Closed The Search for Ironweed (Sain Kayun)

[Leila]

Timestamp: Summer 7, 513 AV Leila was sitting on her stool at the counter of her shop, smiling. She was so happy that all of this work, this dreaming, had become real. She loved her new home, her new life. Business was starting a little slow, but she could already tell she was being more successful, financially, than she had been as a bartender at World's End Grotto. Shaco loved it here too, for now he had a yard that he could run around in anytime he wished, and of course he guarded it fiercely. He kept people out unless Leila was with them, and then he only sought out to be petted. Leila pulled out her journal, and started a list of herbs she wished to find and grow in her small garden, which she hoped to expand. She thought about the ones she knew of, and then wrote them down. "Alfalfa Mountain Arnica Foxglove Khat..." But her list was interrupted as the door to her shop opened. She looked up and saw an older, slightly portly gentleman. She guessed by his tanned skin, and really dry hair that he was a dockworker or a sailor. "Welcome to Soothing Salves and Clinic, I'm Leila, how may I help you?" He flashed a quick smile, nervously, then walked up to the counter. He looked around, as if making sure no one else was around. "Do you have an Ironweed? My supply ran out, and I really need it." He then dropped to a whisper, "My... uh... shyke, hasn't been normal for years, and that was prescribed to me when I stopped at port in Mura. But I've run out and now it is acting up." Leila nodded, not judging the man's condition. "I don't have any of that in stock, but I do know that herb, and I know it can be found just outside of the city. If you can return in a few bells, I should have that found and ready for you." The man let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you miss, you're a real life saver. I will see you soon." The man left her shop, a slight spring in his step. Leila closed her book, grabbed her backpack which held her herbalism kit, and a few empty pots from a nearby shelf. She grabbed Shaco's leash off the nail by the door, locked up as she left. She stopped by her gate, finding Shaco waiting there. She let him out and hooked him up to the leash, then made her way toward the city gates. A few chimes of walking, only pausing as Shaco marked every bush or post he could find, Leila was strolling through the gates into the foothills outside of Zeltiva. She stopped just outside, thinking about what she knew of Ironweed. She knew it needed rich soil and full sunlight, common in clearings. They spread their seeds quite well, so they should often be found in clumps. They have tight bunches of small bright purple flowers, making them easy to spot. "Well Shaco, ready to go herb hunting?"

[Sain Kayun]

7th of Summer, 513 AV In a small rather scantly filled cottage, Sain was sitting on his bed, back rested against the cottage wall. He had been going over his father's journal once again, rechecking every small detail his father had written in the various entries on diseases and medicinal herbs. He was still amazed at how extensive the journal was, describing outlandish cures and ailments Sain had never heard of. It was to be expected, Marus Kayun had after all studied at the most prestigious of medical centers in all of Mizahar, the Opal Temple, Sain reminded himself. Sighing, he closed the journal and set it down at his side on the map. It's been almost a year since Sain's father passed away, a fact Sain still could not come to terms with. Feeling that familiar melancholia that has been haunting him since then settling over himself, Sain refocused his mind on other matters, not wanting to hinder others with his dark mood. Sain turned his attention to his herb and medicine supply, which had had been exhausted a week earlier, a result of his attempt at making herbal dumplings. Sain shuddered at the memory. Putting that aside, he felt that now would be a good time to go gathering in the foothills again. Sain reached for his herbalism kit, only remembering that it was one of the many items stolen, along with his philtering equipment and his father's other journals, when his cottage was mysteriously ransacked several seasons ago; he had been to busy to replace many of the stolen items. Sighing once again Sain picked himself up from his bed, slipped into his boots and picked up the journal, hanging his bag loosely over his left shoulder. Leaving the cottage and locking the door shut, Sain set off briskly to the gates, and in a few chimes was out of the Zelvita in the outlying foothills. Walking along, Sain made a mental note to himself that after gathering the herbs he should see if he could buy any philtering equipment in the city, but this thought was brushed aside when he noticed a little ways from him a woman and a dog. Sain was sure he had seen the dog somewhere, when he remembered the potluck for the opening of Leila's herbalism shop only several days earlier. That dog's name was Shaco if he recalled correctly, and Sain guessed Leila was out here for the same purpose he was. Sain began running lightly towards the two until he caught up to them, glad that he was not the only one out herb gathering that day.

[Leila]

Leila saw Shaco's head turn back toward the city, and she followed his gaze to see a man jogging toward her. She recognized him, he showed up to her grand opening. If she remembered right, he made dumplings. They were a little lumpy, and not mixed totally right, but he did add a bunch of herbs and spices to them, in a seemingly perfect blend. It really made up for them, saved the meal. She thought his name was Sain... something. She smiled at him as he arrived, "Hello there, Sain was it? What brings you out here today? Are you coming to hunt down herbs too?" While Leila needed to track down Ironweed, but she had other herbs she wanted to find as well. Woman's Ginger, White Willow, Valerian, and Thyme were all things she wanted. But Ironweed was her main goal. "I'm out here looking for a specific plant, Ironweed, do you know it? It grows in meadows and clearings, and I need it for a customer with specific needs. I'm looking for some others to transplant and put in my garden as well." Leila was looking around the wilderness, wondering which way she should go. She knew not to go toward the mountains, so perhaps northwest would be good. She had never gone out real far into the wilds, and was actually relieved that Sain had shown up. She still had this feeling that the area was completely full of bandits, monsters, and dangers unknown, like her mother had warned her for years. She wanted to not believe her, but there was always a nagging thought there.

