A new dean at the academy?

[Tempest]

A Storm is Coming...

43rd of Vha’lar 720

The start of Vha’lar had been a taxing endeavor for the city of Viden. They had barely made all the preparations in time for the cold cycle. But it was a calculated risk the city made to help strengthen their bond with Scalvoris after the issues with Faldrass. For the moment however it was time for them to focus on matter of home. The biggest thing in Vhalar was the news of the debate being held at the academy. Everyone in the city had been invited to attend to see who would be become the next dean. Three very capable candidates were chosen and preparing their points.

Two of them were very nervous looking young men. One was clearly a human man in his early 20s with a slender build, dark brown hair that was unkept, and grey colored eyes. He paced the room where the three of them were waiting. The second man was older than the first. The man was short and round compared to his two cohorts. Blue eyes glanced up from the papers that he had been looking over. A grunt sounded from behind his lips clearly getting agitated by the younger man.

“Save us the trouble and leave, Yvilas. It is clear you do not have the confidence for this position,” the man snapped. The younger man jumped and turned to face him.

“That is not true, Micaus. I have confidence. I’m just not used to defending my thesis and results in front of a large crowd,” Yvilas pouted looking at the older man.

Neither had bothered to reach out to Doran. His thesis and results had reached far in the academy and that alone had garnered a lot of respect. To know that he was their other competitor caused both men to be on edge. The crowd outside could be heard gathering, a large majority was the other professors at the academy lining the first row of seats. The academy had really pushed the event hoping the citizens would show up to support the new dean. It as not long that the citizens began to appear quickly getting seats murmuring excitedly.

It was not often that there was a change in leadership. The academy had decided to make the debate open to anyone to watch. They had hopes of exciting the citizens and visitors entering Viden for the cold cycle. The time to begin was drawing near for the event to start. Trandino himself would be hosting the debate, and the rest of the deans would be judging the contestants. A loud drum was used to signal the beginning of the debate.

“Welcome everyone! Today we are here to pick the next dean of the science division. It is time for me to step down and let someone new mentor the next group of students. Please help me in welcoming our candidates: Micaus, his thesis was on new poisons; Yvilas, his thesis was on mixing animal blood types; and last but certainly not least professor Thetys, his thesis was on blood magic. Gentlemen if you would join me out on the stage,” Trandino called.

[Doran]

The start of Vhalar was a taxing endeavor for the city of Viden. Preparations for the Cold Cycle needed to be made. A part of the Mortalborn was quite happy about the return of the snow and the freezing rain. The heatwave that had troubled his home the cycle before had constituted the cause of some concern to him, and he had wondered if it had been an omen, a sign of worse things that were yet to come. Another part of him couldn’t help but think about the hardships that the mortals around him would have to face when they were surrounded by darkness all trial long, and whether there was anything that he could do.

For the time being, he considered it to be more prudent to focus on the present though rather than wondering what would happen in a couple of seven-trials, or perhaps a season. There would still enough time to properly prepare for the coming winter and the darkness of Cylus whereas the debate that he would take part in was taking place now. He was, he had to admit, looking forward to it, and he felt honored that Dean Trandino considered him to be a worthy successor (or one of three worthy successors, at least).

Becoming Dean, and ultimately Chancellor, had been his goal and one of his greatest ambitions since he had arrived in Viden almost three arcs prior, and one of the things that he had continuously worked towards. He had not thought that the Academy would promote the debate quite as much though. He had no problem when it came to talking in front of a large audience though, none at all – in fact, he enjoyed it sometimes – he just didn’t need the attention. He didn’t crave it. He would have been perfectly happy with a small personal meeting as well.

That the event had attracted so much attention would be good for the Academy and the people of Viden as well as those that visited the city during the Cold Cycle though; it would give them something to focus on besides the hardships that would likely await them once the bay had frozen over completely and the sky would be dark throughout the trial.

And besides, promoting science and new scientific advancements was a worthy cause in his opinion.

Unlike his two mortal competitors, the son of Ziell was not nervous at all as he entered the Academy, dressed in a bespoke suit of dark wool that was elegant and obviously of very fine quality, but without being in any way flashy (he saw no reason to hide his wealth - he had worked hard in order to be where he was now - but neither did he want to flaunt it). This debate was a positive thing, something exciting and enjoyable, quite unlike the battles that he had fought, and for that reason, he saw no reason to be nervous.

