A Tale of Great Success Against all Odds

For a bit of fun Sunday reading, I put together a story that nicely summarises the situation with Clinuvel. This is the story of Clinuvel (Clinuvia) from beginning to end, and how this company was led to great success by a fantastic leader (King Woleus), despite the odds being against it and a relentless campaign, funded by desperate shorters of the stock, to spread fear, doubt and uncertainty amongst investors, despite the facts (the financials) clearly indicating a great success story. This highlights the irrationality of the market, the reasons for such irrationality, and why Clinuvel is already (despite the share price indicating the contrary), and will be, a great success story.

Please enjoy

Clinuvia Rising: The Triumph of King Woleus


Prologue: The Fall of Clinuvia

Once, the Kingdom of Clinuvia stood as a beacon of prosperity, freedom, and light. Its people, the Clinuvians, were celebrated for their elegance, their skin radiant and untouched by the oppressive forces of the world. At its centre stood the towering fortress of Clinuvia, a stronghold of knowledge where alchemists and sages sought to harness the mythical power of Melacorta. Legends spoke of Melacorta as the ultimate protector, a force capable of shielding its wielder from the darkest evils.

But this hope was shattered by the arrival of the Solarion Horde. Shrouded in the blazing glow of tyranny, the Horde enslaved the world with their weapon of destruction, the Scourge of Blight, a devastating force that drained the vitality of all who opposed them, leaving them fragile and broken. The Clinuvians believed Melacorta would be their salvation, but the Solarion Horde descended upon Clinuvia before its secrets could be unlocked.

The battle was swift and brutal. The Horde crushed the Clinuvians, reduced the fortress of Clinuvia to rubble, and silenced their hope. Survivors fled into obscurity, their once-vibrant land reduced to darkness. The legend of Melacorta faded into myth, whispered only in hushed tones by those who dared remember.

Chapter One: The Rise of King Woleus

Years passed, and the ruins of Clinuvia remained a haunting reminder of its once-great glory. Overgrown with ivy and shadowed by the spectre of despair, the kingdom was reduced to whispers of its former self. Its people, scattered and broken, spoke only in hushed tones of the days when the fortress of Clinuvia stood as a beacon of hope and light.

Then came Woleus, a noble visionary from distant lands, known for his wisdom and unrelenting determination. Clad in humble robes but exuding an aura of command, Woleus arrived in Clinuvia and surveyed the devastation with quiet resolve. Where others saw only rubble, he saw potential. Where others saw despair, he saw a flicker of hope.




The people of Clinuvia, beaten and weary, looked upon Woleus with scepticism. They had been promised salvation before, only to be crushed beneath the might of the Solarion Horde. Yet Woleus spoke not of revenge or reckless confrontation, but of strategy, patience, and resilience.

“Victory will not come through brute force,” he proclaimed to the disheartened Clinuvians who gathered to hear his words. “We will rise not by challenging the Horde head-on but by building our strength where they do not see.”

Woleus began the arduous task of restoring Clinuvia, stone by stone and brick by brick. His vision was not one of war but of renewal. The grand fortress of Clinuvia, once a shattered ruin, became a workshop for innovation. Woleus rallied the remaining alchemists and scholars, focusing their efforts on a singular goal: to harness the remnants of the mythical Melacorta. But Woleus did not seek to use this power as a weapon. Instead, he saw an opportunity to wield it as a cure.

The people of Clinuvia suffered from a debilitating affliction known as the Blistering Curse. The curse rendered them unable to endure sunlight, forcing them to live in fear and pain. Woleus recognised that by curing this ailment, he could restore hope to his people while laying the foundations for Clinuvia’s resurgence.

Years passed, and the work was painstakingly slow. Many doubted Woleus’s vision, dismissing his efforts as futile. But he remained steadfast, quietly working in the shadows. He assembled a small council of loyal advisors, individuals who shared his unwavering belief in the power of Melacorta.

Finally, after years of toil, the alchemists succeeded. The elixir, named Solace Serum, became the first of its kind—a miraculous cure for the Blistering Curse. The afflicted were no longer bound to the shadows, and for the first time in generations, the Clinuvians stepped into the sunlight unafraid.

