[LOCATION] Kerwyn's Healing Herbs and Remedies

[Nimavel Mynendil]

Located on a side-street amidst the densely populated Plaza of Angels, the apothecary assumed the form of a humble stall, one that had been frequented quite often as of late in the aftermath of Imperiageddon. Three meters in length and half that much wide, the stand displayed a number of peculiar-looking plants of all shapes and sizes. The wooden boards that composed the four sides of the booth were discolored and splintered, but they seemed more than capable of withstanding the weight atop them. And although the air that circulated around the stall was generally redolent of the aging wood, the flora excreted odors that were either pungent or satisfying to the senses. Nevertheless, word on the streets had spoken highly of the modest shop which had catered to the needs of the recovering populace over the past several seasons.

A banner strung between two vertically erected poles on the booth’s corners read: Kerwyn’s Healing Herbs and Remedies.

Aside the various plants and flower pots perched upon the front counter of the booth, neatly lined vials of an assortment of differently hued liquids could be spotted along the side counters of the stand. Most of these were marked with red, orange, yellow, and green caps, colors which indicated the purposes of each respective substance. For the most part, though, the labels corresponding with the containers would be relatively esoteric to the common passerby. And as the secrets of any apothecary were their own, so too did the herbal business maintain a strict level of confidentiality.

Throughout the neighborhood, the small establishment had become renowned for its healing and medical concoctions, much of which had been consumed by those battered from the meteor-torn streets. Certain other substances of notoriety were rumored to be purchasable from the stand as well; however, none had ever proven such transactions to exist.

Behind the booth, a tall and willowy elf could be seen. Unusually gangly and clumsy-looking for one of his breed, the herbalist’s battered attire, consisting of a sickly blue smock, matched the disheveled appearance of his stand. His flowing blonde hair, too, was clearly unkempt and lined with smudges of dirt and ash. Despite his untidy exterior, however, the elf’s youthful sapphire eyes twinkled with a vibrant energy and excitement. Most notable of all, though, were his thin lips which fanned into a welcoming smile whenever someone approached his stand.

“Serale and welcome! How can I help you?” He would greet with evident excitement, a characteristic that was quite trademark of his speech. Resting his pale slender hands upon the counter, the elf would examine any newcomers with a single cursory glance, all the while drumming his fingers eagerly upon the table. Though it would seem unlikely that such an animated and inelegant person had acquired ownership of a business such as an apothecary, those who purchased his products always spoke highly of their potency.

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[Demda]

1st of Immanis, In the Season of Spring
Era XIV Post Fractum, Era II of the Celestine Mandate
Morning

Demda came to the apothecary alone, and in the guise of the Constable, wearing her guard's uniform of blue, almost black tunic that hung to her knees, black trousers, boots. Minus the red turban though, which she thought was a bit much on top of everything else. It did serve to set them apart. But for that, Demda had the chain of office.

A belt wrapped around her waist, underneath the pregnant bulge, and latched onto it was the sheath of a simple, steel kukri.

She approached the person who she supposed was the herbalist, and laid her fingertips on the table of his booth. "Ash," She greeted him, "Do ju know where I can get some salit fruit?"

Demda had learned early on in Orckon, that many wily orcs made it a habit of eating the little known fruit. The effects were unbelievably powerful, and equipped them to deal with the poisons of lesser creatures, such as goblins and vysstichi. It supposedly made them almost entirely ineffective. Demda had never tried the stuff before, but could definitely see the importance of having salit fruit in her diet while in her position and condition. Perhaps the herbalist sold teas of a sort, if not the whole fruit.

"I'm looking to buy regularly." She added.

[Nimavel Mynendil]

Kerwyn, or at least that was the alias that he went by, acknowledged the approaching guard with a deferential nod and bow, the latter of which caused his dirty blonde locks to tumble freely over his shoulders and into several plants stationed on the counter before him. Grumbling at his inelegance, the elf combed back his tresses embarrassedly before offering a discomfited smile as his hair continued to bobble uncontrollably in front of him. Sighing hopelessly, he extended the usual greeting that he offered to all of his customers.

“Salit fruit?” He questioned, both brows rising inquisitively above his eyes at the inquiry. The seasonal fruit was certainly not something that was oftentimes requested, at least not by commoners and civilians. It did contain potency against ingested poisons, though, and was subsequently mainly sought out by those intending to deal with toxic substances. Normally the elf would have been concerned as to what the alleged constable was up to, but here in Imperia, where many weapons were oftentimes slaked with poison, one could never be too cautious.

Nevertheless, the name elicited a recognizable twinkle in the herbalist’s blue eyes, and he nodded his head eagerly as if earnestly thrilled to reply. “You’re in luck. I happen to have a small, very limited supply of it here. The stuff is difficult to get as it tends to ripen only in fall, but you see I extract the juice from materials like these to conserve and extend the period of their usefulness.” A gleaming smile flashed across Kerwyn’s face as he boasted of his insightfulness.

