• Solo • Supplicants

[Doran]

Ashan 27, Arc 721

Scalvoris, the son of Ziell decided as he glanced at the basket that was filled with what appeared to be small balls of lava, was one of the strangest and most fascinating places that he had ever visited in all of the four centuries that he had been alive. In the two trials that he had been in Hopetoun, one of the new settlements on Faldrass, he had seen wood that never burn out, wood that was resistant to fire (which made him wonder what would happen if you put such wood into a fireplace), sand that glowed in the dark, silvery mirror-like wood, nearly invisible birds that left feathers that shimmered in a vast array of colors behind, rainbow-colored wood and glowing chicken eggs.

He knew that all the strangeness that he had encountered on the main island as well as on Faldrass was most likely due to the Grand Fracture of Fei that was located under Scalvoris and its powers, but that did not make it any less fascinating. On the contrary, there was something about the fact that so much beauty and that new life could arise from a place where a great tragedy had occurred, that spoke to him. There was hope, after Fei’s death and after the great eruption of Faldrass, and there was always a new tomorrow. Light always followed the darkness, and dawn eventually broke again after a long night.

The balls of lava were actually potatoes, if what he had been told was true, Faldrass Potatoes that had been discovered by refugees that had returned to their homeland after the volcanic eruption to be exact. Vega Creede had shown one of them to him the trial before, but Darius Baer had paid him with an entire basket full of them for teaching his settlers the basics of sword fighting. Vega had simply picked one of the potatoes up and held it in her hand, but the son of Ziell put on a pair of gloves nevertheless before he examined them with a certain amount of caution, smiling very lightly as he felt their warmth.

And the food … the food was no less fascinating than all those unusual plants and animals. He had found out that the settlers of Hopetoun actually cooked fish inside those strange potatoes. They were like miniature ovens. While most of the food that he had eaten since he had left Viden was simpler than what his private cook in the Obsidian Prism usually prepared for him, it was no less delicious. He enjoyed the luxury that he lived in, greatly so, but these few trials had shown him that he didn’t absolutely need it, that there was more to life than that.

Notes

In this letter Darius told Doran that he'd pay him with produce if he taught his settlers how to fight.

This is one of the sword training threads in question.

Furthermore, I'm writing about the consequence given to me by Pig Boy in this review.

[Doran]

Doran had just left the camp that Arlo and Vega had allowed him to stay in for as long as he was on Faldrass in order to continue his work. Xiur had told Vega and him to build a beacon in order to safely guide a ship with former slaves that would arrive soon to Faldrass’ shores; and besides that, there was important research that he had to conduct. It was just as he made his way through the small settlement that one of the settlers, a woman of approximately thirty arcs, approached him, carrying something in her arms.

“For you, Professor Thetys”, the woman told him politely. The Mortalborn could see that the object was a simple wooden statue of a tree now, stylized rather than realistic. “Perhaps you could put in a good word for us with Xiur”, she said to him and smiled at him before she handed him the statue and departed. Before long, more supplicants arrived, bearing little gifts, small trinkets, wooden statues and other things, in the hope that offering them to him would garner a bit of his patron Immortal’s favour.

Most of them were just as simple as the first gift that he had received, but he accepted them with a smile and sincere gratitude, nevertheless. They obviously came from the heart. At the same time, the gifts and the settlers’ wish to garner a bit of Xiur’s favor made him thoughtful though. He would do something for them, he decided, because it didn’t seem right to accept gifts and only pray in return, because hope was something that you could and should actively work on in his opinion rather than something that you waited for.

He would spread a bit of hope himself.

He was just wondering if he should offer them another sword fighting lesson, free of charge, so that they would be able to protect their settlement in case of an attack or make something for them with alchemy when yet another settler arrived, a man that gave him what looked like a simple star, made of dried straw. As he accepted it, he noticed that the man’s skin was quite rough and somewhat irritated, likely due to dryness or a minor allergic reaction. He met the man’s gaze for a moment, before he asked, politely, aware that people could be somewhat sensitive when it came to their various health issues,

“Has your skin been bothering you recently? Does it ever itch or feel a bit tense?”

When the man nodded, the Mortalborn thought about what he could do for him for a moment – Hopetoun was a small settlement, and most medicines as well as medical supplies were likely not readily available but had to be ordered – before he told him, “A cool compress with chamomile tea will soothe the affected parts of your skin and help against inflammation. Leave it on for a quarter of a break at a time”, he instructed him. Chamomile was a common medicinal plant; someone in Hopetoun did thus without a doubt have it.

