Supplemental Testing (Verin)

by **Inoadar** on August 16th, 2014, 6:41 pm

Inoadar looked over at Verin, holding the eye dropper, and instructed him to apply the enzyme to only one of each sample. He was tempted to start mixing enzymes, but such grasping was counter-productive. If something didn't work, you went to back the most recent step that did, not go on further with guesswork. But as every application failed, in every instance where it should have worked, it was getting to harder to find such a "recent step", regarding the paste.

The more they wasted samples trying to find a test that broke the pattern of obstacles they were encountering, the more frustrated they both became. Inoadar found himself agreeing completely with Verin's assessment. How could anything natural be so completely immune to the effects of these compounds? The fish were natural, purchased right here in town, yet this ridiculous paste, also provided right here in town, defied chemical reaction!

A thought struck him suddenly. It would be somewhat painful to test, but that concern was for the lesser-devoted to worry about. He'd used an enzyme that was LIKE acid, in that it broke down the structural adherence of the fish flesh, without burning it. But it was NOT acid in truth. He went to a shelf and got a vial of genuine acid. He squeezed the eye dropper and pulled a bit of the fluid into the tube. he dripped a drop on the fish and the paste.

This seemed somewhat redundant as the effects were exactly as predicted. the fish flesh burned and bubbled, but the paste did nothing. "So, I wonder just how, exactly, anyone is to get any benefit from this..."supplement"...if acid does not break it down? How is it to be digested?" His question was entirely rhetorical as his tone and gestures were like a professor at the IHL, addressing a class of students.

He swept these samples aside, with some measure of disdain, and rose from the worktable to get a different sample of acid. This was actual, organic stomach acid. He gave Verin a look that said 'Watch this.' and dripped a drop on the paste. It immediately began to dissolve. He did not bother dripping any on the fish flesh, he knew the reaction would be the same. Now he touched his finger to the spot where he'd dripped the acid. He made a face and pulled his hand away sharply, the tip of his finger lightly blistered.

He returned the remaining acid to the vial, stoppering it tightly and turned with a look that combined triumph and perplexity. This was significant, but he was not sure how. He turned again to Verin, "Well now, if anything, this is even MORE astounding! This paste actually has some "selective reactivity" capability." He was now pacing furiously, his chin cupped in his hand, the elbow supported by his other hand, mumbling to himself. "...So it refuses to react to laboratory acid, yet yields to stomach acid, allowing us to digest it..."

"I would be worried that this is some hostile development, sneaked in by our enemies, except that no one has suffered any ill effects. All indications are that this is made right here, and at no significant cost. What is there that we have plenty of, with easy access to, right here, that can be used to make paste, and also has special properties to it?" Again, his questions were directed at himself, but he had no answer. It taunted him though. He was sure the answer was so simple he'd curse his stupidity when he finally arrived at it.

"Master?" it was Burke's voice, returning from the front room. It carried a note of concern. "Did you MEAN to leave this sample so close to the heat? It is all dried out." He pointed to a dish that Inoadar had shoved aside in earlier frustration. Even though he was still frustrated, he was now also intrigued. It was no longer a case of something simply not working. It was now a mysterious case of it working under certain undefinable circumstances.

He looked at the sample Burke was indicating. It was now a hard lump. It was no different that before, except for the lack of water. He went back to his exasperated musing.

by **Verin Rush** on August 19th, 2014, 12:49 pm

Even though he was not entirely sure what substances Parnell was adding to the fish and the paste, Verin had no doubt that similar reactions were occurring there too. Out of the corner of his eye, as he kept his mentor within his line of sight at all times, he could witness how the true fish would react and break down as expected, yet nothing happened to the paste. It was baffling, and it frightened Verin a little, as he began to wonder what sorcery rested on the fish supplement that people were eating. It seemed to him as if this was no mere product sourced from safe foods.

Struggling to find an agent which would prove to react against the supplement, the young blond turned his back for a moment, and his eyes searched the shelves for either something they hadn't tried, or for something he recognised, that he might be able to create a stronger catalyst with. But he spun around as he heard Nolan gasp, clearly he had just had an idea. Curious, he watched as Master Parnell inserted an eye dropper into a small vial - it was a few ticks later, when he witnessed the reaction that the fish had, that Verin worked out what it was. Of course! Acid, of all things, should have done something to the supplement.

