HaruspicineAlchemy

While I was visiting the DeepCourt, I had the privilege of attending a HaruspicineAlchemy session on the new harvest from the KelpieBank. A special preparation of the harvest was made and introduced into the environment of a group of sensitized squid of a particular brood line. The squid are observed in minute detail, and one or more are sacrificed to confirm the initial indications by inspection of their entrails, eyes, and nerves. In this case the indications were positive, and the suspicions about the harvest were ruled groundless. I understand there are also operations that may be used to identify the source of a mysterious substance by comparing its effect with substances of known provenance.

But it was altogether a bit icky, and certainly fatal for the chosen squid. Well, yes, I eat squid, but that's how it felt to me.

-- By LilyQuillpot

Commentary, footnotes, disputes, quibbles, yes-ands, well-actuallys, refutations, addenda:

HaruspicineAlchemy can also be performed on a few breeds of translucent shrimp, an inexpensive alternative for the workaday seer doing simple divinations. You may want a magnifying lens, though.

-- By HalloaGrisau

For air-breathers, I initially found this technique impossible. However if you suspend the squids in air imbued with an artificial viscosity equivalent to salinated water, you can view the excretion of the illuminating ink with enough accuracy to make a reading.

-- By JuneLaveau