[Doran]

That was what he would do for the settlers of Hopetoun, Doran decided once the man had left again, and entered the camp once more. It had been a while since he had worked as a conventional doctor – he worked on medical research projects most of the time nowadays, and he drew blood on a regular basis because he needed blood for his alchemical research – but he was still quite skilled, more than most other doctors, in fact.

Hope and health were connected; it was harder to be hopeful when you didn’t feel well, and besides, he wasn’t sure if Hopetoun actually had a doctor yet – he hadn’t met them yet, at least. He would make medicine for the settlers and tell them what kind of remedies would help as far as common health issues were concerned, remedies that consisted of things that were likely available in Hopetoun and that they didn’t have to order from the main island first.

He removed one of his notebooks and a pen from his domain bag and began to write a list in that regard, with instructions so that the settlers wouldn’t use too much or too little of a certain remedy. Herbal remedies were, at least usually, less dangerous than alchemical potions, but the correct dose was something that one needed to pay attention to regardless.

Apple cider vinegar, honey or ginger tea provided relief when you suffered from heartburn. Valerian tea would help if you suffered from insomnia – he had brought a packet with him that he would leave in Hopetoun, he decided. Arnica would help heal bruises and sprains, and relieve inflammation, tension headaches and muscle soreness or pain, the latter of which were probably a common occurrence in a settlement that was still being built.

The settlers of Hopetoun would without a doubt appreciate something that would soothe their aching muscles after a trial of hard work. He had some arnica oil in his medical kit that he always took with him when he travelled – there was always the possibility of an accident or an illness. After he had given the matter some thought, he decided not to give it to Hopetoun as is but mixed it with beeswax in order to create a salve.

A salve would be easier to use, less messy and feel more pleasant on one’s skin.

He also wrote down the instructions on how the settlers would be able to make arnica oil as well as an arnica salve themselves; it was so simple that it could be done with little or no medical knowledge at all. All that was necessary was to leave dried arnica flowers in oil for approximately four seven-trials, strain the flowers out and store the finished oil in a dark and cool place.

Finally, he decided to add elderberry syrup to the list as it would help the settlers during the colder seasons and relieve chest congestion, sinus issues and nasal congestion. It was just as he finished writing that something occurred to him. Elderberries boosted the immune system, but there was another plant, a plant that was native to Faldrass that had a similar effect and that he had heard about from one of the settlers.

Supplementing their diet with dried Rubrum Berries during the cold and dark times of the arc would help keep the people of Hopetoun strong and healthy, and for that reason, Doran added a suggestion in that regard before he finally put his pen down and rose to his feet again.

He did not share the results of his work with the settlers right away though, but turned his head upwards for a moment, towards the sky where the stars shimmered at night in order to say a prayer to his patron.

Once upon a time, he had blamed Xiur for a lot of the bad things that happened in the world – he had thought that there was no hope, for anybody, and that mortalkind was doomed, inevitably – but nowadays, he truly believed. There was hope, after all, so much more than he had ever thought possible, and there was so much beauty in the world.

Idalos was worth fighting for, with everything that you had.

[Avalon]

Review Rewards

Name: Doran

Points awarded: 10xp

Knowledge:
Medicine: Chamomile tea helps against inflammation
Medicine: Valerian tea helps against insomnia
Medicine: Elderberry syrup helps against congestion
Medicine: Rubrum Berries boost the immune system
Medicine: Arnica soothes aching muscles
Detection: Noticing a skin irritation

Renown: 5 (for helping out with medical needs)

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriate to level

Notes:
So, does Doran know anything about frostbite? (Asking for a friend....)

In this thread, Doran does all the things Doran does so well. it's been a while since I've seen a thread where Doran treats patients. I really am enjoying seeing Doran out of the classroom/laboratory and working with people again in the field. It's a different type of experience and can only add depth to his knowledge pool - it's a good thing!

I feel that the work he is doing in Hopetoun will stay with him long after he's left, and impact him in the future. Maybe it will inspire a new string of research or drive him to get out into the field more often. Doran is constantly evolving and changing, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for him!

Great job!

P.S. I smiled when I saw you used Rubrum berries!

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!

Avalon