He acknowledged the possibility of a different candidate being chosen to succeed Trandino – he was not so arrogant as to assume that success was assured, in spite of his accomplishments; failing would not be the end of the world though. He would still be a professor of considerable wealth and influence – he had invented a new branch of Blood Magic all by himself – and there would always be new opportunities, to advance beyond his current position, and become more, and better. Unlike the mortals that would be competing with him, he had all the time on Idalos. Where others got discouraged, he saw a chance.

While Doran used the time until the debate would begin to go through some of his notes and prepare himself, his two competitors that were a bit younger than he appeared to be seemed to be involved in an altercation of sorts. He looked at the two humans, one slender, with dark, unkempt hair, and one shorter and a bit on the round side, for a few moments, quietly watching them and furrowing his brow very lightly, before he remarked in a deep and calm tone of voice, “Yvilas was invited to this debate for the same reason that you and I were invited, Micaus, and speaking in front of a large crowd is something that can be learned. We should all focus on what lies ahead. No matter what happens and who will be chosen, we will have to work together later on, either way.”

That was what needed to be kept in mind, in his opinion. They had all written a thesis and would likely continue to be involved in the Academy in the future. That was one of the few things that he disliked about the academic field, the petty squabbles and rivalries, when one should be focusing on the bigger picture as well as the advancement of science, and ultimately the betterment of Idalos and maintain a professional attitude.

More and more spectators were arriving though, and he stepped away from his competitors, smiling lightly and politely, in order to wait for the event to begin in earnest. When a loud drum could be heard, he raised an eyebrow fractionally – it had been a while since he had been involved in an event where the contestants were being announced with drums – before he listened to Trandino’s introduction, standing completely still and watching the dean as he did so. He had been worried about his wellbeing before, when he had defended his thesis. The human had looked tired, as if he were stepping down for health reasons rather than because he wanted to enjoy his early retirement which had led to him considering whether he should offer him his help.

It seemed as if he was feeling better now though.

When Trandino told them to join him on the stage, he cast a glance at Micaus and Yvilas and nodded at them, before he spoke, in deep and firm tone of voice, “Thank you, Dean Trandino.” A moment later, he stepped forward and finally stood or sat wherever Trandino told him to. He did not say anything, he did not fidget, he did not look at the surprisingly large audience nervously, he simply waited for the man’s next words.

[Cyrus]

43 Vhalar 720

A change of leadership at the University?

A rarity that Cyrus wanted to see. He had heard the excited conversations among the citizens of Viden and wondered if it was true - that it was Yvithia who once hand picked her tutors. Would the same hold true for the next dean? Yvithia... The paramour of his creator and the cause of cruelty so great it had birthed the events that would later lead to the creation of Ellune and Treid's physical distance to Viden.

Or so the stories claimed.

Cyrus was more interested to see if such tales held a sliver of truth, and if he might glimpse the Immortal who caught his father's eye. The rest would be for fun - a sport to sit back and enjoy as men bickered over theses and intellectual property. What curious things had they discovered while he had buried himself in snow and rock? Sometimes, as much as he missed his home in Oscillus, it was nice to join the community of Viden. They welcomed and treated him well for what he was, and so the Ellune knocked the snow from his frame and made his way inside the building.

It was small and stuffy - almost all enclosed spaces were to Cyrus, and he moved slowly, as to not accidentally jostle one of the many Eidisi that skittered about. He settled for a position near the exit, away from so many of the spectators, fearing that even if he was to sit upon the floor with the others, viewers would be unable to look past his shoulders. Settling against the wall, he crossed his legs, sighing as he began to melt - or the ice clinging to him did, and it wouldn't be long before his hair began to drip.

From the sound of argument from the stage, it wouldn't be long now.

He smiled and crossed his arms as the candidates were introduced. Micaus, on new poisons; Yvilas, on mixing animal blood types; and lastly, professor Thetys, who would speak on blood magic.

Cyrus arched a brow and watched each body take the stage. Who would be the victor?

[Norin]

The buzz around town was that a new dean was going to be chosen for the science division at Viden Academy. This was a rare occasion that may very well bring change and opportunity, not only to those involved, but also to outsiders and others in Viden. It may even be a stepping stone for something more in the future. These things were always impossible to predict, but it was one of the reasons why it was important to follow such major events. Dean Trandino made it much easier by opening the entire event to the public, enabling Norin to attend in the hopes of both getting to know the next leadership and mingle a bit afterwards so that others may remember him in the future. He hoped there would be time for it, if not, he would have to make time for it.

