Giant's Blood Serum (Vitality Ether)
The giant's blood serum—formally known as vitality ether and commonly referred to as giants' blood, the serum, the infusion, the soldier serum, or the strange giant's serum—was one of the most dangerous substances in the world of Areth. A bioweapon as much as an enhancement, it was administered to soldiers of the Wyranth Empire and played a significant role in escalating the conflict with Rislandia beyond normal proportions. A related formulation was later developed and used by the Nightmen.
Nature
The serum was a bright blue liquid derived from giant blood. The Wyranth military version was extracted from evolved giants and, upon consumption, created a psychic link between the user and the giant from which it was drawn. A separate formulation was developed by Rhys from the excretions of a recreated ancient giant creature—identified as the Blue Blob Creature—and was used among the Nightmen.
The serum bonded to blood cells and slowly corrupted the body's system, with the body craving additional doses over time. Marina du Willet noted that the serum made some individuals go a bit crazy in the head, depending on their fortitude.
Wyranth scientists discovered during their research that a small minority of people had stronger reactions to the serum than others, becoming psychically connected with the giant at Devil's Mountain: "When our scientists first ran experiments for our soldier serums, we discovered a small minority of people had stronger reactions than the others." The majority of users gained enhanced strength, aggression, and focus without this deeper psychic link.
Effects
Short-Term Benefits:
- Increased strength and aggression
- Enhanced healing
- Reduced pain sensitivity
- Heightened combat effectiveness and focus
- Near-imperviousness to cuts
Long-Term Consequences:
- Addiction: The body craved additional doses
- Withdrawal: Violent fits of uncontrollable rage, internal pain, and psychological breakdown; withdrawal symptoms did not subside with time; withdrawal also caused an inability to focus and erratic, mad behavior
- Mind Control (Wyranth formulation, minority of users): The source giant could project thoughts and commands into the user
- Loss of Free Will: Affected users became effectively puppets of the source giant; the serum was described as taking all control away from a person and clouding the mind, making the user want to lash out
- Physical Changes: Dilated pupils and blue-tinted veins
- Psychic overwhelm: The blue substance was recorded as having overwhelmed Zaira von Monocle's mind upon exposure
- Behavioral corruption: The serum was identified as the cause of Marina du Willet's betrayal of the Rislandian side, driving her to spy for Ivan, the Iron Emperor
- Ferocity: Soldiers under its influence were described as crazed and unable to stop fighting, and willing to fight hard to regain access to the substance
- Berserk behavior upon deprivation: Soldiers deprived of the serum could go berserk and become feral, attacking allies and enemies alike; soldiers in this state were described as behaving like rabid packs in their serum-withdrawal delirium, and there was recorded to be no way to heal soldiers who had gone berserk from serum withdrawal
Nightmen Physiology Exception: Nightmen warriors were able to use the serum without ill effects, owing to their unique physiologies. Fighters in the Nightmen Arena were given doses of the serum at the start of bouts.
Development and Origins
The Wyranth military version was derived from the blood of a giant discovered within the Wyranth kingdom and was used to create a more aggressive fighting force. The creature was hooked up to machinery to produce the serum. In The Iron Wedding, Ivan, the Iron Emperor claimed personal credit for developing the serum: "The serum I'd developed left them with withdrawal symptoms that have driven them quite mad." This account attributes the serum's development to Ivan himself, whereas earlier records describe it as the product of Wyranth scientists broadly. In The Steam Knight, the serum was attributed to Dr. Metzengerstein, who was believed to have created it.
The Nightmen formulation was developed by Rhys, a former Nightmen scientist, from the excretions of a recreated ancient giant creature. Oyette was noted to be unaware of the infusion process.
Wyranth scientists were also working on ways to do more with the serum to help turn the Wyranth into a super army, and in the course of that research they inadvertently discovered ways to morph the source giant back into something closer to its prior form.
Production and Supply
The serum was distilled at dedicated facilities. The primary Wyranth production site was located at the base of a mountain within the Wyranth Empire, where the source giant was hooked up to machinery. The serum was stored in vials and barrels. During the events of The Fight for Rislandia, the Liliana crew identified the vicinity of Plainsroad Village as the origin of the Wyranth's current supply, and a second production site was discovered in a nearby forest. The serum was also found at the Wyranth Iron Mine.
