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 February 26th, 2014, 1:35 am

41st Day of Winter, 513AV

The boat journey to the shore was as long and drawn our as ever, perhaps more so, given that he was travelling with someone he barely knew, someone he respected and wanted to impress. Normally, when Verin headed to the lakeshore, he was with his brother, who knew of the sickness he experienced when on water for extended periods of time. There was no shame in his nausea on water, he knew rationally, but he couldn't help the pricks of embarrassment that he felt as he massaged his churning stomach for the majority of the journey with this almost-stranger. Master Parnell, the poisoner he had gone to in the name of learning more about the art of poisoncraft, was expecting Verin to share his own knowledge of Arboreal based poisons, as was the deal they had struck and shook on at the beginning of the Season. Sickness was a sign of weakness in the blond's eyes, but he hoped that Parnell would think no less of him because of his display of illness.

I dread the day that business, or pleasure, for that matter, calls for me to travel on the high seas,” Verin murmured to the other man as they finally disembarked the vessel ferrying them across to the mainland, “Lake Ravok is hardly the most turbulent of bodies of water, and if I feel this way on it, then the choppier waves of lakes and seas not protected by our God will surely cause my stomach to turn.” As with most Ravokians, Verin did not deign to think that the poisoner would have a different God to the Defiler. Whilst her respected the beliefs and views of others - including his own brother, who worshipped another - he did not understand it and, as such, it did not occur to him as he spoke, using the plural 'our' to include Parnell in his statement.

They continued, in silence, a short way away from the shore itself, towards where the trees grew thicker, and the plants and bushes covered most of the undergrowth. Beyond his previous words, Verin was not one for small talk, and he didn't imagine that Master Parnell was either. This suited him perfectly, as the pair were not yet friends and he had little to say to the man, other than the discussion of business. The walking and fresh, crisp air allowed time for the young man's stomach to settle somewhat, though he knew from experience that it would not settle completely until he had returned to the lake city and knew he would not have to travel by boat for such a long time again for some days.

As I said before, when we were in your shop,” he finally began as he slowed his pace a little, “The season of winter does not offer up the same variety of plants and, by association, poisonous ingredients that the other seasons offer. As I'd imagine is the same for the majority of other poison families, each season grants something different from the next, so there is enough to be found at this time of year.

The man's pace slowed to a halt as he scratched the back of his head, “
Sylira also has a great deal of different species from, say, Falyndar...” he smiled wryly, “I once heard of a wonderful specimen. It had small, apple-like blooms, which were poisonous. But even more interesting was that, when it rained, the tree would release white sap. The sap would cause the skin to blister if it came into contact, burning it in a way. And the tree couldn't even be burnt, because the fumes from the tree could cause blindness.” Verin turned and continued to walk on, “The ultimate defence mechanism.

OOCDescribed is the Manchineel tree, native to Central America and Florida. Awesome, isn't it?!
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on February 28th, 2014, 6:13 am

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Inoadar could see his partner's discomfort during the boat trip to the shore. If he'd known the fellow suffered such an affliction he'd have picked up some Batonal leaves and made a tea of it. It would be one way of determining if it truly did ease stomach distress as the herbalists claimed.

He'd gathered some earlier in the season, right after the strange cold weather had struck. He'd seen that most herbs were not growing in this cold. It was fortunate that herbs were not what the two of them were going ashore to collect this time. He did not think that trees, roots and vines should be so drastically affected by this cold. Not to the point of completely going into whatever term served as "hibernation" where plants were concerned.

Then again, perhaps the slowdown of growth he'd seen in shrubs and flowers would be of some benefit. There were many ingredients whose processes required catalytic inhibitors to slow down certain stages of reactions for the highest yield. Maybe this would hold true of the sources themselves. Maybe the vitality of summer growth reduced the potency of some sources. It was something to keep in mind.