[Sain Kayun]

Having caught up to the young woman, Sain smiled back at Leila and took a moment to wipe the dust from his journal, despite there being no apparent trace of dust on it, being a habit that Sain never really noticed himself. "Ah, you remembered my name Leila!" Sain once again smiled, thankful she had recalled his name from the shop's grand opening. "Sain Kayun is the full but just Sain is fine. As for why I'm out here, you are right on with your guess. I have decided to go herb hunting as well today!" Sain nodded yes to Leila when she asked if he knew about Ironweed. He gave off a light, good-natured chuckle at its mention and of the customer, knowing full well what Ironweed was used for and what the customer's needs were. "Yes I do know of Ironweed. Aids in digestion and appetite, relieves post-delivery pain, treatment of watery fecal matter, and reduces fevers and headaches just to name a few" Sain placed a slight emphasis on the second use, hinting his guess to Leila. Little did he realize how off his guess was. Opening up his father's journal, Sain quickly flipped through the pages until he stopped at a page filled with a roughly sketched map of the outlying foothills of Zeltiva. "Hmm... about here!" Sain pressed his finger on the map, lifting it from the journal to point around the northwest beckoning for Leila to look, "My father took me over to an open patch in that direction many times before, and I definitely remember there being some Ironweed there along with a nice medley of other herbs." He wondered if Leila already knew this, seeing that she was a herbalist, but shrugged it off. He was just glad he had some company that day.

[Leila]

Leila was genuinely surprised that this man already knew where they could find the Ironweed. She was slightly disappointed, but didn't show it. She always thought the most fun part was the search, getting lost in the nature, just enjoying herself. But she supposed this would do. When he told her that it was to the northwest, she smiled. At least her guess was right. "Did you write that book yourself? I've been working on a journal, but it's barely got anything in it." Leila felt inadequate next to this man, he just gave off this vibe that he knew more about her subject than she did. What must he think about her shop then? 'Oh that's cute, amateur.' If something happened, he wouldn't need her, she'd need him, and she didn't like that, not in the least. "Shall we?" Leila looked to the sky, Syna still on the east, and moved northwest of her position. It led off until a small set of woods, not a forest proper, but woods in the foothills. She knew that because of the foothills, clearings were common, trees getting washed away in storms or by particularly strong bonesnappers. "So what is it you do again? Work up at the Infirmary? It must be exciting having so many patients that need you." She didn't expect it to take long to find the herb, but she did have a few other ways to kill time as well.

[Sain Kayun]

Sain had closed the journal and was about to place the journal in his bag when Leila asked about it. He shook his head at her with an unknowingly sad expression, "No, this journal was my father's. I only added a few small entries here and there." Sain held the journal gently in his arm, wiping dust off from the weather-worn journal. "He had filled it out with just about every herb and ailment he encountered as a doctor, with some other helpful entries. It has proved useful to me many times. You can take a look if you want once we get to that spot." Upon saying that, Sain put away the journal. He was sure Leila would find something of interest in his father's journal. Most definitely. "I'm sure your journal will be soon filled from cover to cover, just wait." Sain nodded with a cheerful nod at Leila as they set off for the clearing. Looking about the woods in a relaxed manner, checking for any herbs that just happened to be nearby, the man pondered to himself of how extensive Leila's knowledge on herbs was. Well, it must be fairly knowledgeable seeing she had opened a herbalism shop recently. Maybe he should swing by the shop when he had some time to check it out in a bit more detail. These thoughts were pushed back for the moment though. "Yes I do, though I'm only a lowly doctor's assistant..." Sain put up a feigned expression of annoyance, soon brushing it away with a cheery laugh. "I guess you could say it is exciting, but I see it in a different light. What is better than the excitement is the fact you are helping people in their suffering; that is the most important point to me. Don't you agree?"

[Leila]

"That's a kind offer, maybe another time, the wilds aren't the best place for some heavy reading. Swing by my shop one day, maybe it will help improve the research in my Compendium." Leila took the lead, pushing through the low brush, passing beneath a couple of small oaks. She noted some Common Ivy crawling up the trunk of one. She paused, studying the vine, noting how that its leaves alternated as they progress up the vine. She noted a few offshoots ending in buds that would one day flower and turn to berries. Her papa had told her to never eat these berries, for while not deadly, would give you severe digestion issues and cramps. Birds seemed to eat them just fine though. This was one ivy she made sure never made its way onto her property, simply because it spread so quickly and choked other plants. This tree that it had itself wrapped around would eventually succumb to it. But this was mother Caiyha's realm, and the weak fell to the strong. It wasn't right, nor wrong, it just was. She plucked a single leaf off and stuck it in her pocket, for something to add to her compendium. She didn't know if it had any medicinal use, but she would look into it, the leave being a simple reminder later. She left the ivy and pushed onward, stepping over a fallen log, around a thorny bush, and ensuring to carefully stepped over what looked to be a massive pile of bear shyke. And soon she found the clearing, and her heart broke. All of the ground was scorched, burnt black and brown. There was nothing alive in this clearing, as Leila stepped in, to find out why. It was clear that it was fire, but the rest of the small woods were untouched. She stepped lightly, the grass crunching noisily beneath her feet. "What in the gods happened here?" She found a small circle of stones in the center, with charred wood piled within. Remnants of cloth were nearby, lumped in a large mound.