EMPIRICAL

EMPIRICAL

[haereses]

☩ haereses ☩

private. selective. unaffiliated dottore from genshin impact.

crossover and au friendly.

est. 17.03.23. penned by saint

First and foremost, lets get the boring stuff out of the way. This blog is here solely for my entertainment. Please make sure you’re enjoying yourselves, and let me know if anything makes you uncomfortable. That said, consider my portrayal canon-divergent.

This blog will be low activity.

01. I’m open to shipping, friendships, and anything in between. I’ll only ship if there’s chemistry, and if the relationship has been built up beforehand. 02. I am selective and mutuals only. That said, other blogs (non-mutuals, personals, whatever) are also free to send in asks/character questions and the like. 03. I am an adult, so I’m happy to toy with themes including but not limited to gore, cannibalism, torture, angst/loss, explicit language and violence. That said, I’m not comfortable with smut. Suggestive themes are okay. Death should be discussed beforehand in any case. 04. I prefer to write in paragraph style and don’t do well with one-liners. 05. Dottore does not necessarily share my views, and vice versa. 06. No god-modding please. 07. Please be respectful. Anonymous hate will not be entertained. Shoot me an ask or message if you’d like to interact (be it a starter, an idea, whatnot), don’t be shy, I love to chat. Discord open to mutuals.

[pantaloane]

❝   you   have   flourished   well   with   the   arguably   sufficient   amount   i   have   given   to   you   thus   far   ~.    ❞    

[haereses]

" flourished is a stretch. "

[haereses]

What is all the RACKET?

[haereses]

@pantaloane said:

“ it’s a migraine, nothing more. “

“Ah yes, a most common ailment of a busy workman’s HABIT.” Dottore sneered, drawing nearer his desk, footsteps muffled into the plush rug. “I’ll have you know that the most frustrating cases are the ones that willingly relapse out of non-compliance. My patience draws thin. So what is it this time? Have you willingly worked yourself into the unproductive struts or have you been saddled with an additional set of commitments? I think we both know the more likely possibility lies in the former.”

“Take two pills tonight and drink plenty of water. Abstain from coffee and alcohol for a week or your body will RESENT you for it.”

[haereses]

“No. I suppose not.” Dottore’s smile was sharp, disingenuous. A warning like a baring of teeth more than it was any gesture of amenability.

“Any irreparable harm the system sustains would best be reserved until after we’ve concluded our business here.”

He supposed it would have been far too easy for the Kabukimono to come to the conclusion that he was - in every essence - IRREPLACEABLE. Unfortunately Dottore had been alive for far too long; had been about his line of work for long enough to know that everything was disposable. Given time, any experiment could be replicated.

“VOLATILITY and recklessness on your part benefits neither of us. At the end of the day, I could always find a new subject to take your place - I’m not so inflexible as to discard the notion of replacing a troublesome variable. You’d do well not to forget that.”

[pouppet]

❝ replace me? you're welcome to try, ❞ the puppet takes a slow, careful step closer as if the threat doesn’t phase him in the slightest. the faint smile he held no longer mocking, now it was more-so a challenge. ❝ you speak as though i’m just another failed prototype you can sweep aside and recreate at your leisure, but we both know that isn’t true. if it were, you wouldn’t still be entertaining this ‘ troublesome variable ’ ❞

his eyes narrow slightly, something almost contemptuous flickering through them. as he continues to speak, his tone flattens into a more matter-of-fact way of speaking. ❝ you don’t value me, and i don’t need you to, but don’t delude yourself into thinking you can simply start over without consequence. i am not so easily replicated, ❞

there’s a pause, just long enough to let the words hang in the air before he tilts his head. the thin, mocking smile slowly returning as he eyes the doctor beneath the brim of his hat. ❝ if volatility concerns you, perhaps you should be more careful about which variables you threaten to discard. i doubt the electro archon herself would ever be willing to give you the finer details on just how to recreate a vessel for a gnosis. ❞

[haereses]

“Make no mistake, there’s a difference between my being unable to manufacture a more cooperative subject and myself valuing the CONVENIENCE of our current arrangement.” He spoke easily, sneering down at him. But despite the tension between them, there was no true anger within him. Instead there was only a cold kind of disapproval like an irritation at having been inconvenienced.

