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Amongst all these rich and varied plantings works a charming and bonnie lass of perhaps two tens of summers, her tumbling deep russet hair hidden in silk scarves of blue and gold, hands plunged into the black soil as her fingers gently place seedlings into proper rows. "Oh! Greetings to you!" she smiles with bright silvery eyes, her bobbed curtsy causing the large pearl drop in her ear to gleam in the light. "The Lady did no announce we'd have visitors today. I am called Anya, and I bid you welcome into the true heart of the apothecary." As she speaks in her oddly accented voice, a shimmering pair of insects thrum through the air, before dissapearing out an open window. "And 'tis here as well we grow the rare and mysterious herbs and plants used in the Lady's spellcraft, as well as clever and practical applications for domestic and every-day use." Low-heeled leather boots clicking on the polished stone tiles, Anya leads you to an ancient great apothecary chest, dozens upon dozens of drawers painted with flora and fauna; a heavy glass-fronted cabinet resting atop is filled with all sorts of arcane bottles and packages. "Tell me now, perhaps you have need of such herbal wares as these?" The glass panels are opened by Anya's slender white hands, and the wealth of the garden revealed ...
 Comforting Compress
From a drawer painted with a pair of blue doves, Anya pulls forth a neatly tied package of bound and rolled bandages, with a parchment tag. "Comforting Compresses," she reads aloud in her stilted accent, allowing you to more closely examine the herb-packed thick squares of cloth and sewn leaves. "These are quite practical, and quite efficient in their application. They are made to promote healing and the cleansing of wounds," she explains, "but must be kept on for one full day in order for the magic to take its effect. Not only open cuts to the flesh, but also rashes and most heat and chemical burns are completely erased. This does come at a cost," the lass warns. "Nine thousand Timiro gold pieces for the package of three. But well worth the price."
Compress will heal 1D10+2 S.D.C./H.P., but only if applied for 24 hours. Magical diseases and inflictions cannot be healed by the compress.
 Deka Seeds
From another drawer covered in creeping vines and white trumpet flowers is brought out a clever sewn packet of some tiny substance. Pouring them out in her open palm, Anya reveals the contents as several slender seeds. "From the deka originally did these come, though much magic has been performed over them to make a change." From your skeptical look the raven-haired lass looks indignant. "They are different! Each seed now contains the nutrition of an entire meal, and even more, will give you the -feeling- of having consumed a far greater course of dishes! The only draw is that but two may be eaten in a day. Though at two hundred gold coins of the Western Empire, its doubtful these would become all one would eat," she admits ruefully.
Each seed consumed grants the nutrition and sensation of having eaten an entire proper meal. The seed tastes pleasant, but still like a seed.
 Elixir of Poison Negation
From another drawer painted like a sunrise, Anya brings forth a dim glass bottle with a squat base and a wax-sealed top crested with a medallion; she shows you the murky, swirling liquid inside. "Looks not very good for you, no?" she asks lightly. "But medicine is seldom good for tasting and savoring. This in fact is a potion to negate and purge toxins from the body, most efficiently. But one sip shall eradicate any foul poison, whether the pollutant be injected, swallowed, or applied to the skin. There is no fear of death with this bitter water, though 'tis a shame it tastes so bad, at fifteen thousand golden coins of Lopan or Phi, for but five doses."
Takes 1D4 rounds to completely eradicate the poison, though there is no chance for death, once imbibed. Magical poisons will have their effects halted, but not cured.
 Milk of Youth
Again the young herbalist reaches into the glassed cabinet atop the great chest, and removes forthwith a tall, slender bottle of some creamy, pale green fluid. "Another favorite amongst the nobility of the Western Empire, though most often sold in Lopan and Phi for use in exclusive salons catering to the ridiculously wealthy," Anya rolls her eyes as she removes the crystal stopper. "'Tis meant to be poured into one's bath, and savored as the effects take place as the entire body is submerged. Namely, a great reduction in one's age, an enhanced beauty, and a lovely glow to the complexion. Such a silly waste of herbs and magic, for fifteen thousand gold. Its a discounted price!" the girl chides indignantly. "I am told -fifty- thousand gold is the price those foppish Western nits pay for this elixir."