He mentioned this notion when Verin voiced his observation about the season's effect on what could be found in the wild. He'd seen this frequently for himself, but reminded himself that this fellow was new to the science, and was glad to see him absorb his response with analytic acceptance. He smirked silently that it was fortunate his mind was not as queasy as his stomach. Nor his faith. He seemed a good staunch supporter of Rhysol, and that made Inoadar feel a pang of guilt for his silent criticisms. 'It's us against the world, after all. We need to stick together. At least inasmuch as can be accomplished while also culling the weak from the fold.'

His interest grew with each word of description of this exotic tree the young man offered. "Ahhh, to sew an orchard of such trees in the midst of Syliras...or Nyka." He did not choose to share the origins of his loathing of those two cities with his companion. That he despised them both was all the other needed to know.

There was one other thing he chose not to share. He had yet to have an uneventful trip into the wild. If not wolves, then bandits, or snakes, or quicksand, or discoveries of unforeseen toxins in unfortunate ways, or Yukmen, or a Balacani or Rhysol knew what next. He told himself that these things kept him sharp. And it was borne out by the fact that he'd survived them all. He wondered what it would be this time.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on March 18th, 2014, 8:39 pm


Despite himself, the edges of Verin's lips curled into a small smile - the man was a follower of The Defiler. Better yet, apparently he was devoted, like Verin. The blond was not against people having their own Gods; his own brother had chosen another God to worship instead of Rhysol and, as long as he was jot blasphemous towards Ravok's patron, he supported his brother's free choice, as long as he paid some homage towards their true God. But it was always comforting to find someone who openly worshipped Rhysol... Ravok was not many in friends and allies, so they needed all the solidarity they could find. And this man, apparently, cared enough to want to align the beliefs of their neighbours. In all honesty, Verin would more like to raze Syliras, rather than convert its inhabitants. It was an extreme view, but it had more potential, at least.

He voiced none of this, however, having only shared his darkest fantasies with his twin who, as a worshiper of the God of Change and Transformation, supported Verin's view. But without the support of Rhysol and the Black Sun, his dreams would only stay just that: dreams.

The blond began to slow as he noticed one of his favourite specimens in Syliras, “
This tree here is wonderful,” he began his preamble as he stepped over to his and took a branch in his hand. The tree had long, thin, green branches, which were flexible, and bent freely as he grasped one of them. On each where hundreds of thin, needle-like leaves, a little darker than the branches. “The Yew. It lives all year long, making it a valuable plant in this field, as it regenerates fast, throughout all seasons, and it is relatively common to Syliras... and even when it dies it retains its poison.” He pulled firmly along the branch, and the leaves fell into his open palm, which he showed to the poison maker. “The pine leaves themselves are most toxic when they have been dried, so if that is your goal, a poison will take some time to prepare,” he tilted his hand and allowed them to fall to the ground, having no need to collect any himself – his supplies today were purely for the storing of new specimens, if they found any, “As you can see, the tree shows no damage caused by anything other than the weather. I’ve found it’s a common theme for trees and plants, to increase toxicity when dead or dying. Once eaten by some animal, it can do nothing but kill or maim the animal, and teach a species not to eat it in the future. A last petch you to the world.

The way Verin spoke of the tree to Master Parnell, with such reverence, it was almost as if he was talking about something sentient. He smiled wryly at the poisoner before turning back to the tree and gingerly grasping a branch with a blooming vermillion berry. “
This aril,” he said, pulling at the branch and indicating with his little finger that it was not a typical berry, rather an ovule which partially encased a seed, “is the only part of the tree that isn’t poisonous, but the seed inside is. The aril coaxes birds to eat the seed, which isn’t broken down in the bird’s stomach. It is how the seed is spread, to create more Yews. Through bird travel.

