Sunday 12 May 2013

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:
The Slenderman being made out of azoth confirmed by Spyre.
Effects of induced magnetic fields on Slenderman and proxies shown here.
Effects of Slenderman proximity on electronics and mental health already well documented by various.
Diagram of human brain. Note proximity of amygdala to hypothalamus and ectorhinal cortex.


49 comments:

  1. ..........I seriously have some of this stuff in a box with your name on it.Guess I forgot to ship it. I'll send it to you today, seeing as I have nothing planned.

    -Spyre

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    1. Wait shit Seekers. Oh god ewewew this stuff is inside me how am I just realizing this ewewewewewew I'm just gonna go curl up in the corner because I've realized that the gross azoth stuff is in my body even though I really should have thought of that much sooner
      Ewewewewewew

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    2. Thanks for the box, from the future! :D

      And sorry about unintentionally giving you that moment of horror. Umm... I'm not sure it can be removed from bone.

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    3. Just sent that out. So you'll get it sometime.

      And I'm better now. Kinda. Still having a bit of an ewewewewew reaction. As well as an 'oh shit there's a highly volatile substance in my bones' reaction.

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    4. It won't explode or ignite while it's inside you. :) No oxygen supply.

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    5. And if someone happens to cut my arm off or something?

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    6. The exposed bone would be able to burn and would explode if struck hard enough with a sharp point, yes. The chance of a chain reaction across your entire body is minimal, though. Most likely, your arm would just be incredibly messed up.

      ...I'm not very good at this 'being reassuring' thing, am I?

      That said, the distinctions between dead and living azoth and the structures it forms are still not entirely clear.

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    7. ............fun.

      Well, I wish you luck with your studies on it. I'll just... Try not to expose any bone to oxygen.

      Ohwaitshitwhataboutteeth?

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    8. Teeth are made of dentin and enamel, with a nerve ending center. They're set in bone, but they aren't bone. They'll be fine. :)

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    9. I did not know that. But I'm very glad to know that the chances of me being blown up are minimal.
      Thanks, Med ^^

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  2. This is really fucking interesting. Also horrifying. I wish they'd warned me about this shit before I signed up.

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  3. Bookmarked, that is amazing.

    Interesting that it builds up in the amygdala. Isn't that the part that works with, or doesn't work with, emotional reactions?

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    1. Yep, as well as memory. Could help explain such things as memory blackouts and bouts of emotional instability.

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  4. Black blood? Isn't proxy's blood still red for the most part?

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    1. Yup. Azoth really only starts showing its colour in higher concentrations. My main evidence for this is that Evan's blood still set off the geiger despite being red; I *knew* there must have been citations I missed.

      It's just a neatly thematic and sometimes accurate term, for the most part.

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  5. You people and your scientific methods. Can't you just see Slendy for the sweet and innocent being that he is?

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    1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitch_(insult)

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    2. If you're calling her a bitch, Fracture, then that is just mean.

      But if you're calling me a bitch, I, um... ow. I guess that's mean too, and maybe accurate. I'm really sorry if it came off as bitchy sir. :( I didn't really know what to say to her.

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    3. Don't be so sensitive dear.

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    4. Now I'm confused. You called me a bitch, now I'm sensitive. Yikes. Really sorry anyway. :( I wanted something that would work whether she was joking or not. Now I read it back it seems kind of bitchy. Sorry.

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    5. Shut up, douchefuck. You don't get to insult someone out of nowhere and then complain they took it too hard.

      Sanna, don't listen to the cock.

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    6. @Nat: Fuck you.

      Also @Nat: Fffffffuuuuuuuccccccckkkkkk you.

      @Sanna: Just, stop. Stop apologizing. Show some strength and stand by your words. I threatened to kill and rape your corpse... like yesterday. In what fresh hell do you owe me an apology or any other form of nicety?

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  6. Oh spectacular, now I need to worry about THIS along with all the other shit at the moment, oh happy happy joy joy.

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  7. I suppose my father has laid some amount of researchable material for you humans.

    How nice!

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    1. Incredibly nice. Now if only he could stop leaving bits of people in trees...

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    2. I wonder where he...

      Holy shit I just realised what the 'garbage bags' are made of. D:

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    3. Yes... dream more. This is getting fun.

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    4. Why does he DO th...

      D:

      I should stop.

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    5. The pursuit of knowledge... leave no stone unturned. :D

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    6. It's like my brain is the worst eightball right now. I think of a question, shake it, and get an answer I don't want to think about. Or 'try again'. And I just can't stop asking.

      Curse you, Fracture.

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    7. Ever wonder why he puts the parts back into the body sometimes?

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    8. I haaaaaaaate you. Hate you hate you hate you. Augh.

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    9. Complete guess, but does he put parts back in an attempt to make the perfect azoth human hybrid, the ur-proxy if you will? (no idea if I used the 'ur-' bit right.)
      Because that would be awe inspiring. A creature entirely in tune with the path, more slendy than human, with few of the weaknesses of proxies. Other than magnets, fire and blunt force trauma. That would make it explode. And that's why that'd be a silly idea.

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    10. I'm starting to think such a thing might actually exist: http://fatherletmebe.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/in-human-times.html

      What do you mean by 'put parts back in'? What little azoth I have in the house is in airtight containers in the basement, which is the one place he's not allowed in. He hasn't made any attempts to enter.

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    11. Oh whoops. *Facepalm* I thought you were talking about Black. *Headdesk*

      That's one possibility. My first thought was more along the lines of 'parasitic wasps'.

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    12. It's funny that you assume he wants to be inside you. Kinky.

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    13. I don't believe I said anything of the kind. Now I'm going to wash out my brain with industrial strength bleach.

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    14. That was in reference to Philip's 'he puts parts back in an attempt to make the perfect azoth human hybrid', dear.

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    15. Gah, what is *with* me, today. I'm not usually *this* absentminded.

      Yeah, that makes more sense.

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    16. And yeah, I don't really know too much about the guy, but I heard he puts organs back into people in azoth 'binliners'. Seems a reasonable assumption he'd want to do that to put them back into people...

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    17. I've not heard of him using Azoth 'binliners'.

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    18. They're black, plasticy, and it's not as if anyone's ever seen him go into a store and buy or even steal them. It fits.

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    19. Well, I can't find out for sure until a characteristic murder happens in the area and I can get to the crime scene. Until then, it's pure speculation. It's an interesting avenue, though.

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    20. Azoth-human hybrid... Why does that sound like it could explain socky...

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