Lasts for 72 hours, reduces physical appearance by 2D4 years, grants a temporary +1 to P.B., and bestows a lovely, clear and fresh complexion to the bather.
 Paralysis Patches
A tidy bundle tied with ribbon is the next bit of medicinal wonder that Anya removes from a drawer thick with abstract knotwork patterns. Untying the package and removing a single pad, she reveals its intent; "Paralysis patches. A boon to surgeons and practitioners of the natural healing arts. Useful for numbing and keeping still a limb so one can easily stitch the patient back up again, or splints and such," the young woman grins wickedly at some secret jest. "Also there is within the pad a coagulant to clot the blood and staunch the wound. Most effective, these three pads for nine thousand gold ingots of Timiro. Would you not say?" Anya asks as she playfully pretends to slap one upon your cheek ...
A coagulant, antiseptic, and anesthetic all in one; begins to fully effect in 1D4 minutes. Previously named properties last for 2 hours, the paralysis lasts for three.
 Pearl Pastilles
Another graceful, slender-necked bottle is brought out from the confines of the glassed cabinet, an ewer Anya carries most carefully as she displays this latest creation. "Gelatin drops within this glass contain very rare herbs and especial enchantments, to both heal and restore internal organs that have ruptured or been injured," she absently notes while watching the sunlight gleam upon the contents. "Hemmoraging within the body is also halted and repaired thanks to the magic of the Pearl Pastilles. Even sickness and poison trapped within the body, fluids from the stomach or kidneys or bladder, are neutralized and eradicated." Slim fingers pull forth a single translucent bead. "Ten thousand golden coins of the Old Kingdom, the Lady is asking for but one of these." She hurriedly puts away the treasure, kissing her fingers and pressing the tips to the bottle in a seal of promise. "Once I saw the Pearl used upon a Western Empire gladiator who had been gutted by a fierce arena beast ..." she shudders delicately.
Heals and restores damaged, even burst, internal organs for up to 1D4x10 + 10 H.P. and/or S.D.C., ceasing any hemmoraging and natural poisons or ill bodily fluids; at least 25% of the organ(s) to be healed needs to remain intact.
Pest & Vermin Repellant
This smooth tin, marked with various mystic symbols, is pulled from a tiny drawer near the top of the chest, in a midst of escaping miniscule birds with delicate plumage. "Oh, the Lady was looking for those!" exclaims Anya, who tries in vain to grasp the fleeting feathers of one avian. "Well, they shant fly far from their food. Now, this here is the finest vermin repellant one can purchase in the apothecary! Ironically .." the lass trails off wryly, watching her captives escape. "We produce both an ointment to apply to the skin, or in solid chips to be strewn about in cupboards and the like. Nearly every natural insect and rodent are affected, even maggots from food," she boasts. "Only two thousand Timiro gold, for a tin or pouch with several doses."
The product will work for three months, in solid form; the ointment will remain effective for a few days, or until completely washed away. Repels all vermin, such as fleas, ticks, roaches, flies, rats and mice.
Rinya's Restorative Tonic
"Adventurers who patronize the apothecary call this one 'healall'," Anya muses as she fetches from the great glassed cabinet a lovely silver chased pot with an amber studded lid. "One of the most difficult potions to make as well. This salve is especially valuable, for it will regenerate small appendages which have been lost to battle! Fingers and toes, even facial features such as your nose," the violet-eyed girl exclaims with a note of awe. "Beyond my capability, you see .. only the Lady can make such as this. Oh, should you have an unfortunate limb severed from your body in combat, applying this ointment to the shorn flesh will magically restore you to a hale and whole countenance and seal it in place again! Even scar-damaged and disease ruined flesh can be restored with this." She shakes her head, a raven skein of curls tumbling before her eyes. "Forty thousand coins of Old Kingdom gold I must ask for this. But there is enough for two applications, I think."