“Causes me to wonder if the creator knew how... unreactive, how dangerous, his product is turning out to be,” Verin responded darkly. He had intended for this to be a small project, something that wouldn't yield any exciting results... yet here they were, standing there with the revelation that the supplement people were spending their hard earnt mizas on was doing them more harm than good, it seemed. “The supplement isn't even allowing us to test for nutrient value.” But then, brilliant as ever, the more experienced poisoncrafter had a new idea, and Verin watched, though with little hope for anything to actually happen.

Another few drops of acid were added to the samples of fish and paste - the fish reacted as normal and then... so did the paste. With wide eyes, Verin watched the paste slowly break down at a not too dissimilar rate from the true fish. His lips curled into a smile of satisfaction. “Brilliant. Something in the paste is... wow, what is it?” He stepped around quickly to stand next to his friend, and watch the remainder of the acid do it's work.

The nod of Verin's head indicated that he was in full agreement with his mentor; he had been worried about what they had uncovered, about how they might move forward with this, especially if there was foul play. He had wondered how it might look if Nolan Parnell, recently released from The Black Hole, was the one to step forward with these results, and the only men to back him up were a slave and the associate who had been with him when arrested. However, the paste was apparently not damaging. Relief flooded the bartender.

The unexpected voice of the shop assistant caused the pair to raise their heads to look at him, then at the paste he was looking at. It wasn't long before Verin had left the acid-tested sample and had rounded the work surface to stand next to Burke, where the flame was apparently heating the paste. Gingerly, he dipped two fingers into the paste, and felt the dry, floury mush that remained. “He's right, whatever liquid that was in it is almost entirely gone. So it's clearly water-based.... it's not as if Ravok has any shortage of that.”

by **Inoadar** on August 19th, 2014, 10:01 pm

His own words, 'What is there that we have plenty of, with easy access to, right here, that can be used to make paste, and also has special properties to it?', coupled with those just spoken by his associate, '...whatever liquid that was in it is almost entirely gone. So it's clearly water-based.... it's not as if Ravok has any shortage of that.', suddenly meshed in Inoadar's mind. His jaw dropped slightlyand he let slip a soft grunt of astonishment. Suddenly it was so easy, so simple, so obvious!

But only a fool would take this solution for granted. There were confirmations to establish. Inoadar's determined grin was a near manic grimace as he eased his two partners aside to reach the now-dried pasty lump. "Yes...yes, you are mine now, you fake, you imposter. Prepare to be exposed!" he crowed triumphantly. "I will show the Warden his indulgence was not misplaced." He ignored any looks of concern or puzzlement that may have shown on the faces of the other two men.

He tore off a small bit of the compressed powder and set on a lab dish, next to a sample of the regular, undried paste. He swaggered confidently over to his vial of laboratory acid and pulled a few drops' worth into his eyedropper. returning to the dish he held the tube over the regular paste, "Now, as we expect..." he dripped a drop onto the paste, "...nothing." he said this with curious excitement, considering there was no reaction. Unless Verin knew what he was on to, he would surely be expecting a sag of renewed defeat.

Instead, inoadar turned flamboyantly, as if addressing an assembly, "And now, the revelation!" He spun back, dramatically dripping a drop or two onto the DRIED paste. There was an immediate reaction, a soft, mild popping, and the lump distorted and sagged, slowly melting into a puddle on the dish. Inoadar's grin was pure vindication. Burke's eyes nearly popped from his face.

"And now, the FINAL confirmation!" the poisoner announced. He tipped the dish up at a slant, allowing the now-runny, acid-solved paste to flow into the wet pasty lump. The dissolved lump, where it contacted the wet paste, adhered, but carried no effect. the wet lump of regular fish paste did not dissolve. "Wait for it..." Inoadar crooned.

Sure enough, although the wet pasty fish supplement showed no effect, the now-dissolved paste restructured itself into an additional bulge of wet paste where it touched the unaffected lump. Burke looked back and forth between the dish and his master, his expression perplexed. "I don't understand, Master, there's no difference between the two samples. How-...?"

Inoadar whipped around to face his slave, interrupting him. "Aaah, but that's where you're wrong! There IS a difference! 'What do we have plenty of? That's used to make paste?" Inoadar asked rhetorically. Then he gestured at the remaining lump of dried, compressed powder, "...and what is it that is MISSING from THAT sample?" Even as Burke's eyes widened with understanding, Inoadar answered his own question. "Water...Lake Water! Simple, glorious, lake water. Water blessed by our patron Lord, Rhysol. Water that purifies all that is thrown into it, yet is drinkable and therefore reacts normally with our body's organic functions...functions like...oh...Let's see...digestion?" His voice dripped with sarcasm, yet was entirely friendly, meant only to urge understanding.