One who could not grasp the concept of fear became beholden to a certain set of limitations. DESPERATION - one of the most potent motivators of progress - would forever be lost to them.

“As for filling in those gaps in knowledge,” Dottore waved a hand in dismissal. “All it would take is time. And that in itself is a resource I can afford to SPARE.”

[haereses]

"I don't deny that. Where would you propose we focus our initial efforts? Much of Liyue's folk tales are conveyed by word of mouth rather than through the consolidation of physical records."

One steady motion of his hand brought the blade GLIDING down along the skin of the abdomen where the fresh blade parted the flesh like butter, delving past the skin, the subcutis, a layer of glistening fat - here the surgical field remained clean with a scant handful of minor subcutaneous vessels oozing fresh blood. Only then did his second hand draw up a pair of toothed forceps and tent the muscle of the abdominal wall into which a swift stab incision was first made, then further widened by the careful bite of a scissor-blade slipped delicately into the pocket.

Strict adherence to protocols that guaranteed sterility were a necessary evil; time-consuming surely, but ultimately un-negotiable. Subjects of adequate resilience were tough to come by, and those that survived the initial few rounds of trials were all the more INDISPENSABLE.

That was - until came the day where their value lay less in their continued survival and more in the findings of a thorough post-mortem.

"Are the sample containers ready? There's an odd discolouration to the peritoneum here, possibly an indication of generalized cellular degeneration secondary to prolonged abyssal exposure."

[fatedevour]

" That is true. " Naturally, that makes research significantly harder than in places which seek to preserve via ink and paper. " But they are very fond of incorporating them into performances and scripts alongside their songs and oral traditions. Their recent cultural resurgence is also of BENEFIT to us since it increases the availability of those documents and makes it easy discussion with foreign visitors who have increased in attendance in response. "

He observes, ever alert and attentive. As much as he would prefer to work, delicacy was of the upmost importance and too many hands caused more problems. Not to mention that the more mundane tasks were just as important as autopsies or other hands on work. A machine needed all its parts to run well; one faulty or missing cog could disrupt it all. Thus he performs his role with meticulous precision.

" I was thinking of Wuwang Hill with its rumors of the Chi and feteor could be very interesting to focus on. " At least, such is his interest amongst the vast amount of stories that could be looked into. " Unlike some myths, there are written records and evidence that allow for a more concentrated starting point for our efforts the minimalize the chance of chasing phantom leads. Not to mention the worldly phenomena in the area. "

He makes a noise of affirmation to the inquiry. " Right here. " He confirms, moving with the containers to stand closer to the other with ease of access. " We should obtain the thyroid if possible as well. Recent living subjects have displayed signs of alterations to the gland. It would be useful to compare. "

[haereses]

“Mm. Here we go.” A few samples of tissue - so wet they seemed almost mucoid - were plucked out of the cavity, glistening and dark. They floated in their respective containers of formalin and saline as he drew an additional sample of fluid from the lateral curve of the cavity.

“Fascinating. It ROTS from the inside out.”

“I seem to recall a similar phenomena in recent publications from the region. Have you heard of the legends of the Yaksha and the spectral energies within the chasm? It seems more and more case reports regarding ill-prepared scholars venturing into that region are cropping up.”

Indeed, there were some features which when isolated in living subjects could be further extrapolated as items of interest in the deceased. I’m either case, the study of BOTH phases of a subject’s life combined could only then make for a complete and thorough investigation. His scalpel skimmed the throat vertically, its razor edge peeling back skin and cutting the membranous attachments between the large vessels, trachea and esophagus in order to neatly isolate and exteriorise the gland in question.

“Appreciable goitre, and there are cystic lesions here and here. It’s good that we’re finally able to appreciate the structural changes directly.”

[shipovnickk]

Go to sleep dear

[haereses]

While Dottore does employ laboratory staff, more delicate procedures are usually handled personally, alongside his Segments. There are few others who have the same breadth of experience that he finds reliable, so it's often better to save himself the hassle of delegating.

[haereses]

Now his quarry came ALIGHT in a dramatic fashion; like the death bellow of a prey animal losing its footing or the treacherous flicker of a torch in the dark. The delight in his smile was unmistakeable and jagged.

