L'orlei collects some stuff from the wilderness and turns it into mizas.
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Home of the Konti people, this ivory city is built of native konti stone half in and half out of the sea. Its borders touch the Silverwood, and stretch upwards towards Silver Lake, home of the infamous konti vision water. [Lore]
L'orlei was ready to go, she had everything she needed for her latest venture into the forest. Well, maybe not everything, but she didn't plan on going very far and seriously doubted that she would be attack by anything. She'd never been attacked before, and even if she was, she wouldn't have had the first clue as to how to use the dagger to defend herself anyway. It was mostly just for cutting things, like branches, and vines, and stuff.
L'orlei always loved it when she went out to gather. She didn't have to worry about dealing with people, and she got to appreciate the beauty of the island. It wasn't that she didn't like people, she was just shy, having grown up rather sheltered from everyone other than her mother. She didn't know how to talk to people, unless it was to sell them something, so she really didn't have much of a social life. But out in the wilderness she didn't need to be social. She just had her and the trees to worry about.
L'orlei had been walking for about two bells; she was deep within the forest. She wasn't really looking for anything specific, just whatever she could find. The island was full of useful plants, roots, and things of that nature, One just had to know where to look for them. L'orlei didn't know all of them, but she knew at least enough to be productive. Many of the herbs were combined with other things, oils and the like, to produce the things she sold in her shop, so knowing what they looked like and where to find them was essential to running a successful business.
Kontinese - Green | Common - White | Tukant - Cyan
As she walked L'orlei would pause every so often to examine the trees, or a patch of grass, or even a root sticking up from the ground. She was looking for things that she recognized, things that she knew would be useful to her and that she could potentially sell.
At the moment she was walking through a grove of beautiful white trees which she knew to be Hythorne trees. They could be found all over the island, and their sap was sweet and fragrant. Unfortunately, L'orlei didn't have anything with her that she could use to extract the sap, so she wouldn't be making any sweets from the trees. She did, however, spot something else that was of interest to her.
Growing around the base of many of the trees was a silvery bush-like plant known as cardamom. This was something she knew she could use, and it wouldn't be difficult to collect either. Pulling her dagger from her belt, L'orlei knelt next to one of the plants and began to shave off the tips of the branches. The small bulbs at the ends were what she was really after, because they contained the seeds to the plant. When she got home she would open up the bulbs and take out the seeds, but for the time the branches would do fine.
L'orlei cut off six of the branches, leaving the rest of the plant intact. She didn't want to harvest the entire thing, because then it would not be able to reproduce. It was a shame the konti couldn't heal plants, otherwise she would have used her gnosis to do just that, but she knew she hadn't really harmed the plant much, and it would soon recover from the small wound she'd inflicted on it. After she was done, L'orlei stood and continued on her way.
It didn't take the young Konti long before she came across another plant that she knew. It was harder to recognize without the berries, but the needles that grew on the small plants growing just below knee height were certain to be that of the Gorst shrub. They were common throughout the woodlands, and weren't really very useful for her purposes, but she did have the beginnings of an idea in mind for them.
Most people coveted the berries of that grew on the shrub for their color to be used in dyes, but those only grew in winter. It was the needles L'orlei wanted anyway. She was no clothier, she didn't usually need dyes, but the needles she could use. L'orlei quickly broke off a handful of the small green twigs and dropped them into her basket along with the Cardamom, just as she spotted another plant growing in the shade of a tall tree.
"Oh, perfect!"
Exclaiming to nobody but herself, L'orlei quickly ran over to the plant. It was the main thing she had been looking for ever since she'd come across the cardamom. It was a plant that most konti were familiar with, though probably not in its green state. Beaked Hazelnut, a popular vanity item chewed by the women of the isle, was good for the teeth and gums. L'orlei quickly took all the nuts from the bush, knowing that more would grow soon, and memorized its location in her mind. There were five nuts in total, more than enough for her to try the experiment she had in her mind, and she could always come back for more later in the season.
