Adventures: Aiding an Alchemist x 1 Herb Hunting x 1
You have come to an alchemist's shop. Maybe you are here because someone sent you to buy a potion for them, or you are looking for a potion for yourself, or want to be taught. For whatever reason, you are here. As you walk inside you hear muffled sounds of anger and the sound of an explosion. A puff of smoke leads you through a door in the back of the shop. When you enter, you see a tall elderly man standing up from behind a short barrier and dusting himself off. "Blasted thing I thought for sure that was the correct mixture!" He looks up and notices you. "Ah hello there, we're closed today! Unless you have a steady hand and can help me in my work, please leave." He says with a sigh as he views his workplace. A barrier spell has kept part of the room safe from the explosion, but the un-shielded area is covered in soot. (you help him of course. That's the point of this after all!) "Ah in that case, you are welcome! You will be rewarded for your aid," he says with a happy smile as he potters about grabbing ingredients, vials, and bottles and piling them haphazardly on the sooty table. "Come come! I need you to grind these while I prepare the liquids!" He says as he points to a pile of dried herbs. Some you can recognize as gold petalia and thistlethorn, but most you have never seen and do not know what they are.
By helping him you find that he has many potions he is trying to do. Many have no purpose other than scholarly interest, while some are as random as a love potion, a boil healing potion, and one that will turn your skin green. Apparently he is researching something and he thinks these potions will aid him... how you are not sure, maybe he's just cray. But you do see that his ability to mix, measure, and create potions is by far superior to many you have seen. Yo help him mostly by grind herbs, stirring potions when he directs, and sometimes you both have to dive to escape a potion that decides to explode. After a long afternoon of aiding him, he looks up and gasps. "Oh my! Look at the time! I have kept you far too long! Here take these," he pushes some items into your hands, "I am so sorry for keeping you all day! Thank you for your help, you have helped me very much!" He pushes you out the door and waves good bye before vanishing back into his workshop.
Obsidian city was strange, but Malta was discovering that, even in the strangest most alien and scary places, there were wonderful oaises of familiarity that could bring even her comfort. The smell of herbs lured her to an alchemist shop near Castors home.
She pawed open the door, working open the doorknob and bouncing into the store. “Hello?” she called out, looking around. It was much like the alchemist's lair back home in the Terra expanse, the home of her former teacher.
It wasn't a cave full of herbs and bubbling cauldrons, but it was soothing nonetheless.
There was a cauldron and it popped and sparked as Malta watched.
“s**t!” cursed the Oblivionite at the cauldron, as it smoked.
“You put too much powdered flame scale in” commented Malta, peering into the cauldron, “You need eternal ice to cool it down... Or silver petalia...”
“Oh! Right!” The Oblivionite turned around, “WAGH!”
Malta flinched. “I'm sorry, but...” she grabbed a packet of silver powder with a claw and dropped it in the cauldron, “I had to... I didn't want it to explode...”
“You're a feral...” squeaked the Oblivionite, backing away.
“I'm sorry...”
“Don't eat me!” he was small, but an adult.
“I'm not going to eat you,...” she murmured, cringing shyly away.
“You're not?”
“No... Do you... um... Need help?” Malta asked, looking longingly around her, “I'm an alchemist...”
“Er... You are?” the man swallowed, “Actually... yes. I mean... If you won't eat me...”
“I said I wasn't...” said Malta, “I can... what were you making?”
“Just a... Nevermind...” said the man, “You want to help?”
“Yes.” hadn't she just said that?
“O... kay. Grind that for me, okay?”
“S-sure.”
Malta got to work...
(298/500)
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:32 am
DraconicFeline
"I'm telling you, they hate me," Naar insisted flippantly as he kicked his legs from his perch atop the counter. Around him smells of sweet candy and tiny frosted cakes and silky creams flowed around the room, dancing just out of reach of his taste buds. He sat in the back of his favorite candy store, watching as a heavyset, older Oblivionite woman decoratively dolloped frosting on a squishy cube of cake. There never seemed to be much activity during the early hours of the day, when most of the youngsters were in school and the adults had other businesses to tend to. Unfortunately, Naar wasn't most youngsters. Since he wasn't allowed on school premises for the next week, he was free to spend his time in Etheria's shop. If he was lucky, he'd even be allowed to sample a bite or two of her creations. Or eight.
The Oblivionite woman before him scoffed disbelievingly, not even bothering to turn to him. "That's because children are rude. They hate those who are better than them." Naarhiji beamed delightedly. Oh, yes, he got along with Etheria quite well. "Don't let them spoil your fun, Naar. Keep your head up." She had such a way with words. Much more reasonable than his teacher, his peers, or even his father.
