Closed Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

A fussy grandmother slips and requires medical assistance.

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The Diamond of Kalea is located on Kalea's extreme west coast and called as such because its completely made of a crystalline substance called Skyglass. Home of the Alvina of the Stars, cultural mecca of knowledge seekers, and rife with Ethaefal, this remote city shimmers with its own unique light.

Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

Postby Cassiea on March 9th, 2019, 10:00 pm

Spring 3rd 519


Cassiea really appreciated the mountains. Perhaps not quite in the same way that others did; she saw their beauty frequently, but it was their terrain that really caught her appreciative attention. She grinned as sweat dripped from her brow, and her feet beat a steady tock, tock pattern as she ran up the narrow, winding passage steps. There was very little on her mind except the feel of the stone beneath her boots, and the impact on her toes through the wearing leather. She'd probably need new shoes soon, that was for sure. Either that,
or skip the shoes entirely, and run barefoot. Cassiea was fairly certain that would be foolish.

The street had been quiet, but typically as she rounded a corner, she almost knocked into a stranger that had been obscured by the jutting stone wall of the nearest building. She nodded a silent apology in his general direction, and caught the man's disapproving glare before she ran off, pushing herself faster up the increasingly narrow steps. Her heart was beating from exertion, almost to an uncomfortable rhythm. Not yet though. She liked to court with that uncomfortable pulse, see how far and how fast she could go before having to stop and bend double, puffing and red in the face, her hair flapping in wet strands around her.

Cassiea started taking two steps at a time as she tried to launch herself further and further. The issue was, as she ran, that the street was getting more busy. She'd narrowly avoided bashing into several people now, and in all honesty, running with a load of people around her was not the best way of practicing speed runs. Conceding defeat, she slowed to a jog, and then a speedy walk, her mind on what to get for dinner, whether she could splash out a little on a sweet treat.

Up ahead was a ragged gaggle of people. Cassiea, as nosy as the next, walked a little closer to get a look at whatever they were looking at. As she walked, she brushed her hair back from her face in an effort to look a little more presentable. She took a look at the assembled crowd. In fact, they all looked somewhat similar to one another. On the floor, at the bottom of a step, a woman lay. She was progressed in years, with grey hairs cropped short to her ears, but it wasn't her hair that made Cassiea wince with sympathetic pain. The woman had fallen, and badly at that.

"He.. Hey, hey you!" The youth who'd spoken beckoned Cassiea over, his expression a strange mixture of irate and worried. She wondered what on earth she had come across, but approached anyway. She didn't say anything, merely tilted her head in an implied, 'Yes?' kind of way.

"I saw you running, my granny's fallen, something's wrong, can.. can you run and get some help? I'd go but I don't want to leave her." The youth grimaced. Cassiea took a closer look at him, and smiled. "Aye, sure thing. Anything to let the doctors know?"
"Just that granny's whinging at me? Gods, I don't know. She's difficult to talk to at the best of times." He sighed a heartfelt sigh, and Cassiea tried not to smirk. Family. Lovely, but difficult to put up with sometimes, no matter how much you loved them.

"I'll try to be as fast as I can, for you and your granny." She set off in the direction of the Catholicon, after getting a few directions, to the ringing voice coming from behind her: "Me name's Dahlia, and don't you call me 'granny'!"
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Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

Postby Gemma Parker on March 11th, 2019, 12:31 am

Image

Gemma held her face very close to the mixing bowl, a flask of essential oil in her right hand. This was the hard part. If she added too much, it would be a waste of the precious oil, and as she had reminded herself frequently, the oil, while it did technically grow on trees, was very labor and time intensive to extract, and took a lot of the herb. Even so, it was one of the most potent additives for any herbal concoction, and was required for this particular blend, which used the oregano essential oil to help with both colds and flues. That said, however, if she didn't add enough, it would be diluted beyond any level of potency, and would essentially be wasted. Sadly, she had no hard recipe to go by. She was only going off of her previous experience. Finally she shook her head and added two more drops into the mixture before setting the essential oil down, topping it. It was better to waste a little and have it be effective than to waste it all and not be effective.

That done, Gemma grabbed her pestle and began to stir the oil into the herbal blend. Now she had about twelve bells to give this to her patients while it maintained full potency. But as the bell struck, she realized she had spent longer in the lab than she thought. It was time for her break.

