ShinyDecidueye » Hibernal Den » Rasam

Rasam

(#76386054)

RSM

Familiar

Blue-Footed Eggull

Energy: 50/50

Personal Style

Skin

Scene

Physical Attributes

Battle Stats

Measurements

Length

4.64 m

Wingspan

6.49 m

Weight

450.81 kg

Genetics

Hatchday

Mar 09, 2022
(2 years)

Breed

Adult
Aberration

Eye Type

Ice
Uncommon

Level 1 Aberration

EXP: 0 / 245

STR

AGI

DEF

QCK

INT

VIT

MND

Lineage

Parents

Vello
Lahela

Offspring

none

Biography

"..."

"..."

"...you know, when you said you made a breakthrough in Alchemy, I expected a universal solvent or something close to it. I did not expect a sludge Aberration," Polaris turns to her boss / colleague.

"...it was an assistant of mine," Ahephyx denies. "He studies bioalchemy. I suspect his River Muck got some of its... muck... into the cauldron."

Both silently watch the newly-created dragon stumble around from the observation room as said blue Ridgeback chases the Aberration around and a red Wildclaw runs towards the nearest exit.

"...I know a dragon who accidentally created a sentient Mirror out of goop when she accidentally used the ingredients of a Bogsneak egg with antifreeze,Siltvine stems, and Citrus Lionfish Spines. It was a while back, but she did report her findings accordingly. It's not a new phenomenon. I don't claim to be an expert in bioalchemy, but I do have a smattering of knowledge on the subject... what did he use?"

"Much of the ingredients were the same. However, he added Eternal Snow instead of the Citrus Lionfish Spines. There was also Unstable Serthis Concoction... and he accidentally knocked in a Vial of River Muck. The base potion was... I doubt you know what Dewinar's Reagent is."

"...that doesn't ring a bell, no." Polaris admits. She turns her attention to the scene unfolding before them. "So... why am I here?"

"Because of the antifreeze and Eternal Snow, the sludge is apparently extremely cold to the touch. Two of my assistants got sent to the hospital wing after they touched it with their bare claws," Ahephyx scowls. As always, she's oddly expressive for a Fae. "I have heavy-duty gloves for the extreme cold, but when my third assistant used them, they froze instantly."

"Aren't they enchanted like most heavy-duty gloves for dangerous labwork?"

"They were. And the sludge managed to get inside the gloves. He's now in the hospital wing."

"Tha- how-" For once, Polaris is lost for words. She blinks several times to refresh her thoughts. "The multilayers are designed to prevent entry of foreign substances!"

"Clearly, the design team will have to come up with new gloves," Ahephyx responds. It's an understatement. "And I have to expand the Academia's hospital wing."

"So... why am I here?"

Ahephyx is silent, and Polaris' expression visibly changes to a grimace as she connects the dots.

"Principal, with all due respect, I am not going to be your glorified spillage cleaner. Can't you get Wind and Arcane dragons to magically scoop up the mess?"

"Archmage, we... uh... we tried," a brown Bogsneak stops writing on a piece of parchment before glancing up at them. "It outright resisted Arcane magic... and the Wind magic just spread it further."

"That's how my fourth assistant ended up in the hospital wing."

"Yes. Um... fortunately, we've managed to keep it from touching the sensitive equipment by herding it towards the containment area, but the sludge itself is... difficult to clean up."

"Going by the calculations, Water will either freeze over or explode violently. Earth will corrode, we're not going to try Fire, Lightning, Plague, or Nature for safety reasons, Light and Shadow are virtually useless, and Ice just helps to contain, not remove it. However, the last option is our best bet because it can safely store the sludge. As you can clearly see, none of my assistants are Ice dragons, and you were the nearest. The other problem is that it needs someone to stop it," Ahephyx stabs a claw at the window separating the observation room and the laboratory proper.

"Which is why you need me," Polaris summarises, begrudgingly heading over to where the PPE is stored. "Fine, I'll do it. Just... give me a second to suit up."

"What is that," Harvest asks incredulously. Anne and Marie, meanwhile, look too stunned to speak. Polaris glances at them, and continues putting on her lab coat.

"...don't attack it, or you'll end up in the hospital wing like Ahephyx's fifth assistant."

"Fifth?!"

"Fifth," Polaris confirms. "It's a sentient dragon made from Alchemy and goop. Frankly, I'm not sure about the exact details because Alchemy was never my strong suit."

