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CCC
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 2:48 pm |
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Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am Posts: 11381
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"Darestim." Zalasbra nods, thoughtfully. "I have... heard of this poison. Not much, unfortunately. Magic, yes, can heal beyond the abilities of mortal physicians - at least, the abilities of mortal physicians of this world. I do not mean to impugn the skills of your own doctors. Nonetheless, there are limits, even for the most powerful practitioners. The Lady Sephrenia may be the most skilled mortal in this world when it comes to such arts, due to practice if nothing else - I have no doubt those Knights she follows around are always getting themselves injured. But although I cannot replicate her skill in such matters, I nonetheless do believe that I have enough knowledge of the fundamentals that I can say with certainty that even magic cannot heal all the damage caused by Darestim, though it can be used to restore some of the damage."
Nate: Science: +0 Roll: +1 Total: +1
Dr. Vanderbilt nods. "I'd be glad to look over anything that you think might help," she says.
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Kajin
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Post Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:46 pm |
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Gatekeeper of Niftiness |
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
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Felix spends a little bit of time trying to help find the treatments Nate is talking about.
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CCC
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:03 pm |
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Felix: Science: +3 Roll: -2 Total: +1
Felix helps out by tracking down a few references, but he doesn't really find much that Nate missed.
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balthazar
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:13 am |
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Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:57 pm Posts: 4102
Location: Currently on expedition.
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Nate frowns at the theoretical papers he found in the computer, grabs the closest tablet, and begins to explain to Dr. Vanderbilt exactly how that theory was put into practice in the field, making notes and annotations as he goes.
"Just don't ask me where I learned all this."
[OOG] Tag Nate's That's Classified. aspect for an extra +2 on that science roll.
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CCC
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 11:20 pm |
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"Wow, this will be useful, thank you." Doctor Vanderbilt makes some quick notes from what Nate tells her, and visibly refrains from asking where he learned some of it.
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Anything else before leaving for Cimmura?
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weremensh
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:30 pm |
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Moderator of DOOM! |
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Joined: Thu May 30, 2002 12:00 am Posts: 15852
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Arkady follows up: "Our doctors...regrow and replace organs that are too badly damaged to heal. Obviously that is having limits. So two questions, then. Can you, or lady Sephrenia, heal widespread but subtle damage to the brain? Second, and I am already hating myself for asking, would this be the sort of thing we would best try with Piper helping?"
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CCC
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Post Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 1:11 am |
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Zalasbra raises an eyebrow. "You can grow human organs?" he asks, surprised. "The brain is not that difficult to repair with magic. Tedious, yes, and excruciatingly slow, but not impossible. But none but the most rare and powerful magics can repair an injury to the heart." He thinks a moment longer, and adds "And having Piper at hand when trying will not decrease the chances of success, and may well increase them. Now, please, tell me more about this habit of growing replacement organs?"
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weremensh
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 6:55 pm |
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Arkady grins. "It is hardly being something we do without thinking, Zalasbra. It takes a good deal of education, several people working together, the proper tools and supplies, and some time available to even consider it. But as for how it works? Consider you, then."
"At the moment you were conceived you were one cell. Since it was just one cell it could not be several kinds of cells at once; muscle, nerve, skin or what have you. What it was instead was a cell that knew how to grow into each of these cells, and as each of these cells grow the organs that made the baby you became. Everything it needed to know about how to grow into the adult you was written deep inside by the instructions in your father's sperm and your mother's egg. And what your first cell had written within, each daughter cell also has written; even if they are now a very specialized daughter like a nerve cell."
"What we do is take some of the daughter cells of that first cell, from the scholar you became, and make them think that they are a different kind of cell. They will then produce daughter cells of the kind they think they are. These daughters are then used to grow a new organ for you in exactly the same way it happened the first time. Well, in a machine that can make them grow into an adult sized organ in days, instead of your mother who grew a baby sized organ in 36 weeks. We then replace your hopelessly damaged organ with a brand new healthy organ that is already truly yours so there are no problems with the new organ and the old ones getting along."
