pumpkin-bread:Houraia, Crafter of ScrollsIt is said that any dragon has the potential to craft scrol

pumpkin-bread:Houraia, Crafter of ScrollsIt is said that any dragon has the potential to craft scrolls, and that much is true.However, few have the potential to truly become Inkblood; to give up their ability to see the rise and fall of the sun, the colours of the changing seasons, and the faces of their loved ones.The loss of sight is an inevitable part of ascension through the ranks. Dragons are encouraged to bind their eyes upon committing to this path, to immediately begin to adjust to seeing transmogrification magic in the proper way.This transitional period is long and arduous, with the subject bound to struggle with their waking hours becoming devoted to meditation. They seek to force open their potential to see and read magical auras, as is vital to catalogue the arcane variations between breeds.Dragons are known to become aggressive during this time, their frustration and constant boredom driving them to unusually cruel behaviour. Some may begin to believe they can see auras long before it is actually true, so desperately wanting to achieve their goal that they imagine or hallucinate such things.The keepers of the future scrollcrafters are advised to keep their distance throughout this transformation, but supply the dragon with materials the moment they begin to claim their ability to “see”.It will be easy to tell whether the dragon has truly progressed just by watching how they treat their supplies. A delusional dragon will attempt to write with their hands, as one would with any common letter or label. A dragon that is progressing will simply “stare” in the direction of the blank scroll, seemingly in a trance.In either case, it is important to be gentle when speaking to the subject. For a dragon that has successfully progressed, give vocal encouragement for a brief time and then leave them to their own devices. For a delusional one, attempt to politely redirect them back to meditating. If they are pliable, repeat the aforementioned steps as necessary. If they reject your advice repeatedly, it is time to cut your losses and replace the failure with a new subject. Repeat.After this point, the subject should seem more comfortable with their meditation. They will become quieter, and much less prone to outbursts of frustration. Care still must be taken to not agitate them.It is relatively common for the first physical effects to appear at this time, with about 40% of subjects progressing to Inkblood status.Signs to look out for are the presence of weeping sores, similar to the outset of a mild case of gembond. In all cases, regardless of breed or colour of the subject, the liquid that begins to seep from them is black. It is important to note that this is not Shade, or any contagious illness. It is merely a waste byproduct of the new magic beginning to flow through their veins.This can be uncomfortable for the subject, and it is advised that the keepers spend more time with said subject to comfort them and offer pain relief when necessary. Keeping a good rapport with the subject is absolutely vital for the coming stages.In the coming days, watch for changes in size of the subject’s sores, and ask if the subject’s discomfort has increased. It doesn’t matter which symptom manifests first, nor if the subject claims to not be in pain - the moment something changes, provide strong, constant pain relief. Attaching an IV to the subject is recommended. If absolutely necessary, sedation is permitted, but it will slow the mental progression of the subject.Sores will expand to large lesions over the subject’s body, and the runoff from these lesions will be heavy. Constant cleanup is required, as is assuring the subject that this is normal. Be kind, but explain there is no going back at this point if necessary.Muscles will begin to atrophy, most notably in places that will become useless to the soon-to-be scrollcrafter. Wings and eyes will wither away, their ability to access nutrients being cut off at this stage. It is recommended that they are surgically removed at this time rather than left to rot away, to limit chances of gangrene and the like.Keep up pain management. The subject should be able to feel little to nothing, but it is always preferred to keep them lucid.Magical outfall will begin to flow from the eye sockets next. This is will continue throughout the rest of the subject’s life, and is a completely normal sign of progression. It will later flow from ears and mouth as well. Reassure as necessary.The following may occur, and is also considered normal, though less common:The tail may also begin to wither. This usually only happens in dragon breeds who have relatively long tails, such as mirrors and skydancers. In 50% of subjects, docking two thirds of the tail at onset revives the remaining third, which aids the subject’s balance.“Auras” of wings, arms, and eyes. These are manifestations of magical outfall, and plainly visible to the keepers. They are usually transient in nature. The subject is unlikely to be aware of them.Outer ears may wither in the cases of dragons such as spirals, pearlcatchers, and imperials.The subject may notice a loss of smell or taste.There are countless other side effects simply due to the complicated nature of this transformation. Manage symptoms as needed.Sudden crashes of vital signs - and sudden deaths - are most expected at this stage. Comfort the subject throughout, and replace/repeat from the first step as needed.Over the next few weeks to months, the magical outfall sourced from the subject’s lesions will eventually reach a semi-solid state. They will begin to form the shape of simple limbs and move as if articulated. The subject doesn’t necessarily have control over the outfall, but it is a vital part of their ascension to scrollcrafter. Think of it as a symbiotic relationship, and encourage the subject to do the same. Be congratulatory, for the worst of their transformation is now over.Decrease pain management at this point, as it will become less necessary.Watch for the subject to begin to turn toward their keepers, following their movements. Ask if they can “see”, and wait for confirmation.Provide the subject with fresh, clean scrolls. Do not provide writing utensils.Leave the subject on their own unless necessary. In most cases, they will no longer feel the need for company. Discourage their want for companionship should it manifest. It will only distract them.Over time, the subject will be drawn to the scrolls. They should resume their trancelike state from the early stages, and the outfall will take over from there. Whether it flows from their wounds, mouth, or eyes, it will flow from them to the pages. Initial scrolls may be messy and devoid of any notable symbols, but in time, the Inkblood will produce clear runes and symbols with little bleedthrough.Carefully collect these scrolls and transport them to the designated reading department to check for viability. Once the scrolls are confirmed to be magically viable, test their fidelity on previous subjects.Praise or correct the Inkblood as needed, and once they reach high fidelity on their chosen breed, encourage them to move on to others. Repeat the above steps as necessary.Provide the Inkblood with what they ask for within reason, be sparing with your congratulations the further they progress - this has been found to be the strongest motivator.Inkbloods become profitable after approximately 2 years of viable scroll production.- Dr. Annalise Redlin -- source link

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