Quest Progression (Valerius)

[Verilian]

. . Progression Timestamp: 5th of Winter, 512 AV The city was in a sad state, and the Ebonstryfe were still in an uproar over the attack by the Rising Dawn. The citizens of Ravok were suffering under the iron-fisted rulership of the Druvin Lazerin, who was in charge of the Ebonstryfe while Gru'tral was away. While normally the Voice would have assuaged the fears of the people, she seemed preoccupied with whatever it was she was doing in the city, and did not show herself other than the occasional sermon, but even then she seemed largely uninterested. It fell to the various acolytes to handle those matters. And with the Ebonstryfe searching people’s homes seemingly at random, all in the name of finding the spies of the Rising Dawn, the city was in a state of unrest unlike anything it had ever experienced before. Still.. day to day life went on, and people still had jobs to do. For the young Nitrozian, Valerius, this was no different, and while he may not have enjoyed his job much he still had to do it. He had made an agreement with his aunt, and Nitrozian's did not break their agreements. This day was no different than any other, and Val's work was no less unpleasant. He still had to bathe and feed the kelvics, still had to muck out their stalls, and still was treated as something far less than a Nitrozian should have been treated in his opinion. It was likely with great anticipation that he awaited the final bell that signaled the end of his day, but rather than be excused from his work one of the researchers, marked by their white lab coats, stopped him before he can leave and informed his that Amanda wished to see him. Amanda was found in her office, as usual, and was waiting at her desk when Valerius walked in. She was wearing her usual lab coat though the front of it was stained red with blood, not that Amanda ever seemed to notice such things. She did not immediately look up when Valerius walked in, her eyes scanning on the document that was in her hands, scouring its contents like a detective searching for a missing clue. It was several chimes before she finally set the paper aside and motioned for her nephew to sit down, if he had not already. The chair opposite her desk was actually quite luxurious, as was the one she was sitting in, but from what he knew of his aunt she would not care if he got it dirty. She could simply have a servant come clean it, if she even noticed. "Good to see you, Valerius. ..tell me, how long have you been working here now? And.. what have you learned so far about the kelvics that you are, or at least once were, so determined to work with and learn all about?"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

The other citizens of Ravok might be suffering under Lazerin’s rule, but for Valerius things continued their usual way. He wasn’t afraid of the Ebonstryfe searching his home because he had never had anything to do with the Rising Dawn. In fact, if he weren’t so busy cleaning Kelvic cages (and silently complaining about it) he might have helped them find the rebels. But as it was he spent a couple of bells each day in the KRI, a bucket and a broom in hand, removing Kelvic excrements and vomit, feeding the creatures and washing them, as if he were a servant rather than a member of one of Ravok’s most powerful families. He had considered quitting his job several times, but he had made an agreement with his dear aunt, and a Nitrozian didn’t simply break an agreement, but worked as hard as he could to satisfy his superiors, even if he was convinced that he was made for better things. As one of the researchers approached him at the end of the day, he had no particular hope that anything would change. He had been here for a year, and the only unusual thing his aunt had done so far was to burden him with a Kelvic that had ruined his dining room and killed one of his guests. Chances were, she had another monster for him or wanted him to remove the leftovers of her latest experiment. He wasn’t particularly interested in either – the furniture in his dining room had just been replaced – but still, he walked quickly, as if he couldn’t wait to be given another unpleasant task. You didn’t make Amanda Nitrozian wait. Once in her office, he waited for her to notice him. Once she had acknowledged his presence (had she made him wait on purpose?) he sat down, feigning a smile as he did so. „It is good to see you as well, Aunt Amanda“, he replied politely. „I have been working for you for about a year now.“ He paused briefly as he considered her question. What did she want from him now? Why was she suddenly so interested in what he had learned? Why did she even ask? Hadn’t she seen him remove Kelvic excrements every day? He decided that it was better not to ask (she was his superior, and you simply didn’t question your superior), but to answer her (even if he couldn’t hide his dislike for the work he had been given – and the creature she had burdened him with – completely). „I have learned a lot about their bodily functions, a bit more than I wanted, to be honest. I have learned that they are more animals than human, have no decency and difficulties understanding the more complicated things in life. They are easily satisfied and often driven by their instincts. I have also found out that it is impossible to have them completely under control unless you have formed some kind of bond with them.“ „Kelvic don’t tend to think about the consequences of their actions the way we do.“ „Having that said, I’m still interested in learning more about them. I’m afraid, I know everything there is to know about their excrements now though. They aren’t really that different from us in that regard.“

