Completed Can't-i-dote

[Inoadar]

62nd Day of Summer, 514 "Thank you so much Doctor." the woman said, tears of gratitude still glistening on her cheeks. Her daughter was still very weak and disoriented, but she smiled in relief nonetheless, and hugged the doctor. The healer ruffled her hair with a laugh, knowing she would pull through. Doctor Mazetti had, once again, shown that the Nitrozian-Moletta Sanitary Station was worthy of its growing reputation for reliable, compassionate healing and treatments. The poisoner in the adjoining room scowled. His current self-employment at the NMSS kept him in close proximity to constant reminders that there were cheap, natural counters to his products. Foremost among them, the simple brown and black berries of the Jile plant, a fragrant evergreen shrub that bore the nasty little pests year-round. Although it took two full cycles to complete the ripening process, the plant did not adhere to any constant initiating cycle of budding. There were always berries to be found if one looked patiently enough. Too may times, a citizen came in suffering from some toxin, only to have the "good doctor" Mazetti assure them that he had a proven, all-purpose remedy for it, expounding on it's relative affordability and the painlessness of its use. And while it was true that the near monopoly the NMSS had, on the supply of berries not already seized by the Healing Hand, made it possible for the price gouging they enjoyed, it was still an obstacle to his private agenda, the reopening of 'Ino Vations'. Inoadar's smile thinly veiled his annoyance at the doctor. But he knew he had to let the new facility's reputation for medical reliability remain intact. He needed to get his new shop cleared through the bureaucracy and in business as soon as possible. In the meantime, he was needing the funds that the NMSS brought in. It was fair, considering that he'd helped found the place. But he felt that he was working at odds with himself. It was not that there was no practical use for him to develop medical skills. It was fundamental to learn about something if your aim was to develop a counter to it. He had promised himself several times in the past to develop a way to make his poisons Jile-resistant, but had not quite gotten around to it. Now, a least there was an upside to Doctor Mazetti's insistence on keeping a stock of the berries on hand. But there were a couple of other herbs Inoadar had had to provide himself. He had some of the Aconite that Verin Rush had introduced him to. It had not been in its full potency at that time, but he had taken an opportunity later to pick some up when it was in bloom. Then there was the Acson, a dual-purpose plant that was both toxin and antidote, depending on how it was processed. He chuckled at the irony that, when he'd planned the deliberate destruction of his old shop, he had transported many supplies to the stores of the NMSS. As a result, he had the items he needed, here at the medical clinic, to bolster his products to where no medicine would work against them.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar selected a few different toxins and set to work separating them into their different elements. There was the actual affecting enzyme, a reacting agent of some kind, either a debilitating protein or an accelerating catalyst, often both. Sometimes, there were blocking enzymes, which kept the toxic element from being discharged before it could reach its target. Adhering agents, so the toxin would remain fixed to the target organ, once gained. And in higher level compounds, there were follow-up proteins and triggering enzymes. These would not react until the initial toxin took effect, usually breaking bodily chemistry down into sub-elements, which were the substances that would initiate the triggers, metabolizing new toxins from the random elements that would be joined with the waiting enzymes to form new toxic compounds for secondary effects. This would involve squeezing fluids out, boiling the remains with or without solvents of various kinds, spinning the resulting fluids to separate them, skimming the different layers and applying a variety of tests to each layer to determine effect and dependence on other elements. Remixing different combinations of original fluids and dissolved solids to find the activating compounds. This was the method by which most toxins were isolated in the first place. But frequently, there were diluting factors that did not show up until you reduced the elements to their purest form. He had done these processes many times before and it was not anything that presented any difficulty. By the end of the day, he had some seventeen different vials stoppered and set aside for the next step. So it was time to start on the Jile berries themselves. There would be four different types of materials he expected to encounter with each berry. There would be the outer skin, the central seed or seeds, the surrounding "meat", and the frequently-encountered inner membranes. Then each seed had a skin, a "meat", and a germinating organism. The materials outside of the seeds themselves were easy to work with. He peeled them carefully, applying a solvent compound proven to have no affect on skin-type tissues of either plant or animal origin. It was important to remove any clinging inner flesh from the skin before working on it. This was due to the fact that the catalyzing agent he'd be using on the peelings would render them down into the same basic color and texture as the "meat" inside. THAT material he would then strain to remove any membranes. He was relieved to find a lack of this element, since it was so similar to the outer skin. That would save a few steps right there. Then there were several routine processes to determine which elements were capable of being broken down, and by the use of which catalysts. All of which narrowed down the "active" or "inert" natures of each part of the whole berry. The seeds were much tougher. It was difficult to break them delicately enough to separate the different sections easily. But Inoadar did not think he would need to deal with this problem too extensively. Since the Jile berries were known to be "fast-acting", it was almost a certainty that it was the moist flesh of the inner "meat" that contained the active toxin neutralizer. Every other part of the berry would take too long to digest to be fast acting. But the dedicated researcher left nothing to assumption. And he was really under no time restraints to get this done.

