Closed Herbal Lessons (Lynn and Alex)

[Suresslynn]

9th of winter, 515

Suresslynn sighed as she held up the vial of copperhead antidote she had messed up, before emptying the contents in the waste and cleaning the vial to try again. "Focus Lynn. I want to have a stock come spring." Sahfri said, sorting herbs on the shelves as she spoke. The Dhani nodded and started to mix the antidote again. This time she got it right, but she messed up the next one. Sighing in frustration, Lynn cleaned out the vial to try again, but this time Sahfri stopped her. "Cold really does a number on your concentration, huh? Leave that for a bit. I've got a new herb to teach you." she said, gesturing Lynn over to the front desk.

Excited at the possibility of learning a new herb, Lynn eagerly sat down to see what Sahfri wanted to teach her. When the Eypharian handed her an herb that had a large seed bud on top with a weird feeling stem, the Dhani took it gently and stared intently at it. "I'm going to teach you something rarer this time. This is Gigar. The stem can be crushed up to relieve infants with what is called "baby colic" or long periods of crying. The roots can also be crushed over meats and stews to flavor them, but that's a waste, since it tastes like ginger." she said, as Suresslynn just soaked up her teachers knowledge like a sponge.

"Gigar. Good for crying babies. Large seed bud, green leaves with a white undersides, leaves shaped like spears. Stem feels weird. Morons cook with it." Lynn said, reciting what she had learned, only to earn a light smack on the head from Sahfri. "Manners, Lynn. Now, find the unsorted herb box and the Gigar box." she said, sending the Dhani into the shelves on an herb hunt.

[Alexander Faircroft]

7:07AM The early morning has swung by with a cold and stabbing fury. Out in the soft morning air Alex stretched. A small round of tempering his sword early in the day. He’d taken the time to draw the blade from its sheath and go over its properties. Silent as a whisper in the squire dorms having risen a good hour and a half prior to the other squires rising. He’d begun to familiarise himself with the blade. A simple design but a long blade easily a good half foot longer than other swords of a similar kind. The grip almost long enough for two hands to sit with a gap between them. Half wrapped grip for firm holding beneath the cross guard and a smoother metal beneath. An interesting blade. He lifted it holding the weight in one hand. A solid blade it was too. He would swing it in the room but that was beyond dangerous. Slipping the blade back into its sheath Alex rose from his seated position and began to don his armour quietly. 9:45AM A quiet lull in his training had befallen. The instructors at the training grounds were busy with their individual pupils and his patron was off filling out requisition forms for gear for the members of his wing. Alex stepped out into the streets reminding himself of a small snake woman he’d met the other day. And her promise of a lesson on herbs to him. Trailing through the streets he slipped through the crowds the heavy plate and sense of import in his steps allowing him a small pathway as people shifted around his person. Walking through the streets gave him time to think. Perhaps it was a little presumptuous to simply walk into the store and demand something… Still the squire soldiered on. Pushing in the door of the herbalists shop inwards he smiled and spoke in his oddly soft and light tone. “I’m here to see a miss Suress-” Cutting himself off mid-sentence he spotted her hiding behind the counter mixing ingredients and fixing out antidotes. Even as she caught a scolding from her employer as it seemed. Perhaps she was still slightly new to the art of poison and antidote making. “Forgive my impertinence but I’m here to see you miss Lynn.” Smiling lightly he stepped over to the counter armour clanking softly and heavy expected foot falls light to the landing. Trying his best to control the sound of his feet in the plate against the wooden flooring. He hoped that it would allow him to learn to control his weight outside the armour better too. Maybe even make his steps lighter in general. “I’m simply here to learn so don’t worry about me pretend I’m not even here and go about your day.” He smiled and found a small stool to perch on, at least until he was told to move out of the way should something important be needed of him. “I don’t expect to learn for free. If you need something moved or a hand around I can fill in for that whilst I’m here as a means of helping. Equal out what I’m taking away.” The soft voice and soft eyes of his carried a single intent that he hoped he wouldn’t be turned away.