He let go of the branch and took a step back, glancing up and smiling at the magnificent plant. With such high levels of toxicity, Verin had been astonished to discover that it had properties as a medicinal plant too. Verin was too full of respect for the yew that he couldn’t ignore its value, and he was glad to have found it first. “
Obviously we have a different digestive system to birds, so the seed will affect a human, though I’d imagine not all Kelvics. The toxicity of the leaves is far more potent than the seed, however – and that can kill a man. Failure of the heart. On very rare occasions, there are also no symptoms… which is something I wish to investigate more: how to create something with no warning signs.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on March 19th, 2014, 2:20 am

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Inoadar could not conceal his fascination entirely. This put a new take on the function of fungus in the toxin world. How many of the toxic forms of fungus grew in the compost of wild decay? Was it then the fungus itself that was the source, or was it the composted properties of fallen leaves and needles, arils and seeds that gave them their potency?

He was quite familiar with cardio-related fungal toxins. They required a great deal of processing and were fairly expensive. He wondered now if some of the different species of mushrooms, might be identical at spore level, but grew into different forms due to some aspect of the different toxins dropped by different species of foliage. The same could be true of shelf fungus, although they would be less inclined to get random input since they grew right on the tree and not in the rot on the floor of a forest.

Perhaps some of that inherent processing was to remove the alternate influences of other arboreal presences, to purify one aspect of a toxin. He knew from experience that there were a few combinations of toxins that effectively neutralized each other. Chemicals that were hazardous to be overproduced by the body could be triggered by one toxin. But another that hindered the production of that same element would counteract it. Of course, that much tampering with the body's systems had repercussions of their own that could be just as bad as poison. In some cases this was the point. This was the basis of some approaches to the concept of "signature" poisons. And they had the advantage of being nearly impossible to trace.

He stopped taking notes for a while as he relayed these notions to his fellow researcher. He took bountiful notes not only on the toxic properties his cohort described, but on the aesthetic characteristics of the tree itself. The next time he went out to gather mushrooms, he would take far more in-depth notes of which species of trees were nearby, to see if there was a pattern of which fungus tended to be found by which trees.

He pointed out several types of fungus and mushrooms as they encountered them. Including the basic shelf type which had become a major provider of the enzyme which numbed the body's recognition of the presence of the hazardous element. This allowed the toxin to reach further into the vital inner systems and mass of the body. It was fundamental.

He also mentioned his learning experience and embarrassment at the IHL class when he'd had it drilled into him in front of the class that, since the fungus was what coaxed the tree itself to produce this chemical, the best time to gather this "weeping" fluid was in the morning, when this biological function was newly renewed. The tree produced it to hinder the penetration of the fungal enzyme that broke down the structure of the wood. A poisoner used it, he stated, to hinder the body in the same basic way.

As the opportunities presented themselves, he pointed out some samples to be gathered. "There, that light brown mushroom with the smell of rotting leaves is 'Gumwort', the base of Wildleash poison. But you actually need the mycelial layer below the mushrooms, rather than the mushrooms themselves. There is some considerable processing with that."

Several chimes later, he pointed out what appeared to be some dark brown lumps of mud, which were actually mushrooms whose caps curved down to extend their rims right to the ground. "Those are 'Mud Bubbles'. But there is no use in gathering them unless you also see 'Fishheads', a large, gray type with a puckered apex like a fishes mouth. The 'Mud Bubbles' are best when gathered from underground, but the 'Fishheads' negate this necessity by reducing the effect of the natural mineral calcination due to the sunlight by adding mycelial chromothropic enzymes back to the soil. Oh yes, they are the base element in Engeron Bane...Note the minty smell." he said with a series of sniffs.

He found the part that the bird played in the spread of the Yew trees intriguing as well. But by now, Verin had distracted any comment on the subject with additional species of note.
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Last edited by Inoadar on April 10th, 2014, 8:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on April 8th, 2014, 12:07 pm

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Even holding a scented object directly against his nose, Verin sometimes had trouble with anything other than the strongest of smells. Sometimes it was a blessing, when around otherwise putrid and foul smelling places or objects, but a lot of the time, Verin thought that it could be a curse, as with such examples, where Master Parnell was pointing out that a source could be identified by its smell. He wondered if he should try to recall what he knew of the identifying smells of trees for Parnell; it was possible that the man used that sense often, particularly when plants or fungi looked similar to the naked eye. It was difficult to recall the information, however, as he didn't rely on such information.

