Draknel Venom

Draknel Venom is an effective treatment when administered to patient's suffering with Prospector's Fever. As such, it is a valuable commodity, especially in the Dwarven Kingdom of Ironheim.

Discovery

The use of Draknel Venom as a medical treatment was first discovered by Dorana Greybraid in 789 A.E.
Greybraid was the chief physician at a Mining outpost, just north of the Kingdom of Ironheim in the Jagged Mountains.
She had several patients suffering from Prospector's Fever to various degrees. One of her patients, Hilda Darkbrow, was ademant that she was going to carry on working and fulfilling her mining quota daily, despite her worsening condition.

When Darkbrow reported to Greybraid at the end her shift, it became apparent she had been stung by a Luminous Draknel, a venomous, bioluminscent arachnid known to reside in underground tunnels.
Greybraid treated the sting with Lavendar and Witch Hazel, and thought nothing of it, until several days later when it appeared Darkbrow's condition had improved somewhat. She was less nauseous and the sores on her legs had reduced in size.

The only thing Greybraid could put it down to was the Draknel Venom, and now that Darkbrow was feeling a little better she was asked if she would be willing to take another sting, this time a deliberate one, to see if it improved her Prospector's Fever further.
Ever a brave individual, Darkbrow agreed, and Greybraid went hunting in the mining tunnells for the glowing arachnid, bringing several back with her to administer to her patients should the experiment be a success.
Sure enough, several days later Darkbrow's condition improved again.
After many trials with many different patients, Greybraid was confident that she had discovered an effective treatment for the illness which had plagued the Dwarves of Ironheim for centuries.

Treatment

No more than six treatments should be administered to a single patient in a single year.
The medically trained individual should administer one Draknel sting to the patient's abdomen, and all available limbs.
This treatment can be repeated once a month for six months, or until a significant improvement in the patients condition can be seen.
Lavender, Witch Hazel and Honey can be used to treat the location of the stings and reduce swelling.
The patient must be kept under close supervision, for at least one day, in order to minimise any adverse reactions.

The Elvaran Medical Professional's Handbook by Ranae Aloran, 1321 A.E.

Side Effects

The noted side effects for Draknel Treatment are as follows:

• Swelling and numbness at the location of the sting

• Nausea/Vomiting

• Change in Bowel Behaviour

• Hair loss

• Loss of appetite

• Fatigue

• Breathlessness

• Pain

• Easy bruising and marking of the skin

• Bleeding

Whilst Draknel Venom has vastly reduced the mortality rate of people dying from Prospector's Fever, it is not a perfect cure. Whilst it heals just under half of those suffering with the condition, just over half who have been treated still perish.
This does not account for those who are put off seeking treatment because of the side effects. The treatment can make some individual's very ill and even the lesser side effects can be an issue. For example, hair loss is a major dilemma for dwarves as their society regards beards as a status symbol.
Nevertheless, the venom is now the dominant treatment for Prospector's Fever in Elvara and is a valuable commodity.
In fact, if you are in the market for a new job, a career as a Draknel hunter is a lucrative occupation, indeed!

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