It was bustling with people, probably more interested in the academic intrigues than in the potential political implications of the results. Norin calmly stood with an air of respect. He wasn't in the way and thus people easily avoided him. When he had found a proper place to sit and made sure no one was going to bump into him, he made his way to a seat that enabled him easy access to the important people he needed to talk to after the event. It also gave him a good view of the scene and he could hear everything properly without straining himself.

He sat calmly and waited for the event to begin. As he sat there he noticed one of the contestants in dark woolen elegant clothes sitting calmly just as Norin did, without fidgetting and without being nervous. This was something Norin was used to, he was born into this, and thus he simply waited, patiently, calmly, just as the dark contestant did.

[Tempest]

A Storm is Coming...

The first competitor walked up on the stage and waved nearly falling over his own feet. The younger man hurried to the far end of the stage. He stood behind the first of the three podiums facing the audience. His enter body shook looking out at the steadily growing crowd that gathered for the exchange. Everyone not only wanted to know who was being considered, but all in Viden wanted to be the first to see who would be the chosen one to step into Trandino’s place. He had been a feared and respected dean his entire career at the academy, now he had chosen as the time to step away.

Someone new would not diminish all the man had done. It was clear to most as they shook their heads and whispered to each other that the crowd was judging the candidates as much as the panel before them. Most that sat right behind the deans from the academy were none other than the heads of the families around the city of Viden. The next to be announced was the older man that had a strange arrogance about him. A few of the family heads nodded in approval seeing the man walk out. It was clear they had a favorite among the candidates themselves. Or at least between the young man and his elder.

He ended up coming to a stop center stage behind the middle podium. Though it was slightly too short for him making the man have to bend over to settle his papers before righting himself once more. The stark contrast between the nervous young man and the arrogant senior was plan to see. A darkness was hidden in the eyes of the eldest participant showing not only his starting wrinkles had a story to tell. He had a hard time with life, and that had awarded him the no nonsense attitude he had acquired. After several trills Trandino had called their last candidate and smiled brightly making it clear he had been his pick for the position.

The auditorium immediately became a buzz of excitement seeing Doran take the stage. All members of the Viden aristocracy were whispering to one another. Up to that point they had made it clear to only speak to who had accompanied them. But the budding professor made everyone want to gossip and bet on who would come out the victor. Between the younger and older man they had a clear winner in their minds. But no Doran had caused all their plans or ideas to be tossed aside like it were nothing. When the gong rang out everyone went quiet eagerly waiting. Three very different men almost as different as the theories they represented.

Trandino cleared his throat and took a deep breath, “welcome everyone. Today Viden will hold a very rare honor. Appointing a new Dean over the science division of the academy. It has been a pleasure to build our great city. Now it is time for a fresh mind to take the reigns and guide the academy with a steady hand into the next phase of our progress. Gentlemen, thank you all for coming. It is not a decision that you made lightly. Now it is up to the deans to decide who is ready to join them at the table. First question, we will start with Yvilas. What drew you to the field of study that drove your thesis's?”

Yvilas looked white as a ghost as Trandino decided to start with him. A part of the young boy wanted him to start with Doran. He was closely becoming more and more afraid his work would not be enough. Taking a deep breath the young boy took his time on deciding the correct possible answer while digging through papers. He had never shook so much in his life. The young man was certain the floor would open and swallow him while. When the young man spoke at his voice cracked and nothing but a squeak came out. A mix of snorts and sympathy noises could be heard lightly.

“Excuse me, had something caught in my throat. I chose the mix animal bloods to see exactly how different blood types reacted with each other. I have not used a humanoid in an experiment,” Yvilas stated and cleared his voice again, “if we know what blood types work together we could possibly use the knowledge to increase medical care.”

Trandino waited for a moment giving the panel a moment to write their thoughts before giving Micaus the go ahead. The older man showed no nervousness the their younger member had shown.

“Thank you, Dean Trandino. Ladies and gentlemen my thesis is on new poisons. Not in a harmful way, but if we can find them first; we can begin working on ways to counter act the effects,” Micaus stated in a clear calm voice, “I have not tested on animals or humanoid. Testing going forward will be heavily monitored by more than just myself to ensure safety.”

Several of the deans looked between each other on the panel while writing notes. Last but not least Doran was given the floor to explain.