The blond nodded anyway and stepped over to get a closer look at the fungus. “
Does the visible mushroom itself have any purpose for other poisons?” He asked as he examined it, trying to commit any distinguishing features to memory. As he breathed in deeply, however, he smiled to himself; he had managed to catch a whiff of the smell that Master Parnell had described. Pushing himself to his feet, he continued, “Truth be told, I could not tell you which particular mushrooms are edible... is this one if them?

He made a note to ask about Fishheads later on, if they could be seen, or to research them when they returned to Ravok, though he grimaced at the second mention of smell, this time a minty scent, which he had no reference for, even if he could smell whatever Parnell was smelling. He said nothing however. It occurred to the twin that smells were important for the practical use of poisons, just as taste was - should the smell, or taste, be obvious, especially if the poison had been covertly added to some food or a drink to be ingested, it was probable that the poison would be detected. Here, smell was even more important; once tasted, it might already be too late for the victim, yet a smell that contradicted what someone would expect could deter a victim. So far, Verin's learning had been entirely theoretical, creating drafts for the purposes of learning. If he were to start using his poisons, he would likely need instruction on detectability. But he would approach Master Parnell on that topic at a later date.

The slow trickle of water reached Verin’s ears and, for a moment, he considered whether or not it was worth heading over there in search of the plants that grow by streams and rivers – water meant animals, and animals often meant predators. Verin had is small tamo daggers with him, but he had brought them as a crude method of cutting away anything he wanted to bring back with him, rather than protection. His survival on his last excursion to shore had only been due to his brother’s use of the Flux, the same would not save them this time. But he narrowed his eyes and motioned for Parnell to follow him nonetheless.

The pair walked along the bank of the small river, which was presumably flowing into Lake Ravok, for a few chimes before Verin spotted what he had been looking for. “
This,” he said, in order to get Parnell’s attention as he leaned down, though he did not put his hands anywhere near the plant itself, “is Water Hemlock.” The green plant, which was about four feet tall, consisted of small, long, hollow stalks, which broke and extended into more stems. At the end, some clusters of small white blossoms could be seen, even though it was winter. The leaves were pointed and flat, with notches at the edges, which created ‘teeth’. “If there were any plant to not need treatment to make it more useful, or potent, this would be it. The entire plant is toxic and, more importantly, ingesting even a small amount will kill an adult. I can’t stress enough how dangerous this plant is.

He stared at the plant for a moment, annoyed that he didn’t bring gloves with him to take some back to Ravok with him; it would be interesting to make it into a compound and see what else it could be used for. The poisoned sap would not seep into his skin, but there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t later forget and put his hands to his mouth, which alone would make him seriously ill, at best. “
This plant is often mistaken for similar, edible plants by travelers, such as parsleys. I suppose this makes it a contender for an “accidental” poisoning – one might just stick it on someone’s plate and, assuming the victim could not identify the plant, they would practically willingly ingest the poison themselves…” Verin rose and took a step back, “No doubt it has other uses, but I don’t see why one would need or want to. It’s such a unique specimen – unassuming, deadly and, arguably, the easiest to get away with.

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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on April 10th, 2014, 10:26 pm

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Now that Inoadar had stumbled across the strange fungal element that appeared to allow more complex combinations of different toxins, he knew that the answer to his comrade's question about uses of the "visible mushroom" was a very possible 'yes'.

But he had not yet spent the time trying any combinations with 'Gumwort' yet. So it was with complete honesty, if not a large degree of deception, that he answered, "none that I'm aware of. I have only found a use for the under-layer." It was only professional to hold back some knowledge. Let the researcher do his own research.

