exsilium | [Video]

For those of you who may not know me, I’m Nathaniel Howe, one of the newly promoted sergeants of the transport section of the Exsilium city watch. I will do my best to protect the citizens and the transports, and offer my services whenever needed.

However, there is something much more important that I need to discuss. I and my fellow Grey Warden Duncan have just returned from a brief reconnaissance excursion in United Earth territory. We weren’t able to glean very much new information regarding our enemy, but we did procure this:

[Nathaniel holds up a small vial--approximately half the size of a standard test-tube--filled with some unknown liquid]

We found this on one of the citizens of the United Earth, and we have great reason to believe that it contains the drug that is being used to keep the citizens docile, and to prevent them from rising up against their leaders.

Unfortunately, neither Duncan nor myself has been able to determine what exactly is contained in the solution. We are, of course, sharing what we’ve found with the Initiative, but I am also calling on my fellow transports to see if there is anyone who has the knowledge or means to possibly determine what ingredients are in the drug, and to hopefully find an antidote.

If you are interested in helping, please let me know. I’m also willing to answer whatever questions anyone might have about what we learned.

[OOC INFO: So Duncan and Nathaniel have been gone for about a week, scoping out the United Earth territory. The drug they brought back is a very small supply that all citizens are required to carry on them for emergency purposes.

The information provided by our lovely moderators is that no one will be able to determine the chemical make-up of the drug, as it contains futuristic ingredients that none of the transports would be familiar with. BUT! We would love to get some transports involved in trying, either by handwaving or logging or whatever. So yeah, everyone’s free to jump in on this!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's possible, yes, but not probable. We checked several people within the city, and all of them were carrying vials like this. And each of them were carrying only one. If it were merely something being transported from one place to another, I would expect to see fewer people carrying larger quantities.

But why carry them at all? If they are being drugged, then surely the drugs would be in their person, and not on?

Emergency purposes, perhaps? If one is highly addicted to a substance, they wouldn't want to run the risk of running out of the drug and going into withdrawal. I don't know how highly concentrated this stuff is, but it's possible it might just be enough for one dose--enough to get someone by until they can get to their full supply.

[well. that's a fair point, if a little difficult to believe. but they don't have such things in Camelot; sorcery would the place of drugs in the whole forcing-soldiers-to-fight plan.]

So your suggestion is that--if you can create this antidote, and administer it--our enemies will simply... stop fighting?

Not exactly. If the citizens can be weaned off of the drug, they should be able to see how corrupt and evil their government really is. We may be able to form an alliance with them. Or possibly plant the seeds of rebellion to weaken the United Earth from the inside.

It seems a slim chance to waste time on.

Better to waste time on a slim chance of defeating our enemy than waste time on a pointless rebellion within our own city.

[he's not exactly impressed by this effort--it seems too uncertain--but it also makes sense. so he doesn't dispute that, just makes a noise of assent.]

Has you had any offers for work on the antidote?

A few, yes. Thankfully there are many from other worlds who have knowledge of these things. Unfortunately, their findings aren't favorable, at least not yet.

It will take time, I think. This is not a problem solved overnight, or else we wouldn't be here in the first place.

Does the Initiative know of your findings?

Yes, we shared some of the drug with them to run tests. I believe that Gordon Freeman is helping them with that as well.

And do you know if they accepted your theory--that their enemy is an army of the drugged?

The Initiative already knows--that's how we found out about it in the first place.

A transport captured one of the lower ranking officials from the United Earth. He told us about the drug and what it's used for.

But they did not know previous to this capture?

I... don't think so. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. It's only recently that the Initiative has started to be open with us.

If they knew, they didn't share that knowledge with the transports.

I wouldn't be surprised if they'd known all along. There is a great deal that they do not share with us.

It's quite possible; they haven't been very transparent in the past, though they seem to be making an effort lately. I don't think it occurred to them to tell us everything they knew.

You're either very positive, or very naive.

I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I still don't trust them completely.

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