"Archmage Ahephyx!" the same red Wildclaw from before pants as they barge into the room. "Pectin tried to blind it with light, but the magic rebounded off the creation, and he suffered temporary blindness so he got rushed to the hospital wing!"

Ahephyx twitches. It's quite noticeable.

"...how many assistants do you have?"

"...ten."

"...well, I don't want to become the seventh casualty..."

"..."

"..."

"Archmage Polaris Everwinter, proud victor against a clan of Effluvial Crows, laid low and stuck in the hospital wing because of a failed Alchemy Project," her old classmate slash rival scoffs, setting her pearl aside. "Didn't expect to meet you again like this."

"Don't look at me, look at Ahephyx," Polaris grumbles. "It wasn't even my idea."

"That's Assistant Number Seven," a separate healer notes, watching a green Nocturne get hauled in. Something seems to have happened to his foreclaws.

"Why, what's he in for?" Sandra Greenleaf calls out, pausing her poking of Polaris' frostnipped leg. The green and yellow Pearlcatcher pauses, taking out a vial of aloe vera gel and spreading some of it on the affected area.

"Trehalose managed to clean up part of the sludge, but then he touched a surface that used to be covered by it. Apparently he didn't clean it off properly, because..."

Everyone else in the hospital wing winces. Except for Assistant Number Six (Pectin, was it?), whose eyes are closed, but he still makes a sympathetic noise.

"Principal, why is my hospital wing full of your assistants?" Arelin demands, bursting out of his office and facing the diminutive Fae.

"I- it was my fault," one of the three remaining assistants meekly raises a claw. It's the blue Ridgeback.

"We tried everything," the red Wildclaw continues.

"They all failed," the brown Bogsneak finishes lamely.

"Everything?"

"I can attest to that," Polaris coughs, and she can see Arelin's expression immediately change the second he registers her presence in the room. She still intimidates him? Good.

"Oh."

A pause.

"Polaris, what are you doing here?"

"I had a thesis on Aberrations to submit, it's with the Theses Review Committee," she grumbles, clearly ignoring the dirty look Ahephyx is sending her. "I was about to leave, except the rampaging sludge monster happened, so Principal Ahephyx dragged me from the hallway into the laboratory to help her."

Arelin blinks.

"Sorry, you said rampaging sludge monster?"

"Yes, I believe it was mentioned earlier," she deadpans. "You can come and see for yourself."

"..."

"..."

"...I see what you mean," Arelin finally squints, watching the frost spread on the outside of the observation room window.

"S- so far, it's demonstrated the ability to disintegrate into sludge and reform itself," the blue Ridgeback nervously explains. "I've been staying in the observation room and closing the appropriate doors to seal it off, but now there's sludge on everything in there."

"I have no wish to go back down there," the red Wildclaw shivers. "It's got a freezing aura, and everything it touches freezes or get frostbite."

"Is it really that bad?"

"It gave the dead tissue samples frostbite."

"Given that seven out of ten of her assistants are in the hospital wing... yes."

"I got frostnip from standing near it," Polaris volunteers when he doesn't look convinced.

Arelin is, like her, lost for words. "How- isn't that impossible?"

"I've been in much harsher climates before; I've scaled the Cloudscrape Crags and been to the Fortress of Ends without problems," Polaris agrees. "The laboratory wasn't even that cold for an Ice dragon, but... Either way, I'll be fine."

The blue Ridgeback quickly gives him a list of everything that had worked, everything that hadn't, and everything they were too afraid to do, before he holds out a list of ingredients.
- Imbued Sulfur x 1
- Silver Muck x 2
- Grey Slime x 1
- Purple Ooze x 3
- Blue Ooze x 1
(Above 5 are main ingredients in Unhatched Bogsneak Egg)
- Vial of River Muck
- River Muck residue
- Siltvine
- Eternal Snow
- Unstable Serthis Concoction
- Antifreeze
- Dewinar's Reagent

