Flashback [The Opal Temple] Classes Begin

[Serynia]

1st Day of Fall, 505 A.V. Serynia walked excitedly towards the Opal Temple, almost tripping over her own feet in anticipation. She could see the twin white towers rising against the azure sky. Her mother, Elwyn, was a healer in the Opal Order and ever since she was born with the mark of Rak'keli she knew that she was destined to follow in her mother's footsteps as a healer too. While Serynia had learned much over the years watching her mother at work, it was now time for her to become formally trained in the healing arts. And so she had decided to sign up for classes in both medicine and herbalism for this term. When she entered the reception chamber, she was greeted by Merida Zuval, the receptionist with the milky white eyes. "Welcome to the Opal Temple. How can we help you?" "Hi. I am here for my medicine and herbalism classes. I have the mark of Rak'keli and I wish to join the Opal Order after my two years of study." “That's great. Drae Sommers is our Herbalism teacher. Her class starts at the third bell after sunrise. Your Medicine class will be with Kanis Obvala and her class begins at the ninth bell after sunrise. If you need additional help with learning about your abilities, you can also talk to the High Priestess, Nadia Sutalis. Herbalism class is just down the hall to your right. I'd hurry or you'll be late." "Thank you." Serynia replied before rushing off to her first class.

[Serynia]

"You're late," Mistress Sommers admonished with a stern look when Serynia entered the classroom. Serynia's cheeks blushed a furious tomato red as she quickly took a seat at an empty desk in the front row. "Make sure you are punctual for the rest of the term. What's your name?" "Sorry Mistress Sommers. It won't happen again. My name is Serynia." Sinking low into the chair, Serynia tried to make herself look as inconspicuous as possible. She pulled out a leather note book, a quill, and a pot of ink from her backpack and placed them on her desk. Looking behind her, she could see that the class was small with only three other students, two other Konti and a human male. Clearing her throat, Mistress Sommers addressed the rest of the class, "Okay now where was I? Oh yes. The study of herbalism is the traditional practice of using plants for medicinal purposes. As such, one of the first things you will need to know will be how to identify common plants." The Konti woman gestured to the three clay pots on a table. "Who can tell me what the first plant is and what are some of it's uses?" The first pot contained a short plant with a rosette of wrinkled leaves from which a slim stemless leaf grew with a yellow flower and a red center. Hoping to make up for her earlier tardiness, Serynia's hand shot up into the air. The professor nodded at her to answer. "That plant is Connal. It is a perennial found in temperate hills, plains, and mountains. It can be used to make a hot bath to ease pain of joints and wounds, as a tea to induce sleep, or fermented to make a white wine." Behind her, Serynia heard one of the Konti girls whisper under their breath, "Teacher's Pet" while the other students tried to muffle their giggles. Serynia just ignored them. She was here to learn and she didn't care what the others thought of her. Mistress Sommers didn't appear to have heard the comment and continued on, "Very good Serynia. Now who can tell me what the second plant is and what it is used for?" This plant had rounded leaves and a very distinct aroma. This time Serynia waited to give someone else a chance to answer. When no one did, she again raised her hand. "That one is Batonal. It can be used as either a cooking spice or can also when taken as an infusion used to cure stomach aches." "Right again Serynia. Now for the third plant...let's give someone else a chance to answer". Mistress Sommers pointed at the male human in the back row. "Luke. Can you please tell the class what the third plant is?" The flowers on this plant were small and white and grew in flat combs and clusters on top. The stems were erect and slight with long leaves that were shaped like lances and formed of hundreds of smaller, tinier leaves. Luke took a moment to think before responding, "Vyfox. The flowers can be crushed and placed on cuts as an antiseptic and coagulant or can be made into a poultice for major wounds. One can also make a tea from the leaves to help injuries heal faster." Mistress Sommers nodded her head in approval. "We'll take a short break now and when you come back, we'll learn more about how to use these herbs that you have been able to identify."

