Closed [Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Verin and Parnell head to the lakeshore.

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A city floating in the center of a lake, Ravok is a place of dark beauty, romance and culture. Behind it all though is the presence of Rhysol, God of Evil and Betrayal. The city is controlled by The Black Sun, a religious organization devoted to Rhysol. [Lore]

[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on May 20th, 2014, 6:01 pm

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*

Chuckling slightly, Verin’s eyes twinkled as he watched Master Parnell wince in pain when he touched the remnants of the Aconite flower. He had to give the man credit, Parnell was living up to his own description – trying out the poisons for himself. Though he wondered if, eventually, that particular habit would come to be useless, either through cross contamination, or just through a natural resistance that the man was now building up to all poisons. Having only discovered that adverse reaction when it came into contact with his own skin, Verin knew what Parnell was suffering, and noted that it was a similar reaction to what he remembered.

Not pleasant, is it?” Came the rhetorical question as Master Parnell rose and headed over to the stream, presumably in order to relieve some of the pain, though Verin doubted he would find any relief from the alkaloid. “What I love about this beautiful plant is the… shadow of death that rests all around it, and its victims; it affects the mind as well as the body.” Verin didn’t move from where he was crouched as he turned to look back at the plant.

When Aconite was given to a victim, that victim often became hypersensitive. Pain, touch, hear-ing and smell, even maybe sight could be affected by the poison. Where the pain isn’t intolerable for the victim, they would likely be numb, the stark contrast driving them to the brink. “
Be glad that it’s only on your skin, Master Parnell,” he called over to the poisoner, “Anxiety and paranoia are also recorded symptoms of victims. They fear that they are about to die; the panic is as great as the pain. It drives you to madness before it kills you.” Verin also suspected that the psychological turmoil actually accelerated the physical symptoms.

The splash surprised Verin and he looked up to see the poisoncrafter in the water, “
Woah!” He went to stand up and rush over to his associate and help him, and he did his best to disguise his bark of amusement as a cough. However, he forgot about the plant heads lying on the ground beneath him, and it was mere ticks after he stood up that he realised his own fingers were covered in residue venom. Cursing violently, he made his way over to the stream too; even if the water would not be an antidote, the cool sensation would relieve the pain for a little while.

But the blond stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed the serpent, who was latched on to Parnell’s arm. He blinked, “
that’s unfortunate…” was his only thought, and he nodded and turned, searching for the other’s pack. By this point he was gritting his teeth; it was taking a remarkable amount of self-control to not scratch or rub the stinging fingers, which he kept carefully cradled, ensuring that it didn’t touch anything else. It took a chime or two, but he finally found a bag, and he shook it out of the pack before standing and handing it over to the poisoncrafter, “Never a dull moment out here, is it?
*
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on May 22nd, 2014, 2:46 am

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It was fortunate that Verin had been discussing the neuroses extending from the Aconite. Having the thought of how the FEAR was as much a symptom as the pain, helped him focus more easily on the need to remain calm. He'd seen the effects of snake bites and he had nothing to combat it but his own resistance and understanding.

Bites by snakes such as these did flesh damage, often to the point of requiring an amputation. But the worst cases he'd seen sketches of were associated with incidents where the victim panicked. The accepted course of action, dictated by those who'd studied the medical side of snake bites, were to stay calm and still, keep the area of the bite below your heart and not to cut and suck the bite. This rarely extracted any significant amount of the venom, but frequently brought about infection from the aiding party's own filthy mouth. Which then gave the body more hostile elements to weaken it.

Bringing the snake, along with the victim, to the proper professionals was a big help, when it could safely be accomplished. But all too often, it simply resulted in a second victim. The snake's fangs could not fold back while sunk in Inoadar's arm, so they'd been able to get hold of the creature easily enough. But his plan was not to bring the thing to some medic. The nearest one of those, besides his modest self, was back in Ravok, several bells away even if they caught the ferry immediately, which was highly unlikely.

No, it served Inoadar much better to let himself consider ways of making use of the creature he now had bagged in burlap. His arm, of course, was already starting to throb, swell and discolor. The trick was to do as little with the muscle as possible. That would only spread the toxin. It was hypothesized during his session at the IHL that it was not truly the bloodstream that spread the toxin, or every snakebite would attack the heart. It seemed to be more centered on the muscles and bones.

