He laughs.

"Now, or later?"

"No time like the present, is there?"

"Sure, sure. What are you planning to test, exactly?"

"First I would need to determine if the darkspawn taint is caused by an additional thing mixed into what is already present, like salt dissolved in water, or if it's more like a deformity of what naturally occurs, like a man with a harelip. There are several possible avenues to pursue from there, but that information is needed first."

"Should we go find some darkspawn to butcher, or will me and the Wardens do for now?"

"I should be able to get an idea of what I'm looking at from just the Wardens'."

"All right."

Metella is happy to produce a blood sample, and to go get two more from the other Wardens if Eliana thinks variety would be useful.

Variety will help to be sure she actually finds the relevant thing.

Here are three samples!

Running these tests will last well into the night.

Stalas shows her to a room she can claim as her own, and then breathes lyrium fumes and stays up all night reading the arl's books, so he's around if she'd like to discuss her results.

Shortly before midnight, she finds him.

"I can't find any contaminants. Filtering is out, I will need a way to combat the taint directly."

"Fun!" he says. His eyes and veins are glowing faintly blue. "Any thoughts on methods?"

"Not yet. I need to know more about the progression of the infection. Darkspawn samples, and ideally ghouls as well."

"Ghouls are going to be hard to come by. You can have some of mine if you think it'd do you any good, and I can take Hesta and Kador out and see if we can catch a stray darkspawn."

...He'd probably veto turning a person into a ghoul deliberately.

"A sample of your blood would be useful, yes. If you cannot find a ghoul easily, do not trouble too much over it. I ought to be able to do without. And unless the arl has an apothecary's laboratory somewhere, I shall need to have some specialized glassware blown."

"Tell me what you need and I'll take care of it," he says cheerfully. "I like having a problem to solve. Gives me an excuse to avoid sleeping for a while longer."

She has a list of instruments and specifications that they should be made to.

"I'll see what I can do!"

And he traipses off to collect Hesta and Kador and go darkspawn-hunting.

In the morning, there is plenty of darkspawn blood - neatly labelled and carefully sealed in bottles - and some of the glassware she wanted waiting for her outside her room, with a note saying he'll be going out to pick up the rest that afternoon.

Then she can take all of that carefully inside, and begin setting up. Shortly, she determines that she's still missing a few pieces she needs, and also that she has not eaten since yesterday. She goes to look for food.

Elissa is having breakfast with the blond elf from yesterday and a quiet, serious-faced human Eliana hasn't seen before.

"It'd all look very different if I ruled the world, of course," she's saying as Eliana approaches. "And here's Stalas's new friend! Good morning, Eliana! If you're looking for breakfast, you've found it!"

"Good morning. That is indeed what I was looking for."

"Are you joining us, or just taking some food and going? Either way is fine."

"Continuing work on my project must await the arrival of the rest of the glassware. I will join you, if you do not mind."