"Well, I suppose if you feel that the smell of rotting leaves would add a pleasant element of flavor to your cooking, I would think Gumwort would not harm you, unless you were a Kelvic. And even for one of them, considering the processing required to render it effective, it would probably be safe to eat, but..." he made a face.

"As far as knowing toxic mushrooms from non-toxic, the best method is to make someone else try it out first." he laughed. "No, in all seriousness, when I was an apprentice in Sunberth, my master kept a variety of animals on hand to test such things. Goats are good because they'll eat anything, and are hardy enough to survive toxins that are less than lethal to humans, so you don't end up classifying every compound as 'lethal', like you might with rats."

He gave Verin a sidelong glance, "It may surprise you to know that I often test things on myself." He nodded sincerely as his companion stared suddenly at him. "It's the same principal as developing anti-toxins to animal venoms. I expect I am becoming reasonably resistant to a number of toxins by now." he held up one finger in the iconic 'profound saying' gesture, "Strength through suffering'. It was how I was raised." He did not go into details about his past in Nyka.

Instead, he muttered on about 'Fishheads', somewhat to himself, "Hmmm...I wonder of they could be used with other subterranean types the same way; to negate the need for that environment. Or herbs, for that matter. 'Salialana' needs caverns to grow, and is quite profitable. I'll have to check into that." He knew the Healing Hand had a supply of that. If he could use his smuggling contact to obtain some, perhaps he could free up some spores for testing. He began to focus his hopes on locating some 'Fishheads' now. He'd need them as well.

This was diverted by Verin's attention on the 'Water Hemlock', though. The young man might have been curious at Inoadar's dropped jaw and staring eyes. Inoadar immediately got out his gloves. He never went anywhere without them; you just never knew.

"This is astonishing! I've seen these before, at the western lake shore. I was actually in the water practically surrounded by them! I was fully submerged to hide from wolves. I breathed through my cane. The lower part is hollow." Now his eyes narrowed as he thought back.

"Yes...Vayt's Grace! I see..." he turned to Verin, his motions animated with the excitement of discovery. "At the time, I didn't think twice, I didn't know they were toxic. There were ferns that grew in the water with them. With stalks that broke easily, not tough and fibrous like so many others. You could squeeze liquid from them, and I found this liquid to be an antitoxin for a number of things."

He started to pace. "But later, I found another patch of them, but they seemed to be completely inert. I assumed they were a different species that simply looked alike. But now I wonder. Do you suppose it's possible that the very presence of this 'Water Hemlock' might have triggered the ferns' development of its anti-toxin? I ask this because naturally I got lake water in my mouth while submerged. And I felt ill for a few days after. At the time I thought I'd caught a chill from the damp."

"I've certainly seen similar examples of spontaneous counter element development in plant life before. It's a major aspect of fungal dynamics. I wonder if planting it near other toxic plants might have the same affect." There were none of the ferns he'd mentioned nearby, but he knew where to find them on the lake shore.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on April 22nd, 2014, 2:20 pm

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At the suggestion of getting another to ingest a suspected poisonous substance to test the theory, Verin also cracked a smile. His brother would argue that Verin was a pansy who refused to get his hands dirty, lest he mar his perfect appearance, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In all actuality, the bartender simply preferred to use the resources available to him, and if that included a willing victim - or one that he could manipulate into doing his bidding - then so be it. Arguably Venser, who didn't like to rely on others, was a much more of a do-it-yourself type of person, and was far less proactive in looking for ideal solutions. He supposed it was down to the nature of the Gods they worshipped; Venser was hardly an avid supporter of The Defiler, and was therefore more likely to be a pawn in the chaos, rather than an instigator who then sat back and enjoyed the view.

It is possibly a useful control for... what is it, cross-contamination? No, uh...” he paused, unable to grasp the term he meant, on relation to Parnell testing poisons on himself. “I doubt you have many willing subjects on hand, but you could also use the situation to your advantage, as elements of another poison might act as an antidote for another...” he trailed off, having not really thought through what he was saying before actually speaking. The concept made sense in his head but, now that he had said it, it sounded a little foolish. The blond cleared his throat and continued on.