2D6 points of damage are healed as well when this salve is used; scar tissue (whether from a weapon, or from fire or acid) treated with this product will magically be erased, as will deformations from disease such as smallpox pitting. The severed limb must be put back in place within five minutes of being shorn for the salve to work.
Savory Pastry
Upon another platter atop the chest, sits an arranged quartet of a rather delicious looking pastry, golden brown and filled with cheeses and herbs. "That is a Savory Pastry," Anya explains, the capitalization of the title evident in her expression. "Rich in spicy herbals and other good things. But what it accomplishes is far greater. The wealthy elite occasionally patronize the apothecary to purchase these Pastries for their drug-induced decadence, and for that we charge seventy-five thousand Old Kingdom gold." The lass pauses for effect, smiling as she reveals their purpose. "Eating a Pastry forever cleanses the mind and soul of a single phobia or neurosis. Though sometimes," and she lowers her voice conspiratorily, "when the Lady is sleeping, I take a basket of these to the very poor, who have no way of raising themselves from the squalor and fear in which they live. Sometimes it gives a man or woman a second chance in life." Anya looks away after this, shy and silent. Consuming the entire Pastry forever erases a single phobia or neurosis from the character's mind. Psychosis cannot be combatted by the Pastry. The entire baked good must be eaten, or else the magic will not take effect. Note : It is possible at the G.M.'s discretion to 'allow' one of these Pastries to fall into the hands of a needy character; depending on whether or not the neurosis/phobia is due to their deliberate action.
Soothing Skin Balm
Now comes another ceramic pot, gaily painted with curling vines, taken from a long shallow drawer painted with dancing forest creatures. "One of my favorites I must admit, and the first ointment the Lady taught me," Anya reveals as she opens the lid to release a delicious, fresh and clean fragrance. "A fairly simple cream it is too, not like the Restorative Tonic, but enough to remove all signs of dryness, chapping, and rashes on the skin. Even cracks about your mouth and hands, from severe cold, are eased and erased with this cream. And your skin is left smooth as an infant's, for only fifteen hundred Bizantium gold. Many of the noble ladies purchase this weekly," the girl adds offhandedly.
1D4 points of damage are healed by use of the cream; skin is restored to a vital, lovely glow, with all flaking, dryness, redness, and other minor conditions erased.
 
Anya's Original Creations
The following elements are all contained within a much smaller cabinet, a tall willowy affair with etched glass panes. It is with great pride tempered with tender shyness that Anya reveals its contents to you and your party; for as she opens the doors, she states that these are her own design and manufacture - the end result of long hours of study, experimentation, effort and prayer.Many of these creations are elements of the forgotten Beekeeper's Magic, a secret school of mystic art held by the Old Believers of Anya's religious sect.
Anya's Almond Honeycake
Whimsically set upon a lovely glass display and placed under a dome is a delicious-appearing cake topped with honey, smoothly cut into thin pieces. Noticing your gaze, Anya smiles and explains thus; "But a single wedge of that pastry will melt on your tongue, and instantly cure the daily ailments and plagues of ill health, such as headache, fever, nausea and coughs, congestion and stomach disorders. In but one to four minutes, you will feel completely refreshed and in far finer spirits! Such magic comes at a price. One hundred Western Empire gold, or its equivalent, for a slice. For you, you may have the entire cake of six slices for only five hundred!" She smiles warmly, lifting the lid to allow the indulgent aroma to waft over your senses.
Listed symptoms dissapear after consumption in 1D4 minutes; cannot work for magical illnesses or serious diseases such as leprosy or cancer.
Anya's Empathic Effigies
From the glassed doors of the cabinet comes a carved wooden box, lined in silks, containing a quartet of wax figures. Each is simplistic in design, yet cunningly molded and carved, individual enough to possibly represent a single unique soul. "Pricking your finger and touching a drop of blood to the forehead of each effigy, allows you to mentally bespeak anyone else who has also done the same to each doll that you and the other must possess to engage in silent conversation," Anya explains excitedly. "any number of people may anoint the effigy, two, twelve, it does not matter, so long as each doll in use has been so prepared. Much time did it take me to create this magick, and so I have been bidden to set a price of two thousand Western gold per figure." She tilts her head to the side in thought. "Though, with a range of one hundred miles, 'tis a long distance indeed one may communicate."