[Suresslynn]

Lynn didn't look up as the door opened, as Sahfri usually preferred to deal with customers as opposed to her blunter assistant. However, when she heard her name, the Dhani looked up and gave Alex a slight grin as she started to get up and look for the Gigar box. "Learn...ah, I see. You desire to learn a bit about herbs. And my typically antisocial assistant offered to teach you." Sahfri said, sounding slightly amused, before looking critically at Alex's gauntlets. "While I'm glad to see someone willing to learn, you are not handling my herbs with those gauntlets. Get some regular gloves on, then sit next to Lynn. You can learn and help at the same time." the eypharian shop-keeper said as she started to mix antidotes.

Suresslynn grinned at Sahfri's words, then set the box of Gigar, which she had found by comparing it to the herb still in her gloved hands, on the table. "Come on, Alex. This won't be too hard." she said, picking up a box of unsorted herbs to set next to the box of Gigar. "Come on. I'll teach you the same way I learned." she asked before turning to face the door as a customer came in. "Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly.

After looking around for a moment, the man nodded and stepped forward. "Uh, yeah...um, I'm having a lot of...not pain exactly, but it's an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. Is there something I can...take for that?" he asked. He certainly looked uncomfortable, sweating a bit and grimacing. But fortunately, Lynn didn't have to disturb Sahfri for this one.

Going back over to the shelves, she picked up some Batonal. "You'll want to take some of these, think of them like healing tea leaves, and they'll relieve the discomfort." she said, cutting the leaves off the herbs and putting them into a small bag for the man. "Their five copper mizas an ounce. How many ounces did you want?" she asked, looking over her shoulder. The man paused for a moment. "T-three." he said. Lynn nodded and put three ounces of leaves in the sack. Taking it over to the man, she took a silver miza and five coppers from the man in exchange for the bag.

After the man left, she handed the mizas to Sahfri, then sat down next to Alex. "You ready?" she asked him, grinning.

[Alexander Faircroft]

The criticality of the eypharian’s words was blatantly apparent to him as he mentioned Lynn’s name and the prospect of being taught. A slight chuckle and mild glance towards his hands and it was apparent what she was going to say. Still she said it anyway. Flexing his fingers lightly he pulled off the stiff leather gloves coated in hard metal plates. Slipping his gauntlets onto the side he found some spare loose leather gloves. Between the removal of his gauntlets and the slipping on of the leather gloves if one was careful they could see the smoothness of his hands despite having trained with weapons and having a large amount of time with a bow in the wilds. His hands were relatively free of callouses and blisters. She was going to teach him the same way she learned? As she dumped a large box of undorted herb leaves on the counter. Just simply seeing ll the different shades of green and shapes of leaf sent his mins spiralling into a whirlpool of wanton knowledge. What’s this one, and that one? How do I use that one? OOH that one looks kind of cool. What’s this one do? Before he could even open his mouth his mind snapped shut that torrent of asinine questions and simply awaited a tutoring from Lynn. Watching a customer stumble into the shop Alex tilted his head. Without a moment’s hesitation Lynn simply swung around after hearing the man’s plight and offered him some “healing tea leaves” as she described it. Five coppers an ounce, three ounces. Fifteen coppers or one silver and five coppers. Resting his hands in his lap he simply looked around the room unsure of what to do exactly. A moment passed and Lynn broke his relaxed situation asking if he was ready. Alex gave a small sheepish nod almost feeling like he was about to be quite literally swamped with information. “I’m pretty sure I’m ready, though I don’t know how much I’ll be able to take in in one burst of information.” Calming his racing mind and tearing his eyes away from the box of multiple hers Ales set his eyes on Lynn’s hands. Awaiting tutelage as to the different varieties of plant and their applications. “You seem to be pretty well acquainted with the inner workings of these plants to be able to have given that man what he was after or rather what could help him so quickly.” A small smile and an airy tone. He then looked at Miss Sahfri and spoke a small word of thanks.

