Item Seed: Squalenol-5.

Squalenol-5 – Google Docs

Squalenol-5

 

Squalenol-5 is derived from oil pressed from genetically-modified olives that were also grown in a strong thaumaturgical field.  It’s a remarkably effective antidominant; even a trace presence in the bloodstream can prevent a demon from taking full possession of a victim, as well as significantly boost the victim’s own willpower when it comes to expelling the demon naturally.  Squalenol-5 is also nontoxic (well, unless you’re a demon) and tastes more or less like it was derived from olive oil.  Put it in a salad dressing and nobody would notice.

The thing about Squalenol-5 is not that it exists; it’s that, these days, traces of it show up everywhere that you’d normally expect to see olive oil being used.  And a few places where you wouldn’t expect, like local municipal water supplies.  This cannot be accidental: Squalenol-5 is about as natural as processed white sugar. It’s being made for a reason, and the only valid reason for it to exist is to protect against demon possession.  But maintaining olive groves in high-magical areas isn’t exactly cheap, either.  Somebody’s made the decision to put the production and distribution of Squalenol-5 into higher gear, which leads to obvious questions like “Why now?” and “Why so much?” and “What’s going to happen?”

And, of course, the big question “Why aren’t they telling us about this?” After all, proving that antidominants work would be a trivial exercise.  Just show somebody possessed by a demon on national television, administer the Squalenol-5, and watch as the victim stops levitating and puking green soup anywhere. And showing millions of registered voters that you’ve just kept them safe from a crisis that’s not your fault is not exactly a poor political strategy.  So just why is Squalenol-5 being distributed covertly?  What are They not telling us?