One message per melee of up to fifteen words may be sent, per person bespeaking another. Range is one hundred miles, whether above or under ground; the effigies act as universal translators, so each user's native tongue is altered to understandable speech for the recipients.
A rare spell of the Beekeeper's Magic.
Anya's Fae Heavy-Wine
An elegantly simple crystal decanter is pulled from the narrow cabinet, whimsically decorated with glass bees swirling about the long neck. "Upon imbibing this rich honeyed wine (not unlike a faerie drink)" Anya notes amusedly, "one is granted a calming and mellow feeling as though being intoxicated without the negative impacts. Among distress, distrust, and guarded suspicion between fellows, sharing a glass of this potion silences petty doubts and old grudges for many hours. Truth be told, I was aiming for this creation to have other benefits, but this was all I could do. ‘Tis not a failed experiment," the lass concedes with a sigh, "for it even grants a touch of healing. But still... the Lady has set its price at one hundred gold a glass, four hundred for a half-bottle, or seven hundred for a full bottle." One wonders what Anya was attempting with this fae wine...
Heals 1D4 H.P. /S.D.C., eases aches, and soothes the body’s system. The elixir tastes wonderful, like the most magnificent mead of spices, honey, and sweet wines.
Anya's Honey-Drops
Sunlight slanting through a large glass jar set atop the cabinet gives a rich glow to the translucent contents, appearing to be drops of pure gold. "Made of honey, those are," Anya confides with a smile, opening the jar to release its heavenly fragrance. "Well ... and a few other mystic secrets," the girl laughs easily while pulling out a candy. "These have the power to instantly heal minor wounds with but a single swallow. Its true! So delicious they are, and two can be taken per day. I should know," she adds with a grin. "I made them. Only nine hundred gold tokens of Bizantium will fetch you six of these."
Each honey-Drop heals 1D6 S.D.C./H.P., and tastes absolutely devine.
A rare spell of the Beekeeper's Magic.
Anya's Seal of Repairing
Yet another beeswax creation is pulled from a slender drawer of the tall cabinet, this one a sectioned bloc meant to be broken into squares; each marked with a twisting triparate vine. "When pressed to a broken surface or damaged object, the wax will magically melt and restore the ruined piece to its original, whole state. There are stipulations," she warns as she wraps the bloc into soft linen squares. "Only non-magical materials not of metal will be repaired. Wood, stone and clay, ceramic and glass, fabrics and other organic materials are all affected by the magic. The Lady as bade me ask two thousand for the bloc of nine squares."
Whether ruined chair's cushion, a shattered goblet, or a broken timber, the seal will restore the object’s entire compliment of S.D.C. to its original state before the breaking. Up to 100 pounds of material within ninety cubic feet may be repaired by a single square.
Anya's Seal of Securing
The strange-spoken lass reaches beyond the glassed doors again, beyond the drawer which supplied the repairing seals, to bring forth another bloc of wax. This token is also broken into squares, each embossed with a plump beehive. "When set and pressed between two non-magical substances," Anya reveals, "the wax square will magically melt and disappear, forming a bond between the two objects; sheets of parchment, bricks, wood, leather and glass are among those things that can be affected. Anything non-living, really, will work. This is a permanent enchantment, and only the touch of the binder And a word of power will deactivate the spell," she smiles warmly with the pride of her creation. "Nine hundred gold pieces for a nine-square bloc is the Lady’s chosen price."
Seal of Securing can also be removed with a dispel magic, or a combined P.S. of 40 to pull the objects apart.
