We got two more roommates. Leorah and Jailyn are still here, Feren's still at Harritt's (but he still feels "mine"), and we got two more. Eadras is an older gentleman with gnarled hands, and Cara is a very young elf from Antiva. Of course. Where else could she be from with that name? She worries me, because she's all eyes and ears. Very young, at least in appearance. Eadras fit in right away.
We haven't used the fireplace yet, because I'm not ready to announce our little home. If everyone's forgotten about this nice sturdy roof, who am I to complain? So, since I could tell by looking at him that Eadras' hands were either sore or stiff from the cold, I went out elfroot hunting. That's the stuff in healing potions. How hard can it really be? I picked probably a hundred of the plants around the hut, and plopped 20 inside. The rest I took to Adan. He was overjoyed to see the bounty. He almost smiled! I jest, but really, he was pleased to get them.
If these are so plentiful that I can pick them up by the handful, how come the Inquisition is so low on them? Every person ought to be gathering this shit as they go about their day. It's not like it's HARD. It grows around back of every single hut, and climbs like a vine on stonework. I'll talk to my people. We can get that sour look off his face, I bet.
Anyway, I stood back and watched as Adan mixed his potions. Looks like I'll need elfroot, a mortar/pestle, boiling water, patience, and some clear alcohol. I originally thought that would be all I'd need, but then my skin started itching really, really badly. Something twisted in the air, and then Adan strained out the roots and decanted the brew into glass vials. Well well, who'dathunkit. Adan would be flabbergasted to know he's manipulating the fade to make potions, wouldn't he. Adan's a hedge mage, and not even the Templars seem to realize it. I watched closer on the next batch, taking my deep breaths. It was like his spirit reached out and squeezed something extra out of the crushed roots. Adan's spirit squeezed the root's spirit at the same time as his hands crushed the roots here in world-prime. Or whatever the hell it should be called. Why couldn't I be in Valdemar? The magic there makes sense in my head.
When he was done, the roots he'd used already looked very different from the ones he'd prepared. I don't mean size or shape. It was like they were dull copies of their compatriot roots. They were used up not just physically, but somehow spiritually. So apparently, Elfroot potions heal because you're consuming elfroot spirits. If I had to guess. This world is weird. However, I think I can do that. All I'm missing is the clear spirits. I doubt ale will work. I also watched him do the same thing to make a poultice for a burn or bruise. Can't really take those out and about because they take time to work, but it would have been wonderful to have on hand for Feren. Blighters at the med tent wouldn't even have offered snow, I bet. They sure didn't for Leorah. Poultices wouldn't be mentioned in game, I guess. Wait, Origins mentioned a health poultice and the Chargers joke about not eating them. Still looking for that eraser.
Note to self: need more paper and another charcoal stick.
Going to talk to Flyssa. Between all of us, we can probably scrape up enough to get a bottle of something clear and strong. They actually do get wages if they're on that list and showing up. Not as much as a shem sorry about that. My people are rubbing off on me. I tell them to stop it, and now I'm picking it up. Ugh. Name calling is wrong be it rabbit or shem. It's not going to serve us to commit the atrocities we face.
Everyone chipped in a bit (except me, since I'm the only one without a "real job"), so that means I'm going to be the front line. I get to go ask Flyssa if she'd deign to grace us poor knife-ears with a bottle of hooch. I'm being sarcastic, of course. I just hope that Flyssa is as nice as Harritt turned out to be.
Oh, Eadras named our hut. Cottage. Whatever. It's now officially Ethelathe. I remember that –athe nounified other words, but I don't know what ethel is. Probably safe or something. Wish Elvhen was more like latin. Then I'd at least recognize roots and be able to guess. Eadras says it means sanctuary, but that it's not a place. I sometimes think I can agree with Sera. Say it straight, right? How in the hell is the cottage not a place?
Goodnight, honey. Mommy loves you.