"So... most likely, thanks to the Unstable Serthis Concoction, the never-melt effect of the Eternal Snow and the antifreeze got strengthened and spread to the rest of the ingredients," the brown Bogsneak traces a claw down. "Actually, it was inverted first; instead of the Eternal Snow expelling heat from itself, it now absorbs heat from everything else, and the antifreeze keeps them from freezing so it's still in liquid form. I wouldn't be surprised if its insides are hot. The river muck and antifreeze caused the sludge effect, because the so-called 'impurities' in the muck and the liquid slush translated to it never solidifying fully. Also, that's why parts of it look blue. The components of an Unhatched Bogsneak Egg are self-explanatory, except a Bogsneak should have come out... then again, you said earlier that the dragon you know added Citrus Lionfish Spines and a Mirror emerged. Perhaps it was something in the river muck as well? Ground siltvine stems are an important reagent in poisons, but that's because they stabilise mixtures - especially those with Unstable Serthis Concoction, which is why both of them are usually found together in most recipes. It's... probably the other reason why the RSM hasn't disintegrated yet. Dewinar's Reagent is standard base potion, nothing to comment on there."

"Exactly," the alchemist responds. It's not obvious, but she's happy someone is on the same wavelength as her. Later, she'll tell them the Bogsneak is her brighest student and was only in the observation room because he was drafting his own thesis.

"RSM?"

"Rampaging Sludge Monster. Oh, right, apologies. I'm Sorbitol. The Wildclaw is Amy and the Ridgeback is Xylose."

"Can't we come up with a better name?" Marie asks. "I was thinking about it on the way here, Rasam sounds like a good name to call it."

"Isn't Rasam the name of a food?" Anne turns towards her and asks.

"...well... it's shorter than RSM..."

"...whatever, Rasam it is."

"Now that we know why it's acting the way it is, we have two options," Polaris brings out a small whiteboard and starts writing on it with a marker. "First, we could neutralise the RS- Rasam, but that seems like a missed opportunity to study it. Second, we could try and contain it, but that comes with the risk of... do I need to explain further?"

"I'll... go calculate the neutralising agent in case," Sorbitol volunteers, already scribbling down ideas onto a separate piece of parchment. Ahephyx silently joins him.

Arelin groans. "I'll go and get the ERB involved."

"Firstly, is it sentient?" Magister Rayde Sunspark of the Ethical Review Board asks, tapping a pen against the clipboard he's holding. The Imperial seems to be holding up much better than his recently-retired father. Actually, she does remember him. He's the one that constantly argued with the teachers (and his seniors, including but not limited to Polaris, Arelin, and Ahephyx herself) when he was a student. It's only fitting (and hilarious, really) that the entire purpose of his job is to question his seniors, in addition to being the one with the final say on whether to proceed with experiments or not. As loath as Polaris is to admit it, the only one with the real authority (excluding the Archmage Council and Ahephyx herself) is the ERB, and as its President Rayde holds slightly more veto power than her.

"Well, nobody exactly got close enough to try and ask it questions without landing in the hospital wing. But if we're going by the book and 'sentient' refers to the ability to perceive feelings and sensations... perhaps? It flinched away from a flame before extinguishing it with sludge," Amy patiently responds. Apparently she's much more eloquent than Xylose. Or Xylose is just feeling guilty.

Everyone silently watches as it collides with the double-locked door and recoils, before turning into a pile of sludge and moving around that way.

"Probably sentient," Rayde ticks off a box on his checklist. "Definitely alive of sorts. Has it hurt anyone?"

"Not intentionally or actively, but the sludge it's made out of has landed six of my fellow assistants in the hospital wing, either directly or indirectly, as well as-"

"And me," Polaris raises a claw. "No, I don't know how either. Sorry, continue."

Rayde pauses. "I was under the impression that there's seven."

"Pectin tried to see if it would react to bright light. It did, but he accidentally flash blinded himself."

Another pause.

"Noted. Accidental or intentional?"

"...accidental," Xylose mumbles under his breath. "I expected an Ice Flight Unhatched Bogsneak Egg, not... that."

"So it's sentient and was created accidentally with no ill intentions, but it's inherently dangerous. That would go under Case 4B, where standard protocol is to keep it alive but carefully quarantined and under control. In that case, you would need an area to keep it."

"That... falls under the Principal's purview, she's over there."

"What?" the Fae snaps, before flitting closer. Rayde shows her what's written on the checklist.

"Oh. I'll ask the construction committee."

With that, she goes off.

"And... you'll need to get rid of all the contaminants in the laboratory, as well."