Anya's Wax Bandages
These curious wax tablets are explained by the strange young mystic as bandages, "To be placed upon the open wound, whence they will melt upon the skin, sealing the injury and forming a protective barrier for one full day." Peering at the vaguely honey-fragranced thick rounds, stamped with a staff entwined by serpents, tiny honeybees encircling the edge, one wonders how such a thing could possibly benefit. "They feel like simple bees-wax in the hand, I know," Anya admits. "But trust me; for only one hundred Bizantium gold for four Wax Bandages, they will come quite in handy."
Heals 1D8 S.D.C. or H.P. after magically sealing the wound for twenty-four hours; falls off instantly, leaving behind smooth, repaired flesh. During its day-long wear, the bandage forms a natural protective coat on the injured part (effectively AR 16) and allows 75% usage of that part without any pain or discomfort; i.e. if the serious sword cut to the leg reduces the character's speed to 50% of its norm, the Wax Bandage will restore 75% of the character's movement capability.
A rare spell of the Beekeeper's Magic.
The great Tome of Herbal Practical Magicks
In a niche opposite the massive ancient apothecary chest is a tall reading stand flanked by a huge iron candleabra and a small table bearing a pitcher of cool water. Upon the stand rests this great parchment tome, chased and bound in silver scrollwork, bearing a crescent moon and a single shining star centered upon a gleaming pearl; perhaps a symbol of the Lady. Between its polished pale-grained wooden covers, one may find any number of curious, helpful, unusual, or practical herbs, plants, and other flora the Lady and her companions have discovered in their travels. Here they are documented for all to see, notations including their origins, properties, uses, and general market value.Use this knowledge wisely, and at one's own discretion.
Antelade - common - deciduous tree
Found growing all across Palladia, this tree grows to heights of seventy feet after forty years' maturity, and produces a bitter, though edible, wine-dark berry; these are used medicinally when dried and powdered, or made into an elixir, to suppress coughing and ease the aches of illness. The slender pale leaves are poisonous. Ingestion brings paralysis for 3D6 minutes and stomach cramps for 2D4 hours afterwards from a single leaf. Brewing a potion from the thin sap produces a colorless though very bitter and slightly aromatic poison which causes cardiac arrest.
15 gold per dose of berry; 65 gold per dose of sap poison
Betram's Needle - uncommon - succulent
A thick low-growth plant with spine-like thorns which may be harvested and used medicinally as injection needles or acupuncture. The tough rind of its annual yellow fruit is rich in nutrients and can be made into a palateable and long lasting jerky; the flesh is good for vitality and stamina. Grinding and powdering the root makes a medicine for rheumatism, arthritis, and other joint ailments, and is anti-inflammatory. Can be found growing in dry arid climates.
5 gold per needle; 15 gold/lb. for jerky; 250 gold per ounce of powder.
Bitter - common - annual
Found everywhere throughout the Baalgor Wastelands and the Land of the Damned, this thick, glossy leafed annual wraps itself about rock crevices and broken tree trunks as it leaches the life out of the surrounding environment. One hallmark of the Bitter plant is the withering and dead flora surrounding it as the Bitter sends out tendrils to suck up more nutrients from the soil. Bitter receives its name from its thick, sinewy plump roots, which are used as a poison to bring abdominal cramping and to induce vomiting; ground and powdered or pulped for the moisture, the roots are intensely disgusting and mouth-twistingly foul. However, this can be masked in foodstuffs with much sweetener or butter, or in a strong alcoholic drink. The thick wide-veined leaves bear no taste as such, but do carry an acrid odor as they are implemented (by boiling and reducing into syrup) in reducing fever and swelling of the brain. Unfortunately, as effective as the leaves are with this medicinal practice, their sap causes bouts of itching and reddened, irritated skin when applied topically.
20 gold for a dram of root poison; 14 gold for a poultice or tonic of leaves.
Caellus - common - perennial
The round coin-like leaves of this tender plant are dried and distilled into a soothing pleasant tea used as a mild relaxant. The juicy and flavorful orange berries make an excelent jam or compote, and have properties useful in preparing a salve to soothe and heal burns and rashes. The slender, fibrous roots are mildly poisonous, their ingestion bringing fevers, sweating, and stomach cramps for 1D8 hours.