[Inoadar]

It took days to go through all the different combinations of processes. All the thinning and separations, purifications and blendings, reactions and filterings of so many elements, to find the consistencies that would confirm a true pattern of catalytism. In the end, Inoadar sacrificed quite a few more toxin samples than he first figured it would require. But he was pleased at the nature of the challenge before him. If it was easy, there would be no real satisfaction in overcoming it. It was, in fact, very similar to a the follow-up effects of one of his more complex toxins. The flesh of the Jile Berry had a protective enzyme the served to combat impurities that might attack the seed by binding to, or breaking down, introduced elements to deliver necessary chemicals that would form basic beneficial proteins from initially toxic ones. It was simple litmus testing that confirmed this, the color indicator showing toxicity at the outset of the test, but turning color to show either beneficial balance or inert status from the follow-up tests of the same compounds. Inoadar's notes and cross-referencing finally found the pattern to show that there was consistent result in this regard from poison family to family. Each family of poisons had separate tendencies as far as this went. Those that cause weakness could be from several different causes, be it muscular tissue breakdown, exaggerated elasticity of tendons, resulting in loss of leverage for muscles to benefit from, constriction of blood vessels, or several other things. Those that caused confusion, likewise, had a variety of ways to inflict their condition. Most families had their specific characteristics regarding the bodily functions they targeted to achieve their end result. Herein was one more benefit the poisoner grudgingly acknowledged enjoying from being ensconced in the NMSS. The good doctor Mazetti had performed a few amputations, and Inoadar had the benefit of a few disembodied parts from which to look for reactions to the various toxins. It was one of the reasons that he had now decided on an ice house storage facility to be included in his new shop's plans. In the meantime, he had taken a volume of notes, and was going through them condensing and collating the pertinent information for the next step.

[Inoadar]