Gemma covered the mixture and hung the apron up on a hook, stretching from being bent over so long. She then headed up the stairs and into the main section of The Catholicon, stopping only briefly to get her poncho before heading out to stand just under the building's overhang, happy to be out of the stuffy basement and ready to smell the rain. She breathed in deeply and smiled, enjoying the cool damp air. But as she stood there listening and just being, she heard the sound of pounding boots running up the stairs. Gemma allowed her face to fall as the final brief moments of peace. There was only one reason why someone would be sprinting to the top of Tenten.

She opened her eyes as the stranger ran toward her through the rain, and slowly slid her caretaker mask over her previous expression.

"What happened? Is someone hurt? I work here, I can find whoever you need depending on the situation.
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Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

Postby Cassiea on March 11th, 2019, 5:14 pm

Cassiea was slightly disappointed at how out of breath she was once she finally reached the Catholicon, despite the fact she had already been on a long run before adding the extra distance for the good of Dahlia and her family. The fact that it was perfectly normal to be out of breath after doing exercise was beside the point. Nevertheless, she didn't brood on the subject. There was a woman there, asking what was going on, but Cassiea took a moment to orientate and gather herself back together again before straightening.

"Yes, hello, whew!" She grinned, despite herself, whilst judging the person in front of her. Cassiea would look an utter mess, especially as rain was adding to the perspiration, but the woman was fair and relatively attractive, unspoilt by the rains, and clad very sensibly in a poncho to fend of the weather. "I've just come from a little family gathering, the steps being slippery, an eldery relative of theirs has slipped and she can't really move. I'm not related to them, I should probably say, but anyway. Yes. A woman is injured. Would you know who I could ask for help? And if there's a charge, you'll have to ask the family."

Cassiea ducked under the overhang with the stranger, and surruptitiously as she could, she squeezed her hair dry from the rain. If she wasn't careful she'd be catching a cold, but there wasn't really much she could do about that now. "I'm sorry, I'm chattering!" She grinned again at the woman, and took a closer look at her, without trying to look too nosey. It wasn't a particularly bright day, but from under the collar of the poncho, Cassiea could just about see a silvery glimmer of something she could only describe as scales. The prettiest scales she'd ever seen, in any case. Nothing like the brown, muddy skin of the cheapest fish her mother used to buy from the market.

"If you're a healer, maybe we could go down, as I'm here and you're here right now?"

ooc :
Feel free to control my PC a bit if you want to progress to moving down to where the lil' old lady is. :)
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Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

Postby Gemma Parker on March 13th, 2019, 2:21 am

The girl approached through the rain and Gemma took her in. She was definitely older than Gemma, but seemed to be cut from a different cloth. Her demeanor, swagger, and dress were all distinct from the Konti's. But she was not here to judge the woman, and she scolded herself for starting to compare the two. That was not helpful, and it was not who she wanted to be. Just because she had been given three times the training and career assistance as most people in the city didn't mean she had the right to consider others less than herself. After all, if this woman had become a high society walkabout, she might not have been in the right place at the right time to deliver her message. Gemma smiled at the woman as she was reminded of her value and chose to project love at her even as she interrupted her break.

"Where was the fall?" She asked when the woman had finished explaining the situation.

"And did you notice any crying or obvious injuries? Did you see if they were moving their legs?" She asked. All of these details would determine if Gemma could be the one to go to the scene or if they needed to call for someone else. But as Gemma thought about each situation that was coming into her mind, she realized that she was capable of at least keeping the person stable until they got back to the Catholicon.

She started when the woman asked if she was a healer. She grabbed her gloved wrist where her healer's mark rested dormant, but she remembered that sometimes people called all kinds of medical personnel healers. She was just being paranoid.

"Hmm, never mind. From what you've said I should be able to help out. I think everyone else is busy at the moment. I'll be right back." She said, slipping back into The Catholicon. She went to a closet near the entrance and pulled out a bundle of two rods lashed together with a cord and sling. The poles were wrapped in cloth. It was a stretcher. She slung the bundle over one shoulder and spoke over the other.

"Rasika, an elderly person fell just a little bit ago. I'm heading out to bring them in." She said. Rasika nodded her understanding and Gemma jogged out into the pouring rain, gesturing for the woman to lead the way.

