A simple recipe.

[Zaedus]

((Structure of this story:
For most of the story I will be using Simple Narration, when it comes to combat or certain interactions in the story I will utilize everything up to Full Control. I will and always maintain complete control of any NPC's you encounter. They are mine, not yours so back off . If you have any questions concerning this please look HERE[/size] for the definitions of each. If any of the above rules are broken you will be notified by PM to avoid spam in this thread and to maintain privacy.

-Thank you, Your GM
Zaedus ))


All was well on this fine day in Wistvale, the townsfolk scurried about doing their daily tasks and the merchants had their own personal criers advertising wares. The Sentinels ever roaming the town as usual keeping things in order. The breeze was soft bringing the salt air from the sea through the town. Through the bustle of the town a small hunched figure weaved her way through the town. She was small, and old and most cleared out of her path. It may have been due to her age, or perhaps the somewhat acrid odor that permeated about her. The little woman finally reached the billboard that served as the cities news center. Reaching into her tattered purple robes she pulled out a small scroll. Waving away a mass of tangled hair from her face she pinned the parchment to the board. Standing back she nodded her head in approval and scurried off. Anyone wandering by would read.

"In need of hardy folk to get me a few things. I am requesting assistance because frankly who would send an old woman off to get her own things in the wilderness? Rudeness, just rude.

I require a few choice ingredients and those who are wiling meet me in my shop payment can be arranged or negotiated.

Tabitha, owner of Tabitha's Tinctures."


( this is for anyone, new or old it matters not.)

[Aegil]

Aegils interest was piqued as she studied the sign, amused over the personality portrayed in the message. After some brief debate she decided it was worth the effort, and though her need to keep a low profile was important, she couldn't resist helping someone like an elderly woman with a sense of humor. After some difficulty convincing some locals she WASNT in need of a few coins and drink, just directions, she finally found the store. To think that a little smell and shabby clothing could create such an image. The ominous presence that surrounded her no doubt only made her already inadequate social abilities even harsher. With a brief shake of her head she slipped inside and peered about.

[Alec]

Having already known about the old hag's need for an interesting new concoction, Alec looked up from his place, leaned against the counter, as Aegil pushed her way into the store. Empty, flat black eyes look out of a handsome, if rather pale, and gaunt, face with stubble creeping onto it, all framed by flowing black hair. Giving a smile that you could cut gemstones on, that doesn't touch anywhere near his eyes, he pushes off of the counter and sketches a short bow to Aegil.

"Come to help the old bag, too?" he says in a voice rusted, not with real physical age, but with weeks, perhaps months, of disuse.

[Aegil]

Aegil raised a delicate brow at the strange mans blatent disrespect for the elderly. "Perhapes" she replied in her wispy lilt with a faint dip of her head in acknowledgement. Leaning on her staff for support she carefully stepped further into the shop, busying herself with glancing through some books she found. Gently placing her own book tied shut with twine on a table at her side, she lifted a volume from the shelf at random and flipped through with delicate care.

[Ivy]

Ivy had noticed the help wanted sign too, and immediently grinned. An adventure, with who knows what kind of surprises? Yes please! trying had to contain her excitment, she began her search for the store, not taking her long. Once she arrived, she couldnt help the smile that was fighting to be seen, so she gave in, and looking like she had won some big prize, pushed opened the store door and walked in. Immediently she noticed Aegil, the women who needed a bath, and a man standing next to the counter. She nodded to both of them.

[Ely]

Ely raked a hand through the shining strands of red hair being blown haphazardly by the wind. She had left Galena's local chapter house less than twenty minutes ago. They had needed extra hands today. A recent pirate attack had left a series of sailing ships floating awkwardly in Wistvale's harbor and had filled the House with wounded bodies.

The Cathian girl stretched and twisted her small frame from one side to the other. It had been awhile since she was required to remain standing in one place for so long. Even so, she felt an almost consuming sense of accomplishment. Ely was always thrilled to watch how a patient responded to her skillful hands. Maybe one day she would be able to merge her fire magic with her medical abilities. Who knew?

This thought had inspired her to head toward the center of town instead of home. Ely was a wildly curious soul. Not only that; she was chaotic, prone to fits of obsession when getting a new idea, and quite frequently, stubbornly persistent. Maybe she would run into something that would help in the untrodden shops. Maybe she would run into a scholar with more information on multiple magic schools. Maybe she would find a mage that had done...

The Cathian's bright green eyes spotted an old woman with a tattered purple robe. She appeared to be headed toward the town center. Ely couldn't explain why she followed her, only that the older woman seemed purposeful. Ely was prone to random illogical leaps, too. She watched her pin the message to a news board then turn and head back up the street she had recently come down. Her gaze went back to the board. One corner of the clean paper was flapping back and forth. Ely could almost hear a timorous, old voice saying, "come closer, read me."

She hesitated for only a second before darting forward to read the missive. Ingredients. She could gather ingredients. Hell, she needed some herself. This would be an easy way to get paid for it and restock her supply at the same time. Tabitha's Tinctures. She saw that store a couple of streets over.

Ten minutes later Ely was opening the door to the shop. There were a few others in front of her but no sign of the older woman.

"Hello?"

[Zaedus]

( This post is mainly for RP purposes it will not reveal any plot points until Alex is able to post since he desired interest in joining. )

The smell of the shop was..well hard to explain. Depending on where you were it either smelled of delicate perfumes, acrid tonics, or.... unexplained things in jars. All in all the shop was quaint, if a bit messy from the dirt scattered across the floor in certain areas, or dripping pots.

A soft cackle could be heard in the back, then a loud puff and swearing swiftly following that. Shortly after the little woman appeared from the back, a viscous green goop covering her face.