With all his notes on the phases of comparative reagent effects taken, Inoadar visualized different approaches. With the versatility the Jile berries showed in metabolizing whatever sort of enzyme was needed to counter, or at least lessen, the effects of so many toxins, It was a waste of time to try to fashion a counteractive protein. Until the berries were triggered, by the presence of a toxin, to release some element to combine into a neutralizing compound, there was no way to know what sort of compound needed to be countered. So the direct approach was out. And trying to strengthen the toxins was a doubtful solution for a number of reasons. Not only were there limitations on how much of a toxin could be planted in a food and remain undetected, or injected through the impact of a dart, or blown in the target's face without them suspecting; but it was entirely possible that the Jile would simply have its metabolic reaction increased in proportion to the added toxin. Besides that, what Inoadar was looking for was an all-purpose counter to the Jile's benefits. He did not want to have to craft a different countering chemistry for each and every toxin he worked with. Nor would his customers. And it was not as if Jile was going to be on hand every time someone used a toxin on some "vermin". The fact was, the most logical situation was that the target would already be suffering before he would be able to get hold of any Jile. Even if he was carrying it with him, it would take a chime to get it out of his pack or pouch. And that would be after the poison was already taking effect. So the Jile would react very quickly, once introduced to the body. This was something Inoadar knew he needed to take into account. That could actually be its one weakness. He looked around at the number of toxins that the Jile had reacted to and began to smile. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that this was definitely the Jile's weakness. The answer was taking shape. He had an antitoxin that would be slow to be introduced. It had to be dug out of whatever compartment it was carried, if not searched out and plucked off the very plant itself. So even the slowest toxin would be taking effect by the time the Jile was eaten. And THAT was the final element. The Jile would be introduced through the mouth. No one would be taking the time to mash it, strain it, and slip it into a wound, when they could just pop it in their mouth. A cruel smile broke across the poisoner's face. The solution was not to try to counter the Jile; nor to overpower it. No, the answer was to misdirect it. To divert it. To DECOY it! And with it being so quick to react, and taken by mouth. A toxin whose effects were contained within the mouth would be the best thing to use. Because it was not a matter of which toxin took effect the quickest. It was a matter of which effect the Jile contacted first. Inoadar considered the order of events...The poison is introduced, by wound...the extra element, 'Lost Tongue', also takes effect...in the mouth...The victim scrambles for his Jile and chews it up...Even as he swallows it, the fast acting Jile registers the toxic effect going on in the mouth and triggers against that toxin, metabolizing catalytic enzymes to combat it. The oral effect IS neutralized, but the victim dies from the intended toxin, which is insufficiently registered by the Jile's triggering capability to be effectively countered. And Inoadar knew just the subjective toxin to sacrifice for this effort...'Lost Tongue'! It was cheap; it's normal format was inhalation, which meant it was introduced orally. But if, for some reason, it needed to be some other format, it was simply a matter of NOT doing the processing to make it that type. It was only because it affected the mouth that it was made into an inhalation-style toxin. But it could be left in serum form and it would work in whatever class it needed to be. But the fact that 'Lost Tongue's' effects were entirely contained in the mouth was the main factor. It made the tongue swell to the point of rendering the victim mute. So there would be two toxins taking effect. The victim would take the Jile, which COULD counter the main toxin. But instead, it would first contact the ongoing effects of the 'Lost Tongue'. And because it was so fast acting and responsive, it would never GET to the REAL toxin, because it would be spent against the Lost Tongue. Inoadar had his answer. It was time to get to work.

[Inoadar]

There was yet another benefit to using 'Lost Tongue' as his decoy toxin. It was plant-based, so there were already innate affinities in the comparative chemistry of both sources. This would save the steps of dissolving the folial membranes with acidic compounds and spinning and straining the residue out, only to reintroduce hindering adherent catalysts to establish the synthesic base necessary for the compounds to be able to blend in proper proportions. Still, there was the basic processing to purify the original fluid. This was easily accomplished. No...that was over-stating. It was simple, but not easy. Inoadar pulled his wringer from below the counter. It was simply two rubber rollers set into an adjustable rack, allowing for the space between them to be increased or decreased with the turn of a screw. There was a handle on the side which cranked the interlocking gears, which would, in turn, rotate the rollers. He set up the wringer to put about 20 to 40 thousandths of an inch of squeeze on anything run through it. Lost tongue was taken from the fluid of the Noose Vine, as was it's antidote, but that was irrelevant here. The pressure of the wringer would only crack the outer husk without rupturing the central core. However, vines were not terribly consistent in their girth and there were frequent knots and twists. The counter-toxin fluid was what was in the central core, so it was important to crack only the outer husk. But it was inevitable that some rupturing of the core would occur. He kept a quill and ink on hand to mark those areas for quick removal once a section of vine was fully pressed. As with any new endeavor, Inoadar was not of a mind to process a great amount of something before testing it. he ran a single, three-foot length of vine through the wringer, collecting enough fluid to just cover the bottom of a six inch lab dish. Normally, he would set this to heat and capture the smokey vapors for additional processing, 'Lost Tongue' being intended as an inhalation-class toxin. But this was only because it reacted much faster that way. The effect would still be gained by simply swallowing it, or through blood contact. It would only take longer. But this was exactly what he wanted. He wanted the victim to be spending time scrambling to find his Jile berries, unaware that a secondary effect was impending, an effect which would intercept the berries' beneficial reaction at it's inception. A slow release of the 'Lost Tongue' effect would be just right. But there was a little more to it than that. The berries wouldn't stay in the victim's mouth. So some of the Lost Tongue needed to make its way to the stomach as well. All well and good for an ingestion-style poison. But an injury-style poison was another matter. But this was an unlikely scenario. Those were usually the types put on arrowheads and the edges of weapons. These were most often inflicted during combat, which meant the victim was not likely to have time to search for Jile berries. But many people carried them with them, and there would be time, after the fight, to possibly counter-act it then. He would have to modify the 'Lost Tongue' toxin to an blood-reactive capability. But that could come after he tested the more basic form he had now. Again, he found his most competent test subject to be himself. Not only would he have the wits to take immediate notes, and be knowledgeable of what was note-worthy, but his ever-increasing resistance to poisons in general made the risk to him less than to most. He dismissed, for the hundredth time, the concern that some day he would become so resistant that he would no longer be a suitable test subject. After all, he could hardly call it an entirely BAD thing to become immune to poisons.

