Filter-Making Skill

[ObsidianSoul]

Okay,  on  a  more  serious  vein  --  but  a  far  less  gritty  and  interesting  one,  I  have  another  skill  proposition  for  rangers  (AND/OR  possibly  merchants  aswell).

This  idea  stems  from  an  arguement  that  arised  with  the  last  skill  idea  I  proposed  about  how  rangers  should  know  where  to  locate  sources  of  water.  Sure  they  definately  should,  but  will  they  even  be  clean  sources  of  water?  Will  they  not  contain  parasites  or  harmful  viruses?  What  about  harmful  minerals  like  salt?

So  anyway,  it  would  involve  the  crafting  filtration  devices  like  small  sand-cloth  netted  filters,  or  even  small,  sun  operated  distilleries  (made  out  of  some  heat  absorbing  rock  like  basalt,  or  obsidian),  in  order  to  cleanse  water  collected  from  sludge  both  sewer  and  from  geisers  or  rotten  sulferic  pools  that  can  be  found  around  the  gameworld.  Salty  water  and  blood  from  the  disected  remains  of  scrabs  or  other  creatures  could  be  used.  Any  one  should  be  able  to  use  these  things,  but  with  limited  success,  in  comparison  to  the  ranger.


Filters  could  be  made  from  all  sorts  of  different  materials:  

:arrow: From  the  remains  of  critters  like  scrabs,

:arrow: From  sand-cloth,

:arrow: To  bone,

:arrow: To  rocks  like  basal  or  onyx  and  glasses  like  obsidian.

Simply  in  order  for  less  than  drinkable  water  to  be  made  pure,  or  atleast  partially  pure.  Different  types  of  liquids  will  require  different  types  of  filters.

Nothing  too  technical,  nothing  too  complex.


My  arguements  on  how  Not  All  Oases  Should  be  Completely  Clean  and  Free  from  Taint:

:arrow: What  if   a  defiler  got  his  hands  on  a  small  oasis,  and  made  the  water  it  collected  from  then  on   be  poisonous,  and/or  sulfuric?  

:arrow: What  if  the  oasis  contained  its  very  own  strain  of  mutated  flesh-eating  parasites,  or  diseases  or  viruses?  

:arrow: What  if  the  oasis  was  on  a  bed  of   salt?  

:arrow: What  if  it  was  contaminated  by  the  wind  blowing  from  the  Red  Desert,  and  was  filled  with  salt,  dust  or  silt?  

:arrow: What   if   the  ranger  just  found  a  murky  pool,  and  simply  wanted  to  increase  the  value  of  the  water  by  purifying  it,  because  he  made  all  his  coin  on  selling  it?

:arrow: What  if  one  Wall  Dwelling  human,  like  a  noble or  templar  decided  to  poison  one  tribes  oasis  or  supply  of  water,  simply  out  of  malicious  intent?

:arrow: What  if  a  merchant  or  ranger  water-seller  wanted  to  impose  a  monopoly  on  a  tribe,  so  in  order  to  do  this,  he  tainted  their  watersupply?

:arrow: What  if  a  Vivaduan  magicker  wanted  to  command  more  respect  within  his  tribe,  or  wanted  to  be  protected  by  it,  so  he  has  their  well  poisoned?

. . . And  the  list  goes  on.

I'm  just  making  a  point  that  not  all  water-supplies  found  in  the  desert  should  be  clean  and  free  of  parasites  and  impurities.  And  for  some  hunters,  their  entire  water  source  might  come  from  the  salty  bladders  or  blood  of  scrabs  or  some  other  beast  out   in  the  wilds.


-'SidianSoul

[ObsidianSoul]

Yeah.  I'm  actually  thinking  this  Filter-making  skill  and  the Recycle  skill  could  go  hand  and  hand.  Rangers  shouldn't  be  about  hunting  big  large  beasts  --  that's  where  warriors  come  in.  They  should  simply  be  about  survival,  survival  survival survival.  Survival  on  the  barest  of  necissities.

Recycled  water  should  not  have  to  run  through  a  filter  unless  it  is  overly  salty  or  poisoned.  But  it  might  go  just  a  bit  further  towards  quenching  ones  thirst  at  any  rate.

Also,  parasites  and  poisons  are  in  deep  abundance  both  in  ground  water  and  well  water  throughout  places  like  Africa  and  the  Middle  East.  That's  why  people  in  those  countries  are  so  sick  at  times.

This  could  be  a  reason  to  bring  back  diseases.

No,  these  diseases  should  probably  not  kill  a  person.  But  they  will  not  hold  a  symbiotic  or  beneficial  impact  on  -humans-  that  swallow  them.  On  animals  that  have  evolved  with  these  parasites,  yes  --  they  would  likely  live  together.  Parasites  that  kill  off  their  prime  hosts  are  doomed  to  extinction,  after  all.

And  for  the  parasites  who  hold  humans  or  elves  as  their  prime  hosts?  Well,  what  if  the  humans  that  drank  from  this  oasis  get  sick  and  die,  but  the  elves  that  swill  these  parasites  are  benefitted  by  them?  Kinda  like  war-spice,  or  something?  Magick  water?  Tribes  removed  from  their  oases  might  die  out?