"I- well, we got the ingredients for the neutraliser down. Hopefully," Sorbitol glances down at his parchment. Ahephyx perches on his head like an observant hawk and glares at the list like it's personally offended her.
- Fungalhoof Qiriq Horn x 1
- Glowing Ember
- GroundSiltvineStems
- Firestarter
- Unstable Serthis Concoction
- Lantern Oil
- Blasting Powder
- Firebelly ScorpionStingers
- Dewinar's Reagent

"Won't that kill ordinary dragons as well? Everything about it is screaming "hot and deadly poison", and it's touched basically everything inside so you'll have to distribute it by the sprinklers..." Harvest queries.

"Well... yes, but we can also make and distribute powerful antidotes via the same sprinklers afterward. It's... happened before, but not on this scale," Amy admits, "Actually, the Firebelly Scorpion Stingers look like they should be the key ingredient, they're both symbolic of fire and are poisonous. Is there any salvageable part of the room left?"

"My private laboratory should suffice," Ahephyx grumbles. She's obviously not happy at it being used, but given the state of the main laboratory it's not like they have any other choice.

"Ingredients are there. Dewinar's Reagent is over there. Reinforced Glass Beakers are in that drawer. PPE is in that cupboard."

Polaris quickly distributes them, and once Amy gets hers, she gets to work on preparing the Firebelly Scorpion Stingers. Meanwhile, Xylose quickly fills the cauldron until the colourless solution reaches an invisible line, then starts the fire underneath with a Firestarter.

"One can of Lantern Oil," Sorbitol quickly pours it in in, then waits until it has started to boil. Once it does, he reaches for a flask of bright green liquid. "Unstable Serthis Concoction to invert the Lantern Oil's long-lasting properties and make whatever it's soaked in short-lived, as well as stop the sludge from spreading. Are the Stingers ready?"

"Last one, and... okay."

Xylose swipes them from Amy, before tilting the cutting board such that the Stingers all fall in. While Amy rushes to get the Fungalhoof Qirig Horn from where it's been secured in a chest, Sorbitol grabs two more jars, one containing Glowing Embers, and one with Blasting Powder,. He shakes the former a bit and holds it near the fire, which causes them to glow even brighter, before uncapping the first jar and pouring them into the mixture quickly followed by the second. The Firestarters are ignited and they go in before they can release too many sparks. Xylose is now relegated to stirring duty, so that's what he does for the next few minutes. He prods the floating items to make them sink, then looks questioningly at Sorbitol.

"Not yet," the Bogsneak squints, shaking his head. "Though, a lidded container would be nice."

The mixture turns from a dull grey to a nice flame colour.

"Kay, and... now."

So, Amy gingerly holds the Horn with tongs, and drops it right above the surface of the roiling liquid before ducking away. Good timing, too, because it starts hissing. Similarly, Xylose dumps the Ground Siltvine Stems in before it starts spitting deadly poison everywhere.

Nobody moves for the next few seconds. Then, once he thinks it's safe, Sorbitol starts slowly stirring the solution so the sediment settles. Or dissolves. Maybe both. Finally, it looks... somewhat consistent, and has stopped throwing out sparks. Xylose puts out the fire, and the non-alchemists let out the collective breath they've been holding.

"Is... it ready?"

"We just need to transport it."

Transporting it is easy. Actually loading it into the sprinklers is... not.

Xylose has already contacted the appropriate construction dragons. Amy's standing by the sprinkler button, waiting for the go signal. Polaris has given up and is reading a novel. She's not exactly very useful in this situation.

Arelin loads the last of it in, then pauses.

"How are we going to move Rasam?"

"..."

"..."

Xylose quietly lets out an expletive.

"Dig a tunnel from the new holding area to the laboratory. Seal off the laboratory once it's through. Sounds good?"

"I'll... go contact them again."

Polaris silently watches the last of the sludge Aberration slide down the hole. Thank goodness, too, because the Earth Flight Spiral down in the laboratory looks annoyed.

"Is everything good?"

"It is!" the Spiral responds, before filling the hole with solid concrete. Hopefully it'll stop the sludge. She then quickly leaves, and the double doors close behind her.

Amy flicks the switch. Bright orange liquid flames promptly get sprayed out from the sprinklers. Now that Polaris thinks about it, it's a bit ironic.

"And we leave it for the next few hours or so. Sorbitol's already making the antidote. Don't worry, it won't come back to life. I... don't think it'll catch fire? One of the properties of lamp oil is that it catches fire easily, so hopefully it being inverted will make it act as a flame retardant." It's a bit disconcerting, seeing the entire lab wreathed in orange 'fire' and not hearing the smoke alarms blare.