They ran carefully down the slope of Tenten, down the stairs that wound down from The Catholicon, all the way to the connection between peeks, where they headed to the center of Lhavit, Zintia. They had to go up again, and before long they were in the residential sector of the peak, close to the apartments. Gemma was led to a still gathered group of spectators with an elderly lady in the center, laying on the ground and clearly uncomfortable.

Gemma pulled off her right glove and held her exposed hand before her as she walked through the crowd. "Please let me through, I'm a healer. I'm here to help." She was let through quickly and the old woman was shown to her.

"Hello, ma'am, my name is Gemma. I'm a healer. I'm going to do my best to get you fixed up and ready for transport to The Catholicon, ok? I'm just going to check you for breaks and bleeding."

She called over to the courier. "Can you hold her head for me while I check her?"

As she spoke, she began inspecting the woman for obvious breaks or bleeding, all the while praying to Rak'keli. Her winged serpent gnosis mark shone silver as she searched, quickly finding a gash on her back that was bleeding into the street where the blood was quickly washed away by the pouring rain. The woman was trembling, clearly in the first stages of hypothermia. She also winced when Gemma touched near the wound on her back and around her hip. She slid the stretcher off her shoulder onto the ground beside her and grabbed clean cloth from her bag, sliding it under the woman's back to put pressure on the wound.

"Can you feel when I touch your legs here and here?" Gemma asked, multitasking. She was hoping to rule out permanent paralysis. Thankfully, the woman nodded her head. It seemed the worst of it was the back and hip, along with a sore neck from falling.

"Aren't you a little young to be a doctor?" The old lady croaked, somehow ornery enough to complain about the person trying to save her.

Gemma just smiled. "I'm not as young as I look, don't worry." She said, not feeling the need to defend herself to her patient.

She looked around and saw two young men standing and watching her. She assumed they were here for the woman.

"You two. I need you to find me a thick blanket to cover her and keep her warm."

She turned to the courier now that the inspection was finished. "I need you to run to All Things Wild. Do you know where that is? It's an herbalist's shop here on Zintia. I need you to get Tulja and Vyfox. Say it back to me." She said, looking the woman in the eye. "Tell them you're on business for the Catholicon and we'll pay her after we get this patient her care. If they ask who sent you, tell them Gemma." That was all she had time for. The woman wasn't thrashing about, so her neck would probably be fine, but Gemma couldn't leave her. She needed to keep pressure on the wound, and she should really be talking to her to keep her calm.

OOC: :
They won't have Tulja at All Things Wild, but they can direct you to The Starry Chalice, which is in Azure Market, also on Zintila.
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Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

Postby Cassiea on March 16th, 2019, 5:13 pm

"Sure, she was an interesting woman, but I don't think she was crying. Probably thought it was beneath her. The kids were more likely to be crying than she, I'd imagine. Though she definitely looked uncomfortable, and I didn't see her moving." Cassiea offered the information with a chipper tone of voice, whilst bouncing on the balls of her feet to keep herself moving. She remembered, very vividly, the last time she'd stopped running suddenly, and the crippling cramp that had followed.

She was pleased when the woman decided she would be able to help, though of course she still had the duty to lead the way. The healer finished gathering what she needed and gestured for her to lead the way. Cass set off. It was still raining, and perhaps the tempo of the droplets had increased. Surface water that struggled to seek soil ran in gentle currents down the culverts and gullies of thee street, so she splashed as she ran, even if she went a little slower for her companion's sake.

It was a fair distance back, and she was beginning to tire. She definitely enjoyed running, but the delight was taken out when it started to become a slog, which was what it was gradually becoming. Nevertheless, there was a certain way of blanking out most thought that helped in situations like these. Soon enough, without really realising it, and without too many breaks to catch breath, they'd reached the spot where the woman had fallen.

She dropped into a jog, and then slowed to a walk. The young man she'd been snared by previously smiled abstractedly at her, but it was the healer he focussed on most. Cassiea watched with a tiny shred of amusement that he seemed tongue-tied, whether that was from nervousness or he was simply shy. Gone was the irritation. She snuck a peek at the old woman, who seemed less 'with it' than when she had left. Perhaps that was why the young man was quieter; more worried, perhaps. The sobering thought wiped the amusement from her eyes.

