• Solo • Blood of an Ellune IV

[Doran]

Ymiden 15, Arc 720

Excerpt from Doran’s research notes:

Ymiden 14, Arc 720. The testing of my newest potion on rats – conducted with the help of the invaluable Mister Harold James Shaw, our resident animal expert - was finally concluded last seven-trial - with what I consider to be overwhelming success. The rats temporarily gained an Ellune’s resistance to cold after they had been treated with the potion and showed no signs of discomfort when they were placed on a surface that had been covered with ice.

The rats that were used during the first series of tests suffered symptoms of a heatstroke after they had been removed from the aforementioned surface and returned to their usual cages, but the symptoms in question disappeared as soon as the effect of the potion wore off after which the rats were well again.

That side effect could be eliminated over the course of subsequent tests by reducing the dose from the initial ten drops of Ellune blood per vial. By using six to eight drops of Ellune blood per vial, depending on how strong a resistance to cold one desires, I was able to decrease the sensitivity to heat significantly.

Eliminating it entirely turned out to be impossible as sensitivity to heat, together with resistance to cold, is such a fundamental aspect of Ellune biology, but the risk of those that ingest the potion suffering a heatstroke should be removed, at least […]

On the 9th of Ymiden, I received permission from the Academy of Viden to conduct further trials in one of the unused laboratories at the Institute of Sciences.

Having bought some additional equipment and taken care of the paperwork involved, I started to test the Ellune potion on a first group of volunteers. Subtherapeutic doses were used during that first series of tests in order to assess the safety of the potion in humanoids.

The results of those first clinical trials were encouraging which was why I have decided to conduct another trial with an increased amount of potion that will actually render the drinker more resistant to cold […]

[Doran]

“Good morning, sir”, Elias, one of his servants, greeted Doran as the Mortalborn made his way into the kitchen, but a break after sunrise, garbed in a black and golden dressing gown and the simple long black pants that he had slept in. “Breakfast should be ready in a bit. I also made coffee for you. I made it a bit stronger this time as I felt that you might need it to-trial”, he added.

Doran inclined his head and thanked him before he sat down at the table, mentally going through the list of things that he would have to do that trial while his servant put a number of different plates and bowls (as well as a knife, a teaspoon and a fork) in front of him. There were an assortment of different jams, some sort of chocolate spread, butter, fresh bread that had been cut into accurate slices and placed into a small basket, among other things – and finally a cup of steaming hot coffee with cream as well as vanilla.

There were times when Doran was in the mood for a soft-boiled egg, vegetables or ham, for example – his Transmutation spark that had a major impact on his food preferences delighted in a bit of variety when it came to textures and tastes, among other things – currently, he was in the mood for something sweet though (he had told Elias so before he had gone to bed so that the mortal would know what he was supposed to make for him).

Once he had eaten (and felt more awake and energetic due to the coffee that he had drunk), he briefly went back into his bedroom in order to go through a few exercises so that he would stay in shape, washed, got properly dressed, in a dark suit that was a little more extravagantly cut than normal, a black shirt and a light wool coat, took the bag with his books and his notes, bade his employees farewell and finally left his apartment in the Obsidian Prism where he lived.

He made his way through the streets of Viden that were covered with a rather unpleasant and unappealing mixture of slush and mud rather than shimmering white snow now due to the strange weather (there was a heatwave going on), to the university and his new laboratory where his two research assistants, Miss Yishnai Velanar and Mister Shaw, as well as a specialist from the Infirmary that the Academy had assigned to him, a human woman by the name of Eliza Carter, were already waiting for him.

[Doran]

Plia and Mister Shaw were sitting at the desk at the back of the laboratory, their heads close together, checking a few documents while Miss Carter, a somewhat stern woman of approximately thirty arcs of age that wore her blonde hair in a bun, stood some distance away from the two research assistants, furrowing her brow, as if she were deep in thought.

When Doran entered the laboratory, hung his coat onto one of the hooks by the door and greeted them, all three mortals turned to look towards him. Harold greeted him with an enthusiastic “Good trial, professor!” while Plia smiled at him, and Miss Carter simply nodded her head.

The human woman didn’t talk much and was not particularly cheerful.

The Mortalborn didn’t mind that kind of behaviour though, of course. Miss Carter was professional, she was helpful, and she was familiar with all kinds of things that were involved in clinical trials, and besides, another person that was skilled in medicine was most appreciated.

The laboratory had undergone quite a few changes since he had taken it over earlier that cycle. The equipment that had initially been in it had been serviceable, but somewhat on the basic side. For that reason, Doran had decided to have it remodeled slightly. The furniture that was in it now was of the highest quality, and the various alchemical apparatuses were gleaming.

Smiling very lightly, he let a hand run across one of the polished silvery for a moment surfaces in appreciation for a moment – he could see his own reflection in it - before he turned to address the three mortals once more in order to explain what they would do that trial.

They would work with two different groups of volunteers.