His grin did fade, though, as he considered the next and very necessary subject of their conversation. “It is pretty expensive though…” He emphasized, eyes twinkling with palpable misgivings.

[Demda]

The elf informed her a little of the nature of the product she was seeking. Which she was thankful for. She didn't realise it was a seasonal fruit, and not at all common. Just about all she knew about the plant was that it could help fight poisons, and of course the name it went by where she came from, which by luck was the common name.

That it was expensive wasn't in itself a deal breaker. Demda had coin enough from her salary, money that wasn't being spent in any rush elsewhere. However, the fact that he had limited quantities, and that those quantities might be priced higher than was practical for her, gave her pause.

Obviously regular consumption of the fruit was not going to be an option, as she'd hoped. If she wanted to avoid being surreptitiously poisoned, she'd have to do so by virtue of what wits she had, and not because by some freak chance she decided to eat the fruit that day. Her immunity to toxins would have to be planned in advance in this instance.

If she wanted to avoid being assassinated by poison, she'd just have to give the right people reasons not to kill her. Enter her wits, such as they were. She hadn't survived Orckon for so many eras by accident.

Ultimately, Demda came to the conclusion that she wouldn't need this fruit afterall, if it was to be in such small quantities. Which was a bit of a shame for the herbalist. He almost had her.

"Okay." She finally said, resigned to those facts. "Nevermind d'salit fruit."

She gave a look around, and shrugged. She wasn't going to let this visit be a total loss. "Ju got any teas? Maybe someting to fight nausea. And some flavour teas too if ju got some."

"And don't worry," She frowned, "I got d'coin for dem."

[Nimavel Mynendil]

The friendly elf’s countenance displayed mild disappointment as the guardswoman denied interest in the salit fruit, a product that the herbalist was quite proud to have gotten his hands on. Though normally harvested in the season of fall, Kerwyn had managed to sustain them long enough to vend at the marketplace. It was true that as a result the salit fruit sold for more than was typical in fall, but it was nevertheless a very fine and effective investment.

But Kerwyn could easily understand the financial difficulties that many of Imperia’s citizens had been facing as of late.

“I’ve got plenty of teas, and the perfect one to help you with any nausea.”

The herbalist cheerfully responded, flashing two neat rows of pearly teeth in the process. Holding up a finger to indicate for the woman to wait, he reached below into the cabinet beneath the front of the makeshift stall. Fumbling around momentarily, he rummaged through various tubes and packages, finally retrieving several bags containing various leaves and other substances.

With a widespread smile he held out a bag of dried flower petals, white in hue.

“These are called jamblai. Boil them in water and they’ll help relieve any dizziness or faintness of the mind. And believe me when I say that they’re especially good if you’ve got a weak stomach on the sea.”

Grinning slightly, he then offered a bag containing yellow flowers, dome-shaped in appearance and noticeably bent along the edges.

“These also make a fine tea, though they’re a little bitter so I would advise adding a little bit of honey to make it more tasty. Chamomile is what it is called, and there’s nothing better to drink after a rough day at work. The jamblai sells for 110 crowns and the chamomile usually goes for 170. You seem like a nice person, though, so here’s what I’ll do. I’ll sell you both of these for 260 crowns. You probably won’t find a better deal anywhere else.”

[Demda]

It all sounded pretty good to Demda. Of course, she might as well chalk that up to the elf's salesmanship, which was well above par. She didn't like being charmed into purchases however, and maintained within her mind that she would've bought these anyway, had he been unpleasant.

"Okay, two sixty sounds fine." She said, reaching into a large belt pouch and procuring the required coinage, which she then laid down on the table. It seemed as if the teas would last her a good month or so. Good enough for her to entertain people who visited her office. And for entertaining Yolanda at home. Not to mention the medicinal benefits, and cure for the unending nausea she was suffering from.

"Tanks." She said as she took the bags, and placed them gingerly in another belt pouch. Then she left the shop.

[Lyr Tlansson]

continued from here

Blinking, Lyr finally made out clumsy-looking elf behind the counter. Another elf. The city seemed full of them! But never mind, Lyr was too tired to care much, so long as Kenkuroi could get whatever he needed for baby Rose here and they could all proceed on their way.... elsewhere. Never mind where, either.

"You got any baby powder?" He asked the elf brusquely.

[Kenkuroi Mithania]

Behind the human male, trudged a young male half elf carrying a teary eyed human baby who was snivelling softly, with a white bundle that looks like a diaper in one hand.

"Eh?" Kenkuroi exclaimed, a casual surprise look on his face, upon realizing that this seemingly shopkeeper was another elf indeed. Probably because Silrosia's just nearby.... a thought that the half elf didn't say out aloud.