[Verilian]

Amanda chuckled, obviously amused at Valerius discontent. She had a tendency to do that, and it was one of those traits that you just had to ignore, or suffer a beating for it if you didn't. Amanda could be very cruel, when she wanted to. "You can learn a lot from excrements, you know. If an animal is sick, you can often discover what made it sick by examining the waste. The same goes with a kelvic, and even a human. If the excrements are off-colored, or runny, or anything other than solid, again it is a warning sign that something is wrong. ..but I didn't bring you here to discuss excrements. I brought you here because I have decided that it is time for you to move on to something new, though I can't promise it will not still involve excrements." Amanda reached into a drawer on her desk and pulled out a folder which she opened and began to flip through as she reclined in her chair. Valerius could see his name on the folder, which was surprisingly thick considering all he had been doing was mucking stalls and giving kelvics their baths and food. Knowing Amanda, however, the folder probably contained a lot more information than just his progress at work. "Let's face it, my dear nephew. When you came to me asking to join in my work, what did you really expect? You have no medical background, no background in research, no background in the scientific arts, and all you can really do is.. what? Talk? What good does that do me here? And let's not forget the very narrow-minded view you have on kelvics, thinking them as nothing more than animals when they are very obviously so much more. Not only are they capable of learning anything we can learn, when properly taught, but they can provide us with insight into the natural world that we could not hope to achieve without betraying our god and becoming a Caiyha worshipping witch out in the forest... though I cannot say I would not like to meet one of those witches and see how her powers work on a kelvic." "How do you expect to learn about the kelvics when you cannot even see them for what they really are? Yes, they are less than human, but do you think I would waste my life's work on a race of mere animals!?" Amanda paused, a frown creasing her lips as she slid the file back into the drawer. The woman stood, crossing the room to the wardrobe that stood on the far side, opening it up and tossing her bloody lab coat into the bottom while retrieving a fresh one with her free hand. Once it was back on she turned back to Valerius, studying his features for a moment before returning to her seat. She really did like to make him wait, but once she sat back down she had another question for him. "So.. what do you have to say for yourself? Do you think you are ready to stop mucking the stalls, or was this meeting entirely pointless?"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„As you say, aunt“, Valerius replied as she insisted that you could learn a lot of excrements. He was about to inform her that he would like to leave that particular field of study up to others from now on and that he was afraid he had no talent for it, when she said that it was time for him to move on to something new. He arched an eyebrow and looked at her. Had she finally realized that he was suited for other, better things? It was about time! „You have a folder about me?“ He asked as he saw what she had removed from her desk. He didn’t ask her what it said though. If she wanted him to know, she would tell him. „I can do more than just talk“, he informed her. „As you are aware, I studied at the University of Zeltiva for several years and speak the Ancient Tongue. I worked scientifically, and I did some research, but not in the medical field. As you said, I have no background in that. But still, I would think a man with a university degree who has written scientific essays and has proven that he is able to work under pressure would do more good here than somebody who has no academic background at all and barely understands what is going on.“ „As for my so called narrow-minded view of Kelvic …“ He looked at her. Was she criticizing him? He didn’t like that. „How am I supposed to see them for what they really are when all I do is clean stables and feed them? The only Kelvic I got to know better tried to eat a guest, a potential business partner, insisted on being naked in front of me and vomitted all over the room. If you gave me the opportunity to do something different, I’m sure I would change my mind very quickly.“ „No, of course not, aunt“, he replied as she asked him if he thought she would watse her life’s work on a race of mere animals. „And of course this meeting was not pointless. As I’ve already hinted at I’m ready to stop cleaning the stalls and move on to something else. What would you like me to do?“

[Verilian]