He asked Verin to place the first bag inside a second and sat down against a stump. He'd feel better with the snake double-bagged. He was starting to feel dizzy and feverish. Once again, the glory and benevolence of Rhysol provided for his need. Every citizen knew you could drink the water from the lake. It was by their Lord's grace that it was kept divinely clean and pure. He asked Verin to do him the favor of collecting some water for him to drink.

He began counting off the people he knew in town that might have connections to someone with the skills to milk a snake for venom. 'This could facilitate a whole new scope of enterprise at the NMSS...Snakebite antitoxins...or even immunity!' He reminded himself not to get excited. But the thought of new poison-related endeavors always got him going.

He had some Jile salve and thought it might help detoxify the bite area to some degree. It was worth a shot anyway. What he really needed was some Acson, a plant with dark green leaves that were white underneath, and hood-shaped blue or purple flowers. It tasted like shyke to chew, but that was the price of its benefit as a natural venom counter. He called over to Verin, who was getting some water, to see if he could find some. Verin seemed distracted by something on the ground though.
Last edited by Inoadar on June 16th, 2014, 2:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on June 15th, 2014, 12:28 am

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It was fascinating to watch, Verin thought, primarily because of how calm the poisoncrafter remained as he dealt with the venomous creature which had previously been latched onto his arm. Curiously, once he had removed it, the man wanted it bagged. It should have been obvious – what else would he require bags for? But, for whatever reason, the thought had not occurred to the less experienced poisoner. Verin hoped that he would have the strength of mind to remain calm were he the one to be in Parnell’s situation; though prideful and very occasionally quick to anger, he was not irrational, even in the worst of situations.

Yet the elder of the Rush twins had never been in such a situation… yes, his threshold for pain was by no means a low one, his father having beaten the tolerance into him when he believed that he was injuring the younger brother. Yet there was a remarkable difference, the blond thought, between being beaten by one’s own flesh and blood, and being threatened by the unstoppable force that venom could be, as it ran through the veins.

"
I don’t know anything about these… that poison family, Master Parnell." He fiddled with the two bags, flapping them both open before inserting one inside the other. His voice was calm, tone soft, as if he were merely discussing the pleasant weather, knowing that his own worry might be a catalyst to the others own emotions. That and he was keen to prove that he could keep a clear head. "Do you know anything about snakes?" Gingerly, careful not to receive the same bite that Parnell was now nursing, Verin held out the now double-bagged carrier to the other so that he could slide the creature inside it.

Gently, he ensured that the bag was wrapped up, so that the serpent would not escape once the bag was placed on the ground. He overlapped the bag on itself and set it down, to hear the request for water, which he gladly sought out. The water from the Lake was, fortunately, clean enough for consumption, as was the water in the stream they were next to. But the water never reached the poisoned poisoner, as some movement on the ground stopped Verin from returning to his instructor.

Barely noticeable, the brown, matted fur blending in almost flawlessly with the ground around it, lay a large rabbit. Verin had only noticed it because of the random twitching, clearly the slow motions as a convulsion ended. From the looks of it, Verin guessed that this rabbit would never stand up again. Although the pair were out scouting for poisons, most plant specimens were not alive at this time in the year… staring at the poor creature, he wondered if it had eaten any of the Aconite plant, but then remembered his own lecture on the symptoms – convulsions wasn’t one of them.

Placing the water on the ground, he reached into the back pocket of his trousers and pulled out his pair of tamo daggers, which he unsheathed from each other. Ignoring the pain on his own arm, he placed one on the ground and used that hand to stroke the suffering creature, murmuring hushed words of comfort, even though he knew that none of it would be understood. For his final stroke, the instant his hand brushed lightly over the rabbit’s neck, he stabbed down. It was an unceremonious motion, but it was the surest way to make sure the creature died without further suffering. Glancing up, he looked over at his companion, who was now sitting, and looking markedly paler. He said nothing with regard to what he had just done; his reasoning behind sparing the rabbit pain was not relevant. "
Is a symptom of that serpent’s venom convulsions?" He asked mildly.

OOCSorry it took me so long D:
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on June 16th, 2014, 3:45 am

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Inoadar knew deep down that he should be listening to what Verin had asked him, but his focus was slipping in and out of relevance. Bits of plant toxin information were poking through his already muddled recollections of fungal lore. His arm was really starting to hurt. That was probably the only thing keeping him semi-rooted in the present.

He felt like he ought to stand up, but whenever he tried to rise, the ground rebelled beneath him; spinning and rolling at angles to make it impossible. Too often he found himself on his hands and knees, his head reeling, staring at a puddle of vomit that could only be his own. But there was still that voice of calm, telling him that this was normal, and not to get upset.