Indeed, futile as the assault may ultimately have been, the ferocity of the attack necessitated he make a brief and minor retreat from the SINGEING flames ; a step or two back just enough so that the attack made itself known only through the broiling air and the charring smell of indiscriminate ignition.

"Now this is far more intriguing." Dottore uttered, brushing soot from his coat, his gaze pinned inescapably upon the unfortunate renegade. "Your refinement and CONTROL of the device far exceeds the average capacity observed in over eighty percent of users - and all without the advantage of formal training."

"Come, Mr. Ragnavindr. Let's end this farce. Only consider the mutual BENEFIT of some kind of partnership."

[mendakium]

             no matter which direction each step takes him, the outcome never seems to change. It's as if victory hangs in front of his face but remains unattainable; a carrot dangled before a hungry and foolish horse. It barely makes Dottore's retreat feels as satisfying, for, even that, the demon somehow manages to steal from Diluc's grasp.

So he stands there, in the open, just as consumed by those wretched emotions — anger and hurt, he knows their names well — that he denies a place back on the surface. If not for the piercing edges of his gaze lingering over Dottore from across the field, then nothing else is to be read about the sole heir to the Ragnvindr clan as he is set to his own slaughter.

Even as machines hover overhead with their incandescent cannons locking onto him, Diluc scoffs, heat ever present in his chest in challenge to the frost already reclaiming its space on the scorched earth. He remains thoroughly revolted that everything — be it fight, be it breath — becomes data for whatever experiment the harbinger refuses to stop running.

❝ Don't make me laugh. You're the only one who gains from your schemes. ❞ The threat of another mechanical burst may hold him still, but nothing can truly bind his tongue. ❝ If this is a farce, end it yourself. ❞

[haereses]

"Perhaps a change in circumstances would do your reasoning some good. Clearly, the influence of emotion on your current psyche makes it impossible for you to think RATIONALLY."

He was cornered; and an amalgamation of vivid emotion that was barely human in its intensity showed on his face - wide-eyed boyish TERROR beneath a mask of spitting rage, blunt teeth and blood caked beneath fingernails. Dottore scrutinised him now, the glow of his weaponry casting harsh shadows across Diluc's expression, turning his hair a dark and stale red reminiscent of old, congealed blood.

"No matter. I'm a patient man." His gaze bore down upon him; unreadable, but no lacking in intensity. Step-by-step he drew closer, the needle-sharp points of his multitude of catalysts humming in close proximity, pinning him in place. From the tip of one of the devices came a needle which darted forth, imperceptibly sharp and loaded with a POTENT anaesthetic.

"You'll understand. In time."

[haereses]

“And here I thought we were working towards the goal of your ascension to DIVINITY.” Dottore responded coolly, not bothering to glance up at him from where his attention was set upon the notes scattered across his table.

“Fear may be a potent motivator. But versatility comes with its own number of perks. A staunch REFUSAL to adjust may very well prove to be your downfall.”

Perhaps it would be all the better for it. Every weapon needed a safeguard, a handle upon which its wielder could grasp to redirect or suspend it. Scaramouche was, and would be no different. A foray into the simulation of divinity until the time came in due course to discard or repurpose him.

“Make no mistake, I have no qualms with your preferred methods. But the Akademiya remains a politically tumultuous and complex landscape to navigate. I expect that you refrain from jeopardising our objective.”

[pouppet]

scaramouche’s smile thins into something almost feline-like as dottore speaks. their agreement was one of mutual interest, something that they could both gain from. he knew better than to expect that dottore didn't have his own reasoning ulterior motive for using scaramouche as his subject for ascension. still, his own desire to see his own goal reached would require a certain level of trust with dottore and faith in his plans. so he continues to remain as civil as possible.

❝ how considerate of you, ❞ he mutters under his breath with a soft laugh. his gaze flicks back to dottore, eyes lacking an ounce of warmth. he pushes himself off the wall, slow and deliberate. a pause as his eyes drop to the scattered notes, then back to dottore, as if debating whether or not this conversation is even worth his time.

