Hollow Water

Hollow Water: An Aqueous Tincture of the Wild

I would like to briefly discuss a form of natural water which, if located and collected, can be used to great effect in a variety of different magical operations. Namely, I want to talk about Hollow Water.

Hollow Water is a naturally occurring liquid, which is closely related to Stump Water, but which can specifically be found within the hollows of living trees. It is amassed over time through precipitation and ambient humidity, and becomes slowly saturated by an array of natural adulterants, such as soil, plant matter, and the putrefied remains of small animals. Such hollows—scientifically referred to as dendrotelmata—also serve as rich microhabitats that ecologically support multiple creatures, from insects, to mollusks, to amphibians.

Over time, I have come to recognize that this water can be used in a number of ways, but it is most powerfully suited to any forms of Wild Magic, including things like charming animals, shifting the weather, or locating needed plants. It also makes an irresistible libation to most sylvan entities.

As I understand it, however, one must follow certain protocols in order to harness the power of Hollow Water:

One must seek the tree they plan to harvest from in silence—both there and back—and it must be done privately.
The tree in question should be circled thrice, towards the sun, upon meeting.
The water must be gathered by hand. For most people, myself included, the thought of reaching into a damp, dark, cavity is atavistically repellent, but for this very reason, the act of facing down that biological impulse is a very simple, but highly important, way to prove one’s resolve.
No animals present should be harmed or displaced.
And finally, the contents of the gathered water mustn’t be strained.

Additionally, Hollow Water is at its most potent during the time of the Full Moon. In order to gather this particularly charged form of the water and maintain those special virtues, it should be gathered with a tin or tin-alloy vessel and then transferred to a clean glass container.

So, the next time happen to notice a pool of water glistening from within the dank hollow of a tree, take a moment to recognize your good fortune in discovering such an auspicious font of the natural world.