[Doran]

When Yvilas walked up on the stage and nearly stumbled in the process, Doran offered him an encouraging smile. They were competing for the same position, but he would never dislike anybody just because of something like that or make fun of them because they threatened to fall over their own feet. On the contrary, he felt for the young mortal whose entire body started to shake upon noticing the steadily growing crowd, and he wished he were able to ease some of his fears.

Once upon a time, he might have thought differently about such things. He did not see a reason to be afraid, at least not in an academic setting, no matter how powerful the people that were watching him might be, and he didn’t care whether he was being judged (some of the spectators were without a doubt wondering about him, and whispering), but for Yvilas, this here might be his worst nightmare come true. That, he decided, was what mattered.

While Yvilas looked utterly miserable, Micaus had a strange arrogance about him. At the same time, there was something about him, something that spoke of more than just a superiority complex, something that the son of Ziell found almost intriguing (which did not mean that he approved of the way that he had put Yvilas down before, of course; such was unnecessary in his opinion).

It was Doran’s time to step onto the stage though. The Mortalborn was different from both of his competitors. He was utterly confident, and calm – there were very few things that had the potential of upsetting him these trials – but he was not arrogant, and he never would be. It didn’t matter to him that the other two men were but a fraction of his age either. People like Llyr and Faith had shown him that your age was simply one factor among many, and hardly ever the deciding one.

The way that people started to whisper the moment he took the podium next to Micaus’ did not go unnoticed. The Mortalborn raised his head and let his gaze drift over the people that were gathered in front of the stage, smiling lightly. It rested on the tall Ellune who sat away from most of the rest of the spectators for a moment, and on Norin, before he turned to look at Trandino once more, a man who he had had a great deal of respect for.

“It will be alright”, he whispered to Yvilas when the youngest of the three of them was asked to speak first. For a moment, he was worried that the boy would just pass out because he was shaking so much, and the debate would subsequently turn into a medical emergency, but he seemed to regain his composure before long and stared to speak with a modicum of confidence. The son of Ziell nodded at him before he listened to what he had to say.

He didn’t just listen because being familiar with his competitors’ work would be a good idea, but also because the topic genuinely interested him. From his conversations with Faith, he knew that there were different kinds of blood, but he had never worked with animal blood before. He had half a mind to offer to put Yvilas in contact with her once the debate was over, but for the time being, he proceeded to listen to Micaus talk about his research that was quite fascinating as well.

He had done some work on poisons as well. Rather than working with new poisons, he had studied existing ones though. His assistant Zana and he had developed a cure for the Rubberlegs Poison once, for example. There was something else that he found interesting as well though, when it came to both of his competitors’ statements. Yvilas had not used any humanoids in his experiments, and Micaus had used neither lab animals nor humanoids volunteers.

Apparently, he concluded, he was the only one who had actually finished his research.

When it was his turn to speak, the Mortalborn looked at Trandino as well as the other deans before he glanced at his notes for a moment and replied, in a firm tone of voice so that even those that were sitting in the back of the room would have no problem understanding him, “My thesis is on a new branch of Blood Magic that I invented, ladies and gentlemen. I had already been studying the use of blood in alchemy for a while, and I could not help but wonder why alchemists use the blood of mages, despite the risks involved and despite its rarity, but not the blood of sparkless individuals.”

“Most of the races in Idalos, apart from humans, are born with some sort of special ability. I couldn’t believe that I was the only one who had ever considered trying to put a Lotharro’s endurance into a potion, for example, so I started to look into the matter. There was virtually no literature on the subject though. I decided to therefor conduct my own research. I followed a process that was similar to conventional potion creation. Over the course of time, I conducted tests on lab animals as well as clinical studies involving humanoid volunteers.”

“You can find the protocols that I followed in my thesis”, he added as that might be something that the audience, and especially the academics among them, might be curious about. Some of them might also want to check if all the ethical standards and safety standards had been followed.

“Both animal tests and clinical studies were concluded with success, and my first two potions – an adrenaline and endurance potion and a potion that makes the drinker resistant to cold – are ready to use, and safe. The latter will be of great use to all those that travel the north, and make the cold easier to bear. The former does not only increase the drinker’s endurance, but it can also be used to treat anaphylaxis as well as heart conditions – and it saves lives”, he finished in a calm tone of voice.