Dropping the nuts in her basket, L'orlei quickly surveyed its contents. Nuts, cardamom, the gorst she had just harvested. Yes, together those should be enough for what she was planning. She might need to stop and purchase a few other items, but she had the core ingredients now. It was time to head back to town.
OOC :
Total Items Gathered: 6 Cardamom Branches Handful of Gorst Needles 5 Beaked Hazelnuts
L'orlei hurried home, excited to work with her new ingredients. She didn't have very far to go, having only traveled a bell or two out of the city, and soon enough she was entering her cozy abode. She quickly ran across the room and dumped the contents of her basket onto the table, sorting out each ingredient. Some she put away for later use, while the rest she kept on the table.
Next L'orlei went to her chest, digging around for a moment, before pulling out her mortar and pestle. Most of the ingredients would need to be crushed up, so she set that on the table next to them. She also pulled out her iron pot, which she used both for work and for cooking meals, and then ran outside to fill it with water. Finally she went to the hearth and sparked up a fire, hanging the pot over it so the water would come to a boil. While she waited on that, she returned to the table.
"Okay.. I guess I'll do these first," she mumbled to herself, gathering up the gorst needles and dropping a few into the mortar. "I hate this part..."
It would take some time to grind up all the needles into a fine paste, but it was necessary and had to be done. As she worked the mortar and pestle, setting the dish in her lap and grinding away, she kept an eye on the water. She didn't want it to boil over while she had her attentions elsewhere, but it was a lot of water, so she still had time. Grinding up anything took time, and she knew her arm would be aching by the end of the night. After the first few needles were ground up she dropped in a couple more and began grinding again.
After three batches of needles, half of what she had brought, she set her tools aside and went over to the pot of water. It was just starting to boil and she stared, watching the bubbles slowly form, at first calm, but soon raging as the water heated up. She let it boil for a few chimes before taking three of the beaked hazelnuts and dropping them in. She let them boil for a few chimes longer, then removed the pot from the fire and let them soak in the warm water overnight.
OOC :
Total Items Gathered: 6 Cardamom Branches Half a handful of Gorst Needles 5 Beaked Hazelnuts Half a handful's worth of grinded up gorst needle paste
L'orlei returned to the table, reaching for some of the Cardamom branches. She took two, leaving the rest for later use. Taking her dagger, she carefully cut open the pods on the end and started plucking out the seeds, dropping them into the mortar to mix with the gorst needles. While the gorst was mostly for flavors, the seeds were the first ingredient to her mixture that actually mattered. They helped treet infections in the mouth, as well as adding their own minty flavor to the mixture. Once she managed to extract all the seeds from the two branches, L'orlei went back to work grinding them up.
It was a long, dull process, but it was how such things were made. And she had been right to think her arm would be aching before it was done, because it was already aching. The repetitive motion, the force she had to push with, it would have been hard on anyone's muscles. The fact that L'orlei wasn't the word's most experienced herbalist didn't help matters much, either.
After a while the Konti had the seeds ground in well enough, and she was finally able to stop. She scraped the past of needles and seeds into a glass jar, then went outside to wash off her tools. She was done for the night. All that was left was to add the main ingredient, the hazelnuts, but that would have to wait until they softened overnight.
OOC :
Total Items Gathered: 4 Cardamom Branches Half a handful of Gorst Needles 5 Beaked Hazelnuts Half a handful's worth of grinded up gorst needle paste 2 pods worth of ground up cardamom seeds
The night brought with it peaceful sleep, and L'orlei awoke the next morning feeling fully refreshed. She was almost done with her project, she just had a little bit left to do. L'orlei went over to her pot, which was now cold, and pulled out the three hazelnuts. They were still a little hard, but it would have to do. She didn't feel like letting them soak another night.
So.. it was back to the mortar and pestle. She had to do it in bits, using her dagger to cut up the nuts to make them easier to grind. The shells were hard, and usually tough to chew, but they were good for the teeth and so chewing hazelnuts was a daily thing for many konti. The paste she was making would be so much easier.
L'orlei worked hard to grind the nuts and, slowly but surely, they crushed down into a wet paste. It took nearly a bell to get them to the consistency she wanted, but L'orlei did not give up and eventually the nuts were ready.