"Ride it out...ride it out..." he droned, growing annoyed at Verin for trying to disrupt his focus with...whatever it was he was saying... "something about convulsions...something about convulsions..." he muttered, not caring if he had an audience.

He relaxed against the stump, and a few chimes later, his head cleared enough to grasp the situation again. He was no longer experiencing past events that his fevered mind was telling him were the cause of his various discomforts; weakness, numbness, nausea, rapid pulse, muscle spasms. Now and then he'd realize he'd fainted, and still Verin went on about convulsions. He had to admit, his pulse, fainting and spasms could fit in that category, but Verin did NOT seem to be talking about HIS symptoms.

This brought a surge of interest; enough to restore his attention to the present again. He looked at his arm. It was swollen and splotchy, but outside of the actual fang punctures, and the spots he'd lacerated when he'd scraped them falling down, it was not that bad. He'd certainly seen worse. There was no reason to be worried about any amputation. He supposed there would eventually be burst boils and areas where the flesh would turn black and die, but it didn't look like anything was going to be any worse than a serious burn.

He remembered that he was going to wrap it, but hadn't gotten around to it. It needed to be "snug", but not tight. Loose enough to slip his finger under, but not loose enough to slip. Verin was trying to get his attention again. He sighed and looked. When he saw what Verin was talking about, a few gears clicked in his mind and he started to chuckle. He'd have probably broken into full-fledged laughter, but he was too weak.

Now he had reason to be even more hopeful. He knew something about snake bite dosages in the wild. Not anything specific, but just a general knowledge that when a snake has just bitten something, any bite within the next several chimes would be of reduced potency. Verin was drawing his attention to a dead rabbit, lying right where the snake had been when it bit him.

His talk about convulsions added up now. The snake had hunted the rabbit, bit it, and it was convulsing from the bite. He realized that the snake had been waiting for it to die when he'd disturbed it, provoking its defense. He'd gotten only a half dosage of venom, or less.

Relief surged through his soul in equal portions to his acknowledgement of irony. This was the second time a rabbit had saved his life. "Thank you...thank you..." he sighed, leaning back with a renewed sense of health.
Last edited by Inoadar on June 17th, 2014, 4:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on June 16th, 2014, 12:20 pm

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It took a while, but Verin finally got a response out of his instructor… and when he did, he raised a brow at the response. The man was actually thanking the rabbit, thanking it for apparently being the first to die, so that Parnell wouldn’t also suffer the same fate. The response confirmed the less experienced poisoner’s theory that they were both bitten by the same serpent, and relief flooded over him, too. It was a cruel gesture, but a warranted one; the rabbit’s life was not nearly as valuable as the poisoncrafter’s. “
A stroke of luck, I suppose…"

Standing up from his crouch, he made his way back over to Parnell, who still was not looking in the best of health. Verin was mostly sure that the man was not about to leave this world for the next, but he was definitely going to be out of sorts for the rest of the day, at the very least. He offered the water to the man, and hesitated before he placed his free palm on his back, helping to support him as he took sips of the water.

I think it might be prudent if we make our way back to Ravok now – you won’t be in any state to continue today, as I highly doubt that the symptoms of the venom will be gone within the next few bells." It was guess work; he knew nothing of snake venom, and this was his first interaction with it. But it did not take must for him to deduct that venom which could kill a rabbit in mere chimes, even in a smaller dose, would cause sickness in a grown man for some time.

The blond stood and went to the poisoncrafter’s pack, where he quickly returned items and closed it up. Then, glancing at the bag where he had left the snake, he carefully picked it up, wincing only a little as the serpent inside squirmed briefly at the movement. Verin personally had no use for the snake; theoretical work would have to be done before he felt comfortable working with the venom or, indeed, the snake itself. Master Parnell, however, had wanted the snake bagged for a reason, so he would ensure that it was brought back to Ravok in one piece… along with Parnell.

Do you think you can walk, Master Parnell?" The bartender asked softly as he picked up the poisoncrafter’s pack in his other hand, grimacing as the painful itch from the Aconite on his hand flared up again. “The dock for the ferry is not far." The dangers of the venom might have passed, but should the pair encounter any predators, Parnell was useless to defend himself, and Verin was ill-prepared to deal with such dangers too. For both of their sakes, they needed to return to Ravok.