He was not exaggerating, or bragging about his creations, but speaking the truth, and nothing but the truth. The Lotharro potion that he invented did all that, with very few side effects.

Unlike his two mortal competitors, the son of Ziell had not only provided the audience with a brief overview of his research, but also made sure to dedicate a sufficient amount of attention to Dean Trandino’s initial question, about what had drawn them to their field of study.

That was important in his opinion.

That the Mortalborn was friendly and polite to his competitors and tried to help them when they were nervous didn’t mean that he would make it easy for them and give anything but his best. He believed in cooperation and professionalism rather than in petty rivalries, but he still wished to succeed Dean Trandino himself, if he could.

With that thought in mind, he glanced at the two men next to him before he focused on Trandino once more, waiting for his next question – or a comment on what he had heard so far.

[Norin]

The three competitors were presented, and each in turn explained their thesis. It made sense that the next dean would have to not only prove their worth through their latest thesis, but also show how they would run the faculty, what morals they had, how far they would go. Norin noted that all of them seemed to focus their work on blood and biology. A strange coincidence, but it wasn't the most interesting part of the competition, at least not for Norin. Instead, it was the words between the lines, the subtleties and personalities on stage. Who could most easily be manipulated? How should someone approach the next dean and what could he bring to Viden, or more importantly, what could he bring to the aristocracy?

Trandino was a hard character to interact with and best to be avoided by inexperienced politicians, but it was now time for a new dean, someone possibly more approachable, and maybe even someone with similar goals and morals.

Yvilas was young and most likely the easiest to mould into the type of dean any politician wanted. It also meant that he was the least likely to succeed and would truly have to prove his merits if he were to rise to the rank of dean and handle all of its responsibilities. He was a young hopefuly naive contestant, much like Norin, who believed that his work could be used to advanced medical knowledge. Norin noted that if Yvilas won, it would probably be because some politician had a hand in it, most likely without Yvilas' knowing. It was very unlikely, though, that someone was manipulating the competition, so the young man would probably lose.

Micause was very arrogant. He was gunning for the new position and trying to oust his competitors. He would be difficult to manipulate, and politically he would probably fight back and focus on his own interests and goals. The only ones who would politically back him would be people with the same vision. At the same time, he also wanted to advance medical knowledge, and he wanted to do it right, or at least that's what he said. He was a strong contestant that could win fairly, but politically, Norin had his doubts that anyone would actually back him.

Doran was a threat. He was too honest and too kind. There would be no chance of manipulating him and Norin bet that no politician would be backing him for obvious reasons. He may, however, have contacts and friends in high places that liked him and would like to see him succeed for personal reasons. The most dangerous aspect of Doran was the fact that he seemed to please the masses. He showed empathy and comprehension, openess and transparency, aspects that lesser citizens would like to see to feel more superior and ensure their standing against the aristocracy. He had a high chance to win. Norin eyed the mortalborn, trying to read the man and figure out how he was going to approach him, and what he could gain from a relationship with Doran if he got the position.

[Tempest]

A Storm is Coming...

The crowd was silent as a door mouse when Doran began to explain his thesis and even provide the potions he had made. The panel of deans nodded obviously impressed pleasure clear on their different faces. Even some of the head families were nodding in approval when he finished speaking. Trandino gave a few moments for the participants to get some water while the panel finished making notes. Once everything quieted down again the man cleared his voice. As a dean Trandino had been working on being loud so that he could be understood from anywhere in a room. It would not do well if no one could hear him.

“Thank you, gentlemen. All of your thesis’ will prove to be invaluable information. Next question is where do you see your research in five arcs time?” Trandino called out in a confident voice.

He wanted to make sure even the crowd was able to hear him well. Those up front could be seen whispering and some even openly pointed at the different contestants on the stage. It seemed the heads of the families were trying to decide who they would like to back as the debate continues. Trandino motioned for Yvilas to begin first as he did when the previous question was asked.

Yvilas took a deep breath taking one more sip of water. Though as he looked out, he choked on the water. The young man stepped away from the podium to cough without making more of a spectacle of himself than necessary. It took more time than expected so Yvilas decided to begin speaking while walking back over to his podium.

“Excuse me everyone. I did not mean to take so long. In five arcs time, my plan is to have enough research to begin using human blood during surgeries in where the recipient was to need blood. It will take many more experiments of course. No matter what happens today that will be accomplished,” Yvilas stated making sure to be confident in his answer.