The first group would consist of humanoids (with the exception of Ellune) that would receive the potion. The second group would consist of humanoids (with the exception of Ellune) that would not receive the potion. Said control group would be compared with the first group.

After that part of the research had been concluded, the data gained through it would be compared with the information that he had on resistance to cold and sensitivity to heat in Ellune.

Just as Doran had finished speaking there was a loud knock on the door. When he turned around and called out to enter, a university employee, a human male with curly brown hair and tanned skin, opened the door a crack, peeked into the laboratory and informed him, “The first group of volunteers has just arrived, professor. Shall I let them in?”

“Yes, please”, Doran replied. A few moments later when the volunteers walked in, he furrowed his brow. The aforementioned group of volunteers seemed to be one member short …

[Doran]

Daniel Miller hurried through the hallways of the Academy of Viden and down a staircase and yet another one. He didn’t want to be late. He was so excited about taking part in Professor Thetys’ experiment, and he was (unnecessarily) worried that they wouldn’t let him in anymore if he was late – or that he would only arrive after the potion had already been distributed.

He had signed up for the trial of the Ellune potion after his friend Halbjorn, the Lotharro, who he regularly practiced unarmed combat with at the Fitness Centre, had excitedly told him that he had donated blood the cycle before and that this professor wanted to bottle a Lotharro’s endurance and an Ellune’s resistance to cold. It had sounded amazing!

Besides, it would be such a fun trick. He couldn’t wait to see the look on people’s faces when he walked through the streets of Viden in nothing but a pair of shorts without shivering or risking frostbite.

“Fek!” A curse involuntarily escaped his lips as he took a look around. This didn’t look like the kind of place where important alchemical research happened. He had ended up in a large room that was full of chairs, desks and various supplies, and there weren’t any people …

Wait! Had that just been footsteps?

Daniel’s heart skipped a beat, and he wondered if he should quickly run and hide somewhere before they found him when a middle-aged human lady that carried a mop and a bucket turned around the corner and stared at him.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“The … the alchemy laboratories?” he stammered, hoping that the cleaning lady would know where he was supposed to go.

“On the second floor”, she replied, and Daniel thanked her and continued to run, bursting through the door of the laboratory just a little too late and blushing furiously as he apologized,

“Sorry! I turned a wrong corner!”

[Doran]

By the time that Doran finally returned to his apartment in the Obsidian Prism, it was already late afternoon, and he could feel the beginnings of a headache.

Things had gone well.

The process had been much more time-consuming than he had initially thought that it would be though, and on top of that, one of the volunteers had been late, supposedly because he had gotten lost on the way to the laboratory.

And then there had of course been a considerable amount of paperwork that had needed to be taken care of once the volunteers had left (once the effects of the potion had worn off).

Perhaps, he thought, he would see if the Academy would give him a secretary, if not now then at least once he had finished his thesis and proven his skill as an alchemist once and for all.

For the time being, he relaxed in the bath that one his servants had prepared to him before he ate a light meal and finally retreated into his study where he went over his notes once more.

~~~

Excerpt from Doran’s research notes:

Ymiden 15, Arc 720. The second series of clinical trials with an increased amount of potion was conducted to-trial.The results were much as I expected. A slightly increased sensitivity to heat continued to be the only side effect.

The difference to the control group was noticeable.

The highest dose of eight drops of blood per vial led to a resistance to cold that was comparable to an Ellune’s.

I decided to continue to work with doses of six and seven drops of blood per vial regardless though. Not everybody needs a resistance to cold that is so strong that they can take part in expeditions in the far north without having to worry about frostbite, after all. Some people may just want to be more comfortable in winter […]

There might be one more series of clinical trials before I will finish my research project and my thesis that will prove the discovery of a new field of Blood Magic […]

[Strange]

Thread Review

Doran

Doran Thetys

Skill Points: +10 (cannot be used for magic)
Magic XP: None.

Renown: None.

Injuries/Overstepping: None.
Wealth Points: None.
Loot: None.

Skill Knowledge:

• Detection x1
• Research x5

Non-Skill Knowledge:

• none requested.

Notes: n/a
Skills Used: GM Alchemy (250x/138k), Master Research (151x/73k), Master Medicine (151x/61k), Master Discipline (151x/40k), Expert Endurance (76x/39k), Expert Detection (76x/38k), Competent Etiquette (26x/33k)
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.

The introduction of Doran's journal entry made this feel both formal yet engaging from the start. It reminded me some of old horror short stories where it would start with a journal or record, though that doesn't bode well for Doran... the first-person record does give further insight into how Doran thinks and how he perceives the work he is doing. This led well into the peek into his usual morning.

The various techniques used in the separate posts was fun, even if it was because of struggling while writing it. Switching to Daniel Miller's POV made for an interesting scene but it did feel slightly abrupt when the next post went to Doran being done with the day. Then again, it also made it feel like foreshadowing, especially when considered that this thread is just one of a series!

Good job and enjoy your rewards!

PM me if you have any questions, issues or concerns.

Total Word Count: 1972 words.

Review Request Link: viewtopic.php?p=152307#p152307
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