In The Iron Wedding, Ivan, the Iron Emperor was noted to be seeking additional giants across the ocean in order to produce more serum, as the supply problem had renewed by that period. Giants were also found in Rislandian territory during this time.
In The Steam Knight, James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern were noted to have previously discovered a Wyranth serum mine. The serum was administered to Wyranth soldiers of the first through fifth legions to boost their capacities as soldiers.
Withdrawal and Treatment
Withdrawal from the serum caused fits of uncontrollable rage, a sensation described as being pulled apart from within, an inability to focus, and erratic and mad behavior. Symptoms did not subside on their own over time. In the short term, withdrawal was treated with small doses of the serum itself.
In The Steam Knight, soldiers deprived of the serum were recorded as going berserk and becoming feral, attacking allies and enemies alike and behaving like rabid packs in their serum-withdrawal delirium. No way to heal soldiers who had gone berserk from serum withdrawal was known at that time.
An enzyme treatment developed by Rhys was capable of breaking down bonded serum within blood cells, freeing victims from both addiction and, in the case of the Wyranth formulation, the giant's psychic influence. The treatment had to be administered before permanent damage occurred.
Rhys subsequently worked to develop a Counter-Serum capable of neutralizing the serum's effects at scale. Rislandian scientists, including Dr. Estrella du Clockhand and Rhys, hoped to find a way to spread a cure to Wyranth soldiers. Ivan, the Iron Emperor was also noted to be seeking a cure for the madness the serum caused, and claimed he had lost control of his troops due to withdrawal.
In The Iron Wedding, the serum's withdrawal effects continued to drive Wyranth troops mad, and the problem was described as having renewed. Automatons were noted by Melker as being easier to control than regular human troops, particularly those addicted to the serum: "Especially those who were addicted to the serum."
Role in For Steam and Country
In For Steam and Country, the serum was confirmed to have been administered to all soldiers of the Wyranth Military. A Wyranth prisoner in Rislandian custody exhibited violent fits consistent with withdrawal, providing direct evidence of the serum's addictive properties. The prisoner appeared either unaware of the serum's full purpose or was deliberately withholding that information.
Marina du Willet reported on the serum's use, though Talyen von Cravat was already aware of it prior to receiving her report. The serum's widespread distribution among Wyranth troops was confirmed by the quote: "all of the soldiers are given the serum you mentioned to us before."
The Liliana's medic used the serum on both Talyen and the narrator after injuries sustained during the conflict.
Role in The Blood of Giants
In The Blood of Giants, the serum's consequences became a central concern for the Liliana crew. Marina du Willet was confirmed to be addicted to the substance, and the crew's last vial of giants' blood broke in her pack during a desert crossing, leaving her past due for her next dose. Without it, Marina experienced rage and a sensation of being pulled apart.
The blue substance had overwhelmed Zaira von Monocle's mind and sent Marina into a craze, as recorded in Zaira's account: "The blue substance had overwhelmed my mind, and worse, sent my crewman, Marina Willet, into a craze."
The serum was identified as the cause of Marina's earlier betrayal: "I believed the serum was what accounted for her betrayal of us, and it turned out I was right."
Three Wyranth prisoners and Marina were all suffering from addiction to the serum during this period. Dr. Estrella du Clockhand was studying the substance and requested a blood sample from the narrator.
Most Wyranth reserves of the serum were destroyed when Devil's Mountain was destroyed, though some bottled supply remained scattered across the Wyranth Empire. The crew's mission included traveling to the Zenwey continent to find more giants' blood—both to cure Marina and to help cure Wyranth soldiers of their addictions. Juiyan was described as the best lead for locating it. Giants' blood was ultimately obtained during the Zenwey expedition.
During the escape from the Nightmen, Rhys carried a large vat of the serum in his bag. The Nightmen used the serum in battle and in the arena, with fighters receiving doses at the start of bouts.