For a moment, Verin wondered if Parnell had shared a similar upbringing to the one the younger Rush twin had experienced; Vilkas Rush had taken the meaning of "strength through suffering" to an entirely new level, though Verin often considered that the drunkard actually hoped the beatings would be bad enough to kill the boy. Preferring to forget this awful thought, he did not question further. The past was irrelevant to what they were doing now.

The pair passed some bracken on the way - long evergreen ferns with many teeth extruding from the stem, creating a distinctive triangle-shaped leaf. The bright green shade, whilst not necessarily rare to find at this time of year, was certainly not common, and it caught Verin's eye. For a moment, he considered wandering over to the low, bushy plant, but then he would undoubtedly pique the interest of his companion. The bartender only had suspicions about the plant having potential in poisoncrafting, but there was no documented proof to that effect. He had heard tell of people who had continuously eaten the bracken had had eventually succumbed to, and died because of, some illness... but no one knew what that illness was, or even how it really manifested. "
Maybe if we wander across some later..." it wouldn't do to appear incompetent and unknowledgeable so early on into their excursion, even if Master Parnell had implied that he did not precisely know of any used for the head of the Gumwort mushroom.

It's entirely possible...” Verin answered the poisoncrafter's question with a little hesitation. Without knowing which ferns, it was difficult to say whether the anti-toxin was natural within the species or had developed only in those ferns as a means of survival. “There i ferns and plants with natural medicinal properties, obviously... but consider the common stinging nettle. Whilst not poisonous, it hurts when it comes into contact with the skin. And there are plants with large leave which grow around this nettle; when rubbed against the stinging area, it alleviates pain. Something similar could be at work with the plants you found.

Having always considered it ironic that all medicines had the potential to become poisons, Verin smirked to himself at the ironic thought. The tiniest miscalculation of dosages could be the difference between saving a patient's life, and ending it. He wondered if the Healing Sun, or even the NMSS, would allow him the ingredients to their remedies, so that he might study remedies. “
We have a choice now, though: we are more likely to find interesting specimens if we remain by water, but we are also more likely to meet something... far less savoury.

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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on April 23rd, 2014, 4:06 am

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Inoadar spun to face Verin with a wide-eyed smile, "Exactly! The stinging nettle's counterpart fern probably has some nature about it that requires friction to release its spores. So it grows best where such plants that irritate the skin grow. So the two have developed this inter-dependence that cause you to rarely find one without the other."

He saw Verin looking at him with some surprise. He waved dismissively, "Excuse me, I'm not meaning to say this as though it's something I know for a fact. I simply have seen this in the fungal...uhh...domain...before. In fact, it's partially how one tells toxic mushrooms from non-toxic, or from actually culinary varieties. Of course, watching animals can give you a clue as well. Often, you can trust that if animals eat them without harm, then they are alright for human consumption."

He quickly adapted his disclaimer tone. "But of course, this is not always the case. There is a species of rat, found in swamps I hear, that is supposedly immune to poisons of many sorts. One of its body parts...or maybe ALL of them...anyway, some part of it is used to make 'Hag's Mask' poison. I expect it has some metabolism that alters the toxins, but keeps them contained within its blood. I've used 'Hag's Mask' quite a bit, but it's not a miza-maker for me. I don't make it, I have to buy it outright from those that do."

As the two began making their way to the lake shore, Inoadar admitted that this was only something he'd heard in passing while he was enrolled at the IHL for a session in study of arachnid poisons. This was called "Araneida", for some reason. He could imagine it was largely the same principle that led him to feel that his own blood may be valuable as a source of multiple anti-toxins some time in the future. He said as much to Verin, stressing how many toxins have sources in swampy environments.

