted to absorb formaldehyde in the wild. Usually a traveling lithomancer will have one that they use to refill their formalin supply, which they will then funnel into bottles.

The Cauldron - An iron or other material-made cauldron that is used to burn incense and miasma

Magickal Potions and Substances

Ammonia balm - usually mixed with strong herbs to take away the acrid scent, hence why a lot of doctors do wear formalin masks.

Nodwillow Oil - “Eternal sleep potions” - suspended animation, deep sleep, this is kind of like the 

Anaesthetic

Electum Relic - a sentient relic, and this is how double walkers and hexen became a thing, the liquid needed to create the electum relic is made of formalin

The Preservation of Coda - known as other names elsewhere, but this is a stabilizer that keeps the flesh of Green Brides from degrading and is a temporary fix for improperly created brides to withstand a lack of sunlight - using too much of this led to it becoming the home to the Godsibb Beleth.

Lingering Numb - This anointing oil is an acute neurotoxin which causes the user to fall into a trance, but requires a substantial amount of resistance to formalin to use properly - it’s like ayahuasca or other deliriants - either a priestess will soak them and hang them like air purifiers in their temple space, or anoint their body by combining it with ammonia balm and allowing their skin to absorb it.

Miasma - Formalin is the ultimate disorienting miasma to use in urban/town spaces, as it doesn’t destroy the infrastructure or non-sentient life such as plants/fruit, but it easily disorients Milenakos and Cambion particularly Vespula, Kubeleya,and Glendatis - those with larger lungs and bodies. Even Coriniaid and Deii struggle with it.

Sigils

Bakelite Truth Brand - this sigil, if branded on the tongue with formalin, is a long-lasting spell which forces the user to only speak what they believe to be true, preventing them from lying about their true thoughts (thus they can technically say falsehoods, but only if they have resolutely convinced themselves of it or are completely delusional)