This  would  provide  more  conficting  genetic  differences  between  the  tribes  of  elves.

All  depends  on  the  race  or  species  that  have  lived  off  of  the  oases  for  the  last  few  thousands  of  years.   After  all,  things  mutate  on  Zalanthas  at  a  much  faster  rate,  no?

So.  This  would  perhaps  make  tribal  elves  that  frequient  these  oases  not  harmed  by  these  parasites,  but  humans  might  have  to  be   a  bit  more  prudent  in  that  they  must  first  filter  out  the  water. (Visa  versa  depending  on  the  species/race,  sure.)

Also.  Most  of  the  time,  diseases  should  be  affecting  peoples  ability  scores,  not  health-points.  For  playability  issues.  An  ill  person  would  eventually  pull  the  maturing  parasite  out  of  their  body,  or  excrete  it,  if  they  are  not  weakened  by  starvation  or  thirst.

-'SidianSoul

[spawnloser]

What makes you think that oases in game are full of pure water?

[ObsidianSoul]

That's  called  hyperbole.  It's  rhetoric.

Besides,  I'm  still  a  newbie,  so  shoot  me.  

I  have  yet  to  even  -see-  an  oasis  in  game,  so  I  can  only  really  assume.  And  no,  I  do  not  think  all  oasis'  are  readily  clean,  I  don't  expect  them  to  be  filled  with  a  clear  liquid  if  I  looked  into  them,  I  expect  to  see  "a  greyish  liquid".  So  what?  I'm  suggesting  that  with  this  skill,  drinking  from  an  unfarmiliar  oasis  in  the  South  could  be  like  eating  an  unfarmiliar  fruit  or  fungus  in  the  North.  You  don't  want  to  try  it  unless  you're  forced  to.  You'd  rather  get  it  from  a  source  you  can  trust,  like  the  Dragons  Temple.

(Atleast  unless  you  have  the  right  tools  to  make  it  safe  to  drink,  that  is).

-'SidianSoul

[UnderSeven]

We players on this game have been totally spoiled by pureish water.  The water was always clear even though more likely than not it probably wasn't.  The oasis water, the water sold, most of it was and is probably yellow or greyish and I wonder if rangers would even both learning to make a filter if they are used to drinking yellowed or greyed water anyway.  Basically, I doubt pure water is something many are used to except rich merchants, nobles or magickers.

Just my oppinion

[Vesperas]

Silt-laced water isn't that bad.

 Gritty, yes, but you can't taste it.

[ObsidianSoul]

Silt-laced water isn't that bad.

 Gritty, yes, but you can't taste it.

How  do  you  know?  :roll:    :lol:

Have  you  tried  it?

-'SidianSoul

[ObsidianSoul]

Here, I've done a bit of research and I've found a few links. These should show the simplicity of solar distillation.

:arrow: Here is one design. . . (click the link for an image)
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/SolarDistillerIntermediateActivityMar2002.pdf:

INTERMEDIATE
SCIENCE PROJECT: Solar Distiller
Questions: Can you distill clean water from muddy water?
Can you distill clean water from salty water?

Hypotheses:
You can/cannot distill clean water from muddy water.
You can/cannot distill clean water from salty water.

Materials:
Two large plastic or glass containers
Clear plastic wrap
Masking tape
Two small rocks
Two small glasses
Two tablespoons of dirt
Two tablespoons of salt
Water

Procedure:
1. Fill both large containers with one inch of water. Mix the dirt into the water in one
container and the salt into the water in the other container.
2. Place one empty glass upright into the water in the middle of each plastic container.
Make sure the glass remains empty.
3. Cover both plastic containers tightly with plastic wrap and seal them with tape. On
both containers, place a rock in the middle of the plastic wrap directly over the glass
but not touching it.
4. Place the containers in a sunny place for two hours. Examine any water that forms in
the glass. Record your observations.

Analysis and Conclusion: Did the solar distillers produce clean water? Can you devise a test
to determine if there is any salt in the distilled water?

Can you explain how a solar distiller works?

Can you imagine a situation in which this knowledge could save your life?
Page 2

:arrow: Here is another design. . .
http://www.zetatalk.com/food/tfoox104.htm:

Solar Stills operate on the same principles that produce rainfall. The sun is allowed into and trapped in the Still. The high temperatures produced destroy all pathogens. The water evaporates, and in this process, only pure water vapor rises in the Still, only to condense on the glass. The glass is sloped to the south, and the condensed water runs down the glass and is collected in a trough. The water is allowed out of the collector through silicone tubing, and is collected in 5 gallon glass jugs. There are no moving parts in the solar still, and only the sun's energy is required for operation.

:arrow: A simple idea. . .

http://www.shouldexist.org/story/2002/10/8/204510/282:

I am working on the idea of having a solar distiller that covers a back pack purifying H2o as you hike, The other is one that covers a side of your tent for night time purification through condensation.Bryan Keith owner/designer pluto krazo designs.2002

So what do you think?  