L'orlei reached for the jar from the night before, popping it open and dumping the contents into the mortar. She had to make sure to stir it up good, that way all the ingredients would be dispersed easily throughout the concoction. It was a lot easier to mix the ingredients together than it was to break them all up, and it didn't take long before L'orlei was satisfied.
Staring down at what she had just created, something seemed wrong. She wasn't happy with its consistency. First she tried to add some water, but that just made it too liquidy. No, she needed something to bind it all together.
After a moment of thinking she had an idea. Running over to her chest again she rummaged around and let out a happy laugh when she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a candle and broke off the end of it, making sure to pull out the wick. The candle was made of beeswax, which would add some more flavor, but more importantly, it would help to bind the whole mixture together. A few more chimes of grinding in the mortar and her concoction was complete!
Dipping in her finger she rubbed some of it onto her teeth. It had an earthy flavor, mixed with a bit of mint for freshness. The beeswax did make it taste a bit better, also. L'orlei rubbed the substance on her teeth, back and forth with her finger, until they began to squeak with cleanliness. If she was right, the paste would not only freshen breath, but would promote healthy teeth and gums as well. It tasted better, and was easier to chew than the hazelnut shells, and it was something she could sell in her stall!
OOC :
Total Items Gathered: 4 Cardamom Branches Half a handful of Gorst Needles 5 Beaked Hazelnuts Half a handful's worth of grinded up gorst needle paste 2 pods worth of ground up cardamom seeds
More than a little excited about her new invention, L'orlei hastily got her things together and headed down to the docks. She was so excited she even forgot to eat, something she would regret later in the day, but she didn't care about that. She just wanted to try to sell her new creation.
I wonder how much I should charge for it, she thought to herself, I don't even know how well it works. ..maybe.. one miza. Yeah, no more than a gold, until I've been using it for a while. I'm sure it will work, but I don't want to overcharge until I know.
L'orlei eventually arrived at her usual spot next to the docks at the harbor. She didn't have an actual shop, she just laid down her blanket any place she fancied and tried to sell. The harbor was one of her favorite spots because she could catch travelers coming in and out of the city. Often her best customers were those leaving, catching them at the last minute and convincing them they would need her wares while they were out on the open sea. Unfortunately, it also usually meant no repeat business unless they were frequent visitors of the isle.
L'orlei waited, occasionally trying to catch the attention of men and women walking by, but none of them seemed interested. She had a system for getting customers, sort of, though she wasn't entirely exactly how she chose her marks. It probably had something to do with their names. If their name was something sinister like "Evilon Darkhorn" or something she usually didn't bother them, no matter what their personality might have actually been like. Their face also had something to do with it. They had to have a friendly face. Of course L'orlei would turn down no customer that willingly approached, but she did have one secret weapon for bringing in the ones she chose.
When he passed she knew instantly, he would be the one. A tall man with a kind face, his skin the tone of a man who has been at sea many years. His legs seemed uneasy on land, but the moment he stepped onto the wooden plank of the dock he instantly relaxed. This man spent most of his time on the water, which meant having enough supplies to last was important to him. She heard his name in her mind like everyone else who saw, and L'orlei called out to him.
"Excuse me sir! Captain Risewald! Leo Risewald! Could I just have a moment of your time please?
Kontinese - Green | Common - White | Tukant - Cyan
The captain stopped and turned around at the sound of his name, spotting L'orlei waving at him not far away. At first he looked confused, not recognizing her, but she somehow knew his name. Perhaps he had met her in town and couldn't remember. As usual, L'orlei's secret weapon worked perfectly. People just couldn't stand walking away from somebody who apparently knew them. Perhaps it was a bit devious on her part, but it brought in customers, and it wasn't like she was selling a scam. L'orlei's wares really were helpful.
The captain approached, removing his hat, and stopped just before stepping on her blanket. "I'm sorry, miss, I must have forgotten your name."
L'orlei smiled and shook her head. "No worries, my name's L'orlei."
