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

[mALX]

*

Honditar's questions to the Gate Guard elicited the white Khajiit’s entry into Chorrol, but neither of them had seen her exit. Abiene’s sources had been mistaken.

The guards were about to change shifts when he arrived, and Honditar’s ears perked up when he heard the suggestive banter between them. There was no doubt they were talking about Eyja, and it didn’t sit well with Honditar that one of the guards seemed to think he had a date to spend the night with her that night. He forced himself to ignore it for the moment, but couldn't say it left his mind.

His instincts were strong, and as more time passed he was sure that Earana had done something with the Khajiit. His best course of action would be to confront Earana with some of the leverage he had on her, the things Malintus Ancrus had revealed about her and Gaturn's activities. She may trade the Khajiit for his silence.

Earana was a creature of habit, Honditar always joked that he needed no sundial since she’d moved to Chorrol. She was always in her room at the Gray Mare by this time of night, usually with her Orc paramour if he wasn‘t on a “job.” Gaturn gro-Gonk’s job was robbing people.

Honditar was on his way to the Gray Mare when he caught sight of Sabine Laul and hailed her. She hadn’t seen the white Khajiit, but when he mentioned Earana she had an odd look cross her face.

“Funny you should mention her. I saw the oddest thing earlier this evening. Earana was leaned against the boarded door of that old cave along the city wall; just leaned there wiggling as if it were a lamppost and she was working the street. Her back was to me. Well, as I came nearer I realized she was actually leaning on it for support. She was vomiting like someone had poisoned her! All the wiggling I saw her doing was her heaving, I guess. What on Nirn would she be doing at that old cave?”

Honditar thanked Sabine with a quick hug. “You’re a treasure, me darlin’.”

“You haven’t been the same since that pirate came through here, I swear!” Sabine smacked his shoulder. “Go on, Rasheda will wonder what’s keeping me.”





***



The last thing Honditar wanted to do was listen at Earana and Gaturn's door and overhear them in what Emfrid had already described in too much detail to him as their private moments; but it was a good bet if they had done something to the white Khajiit they would be discussing it in there. He signaled Emfrid not to get up and steeled himself to creep up the stairs and listen.

Emfrid sat up anyway, her brows raised. “You and Abiene? I’d have never thought it!” She gave a wicked grin. “Hubba hubba Abiene! But you won’t get far tonight, I’ve been kept awake by her wretched retching all night.” She grinned again, and pulled back her blanket suggestively.

Honditar hurried over and kissed her cheek, whispering. “As if you would, I know where your heart lays. Keep your voice down, I am here to eavesdrop on Earana and Gaturn. I think they have done something to a Khajiit that was in town earlier, one that is supposed to be a guest at my home.”

“You and a Khajiit? I’d have never suspected...”

“Shh. She is Eyja’s friend.”

Emfrid pouted prettily. “Oh. Eyja‘s back, huh? And no need being quiet...”

She broke off and held up one finger pointed toward the ceiling.

“Do you hear that? You thought I was exaggerating, didn’t you? That is Abiene, she’s been doing that since she got here! I couldn’t serve a late supper with that going on, people began returning their plates thinking my food was bad, and two vomited just in case! Not even the regulars ran up a decent tab tonight; Valus Odiil even left, and he has no where to go! Stop laughing, I am serious. Honditar, Reynald Jemane went home early. Reynald! He said he’s quitting drinking!”

“He thought Abiene was vomiting from your drinks?”

“No, he thought HE was vomiting, but there was nothing on the floor! He thought he was delirious.”

“Aw, me poor darlin’” Honditar drawled, teasing to make her laugh.

“Are you still doing that darned pirate imitation? If he hadn’t spent so much at my bar I’d honestly wish he’d never came to town. You sound ridiculous, Honditar.“

“Look at me earings, Lass; not bad for a buccaneer.”

“Stop it, or I’m going back to bed.”




***


Honditar got serious quickly when she did.

“Listen Emfrid, I’m sure they’ve done something with the girl. I may just have to break in on them and demand answers. Don’t call the guards unless Gaturn is getting the best of me.”

“They’re gone, Honditar. Abiene is in their room now.”

“Gone! What do you mean?”

Emfrid got up quickly. “It’s truth. Earana gave up her room here this morning, Gaturn packed up all their belongings while Earana paid her shot. They hurried out of here like they had somewhere important to go. They came back just a little while ago looking for Abiene, both looking green around the gills like they were really sick. They were dressed to travel overland, Gaturn had a bedroll and winter gear tied to his pack.”

“They must be heading north. I need to find Eyja right away...maybe I’d better talk to Abiene first, see if they mentioned to her where they were going.”

“It’s not like you have to wake her.” Emfrid pointed to the ceiling as the sound of retching started again.

“Shiver me timbers, the Lass is ailin’!”

“Honditar, you’ve had your last free ale from me if you don’t stop that stupid pirate talk.”

Honditar grinned and kissed her cheek, then mussed her hair. “Night, me darlin’.”

He took his time going up the steps, only knocking after the retching stopped. Nearly as soon as he knocked he heard the inn door open and Emfrid’s response.

“Oh, it’s you.”

Honditar turned in relief, knowing there was only one person Emfrid would greet that way; and if she was here, then she wasn’t spending the night with that Gate Guard. He hurried back down the steps.

“Eyja, me darlin’!”

“Oh Honditar, you remembered how much I love that pirate imitation!”

Emfrid didn’t hide rolling her eyes.

Honditar squeezed Eyja’s hand. “News isn’t good on your Khajiit friend.” He went on to tell her everything he’d learned.

Eyja paled, and was nearly hyperventilating. Honditar gripped her shoulder tightly.

“You’d best talk to Abiene quickly, find out what she knows right away. If we’re to catch them we need to leave now.”

Eyja barely nodded, stumbling up the stairs to Abiene’s room.


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Jul 22 2013, 09:33 AM