"Vedui... mind if I borrow your counter?" he asked and without even waiting for a reply, proceeded to place the baby gently on the flat surface.

"Go! Fold this diaper into shape while I remove the one on her!" Ken barked as he slapped the clean diaper over Lyr's shoulder.

Turning back to baby Rose, the youth rolled his sleeves, slipped his long fringes behind his soft pointed ears, took a deep breath and proceed to wrestle off the soiled diaper.

It was after what felt like an eternity only did he successfully removed the damn piece of cloth. And in case the elven shopkeeper was wondering whatever the human wanted, he had his answer as shown by the baby girl's red rashes around her buttocks and groin area ..... thanks to someone not doing a nappy change regularly....

[Nimavel Mynendil]

Staring at the unusual pair, the herbalist’s mouth opened in protest as the infant was set upon the counter. It probably wasn’t the cleanest place to change a baby’s diaper, but given the unfriendly exchange between the two men, the elf supposed that the child had faced graver times. A smirk edged its way across one side of his lips as the request for baby powder was presented.

“Let me check.”

He said, holding up a finger to bid for the human’s patience. Ducking into one of the cabinets, he fished through the various jars and vials, occasionally retrieving a couple to inspect their labels. Baby powder was not a best seller at the apothecary. Most people sought it at flea markets and bazaars –not Kerwyn’s. He specialized in a number of countless plants and medicines, but babies were not his cup of tea.

“I have flour?”

He said, setting a large jar of white powder on the stand. At this time he noted the arrival of another elf, one whose bearing was like that of nobility. He reminded the herbalist of some others that he knew.

“I’m not sure if that’ll help, but help yourself. It’s on the house.”

[Lyr Tlansson]

Lyr, quite frankly, had very little conception of what baby powder was all about - he'd successfully avoided the issue thus far, and saw really no need (despite all of Kenkuroi's colorful protestations to the contrary) for him to be disillutioned at this point in time. If it looked like baby powder and smelled like baby powder - it was good enough for him.

Plus, there was also the matter of it being free! "Sure thing," Lyr nodded to the elvish herbalist, gleefully looking at the jar of powder. He was, it is true, currently quite able to buy many jars of flour - and many jars of baby powder, as a matter of fact; but one's roots didn't die out as quickly as one's pockets could fill up. Lyr still had the instincts of a street-rat, whatever the make of his shirt.

For once obedient in the face of such luck, Lyr took the diaper thrust at him by his new companion and began tugging it this way and that. It felt odd, doing these things - making diapers, unmaking diapers, discovering baby powder - and in the face of Ken's relative expertise in the matter, Lyr felt the sense of impatience sprung from inadequacy morph into something a bit more pro-active - a bit more mercenary... he didn't want to spend the rest of his life getting told by every man about town that he was diapering his own daughter wrongly!

So - let someone else do it. It oughtn't have been Lyr's work in the first place. It ought to have been Serino's, except that she was a lying, cheating, cold-hearted whore who'd left her own daughter to terrible mercies of fate; it might have been Lynessa's... had she not also shown herself to be a two-faced sister of Haya with no more pity and love than... than something; it would be Kenkuroi's, perhaps. Lyr wouldn't trust to sentiment this time; oh no, he'd trust in that which another man would understand and appreciate: cold, hard gold in his pocket.

"Say, you're pretty good at this." Lyr spoke somewhat awkwardly, massaging the diaper with extra vigour to show his good-will in the matter. "You don't happen to be a professional at this, do you? Feth, for the good of Rose, you know? I've got some crowns on me, for the trouble."

[Kenkuroi Mithania]

"Guess it will do," Kenkuroi shrugged as the elf, the shopkeeper, obviously amused by the odd pair's random act of diapering on his counter, produced the jar of white powder.

Ken then turned towards Lyr with a raised eyebrow and peculiar look on his face at the human's comments, which strike to him as odd, that was until the mention of 'crowns' changed his expression into that of interest and a sly smug begun to shape out of the young half elf's mouth.

"Pretty good at what?" Ken replied, now thrusting the bundled up soiled and stinking diaper towards Lyr and in exchange grabbing the fresh diaper away from the man who seemed to be taking his own sweet time folding a diaper. As if the time consumed to removed the diaper wasn't long enough already, tasks that should have been completed in merely a few eye blinks.

"Isn't these suppose to be general knowledge? Like breathing.... or eating..." Ken replied, his tone implying sarcasm, though the half elf was honestly casual with the answer as he was occupied with patting the flour all over Rose's infected areas and finish the diaper on her.