The poncho-clad woman breezed up to the gathered bunch of relatives and concerned citizens. Cassiea watched with interest as she removed a glove, flashing a mark on her hand, and the crowd parted. She exclaimed a little, "Oh!" of surprise, not recognising which deity it was, but realising she was god-marked. A little bit more special than usual. Cassiea wondered what she had done to merit such a thing, and found to her utter surprise that she was slightly jealous, of all things.

Cassiea didn't have much time to register the bitter taste her jealousy left in her mouth before the healer beckoned her, needing help. She mentioned a shop, then two herbs, or tinctures or whatever they were. She spoke them back, "Tulja and Vyfox. Right. I'll be as fast as I can. Is she going to be alright?" Even as she said it, she realised she shouldn't have. What a question to ask, with all the family gathered! Quickly she gathered herself, stretched her tense muscles, and smiled. "I'm sure she will, though!" She was certain Dahlia muttered something slightly rude under her breath, but she ignored the woman. Her care was in the healer's capable hands now.

Cassiea bid them farewell, and jogged around the corner whilst she orientated herself. In her head, she mapped where she was, trying to remember exactly where she needed to be going. All Things Wild - the herbalism shop. Where was that again? She racked her brain whilst jogging in the rough direction she assumed she needed to be going. Down some steps here, up the street there. Round the corner here?

There was a friendly-looking woman with a baby tied to her chest walking in the same direction she was going. Cassiea approached through the rain and put a smile on her face. "Hi there. Could you point me in the right direction for All Things Wild, please? It's been a while since I've been there." The baby wiggled his chubby fingers at the out-of-breath courier whilst his mother laid out the best way to get there for her. Cassiea was paying attention, obviously, but she also waved at the baby, who looked out from his protective cocoon with wide eyes at the world and the rain. Cassiea noticed his cherubic nose was dribbling. The mother absently stroked her baby's cheek, and Cass thanked her for the directions.

She continued, eventually reaching her destination. She was getting pretty tired now, and cold, but she had been repeating the names of the things the healer wanted repeatedly whilst she had been running, so she simply walked up to the desk and echoed the two words back with an attached, "Please," for politeness' sake.

ooc :
Oops! This got long. Sorry there's not really much for you, I'll make Cass come back asap. :)
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Dahlia's Fall (Gemma)

Postby Gemma Parker on March 17th, 2019, 2:07 am

Gemma was in her element. Even as the rain continued to pour, soaking all those in the exposed street, Gemma could feel almost as much as she saw the tension melting from Dahlia’s body. She winced visibly against the pressure of the gauze that was pressed up into her wound. But even as she felt around, she could tell that the woman’s hip was worse than she had first thought. She had suspected bruising around the hip and thigh, but with the amount of pain the woman was showing even though she seemed resolute not to cry, Gemma was pretty sure the bone was either broken or deeply bruised, especially since her gnosis mark didn’t seem to be doing anything to stem the pain. If it had been a normal bruise and scrape, her mark would have cured it almost immediately.

She kept praying as she worked, asking Rek’keli to do what Gemma could not. The woman’s life was not in danger, but if she stayed in the cold rain like this she would likely get hypothermia, which would sap her much needed strength.

The two relatives came back with the blanket and Gemma instructed them to lightly wrap the woman.

“You. What’s your name?” She asked the nearest relative who had brought the blanket.

“Dannie.” He said.

“Dannie. I need you to help me, come here.” She tried to keep her voice soft but firm.

“Dannie, do you see how these two sticks are tied together?” She asked. He nodded. “Good. I need you to untie the sticks, ok? Let me know when you’re done.” With Dannie working beside her, Gemma turned her attention back to the patient.

“Hey, Dahlia, how does that feel? Any better?” Gemma asked.

“It does feel a bit better, but it still hurts.” Dahlia said.

“That’s all right, we’re still only getting started. It’s good that you’re feeling better. Can you do me a favor and wiggle your feet?”

Dahlia did so, and Gemma saw both feet move.

“Does that feel ok?” She asked.

The woman nodded with a facial shrug.

“Ok good, that’s what I want to hear. It looks like you’re going to be just fine. We’re just going to get you to the Catholicon to rest and heal, ok? We’re going to carry you there, you’re not going to walk. It might feel a little strange to be carried on a little bed, but it’ll be over in no time, ok?”

Dahlia nodded, and Gemma looked around in the street in the way Casseia had run. Where was she?
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