"Well....I say that was a mess, interesting taste though....."

She muttered as she wiped her face with a, questionably clean, cloth. Her small little eyes widened with surprise with the three standing in the small store. She walked to the back wall and grabbed a small stool. Setting it down by the back part of the counter she stood on it, even then her head barely popped over the tall counter top. she looked to right leaning back ever so slightly.

"Why didn't you say we had guests....?"

She waved one of her small hands in dismissal.

"Ah....never mind it, you weren't one for talking anyways, unless it was in riddle.....still frustrating and rude no less......always rude...."

Realizing her ramblings she quickly reasserted herself, viewing the three who stood infront of her.

"Hello! Welcome to Tabitha's Tinctures, I am Tabitha, of Tabitha's Tinctures, the very place you are standing in! Which is my place! And My Store, and....Oh, sorry....did not mean to ramble how rude of me, always rude to ramble....."

[Ivy]

Ivy watched the small women. She found the women amusing and funny, with her ramblings. She wasnt too interested in the money, although it wouldnt hurt to have some. She was more interested in an adventure. "Hi" She said to the women brightly. "My name is Ivy, Im here to look for ingredients for you. I was wondering, will it be dangerous?" She looked excited at the prospect.

[Aegil]

Aegil did not offer her voice as this 'Ivy' was more then happy to save her the trouble. Instead she gently placed the book back and lifted the twine holding her own book. Draping it over her shoulder she leaned once more on her staff and studied the aged woman and the rooms other occupants. For a moment a feeling of whimsy filled her at the sight of the old woman, her mannerisms reminding her of an elder she had once spent time with. Remembering similar ramblings with fondness made her heart ache, but she shoved this aside.

The man who had first greeted her entrance was... strange to put it lightly. Ivy was a little too keen for danger and Aegil kept a firm reminder to stand far from her. The last one held no particulars for the moment in Aegils mind.

[Alec]

Doing his best to not sound condescending, and failing not-quite-miserably, Alec looks at Ivy skeptically. "How dangerous could collecting ingredients really be, miss Ivy?" Stopping himself, he looks pensively up, towards the ceiling, as if expecting to find the answer to some question written there. "Well I mean unless she needs ogre's teeth or....I dunno, avvarhorn, or something entirely impossible like that."

Looking at the old woman and leaning his elbows on the counter in front of him, he gives another sharp smile. "Please god tell me you don't need any avvarhorn, Tabby."

[Ely]

Ely's nose wrinkled up and she muffled the sudden sneeze with a quick hand. The scent of a lavender perfume she must be standing by was so thick that it would likely follow her home. At least the sneeze had not been noticed. It could have been considered rude by the proprietress one never knew. The women reminded her of a Cathain Loremaster, too; one that often forgot where he was and what he had been doing.

Normally when coming into a new shop she would have introduced herself. It was only polite. But, a blonde girl whose name was Ivy had already started talking. She did not know her, either. This Ivy seemed rather young to be on her own, for a human, at least. Ely decided to remain quiet until another voice chimed in.

Ely certainly recognized it. That haughty voice was one she had been on the receiving end of before.

The Cathain was transported back several months to an encounter with the man attached to the voice on the streets of Wistvale. He'd run right into her without so much as a thought. In fact, Ely got the distinct impression he saw no one else but himself, at all. Then he had the nerve to snatch a set of books right out of her hands.

"You."

Ely's voice came out in a scornful tone before she could call it back.

[Alec]

Rising on his elbows and looking behind him, Alec's not-smile was dropped like it was on fire. Which, knowing who'd just walked into the shop it might well be so, and soon. "And you," he says in a dry, cobwebby tone, all pretext of niceties gone. Pushing himself to his full height and straightening himself out, he sketches the barest of bows to the young cat-girl, still not smiling. "Before you start yelling at me about your books, would you allow me to apologize for my.....unbecoming, I suppose? behavior when last we met? It was a stressful time for me." Running a gloved hand over the stubble on his jaw, he cracks a genuine smile, turning the eyes an iridescent shade of grey. "And if I recall correctly, you did have some interesting reading."

[Aegil]

Oh joy. It seemed some of the volunteers had some complicated history together. Well Aegil decided to draw that book out again and hide further in the shadowed corner of the shop. She wanted nothing to do with that kind of socialization, thankyou!

[Ely]

The books.

Ely's spine stiffened and her shoulders were thrown back subconsciously. She tried to appear taller and more powerful while he spoke. Ely wasn't going to let him chide her again. Whenever she thought of the incident, and she did; especially the hundred questions he threw at her. They had made her feel like a particularly silly schoolchild. He didn't come off much better in her imagination either. No, he took on the role of every nasty professor that had bombarded her with words until she made a mistake.

Maybe she should go home. Ely was quite certain spending time with him would be a very bad idea. She glanced down at her fingertips. Well, at least she could control her behavior. Her hands were spread out and rolled into her palm one finger at a time. There was no hint of flames.

Kiga had destroyed those maddening books months ago.

She was not possessed.

Her name was Ely.

She was a healer.

She was a Cathain.

She had a father and a mother and four older brothers.

She could control fire.

Ely repeated the sentences silently in her head until she trusted herself to speak out loud. Her gaze went back to the man whose eyes were now a dozen different shades of gray.

"I accept your apology. I was not myself then, either. Please, excuse me."

Ely stepped to the side and slid along a convenient counter top. If she was lucky the others would forget this incident.

[Ivy]

Ivy looked rather dissapointed at the thought of gathering ingredients was to be slightly boring, but she kept her hopes up. "Might come across something dangerous as we search" She said, mostly to herself as others were busy in conversation.