“Thank you for the explanation, Yvilas. Next is Micaus if you would not mind,” Trandino said clearing his voice. The panel of deans had not been impressed by the time it took for Yvilas to even get started explaining what he wanted for his research. A few even shook their heads while making more notes on their papers.

“Don’t mind if I do Dean Trandino,” Micaus stated looking at him, “in five arcs time I am looking to have a whole division of the academy that is devoted to making more poisons and preparing antidotes for them. So that they can be distributed to other cities. Even making connections so that they would feel comfortable having us find antidotes based on their own flora.”

The panel of deans nodded seemingly impressed by what Micaus said while making notes looking at Doran. They were interested to see what long term plans he had for his research. After all the man was the one with the most progress to be shown before even coming to the debate.

“Last but not least, Professor Thetys if you would please,” Trandino stated motioning for him to begin.

[Doran]

The audience was silent after he had answered Dean Trandino’s first question, the Mortalborn noticed. It seemed as if what he had said had impressed them, or at least made them think. Even Trandino’s colleagues and some of the heads of the families seemed to be favorably inclined towards him. He had to admit that that pleased him, although he had not truly expected them to disagree with him. What he had talked about were facts that had been proven time and time again rather than hypotheses or half-realized plans, after all, although the latter occupied an important place in research, of course.

In spite of the fact that the reaction of the audience and the deans had been quite positive, there was not a hint of arrogance about the Mortalborn’s behaviour, and neither did he make any assumptions about how the rest of the debate would go as doing such would be premature. The debate had just started, and its outcome depended on several different factors. With that thought in mind, he glanced at his two competitors once more, nodding at Micaus and offering Yvilas another encouraging smile before he took a few slow sips from his glass of water. Talking had made him slightly thirsty, he had to admit.

He was just wondering whether it would be acceptable to exchange a few words with the two mortals that were standing next to him when Dean Trandino cleared his throat. Since it seemed as if the break was over and debate would continue now, he set his glass down again and pulled his gaze away from his competitors in order to focus on him once more. The next question that Trandino asked was one that he had more or less expected. It was important to find out if the contestants had made any plans as far as the future was concerned, after all.

The members of the audience started to whisper once more, he noticed as he waited for Yvilas who would speak first again to raise his voice. He nodded when someone looked his way or pointed at him, but he didn’t do more. He remained calm, polite and utterly professional. That calm only wavered very briefly when Yvilas momentarily choked. He was about to ask him if he needed help – he was not only an alchemist of considerable skill, but also a doctor -but fortunately, the young mortal recovered before long.

That he felt for Yvilas and wanted to encourage him and ease some of his fears, didn’t mean that he would refrain from criticizing his answers though, at least in his thoughts (doing so out loud would be utterly unprofessional and inappropriate, if not downright rude). Yvilas talked about wanting to use human blood during surgeries. He more or less talked about blood transfusions. That was an important and noble goal – or would have been, if blood transfusions hadn’t already been invented. None other than Faith Augustin who he had briefly met earlier that arc, when she had visited Viden, had made that invention.

Yvilas was trying to invent something that had already been invented, he decided. He was more inclined than ever to put him in contact with Faith Augustin after the debate though. Both of them might gain something from it. Yvilas was wasting his time, at least in that regard, but he was still a bright young scientist. He wouldn’t have made it that far if he weren’t.

With that thought in mind, he turned to listen to Micaus’ answer. His other competitor planned on creating a division of the Academy that was devoted to making poisons and preparing antidotes. He agreed with him that creating antidotes was important, but crafting poisons was something that he considered questionable to say the least. In order to craft antidotes, you needed to work with poisons first, of course, and research how they worked, but the creation of new poisons was something that should not be done in his opinion. They should definitely never be sold, unless it was for medical purposes.

But then again, that might not be what Micaus had meant …

When it was his turn to speak, the Mortalborn looked at Trandino as well as Micaus and Yvilas before he let his gaze drift over the audience for a few moments. He wanted to give them the impression that he was speaking to each and every one of them, that he was talking to them personally, that they were an important part of this debate. Finally, he began to speak in a firm and clear tone of voice once more,

“In five arcs’ time, I expect to have created potions based on all or most of the racial abilities – and distributed them to hospitals as well as other academic institutions in Idalos. In five arcs’ time, I expect my adrenaline potions to be in wide-spread use and have long modified them so that they are safe for use in children as well. In five arcs’ time, anaphylactic reactions will not be as life-threatening as they are nowadays anymore, and various heart conditions will have become easier to treat as well. I do not intend to stop at the creation of potions though. Items and magical artifacts based on certain racial abilities are possible in my opinion, items that can be activated at will.”