Naar shrugged and tipped his head back. "Don't worry. They can't break me. It's just annoying sometimes, is all. Kind of a pain to dumb things down for them."
"Oh, yes. I'm sure." With a final flourish of frosting, she plucked one of the tiny cakes from the tray and set it at Naar's side. "Anyway, I thought your father sent you on some errand...?" Etheria mused with a nudge to his shoulder.
"I don't want to get it done too quickly." Naar admitted with a huff. "He needs to know I haven't forgiven him for his slights." But perhaps it had been long enough. He'd been sent to pick up a few ingredients from the Alchemist's shop... It was just a lucky break that Etheria was on the way.
With a sigh, he hoped from the counter, taking the little cake with him. "Thanks for the treats," he beamed pleasantly. "It's not like I have much to do for the next few days, so I'll stop by again soon, I'm sure."
They exchanged warm farewells and a few teasing remarks before Naar was on his way again. It wasn't long before he found himself disdainfully in front of the Alchemist's shop. The owner here was such a nut. Thoughtless, careless, and a fire hazard to boot. In Naar's opinion, he had no business being an Alchemist. It was a danger to him and anyone that dared to enter his shop. But as far as ingredients went, it was either here or go out hunting for them... And that... wasn't something Naarhiji was particularly interested in.
With a sigh, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. At first glance, he wasn't entirely sure what he was seeing. The front room was empty, with just a trail of smoke leaking through the doorway. He could hear voices coming from the back, so... someone had to be here. Sounded like at least two someones. He groaned in annoyance. There wasn't time to be waiting about here all day! He strode forward and leaned over the counter separating the storefront that led to the door to the back. "Hello?" Naar called through the doorway.
No answer. Must be noisy back there with all the bubbling. Ugh! He just needed someone's attention to grab a few things! A counter had never stopped him from entering before, and if crossing it meant he could leave faster... With a huff, Naar slipped over the counter and strode through the door. If what he'd first seen had confused him, there wasn't a word to describe his feelings now.
A Khehora stood mashing something up near the small man. His first thought was 'Bonded,' but he'd been in the store many times and never once seen a Khehora... He was half tempted to leave. They probably hadn't noticed him. But the Alchemist looked up as soon as he turned his back. "O-oh, Naarhiji! I thought your father might have mentioned needing a few things... My hands are full right now, but if you could just help Miss...? Er, s-sorry, Miss Khehora... Your name, maybe..?"
Malta was happy to be back in her element, away from the city and it's strangeness. As she ground the herbs into a paste, she felt – for the first time in several days – calm.
And then a person came in and set her to nervousness again. “Oh, uh...” she paused in her work, shrinking back as if somehow it could hide her from scrutiny. “Malta.” she said, swallowing. “And, uhm... I can help...”
Yes! Help! Be helpful! That was why she was here, and what she was doing. “Er...” she glanced at the alchemist. She'd only just met him, though, and the other Oblivionite was new to her too. “I...” she steeled what floundering courage she had and forced herself to stop cowering. She couldn't help if she was cowering.
“I can help, yes I can.” she attempted to assert. “What... What do you, uhm...” she moved over to the herb racks – it was helpful, with a side of being-somewhere-safe. “What do you need?”
“He needs... Ahh!” The Alchemist yelped as his concoction went awry again. He quickly started to pour bicarbonate powder on the spill, nearly slipping in the process. Malta grimaced, looking over with concern. “I'm allright! I'm Allright!” he yipped, unconvincingly.
Malta swallowed. “R-right.” she knew that people often didn't appreciate help when they needed it. She forced herself to look back to Naar, not wanting to upset the Oblivionite and get yelled at. “So, um...” she fidgeted with her claws. “What do you need?”
(504/500)
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 5:54 pm
DraconicFeline
Naar's brows furrowed, his lids narrowing until he could see little more than a sliver of the Khehora in front of him. The alchemist didn't know her name. They weren't Bonded. She was still in the shop. Still hanging out back here crunching herbs for him for who knew what reason. It was all very suspicious. Suspicious and confusing, and the clawed beast had no right to be in this city, anyway.
He should leave.
He should leave before things got any stranger or the Khehora, Malta, she'd said, decided to turn on them. It was fine if the Alchemist wanted to risk his own life, but Naar would be damned if he got dragged down too. Of course, she did seem rather skittish for her breed... A ruse, probably. She ambled toward the racks of supplies, a real feat in the cramped backroom, and Naar scowled at her.