The blue serum used by the Nightmen was derived from the blood of the Blue Blob Creature, a recreated ancient giant creature, and was developed by Rhys: "I have access to a serum which would make people nearly impervious to cuts." The reason for withdrawal symptoms was explained as follows: "The reason there are withdrawals is the serum bonds to blood cells."
Role in The Fight for Rislandia
In The Fight for Rislandia, the giant's blood serum remained a primary strategic concern. Vials of the bright blue liquid were recovered from a captured Wyranth soldier by First Sergeant Bartholomew Wright: "The vials contained a bright blue liquid, one I was very familiar with." The prisoner had not received the Counter-Serum and was described as among the most ferocious Zaira had encountered, with the serum still coursing through his blood and leaving him showing no fear.
The Liliana crew identified cutting off the Wyranth's supply as their most important strategic objective. The vicinity of Plainsroad Village was identified as the origin of the Wyranth's current supply, with a second production site located in a nearby forest. The serum was also found at the Wyranth Iron Mine, where it was stored in barrels and distilled at a factory of some sort: "A factory of some sort distilling the soldier serum."
The narrator's crew bombed the facility that produced the serum. Despite this, the Wyranth appeared to have found a new supply, with Zaira hypothesizing that another giant was being used to produce it after the original source was cut off. Private Forster Hudson reported that Wyranth soldiers were acting ferocious, which was attributed to the giant's blood.
Marina du Willet was cured of her addiction to the serum during this period. However, no means of curing the addiction at a larger scale had yet been found, and Rhys and Dr. Estrella du Clockhand continued working toward a mass-disseminatable cure: "I hoped he'd help find a cure for these Wyranth's serum addictions that we could mass disseminate." Rhys believed he had produced a Counter-Serum over the preceding days, though it still required further testing.
The Counter-Serum was ultimately deployed by being sprayed across Wyranth ranks from the Liliana, causing many soldiers to lose their fighting spirit and flee. The effects of the anti-serum were expected to last a few more days. Ivan, the Iron Emperor claimed he had lost control of his troops due to withdrawal from the serum.
Zaira herself had taken the serum once, administered by the Liliana's medic to help heal wounds, and described its effects: "The way it clouded my mind and made me want to lash out was awful." She took only a small amount—not enough to be affected by withdrawals—but the dose caused her to go into a strange fit of rage and visions when the bomb was set in Devil's Mountain. Lieutenant Colwell referred to it as "their soldier serum." Wright's scouts were instructed to look out for the substance.
Marina's violent reaction to the giant was noted as possibly characteristic of someone without giant blood in their lineage.
Role in The Iron Wedding
In The Iron Wedding, the serum's consequences continued to shape the strategic situation. Ivan, the Iron Emperor acknowledged that the serum he had developed left Wyranth troops with withdrawal symptoms that drove them quite mad: "The serum I'd developed left them with withdrawal symptoms that have driven them quite mad." The supply problem had renewed by this period, and Ivan was noted to be seeking more giants across the ocean in order to produce additional serum. Giants were also found in Rislandian territory.
The difficulty of managing serum-addicted troops was cited as a reason for the Wyranth interest in automatons as an alternative fighting force. Melker noted that automatons were easier to control than regular human troops, particularly those addicted to the serum: "Especially those who were addicted to the serum."
Role in The Steam Knight
In The Steam Knight, the giant's blood serum continued to be recognized as a significant factor in the ongoing conflict. Rislandian forces were aware of the soldier serum and its role in making Wyranth men more aggressive: "We're also aware of the soldier serum that's made their men so aggressive." Rislandia was actively developing ways to counteract it.
The serum was described as a biological substance used by Wyranth soldiers to their advantage during recent advances, and was referred to in this context as the Wyranth serum. It was believed by some to have been created by Dr. Metzengerstein. James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern were noted to have previously discovered a Wyranth serum mine.
The serum had been administered to Wyranth soldiers of the first through fifth legions to boost their capacities as soldiers. Rislandians had destroyed the Wyranth's sources of the serum, and the consequences of this were severe: soldiers deprived of the substance went berserk and became feral, attacking allies and enemies alike. Roving soldiers in their serum-withdrawal delirium were described as behaving like "rabid packs." No means of healing soldiers who had gone berserk from serum withdrawal was known at this time.
