Magdali blanches, wondering what will happen if the person turns out to be a member of the watch or some villager taking a shortcut home...
As the hooded figure passes his hiding place, Nikolay emerges from his camouflaged position amongst the memorials, an explosive concoction held in his hand and aimed at the cloaked stranger's back. "State your name, co-conspirators, and relation to the vile necromancers of the Whispering Way or prepare to be immolated!"
The individual swears in fright, he turns and quickly drops to his knees. Begging he asks, "Please don't hurt me, I am just walking the Restlands for father Grimburrow."
Seeing a shadow rise from one of the stones and hearing Ramada's voice, Børak also stands, his polearm gently resting on his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the phrase 'immolated.' As the cloaked figure drops to the ground, Børak tries to remember if he heard the good father say anything about people walking the restlands for him. Hoping he may have heard the fellows name, he adds. "If that's true, you shouldn't mind removing your hood and telling us you name."
As the figure begs mercy, Visayn also steps out of hiding and speaks. "Did you see anyone you don't know enter the Restlands? Or have you recently spotted anything unusual here?"
Magdali emerges from her hiding place as well, mostly because she is unsure about what Ramada might do next. He seems to have an... extreme personality.
Nikolay's face falls as the man reveals himself to be a simple acolyte. "Oh dear. I seem to have... miscalculated slightly!" He puts away his concoction and helps the hooded figure up. "My sincerest, sincerest apologies, sir - I thought you were someone else! If I might ask, have you seen any suspicious people around here? Any strangers acting oddly?"
With a frightened stutter he offers, "I am Jaun Sworn." He lowers his hood and looks up at those surrounding him. "S... s... sstr... strange this happen at night. Here and in town. I have not seen another soul tonight besides you. The only strangers I have seen is you."
Visayn:
Nikolay looks quite embarrassed at almost having set aflame one of Father Grimburrow's acolytes. "Well, then, now that we have identified that you are not, in fact, an unholy shadow assassin from beyond the grave as I feared, it would probably be best that we leave the graveyard's care in your qualified hands. Again, I am so sorry for frightening you half to death and threatening to set you on fire. I apologize for the inconvenience."
After the acolyte leaves, the young alchemist packs up his equipment with no small degree of chagrin. "Well, that was... embarrassing. I fear that I may have failed to properly think this ambush out." He shakes his head as if to clear it. "More sleep, that's the key. I stayed up late last night doing research, and I can never think straight during periods of sleep deprivation."
"Sorry for this incident, Jaun. If spot anything creepy happening around here or near the old prison, please do not hesitate to inform us." Visayn says flashing a grin
Keeping his hood over his head and face, Børak smiles as the good doctor apologizes. Not suprised that Father Grimburrow had someone out on watch, Børak makes a mental note of the man's name, just to double check later. Not saying anything else to the local, Børak stayed in the shadows until Juan continued on his rounds.
Moving out of the shadows, he notices the frustrated sound in the Nikolay's voice. Moving closer to the doctor he rested his hand on the smaller mans shoulders, "Embarrassing?" Pausing he thought of his own scars. "We learn to live with that. But it wasn't a bad idea." Not wanting to styme the one person who seemed as smart as the professor had been, he continues. "You keep having ideas, we'll try and keep up and ask good questions."
Nodding at the doctor, Børak shifts his bardiche to his shoulder and begins to head back towards the house.
"So, are we done for the night then?" Magdali asks.
At Børak's words, Nikolay looks up at the towering fighter. "Thank you, Børak." He seems to contemplate something for a moment, then he sighs. "I suppose I've never really had friends before - people willing to actually listen to my ideas. When I said that we could make someone's heart work by sending lightning into them, they were half-ready to commit me to the Briarstone Asylum." He laughs mirthlessly. "When I showed them, they were half-ready to commit themselves - they thought they were seeing things! I'm sorry if I seem a bit too enthusiastic in this matter, but Professor Lorrimor was my mentor, and if he was investigating this whole conspiracy business, these necromancers might have something to do with his death. My entire training as a scientist has been about eliminating uncertainty - I don't think I could live with an uncertainty of this magnitude."
He turns to Magdali. "If that is acceptable to you, I think so. I'm sure things will be much clearer in the morning." He sets off after Børak, back towards the Lorrimor place.