[Serynia]

"I wouldn't let those other girls get to you." Luke whispered to Serynia. Startled, she turned around to see that he had approached her to talk. "They're just jealous that you're so much smarter than them." He flashed her a friendly grin and held out his hand. "My name's Luke Corwen. You're Serynia right? How do you happen to know so much about herbs already?" Serynia gingerly shook his hand and replied, "Yes my name's Serynia. Nice to meet you Luke. My mother is a healer of the Opal Temple so I grew up watching her work with many herbs and medicines so I have a basic understanding of them. I'm hoping that taking these classes will broaden my knowledge even further so I can join her as one of Rak'Keli's healers. You seem pretty knowledgeable yourself." "Well my father is a doctor in Zeltiva. He sent me here to learn more about medicine and healing. I guess we have that in common then. Well I'd better get back to my seat." Mistress Sommers rapped her knuckles on the table in front of her getting the classes attention. "Break's over. Everyone back to their seats. Now we will discuss how to use these herbs. There are three basic processes that can be used. They are infusion, maceration, and decoction. "Infusion is the process of pouring hot or cold water over the leaves, stems, seeds, or roots of the herb. This is usually done with hot water to make a tea from the herb. Usually the herb is steeped for no more than fifteen or thirty chimes. If allowed to steep for too long, the infusion can become bitter tasting. However, if the tea is used for herbal or medicinal purposes then steeping for a longer period, up to four bells may lead to better potency for health benefits. Usually an infusion is consumed immediately but it can be bottled and stored in a cool place for later use. "Maceration is the process of soaking the herb in an oil for an extended period of time. This process allows for us to extract delicate or highly volatile herbal essences cold. It is similar to an infusion but is more time consuming and is usually done without heat. While oils are commonly used, any liquid can be a solvent. Vinegar can be used as well as liquors which are more commonly known as tinctures. Even honey or plain water can be used. When making a maceration, it is important to use the dried form of the herb. While it is possible to use fresh herbs, it is not advised to do so as the moisture contained in the fresh plant can spoil the maceration. You can grind the the plant matter into a fine powder which will help to hasten the process of the liquid suspension to absorb the plant essences. Placing the maceration in a warm area under direct sunlight can also help to quicken the process. Another method is to actively shake the maceration regularly throughout the sitting phase. Remember it is important to sterilize and thoroughly dry all containers and equipment used to prevent spoilage. After a few weeks or months, you will then strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve made of muslin or cheesecloth. You will then decant the maceration into mason jars or amber bottles which must be covered tightly and can then be stored for later use. "Finally decoction is the process in which the stems, roots, or bark of the herb are boiled in water. While a decoction can be used to make a tea or tincture, the difference is that boiling the plant material often results in different properties as it tends to extract more of the oil soluble contents of the herb. You would normally boil the plant material for eight to ten chimes in water and then strain. "That's enough material for your first class. For your next class, your assignment will be to create an infusion, a maceration, and a decoction and you will discuss the benefits of each. Class is dismissed."

[Serynia]

Determined to make it in time for her second class in Medicine, Serynia arrived a few minutes early. Entering the classroom, she was pleasantly surprised to see Luke was also in the class. She took a seat next to him. "Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together this term," he said as he winked at her. Mistress Obvala called the class to order. She seemed to be a little more casual in her teaching manner than Mistress Sommers. Or at least it seemed that way to Serynia. "Medicine is the study of how to maintain the health of a body as well as how to cure disease and treat injuries." She stated. "This class will be broken into two parts. First you will learn about how to create medicines using the art of philtering. The second part of class will be taught in the Opal Clinic where you will learn to care for patients and treat simple wounds and injuries." She gestured at the table in front of the class that held some philtering equipment. "Before you can first learn how to create medicines using the skill of philtering, one must learn the basic tools that are used. Most of you are familiar with the mortar and pestle. This is used to grind herbs into powders. Now who can tell me what this is?" The device she pointed to was made of two glass vessels connected by a tube. The first glass flask was in the shape of a pear on top of which sat a screwed on lid hood to which was attached a tube that emptied into another receiving flask. This time it was Luke who raised his hand first. "It's an alembic. It's usually used in the process of distillation." Mistress Obvala nodded her head in approval. "Correct. Distillation consists of several steps. The first step is evaporation in which we will heat up a liquid placed in the first flask. The second step is condensation where the vapors that are boiled from the heat rise through the coiled glass tubes and cool down. As they cool down, they will become a liquid once again. The last step is distillation in which the cooled liquid is collected into the second flask. This liquid will be a more pure form than the original liquid. Thus distillation can be used to remove impurities. Can anyone tell me how distillation can be used to make medicines?" This time no one raised their hand. "No one knows? Well distillation can be used to create herbal distillates which can then be used to make medicines. This is the same process in which we can produce essential oils from flowers and herbs. The essential oil will float to the top of distillate while the herbal distillate is the portion that is the watery part of the distillate. I want you to break up into groups of two and you will practice this process." Serynia looked at Luke and asked, "Want to be my lab partner?" "Only if you'll do all the work." He joked.