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[Thrax]

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*Excerpt from a Journal*

The toxin has been completed, and was tested successfully upon several hapless peasants. It works on humans at least, perhaps other races as well.

I destroyed the notes I made in creating it; I see no need for any more of it to be made. It is a vile thing and I take no real pride in what I have done. Still, the amount I made was small, barely enough to fill one potion bottle.

I spent many long days perfecting it, refining it, bit by bit, until it does what Thrax wants it to do. One small taste is enough to set in motion the condition, irreversible, unless a proper amount of the cure is administered. Once imbibed, in any form, whether liquid or solid (as it is crystalline in original form), the victim, after some initial nausea, will feel mild euphoria. This will pass within hours, for as it spreads throughout the body, the victim's muscles will begin to contract, albeit very slowly, causing mild discomfort at first. Within a week or so, the pain will become unbearable and even if numbed by the strongest liquor, will incapacitate the strongest man, due to the severe constriction of muscle tissues. Outwardly, on the body, there is no visible sign of illness, no discoloration, hair loss, or such things. The only obvious symptom will be spasms of pain that shall cause the victim to tremble violently and cry out. There may be some vomiting accompanying these seizures. This will grow worse day by day, and, unless the cure is given in sufficient dosage, the victim will die an agonizingly painful death in less than a month. Even death and subsequent resurrection of the body shall not provide a cure. The toxin will return to crystalline form in the corpse, and if it is revived, blood flow will activate it once again.

The cure was even more difficult to create. I spent the very last reagents Streea had brought back with us from Har'oloth on it, to make sure it would work. It will take a considerable amount of it, imbibed all at once, to effect a complete cure, that is, a small amount will ease the symptoms for a while, providing temporary relief, but it will not be permanent. Only the proper dosage will neutralize the toxin entirely. I have made a greater quantity of the cure than of the toxin, naturally.

Thrax has given it to Duke Kotare. This I know. He boasted of it. Yet I lied to him, telling him that one small dose of the cure would be enough to heal him. He drank some of it himself in front of the Duke to prove to him that the food he offered him was harmless. He partook of the cure shortly after, but it was not nearly enough to heal him entirely. Soon he will feel its effects, and only I will be able to help him, if I so choose. The price for my aid shall be very high indeed, that is, if he gets any at all. His slow, painful, death would amuse me greatly.

He was a fool to force me to help him. My revenge will be complete. I will enjoy watching him bow and scrape before me, begging for his miserable life.

May Lloth be praised.

(From the Journal of Dharzhal T'Ar, the Drow)