"With even the basic toxicology lab, you are provided with a set of chemically reactive strips that result in different colors depending on the different climates of the sources. There is a spider-based poison called "Silk Streak" that I am anxious to learn to produce. I...uhh...obtained...a sample of it and learned with this method that it comes from a variety of swamp spider. But the toxin is in the web, not the bite of the spider itself. I have yet to go that far afield without running into wolves or bandits or some other such nuisances." He shook his head at the annoying memories.

As they neared the water, Inoadar noticed an odd patch of grass. He realized he'd left a statement unfinished. "Oh yes, I was saying that natural interdependence often indicates the presence of toxic or non-toxic mushrooms...See here, how much rougher and hardier the grass is here?" He bent to reveal a small patch of mushrooms.

"These are 'Choke Caps', they're not terribly lethal, but they look exactly like some kind of gourmet type that someone might eat a lot of, which WILL make them lethal. There's no way to tell them apart once they are picked and on a shelf, save to eat them. Not really advisable. But here, the grass reveals them to be the poisonous kind. The grass has developed resistance which is shown by its thicker, rougher appearance."
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Last edited by Inoadar on May 9th, 2014, 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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I would prefer you called me "Nolan Parnell"...In fact, I insist.

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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Verin Rush on May 3rd, 2014, 2:56 pm

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*

As the pair continued walking, Verin nodded at the appropriate moments as Master Parnell spoke of the simple method of deciding whether or not something was poisonous depending on how much of the fungus had been eaten it at all. The same went for Arboreal bases, and Verin suspected that this phenomenon spread to other poison families. It was a generally agreed upon, and even in some cases proven, fact that animals were far more susceptible to most poisons than humans were. Generally this could be attributed to an animal’s size; many were smaller, and that meant that they couldn’t take poisons in the same proportions as humans… likewise a Ravokian Black Wolf might survive a higher dosage of a toxin, not that it probably ate any plants.

Very true, animals do seem to possess a natural ability to distinguish between what could kill them and what will not.” Yet, as the pair passed another of the yew trees, and his eyes caught sight of one of the brilliant vermillion arils which incased the seed, he was reminded of the different biological structures of various species, no doubt Parnell was aware of this, but it was relevant to the conversation, so he spoke in efforts of furthering the discussion from the poisoncrafter’s own mention of the species of rat. “Unless already broken before ingestion, that yew seed will not digest in a birds stomach. Possibly due to the animal’s vastly different anatomy, or because there is some enzyme that is missing, or present? Likely there is a chemical difference, as well as a biological one. It would be interesting to capture a bird and…

Trailing off, he scratched at his head - he would have to learn more about the processes and structure of enzymes before he would even think about subjecting an animal to a series of probably very painful tests and experiments, followed by an inevitable death. It was likely that he would not even succeed the first time, nor did he even know what he would use the knowledge for, or what he should be looking for, “
An antidote, maybe? Or perhaps a compound to increase the longevity?” But he needed to know more to increase his chances of success, lest the animal die in vain.

Either way, watching the habits of animals is a start, but it can by no means be the only habits one bases the existence of toxins on. Trial and error is perhaps our only reliable method; animals have spent hundreds of generations either building up resistance to toxins, or learning to avoid them. All through trial and error – now we humans must do the same.

Nearing the water’s edge, Verin’s crouched beside Master Parnell and listened to the description of this particular fungus.. Choke Caps. His eyes narrowed as he leaned a little close, darting his gaze to the left and back to the area surrounding the fungus in order to notice the difference. Tentatively, he reached forward and grasped a few blades of the coarser grass in his hand. Once satisfied, he inclined his head in understanding of the poisonmaker’s words before glancing up, still crouched; he was uncomfortable remaining near the water’s edge for an extended period of time.

Pale blue eyes narrowed as they scanned the land available to him. Verin had never been able to appreciate the natural cover that places like this gave to him, knowing that he was just as blind as other creatures out here, with so many obstacles. If anything, with his poor senses, he was probably in a poorer position than predators with good hearing and smell. But his searching stopped when, some distance away from the water’s edge, the sight of one of his favourite plants distracted him. He pushed himself to his feet and motioned for Master Parnell to follow him, speaking over his shoulder as he strode towards it, “
It’s a shame I can’t show you this plant when it’s in bloom; it truly is a beautiful specimen.