10 gold per jar of jam or compote; 35 gold per 10 ounce jar of burn ointment.
Deka - uncommon - shrub
A clumping, loosely growing shrub whose twisting above-ground roots can be found in dry sandy soils. The leathery, peeling bark is helpful when fashioned into poultices or brewed into a tea to fight infection, kidney and bladder disorders. The star-clustered seeds are also rudimentary in some mystical preparations.
65 gold for medicinal tea; 125 gold for poultices; 15 gold per seed cluster.
Freshmint - common - annual
While not actually a cooking herb of the mint family, this low-growing sucker plant appears somewhat similar to its distant cousins, with brilliantly green quadruple-pointed leaves and thick, sap-filled stems. The soft blue flowers that bloom in early to late spring are edible and good for light spicing or garnishing; the medicinal use for Freshmint is its overwhelmingly powerful ability to eliminate bacteria in the mouth, soothe and ease swelling of tender tissue and gums, and even act as a mild anesthetic. As such, the leaves and stems are pulped into a salve for toothache, or ground and strained into a tonic for orally hygenic purposes, as a mouth rinse or gargle. Freshmint commonly grows from East to West, and as far south as Timiro, and is therefore fairly accessible for most folk with the extra silver to spare.
5 gold per salve, 4 applications per container; 7 gold per rinse, 15 applications per container.
Granse - uncommon - annual
Grows on high slopes and in rocky, thin soils, this herb is used as a general healing agent and a mild sedative. Overdosing prompts a potential comatose state for 2D8 hours, during which the body slows its breathing to near-imperceptiblity, and lowers its internal temperature. The roots are mildly poisonous, bringing broken rashes and vomiting.
300 gold per dose of dried leaf.
Heartsblood - rare - shrub
A sprawling, low growing, shallowly-rooted plant with clusters of dark pointed leaves and long-lasting sprays of velvety white, rose, or red blossoms. When the flowers are boiled, steeped, and strained into a potion, the result makes for an superior anticoagulant and pain reliever, and aids in controlling heart palpitations; generally beneficial for most heart conditions. Only the flowers, which bloom one week a year in the spring, are used in any medicinal function. Ironically its roots are dire poison, incuding seisures and heart failure when ingested. When brewed, the roots have a dark color, and an acrid fragrance and flavor.
150 gold per dose of petal powder; 350 gold per dose of root poison brew.
Hegwaet - uncommon - deciduous tree
Found in marshes, bogs, creeksides, and other moist conditions, the thick pulpy leaves of this plant are pounded and prepared into potions for reducing fevers and easing body aches; also contains helpful anti-inflammatory properties. The still-fresh leaves can also be fashioned into a poultice for use in treating the same conditions. Dried and powdered, they can be incorporated to make a lovely, soothing skin cream.
80 gold per potion; 100 gold per poultice; 170 gold per 10 ounce jar of skin cream.
Lethe - uncommon - annual
Grows in thickets and shady places in temperate areas, with long, dark spear-shaped leaves. Used as a sedative and an analgesic when leaves and stems are boiled and strained into a salve. The root, when prepared in the same manner, acts as an antispasmodic and a coagulant; though in heavy doses the drug is capable of paralytic poisoning. Bears a very bitter, astringent taste and a yellow color.
145 gold per dose of leaf salve; 200 gold per dose of root salve.
Mandrake - very rare - perennial
A mystically powerful herb used as a narcotic and a supposed aphrodisiac, found in woodlands and dells in mild climates. Imbibing a tea made from, or chewing a slice of the thick, spicy root can grant a glimpse of the future (in a subconcious state as when sleeping), and so is used predominantly in meditative states and divination trances. The tiny black flowers are dried and powdered for use in love potions or to incite lust. These abilities are no folk tale, and when the actual Mandrake is available, fetches high prices. All too often charlatans and snake-oil salesmen substitute the similar-appearing-and-tasting ginger for the true thing; thus it can be somewhat difficult to ascertain what one is even purchasing from a supposedly reliable source.