"...on the plus side, it'll make an interesting thesis," Xylose offers. "You think it'll make it into Starfall Journal?"

"It's a non-zero chance," his fellow assistant responds, then turns her attention to where Polaris, Harvest, Annemarie and Arelin are playing Uno.

Four hours later, once Sorbitol deems it okay, they load the sprinkler system up with the flame retardant plus antidote mixture. He mentions something about being one step closer to finding a "panacea" or something. The hospital patients all show positive signs of recovery. Everyone's just... really tired from today's events.

Amy jabs the switch, and watches as the 'fire' is extinguished. Polaris throws down her last Uno card with a declaration of "Uno Game", and pulls out a small piece of paper to write a letter to someone called "Reg".

After a bunch of lab safety people come to the room, the lab is finally deemed safe to even walk in. Arelin immediately leaves, while Polaris grabs her Apprentices and goes off to her own lodging within the Academia. Sleep is probably the best course of action right now. Well, everyone for Ahephyx, who needs to check all her equipment and see which ones need to be replaced. It's mostly the ones whose insides have been damaged, which is to say almost all of them. Xylose feels guilty about landing his friends / colleagues in the hospital wing, it's punishment enough. Actually...

"...did we remember to ventilate the room?"

"...well, sh*t."

OFFICIAL (CLOSED)
CREATION OF SENTIENT DRACONOIDS USING ALCHEMY
BY: AMY LOSE (DISCIPLE), DEXTROSE GLYKÝS (DISCIPLE), MALTO DEXTRIN (DISCIPLE), MANNITOL OSMITROL (DISCIPLE), PECTIN GALACTURONAN (DISCIPLE), RAFF INOSE (DISCIPLE), SORBITOL POLYOL (DISCIPLE), STACHY OSE (DISCIPLE), TREHALOSE SELAGINELLA (DISCIPLE), AND XYLOSE ALDOPENTOSE (DISCIPLE)
000
MENTOR: AHEPHYX DEOXYRIBOSE (ARCHMAGE)
000
PUBLISHED: 15 Mistral Jamboree, 4e 40294 (in Starfall Journal No. 234)

DISCLAIMER

We apologise for the mess, breakage of equipment, and partial destruction of Archmage Ahephyx's laboratory caused by the rampaging Aberration created alchemically (henceforth called "Rasam"). We have already purchased replacements as compensation. All injured parties have been treated and will be compensated accordingly...

ABSTRACT

We...

...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Archmage Ahephyx Deoxyribose for her guidance during this project. We thank Archmage Polaris Everwinter, Magister Arelin Medicī, Magi Anne Seymour and Marie Seymour, and Disciple Harvest Zephyrsong for helping to catch Rasam while it was rampaging in Archmage Ahephyx's lab. We thank Magus Sandra Greenleaf and her team of healers for treating the dragons whose injuries were caused by Rasam...

Amy Lose - Red Wildclaw, Plague Flight, Female (Still standing)
Dextrose Glykýs - Green and Blue Spiral, Wind Flight, Male (Tried to gather sludge with Wind magic, sludge spread further than expected and touched him)
Malto Dextrin - Orange and Purple Aberration, Fire Flight, NB (Touched sludge with bare claws)
Mannitol "Manon" Osmitrol - Pink Banescale, Arcane Flight, Female (Attacked sludge, magic got rebounded)
Pectin Galacturonan - Yellow Pearlcatcher, Light Flight, Male (Flash blinded himself)
Raff Inose - Bright Teal Skydancer, Lightning Flight, Male (Heavy-duty gloves were not enough)
Sorbitol Polyol - Brown Bogsneak, Earth Flight, Male (Still standing)
Stachy Ose - Purple Coatl, Shadow Flight, Female (Touched sludge with bare claws)
Trehalose Selaginella - Green Nocturne, Nature Flight, Male (Didn't clean surface properly)
Xylose Aldopentose - Blue Ridgeback, Water Flight, Male (Still standing)

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Click or tap a food type to individually feed this dragon only. The other dragons in your lair will not have their energy replenished.

Exalting Rasam to the service of the Lightweaver will remove them from your lair forever. They will leave behind a small sum of riches that they have accumulated. This action is irreversible.

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