❝ don’t insult me by pretending this is about ‘ our ’ objective. you want control, i want results. as long as i deliver, how i get there shouldn’t concern you, ❞ he turns slightly, already half-done with the conversation, though his next words linger like a threat. ❝ the akademiya won’t be jeopardized, but if it does break under a little pressure . . . then it was never worth preserving in the first place. ❞

[haereses]

“No. I suppose not.” Dottore’s smile was sharp, disingenuous. A warning like a baring of teeth more than it was any gesture of amenability.

“Any irreparable harm the system sustains would best be reserved until after we’ve concluded our business here.”

He supposed it would have been far too easy for the Kabukimono to come to the conclusion that he was - in every essence - IRREPLACEABLE. Unfortunately Dottore had been alive for far too long; had been about his line of work for long enough to know that everything was disposable. Given time, any experiment could be replicated.

“VOLATILITY and recklessness on your part benefits neither of us. At the end of the day, I could always find a new subject to take your place - I’m not so inflexible as to discard the notion of replacing a troublesome variable. You’d do well not to forget that.”

[haereses]

@apocryphis LIKED for a starter.

“Hold still. Keep wriggling about and this place of shrapnel is going to go through your femoral artery.”

With his body weight settled atop the man’s leg, his hands went about their steady, uncompromising work; stripping back bloodied cloth and finding the edges of the wound that gaped like the mouth of a chasm.

“These ruins and their mechanisms leave little room for ERROR. I would have expected a greater degree of caution from someone like you.”

[apocryphis]

"That... might be a kinder fate." A sharp pang of pain jolts through his leg as the Doctor works his deadly magic, Deshret-struck eyes trained on the man and wondering at what point he draws the line between saving or dooming. Funny, isn't it. The Doctor currently holds his life between his hands, one gesture away from suturing the wound to save him, or making it worse to have him bleed out on the sand. Which will it be, Dottore?

"Well then, I'm sorry to disappoint. You'll find a few who agree with you back at the Akademiya." And it might just be the first time since his meddling with Sumeru's affairs that the Doctor might find common ground with the institution that abandoned him. According to Lord Kusanali, at least. "Ganging up on someone is usually a surefire way of bringing old enemies or disappointed relationships back together. I'll happily be your sacrificial lamb, if you want to feel like you belong again for a few minutes."

[haereses]

"There's no need for such dramatics." The Doctor worked deftly, parting ruined flesh, the head of a forceps darting in to extract visible pieces of foreign matter and dropping them onto the ground beside them. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't so lethally ECCENTRIC as to leave every life at his disposal to the whimsy of impulse or a coin toss - there was a method to his madness.

Now his voice took on an almost scolding quality. "Now, if I'd wanted you dead or incapacitated, you would never have woken up. I'm sure there would be plenty amongst the Akademiya's faculty who would support such a JUST cause as well."

The political landscape of Sumeru was a complex one. A tangled web of vines that made it nigh impossible to see where agendas crossed or deflected, it was also an intricate balance that could be used to one's advantage when it came to concealing delicate matters and hiding evidence.

"It would be nothing more than an unfortunate accident - but it's one that I do not intend to precipitate."

[pantaloane]

❝    that   serum   you   discarded   last   month,   the   one   that   caused   the   subjects   to   ignore   pain   but   lose   their   cognitive   function   within   the   hour.   it   has   potential.   i   am   thinking   of   a   limited   release   to   certain   revolutionary   groups.   can   you   stabilize   the   shelf-life   ?     ❞

@haereses      ⋆˚✰     ݁˖⭑     .ᐟ

[haereses]

"I agree. One of the Segments maintained a batch somewhere. I believe that its EFFICACY far outshines its adverse effects. The duration of lucidity could theoretically be extended with more field tests, and the shelf life will be an easier sum to tackle once we settle on its preferred form and method of dispersal."

The drug had originally been intended for use in field hospitals - a quick analgesic to allow for ease of surgical procedures and transport. Effective as the prototype had been, the mixture had ultimately proven too volatile for prolonged storage and ease of use at the time.

"What did you have in mind? Tell me more about this little proposal of yours."

[ml0-143]

Tonight we steal the moon!

