WG - The Mystery of the Poisoned Healer Options

[Grits]

(Continued from approximately here.)



Abiene in Chorrol

Eyja explained what would be needed for a complete recovery. “For the amount of metal you've been exposed to, you may need to keep taking it several times daily for at least a week, and do a restorative healing on yourself several times per day as well. The raw ingredients work better and quicker if you can stand the bitter taste. The potions are flavored, but are much weaker.”

Abiene started to reply. “I can stand the taste, but I’m sure an alchemist will be better able to…” Several times per day? She pressed her fingers against her face again, fighting down that frantic feeling. “I have patients to tend! I won’t be able to— I’m already taking far too many magicka potions just to keep up my workload. There’s nothing for it, I’ll have to ask for a leave of absence from the chapel.” She clenched her fists on her knees, anger creeping up through her fear. “Darn whoever did this!”

Eyja handed Abiene a list of ingredients. “Expect to be near an urn for a while,” she told Abiene. Then Eyja tucked her materials away.

Great, thought Abiene. I’m not going to go through a week of purging on the pot in my chapel quarters. She put that concern away for now and looked at the list.

Garlic
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Flax seed oil
Corkbulb root
Netch Leather
Scrib Jelly
Scamp skin
Kwama cuttle
Ash yam
The juice of a lemon
Dried seaweed
Charcoal

“Abiene, I need you to remember exactly how long you were at the inn, who you saw there, who brought you that tea, and if it was the same person you ordered it from,” said Eyja.

Abiene tried to clear her thoughts. “I reached the inn after dark and spent the night. There was a commotion when Irvana arrived with talk of vampires, and I ended up healing her in her chamber. I had a glass of Tamika’s last night with the stuffed mushrooms, plus a cheese plate with strawberries. This morning I ate a sweet roll and drank some kahve at the bar. A Dunmer woman was there, I didn’t catch her name. She was another guest. Lycus was sitting there, too. Yetta the cook and Lleris the hallboy were serving, but I got my breakfast from what was already set out on the bar. Bograk and Aravi were there, too. Oh, and I believe Kayla headed upstairs around the time I came down with Aravi. Honestly Eyja, I’m probably forgetting someone. I’ve been told to improve my situational awareness, but I’m not really sure what that even means.”

She hoped Eyja wasn’t too disgusted with her lack of information. She had not been paying attention at the inn because she had not been up to anything she felt she needed to hide. And Aravi’s troubles had been foremost in her mind.

“Then I got some tea from Yetta and went outside. I spoke with Dar’muktah and watched Lowren and the Argonian man cleaning up after the storm. Then I met Maxical. We sat on the bench chatting for a while. We have some mutual friends.” What happened next? “I must have been in a fog, because I can’t say how long we sat there or even what we talked about. I don’t really remember getting my things from the inn, but I must have.”

Abiene looked at the list again. “I can pick up a few of these things today at the chapel. Master Selvilo might have some of them, he’s a Dunmer. I can’t imagine why he would have netch leather, though. I’ll need to pick up my crystal ball so I can try to reach Darnand. He’ll know where Jerric is. That’s the alchemist.” She shook her head. “I hate to involve them in this.”

Abiene’s mouth went dry and her heart began to race. Perhaps that’s still the poison, she thought, gripping the bench’s edge.

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Aug 24 2013, 04:01 PM

[Grits]

Abiene

Eyja’s words cut straight through Abiene. She took Abiene’s hand, letting her feel the sincerity under the sting of unpleasant truths. Eyja spoke of her life’s love who slipped through her fingers. Abiene’s heart went out to her at the same time she felt that panic as her own pain was exposed.

She squeezed Eyja’s hand, steadying herself and hoping to express a wordless kinship. This woman saw through her so easily. Abiene had no defense against such an honest connection. She had to simply trust.

Honditar approached. His face was soaked in an unhealthy sweat.

“Was that illness you cured on yourself contagious?” Eyja asked. “Find out if he has the same thing. If he does, Maxical will be very ill and can't heal herself, would you go to Casta Scribonia's house when you finish with Honditar and check on her while I get that charcoal for you?”

Abiene reached for Honditar as he sagged to the bench. “May I?” she asked, already casting. His body smelled sour now. “Eyja, he carries the same contagion. I don’t have a name for it, but it is as recognizable as a signature even if one cannot read it.”

Eyja stepped away. “Don't come near me till Abiene has cured you, I don't want to catch what you have.”

“You must remember those with whom you have had close contact since you helped me, Honditar. Send them for healing immediately if they cannot cure themselves.”

Honditar’s eyes gleamed with fever, but he nodded comprehension. “There has been no one else.”

“Oh, that’s good news.” Abiene looked up at Eyja. “I’ll go to Casta’s next, but I should check in at the Guild hall first. I was alone with Athragar for some time. He was practicing spells on me while I was unconscious. He may be infected.” Serves him right, Abiene thought along with a pang of guilt, contrition right on the heels of her pettiness. “Maxical is surely ill by now, she must have near carried me most of the way here. Poor Maxical! So far I’ve rewarded her friendship by ignoring her and giving her a disease. Hopefully Casta will have the sense to keep her still. The mages will be able to handle their own infections, but it will help to know if and how it is spreading.”

She thought for a moment, her hands still on Honditar.

“I wonder if I got sick at the Goblet or before,” Abiene said. “I wonder if I infected anyone there. Kayla shared my meal last night and I spent some time with Aravi, but they’ve surely dosed themselves against infection by the vampires they’re hunting.” And Aravi is not at risk regardless. “Irvana had not appeared by the time I left. I hope she is not helpless in her bed, wracked with fever.”

Honditar’s eyes were back on Eyja. The Nord woman was a vision of inviting curves and crevices even as she warned him to keep his distance. Abiene couldn’t blame him for his wandering attention.

She gave his arm a little pat and pulled away. “I see you’re feeling better.” She smiled at the Altmer and then at Eyja, her confidence restored along with his health.