[Inoadar]

There was still some purification to complete first. He put the fluid to a slow boil, capping the beaker with a condensation coil. This returned the chemicals normally escaping in the steam back into the beaker. By the time the fluid had thickened to where there was negligible steam rising, there was a thin layer over the fluid. Inoadar removed the beaker and poured the contents into a vial, through a fine screen. The thicker layer did not pass through, but hung up on the screen, slowly gathering in the middle. Inoadar had to pour a small amount of a mild thinning agent into a flat pan and set the screen in it for just a moment. The thick fluid became runny almost immediately and he had to quickly slide that pan out of the way by sliding a different one in its place. He collected this thinned fluid and put it aside as he took the vial with the initially thinner fluid and put it in his spinner. He cranked for several chimes, separating the fluid into even finer layers. He stuck a long pin into a wad of cotton and dipped it carefully into the vial to absorb the top layer. He threw this away and went back to retrieve the fluid he had thinned in the flat pan. He mixed these together now, and added a pinch of a stabilizing powder he kept in one of the small jars in a cabinet. He shook it until it turned a bluish color. He watched it for a chime, observing that the fluid began to separate into its two elements. He sighed and placed the mix over heat as he went and got his insulating gloves. Every few moments he took the vial from the flame and shook it, watching for separation. When it got hot enough, it no longer separated, even after it cooled again. It was ready. The particular stabilizer he'd chosen was to accommodate mixing it with Greenblood Oil, another vine-based toxin. It was a classic weapon enhancing poison. Entering through a wound, it caused weakness, making the victim much more easily dispatched. Inoadar gathered a handful of Jile berries from one of the other rooms at the NMSS and took a sharp knife, sterilizing it over the flame. There was no point in subjecting himself to the risk of infection as well. He mixed the bluish 'Lost Tongue' additive with the Greenblood Oil and smeared it on the blade, giving himself a small cut on the arm. By the time he reached a chair, he was already starting to feel the onset of weakness. trying to fabricate the proper scenario, he took several wobbly steps to where the Jile were sitting and paused a moment, imagining fighting the weakness to remove them from some likely compartment in a backpack. Despite the numbness and weak dizziness, he felt a thrill surge through him as his tongue started to tingle. he held onto the Jile a moment longer as he felt odd sensations as his tongue made uncommon contact with parts of the his oral cavity due to swelling. Now he popped the Jile berries into his mouth and chewed them a few times before swallowing. He sat back on a bench and waited to see what would happen. He nearly fell on his face as the swelling started to decrease and he tried to stand up and cheer. He had to laugh at his own lack of foresight and fell back on the bench to enjoy his success as best he could while suffering deliberate, self-inflicted poisoning. The Jile had stopped the Lost Tongue, but not the Greenblood Oil. And only a slight adjustment in the stabilizers used would allow him to blend it with any of his other products. Yes, it was a great day to be poisoned!

[Daegron]

The Future belongs to the Brave!

Inoadar :

Skills

• Research +3
• Poison +3
• Philtering +3
• Logic +1

Lores

• Jile Berries : An easily accessible anti-toxin
• Anatomy of a Jile Berry
• A quick-acting antitoxin's weak spot
• Lost Tongue : used as a decoy
• Jile Berries : Their anti-toxin properties effectively countered

Loot/Expenses:

• N/A

Injuries/Other:

• Weakness from Greenblood Oil poisoning. The effect subsided a couple of hours later, no actual harm done.

Notes and Comments :

• Reading Inoadar while he's doing science and research is just great ! A very interesting and educating job thread
• Does this make you a Master Poisoner ? Congrats!

If you have any questions or concerns about your grades and awards, do not hesitate to PM me so we can work things out. Also, remember to mark your grading request as Graded!