[Suresslynn]

Suresslynn grinned at Alex's comment about not wanting a whole bunch of information at once, then shrugged at his compliment. "It was the first herb I learned. The first you'll learn as well." she said, picking up a Batonal herb out of the box and holding it up. "The herb I gave him was called Batonal. You can find this stuff all over the place, the way to identify it is the rounded leaves and the way it smells." she said, taking a sniff of the pleasant smelling herb before she handed it to Alex.

After he had taken a moment to examine the Batonal herb, Suresslynn spoke again. "Now, this is good for internal discomfort, you make a hot infusion with it. Coffee or tea works. It's also used as a cooking spice, but you'll have to ask a chef about how that works." she said, grinning slightly just before Sahfri reached out to give her a light smack on the head. "Be nice, Lynn." she said.

"Sorry, Sahfri." she said, having the good grace to look abashed. Sahfri just smiled at her and ruffled her assistants hair. "Don't forget the Gigar, Lynn." she said, before turning back to the antidotes she was making. Lynn nodded and picked a bit of the rarer herb out of the box and put it away in the box.

[Alexander Faircroft]

A sharp curtness seemed to overtake Lynn now as she followed on with her job mentioning to him the name of the herb in particular. “Batonal” An odd looking small circular leaved herb, common as muck. Best way to identify it was via the small and the shape. Picking the herb lightly out of Lynn’s fingers he brought it close to his nose. A faint smell of grass after a rainfall hit his nose. A smell he was familiar with, relaxing to the born and raised archer. Still keeping his ears open he listened further. Good for internal troubles best made into a tea or by grinding the leaves into a coffee. A good thing to know should he ever find a sour morning after a night being out on the ale again. As she went on about having to find a chef to best stick it in any food that was wanting to be consumed he could see why even as she was being reprimanded by her boss and quite likely instructor. Given the small of the herb the flavour had to be quite similar. Seeing lynn attempt to fake being embarrassed was possibly one of the funnier things Alex had witnessed today. Trying his best to simply hold a straight face another odd name caught his ears. Gigar. An odd name for a herb, but still Alex witnessed lynn pull a few pieces out of the mixed assortment of herbs and put it in a separate container specified for that herb in particular. Looking back into the box of assorted goodies and oddities. Alex had the good sense to keep his hands to himself lest he end up paying through the nose for an expensive herb that he accidentally destroyed. Alex still held the batonal, the sweet earthen smell held just away from his face. Helping to keep something to cut through the myriad of aromas that now crept at his nose from the box. Some having his eyes water. Others drawing him closer to try them. Only then did Alex pipe up a little and actually ask a question. “I’m sorry to interject here, but it crossed my mind that there might be a herb that would be of use in situations where one got injured. You wouldn’t happen to be able to tell me anything about that if something of the like exists?” An honest curiosity in him. He still knew nothing of herbs but wondered if something like this actually existed, as if it did that would be almost invaluable to him. And quite possibly to others with him. Rolling the batonal back and forth lightly in his fingertips he inhaled again. Trying his best not to press the herb against his face for worry of consequences should he do so.

[Suresslynn]

At Alex's question, Lynn just looked at him helplessly for a moment before turning to her instructor, who just laughed. "I haven't taught Lynn any herbs for wounds yet, but I can teach both of you really quick." she said, motioning Lynn to move over. After the Dhani made room, the Eypharian moved over to the same desk the other two sat at and reached into the box with one of her many hands, pulling out an herb new to her Dhani assistant.