I  think  it  would  be  possible,  even  in  a  society  without  access  to  metals  to  fabricate  one.

I  think  it's  possible,  as  it  runs  on  a  very  simple  concept. Even a  group  of  children  in  a  school  class  room  should  be  able  to  fabricate  one  using  simple  house-hold  materials.

Solar  distillers  can  be  small  enough  to  be  fit  inside  of  a  backpack,  or  heavy  enough  to  need  to  be  strapped  onto  a  kank  --  all  depending  on  what  material  it's  made  from  (glass,  obsidian,  onyx. . .).

[daedroug]

I personally like the idea, it would give an explanation of how some of these water sellers pull the grey water that all of the oases i've seen produce and get somthing worth selling.
However I would say that it would do little unless the IMMs decided to actually bring back diseases (which i kind of doubt) other then that any normal Ranger would rather just drink more of the water since it doesn't quench as well, rather then spend the time to filter it for that inkling of extra bit.
Also unfortunatly if for selling water comes up as an argument i don't see it ever being feasible for a PC to be selling water (except to other PC's). It would be just to easy for some random twink ranger to spend his days walking out to the nearest water hole filtering a bunch of water and then bringing it in to sell it. They would easily amass a quite bit of fortune for a minimum effort/danger.

[Paris]

I personally like the idea, it would give an explanation of how some of these water sellers pull the grey water that all of the oases i've seen produce and get somthing worth selling.
However I would say that it would do little unless the IMMs decided to actually bring back diseases (which i kind of doubt) other then that any normal Ranger would rather just drink more of the water since it doesn't quench as well, rather then spend the time to filter it for that inkling of extra bit.
Also unfortunatly if for selling water comes up as an argument i don't see it ever being feasible for a PC to be selling water (except to other PC's). It would be just to easy for some random twink ranger to spend his days walking out to the nearest water hole filtering a bunch of water and then bringing it in to sell it. They would easily amass a quite bit of fortune for a minimum effort/danger.

I have personally seen how one non-magicker waterseller gets the clear water from the grey.
While I am on the front of the anti-findoutic group, this is sadly one of the places where you
should perhaps look into it ic'ly, come at it with Zalanthian thinking though, a common tribal has
little need to make the water more pure. It is even in the docs that Zalanthians have, through
adaption or natural selection, grown quite resistant to diseases. So most wouldn't care about a little
silt for texture. Now if you must because say, you want to sell water to nobles in the city, I say
first get your character to start educating himself maybe even send in logs to the unclanned imms
if your not currently in a clan. I promise if you roleplay trying to figure it out and spend the time
and real effort into it. Your character will make clean pure water out of they greyish mess.

[Djarjak]

Personally, I think all of you are WAY overestimating the level of technology and knowledge on Zalanthas.

I don't speak for the staff on this, but, in my mind, the concept of microscopic matter, much less biology as a science, don't exist in Zalanthas.

Most people drink dirty water because water is so hard to come by that they're happy to get what they get, and probably never knew any different from the beginning of their lives. Want pure water? Hire a Vivaduan.

[ObsidianSoul]

However I would say that it would do little unless the IMMs decided to actually bring back diseases (which i kind of doubt) other then that any normal Ranger would rather just drink more of the water since it doesn't quench as well, rather then spend the time to filter it for that inkling of extra bit.

If not diseases, then atleast an introduction of parasites to the game-world? Parasites shouldn't kill, should they? But they should lower ones ability scores a little bit. . . They might cause afflicted PC's lose a bit of endurance strength, ect. -- until they are either pulled out by a physician, or given a mild poison to kill the parasite.

I imagine some of the worse parasites could mildly cripple a person until its removal occured. Just like IRL. . .

-'SidianSoul

[daedroug]

Sounds like somthing that your normal zalanthan physician would think is a disease, not sure they would be able to tell the difference between ailments from a disease and your bodys reactions to a parasite.

[Angela Christine]

Sounds like somthing that your normal zalanthan physician would think is a disease, not sure they would be able to tell the difference between ailments from a disease and your bodys reactions to a parasite.

Aw, give them some credit, parasitic infections can be quite obvious when severe.  And once you've seen some severe cases, it isn't much of a leap to recognise mild and moderate cases too.

Not safe for work:  http://curezone.com/image_gallery/parasites/
http://curezone.com/image_gallery/parasites/

There seems to be a never-ending list of exotic parasites. "Parasites" is a mesmerizing book about creatures great and small that live only inside other creatures. Tapeworms as long as 60 feet live in our intestines, made up of thousands of segments, just eating away at us in comfort and privacy. There's no need to diet with a large tapeworm chomping away. In medieval times people would sometimes pass tapeworms -- to their absolute horror. But they had no idea how they got there because they had never seen them crawl into anyone's mouth!

Then there is the filarial worm that causes elephantiasis, a disease which can cause a male's scrotum to swell up until it fills a wheelbarrow. A female's legs often swell to the size of small barrels.

Zalanthan parasites could be quite horrifying, given the tendency to gigantic creatures.  In Zalanthas, tapeworm swallow you!  If you happen to be walking by a mekillot when it passes a worm you could be in a world of trouble.