The kingdom began to transform. The streets of Clinuvia, once desolate, now bustled with life. The fortress glimmered in the golden light, its halls echoing with the laughter of a renewed people. Woleus had not only restored Clinuvia but had made it a shining jewel in a dark and oppressive world. Yet, his triumph remained hidden from the Solarion Horde, who, preoccupied with their dominion, failed to notice the seeds of rebellion being sown.



Chapter Two: The Shadows Within

With Clinuvia’s resurgence, whispers of its revival began to reach the ears of the Solarion Horde. Though the Horde’s attention was fixed on maintaining their grip over the lands, the growing prosperity of Clinuvia could not be ignored. Fearing a potential threat, the Horde devised a cunning plan. They would not attack Clinuvia outright but would send their agents—the dreaded Cloaked Ones—to sow chaos from within.

The Cloaked Ones were creatures of malice, their true forms hidden beneath black hoods and flowing robes. Beneath their cloaks lay hideous, grotesque visages, faces twisted by hatred and cruelty. They entered Clinuvia posing as ordinary citizens, spreading lies and rumours to erode the people’s faith in Woleus.

They whispered in taverns and markets, their voices dripping with venom. “Woleus squanders the kingdom’s wealth on luxuries for himself,” they sneered. “Look at the Palace of Mirage—a monument to his greed!” They ridiculed his cautious approach, calling it cowardice. “Why does he not wield Melacorta to its fullest? Why delay? Perhaps he is no better than the Solarion Horde!”

The Cloaked Ones exaggerated trivial matters, turning them into tales of incompetence. A misplaced brick in the newly rebuilt fortress became a symbol of negligence. A minor delay in completing an observatory was painted as a failure of leadership. Even the miraculous success of the Solace Serum was dismissed as mere luck.

Their campaign of disinformation spread like wildfire, infecting the hearts of some Clinuvians. Doubt crept into the minds of even the most loyal citizens. “Perhaps Woleus is not the saviour we thought he was,” they murmured. “Perhaps he is only another pretender.”

Woleus, however, was not blind to the growing **. He observed the Cloaked Ones from the shadows, studying their tactics and motives. “The Cloaked Ones speak not from knowledge but from fear,” he told his advisors. “Their lies are a weapon, but our actions will be our shield.”

Despite the Cloaked Ones’ efforts, Clinuvia continued to thrive. The treasury, bolstered by the success of the Solace Serum, swelled with gold. The fortress grew stronger, its foundations unshaken. Woleus refused to be drawn into their game, focusing instead on his grand vision for the kingdom.

Yet the Cloaked Ones did not relent. They grew bolder, standing in the town squares to shout their accusations. They twisted every achievement into a perceived failure, their words laced with bitterness. They claimed Woleus’s successes were too slow, that his ambitions were misplaced, and that his leadership was flawed. But their most insidious weapon was their ability to twist the minds of the people, planting seeds of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Still, Woleus remained steadfast. “Let them speak,” he said with quiet resolve. “Their words are like shadows—ephemeral and fleeting. The light of truth will dispel them.”

Chapter Three: The Foundations of Strength
Even as the Cloaked Ones spread their discontent through whispers and lies, Woleus pressed forward. He understood that the prosperity Clinuvia had regained was fragile, and though the people rejoiced, true strength would only come through careful preparation and resilience. The Solarion Horde had crushed stronger kingdoms before, and Woleus was determined that Clinuvia would not meet the same fate.

The success of the Solace Serum filled Clinuvia’s coffers with gold, but Woleus viewed this wealth not as a luxury, but as a shield. He ordered the construction of the Great Reserves, vast vaults buried deep beneath the fortress, to safeguard the kingdom’s future. These reserves symbolised Clinuvia’s independence and strength, ensuring that the kingdom would never again be at the mercy of outside forces.

“We must think not of today, but of generations to come,” Woleus declared to his council. “Every coin, every decision must be a foundation upon which Clinuvia’s future will stand.”

The reserves became a point of pride for Woleus’s closest allies but a target for the Cloaked Ones’ venom. “He hoards gold while the kingdom waits for victory,” they sneered. “What use is treasure in a war not fought?”

