[ANON POST] Effects of Herbs
My character is a female warrior in yet another pseudo Medieval European fantasy land. She's brewing herself a sort of good luck tea as a pre-battle ritual. What I need are the herbs she might use. They have to be herbs that will bring her courage, heroism, strength, and overall "manliness" (gender roles, gender perceptions, and the blurring thereof are major themes in the story), and she'll probably throw something in for good fortune, as well.
I'm going heavy on the historical accuracy and easy on the magic and invented plot-helpers, so I want herbs with actual folkloric connections or historical usages. I could invent my own Warriorfoil, but I'd rather stick with real world plants. Bonus points if it's something available in grocery stores so I can know first hand what it smells and tastes like.
I've been dredging through websites like these, but since they list herbs by name instead of supposed effect it's a LOT of dredging.
http://www.anniesremedy.com/folklore.php
http://www.theoi.com/Flora1.html
I'm going heavy on the historical accuracy and easy on the magic and invented plot-helpers, so I want herbs with actual folkloric connections or historical usages. I could invent my own Warriorfoil, but I'd rather stick with real world plants. Bonus points if it's something available in grocery stores so I can know first hand what it smells and tastes like.
I've been dredging through websites like these, but since they list herbs by name instead of supposed effect it's a LOT of dredging.
http://www.anniesremedy.com/folklore.php
http://www.theoi.com/Flora1.html