He walked quickly to the other vial of acid, the stomach acid. "And that is why the chemically produced, laboratory acid had no effect, yet this naturally secreted, organic, stomach acid worked."

He now faced Verin, "My friend, if you would be so kind..." he held out the dish with the remaining dried compressed powder. "Now that we CAN run some tests on this stuff, let's see what ELSE is in this so-called 'Fish Supplement'. I'd wager not much more than powdered fish bones and flour."

by **Verin Rush** on August 25th, 2014, 8:11 pm

It was easy for Verin to stand to the side and watch the master poisoncrafter take over, doing what he did best. Sharing a look with the young shop assistant, the blond wondered if it was a regular occurrence for Parnell to talk to his experiments as if they were the antagonists of his daily life. So far, Nolan had earlier assumed that he and Burke were against him, so it did seem plausible that the fish paste was now the personified opponent that the deranged poisoner was facing.

But whether it was normal, or whether it was another after effect of the unknown torments that he had experienced, Verin would never know from Burke’s face, which did not hold the answers. At the mention of the Warden, however, Verin’s eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. The pair of observers, suddenly uncomfortable, looked away from each other. He turned back to watch his mentor as, once again, he added various catalysts to both the true fish and the dried out paste. This time all three were able to see the reactions quite plainly.

And, as they saw the reaction on the dried paste, yet not on the wet paste, the budding poisoner’s eyes widened as he finally understood what Master Parnell had worked out chimes earlier. The delight that was obvious on Parnell’s features was infectious, and Verin did nothing to hide his grin. This was something that had began as a simple occupation for a troubled soul… Verin had had no idea that there would be a substantial, acceptable conclusion to their work.

Already aware of what was going on, he knew what would happen with Parnell’s confirmation, and was less surprised, but still pleased to see the results were as expected. This was why Nolan was the mentor – even though he was by far the more sane currently, Verin didn’t have the experience… or maybe the initiative… to fully understand something like the properties of the water in Lake Ravok, or the creativity to utilise that knowledge in his practice.

When Verin spoke, he was both answering the still ignorant shop assistant’s question and confirming his own newfound knowledge, "Lake Ravok’s water is pure, and purifies itself. Anything that is added to it can be neutralised instantly, which is why we have always been able to drink from the lake without worry of contamination or infection." Pale blue eyes fell on one of the moist pastes left on the work-surface. "The paste, whatever it is, contains enough water from the lake for Master Parnell’s artificial agents to have no effect, yet the natural acid did affect the watered paste. It’s lake water, Burke. Lake water is one of the main components of the paste."

Pausing, Verin wondered if he was speaking too plainly, and stopped himself from continuing his explanation. But Master Parnell did not correct him, so he assumed that he had gotten the information correct. The bartender took a step back. "This must be reported. The seller is exploiting hungry, frightened and desperate citizens. It cannot continue."

by **Inoadar** on August 26th, 2014, 7:23 pm

Inoadar agreed with his partner's assessment of the next course of action. But he thought it would be prudent for Verin himself to be the one to deliver the news. The poisoner was unsure of his credibility with the authorities right then. He felt he'd best assume that, if no one else, The Warden of the Black Hole would be having him watched.

He felt having Verin do it would be better, appearance-wise, for two reasons. First, the simple fact that common people might not believe a poisoner, thinking that this supplement was not in his interest to succeed. And having just been released from prison, and clearly suffering from some sort of mental imbalance would only add to this misconception.

This was the only reason he gave to Verin as he suggested that Verin himself be the one to expose the truth to the public. But the second reason was that he thought that giving the opportunity for some public recognition to his "support personnel" would look good for him right now.

He knew damn well that those in power, especially the Warden, would eventually know that it was through his shop, and his efforts that this information came to light. But for now, the image of a humble citizen, seeking neither glory nor reward, would be appropriately endearing. And he needed to get back in some good graces right now.

Actually though, there was a third reason. He honestly thought Verin might enjoy witnessing, first-hand, the blanched, nauseated expressions of those know-it-all aristocrats, when they found out that their fashionable fish supplement was nothing more than lake water, flour and old, ground-up fish heads. And he felt he owed the young man some sort of reward. 'Let HIM have the prestige of discovery this time.' he thought to himself, as he fiddled with the key on the chain around his neck.

by **Daegron** on September 18th, 2014, 3:30 am

The Future belongs to the Brave!

Inoadar :

Verin Rush :

Notes and Comments :

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Completed Supplemental Testing (Verin)