Meanwhile, hidden within the depths of Clinuvia’s fortress, the kingdom’s alchemists delved deeper into the mysteries of Melacorta. Under Woleus’s guidance, they began work on two transformative projects. The first, known as the Lightbringer’s Gift, sought to restore colour and vitality to those lost in the shadows. The second, codenamed Eterna Glow, aimed to grant the people a radiance untethered from the Sun’s harsh embrace.

These projects were shrouded in secrecy, for Woleus knew the Solarion Horde would stop at nothing to suppress such revolutionary advancements. “Patience,” Woleus reminded his advisors. “We must work in the shadows to build something the world has never seen.”

The Cloaked Ones grew more desperate as Clinuvia’s foundations strengthened. They ridiculed Woleus’s caution, claiming he was too afraid to act boldly. They pointed to every embassy established, every diplomatic effort, and twisted them into tales of waste and arrogance. “Why does he not strike while the gold flows in?” they jeered.

Yet the people of Clinuvia began to see through their lies. The streets were bustling with life, the fortress walls grew stronger, and the kingdom’s prosperity spoke for itself. Woleus did not engage with their slander. He remained steadfast, his vision clear: Clinuvia would not merely survive—it would thrive.By the time the foundations were complete, Clinuvia was no longer a vulnerable outpost. Its wealth, carefully managed, ensured that no outside force could threaten its survival. Its people, resilient and hopeful, rallied behind their king. Woleus had turned Clinuvia into a bastion of light in a world still dominated by darkness.

“Let them mock,” Woleus told his council with quiet confidence. “Their words cannot touch what we have built. The future belongs to Clinuvia.”

Chapter Four: The Enemy’s Desperation
As Clinuvia flourished under King Woleus’s steady leadership, the growing prosperity could no longer be ignored by the Solarion Horde. Fearing the kingdom’s rise, the Horde launched a twofold attack—one from within and one from without.The Cloaked Ones, hidden agents of the Horde, intensified their campaign of disinformation. Once subtle, their whispers grew into louder, more desperate accusations. They stood in the streets, declaring, “Woleus has squandered the wealth of Clinuvia! The Great Reserves are nothing but a monument to his fear!”

They twisted minor delays or adjustments into grand failures. A small delay in the Lightbringer’s Gift trials became evidence of incompetence. The establishment of a distant embassy was spun as a frivolous indulgence. Even the flourishing streets of Clinuvia, bustling with life and trade, were ignored in favour of concocted tales of impending collapse.



Their goal was clear: to erode the people’s trust in Woleus and weaken Clinuvia from within. But as their lies grew more desperate, their deceit became more obvious, and many people begun questioning the true motives of these supposed citizens.

Meanwhile, the Horde attacked Clinuvia’s walls with brute force. Their soldiers battered the kingdom’s defences, hoping to weaken its foundations. The assault was relentless, and the people, though resilient, began to feel the strain. The Cloaked Ones seized the moment, amplifying their cries: “See? The walls are crumbling! Woleus cannot protect you!”

But Clinuvia was no longer the fragile kingdom it once was. The Great Reserves funded swift repairs, and the walls, reinforced over years of preparation, withstood the onslaught. Woleus remained calm, refusing to retaliate prematurely.

“Let them exhaust themselves,” he said to his council. “Clinuvia’s strength lies in its foundations. They cannot break what we have built.”

Though the Horde’s bombardment shook the kingdom, its defences held firm. The people, seeing their walls withstand the attack, began to rally. The Cloaked Ones’ accusations started to falter, their once-convincing lies now exposed as desperate attempts to sow chaos.

Within the fortress, Woleus’s alchemists continued their work undeterred. The Lightbringer’s Gift advanced closer to completion, and the Eterna Glow project made steady progress. Woleus knew that the Horde’s failure to breach Clinuvia’s walls was a turning point.

“This is not our moment to strike,” Woleus told his advisors. “But it is the moment the Horde realises we cannot be undone.”





Chapter Five: The Dawn of Expansion
The time had come for Clinuvia to take its place among the great kingdoms of history. Years of careful preparation, tireless innovation, and patient strategy had brought the kingdom to the threshold of a new era. King Woleus, steadfast through years of trials and tribulations, now stood ready to unveil Clinuvia’s greatest triumphs.