Historical Impact
The serum was responsible for transforming Wyranth soldiers into unnaturally aggressive fighters, escalating the war with Rislandia beyond normal proportions. Its use extended beyond the battlefield: the psychic influence of the Wyranth formulation compromised the free will of soldiers and, in Marina's case, drove a Rislandian crew member to act against her own side. The destruction of the primary Wyranth supply at Devil's Mountain represented a significant blow to the empire's ability to maintain its enhanced forces, though scattered reserves, ongoing addiction among soldiers and prisoners, and the apparent discovery of new source giants ensured the serum remained a pressing concern well into subsequent conflicts.
In A History of Rislandia
According to A History of Rislandia, the giant's blood serum occupies a prominent place in the sourcebook's treatment of Wyranth military history, scientific development, and the broader conflict with Rislandia. The bible presents the serum under several overlapping entries and frames it as one of the defining technologies of the era of King Malaky XVI.
Discovery and Origin
According to A History of Rislandia, the serum was discovered by the Wyranth beneath Devil's Mountain, where the evolved giant was found. The sourcebook describes a serum program developed by Emperor Eisenherz following this discovery. The sourcebook lists the giant's blood serum as an example of scientific work produced by the Wyranth professional class.
The sourcebook also notes that the Wyranth Capital served as the center of the giant's blood serum program, and that laboratories where scientists conducted research—including the giant's blood experiments—were located in the Wyranth Palace (referred to in the bible as the Iron Palace).
Effects and Physical Description
A History of Rislandia describes vitality ether as a glowing blue liquid extracted from evolved giants' bodies. Soldiers who consumed it became addicted and hyper-aggressive, fighting with unnatural aggression, seeming to feel no pain, and exhibiting increased strength, speed, and violence. The sourcebook records dilated pupils and blue-tinted veins as observable physical signs. The bible quotes a contemporary observer: *"There's something different in this current crop of Wyranth soldiers. Something inhuman."
The sourcebook confirms the serum is restorative, addictive, and psychically linked to the source giant, and enumerates short-term benefits (increased strength and aggression, enhanced healing, reduced pain sensitivity, heightened combat effectiveness) and long-term consequences (addiction, violent withdrawal, mind control by the giant, loss of free will) consistent with novel accounts, though presented in a condensed scholarly register.
The bible additionally notes that prolonged exposure to giant's blood can cause mutations, a detail not recorded on the novel-based account on this page.
Role in the Wars with Rislandia
According to A History of Rislandia, the serum changed the nature of the war between Wyranth and Rislandia. The sourcebook records that the goal of the Second Battle of the Border River was specifically to cripple the Wyranth's ability to produce serum-enhanced soldiers. The bible also notes that the Wyranth Underground Resistance opposed the serum's use even before its dangers were fully known, quoting: *"The use of giant's blood serum (even before its dangers were known)."
The sourcebook records that Theodore's first observation of the serum's effects on soldiers occurred on Day 23 of the 15th Year of King Malaky XVI's reign, providing a precise in-universe date not found on the novel-based account on this page.
The bible further warns that a facility producing the serum can corrupt an entire army, and frames the destruction of such facilities as a strategic imperative: *"Destroy a giant's blood facility before it corrupts an entire army."
The Second Giant and Supply
A History of Rislandia confirms that the Wyranth found a second giant producing serum after the original source was disrupted, corroborating the novel account. Samples of giant's blood were also brought back to Rislandia for research purposes.
Giant's Blood Lineage
The sourcebook states that Zaira von Monocle and Ivan, the Iron Emperor both have giant's blood lineage. The bible also notes that those with giant ancestry can attune to crystals more easily, linking the serum's biological heritage to crystal magic in a way not addressed on the novel-based account on this page.
Addiction, Cure, and the Crisis
According to A History of Rislandia, Marina du Willet's addiction to the serum is recorded as a notable case. The sourcebook credits Rhys with developing the cure for giant's blood addiction, and records Dr. Estrella du Clockhand as having treated Marina's addiction. The bible describes a giant's blood addiction crisis that has since been resolved through anti-serum distributed across the Wyranth Empire.