Help. She wanted to help. The Oblivionite boy tipped his head to stare at the alchemist. Was he controlling her somehow..? That would make things convenient. Having a possessed Khehora around to protect him. Naar rubbed his temples. Whatever. It didn't matter to him one way or the other. He'd been in trouble if he returned home empty-handed. If the creature lunged for him, he'd just have to beat it away with a glass bottle and run. "I need two vials of leech nectar, a clump of thorn blossom, and..."
"You'll have to wait on that, I'm afraid," the Alchemist interrupted as his hands busily worked over his cauldron. "A little accident might've ruined all the supplies I had in here. I'm too busy to go and retrieve more from the storeroom. I suppose if I got this done quicker... Perhaps another set of hands..."
Naar would've liked to throw his boot at the older man. But he was hard-pressed to refuse anything from someone controlling a Khehora. The youngster grimaced. "Fine," he muttered. "What should I do?"
Malta declined to mention that it had been a whole lot more than a 'little' accident. “I could go get the supplies.” she said. Leech nectar? Thorn blossom? All useful stuff, and she was very familiar with it, though more the botanical things than the animals things, of course.
She frowned at where she assumed the alchemist's storeroom was, by the concentrated smells of old herbs and mildew. “'cept... you'd have to help me with the door...”
“Well, I'm the one with the key and my hands are full now so... so...” he shifted nervously, biting his lip, “Just help.”
“Oh. So...”
“Just keep grinding... I need a lot of that powder.” Malta looked down at what she was grinding.
She wasn't one to argue, and he was the boss alchemist, but she knew he was wrong, and that was enough for her to speak up. “No you don't.” she said, “You need about half for anything you're doing... You never need this much.”
“I'm making a large batch.”
“Of what...?”
“None of your business!” he said, his voice becoming high and tinny, “Just... Naarhiji, please help me pour this!” he said, gesturing to a bottle of oily, silvery liquid, “And pour it slowly...”
“And you don't need all of that either...” Malta murmured, but it was clear he thought he knew better. She handed over the bowl of herb powder – using so much was such a waste, and might even be dangerous. She hoped he really knew what he was doing, though she was starting to wonder.
She peered into the cauldron, trying to figure out what he was making. She blinked. “You're, um, using eye-fungus oil for a love potion?!” she said, shocked. “You don't use that for a love potion! Is this a love potion?!”
“I'm using it for a love incense. A lot of it. And... and...” His voice became high and squeaky, “I'm... I'm in charge... here!”
“Um... mister Naarhiji?” she said, addressing the younger Oblivionite, “Don't, um... put that in.” She turned to the alchemist, “I'm sorry, but I don't think you know what you're doing...” she said somewhat hesitantly.
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 8:32 am
DraconicFeline
Naarhiji grimaced as the two of them argued. For one thing, just listening to the pair of them made him annoyed. The alchemist should know better than to argue with something that could rip his head off, especially when Naar was right there in the line of fire, and the khehora shouldn't be so... so... Passive? Un-khehora-like? If she really did know better (and Naar wasn't saying she did), then she should assert herself! People that stammered and bumbled like that really did piss him off. Have some self respect!
With a muttered huff, Naar moved over toward the Alchemist at his request. As he drew nearer, the scent of smoke and burnt wood reminded him he probably wanted no part of this. Obviously things weren't going so swimmingly in the shop right now, and it'd be a real pain to be injured from what was supposed to be a simple visit. He just wanted his things, and he wanted to leave.
The Khehora waddled over after him and peered into the cauldron. Naarhiji found himself also somewhat curious, and so followed her lead, peeking down into the bubbling vat. It all just looked like a smelly bunch of ooze to him, but... Malta seemed to recognize it somehow. "Love potion...?" He repeated uncertainly. He licked his lips. A love potion... Now that he thought about it, he could probably use something like that for himself. His school mates were filled with so much spite, that a few drops of a little potion would probably just bring them down to normalcy. Sure, it was fake normalcy, but if it kept him out of trouble...
“Don't, um... put that in.”
The youngster's attention snapped back to the Ysali female. "What happens if I do?" He demanded tartly. More explosions? Failed potion? Maybe the smoke would turn toxic and poison them all...