In the secluded chambers of the fortress, Woleus’s alchemists completed their crowning achievements: the Lightbringer’s Gift and Eterna Glow. The Lightbringer’s Gift, designed to restore colour and vitality to those robbed of it, symbolised the kingdom’s commitment to healing and renewal. Meanwhile, Eterna Glow offered more than just radiance—it promised liberation from reliance on the oppressive Sun, granting both beauty and protection to all who embraced it.

These innovations were not just elixirs but symbols of hope. They represented the culmination of Woleus’s vision—a vision that extended far beyond the borders of Clinuvia. For the first time in history, the light of Melacorta was ready to be shared with the world.

The Summit of Scholars, a grand assembly of leaders, thinkers, and visionaries from across the realms, was chosen as the stage for Clinuvia’s unveiling. The event, held in the neutral lands of Aurelion in March, was a gathering of kingdoms both great and small, all seeking to showcase their advancements. Yet this year, all eyes were on Clinuvia.

Woleus’s delegation, clad in robes of white and gold, arrived not with the pomp of conquerors but with the quiet confidence of innovators. The unveiling of the Lightbringer’s Gift and Eterna Glow left the audience in awe. Here were solutions not born of war or conquest, but of compassion, resilience, and vision.

“The light of Melacorta belongs not to Clinuvia alone,” Woleus declared to the assembly. “It is a gift for all who seek it—a beacon in the shadows.”

The announcement sent ripples across the realms. Kingdoms that had long suffered under the Solarion Horde’s shadow saw in Clinuvia a chance for liberation. Requests for alliances, trade agreements, and access to the elixirs poured in. Clinuvia was no longer a hidden jewel—it was a rising sun.

The unveiling at the Summit was a blow the Solarion Horde had not anticipated. For centuries, the Horde had ruled through fear, controlling kingdoms with the oppressive power of the Sun and the threat of the Scourge of Blight. But Clinuvia’s innovations struck at the very foundation of their dominance.

The Lightbringer’s Gift rendered their shadow irrelevant, while Eterna Glow offered a protection they could not match. Kingdoms once subjugated by the Horde began to rise, emboldened by Clinuvia’s example. The Horde, realising their grip was slipping, began a slow and reluctant retreat.

“The darkness they wielded is no longer a weapon,” Woleus told his advisors. “The light we offer is stronger.”

The fall of the Horde was not marked by a single battle but by a quiet, undeniable shift in power. Kingdoms that had once lived in fear now flourished under the influence of Clinuvia. Names like Solspire, Obscura Labs, and Noctis Dominion began to fade as their influence waned.

Clinuvia’s reach extended across continents, its innovations transforming lives. Markets once controlled by the Horde were now bustling with Clinuvian goods. Fields once barren under the shadow of the Sun were now fertile and thriving. The world was changing, and Clinuvia was at the heart of that transformation.

The citizens of Clinuvia, once downtrodden and defeated, now stood as examples of what the kingdom’s vision could achieve. They had become emissaries of light, sharing their experiences with the world. No longer bound by fear or doubt, they radiated the confidence and resilience that Woleus had cultivated.

The transformation extended beyond the borders of Clinuvia. People from other lands, once sceptical, travelled to the kingdom to witness its wonders firsthand. They returned to their homelands as ambassadors of the new era, spreading the light of Melacorta far and wide.

As the Horde’s influence waned and Clinuvia’s light spread, Woleus stood atop the fortress, gazing out at the transformed world. His council, now confident in their shared vision, began planning the next steps of Clinuvia’s journey. The kingdom’s expansion was not merely territorial—it was ideological.“We have proven that resilience and vision can overcome even the darkest forces,” Woleus told his people.





Epilogue: A World Reclaimed
The oppressive reign of the Solarion Horde ended, replaced by an era of joy, health, and freedom. The Clinuvians, their faith in Woleus unwavering, celebrated the dawn of a new age.

In his twilight years, Woleus stood atop the gleaming citadel of Clinuvia. The city was a masterpiece of glass, gold, and green, its people thriving. Woleus smiled, knowing his vision had been fulfilled. Handing the keys of the kingdom to his successor, he declared, “Take us beyond the stars.”

Thus ended the reign of King Woleus, a leader who turned ruins into radiance, despair into hope, and darkness into light. His legacy would shine for eternity.