As he walks back, he addresses Børak. "Do you ever have nightmares, Børak? I understand that for many, their nightmares often vary, each one showing a different aspect of their subconscious fears - one night, it may be falling, the next blood loss, and so on." The young scientist shudders. "Mine are always the same thing. Tell me, Børak, have you ever thought about being buried alive? Being stuffed into a wooden box with barely enough room to breathe, dumped into a ditch, and covered with enough dirt that you will never escape? If you're lucky, the gravediggers will seal the box tight. Then, you would run out of air and suffocate in a matter of minutes. Otherwise, it would be several long, agonizing days before the water would run out." He seems to rally. "Fortunately, nightmares are rather rare for me. Most nights, I dream of machines I'm working on or formulae I need to adjust. I find joy in my work, so they're pleasant enough dreams, and if I'm fast enough on waking, I can often salvage some of the insights I have while I sleep."
He stutters a bit and repeats the words, "An unholy shadow assassin, ummmmm, if that is true I am out of my league. Would you walk with me or I am going right back to town."
Not entirely understanding everything the doctor said, Børak nods and tries to looks supportive. Relieved when Magdali asked her question distracting the good doctor from his monologe. Getting ready to turn back towards Lorrimor's he hears the watchman ask for an escort. Nodding towards the man, he answers. "Let's go with him."
Walking beside Nikolay, Børak raises an eyebrow when the Alchemist asks about his nightmares then continues to describe some of his own. Deciding the good doctor has no filter, Børak listens while he considers how much of his nightmares he wants to speak of. Not wanting Nikolay to feel like Børak isn't interested, he decides to share a little. Lowering his head so the hood covers his features more, Børak shares. "I often have nightmares, they vary in detail, but it is always nighttime and there is always a full moon." His voice lowers to almost a whisper. "They are worse when the moon is full and lesser when it is waning."
The sylph halfheartedly listens to doctor's speech, occasionally nodding looking bored. He assures Jaun that most likely there won't be any assasins or necromancers in the vicinity of cemetery. While on their way to Lorrimor house, he talks about groups next objective "Tomorrow we probably should explore that prison, wouldn't that be logical next move? What do you think?"
After a warm breakfast prepared by Kendra, which she has laid out for you some frosting covered cinnamon rolls. She is ready to serve when you wake up.
As he escorts Juan back to town, Nikolay profusely apologizes to the young man, saving the rather disturbing conversation about nightmares for the walk back to the Lorrimor place. After greeting Kendra , he goes upstairs to his room and falls into a deep sleep, filled with troubled dreams...
He does not awaken during the night, but any still up in the early hours of the morning (perhaps due to their own nightmares) can hear the faint sound of terrified sobs from his room. He wakes an hour or two before dawn, gasping and clutching at his throat like a suffocating man, after which he hurriedly dresses and rushes outside. Anyone else already awake notices his haggard, disheveled appearance, and with his blood loss the previous day and his troubled dreams the past night, he almost looks more like a ghoulish scarecrow than an actual living being. He himself seems to take no notice of the house's other occupants - he seems to be in a kind of trance, not responding even when directly addressed.
Once outside, he furiously paces around the house, checking its every angle for structural stability. After about an hour or so of this task, he returns inside and grabs a plate of food and some water, all the while nervously glancing at the ceiling as if it is about to collapse. If nobody stops him, he dashes back outside to eat his breakfast in the open, out from under the ceiling he fears will bury him alive. After a moment, he makes another brief excursion inside, grabbing the Eight Scrolls, Desna's holy text, from the Faiths and Philosophies section before darting back outside. He reads as he eats, paying close attention to the book's sections on nightmares and how to do penance to Desna, the Tender of Dreams.
Making sure Juan gets back to his home safely, Børak escorts the others back to the professor's house. Sleeping in the familiar attic, Børak wakes several times from nightmares. Looking out the dormer window he watches the moon momentarily, then tries to return to sleep.
After a fitful night's sleep, he's not sure how much he want's to do. But remembering something Visayn had said, as he helps himself to one of the frosting covered cinnamon rolls he asks. "We had a late-night last night; do we want to explore the prison today? Or wait until everyone is more rested"
After awakening once during night, Visayn cautiously steps out of his room in the morning. He looks very pale and can't eat as much as he thought. "Uhh, if you feel you can handle whatever is in there, then maybe we can do that today. But I'm doubtful we should try anything even remotely dangerous."
Magdali escorts Jaun home along with the rest of her midnight raider friends before heading back to Kendra's house for the night. She sleeps soundly and well, waking up the next morning feeling energized.
At breakfast she agrees with Børak.
"I don't see another day of what we've been doing so far taking us anywhere except in more circles. I think the prison is the right place to go next."
