Solo [Job Thread] LEE!

[Liyana Winterflame]

Spring 78, 513 AV Liyana was concentrated on the rows of vials in front of her, placed neatly on the table for her to peruse. Some were transparent, but most where colorful. Many had at least two colors swirling inside. The entire rainbow spectrum was present, plus dozens of hue variation. Beautiful mixtures. It needs something, this flavor, but I can not pinpoint it. What is it? She decided she would add two tiny drops of sour, the type extracted from cherries. She took the vial and turned to another table, which had apparatus for handling and working with philters. Those two wooden furniture, and what lies above them, were what constituted her lab. The rest of the tavern's basement was filled with casks and other containers of drinks. It was not a spacious place, but it was sufficient. She hunched forward and steadied her hand. She held the vial accurately, and started leaning it to the side. The first drop. She made sure it was small one, leaning the glass back quickly. The second drop. She added another. A second after the drop fell into the mixture, the basement door was slammed open. "Lee!" It was the manager, Huzak. She jumped a bit, and a few drops fell on her arm, burning her as acid should. At least no extra drops fell into the mixture. She cursed quietly, and turned to look at her. "A customer is complaining about the trophy head that is hung here. Apparently he dislikes your modifications." "Sorry about that. I was bored and I entertained myself. Tell him to catch another one." It had been a slow night that day, and so Liyana had thought to paint the tusks a glossy silver and color the eyes a vibrant blue and lime spiral. Liyana imagined a patron fuming at this act of disrespect, huffing and puffing. The patrons should not take their trophies so seriously. The trapdoor closed. Liyana turned to tend her hand. She tried to remember which potion had slightly anti-burn properties residual from the plant it was extracted from. She did not have formal training in medicine, but she had dabbled with medical potions before. She located it by its color, applied some to her injury, and wiped the excess with a napkin. It was not often she was interrupted during work. Costumers were usually served drinks prepared beforehand, from bottles and casks, and so she rarely had to interact with them.

[Liyana Winterflame]

Liyana picked some dried sweet berries from a burlap sack at the foot of the table and turned to her glassware. She had already made a berry flavoring, but she was not yet satisfied with it; she was aiming for perfection. She placed them in the mortar and picked up the pestle nestled beside it. I'll start powdering them to change them to a workable form. She ground them with repeated blows. The first broke the spherical shape. The second squished the broken arcs. The third had them in semblance of a uniform layer. She kept this up until the product seemed ready for the second step. She flexed her wrist, but it seemed it was not sore. When I was younger my wrist used to tire so quickly. I've had lots of practice since then. She transferred the result to a beaker, and watched as it slid smoothly -- beautifully --like red purplish sand. Now for some calcination. She placed the beaker on the brazier and lighted the fire. She made sure the direct heat source did not touch the ingredients, and when she was confident enough of its safety she turned to the other tools. She located the cupel and crucible and moved them within reach. Liyana observed the pre-calx as it reached its optimal point and removed it from the heat source. At least, she was fairly confident this was the optimal point. It had taken her a few dozen wasted berries, either burned or ruined, before she had reached a workable recipe. Workable, however, only meant rudimentary; like finally managing to create soap that does not make the dirt worse. She set the beaker on the table and waited for the calx to cool down before she twirled the beaker in her hand to make sure the minerals were homogenized. Liyana split the calx in half; it was partly a precaution, in case the cupellation ruined the batch. It was also due to her suspecting that a better result could be reached if the philter was composed of pre-cupel and post-cupel results, in order to even out the concentration of the taste of sweet and sour. The calx particle she poured in the cupel were wonderfully even-sized, and were neither too large as to require further pulverization or too small to fall through the pores of their own accord. She placed the cupel over the crucible and ignited the heat. It took a few minutes for the heat to spread evenly, but once it did, the impurities quickly melted and bled off. The surface of the cupel was scrapped thoroughly with a spoon, and the end result, colored a glossy blood-red, was poured into a vial through a funnel. No need to risk burning twice. This flavor is sour, and at this concentration it'll be dangerous for sure. She tested a few drops of the flavor with a mug of ale poured fresh from a cask. Better. Almost perfect. . . .

[Liyana Winterflame]

"Lee!" It was Huzak, again. It felt annoying to be interrupted, but, feeling accomplished as she did, Liyana responded plainly."Yes?" "The costumers want to see you. Some guy started talking about all the myriad of flavors present here, and one thing led to another, and now they want to meet you in person." Huzak might have noticed Liyana was not interested, and so she added. "It'll be good for business." Liyana sighed. Philtering needs constant vigilance and problem-solving attention, which was tiring. However, she was always welcoming of new chances for excitement. She separated a few vials from the rest, in order to find them easily when she returns. She followed her up the stairs... and into the fray in the main hall. The wooden tables were full, the chairs around them all taken. People were chatting, some of them rather loudly. There were mugs of beer raised to the air, people laughing, and the sound of silverware scrapping against plates. A few workers were seen interspersed, serving drinks and food and taking orders. "Over there." Huzak pointed to a table with a gesture of her chin. Liyana turned to look at the boisterous crowd on the specified table. She walked towards them, and was noticed as she approached. They seem to be having a good time. Endearing. "You must be the brewer, Liyana!" said one female. She had red hair. Dyed, perhaps? "I applaud this berry beer you concocted," said another. He held it up for a toast. "Thank you," said Liyana. It seemed many liked her mixes. It had not been easy adding flavors to alcohol -- they had a thing for rejecting them -- but she had managed it eventually. . . . A brewer, or a sorcerer, can conjure such blessed taste? She made the awesome awesome-er, like bosoms that become laced. Made seduction much simpler; The flavors, what a bliss! The drink be drunk faster, the faster to land a kiss! Beware, Beware, the philterer's rum! Beware, Beware, their ambrosal wine! Escape when they come, or they'll make you succumb, with their arts of nature divine! Liyana smiled and chuckled slightly as applaud clapped around her. She smiled at the drunken poet, and kissed his cheek. "Prove your skills!" said one of the crowd, from behind her. He stood up to separate himself from the crowd, and said, "If you can help me with your philtering, I'll personally buy rounds for everyone in the tavern, for the rest of the week!" The patrons heard him, for they roared with approval. She turned to look at Huzak, and -- as she expected -- she was nodding enthusiastically and mouthing a 'Yes, Do it' with her eyes wide open. This'll be fun. A challenge! "What do you have in mind?" "I want an alcoholic drink with the flavor of spicy chocolate, and I want it to taste good!" "Spicy Chocolate!" The tavern shook with the chant of the patrons. . . .

[Liyana Winterflame]

When she had first heard his order, she had been partly flabbergasted and partly amused. To many it would have seemed ridiculous and impossible, and indeed she still considered it odd. However, Liyana was able to imagine how she could accomplish it. Cacao, cinnamon, butter, and jalapeño. Basic flavors, all of them. No need for fancy transitional substances. If I can balance them correctly it would be done.. I think. Liyana spent a few more minutes in the tavern's lab meditating. She looked around the ingredient shelves, her eyes roaming broadly. Eventually she stood and started working.

oocI considered having Liyana make the philter and go back for a reward, but I decided this is good enough for now.
I'll just do those in another thread.