[yoursdeity]

REPOSTING MORE OF MY DOTTORE ART ON HERE 🤲

[fatedevour]

♢  — @haereses said:► join hands in the procurement of an industrial meat grinder. EXPERIMENT IN PROGRESS: SEND ► FOR A COMMAND TO BE OBEYED

This seems . . . suspiciously easy. But there's no apparent catch outside of the mora aspect - or simple means of acquiring this particular goal. " It would be useful. I expect food in return for this. "

[haereses]

" I suppose we could use it for FOOD! It wasn't the original intention, but… "

[haereses]

@amemoire LIKED for a starter.

“Scaramouche. Anything to report from your latest expedition into the Abyss?”

The undeniable perks of having a PUPPET such as the Sixth were manifold. Nigh indestructible, obedient enough beneath the edict of the Tsaritsa, and a fascinating subject to boot - the very nature of his construction was unique enough to warrant extensive study into the fabric of his being all in itself, and that was discounting all the value he could offer as a being able to traverse the Abyss without immediately suffering from the detriment of its influence.

“The extracts I requested. Do you have them?”

[amemoire]

ㅤㅤ“ Hmph.   Nothing all that different from the last time. ”   A muted annoyance is all the answer needed.   While technically there had been a few things mentioned in his report, it really was just a repeat of prior events.   With each venture into the Abyss leading him further and further, so too did the threat level rise to meet the depth.   Sometimes steadily, and sometimes staggeringly so.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHis present state indicates the latter this day.

ㅤㅤ“ Of course.   What, you really think I would come back empty-handed ? ”   Even so, he remains unbothered whilst taking out a carefully handled pouch.   He has to fight back the urge to toss it the other's way.

[haereses]

"Good." He reached out for the bag - its contents one of the main reasons he'd invested himself in the farce to begin with. It went without saying that however ERRATIC Scaramouche was, he could be endlessly effective when he saw fit to be. Alas, to hope for more would have been to anticipate the impossible out of sheer avarice. Dottore was happy to settle with what he had.

"No unexpected anomalies?" As he drew away, he gestured for him to follow deeper into the lab. There was a table already set and waiting, a tray of instruments GLEAMING beneath the glare of the surgical lights. Those who ventured into the abyss either returned in need of medical attention, or didn't return at all.

"Have a seat. Let's check you over."

[haereses]

"I have no need for unnecessary biological contaminants, and even less of a need for UNRELIABLE suppliers." While the vagrant ( he supposed was the nearest descriptor ) could be useful at times, he possessed a kind of reckless abandon that occasionally made him quite the liability.

He on the other hand, remained largely unamused and unimpressed, perhaps even mildly irritated at such an unwelcome disruption to what would otherwise have been a rather orderly day.

"The DECOMPOSITION is far too advanced for this to be of any significant use. Get it out of my sight."

[tenkoseiensei]

' aw , doc ! don't be so cold ! ' it's an insult to his rotten integrity , but it still makes him laugh ! makes him step closer , away from the steeping red to place a mock - gloved hand onto the other's shoulder . friendly .

' it's not my fault you've been so cagey about your work so far . i get that when it comes to business , people who don't ask questions are usually the ones preferred ... ' he feigns an aura of innocence ; glides away to land a rough , wet kick against the body .

' --- but isn't that pointless around someone like me ? i've always brought you everything you wanted , and exactly . why not tell me what some of it's for ? even you must get bored holding your head over glass vials , surrounded by nothing but reflections and reflections of yourself every once in a while , no ? '

[haereses]

Though he didn't flinch from the other's erratic behaviour, nor budge from even the abrupt settling of the hand upon his shoulder, his voice was GLACIAL, each word smooth and SHARP as if cut from ice. Humour did not exist within the margins of his day to day narrative, and anything that failed to fit within the rigour of his pragmatism was equally cut and discarded.

"I fail to see how fulfilling the obligations of my career should equate to boredom."

Many simply couldn't comprehend the intricacies of his goals and psyche, and it was this very depth of ignorance which served as a breeding grounds for rumour and hearsay alike. In some ways, the lack of CLARITY worked well to his advantage like an elaborate and unintentional ruse, a show of smoke and mirrors to disguise the inner workings beneath.

"The purpose of these materials is confidential. Asking further will not glean you any additional information." A clink of metal, he held out a bag to him - promised payment.

"A word of advice. Those who wag their tongues unnecessarily soon find themselves without one."