No one sees the old frail looking elf. He walks down the stairs gingerly after most are awake and eating. He slowly moves into the kitchen and eventually gets to a cushioned chair unless someone offers to aid him.
He weakly sputters out, "Yes... *cough* the prison. The sooner I find the heart the better!"
He tries to get up but has troubles.
Seeing how warn out his mentor was, Børak ignores the comment about 'the sooner the better,' turning to Magdali, "Maybe we should take today and rest from last nights late vigil and go to the prison tomorow morning more refreshed?"
Magdali seems a little put out but doesn't raise a fuss.
"If we must, alright. I suppose I will go back to the archives again today then."
On his way in to retrieve the Desnan holy text, Nikolay overhears the last fragment of the conversation in the dining room. Noticing Drake's distress, he hesitates in the hallway for a moment, but quickly rushes to the old elf's side to help him up, his earlier plans forgotten. He glances nervously up at the ceiling as he speaks. "The archives? Isn't that deep underground, with just those pillars between you and all those tons of rock?" After a moment, his mood brightens a bit, however. "If I recall correctly, not all of us are allowed in there at once, correct? I'm sure there are other tasks that must be completed in the meantime. Harrowstone is very old - it's probably not structurally stable. Someone should do reconnaissance and figure out which parts won't collapse on our heads, and I have training as an engineer."
Not sure he wanted to spend another day in the archives, Børak turned as the good doctor spoke up. Realizing he was more worn than he thought, he'd not even noticed Nilolay join them. He nodded when his friend asked about the archives being underground and nodded a second time when he observed that they all probably wouldn't be allowed to enter.
Raising an eyebrow at the idea of Nikolay exploring the burned-out prison alone, Børak chimed in. "I don't know if reconnaissance is needed. But having been to the archives I think you may find them interesting."
Wanting to change the subject, Børak turned to his mentor asking. "Drake, if we don't head to the prison, what would you do today?"
He sighs and weakly states, "I will try to get some rest. Maybe make a strong concotion that should give me a boost to my health. Any help would be welcome. Borak please take this coin purse and find me some purple lotuses, firebelly lilacs, or some good life root. Any of those ingrediants should help."
"If you decide to go explore that ruin, I can take my turn doing research in the archive."
Hoping that no one decides to explore the ruins today, sighing Børak accepts the pouch from his mentor. Hefting the pouch in his hand, he knew Drakes reasons were two-fold, the obvious to get the items to feel better. But also, to encourage Børak to interact with regular folks. His mentor knew he'd rather stay away from people, but the old ranger still feels Børak should try and socialize some.
Turning to the others, "It looks like I'm headed to town for some shopping. If anyone wants to accompany me instead of going to the archive, I would appreciate their company."
As she finishes up breakfast, Magdali wrestles with impatience toward the others.
"I can take one other person with me, yes. But look, I'd rather you all rest if you need to than have the help if it means we could be having this same conversation again tomorrow."
Nikolay seems to grow nervous as Børak talks about the archives, and he is about to speak when Drake mentions the ingredients he needs. When the towering warrior discusses going to town to retrieve the materials, he quickly speaks up. "I'll accompany you to the market, Børak! I am licensed as a physician, and I'm very good with medicines - I'm sure I can make some kind of catalyst to improve the efficacy of those ingredients."
Chuckling at Magdali's observation, Børak is relieved that someone who like to talk was willing to go with him. Smiling, causing his scar to pinch and squint his left eye, he turns to the good doctor, hefting the small pouch, "Good, I'll assume you're more familiar with purple lotuses, firebelly lilacs, or life root than I am."
Gesturing towards the door, "Let me know when your ready to go, I'll gather my cloak and bardiche and we'll be on our way."
Likely it will take a part of your day to find the ingrediants but we will see. There should be plenty of time to do as you wish!
After retrieving his equipment from his room, Nikolay meets Børak by the door. "I believe I am prepared to retrieve the medicine for Drake, whenever you wish to proceed."
On the way to the market, Nikolay addresses Børak, looking somewhat ashamed as he does so. "I apologize for my recalcitrance as regards entering the archives. I have never cared for small spaces, and certainly not small spaces underground. The alienists I spoke to at Sincomakti called it a phobia, but I don't see anything irrational about it. I suppose such structures are safe enough so long as the supports are in place, but what if they become weakened? What if there is an earthquake? I'm certainly not going to die beneath hundreds of tons of rock because I trusted my fate to a weak load-bearing wall!"
