Azoth

Aka ‘slendersludge’. 'Black blood' if you want to be slightly fancier (Reference for ya there, Rose.) Etymologically speaking, the 'essence of life'. More and more, we keep returning to azoth. It seems to be at the heart of all this; what works on azoth is a weapon we can use.

Azoth is a black, organic substance reminiscent of tar. It is found in the blood of certain Proxies, vomited up by certain Runners, and comprises both Slenderman and the Path of Black Leaves.

Azoth is volatile, and burns in a manner similar to magnesium. The flame can be extinguished with a standard CO2 fire extinguisher if sufficiently small in size, as it is not self oxidizing. However it is almost impossible to extinguish with water until it has been fully consumed. It is also a contact explosive, requiring a threshold of force over a sufficiently small area to detonate. Detonation again appears to require gaseous oxygen as Proxies do not explode when struck. Ignition will not cause it to detonate. I surmise this explosive force comes from a large amount of triple nitrogen bonds within its chemical structure.

Azoth is alive, and sentient. Small amounts of azoth will die when removed from a large amount of it, implying there is some internal process that needs maintenance for which a sufficient amount of the substance is required. The volume of an amount of living azoth seems proportional to the degree of sentience it exhibits. A viscous liquid in its natural state, azoth begins to congeal to a tough solid on exposure to air. Dead azoth does this all the way through, but I posit that living azoth merely develops a solid outer protective layer and retains internal fluidity to maintain range of movement. Azoth is comprised of a large amount of branching carbon chains, which give it its plasticity. Due to these properties azoth can be shaped into objects in both alive and dead forms.

Azoth communicates with itself via electromagnetic pulses conducted by the metallic particulates within it. These pulses can be disrupted by strong magnetic fields, causing odd behavior and loss of cohesion as well as attraction or repulsion depending on the nature of the field. These electromagnetic pulses seem compatible with neural tissue and various electronic devices, causing perceptionary problems in both, along with other possible effects. This may also be how amounts of azoth can locate one another.

Azoth accumulates in the body via exposure to large amounts of it. Its volatile nature produces particulate vapor, which is inhaled and diffuses into the bloodstream via the lungs. It begins to build up in the blood. It passes through the blood brain barrier and begins to build up in the amygdale, and possibly also the hippocampus. In the case of Seekers the azoth blood level actually decreases as it is diverted and begins to replace bone, leaving the greenish tinge reminiscent of the dissolved substance.

Exposure to azoth in this manner provokes an immune response in Runners, the symptoms of which are classified as ‘Slender sickness’. Due to constant and increased exposure, it steadily increases in severity over time. The vomiting of azoth is an attempt to remove all azoth from the body. The azoth is deposited in the stomach, where it is killed by the acid, and then purged. Since this is a highly specialized immune response, it is possible that the Slenderman has existed long enough to have a distinct effect on human evolution. In some cases the immune reaction is so severe as to produce anaphylactic shock like symptoms and death on contact with it.

Proxies do not exhibit an immune response, for unknown reasons, and instead exist more symbiotically with azoth. However, an immune response can be induced with a ‘cure’, after which they will begin exhibiting the standard symptoms. Given that azoth eventually replaces the function of blood in certain proxies, it must have some form of oxygen carrier.

My original post was a lot more ecstatic and incoherent. When certain aspects of this write up ‘clicked’, I got more than a few odd looks as I started doing a little eureka dance in the lab. I have the NMR spectra of both azoth and Strider’s drug with me right now.

One thing that’s confirmed is that azoth definitely has metallic particulates. The spectra shows spikes in iron, copper, lead, mercury and several others, although the largest proportion is copper. I’d say the green colour found when the substance is in solution is dissolved copper nitrate; not chlorophyll.

This leads naturally to a quick and dirty test for levels of azoth exposure; copper levels in the blood. Bear in mind that copper levels vary naturally over demographics, and conditions like Wilson’s disease can cause false positives.

Standard copper levels in blood: 11 to 24 μmol/L.

Copper levels in own sample of blood: 23.65 μmol/L. On the high side but still within range.

Copper levels in first proxy blood sample: 31.20 μmol/L. This sample may have been contaminated, however, considering how I acquired it.

Copper levels in Black’s blood sample: 12.11 μmol/L. This threw me for a loop until I realized the MRI had practically extracted the stuff from him.

Copper levels from blood sample from random volunteering passerby: 15. 92 μmol/L.

Conclusion: Inconclusive. Need more data points. Azoth has adverse reactions to hydrochloric and kainic acid (god, that was expensive) in vitro. Also, whatever you do, don’t put azoth into a melting point apparatus. I'm going to need to do some in vivo testing to be sure of some of this stuff, so I'll be getting pet rats soon. Keep sending me azoth.

Citations:

Proxies undergoing rejection.

Dissolving and burning properties.

Again, volatile properties, required chemical treatment?

Explosive properties on impact.

The path being made of Azoth.

The Slenderman being made out of azoth confirmed by Spyre.

Effects of induced magnetic fields on Slenderman and proxies shown here.

Use of magnetic fields to repel Slenderman.

Use of electricity against Slenderman.

Effects of Slenderman proximity on electronics and mental health already well documented by various.

Effect of taser on Slenderman.

Name. 

Diagram of human brain. Note proximity of amygdala to hypothalamus and ectorhinal cortex.

Azoth found in Proxy brains.
Effect of injection of the neurostimulant poison kainic acid into hippocampus.

Large amounts of azoth being sentient.

Dead azoth shaped into an object.

Living azoth shaped into an object.
Fringe theme tune.