Resistance Methods

“Fighting the Inevitable”

Resistance Methods - Fighting Corruption

Medical Approaches

Compound Theta-7 (Kael’s Treatment)

Function: Arrests Stage 1 progression

Effectiveness: ~85% success (temporary)

Requirements: - Continuous daily dosing - Rot-Touched tissue (ethical nightmare) - Expensive/unavailable (limited production)

Limitations: - Stage 1 only (doesn’t work on Stage 2+) - Doesn’t cure (suppresses) - Requires unethical sourcing - Unavailable to most

Status: Experimental (secret from most)

Traditional Healing

Prayer: Psychological comfort (no physical effect proven)

Amputation: If extremely localized (rarely works—Rot internal)

Quarantine: Prevents spread (doesn’t treat individual)

Palliative Care: Comfort dying (Medicant Order specialty)

Failed Approaches

Bloodletting: Doesn’t work (Rot not in blood alone)

Herbal Remedies: Ineffective (tried countless)

Constellation Clergy Prayers: Success rate indistinguishable from placebo

Alchemical Experiments: Most fail (Theta-7 is rare exception)

Psychological Resistance

Hope Maintenance

Evidence: Hope correlates with slower progression

Mechanism: Unknown (psychological affects physical? Willpower matters?)

Methods: - Community support - Purpose (reason to resist) - Goals (things to live for) - Relationships (connections sustain)

Weeping Halls Effect: Community slows progression (multiple observations)

Voice Resistance

Challenge: Constant mental presence draining

Strategies: - Conscious rejection (exhausting) - Distraction (focus elsewhere) - Counter-narratives (argue back) - Community (others reinforce reality)

Sister Morrigan’s Alternative: Don’t resist (engage, question, integrate)

Orthodox Response: Never engage (slippery slope)

Maintaining Identity

Problem: Voice erodes sense of self

Methods: - Journals (record thoughts) - Rituals (familiar routines) - Relationships (others remember who you were) - Symbols (items of personal meaning)

Effectiveness: Variable (some benefit, ultimately futile?)

Environmental Protection

Avoiding Exposure

Primary Defense: Don’t get near corruption

Risk Zones: Know them, avoid them

Screening: Test for early signs

Quarantine: Separate infected immediately

Protective Gear

Gloves: Reduce contact transmission (moderate effectiveness)

Masks: Minimal airborne protection (better than nothing)

Sealed Suits: Expensive, effective (used by researchers/military)

Lead Containers: For Rot-Shard handling (essential)

Decontamination

Washing: After exposure (removes surface particles)

Burning Clothes: If heavily exposed

Fire: Destroys Rot (cremation prevents spread)

Purification Rituals: Psychological benefit (no proven physical effect)

Settlement-Level Measures

Ironhold Approach (Strict)

Screening: Mandatory, thorough

Exile: Immediate upon detection

Military Enforcement: Zero tolerance

Result: Lowest infection rate (major settlements)

Cost: Humanitarian crisis (families destroyed)

Skyport Eos Approach (Balanced)

Screening: Regular but compassionate

Quarantine: Humane facilities

Treatment Attempts: Limited (resource dependent)

Eventual Exile: If progressive

Result: Moderate infection rate

Cost: Resource strain

Murky Chasm Approach (Minimal)

No Screening: Anyone accepted

Coexistence: Infected and uninfected mix

Result: High infection rate

Benefit: Refuge for rejected

Alternative Philosophies

Sister Morrigan’s Acceptance Path

Approach: Don’t resist transformation

Method: - Accept corruption consciously - Engage with Voice (don’t flee) - Community support through change - Maintain consciousness through acceptance

Claim: Consciousness persists

Result: Peaceful transformation (Stage 2-3)

Orthodox View: Heresy (surrendering to evil)

Question: Is this resistance or capitulation?

The Returners’ Hope

Belief: Pre-Shattering technology could cure/prevent

Search: Sky Anchors, Luminar research

Reality: Unproven (no evidence yet)

Function: Hope (even if false, sustains resistance)

Experimental Approaches

Kael’s Research Directions

Investigating: - Rot chemical composition - Stage progression mechanics - Synthesis of ethical Theta-7 alternative - Stage 2+ treatments (no success yet)

Barriers: - Funding limited - Materials scarce - Ethical constraints - Time (his own corruption progressing)

Forbidden Research

Controlled Infection: Intentionally infecting to study

Accelerated Progression: Testing what speeds corruption

Voice Communication: Attempting dialogue with entity

Status: Mostly theoretical (too dangerous/unethical)

Archivist Discoveries

Pre-Shattering Texts: References to “corruption”

Possible: Old treatments existed

Problem: Information fragmentary

Hope: Complete archive might contain cure

The Remembrance

Function: Support group (family of infected)

Services: - Grief counseling - Practical assistance - Advocacy (push for research) - Memorial services

Benefit: Psychological support (helps families cope)

Medicant Order

Service: Healing without judgment

Specialty: Rot-Touched care (controversial)

Approach: Comfort dying, support living, no exile

Orthodox Tension: Clergy disapproves (but tolerates)

Ultimate Reality

No True Cure

Fact: Once infected, progression continues (barring Theta-7 arrest)

Options: 1. Resist (slow progression, die “human”) 2. Accept (Morrigan’s path, consciousness claim) 3. Suicide (some choose before transformation) 4. Exile (society’s choice)

None Good: All involve loss

The Question

If Morrigan Right: Resistance causes unnecessary suffering

If Orthodox Right: Acceptance is death

Problem: Can’t know until too late

Quest Hooks

The Treatment: Acquire Theta-7 (ethical sourcing?)
The Research: Help Kael develop better treatment
The Alternative: Investigate Morrigan’s claims (consciousness persists?)
The Prevention: Develop new protection methods
The Choice: Help infected decide (resist vs. accept)
The Cure Rumor: Chase legendary treatment (scam? Real?)
The Archive: Find pre-Shattering Rot research
The Sacrifice: Volunteer for dangerous research

“Every method I’ve tried either fails or requires unconscionable costs. I’m close to cure. But ‘close’ means nothing if infected die before I finish.” — Alchemist Kael Greythorn

“They resist transformation like it’s death. But what if it’s birth? What if fighting prevents becoming what you’re meant to be?” — Sister Morrigan

“I’ve treated hundreds. Saved none. Slowed some. Comforted most. It’s not enough. It’s all I have.” — Medicant Healer