The claustrophobic scientist glances up at the sky. "I confess I've never felt truly comfortable indoors for that very reason, you know. Normally, it's enough to sit by a window and be able to see outside, but after that nightmare..." Nikolay shudders. "I have always feared dying alone, but when it comes to being entombed alive, it's by far the greater cruelty to die with others. In Versex, where I'm from, there was a mine cave-in near Rozenport. All the physicians in the area were called in to help the injured. I was there when they cleared the cave-in after a week. When they brought out the half-eaten corpses. It's truly horrifying the lengths people will go to in order to stay alive. I can only imagine what it must have been like - being trapped in the darkness, hoarding food and water as a miser hoards gold, infighting as the supplies run out..."
He trails off, but glances at Børak after a second. "Now that I think about it, I don't believe you ever said what kind of nightmares you had. You seemed quite tired at the time, but if it's not too disturbing to you, I confess I am quite curious myself."
Visayn nods understandingly to Doctor's fears as he ponders his choices. "So you two go to market while Magdali spends the day at the archive. After helping her with research, I'll go to sleep early right after dinner."
Likely it will take a part of your day to find the ingredients but we will see. There should be plenty of time to do as you wish!
As the head towards town Børak listens to Nikolay explain about being claustrophobic. Even though he had no fear specifically like that he understood how a traumatic event could force you to be afraid of something for the rest of your life. Smiling to himself he wondered if there was a name for being afraid of your own mother.
When Nikolay asked about his dreams, Børak shrugged. "There not always the same, they just all involve a full moon in the dark of night and blood." He reaches up and pulls his hood further over his face. "Sometimes it's my blood, I'm being attacked by a beast." He slouches more, "Sometimes I'm the beast, killing someone else."
Børak's words give Nikolay pause, and he thinks for a moment before speaking. "The old midwife in my home village of Renaki told tales like what you describe. Something about cruel mothers and fathers whose children take the form of animals and devour them as vengeance for their evil deeds. The tales told of a silver knife to strike the scalp, which would break the curse or some such. Have you ever heard such stories, my friend?"
The scientist shrugs. "I never paid much attention to those old myths - they're more superstition than fact, you know." He scowls. "If they were fact, my father would have died long ago. In any case, I try not to use silver if I can avoid it. When my skin touches it, it causes a horrible itch. Professor Lorrimor said that it was an intrinsic quiddity dissonance -" He glances at Børak, realizing his audience, before rephrasing. "- that is, something about my nature repels and is repelled by silver. The Spiral of Pharasma that I carry is forged of silver, but I only touch it with gloves on. It was a gift, you see, from the old Renaki midwife when I set out on my own. Do you have any such items, Børak? Sentimental trinkets you keep around for memory's sake?"
At the market, Nikolay manages to find a herbalist without too much difficulty, though his scientific terminology takes some translation. "I'd like to purchase some Syringa josikaea and Nymphaea nouchali, for a patient up at the Lorrimor place. Syringa josikaea and Nymphaea... look, this one and this one."
After he is done, he turns to Børak. "Unfortunately, many plants are known as 'life root.' Still, there are only so many of them that have an effect when combined with phenylpropanoids and alkaloids. Let me think..."
After a moment, he nods. "I think I know which plant we need. Let me see if I can find it somewhere around here..."
Using the coins of silver and a few gold you buy 3 purple lotuses, 4 Firebelly Lilacs, and the likely right life root four of them. There is still plenty of gems and a few gold left over with a spattering of copper.
Chuckling at Nikolay's 'old wives tale' Børak shrugs, "I don't believe cutting anything's scalp with a silver knife will break any curse. But I am familiar with Lycanthropy. Those suffering from the disease tend to avoid silver." He left out the fact that he was more familiar with it than he wanted to be, since his bloodline was directly related to that of the werewolves.
He raises an eyebrow at the phrase quiddity dissonance, making a mental note to ask Magdali if she knew what it was. Pausing he realized Nikolay had asked about something personal. Pausing and actually considering the question he shook his head. Pointing towards his scar, "No the only thing I always carry with me is this, and sometimes it alone is a heavier burden than I want to bear."
Realizing they were approaching the market, Børak pulled his hood down around his head and followed behind Nikola as the chatty doctor was able to acquire the three plants they were looking for with ease. As they finished, Børak gave a light smile, pinching his left eye shut. "Well done Doctor, shall we head back to the house?"
At the archive Magdali tries a different strategy this time. Instead of trying to canvas for anything that might look interesting, he focuses on digging for information about the 5 prisoners who seem so notable.