"All right, you two. This is Vyfox, the first of two herbs I'll teach you that are good for wounds. Note the long, lance shaped leaves. See, if you look close, you'll see that they're really a bunch of different leaves making up the shape of the larger ones. And the small white flowers that grow on the top of the plant. That's the easiest way to find Vyfox in the wild. And it's common, found in forests near here." she said, handing the herb to Lynn and picking out another Vyfox plant to hand to Garland.

Looking the plant over, Lynn looked up at her teacher. "What does it do?" she asked curiously. Sahfri smiled and picked up a third Vyfox plant. "It helps keeps wounds from getting infected and slows blood flow. Placed over small, open cuts, the flowers will help it heal. Made into a poultice, it'll help heal much more major wounds. Afterwards, you can boil the leaves in a tea that will help over all. Any questions?" she asked the two, before looking at Lynn as she raised her hands.

"How much does it cost?" she asked, glancing at the door of the shop. "The flowers are five coppers a comb, which is roughly a tenth of an ounce if they've been crushed to help make a poultice. Same price for an ounce of dry leaves." Sahfri said promptly, before waiting for any further questions.

[Alexander Faircroft]

At the end of Alex’s question he paused as it simply hung in the air like the many odours of the shop. The dizzying aura of scents again forcing Alex to lift the herb to his nose to cut through it and mask the potent smells. Re-centring his mind he glanced towards Lynn her an almost vacant plea of not knowing what to do met his gaze until she flicked her head around to see her mentor and have a soft chuckle fill the empty space. She hadn’t taught her apprentice any herbs for wounds? Yet what was that mix of gunk his father put on him that one time…? Still as Miss Sahfri continued with something about teaching her assistant and Alex quickly. Deftly, and with a practiced hand the eypharian plucked a thin leaved herb free from the box of many. The herbs name was Vyfox a rather spindly leafed plant, though as Alex looked in closer as she spoke he followed her instructions and much to his astonishment the long tapered leaves were actually stalks for many much smaller leaves. Still as she noted so did he, the white flowers atop the peak of the herb according to her this was by far the easiest method to discern the plant out in the wilds around Syliras. A good thing to know when he was out in the wilds… Puling a single herb free of the box of mystery for Lynn first and then another for Alex himself. Rolling the thin stemmed plant over his hands he took note of it in greater detail bringing the batonal away from his cent addled nose he took a deep whiff of the vyfox, a subtle smell of blossoms reached his now very confused nose. Almost as if reading his mind Lynn asked the very question he wanted too. What did it do? The all-important question for anything of purpose. What exactly was it useful for. According to Lynn’s master it was pretty much exactly what Alex had asked for. A simple herb easily distinguishable and common as possible perfect for him to know should he be out in the wilds and have an injury. It was a plant useful for keeping wounds clean and aiding in the healing process. And seemingly this amazing little herb was useful as a tea to supplement and speed up the healing process. Alex sat a little bug eyed now curious and cautious. He had a myriad of questions as she asked if he had any but before he could so much as open his mouth Lynn asked for it’s price. Which given what it was toted to do seemed very reasonable. “If I may be so bold as to ask. A plant like this, would there be any nasty side effects from drinking the tea too much after the initial injury?” Alex had a look of worry about him as he asked this looking back to the plant and rolling it lightly in his fingers, before placing it down softly on the counter with the batonal in his other hand. "Given that you’ve said it’s a common herb and as such is so cheap I’d probably want to purchase a little before I go. Just in case I find myself in a bad situation…” A small amount of genuine concern for what he’d just said crept over him as well. “Just to inquire a little further, is this the only herb that you’d use to cure injuries of a very, blatant and pouring blood like nature?” Alex thought back to the simple poultice his father had made. Nothing fancy but it did help the wound on his shoulder heal.

[Suresslynn]

At Alex's question about potential side effects, Sahfri shook her head. "No more than drinking regular tea. So maybe a headache or some such. Still don't waste the herb." she said, before smiling at his comment about buying some before he left. "Excellent. I worry about the knight sometimes, especially you squires. You'd think they'd have a dedicated medic on hand, or some kind of medical training, but so many don't." she said, her expression somewhat sad.