1000 gold per ounce of root; 5000 gold for an entire root; 3500 gold per ounce of dried flowers. Note there is a 20% chance of purchasing a false substitute from any source, no matter how secure and personally known said source is to the buyer.
Pepperberry - common - shrub
A hardy, dusty-green woody shrub that grows in hilly or mountainous meadows and light forest glades. Reaching a height and width of approximately three feet, the perennial bush bears silver-dusted olive leaves and tiny white flowers; maturing into a yellow-cased bright red hard berry in late summer to early autumn. Pepperberry makes an excellent spice when the mature berries are ground, akin to black pepper, nutmeg and cloves. The berries must be fully ripened, as the greenish waxy young fruits are mildly poisonous, causing stomach upset and nausea. The leaves are harvested medicinally, ground and powdered to be taken for respiratory ailments and occasionally arthritis. Some folk brew the pungent leaves into a spicy tea that clears the sinuses.
12 gold per ounce of berry; 9 gold per ounce of leaves.
Promise Plant - rare - perennial
An herb that grows best in warmth and moist soils, clinging to pond embankments and creekbeds. An outstanding anesthetic can be made from the whole of the plant, whether dried and crushed into a tea for internal use, or crushed and made into a paste to use with banadges; often used for surgery to dull the pain considerably. The summer flowers also act as a sedative.
150 gold per doseage of tea or paste; 100 gold per dose of flowers.
Qirith (KIR-ITH) - rare - annual
A silvery grey fern that grows only in high-altitude regions in acrid soil, the Qirith spores cannot grow below four thousand feet; scientists and men of medicine suspect this is related to the lower air pressures or humidity that the plants cannot abide. Spreading in tight clumps of spear-shaft like formations of up to three feet, Qirith must be harvested when the young tendrils are still pale green, before they cover in the silver scale-like spores and are rendered medicinally useless. When boiled in a copper pot, strained with certain other herbs, and then dried to crystallization, Qirith undergoes a chemical reaction that creates a superior drug known in more sophisticated cultures as an antibiotic. The shamans and healers of Palladia know that the ground crystal residues act quickly to ease the swelling and pressure; and reduce the fluids of infection, preventing flesh from decaying; and purging the body of toxins. Qirith is often cut with other, cheaper herbs to help relieve the financial burden of the medicine.
320 gold per three doses.
Redbell - common - annual shrub
Spreading across any sunny, moderate climate, this tall reedy shrub boasts bright stalks of glossy red blooms each spring, throughout the season until first frost. Dried and crushed, the petals make for a boon for cramps, stomach disorders, and constipation. As a wash or cream its properties can soothe tired eyes and moisten dry skin.
12 gold per dose of flowers; 21 gold per 10 ounce jar of wash or cream.
Silpstrewth (SILP-strooth) - common - annual
This lovely creeping annual was grown for many years in domestic gardens throughout the Western Empire before its medicinal properties were examined, tested and discovered. Silpstrewth is marked by its tender, velvety arrow-shaped leaves, and brilliant white waxy trumpet flowers that bloom from after the last frost, until late summer; sometimes growing to lengths of eight inches or more, with a cluster of pollen-rich stamens at the center. The blooms are edible, sometimes shredded or left whole as a garnish, or ground and dried into a spice, or even delicately battered and pan-fried for a delicious result. As a medicinal, the leaves and flowers are crushed and pulped into a salve or poultice, which assists in helping to purge and prevent the spread of infection in external wounds. When smeared across damaged flesh, the paste will foam slightly, drawing out impurities and infection and cleaning the wound with delicate precision. Has no medicinal function when taken internally.
3 gold per dozen fresh blossoms; 12 gold for a salve or poultice of crushed and pulped leaves and flowers.
Succhus - common - grass
Found growing on grasslands and praries, this wild-growing weed puts forth hollow segmented stems filled with a medicinally antiseptic sap. The leaves can also be woven into a clever poultice that aids in staving infection and reducing seepage. The thin, sour contents of the hollow shoots should only be applied externally; when consumed it can cause diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
15 gold per 5 ounce vial of sap; 25 gold per poultice.