"I don't believe cutting anything's scalp with a silver knife will break any curse. But I am familiar with Lycanthropy. Those suffering from the disease tend to avoid silver."
Nikolay nods. "I once read a paper by the famed epidemiologist Arosh Chawaar on the nature of lycanthropy. He examined the mental effects of the transformation from person to animal, and he had several theories about the biological mechanisms by which the afflicted patient alters their worldview - regrettably, this delirium most often induces violent, cannibalistic behavior. Planetouched like Visayn and me -"
He breaks off, glancing at Børak. "I already told you that I was a tiefling, correct? I remember that you knew, but I can't remember if I told you or if it was Lorrimor. In any case, if I didn't already tell you, I am a tiefling - I can stick my arm in a fire and not feel a thing, and my eyes see the souls of the living." The young scientist shrugs. "As I was saying, planetouched like Visayn and me can generally resist the transformative effects of such diseases due to the existence of a multi-planar anchor on our morphological fields, necessitating an identical transformative shift simultaneously in both dimensions - something that most diseases like lycanthropy or ghoul fever cannot do."
"No the only thing I always carry with me is this, and sometimes it alone is a heavier burden than I want to bear."
Nikolay looks at Børak's scar as if seeing it for the first time. "My sincerest apologies, but I do not believe that I can help you with that, my friend. I don't recall reading much about scar tissue, but I do remember that it's not life-threatening except in extreme circumstances. However much it might give you peace of mind, I'm afraid the means to remove it are outside of my area of expertise - you see, most of the surgery I perform tends to leave scars rather than eliminate them. For that matter, I don't know any specialists who might be able to help you either. I'm truly sorry."
He rolls up his left sleeve to reveal an arm scarred almost beyond the point of recognition with all manner of wounds. "If it helps, I have received a number of scars myself in my line of work." After a moment of contemplation, he begins to point out different injuries along his arm. "This one is from shrapnel when my Magneto-Dynamic Propulsion Device accelerated my pen through a steel wall, and these chemical burns here are from when I failed to depressurize a boiling beaker of acid and it exploded in my face. This long scar here is from when I had to excise a gangrenous portion of my arm when some vestigial bone spur or some such impacted my humerus - the admixture of fiend and mortal blood rarely operates according to sane laws, you know."
"Well done Doctor, shall we head back to the house?"
The young physiologist nods. "I believe I can adequately prepare Drake's medicine with these ingredients." On the way back, he addresses Børak. "Out of curiosity, are you human, my friend? I know it seems like a non sequitur, but I confess I am somewhat curious. Visayn was surprisingly open about his heritage, I just told you of my nature, and as it turns out, Magdali is a lucent being of some sort. I am beginning to wonder if Professor Lorrimor interacted with any actual humans at all!" He fixes the warrior with an appraising gaze. "At the moment, I suspect that between you and Kendra, one of you is secretly an angelkith, and the other one is an automaton of some sort."
Following Magdali to the Archive, Visayn focuses on finding something new about Harrowstone prison. "The prison warden and his wife perished in a fire, this much I recall. Hope I can find more information on what has happened there."
Attempting to listen to NIkolay, Børak wasn't quite sure what 'read a paper' meant. He envisioned newsprint like some of the larger cities had, but it wouldn't make sense to do that about lycanthropy. Who would buy a newspaper about werewolves? About to ask, Børak realizes Nikolay was changing the topic of conversation again and started talking about being a tiefling. Shaking his head 'no,' Børak hadn't know that Nikolay was a tiefling. Maybe the doctor had said something in front of him, but he and Lorrimor hadn't discussed Nikolay in great detail. Either way Børak must not have been paying attention because he had no idea. As the topic changed to what could infect Tieflings, Børak was going to ask if there were subspecies of Tieflings, Nikolay changed the subject again.
Chuckling at the idea of the doctors surgeries leaving scars instead of removing scars, Børak wondered if there was a market for doctors who would do just cosmetic surgery. About to ask the good doctor about the possibility Nikolay changed the topic again. Pleased that Nikolay would be able to prepare the ingredients, Børak was taken aback when Nikolay asked if he was human. As Nikolay rambled on, Børak considered lying, though he wasn't very good at it. Looking towards his new friend he was considering how to answer when Nikolay commented about one being a celestial and the other being an automaton.
Smiling a rare smile, he blurted, "Well, I'm neither, I'm" realizing the cat was out of the bag, his smile waned. "I am what is called a 'skinwalker' a hybrid race between human and Lycan." He looks away, "My people are called 'Witchwolf' because of our close relationship with the werewolf."
