Solo Sneezing fits.

[Bob Barton]

3rd day of Winter 513 AV

"A...A...Achoo!"

That was the sound that can be heard all around Bob the whole day. While his uncle pointed out it was a good thing he was only treating animals since there was a risk his cold would spread to other people, especially the sick and vulnerable ones that comes by Bob should do something about it since it was getting on the old man's nerves. Bob however was more concerned with "what do you mean by I have a cold? I don't get sick!" Getting sick was a sign of weakness and Bob having travelled around on his own for years including treacherous cities like Sunberth and Ravok would not like to admit that he is weak. In those two cities especially, being weak was a risk. The ultimate risk. Like the risk he took in East Street the day before, walking around the chilly streets for so long looking for a suitable bar to pass the time in and hopefully win some mizas. "But I agree. I don't think the clothes I have now is suitable for winter. I'll get on it a-a-aft-ACHOO!" after he was finished with his current task he would like to say but that sneeze. That sneeze was probably the last thing that needed to be heard by his uncle.

So what would Bob need? Medicine was obviously not it since he could get help from his uncle that already decided to chase his nephew out so that his patients would not get sick, although the man would most probably force Bob to prepare his own medicine for the experience while he oversaw. No, Bob was headed to the West Street. Remembering the cold air blowing on himself as he was walking around the day before he knew what he needed was warm clothes that can help protect him from getting sick-er than he already is. It might already be happening at the moment but it was not too long until he found a shop. Not willing to be picky about things he decided to head in and take whatever he saw best for him and that is "something warm. For my head too. I'm getting a little dizzy." At least even without being able to make his own medicine Bob could diagnose himself. The symptoms unfortunately pointed to the cold he has been trying to deny causing him to already resign to his condition.

After trying on various caps, cowls and jackets, Bob finally settled on a snug brightly coloured set in purple. In Zeltiva especially, he figured that there was no reason to try keeping a low profile. With so many other prominent people present especially officers, politicians and professors in the city itself as well as high profile visitors from other cities like the knights of Syliras he arrived with, who would look at Bob? No one, and he liked it. It made it easier for him to do things and now he got to do it with style. Style which costs "how much?!" That was a bit extravagant considering well, actually Bob would not know how much would be the right price. However he felt it too high for a few strips of cloth. "What are you trying to do? Take advantage of the winter?" That statement would have carried so much more weight with him in Alvadas. Even allowing him to take it to the streets which would be the last thing the Alvadas shopkeeper would want. A Speaker taking it to the streets. Of course this was Zeltiva and the shopkeeper said something about the clothes were made of llama wool as if Bob would understand.

He didn't which he expressed by saying "what? Llama wool?" which was a completely new thing to him. The shopkeeper explained further how it was lighter and warmer, perfect for the winter which Bob picked out and said again "so you are taking advantage of the winter?" Shopkeepers. Even more untrustworthy than swindlers and gamblers. The man did not have to waste his time denying it. "Then show me. Show me the...not llama wool" Bob said challenging the shopkeeper in hopes to call his bluff. After running another set of clothes through his hand he ran out of ideas. What the shopkeeper was saying is true but he would not give up now. "So are you sure this isn't a sea-seas-ACHOO!" Sniff "seasonal price?" but that was it. A moment of weakness again and the shopkeeper got right on it. Bob relented and said "fine, I'll take it" especially since some snot landed on it. The thought ran through his head that maybe...no. He decided it was better for him to conclude his purchase.

With his new snazzy clothes he decided he should show it off a little. One place came to mind. The Loveless. Sure he had to pay for its services but the women he would get there would say nice things about his clothes and him, mostly him, as long as he kept the mizas coming. He reached there and was through the doors, at the desk ready to make his pick when he did something. Something that will force him to cut his visit short since it wouldn't be too good for business if one of the Loveless girls ended up with him.

"ACHOO!"

OOC :

Receipt:
Llama wool cap, cowl and jacket: 5gm

[Bob Barton]

This sneezing, it was bad. Very bad! It has already made Bob lose out on so many things like in finishing his work which he now has leave for some other day because his uncle would not let him near anyone as long as he was sick and when he was negotiating on a better deal for his new clothes which Bob would still insist he could have something out of it but worse of all... Worse of all he was chased out of the Loveless just because of a little sneeze! It was then Bob realized he was going to need to get this cold dealt with as soon as possible. He had to get back home, raid the medicine and use it on himself right until he got better. Something as insignificant as a cold should not be allowed to stop him from doing what he wanted. What if he suddenly sneezed while he was gambling? His mizas might fly losing him money or even worse... his cards might drop to show everyone else, even dropping the dice prematurely!

