Bloodstains
Bloodstains are collections of cast off blood. Fictional bloodstains may be old, dried pools found underneath skeletal remains, bloodtrails leading into a beast den or secret passageway, or faint speckles near a deadly hidden trap. They are often used as clues that some danger is present or that some terrible event occurred in this location.
| Synonyms: blood trails, splatters, pools |
Designing Fictional Bloodstains
Overview
The design of bloodstains can be used to tell a story. Fresh blood indicates a recent event, while old dried blood suggests something that happened in the past. Blood pools may have been created when a body remained in a single location, whereas trails of blood may mark a path where a body was moved. Blood splatter, droplets scattered across a room or wall, may be the result of a violent encounter.
Fictional blood often contains unusual qualities, and bloodstains will reflect this. The blood of aliens, monsters, or other fictional creatures may be different colors, may glow, may contain poisonous or corrosive characteristics, all of which may impact how bloodstains are designed.
Blood can be used as a means to write, and narratives often feature important notes, clues, signatures, and occult symbols written in blood.
