Indiphinous Pox
  1. Notes

Indiphinous Pox

Disease

Interview: Ellida Vemitus

Good evening. My name is Major Ayham Tahir. To my left is our court scribe; his name is unimportant. He will be recording this conversation. You or your barrister if you have one appointed to you will get given the opportunity to review. Do you understand?

I do. Yes.

For the transcript, please state your name.

Ellida. Ellida Vemitus.

And your occupation?

Uh, a student.

Where at, Mistress Vemitus?

The College of Arcane at Pallida University. I'm… I was a senior there.

And how do you know Professor Languor?

He was my advisor senior year.

Did you also study magical diseases?

That was his area of expertise. My focus is on sending stones. My father is a very prominent member of the Speakers' Guild...

Yes, we are aware of Lord Vemitus; we'll come back to that topic. Tell me, have you ever met Professor Languor's wife, Caria?

Once or twice. At some university fundraising, I think.

Your mother died when you were young, did she not?

Yes. I barely remember her now.

Would you have considered Caria Languor to be a mother figure?

What? No. No, like I said, I didn't know her that well.

Witnesses say that you visited the Languor residence several times last semester. You didn't talk to or even see Caria Languor then?

No, there's probably just a mistake.

When did Caria Languor die, Mistress Vemitus?

Oh. Uh. A month ago, I think? Where are you going with this?

For the record, the Imperial Ministry of Archives states her day of death as 12 Lepidus 1153. Six weeks and two days ago. And do you recall the cause of death?

Yes, ah, the indiphinous pox.

Indeed, Mistress Vemitus. The very same disease that the professor had been researching at the time, according to his own notes.

Are you… are you implying a connection?

What do you know of indiphinous pox?

Well, it's very rare. And very deadly.

Those are extremely broad strokes, Mistress Vemitus. Please elaborate.

The first signs are swelling around the neck. Within a few days, dark spots begin appearing around the eyes and nose. Hallucinations begin a day after that, with the subject becoming more paranoid as time passes. Within a week, the seizures start. Death is usually a week after signs of the disease are first seen.

That is much more thorough. Are there any earlier signs of the disease? A way to predict when someone has indiphinous pox without the outward signs?

What? No, if there was something like that, he would have told... he would have wrote that in his papers.

What about in papers he had not published yet? Ongoing research?

No.

How does a student studying arcane communication know so much about indiphinous pox? Have you worked with Professor Languor studying the disease?

No. I mean, everybody seems to know more about it now.

Quite true. This supposedly rare disease suddenly seems to be everywhere in the city. The Inquisitive reported another two dozen dead yesterday.

Yes. It's horrible.

Were you aware that Professor Languor had been researching indiphinous pox?

It's no secret. He's published several papers on the topic.

He had a vested interest in the disease after his wife contracted it, wouldn't you say?

I... am I allowed to talk with a barrister?

Mistress Vemitus, the Vigilants are only interested in the truth. I just find it curious that he was studying the same disease his wife contracted before she had it. How would you describe his mental state after the passing of his wife?

He was grieving, of course.

Was he still rational, would you say?

I suppose. As much as anyone could be.

Do you feel that Professor Languor shared everything he knew about indiphinous pox?

He didn't have anything to hide, if that's what you are insinuating. I think we're done here.

We know about your father, Mistress Vemitus.

... I'm sorry?

We found him while we were searching your family's estate. It appears that he had been locked in the wine cellar.  He had dark spots around his eyes and neck. And he kept repeating the phrase, "It's hiding in the messages." Would you happen to know what that means?

My father is... ? What? What do you mean?

Lord Vemitus appears to have contracted indiphinous pox. Our healers are very concerned. Based on the marks on his face, they estimate he's been infected for at least two weeks. As someone who knows as much about the disease as you do, you would know that's not possible.

How? He... I don't understand. That's not possible.

Exactly what our healers said.

No, no, no.

Mistress Vemitus, are you aware that the documents in the archives concerning Caria Laguor's death are forged? We had the Keepers attempt to verify them, but they had no funeral records.

But my father... is he?

He is under the best care we can offer. It would be better if we knew how far along Professor Languor is with his cure.

What? How do you...

I think Professor Languor figured out how to delay the disease's effects, but couldn't completely cure his wife. He needed more subjects to learn about the disease, didn't he?

I... I'm not sure I...

Where do you come in, Mistress Vemitus? You lost one mother. What would you do if you lost another?

No, no, no, no, it's not like that.

How did you sabotage the sending stones? How are they spreading the disease?

It was... it was only supposed to be a few. He could save them all. It wasn't supposed to spread, but it did, it did, the stones spread the disease when they sent a message. It wasn't supposed to do that!

I see. It seems that the disease is arcane in nature; you would know that if you had read any of Languor's published papers. It was one of his theories.

No, no, I didn't! It wasn't!

We're still searching for Languor, of course. Or his wife. Once we find one, we'll find the other. The Speakers' Guild is cooperating, of course. They've shut down most of the stones. I thank you for your time, Mistress Vemitus. You've confirmed a few thoughts of mine. The bailiff will be shortly to collect you. Have a good night.

No, no, my father, you have to tell me about my father... No, come back, no no no...