Strangely, it never occurred to the younger male that taking care of a baby was effectively a feminine task. His own mother was a living proof that not all females were excellent mothers. His own mother was so terrible in baby care that it would be a wonder he lived past infancy had he continued to remain in her care, if it wasn't for babysitters or friends that offered to help......... facts he knew when he was older seeing as how his mom had been bluntly straight forward with it. Of all things he envied her, her parenting skills were not one of them and he had vowed not to follow her footsteps when it comes to that field.

Baby Rose seemed like a chance for him to prove his oath and besides....

"But since you mention crowns.....say, do you sell any tobacco here?" the half elf grinned, at Lyr then the shopkeeper.

[Nimavel Mynendil]

The shopkeeper frowned as the two men juggled the diaper between them, their parenting skills obviously less than elementary. Regardless, he was more concerned with the filthy diaper contaminating his wares, and thus his hands lingered closely to the jars on the table in the event that one or two of them were accidentally knocked over.

“Tobacco?”

The elf’s ears perked as he registered the familiar substance, and he provided the fellow elf with a quick nod.

“Sure thing! Homegrown here in Imperia itself!”

The herbalist excitedly said. Reaching beneath the counter into one of the lower cabinets, he plucked a clear round jar and set it in front of the child’s parents. The green leaves, refined and masterfully ground, filled the container halfway.

“How much of it do you want?”

He asked, grabbing a small brown bag from the side of the counter.

[Lyr Tlansson]

Lyr, with some experience under his belt, knew to hold his breath when Ken handed him the soiled diaper and, as he felt his lungs lock and his heart start to pound, looked around for somewhere in which to conveniently dispose it. There was no trash receptacle, but there was the grated griddle of a sewer along the side of the street. Bending over, Lyr shoved the diaper down below the city street, out of sight and out of mind. Ah.. now he could breathe easily!

The herbalist, in the meantime, had produced onto the front of the shop some sort of jar with green leaves. That must have been what the half-elf had asked for - tobacco... Lyr wondered what they tasted like, knowing that that had been what Kenkuroi had had in his mouth earlier but never having had the substance up close. He'd heard that some of the real nobility in Jaedaxia somehow sniffed the stuff, but of course no simple citizen like him could have gotten a whiff of that; some smoked pipes, too, but even that was expensive and a mark of good standing in society. Ken was the only person Lyr had ever known to chew it. Perhaps it was an elven thing? He'd rather have a good old pint of ale, himself - that was something that sat in one's stomach, like things were supposed to do; not mixed with one's saliva, or got embedded amongst one's nose hairs.

"How much for it," Lyr asked the herbalist warily, from visions of snuff and pipes not really expecting a price-tag that would make him happy. Maybe I shouldn't have said that about crowns. But it was too late to go back on the offer now; only if the tobacco was too pricey, he'd just take Rose and leave. Feth, one couldn't expect the world for a simple diaper change! Not even the promise of two... or three... alright, so maybe it was tempting. Just a little, tiny bit.

[Kenkuroi Mithania]

At the sight of the jar of tobacco being produced on the counter, the eyes of the half elf, literally, if it was possible, went all bright and shiny. His face glowed with pure happiness and joy, totally erasing the surly expression that gloomed over the moody youth when they traded their foul words earlier.

"Yes, how much for it!" Kenkuroi eagerly echoed Lyr's question with some sense of impatience, no doubt from over-excitement.

And to answer the herbalists question, Ken continued, "Hmmm.... do you mind if I sample some of it? If its very good I might buy your whole jar!"

So happy was he at the sight of the jar of tobacco that he forgot about Rose who was left lying wriggling on the not-very-clean counter that was meant for herb preparation and the like, not diaper change.

Poor Rose was abit more relaxed now the annoying smell and sensation around her nether region had been replaced with something drier and cleaner. The itch caused from the rashes had also quelled down considerably but the candlemarks of wailing, trying to get her idiot of a father to attend to her needs had tire her out and the counter wasn't exactly a comfortable place to sleep.

Tired, still grumpy and uncomfortable, she tried to get the attention of the males around her, in typical baby-talk that is to say, by wailing.

[Nimavel Mynendil]

Staring at the human and the elf uneasily, the herbalist’s eyes fell to the baby who lay atop the counter. It was quite evident that neither knew what they were doing, but who was Kerwyn to correct them? He knew next to nothing about child rearing, and gauging from the rashes that sprouted along the baby’s body, it was clear that the other two adults didn’t either.

“500 crowns for the whole jar…”

He said, looking to Kenkuroi before opening the bin and exposing the air to the tobacco’s poignant aroma. Holding the jar out to the elf and to the human, Kerwyn gestured for them to try some.

“Otherwise, ten crowns per bag…”

The herbalist added afterwards, plucking several small paper bags from underneath the counter. Each bag was large enough to hold a handful of tobacco leaves. As he waited for the two to examine and test the contents, his gaze fell again to the seemingly neglected baby.