Amanda literally harrumphed at the young Nitrozian's reaction to her criticisms, all of them, which in her opinion were perfectly justified and accurate. The older woman leaned forward, placing her elbows on her desk and resting her chin on her hands as she studied her nephew for a moment, then she shook her head and stood up. "You had every opportunity to learn about them, you just never took it. You fed them, you bathed them, you cleaned up after them. You interacted with them every day, and in the place they feel safest. True, a cage might not be their natural habitat, but in this place their cage is their home. You had a chance to learn how they acted in their homes, by observing them, and paying attention to them.. but instead you just complained." The frown on her face and tone of her voice made it seem like she was mad at him, and that perhaps he would not be moving on, but her next action changed that. Amanda stood up and walked across the room to the cabinet, grabbing one of the white lab coats and tossing it at Valerius. "Put that on, then follow me." Amanda waited only a moment for her nephew before turning and heading out the door, walking at a brisk pace down the path leading to the far side of the institute. Along the way they passed several kelvic cages, a few which Amanda paused at to bark orders, or examine one of the inhabitants, before continuing on. When they finally reached their destination, it was a large building far from all the rest, and isolated from any of the kelvic cages. Amanda paused at the door and reached into her coat pocket, pulling out a white mask that covered her face and nose. "You'll find one of these in your coat pocket," she said, her voice slightly muffled from the mask, "Put it on and come inside." Through the doors there were more cages of varying sizes, most empty, but a few with some rather sickly looking kelvics. There were a few halls branching off the main room, but Amanda led Valerius past them all and through a few doors into what looked like a room at the Healing Hand. On the table was a naked woman, one Valerius possibly recognized as a golden retriever kelvic whose cage he'd likely cleaned out more than one, who was lying still though clearly still alive judging from the subtle rise and fall of her chest. A man in a white lab coat was operating.. or at least doing something to her stomach, though Valerius had no idea what. When the two Nitrozians entered he did not look up, and they waited until he was done before he finally turned around to greet them. "Ah, Amanda. Come to check up on me, have you?" "Not quite. I have the new assistant you asked for. My nephew, Valerius Nitrozian. Valerius, this is Doctor Gaius Alzelin, head of Virus and Disease Research. You're to work for him now, assist him in whatever he needs, and he will teach you all about kelvics." "A pleasure to meet you, Valerius," the doctor said, removing his bloody glove before offering his hand to shake. "And don't worry, it's not all blood and operations here. We do all manner of studies here, from illness of the body to illness of the mind. It'll be fun!"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„So I did complain“, Valerius confirmed and shrugged his shoulders. He studied his aunt as she studied him. „But you are wrong to imply that I was so busy complaining that I didn’t learn a thing. I’ve made a few observations during my time here despite the less than ideal circumstances. And I never complained at all before this day, but gave my absolute best, no matter whether I was washing the creatures, feeding them … or getting rid of their excrements.“ A very light frown was visible on his face as he said that, and it deepened as he realized that she hadn’t said a word about the murderous creature she had forced on him. Was she avoiding the topic on purpose? Not with him! „What about this ‚Winter’ that you gave me, by the way? We got along. She behaved and respected me until that day. I was even able to teach her a few things. Do you have any idea why she suddenly went mad?“ He put the lab coat on, despite the fact that he looked a little pale in white. It had never been his color. He even followed her like a good nephew who respected his aunt, despite the fact that she was only a few years older than him and refused to see his point and put the ridiculous looking mask on. Once they were through the door, his gaze immediately went to the creature on the operating table. He was more interested in what the doctor was doing to her than in the fact that the creature was naked though. „Doctor Alzelin“, Valerius greeted the doctor politely through his mask and inclined his hand before he shook his hand. At Doctor Alzelin’s remark that it would be ‚fun’ he made a face – he sounded a little too cheerful, medicine was a serious topic – but then he replied, „I’m looking forward to working with you. I have to admit I’m especially interested in illnesses of the mind. I have a little bit of experience in that regard.“ He didn’t reveal that he had been a patient and that he had bribed the doctor to write him a letter in which he confirmed that he, Valerius, was absolutely sane. „Maybe I ask what kind of operation you are currently conducting?“

[Verilian]

Before they arrived Valerius had asked his aunt about the kelvic she had given him, Winter. He had even demanded to know why she reacted the way she did. In truth, Amanda had no way of knowing. The torturing, and those who did it, that went on beneath the city was above her pay grade. But that didn't mean she did not have an answer. "Because you failed to train her properly, that's why. Have you ever heard of a slave, kelvic or not.. a NITROZIAN slave, attacking a guest of the family? I think not. That was your failure, not the slave's." If Valerius had expected a different sort of reply then he clearly did not know his aunt very well. She had nothing else to say on the matter, as they had already arrived at their destination. Gaius seemed pleased enough to meet Valerius, and it seemed he would be much easier to work with than the hot headed Nitrozian woman. After shaking hands the doctor motioned for Valerius to come forward and look. "Come and see. It's not so interesting as you might think, really. Just a bit of exploratory surgery. It seems this pup has not been keeping down her food. At first I thought maybe she had swallowed something that was causing a blockage, but.. well, have a look." Gaius stepped back to allow Valerius a clearer view. The stomach had been cut open. If Valerius had any idea what he was looking at, it would quickly become apparent what was wrong. Partly extracted from the digestive tract already was a long, slimy, flat, segmented yellowish-white creature. "Seems our poor girl has caught the tape worm. Might have been treatable before now, usually it's not serious. I'm surprised somebody didn't catch it earlier, it's usually obvious in the stool. But now, from what I can see, it seems to have caused some damage to her intestines. I'm afraid the best solution is going to be euthanasia. And of course we'll have to monitor any of the other kelvics she's been in contact with, especially if she has shared a cage with them. And we'll have to dispose of all the current stock of whatever she has been fed. No sense in taking chances. Amanda, you should order more food now. And order lots of garlic."