Sunbright - rare - annual
A low spreading plant with bright yellow sunburst flowers, found growing in alpine regions. The blossoms can be prepared as a wash to relieve poor eyesight and is especially good for eye infections and washing out poisons and pollutants. The flower medicine can only be applied externally; internally ingesting any other part of the plant brings skin rashes and itching hives.
450 gold per 10 ounces of wash.
Sun-drops - uncommon - annual
This aquatic annual grows in shallow lakes and ponds throughout the East from the Territories to Timiro and the South-Winds, occasionally found in slow-current creeks and quiet streams. A hollow, bulbous green root keeps the plant afloat, dangling tendril-like roots into the water, while broad curling leaves catch the light and allow hiding places and roosts for water creatures. The name of the flora derives from the multiple-spiked petals of its brilliant yellow flower, a deep cup with a delightful fragrance. Because of its multiple uses the Sundrop is now grown domestically in more populous regions, while country folk still seek out its charming golden flowers in pristine meadows and natural pools. Among other properties, Sundrop is harvested for the following; the flower petals for perfume, its nectar for a delicious bee honey; the bulbous root for easing heart strain and palpitation; and the leaves for thinning the blood and easing pains of the head and eyestrain.
20 gold per ounce of perfume; 10 gold per pint of honey; 40 gold per ounce of powdered leaf; 60 gold per ounce of green root.
Waterlocke - common - perennial
An aquatic plant preferring calm cool water and partial shade. The root and bulb is highly nutritious though bland, and easy to digest; it is often mashed and given as a supplement to recovering patients who cannot masticate solid foods. Stamens and pollen of the summer and fall blooming flowers are found to reduce constipation, ease sinus pressure, and generally act as a boon to maladies of the lungs.
4 gold per pound of mashed bulb; 55 gold per dose of pollen.
White-Eye - rare - deciduous
From the ruins of the Old Kingdom hails this peculiar rail-like, knobby mountain tree, growing in shivering clumps in rocky or thin soil at low to medium altitudes. Paper-thin coin-shaped leaves rustle in a tell-tale sound that can be heard for several hundred feet, the roots of the tree growing typically exposed and knotting about themselves in a crown-like formation. The curling, peeling bark is used in mystic applications to see the invisible, an ability received either by ingesting the bitter bark itself, or by brewing it into a tea. The name of the plant derives from this magical property, as whoever takes the bark finds his eyes clouding and filming over into completely white orbs while the ability lasts; normal vision is not impaired. The leaves also are mashed and pulped into a salve to promote the healing of the eyes, to cleanse the vision and stave off infections.
675 gold per ounce of leaf salve; 700 gold per ounce of bark or tea-grindings; three ounces of bark or tea is required for three hours of seeing the invisible.
Witchwood - rare - mythic flora
A primal forest tree which resides within very deep virgin woodlands, growing expansively to heights of five hundred feet; possesses wide, multiple veined leaves and smooth bark. The wood is amazingly dense and requires five times the effort to cut or break, than other hardwoods. Purported to hold mystic properties and is often used in especial preparations; incorporating Witchwood into magical potions or creations (such as a weapon), or into medicinal treatments doubles the effectiveness and abilities of said creations.
5000 gold per ounce of bark or leaf; 8500 gold per pound of wood.
Zanzibar - uncommon - annual
A lush annual herb with peculiarly pale-striped leaves that curl tightly during nocturnal hours. The pale green buds are used to ease the pain of childbirth, and occasionally other internal pressures. The sliver-like seeds contain chemicals that work in tandem with the body's ability to knit and heal bone.
85 gold per ounce of flower; 135 gold per ounce of seeds.
 Return to the entrance of the apothecary.
 The eastern archway lies as yet unchecked.
 At the counter the lady still awaits ...
 The weapons rack lies beyond an arch ...
 The dutch door beckons, half opened.
 A great ironwood portal is unlocked for visitors ...
Music for this page : Theme of Toroia.
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