“As some of you may know”, he continued after he had paused briefly in order to give the audience some time to think about what he had said and let his gaze drift over them once more. “I do not only conduct research into the use of various types of blood in alchemy. I also study magical artifacts and analyze them and have developed some techniques in that regard. I plan on applying the same principles that I used to make my potions to clothes and jewelry, among other things. Certain racial abilities can be put into items as well in my opinion.”

“Potions work best when it comes to treating medical conditions in my opinion, but they may eventually go bad, depending on the reagents that were used in order to make them. Items do not go bad though, although they need to be recharged once the magical effect has been used up. Ultimately, I also plan on studying abilities other than racial abilities and their replication with alchemy and Blood Magic”, he remarked.

“Micaus talked about a division that is devoted to crafting poisons as well as antidotes. I envision the same when it comes to Blood Magic”, he finished in a calm tone of voice. Already, he had two assistants, and was thinking about recruiting a third. If he began to promote his creations more, he could see demand for them increasing greatly, to an extent that three people were unlikely to be able to fulfill it anymore. Matters of business management as well as logistics were not part of this debate though, and thus he decided to leave it at that, looked at the audience, at Trandino and his competitors once more and waited for comments – or for Trandino to pose his next question.

[Cyrus]

43 Vhalar 720

The ice giant found the juxtaposition between the candidates and their approach to public speaking... fascinating.

Yvilas, Micaus, and Doran Thetis, all scholars and scientists, but that was where their similarities ended. Cyrus leaned forward, resting his elbows atop his knees as he sat tailor-style, unable to contain the smirk as one of the poor men sipped his water religiously, stumbling over his research. He spoke of blood exchange and the Ellune raised his brow. Yvilas seemed to be gaining some confidence, and Cyrus glanced at the crowd who already seemed to be hedging bets on their favored candidate. Interesting. He hadn't known this would be an opportunity for academic funding, but perhaps he had been spending too much time in the mountains.

Micaus spoke next. Poisons, preparations and antidotes. Both were useful. Despite the initial delay in response and unimpressed judgement of the viewers around him, Cyrus favored the younger man between the two.

And then it was Doran's turn.

What will your research look like in five arcs time?

Doran's answers within the last round had sparked interest, Cyrus included. But turning Lotharro adrenaline into medicine that could help others was one thing. But... to steal the abilities of the races was something else entirely. He stilled, each sentence causing more unease within the Ellune. Everything was said eloquently, about divisions and ambition and scientific processes, pleasing to the curious mind thirsting for knowledge. Cyrus remained unsettled.

"I have a question," his deep voice seemed to cut through the crowd in smooth Ancient, the true language of scholars. He had multiple, in fact, "Who have you asked permission of? Have you asked their Immortals? The ones who gave the gifts?"

It didn't take much for his inquiries to project within the space. Heads began to turn, but the frustration he felt began to spark to something hotter. The Ellune's connection to ice was their blessing and their curse, not something to be taken lightly "You wish to take our greatest strength and turn it into baubles, items for others under the guise of what? Providing relief?" Frost began to creep outward from where Cyrus sat, cracking across the floor to reveal his irritation, "True north men are trapped to the snow and you disregard our history, our culture, the sacrifices of our gods-"

Tried slumbered because of the Naer! Because of Audrae! Cyrus' eyes had taken on a hardness.

"Will you also allow Viden's enemies to take the form of shadow simply because they wear your pretty necklace?"

If there was resounding distaste for his outburst, Cyrus knew they were listening now. There had never been a way for the Naerikk's form to be taken by another, no way to duplicate it, but if he was as confident and successful as he should have been, it would only be a matter of time. All it would take is for these creations to fall into the wrong hands, or it would be Viden that would turn into the experiment.

He lifted a hand in submission, whether his inquiries needed to be translated or would simply be ignored. He would not interrupt again, and would leave if requested. But, it had to be asked.

Viden had a right to know.

ooc

Apologies for the disruption! Cyrus surprised me a bit here. I don't know if Doran speaks Ancient, or if it matters, but he'll leave if requested. Otherwise, he should behave for the rest of the debate.