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius strongly disagreed with his aunt. He knew that it was not his fault that the Kelvic had gone mad and killed Lady Salvatrice. He had trained her. He had given her food and good clothes and treated her with kindness when she turned out to be immune to all his threats. A normal slave would have been overjoyed. No, the creature had clearly been defective. Either that or aunt Amanda’s employees had damaged her when they had captured her. He didn’t tell Amanda that though. If he disagreed with her too often, she might just decide that he would be better of cleaning cages and dealing with Kelvic excrements for another couple of months. If that happened, he might lose his mind, not unlike dear Winter. He just inclined his head, as if he were willing to accept the blame and stepped forward to inspect Doctor Alzelin’s patient – the contents of her stomach to be exact. It was a fairly disgusting sight, but Valerius didn’t draw back. Instead he bent his head down and looked at the worm as if he found it at least mildly fascinating. If he got visibly sick, it might damage his reputation – they would think him a coward – and he couldn’t let that happen. „Where was she kept and who took care of her?“ he wanted to know. „It would be a good idea to have a word with them so that they’ll watch the Kelvic better in the future. How will you be euthanizing her, doctor, if you don’t mind the question? Will you use a specific substance?“

[Verilian]

"Don't worry, it wasn't you," Amanda chimed in when Valerius questioned about who had taken care of the kelvic, just before she left the room, presumably to go do the things the doctor had requested. Gaius glanced over his shoulder as she exited, shaking his head slightly, before returning his attentions to the girl on the table. She was still sleeping soundly, lucky for her, as his operation would have been very painful if she were awake. But Gaius wasn't experimenting on how much pain she could take. "Concentrated pillowsap,"Gaius answered. "It's a poison made from the blood of a Talderan beetle which causes a person to fall into an unconscious state for up to three bells. Or at least that's the most potent you'll usually find on the common market. But the kind we use here is enough to put them to sleep permanently. It's over there on counter. Would you get it for me?" While Valerius went to retrieve the sleeping poison, Gaius finished extracting what was left of the tape worm and placed it in a glass jar filled with some sort of clear liquid, presumably water or alcohol. After eye the creature for a moment he closed the jar and set it aside before turning back to the woman. By then Valerius should have found the poison and returned. "See if you can coax some of that down her throat. You shouldn't need more than an ounce. It will probably take a few chimes to kick in, and then we'll move her and clean up." OOCSorry for taking so long. Posting speed should be faster now, I recently completed a modded thread and I'm holding off on new ones until I have some more complete.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„Of course it wasn’t me, dear aunt“, Valerius replied. „If her state had been my fault, I would hardly be standing here like that and wondering who took care of her, would I?“ He didn’t wait for her reaction nor did he watch her as she left, but focused his attention on the doctor’s patient again. She was still lying completely still. Part of him was disappointed. It would have been interesting to conduct an operation on a conscious patient, to see how much pain the patient in question could take – or to find out how he or she reacted to seeing his body cut open. Maybe he would suggest that to Gaius – another day. For now he simply retrieved the poison though and brought it to Gaius. „You said that the most potent version of this poison that is available on the common market simply makes a person fall unconscious for a while. Where did you get this one?“ It sounded rather useful. Maybe he would try to procure some of this poison for himself, to be used on disobedient slaves or his enemies. Poisoning people was a lot less messy than sending an assassin after them or torturing them to death (although torturing was rather interesting sometimes). „Of course“, he replied as Gaius ordered him to poison the creature. If she’d been awake, forcing the poison down her throat would have posed a bit of a challenge, but as she was asleep, it would be comparatively easy. At least he hoped so. He walked to her side and pulled her upper and lower jaw apart so that she would open her mouth. Once that was done, he quickly put some of the poison on her tongue, closed her mouth again and massaged her throat to make her swallow it. Hopefully she would be a good girl and not give him any trouble.