The captain nodded, still not recalling who she was, but not wanting to be rude and let her know he had completely forgotten her. "Uh, was there something you were needin, miss?"
"Oh, I just thought a man like yourself could benefit from some of my wares. You can never be too careful out on the sea."
"Oh, that's quite alright, miss, I have everything I need."
The captain made as if he were going to leave, but L'orlei interjected, "Are you sure? You can never be too careful, Leo."
At the mention of his name again Leo stopped, sighing slightly. He had no idea who the woman was, but they apparently knew each other, and it felt wrong to walk away. "Alright, well... lets see what you have then."
Kontinese - Green | Common - White | Tukant - Cyan
L'orlei quickly began pointing out various items that she sold in her shop that she thought might be useful to the man. He feigned interest, but really he was just humoring the woman, and L'orlei could tell. Still, she wanted to save her newest product for last.
"This ointment here, when rubbed on your skin, will help protect you from to much exposure to Syna's light. But.. I can tell by your skin, you aren't too bothered by the sun. It can also help to treat burns."
He wasn't interested in the ointment, really, though it might have been useful to some of his crew. L'orlei went through some of her other items, but none of them were of interest to him either. At least, until she picked up the small scroll with the glyph drawn on it.
"This item is a bit more expensive, but you seem like a man who can afford the more quality stuff. The glyph has the gift of Rak'keli stored in it. I only have a few of these, and they are very delicate, but if you place them on a wound and speak the word Rak'keli, they will purify the wound and prevent it from getting infected. Very useful for when you can't get to a city in time to treat an injury. It's twenty gold mizas."
The captain frowned a bit at the price, but didn't dismiss the notion entirely. Asking her to show what else she had, L'orlei continued. She was finally ready to unveil her new product. It might not have been as impressive or expensive as the healing scroll, but she was still excited.
"This is my newest product. You wont find anything like it. Made from hazelnut shells and other ingredients, this paste will not only give you fresh breath, but will also make your teeth healthier."
The captain looked skeptical, but L'orlei pressed on.
"We Konti chew hazelnut shells every day to keep our teeth healthy, but with this all you do is dab a little on your finger and rub until your teeth are squeaky clean. The hazelnut will help them stay strong, while the other ingredients will keep your breath fresh and enticing for all the ladies you'll meet when you come to port."
Kontinese - Green | Common - White | Tukant - Cyan
The last bit did the trick. It was always the ladies with men, anything to help them get the ladies. L'orlei herself was a virgin, so she didn't quite understand the whole sex thing. She knew she would need to do it eventually so that she could have a daughter, or perhaps even a son if it was with an akalak, but she had never been with a man before. She didn't have much interest in it, truly. It wasn't to say she didn't find them attractive and wasn't curious, she was just too shy and didn't know what she was missing so she had little incentive to overcome it. But men always wanted it, and L'orlei could use that to sell.
"Hmm.. I think I'll take some of that, then. And actually, I want the scroll as well."
No way! He was actually going to buy the paste.. and the scrol!l? L'orlei never sold the scrolls! Her glyphing skills were so mediocre that her glyphs were easily destroyed. Even the slightest smudge or drop of water could mess them up. She quickly got it together, despite her surprise, and did her best to keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Excellent choice, captain! Now, be very careful with the scroll and don't let it get damaged. If the glyph is damaged, the magic will not work. Keep it some place safe. As for the paste, I only have one jar, but if you ever return to Mura I will have more.
The man took the jar, and the scroll, and handed over the mizas that were due. L'orlei excitedly accepted the money, deciding she would eat well that night and celebrate. It had bene a while since she'd had such a successful morning, there was no way she was going to turn down a chance to have some fun. The captain thanked her and shortly after left, leaving L'orlei to tend to her shop once more. She made a few more minor sells that day, but nothing worth getting excited over. Even so, her happiness from that morning did not fade, and that night she celebrated with the best meal she had had in ages.
~End
Kontinese - Green | Common - White | Tukant - Cyan
by L'orlei on April 26th, 2012, 4:55 pm 