At his next question though, the Eypharian grinned again and pulled another herb out of the box. "I did say I was going to teach you two herbs, didn't I?" she asked, her tone amused. "This is Belltor. Like Vyfox, it can be found in the forests near here." The herb she held up was much longer than most of the others, a good two feet in length. "Note the ragged looking leaves and the flower cluster at the top. It can be anywhere from light pink to deep crimson." she said, pointing to the leaves and flowers as she pointed them out. "Now, as to how you use it, there's three ways. You can make an infusion from it, basically run hot water over it or boil it, to help relieve congestion or headaches. A hot poultice can also be made to help wounds close and prevent scarring. A tincture can also be made from it to help with colds and diseases. We actually keep those on sale here." she said, the last sentence being mostly directed to her assistant, who nodded.

"Now, notice the root system." she said, pointing to the bottom of the herb, which was a mess of roots. "To harvest this one properly, you have to get the whole plant, then hang it upside down while it dries out. After that, cut off the roots. Speaking of, hang this up, Lynn." she said, handing the plant to the Dhani. Lynn nodded and went to the back of the shop, where she tied a string into the root system to hang the plant from.

Once the plant was hung, she rejoined Eypharian and the human at the desk. "Price?" she asked. "Five coppers per half ounce of leaves or flowers, one gold for an ounce of the tincture. Any other questions?" she said, looking at her two students.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Then mention of there being no severe side effects rather than simply wasting the herb or possibly getting a strong head ache set his nerves at rest slightly. A small sigh of relief escaped him, shifting his shoulders and letting the plates clink together a little. Only then did she mention about the Knights not having medics. At this point Alex spoke up a little.
“The knights do have medics so to speak but primarily they’re priests marked by Rak’keli so they learn herbs and other such things. I personally opted to learn just in case I ever find myself in a situation where I’m alone and have only got myself to rely on.” A small fragile smile of worried hope that it wouldn’t happen crossed his face.

As the eypharians arms reached back into the box of many mysteries she produced a much larger and slightly gangly looking beast of a herb. Noting the herb as “Belltor.” A set of weathered and withered looking ragged leaves adorned the long spindly stem. The long sleight stem of the plant brought itself to a point where it was simply covered in red blossoms. Her comment following them was that the flower could be any colour from pale all the way to a deep crimson red. And apparently this gangly herb could be used in one of three major methods. Either as a hot infusion so as a tea to help ease headaches. A hot poultice, used on wounds alongside Vyfox to help with closeing wounds and preventing scars forming in their wake. And the last method was a small tincture wot deal with colds and other mild diseases. A curious note about keeping them on sale passed her lips as Lynn nodded with small acknowledgement.

Apparently this massive herb had to be harvested whole making an already long plant into a long and gnarly plant. The intertwined root system was almost like a spiral of ever tangling roots. And to make matters worse the ungainly thing had to be hung to dry before it could be used effectively. Before handing the thing to Lynn for her to hang from a small set of holes in a shelf. Quite possibly designed for just such a thing. Alex noted this in his vault like mind making sure to keep an accurate detail on the things he’d learnt here. Even noting the price and that this plant could be found in conjunction with the vyfox in the surrounding forests.

“So these plants work well together then to help heal injuries that may arise in the easiest form?” he took a rather keen look at the herbs again. “Can Vyfox and Belltor can be used in the same poultice or as separate instances? Like applying one to the initial wound and then keeping the second over it? Or both can be used at the same time to help quicken the healing further?” A genuine curiosity came over him asking. He began to fish around in his pocket doing some mathematics about the herbs he’d just discovered. “Before I leave could I have five ounces of the Vyfox and two and a half ounces of the Belltor leaves? It’d probably be good to have something like that on hand.” A soft smile now spread across his face in asking if this was possible.