WARNING:
This object poses a significant biohazard risk to any wanderer who is unaware of how to safely handle and use it. Wanderers who aren't knowledgable should under no circumstances inject or ingest; the object, any derivatives of the object, or surfaces that have made contact with the object's derivatives.
Wanderers who have exposed themselves to large amounts of Object 91 should isolate themselves immediately from any groups they may be traveling with.
You have been warned.
An assortment of artificially produced instances of Object 91.
Description
Object 91, or "Rancids," refers to an assortment of small sealed glass containers that hold a putrid amber-colored liquid called Rancid Liquor. Instances of Object 91 vary from; small vials or ampoules, to Erlenmeyer flasks, to jars and jugs; they are extremely fragile and once opened or broken, release large clouds of invisible, odorless fumes.
Instances of Object 91 can be found scattered throughout a majority of levels and are often found stored in a sealed vial. Object 91 can also be artificially produced by harvesting Rancid Liqour from Celiac flowers, though the Rancid Liquor that is extracted is very crude and must be purified.1
Production
An unharvested Celiac flower.
Instances of Object 91 can be produced artificially through a lengthy process, being described as "meticulous and grueling." This seems to be the only reliable process for getting large quantities of Rancids. Wanderers must first find Celiac flowers—a rare and valuable blossom found only in the most overgrown of levels—before beginning. The disc florets of the Celiac flower contain trace amounts of crude Rancid Liqour which can be accessed by draining each floret individually with a syringe. Each flower holds roughly 30mL of Rancid Liquor total. These flowers can be found in patches of 3-5 individuals. After the crude Rancid Liqour is obtained, wanderers must purify it; instructions for this are listed below:
Demonstration of RaL Extraction Process (19353)
Abstract: The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate the extraction process for removing Rancid Liqour from Celiac flowers. This was accomplished by gradually adding HCl to the RaL after extraction to prevent an exothermic reaction from spoiling the RaL. The final yield of RaL was 10mL.
Equipment Used:
- 2-3 Celiac flowers.
- 50mL of HCl.
- A sterile syringe.
- Two polyethylene transfer pipettes.
- 250mL Erlenmeyer flasks.
- A breathing apparatus.
- Standard lab safety equipment (goggles, lab coat, gloves).
Method:
- Make sure you have prepared standard safety equipment and breathing apparatuses.
- Use a sterile syringe to drain crude RaL from each individual disc floret of Celiac flower(s); pour the extracted RaL into a vial or other storage medium. If done correctly, Celiac flower(s) should wilt after significant draining.
- After each flower is depleted, pour the crude RaL into an Erlenmeyer flask. Pour the RaL slowly.
- Drain 5mL of HCl into a pipette; slowly pour HCl into the flask with the RaL in it. If done correctly the RaL should start steaming very slightly. Avoid pouring too quickly as the heat produced can damage the final yield and its quality. Wait for the RaL to stop steaming before moving to the next step.
- Repeat until the crude RaL turns dark orange. This signifies that it has been purified.
Uses
Object 91 is an essential tool wanderers can utilize if used in moderation. In smaller doses, Rancids are excellent painkillers and amygdala-stimulating chemicals, causing the body to produce exceptional amounts of adrenaline and cortisol. This boost causes one's lungs and heart to work faster, allowing major muscles to get more oxygen; it also allows the body to access more of its glucose stores, providing wanderers with a boost of energy and strength. Additionally, Rancids reduces one's pain perception, causing large serrations or other wounds to remain unnoticed until the effects wear off. Rancids essentially causes one's body to enter a more potent version of its "fight-or-flight response." Rancids should solely be injected into the bloodstream and not be ingested, as ingestion (through the mouth) causes erosion of the mucosal layer in the stomach, leading to acidity and ulcer.
Taking Rancids too fast can be dangerous, as they contain a highly addictive chemical that can create cravings. A safe dosage of Rancids sits between 5-10mL per 15 hours; going over this limit causes undesirable side effects that can potentially create danger for oneself and others. It seems to take roughly 0.5-1.5 hours to expel 1mL of Rancid Liqour from the body with natural bodily functions; when ultimately expelled all side effects seem to conclude.
Below is a table showing effects of Rancids on one's body relative to the amount injected:| 5-10mL | 10-15mL | 15-20mL | +20mL |
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Blight
Blight is an unofficial nickname given to a disease that occurs when levels of Rancid Liqour in one's body exceed a certain threshold (typically 20mL). Blight causes irreversible damage to one's physical and psychological health; wanderers who are inflicted with late-stage or post-stage Blight are referred to as "Blighted Ones" and are classified as entities.
Early symptoms of Blight include discoloration of the skin; high fevers that reach 40° C (104° F); loss of judgement; aggression; and most dangerously, an unquenchable craving for Rancid Liqour. These early symptoms last for roughly 1-2 days, and during this period, wanderers who are Blighted are not transmissive and are not classed as entities.
After the early stages of Blight conclude, the disease begins to alter the wanderer beyond recognition. This secondary stage begins when the body begins to produce its own Rancid Liqour;3 this leads to the previous symptoms developing further and new symptoms arising.
Rancids' Delerium & Blighted Ones
Rancids' Delerium is the name given to a symptom that occurs in late-stage and post-stage Blighting; it alters the way a wanderer's brain is wired. Wanderers who are diagnosed with Rancids' Delerium fundamentally become "brainless zombies" who only exist for the sole purpose of obtaining Rancids; these wanderers are known as "Blighted Ones."
Blighted Ones are extremely hostile and will attempt to mangle any wanderers they come across, assuming that said wanderers are a potential source of Rancid Liqour. Blighted Ones are commonly seen feasting on the corpses of wanderers and other Blighted Ones they have killed4 in order to suck up every last potential drop of Rancid Liqour they can. Additionally, Blighted Ones are remarkably resilient and energetic when it comes to obtaining Rancid Liqour; often being seen tremoring erratically once they have spotted a potential target.
One characteristic of Blighted Ones is the putrid amber-colored Rancid Liqour that can be seen trickling from their orifices, primarily their mouths. Additionally, a majority of Blighted Ones have developed additional appendages such as fingers and eyes.
| 1-2 Days (Pre-Stage) | 3-4 Days (Proto-Stage) | 4-5 Days (Late-Stage) | +5 Days (Post-Stage) |
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