There was no time to loose! Bob pulled his new jacket closer to make sure there was less ways for the cold air to rush him and make him even more sick. His cap and cowl brought closer together as well to barely expose his nose. In fact, the only thing a person would be able to see on his face would be his eyes full of drive and determination with this newfound revelation. The cold was bad and needed to be rid of at all costs. Bob was prepared to run already but remembered it was winter. Like running for him was not bad enough, he also had to contend with the possibly slippery streets. Taking a moment to contemplate Bob decided that he would not run but instead walk fast. Walk really really fast. If anyone could see him rushing down the streets, they would have thought him some strange automaton or even golem. His arms and legs were so stiff because he was just too worried he might actually slip. He might get injured true, but his concerns were more from the delay of actually getting cured.

Around halfway through making turns here and there, Bob actually found himself passing by the Temple of Laviku. Bob did not care much for the gods save a few like Kelwyn, Ovek and Sagallius but he knew they were real or at least a pair of them was real. This time around though he was actually willing to try anything and despite the new clothes, he was feeling cold in the exposed parts of his face. If he did not want his cold to get even worse, Bob decided that he needed to take a break indoors for a while and picked up the face moving those stiff arms and legs of him faster in unison to get him into the temple. Even with the railing to help him with the left leg he was so used to keeping stiff, the railing and stairs itself were slippery causing him to take some time to reach up and it was only when he reached past the doors he was able to breath again. Seeing his own breath appearing before him because of the cold. Once he recovered, he made his way towards the front and took a seat.

Bob did not make any contact with the other seated worshippers. He did not even attempt to look for the temple's priests or clerics. Why would he? He already knew what he wanted to do as he was making his way up the stairs. Snow came from storms and as a citizen of Zeltiva even Bob knew that Laviku was the god of the storms...wait a minute. That sounded wrong for a minute even for Bob. He looked around a little confused, past the worshippers and everything else until he finally saw it. It was like this was the first time he actually saw the ocean motif which was all around the temple, after a long while. "Damn" he told himself. He must have mixed up Laviku and that other god. No way he was going to actually let anyone else know about this mistake. Not even Laviku himself. He would no longer be able to call himself a Zeltivan if he did... Acting as though nothing has happened Bob sat with the other worshippers and started to pray.

"Laviku, please cure me. You might be the god of the oceans but I'm pretty sure you can do something since anyone living in Zeltiva would know everything good comes from the ocean. Fish, kelp beer, ships, you get the idea. So why not my health. So if you can do this, thanks.

Ok... Byebye."

Having done what he came for Bob headed to the front of the altar where worshippers placed offerings and rummaged around his pockets. It was a fact of life. You always needed to give something to get something in return. However Bob had nothing really worthy as an offering except mizas since he did not really plan to visit the temple today. He took a few loose coinsfour gold mizas from his pocket and placed them down. Hopefully that was good enough payment in return for his cure or when he gets back, he might have to use even more costly medicine.

"Please Laviku, come through for me alright?" he quietly asked again before leaving. Unwilling to look back at the mizas he is pretty sure he just wasted even as he reached the bottom of the stairs but he will not be demotivated about it. Even if the gods would abandon him, Bob will not give up and he started up his fast walk again. This time with a little bounce in his step although remembering his own safety he made sure his feet landed properly on the ground so that he would not slip. He was too confident on getting cured to allow a slip to make things a lot more worse for him.

He continued walking-hopping until he reached back the place he worked and lived with his uncle and immediately went through the medicine stash but his uncle was already waiting. Marny shut the door and told Bob what he already suspected. That he was going to make whatever he needed for himself. "I don-don't ha-a-achoo! Have the time for this uncle" he said annoyedly as he tried to get at the medicine again but stopped after a while. He was wasting a lot more time in trying to go against his uncle because as his uncle pointed out the only was Bob would get the medicine he needed is if the followed Marny's instructions in making his own medicine. This made Bob sigh asking "so what do we need?" heading over to where the tools were kept to get ready to make what he needed.

Marny did not tell his nephew much. Just gave him a few clues on what to do. Bob asked to confirm "so I am going to need to boil something and...drink it?" That sounded simple enough but Bob was not his uncle. He was still quite unfamiliar with the medicines he was supposed to work with and the tools he had available to him. "That would mean this..." Bob said heating up the brazier to help him with the boiling "and this" Bob said taking out the beaker to go with this. In addition to that, just in case Bob took out the mortar and pestle which got him a funny look from his uncle. Of course he was not sure that he was going to be able to use it but there was one thing that Bob enjoyed when using all the philtering equipment and that is crushing and mashing the ingredients for himself. After everything that happened today especially in the Loveless, he was going to need something to release his pent up stress.