He nods and adds "Fixing hearts is not that difficult for us. Obviously if your heart is badly damaged you die. But we have another machine that can do the job of your heart for a while, buying us the time needed to fix the old one with sewing or little machine parts, or just grow a new one. Fixing brains? They're too subtle to fully fix with new parts or just sewing up, and if we grow you a new one all we've done is to turn you into an aging brand new baby. Everything you are as a person would be gone with the old one. For the Queen's brain, it is sounding like the more subtle kind of healing you know how to do would be best."
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CCC
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 8:09 am |
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"Absolutely fascinating," says Zalasbra. "You can just grow a new one, and... replace the old one with it? That is incredible. I must learn more about how this is done."
There's the slightest, merest hesitation before he speaks, as if Zalasbra is double-checking his phrasing, making sure it doesn't hint at... something. Before the trip to Rendor, Arkady likely wouldn't have thought twice about it, but now... he begins to suspect that Zalasbra might be hiding something.
Sceptic's Ear: Zalasbra is using Deceit, in a long-term manner.
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weremensh
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:44 pm |
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Arkady shakes his head with a slight grin. "Cure first, curiosity second Zalasbra."
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CCC
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Post Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:29 pm |
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Zalasbra nods. "Knowledge is only as good as the use to which it is put," he agrees. "But in this case... yes. I do believe that if we work together, Styric magic alongside your devices, that we can achieve that which neither could achieve alone. I shall look further into the matter."
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Things are swiftly bought to order, and before long the small group of mostly Terran adventurers is refuelled and ready to go back on the road. Arkady finds that, after his recent revelation with Zalasbra, he's paying a lot more attention to the way that people talk...
Sceptic's Ear: Both "Theresa Baker" (Felix's companion) and Piper are hiding something.
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The journey itself is fairly uneventful, and the group arrives outside Cimmura a couple of days later. As they pass near the Pandion chapterhouse, the Knights on guard wave merrily and beckon them in...
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weremensh
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Post Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 8:56 pm |
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Arkady looks at the knights waving and beckoning for a second then comments: "They are a lot more relaxed than before. What has changed?"
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Kajin
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:12 pm |
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"We've been rather helpful to them. That thing with the last errand we went on with them might have played out in their favor as well."
Felix waves back and goes inside. Once in he looks for Vanire.
"How have things been?"
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CCC
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:36 pm |
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"Oh, they'll be formal enough when you get to the gate, don't you worry," says Sir Ulath.
Sure enough, when you present yourselves at the gate, you still have to go through the entire formal entry procedure ("Who are you who seek entrance into the house of the Soldiers of God?") and get closely scrutinised by a dour, unsmiling Knight (presumably in case you are a master of disguise trying to sneak in).
However, though it is formal, the group passes on through the gate without trouble, and are immediately shown into Vanire's office.
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Vanire nods at Felix's greeting; also in his office are Count Radun and young Berit. "Things are going well," he says. "In fact, you're just in time! The Primate has just recently got what he thinks is the news that his plot against the Count here had succeeded, and since most of the Kings of the neighbouring countries are present here for a trade negotiation, he's petitioned them to hear his story. No doubt he's going to tell the assembled Kings how horribly we Pandions murdered poor Radun here, so we're going to call him up to the witness stand to tell us how exactly he managed to reattach his head. The proceedings are open to the public, so would you like to come along and see the expression on his face?"
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weremensh
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:34 pm |
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Arkady shrugs, and tells the count: "My lord, the Primate may choose to accuse you of misdeeds too. I hope you will not mind being called to testify on your own behalf if it comes to that."
He then turns to Vanire: "So you know, we have an antidote for Darestim. And we think that with our doctors and a Styric mage working together we can cure the Queen of the damage the poison has already done. But there is a lot of equipment involved, and we would need to take over the throne room for several days to do it."
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