Wanting to change the subject he asks, "Do you think the herbs will help Drake?"
Nikolay notices the confusion on Børak's face in a rare moment of insight and clarifies. "By a 'paper,' I mean a research paper. Scientists often make copies of their research notes and distribute them to affiliated specialists and major institutes and the like - it keeps others from having to do the same research and ensures that scholars are recognized for their work. It used to be uncommon, but most of the major research institutions are trying hard to promote the practice."
He seems a bit taken aback as Børak shakes his head to indicate that he is unfamiliar with his nature. "Really? I thought you knew - that someone told you or some such." He shrugs. "Still, it's not as though I'm going to try and eat your soul or some such. I don't think you're one of those who would try to set me on fire." He looks at Børak apprehensively. "You're not going to set me on fire, right?" After a moment, he continues. "Of course, not all tieflings are the same. I don't have the horns and hooves and such generally associated with those of fiendish blood. Lorrimor said that my ancestry was rooted in the daemons - the soul eaters of Abaddon. That is likely why I am able to see the souls of the living. I imagine that to the creatures which spawned my bloodline, such sight was used much as you or I might examine loaves of bread at the market, to see which is the most appetizing." He shudders. "A chilling thought, to be sure!"
His reaction to Børak's revelation is (perhaps not unsurprisingly) nonchalant. "In that case, I seem to have miscalculated slightly. I suppose that means that Kendra must be the automaton." After a moment, he glances at Børak. "Does that mean you also suffer from the argent quiddity dissonance as I do?" The warrior's question distracts him, however, and he begins examining the plants he has collected. "I suspect these herbs will be adequate to the task. I can't say I've treated many elves before - certainly none as old as Drake! Still, the principles should be similar to cases I have previously encountered."
blasphemous that several churches demanded he be punished to the full extent of Ustalavic law. Although he claimed to be an ordained priest of any number of faiths, Father Corvin was in fact a traveling con artist who used faith as a mask and a means to bilk the faithful out of money in payment for false miracles or cures. He became known as Father Charlatan after his scheme was exposed and his Sczarni accomplices murdered a half-dozen city guards in an attempt to make good the group’s escape.
Eventually Magdali gives up in frustration, slamming the drawer of documents she was searching through closed and putting a couple of books back on a shelf.
"I'm done here Visayn. Hours now and I've found nothing of any use at all."
Listening as Nikolay chatted on, Børak smiles and shakes his head 'no' when asked if he was going to alight Nikolay on fire. Concerned about his mentor, he pressed on towards the house. Still not really sure what the good doctor was talking about, he shrugs his shoulder when asked about 'quiddity dissonance.' But is pleased to hear Nikolay could help.
Once they arrive at the house, he places his bardiche near the door and hangs his cloak on the provided hooks. Waiving Nikolay towards where Drake was resting. As they enter the room, he gives a slight smile. "The Doctor thinks he can help with the herbs."
"The Doctor thinks he can help with the herbs."
Nikolay nods. "I have a firm grasp of the principles involved, and I'm sure this concoction will ameliorate your suffering." He pulls his alchemical equipment from his magic pouch and sets to work, adding the ingredients and a healthy dose of alchemical catalysts to a dizzying array of beakers, pipes, and valves.
Nikolay powders and distills the herbs with skill born of formal education and years of experience. As he works, he tries to make small talk with Drake. "I suspect you have seen much in your many years of life, my friend. I understand that elves live a very long time - from what I gather, most alive today recall the days when the dead god Aroden walked the land! - and none I have met can match your experience. Tell me, do you remember the glory days of Ustalav? My grandfather Miron always used to tell tales, ancient even when he was a child, of when this desolate land was once a great kingdom. I recall old stories of Soividia Ustav, he who united the land under his banner and brought about an age of prosperity. Did you witness any of this, or was it before your time?"
With a weak smile and a cough, he states to Borak, "I should hope."
In response to Nikolay, he soberly answers, "Yes, much. Aroden... yes he was a wonderful god. I know of the glory that Ustalav but never had the pleasure to know of it first hand. I stayed with my own kind, in our forests and spires."
Once the concoction is prepared he takes it but before drinking he asks, "Can the potion wait for the morning? I would like to be in best health when we search the ruins."
Chuckling at his mentor's comment, Børak moves the small three-legged stool from beside the bed. Dragging it into the corner, he sits leaning back against the wall, content to listen to the doctor and elf talk.