Getting the ingredients was easy enough, at least for the first one. While Marny kept the ingredients disorganized, Bob was able to just get the honey from the kitchen but "what is echinacea?" Bob looked through the various containers to find them but being in such a rush he was unable to check all the labels and he whined to his uncle "at least give me a clue..." While Marny did not point it out to him directly the description that its a round, brightly coloured hairy flower?" he admits narrowed what he had to look for a lot. Bob was getting confused because each flower matching the description his uncle denied looked the same! He continued bringing in the flowers from the big ones, to the small ones, to the orange ones all wrong as far as his uncle was concerned until he yelled out angrily "What! Is! The-he-heachoo! One?!" although each reason his uncle gave him, he was filing away to remember for next time should he need to look for the plant himself.

Until finally Bob found the right one. He could not believe it and confirmed with his uncle again "this is the right one correct?" It did not look too different from what he has already found save for a few minor details and Bob looked closely at it. Rotating it in his hands, taking into account the different colour of the leaves, the extra colours at the points he did not notice earlier, even the size of the entire thing compared to the others. "Echinacea..." he thought to himself before going to prepare it. Following his uncle's instructions, he went and "chop it up..." a hard thing to do when every so often he was interrupted by sneezing that could take off his fingers. Bob was forced to do it slowly, only allowing himself to bring the knife down when he has just already sneezed or was damned sure that he was not about to sneeze already. After that he confirmed with his uncle that he only had to "heat it up in boiling water?" If he was not sick, this would have been an easy job already.

Bob kept the fire in the brazier going as the beaker was left on the side to heat up. He watched it a little impatiently and tried to move away to make sure that the other things are alright but with his uncle around it was impossible. Marny was going to make sure his nephew was going through the philtering process right, especially when it comes to safety. So Bob was left watching the beaker heating up until his uncle told him it was enough. He tried to calculate the time that has passed and wow...did it feel longer than it was. All that was left is for him to seperate the contents according to his uncle and Bob looked at the tools he prepared. "Mash it up?" he asked, eyeing his favorite set of tools but Marny shook his head pointing him to the right direction. "Net thingy. Got it" he said making a grab at the beaker but he forgot to let it cool down and the brief touch with its hot surface made him yell "Owwww!"

After waiting for it to cool down, Bob poured the contents of the beaker into another container through the net thing which captured the large chunks of the flower he chopped up earlier. After that his uncle told him to stir it to separate some of the finer items trapped in the liquid and get it out. Bob complied and tried to do it, stirring as quickly as possible although in a moment he made a mistake and bumped the beaker over spilling its contents. "Noooooo!!!" he cried out in dismay thinking he would have to start all over again but Marny stopped him bringing out a jar and telling his nephew that he still had some of what was needed. Bob looked shocked and asked why onyl for his uncle to explain to him that he would not have let Bob drink something he only made for the first time. What was important over the last bell of the day was for Bob to learn how the flower looked like and how he could prepare it for the next time. With nothing else to do but shake his head, Bob accepted the jar without question.

The only thing left for him to do was to prepare the drink. "You want one too?" he asked his uncle after Marny expressed his interest in trying out something made by his loving nephew. Bob dumped a little of the contents of the jar his uncle gave him into a pot and heated it up over the still burning brazier. It looks like another waste of time because "do I really have to watch this again uncle?" He waited until the pot started whistling before pouring out the contents into the two cups he brought with him and was just about to drink it when his uncle stopped him. Bob was already frustrated wondering to himself what his uncle could want now which the man was only too happy to start explaining. As Marny explained, that Bob had to mix the honey that was prepared Bob only nodded saying "uh huh..." because he already wanted to drink it. Curing himself was far more important than explanations from his uncle that a doctor was also responsible for his patient's comfort which was what the honey was for, to help the sick person drink easier.

Which Bob found the same applying to him as he was drinking from his own cup. Perhaps his uncle was not too bad after all but that did not change Bob's mind about being forced to work a job he did not like too much while he stayed in Zeltiva. Even if it was giving him a lot more money than he was used to. Regardless he told the man, "thank you. For the tea and for the lesson uncle" only hoping that it would work and he would be cured of this cold as soon as possible.