If the man was agreeable, and appeared unstable when he stood, Verin would offer his own support to the man, either by allowing him to drape his arm over Verin’s shoulder, or by just walking close beside him should he stumble. At this point, he did not care if he was overstepping boundaries; a proud man was a foolish man at such times, and Verin would offer help to those who needed it if it ensured survival.

OOCFeel free to round it off :)
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on June 17th, 2014, 5:20 am

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The certainty that he was not as badly poisoned as he'd thought added enough optimism to give Inoadar the resolve to stand, despite the waves of weakness and nausea that threatened to buckle his knees again. He looked quickly to ensure himself that his partner had grabbed the bag with the snake. Verin flinched a bit as the serpent inside squirmed, making the bag twitch and flop. He looked as if he was expecting the creature to tear its way right through the canvas and sink its fangs into his arm as well.

Inoadar was unsure as yet just exactly who he would take the snake to, but he supposed he'd start at the Institute of Higher Learning. Perhaps someone in the 'Serpente' curriculum could direct him to a snake handler that knew about milking the creatures. He would like to learn to do it himself, but such a professional may not wish to impart his vocational edge to a stranger. The throbbing in his arm slowly receded as they made their way in the direction of the ferry.

Inoadar passed the time recounting the tale of his previous salvation by a rabbit. He told Verin how he'd been in the woods to the northeast and had run into a Balacani, a vicious, scaled monster that hunted from the air with diving attacks and razor-sharp teeth. He'd had the aid of a Myrian woman named Kaie, but her aid was limited to setting a trap while he lured the beast away from the corpse of his horse. She'd been in no position to aid him with any weapon prowess. And his was far less than hers.

He'd used his crossbow, but then had a mishap with it that rendered it useless. So he'd fallen back on his weapon of choice: poison. She spiked the corpse with his entire pack's contents. All he needed to do was tire the creature out enough for it to give up the chase and go back to finish feeding off the horse. He accomplished this by running through the densest part of the forest, while the winged creature struggled to pursue him.

At one point he'd eluded its detection, hiding in a gully beneath some bushes. But he was still in the path of the monster as it sought to sniff him out. Right on the brink of discovery, a rabbit had bolted from the bushes nearby, and the Balacani had crashed through the brambles after it, losing track of where it been searching by the time it realized its error. This was the last straw, and it gave up and went back to Inoadar's dead horse and consumed enough poison to kill a dozen horses.

Inoadar had cut its wings off and eventually manged to retrieve them from the woods, and have them cured and mounted on his wall at 'Ino Vations'. He would be glad to get back and admire them again. Maybe he'd raise a toast to rabbits everywhere.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Abstract on July 4th, 2014, 2:33 pm

Grade Awarded!

~|-|~


Verin


Award :
Skills

~ Socialization – 2
~ Herbalism – 3
~ Teaching – 3
~ Observation – 4
~ Investigation – 2
~ Poison - 3

Lores

~ Falyndaran Tree: Burning Sap
~ Inoadar: Devoted to Rhysol
~ Poisonous Properties of the Yew Tree
~ Gumwort: Use in Wildleash Poison
~ Mud Bubbles and Fishheads: Useful only Together
~ Poisonous Properties of Water Hemlock
~ Goats: Good Animals for Testing
~ Inoadar: Tests on Himself
~ Poisonous Properties of Choke Caps
~ Poison: Resistance and Assistance
~ Poisonous Properties of Aconite
~ Acson: Anti-Venom

Other

N/A


~|-|~



Inoadar


Award :
Skills

~ Socialization – 2
~ Teaching – 3
~ Herbalism – 3
~ Observation – 2
~ Investigation – 1
~ Intelligence – 2
~ Poison – 3
~ Wilderness Survival - 1

Lores

~ Falyndaran Tree: Burning Sap
~ Poisonous Properties of the Yew Tree
~ Gumwort: Use in Wildleash Poison
~ Mud Bubbles and Fishheads: Useful only Together
~ Poisonous Properties of Water Hemlock
~ Goats: Good Animals for Testing
~ Poisonous Properties of Choke Caps
~ Poisonous Properties of Aconite
~ Dealing With a Snake Bite

Other

N/A


~|-|~

Notes


Verin, a note on your explanations about differing plants. I realize that you have competent poison, especially in those areas, but try not to simply spout information about them when you don’t actually have the lores… I awarded them anyways, so this won’t be a problem later on. The same actually goes to you, Ino.

Otherwise, a beautiful thread, with PILES to award. Good job! I loved the snakebite bit at the end, and gave Ino some WS for dealing with it well, as that’s something that kind of falls in that category. Enjoy your grade!
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