“Um... it...” she swallowed, feeling horribly insubordinate, “It'll make the smoke really strange... See,” she said, gently nudging Naar's hand – with it's burden – away from the cauldron, “It helps with bloodflow, which is good in small amounts. For the heart, I think...” She didn't know why it was in love potions and 'incenses', but it was. “Too much is very bad! You could get nosebleeds!” or worse. “So, um...” She nudged his hand to a safe distance, glancing at the alchemist, “Don't put all of that in...”
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:14 am
DraconicFeline
Naarhiji grimaced as he rubbed at his temple with his free hand. This really was turning out to be much more of a hassle than he'd hoped. Especially if the old man and khehora were going to be including him in their bickering. No thank you. Whatever they were doing, they could sort it out themselves. Wasn't any of his business. Even if... even if a love potion did sound pretty amazing...
No, no! He'd had enough.
With a scoff, he set the bottle down on the nearby counter top. "I don't care about this stuff enough to continue on. If you all want to get nosebleeds or obnoxious boners or whatever the deuce else, then be my guest, but I'm leaving!" He whirled on his heel, flicking forest-colored hair over his shoulder with a quiet huff.
Malta was confused but, what was more important was that he was leaving, and he had come in for something.
“Ah wait!” she called after him. What if the thing he wanted was important? What if he needed it now? “What did you need?” she asked, wondering if she should run after him. She decided to dare it, though she was loathe to turn her back on the alchemist for fear that he would – gods forbid – dump something into the pot.
She scampered – easily – to Naar's side and just a little forward, not quite blocking his way. “I can get what you need for you... I mean, you came in here for something, right?” She glanced back at the alchemist, “I'll get it for you...”
She could smell, even with the badly-made contents of a thousand potions clogging her nose, the storeroom beyond with it's un-mutilated supplies.
“Just tell me what you need.”
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:02 am
DraconicFeline
Claws clicked on the ground. The earth rumbled beneath Naarhiji's feet as something that was too large to be bouncing around the room scurried to plant itself before him. He staggered back away from her with a quiet grunt of malcontent.
For a moment, he thought he could muster the wherewithal to tell her to beat it, but when he opened his mouth, only a strangled squeak emerged, so he abandoned the idea all together. If he couldn't completely devote himself to it, there was no reason to risk sending her into a frenzy that could perhaps end in his head being clipped from his shoulders. Instead, he took a few moments to stare at her and wonder what obligation she had to making sure he retrieved what he came for. Was it a trick to get him into the backroom and out from under the master alchemist's less-than-watchful eye? It hardly seemed necessary.
With a roll of his shoulders, he rubbed the back of his neck. "A few... Ingredients for my father," he muttered out. "Hair of a hastar's tail and babosa slime. I don't really know what he uses them for, but-" Naar shrugged. "It's what I was sent to pick up."
“Okay,” she said, bouncing back a few awkward steps to turn around in the not-quite-large quarters, “I'll get them for you.”
She bounded over to the store room and was struck by how well stocked it was... and, also, how ill kept.
“Hey! Get out of there!” squalled the alchemist, abandoning his cauldron to brandish a spoon at the khehora, “Out! OUT!” he scolded, his sockets wide. Clearly he was being stupid.
Malta had no more respect for the man, and so she ignored him, even when he began hitting her with the spoon. It didn't do much good – it was a wooden spoon, and he wasn't very strong. The most he managed was a slight, muffled thunk, the sound of his spoon dimmed by her girth.
Her tail, though, took offense to it and the alchemist dodged back as it swung – with its unpleasant looking barb – vaguely at him.
Malta got the materials and, awkwardly holding their containers – and the tied tuft of long hair – in a paw as she turned around and scampered back to Naarhiji.
“Here you go.” she said, anxious for the young Oblivionite to not be mad. Not at her.
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 10:53 am
DraconicFeline
Naar's lips swished to the side as he watched the bulky khehora bumble about in the enclosed space. Did she gain something from being eager to help him? he, personally, had nothing to give her for her troubles, and Malta's efforts seemed less than pleasing to the shopkeeper as well. So why did it matter to her whether he accomplished his goals or not? He narrowed his lids at her, bottom lip jutting out in thought.
There had to be something to say for a feral khehora wandering about the largest Oblivionite city and not causing a huge uproar. maybe she wasn't so bad, just... different from the rest of her kind. Like he was. Maybe. Eh, no it probably wasn't similar at all. He huffed softly and reached to collect his things from her claws. He blinked down at him, fingering through the hairs before turning back up to her. "Thank you," Naarhiji murmured softly. With things in tow, he headed for the door, and then, his house beyond. He supposed he'd taken long enough to give his father the appropriate amount of frustration.