Again, this was one that Verin avoided touching, and made a show of clasping his hands behind his back so that the poisoner would get the hint. “
Aconite, also known as monkshood for its appearance, is generally violet when it flowers. A stunning flower…” His speech sped up in excitement – if it wasn’t previously evident that the elder of the Rush brothers was fascinated by his studies, it would be now.

Reports suggest that, in high enough doses, the plant can kill its victim… ‘instantaneously’…” the slight derision in Verin’s voice suggested that he didn’t believe it completely. “It generally attacks the heart, yet in smaller doses, it will cause nausea, vomiting, confusion and the like. Symptoms involve a burning sensation in the mouth and abdomen, as well as areas of skin that it has touched, so it is hardly untraceable if the victim complains. Maybe not the most useful of toxins to use for secrecy, but I like it. And if untreated within, say, a bell or so…” he smiled wryly, leaving the poisoner to interpret. “Sometimes arrows have been coated in the toxin before being fired at predators who threaten livestock, which is how it has the third name of Wolfsbane.
*
Last edited by Verin Rush on May 20th, 2014, 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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[Lakeshore] From Root to Leaf (Inoadar)

Postby Inoadar on May 9th, 2014, 9:41 pm

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Inoadar's quill was a blur as he copied down the words Verin stated. 'Aconite...also...'Monkshood', yeah, I can see that...' he muttered to himself as he wrote. He added a brief description of the plant, noting the need to view it in bloom. He wrote down "Heart...lesser/nausea, vomiting, confusion, etc..." as Verin remarked on the levels of toxic effects based on dosage.

He might have noticed the enthusiasm on the face of his partner, were he not completely taken up in the moment himself. But he'd already assumed the Rush fellow enjoyed this research. 'Once introduced to it, how could anyone NOT be?' he'd often asked himself.

His own spirit sank slightly at the points Verin made about the easy detection of its use. That was definitely a point against, but it was hardly to be rejected. There were always situations where the use of poison was a detail you WANTED known. He smirked in agreement over Verin's skepticism about "instantaneous" death. 'In a high enough dosage, SOAP would be lethal, for Voice' sake!'

He added "Wolfsbane" to the other names, and thought there was something familiar about this reference. He shrugged when it didn't come to mind. He wrote a few names down. These were not notes he intended to share with Verin, the names of people that he would ask about the use of this plant's "properties". They were citizens that had approached him with tentative plans that might wish to be done in a visible fashion.

Being the sort of man he was, he wished to test the plant for himself, right here, right now. Yes, there was definitely a sudden flash of pain which spread across the back of his hand where he rubbed it. He nodded his head and walked over to the water to see if the lake water would lessen the sensation. He did not notice a little whip of a splash near his foot. He was too focused on the growing rash and string of bumps developing on his hand.

He suddenly slipped in the mud and went down with a curse and a splash. He rolled over to prop himself up and suddenly his eyes went wide and he shouted in surprise. He tucked his knees up and stood, holding his right arm out to the side. Hanging on it by its fangs, was one of the lakes common, but still very dangerous. Ravokian Water Moccasins.

it was very fortunate that he was right in the midst of a class on snake poisons at the IHL, because he knew not to grab the thing right behind its head right then. That would be the grip to milk venom from it and that was not what he wanted to do with the fangs still "jaws deep" in his arm.

Staying calm was the key, and he'd always felt that his work these many years had probably made him a bit more resistant to such things than most. He took one deep breath and said calmly, "Verin, bring one of the empty bags from my pack, please." He then placed the face of his left thumb against the snake's lower jaw, pushed to close its mouth and wrapped the fingers of his hand around the back of the things head and neck. Pushing up with his thumb, he lifted it away from his arm, watching the fangs slide up and out.
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