Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
It very much was, and Seren was lucky for it. The encounter could have gone terribly, but instead a friendship was forged that, while still new and untested, had the potential to last for a lifetime.
"I know, right? Anyway, the reason I asked was that she is quite good with herbs, too. Mostly for tea - and I was thinking that maybe you might be interested in reaching out to her? If you want more business."
Turning her attention back towards the task at hand, Seren leaned in to admire the color of the mixture. While still in the cauldron and somewhat muted by shadows, the yellow still managed to look bright and cheerful. Enough to make her fingers itch to try it on a canvas, and see how it would hold up.
Fetching a pair of stove-gloves set out, the girl reached for the cauldron. A light pulse of gravity magic made the thing light and easily carried, and with no apparent effort she poured the contents through the strainer to separate liquids from solid material.
"There, that should do it," she said once the first cauldron was empty. Setting it aside, Seren looked to Ray for further instructions. "I suppose we should clean the cauldron before starting with a different color?"
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
The idea has Ray perking up. "That's actually a great idea. I have quite a few tea blends, and even just wholesale herbs if Maeve is the kind to create her own blends. I'll reach out to her for sure. Thanks Seren." She gives the demigod a warm smile, grateful for the input.
The process of pouring goes easily enough. The yellow dye will cool and then be ready for packaging. Ray gives a nod at Seren's question, already grabbing two sponges and a little bottle of cleaner. "Yup. Just a quick rinse and scrub and we're good to go." Ray starts spraying the inside of the cauldron, wiping out any debris or color. Still scrubbing she asks, "What color do you want to make next?"
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
"Just happy to help my friends," the young woman smiled back, visibly pleased that the suggestion was received so well.
Watching as Ray scrubbed out the pot, itching to help but realizing that one person at a time likely made the work faster, Seren condered. "Mmh, let's go with red," she suggested. "Say, if I wanted to make some simple poultices for scrapes and cuts, what would I need? Oh, and someone told me that distilled water is good for cleaning out wounds... where do I find that?"
While Ray worked, Seren began to search for the next set of plants they would need. Madder root, she had said... "I've had this idea, lately. That I would like to make a portable kit with things I'd need to treat wounds. Only the basic things, for life support.
"Ah, there it is. Is this the madder?" Seren poked at a sack full of something that looked like dried up worms, long and tubular with a faded orange hue and a tangy smell.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Ray gives a nod. "Red, alright, and yes that's the madder. We'll repeat the same process we did with the yellow." Ray began to boil the water once more as Seren continued her questions.
"A basic wound poultice? My recipe involves distilled water, marigold, aloe, tea tree oil, and chamomile. It handles basic cuts, scrapes, and minor burns. You just rub some on the injury and bandage it." Ray explained, but ended up laughing slightly at Seren's exasperation. "Distilled water is just water with everything else removed. It's actually very easy to make. You just boil water and when it's at it's peak you place a large bowl over it to collect the steam. After about five minutes, remove the bowl, flip it over, and let the condensation in it return to water. That water is distilled water." She chuckled as she finished her brief explanation.
Seren's idea brought another warm smile to Ray's face. "An emergency first aid kit. I carry one with me at all times. I include the wound ointment, bandages, water, some snacks, an anti-poison/toxin, and some other important herbs for emergencies. It's a great thing to have on hand. And even if you only use it once, you'll never regret having it." Ray always made sure her kit was ready to go, stocked and up to date. It had saved a few lives in the past, and she never left the house without it. It pleased the Attuned immensely that Seren was considering doing the same.
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
Looking around quickly, Seren scratched her head in frustration when paper and pen did not immediately show up within reach. "Remind me to write that down before I leave," she asked with a sheepish smile. "I really wish I had that kind of perfect memory you hear of. Where people can hear anything and recite it back word for word... I don't." She frequently forgot a number of things, and it was usually only the practicality of her magics that made her seem even remotely put together.
Coming over to help distribute the madder root into the water as it began to heat up, Seren hummed happily as her idea was approved of. It only solidified the notion she had that the path of a field medic was more right for her... even though someone had told her that she really didn't have to choose a proffession so soon.
"I thought so too. A friend of mine got quite badly torn up while helping me with something, and I was lucky enough to have a kit with me. But if I hadn't... I don't know how we would have gotten him help without dragging him across the whole city." Shaking her head with rueful guilt, Seren suppressed a sigh. Healing was good and well, but there was so much more to it than wafting some magic over people and calling it quits.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Ray let out a chuckle. "Me too. It'd make life so much easier. But I'll write down the recipe for you before you leave." The herbalist didn't mind giving it away to her friend. It was clear that Seren wanted to use it for all of the right reasons after all. The demigod clearly had the heart for healing, and Ray was willing to help out in any way she could. There were plenty of fighters in Caido, but very few were capable of healing as well.
Hearing Seren recall the story of her friend had Ray's brow furrowing as she stirred the pot of madder. The water and vinegar mixture was already turning a vibrant reddish orange. "I'm glad you had that kit with you. I sell premade ones in my shop for those that don't want to make their own. You can take one, or I can help you update your own." Seren was right on the money that healing magic couldn't be relied on exclusively. There were times when those with magic were the ones injured, or were too tired to cast a spell. In those cases, herbs and other means were vital.
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
"Thank you, I appreciate it. And I'll be sure to come buy the herbs from you, in exchange." Winking at her friend, Seren didn't want her to think this was a robbery. She absolutely did not have the disposition to pick herbs on the regular. Searching out particularly tricky ones every now and then, maybe... but not the nitty gritty gathering. She had no patience for it.
The vinegary scent rising from the cauldron made her eyes sting and tickled the nose. Leaning aside to sneeze into her elbow three times, the starchild hummed and blinked away the tears. "Mhm, I appreciate it. I think I prefer to learn how to set up my own, at least to start off... but in the long run I will probably buy the supplies. I just want to know how to do it, you know?" Independency demanded it.
The color suffusing the water made her smile. "I look forward to trying these out," she murmured. "Have you painted anything yourself?"
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Ray chuckled winked back. "But of course." It was nice to hear that her friend would be a steady customer. And if Seren did pursue her interest as a field medic, she'd be at Ray's shop often.
The vinegar smell had Ray scrunching her nose as well as she gave the pot one last check. Ray gave a nod. "I can understand that. It's respectable to want to know how to do it yourself. If you ever need help though, don't hesitate to ask." She gave her friend a warm smile, eager to help if she was needed.
As the color turned vibrant, Ray hummed in acknowledgment. "I think it's ready to strain and pour. Ready?" She questioned grubbing the colander and a clean jug. As the process was repeated, she continued. "I have. I like to document the herbs I find in both color and descriptions. But beyond work I also generally sketch in my notebook. And when I'm feeling inspired I go back and add color. It's usually pictures of scenery that catches my eye as I'm out exploring." Ray explained as they worked.
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
Grabbing the cauldron to repeat the process of straining out the plant matter, Seren focused with tongue caught between her teeth. Only when even the last steaming dregs had been emptied out did she actually remember to breathe.
"There. Two down, two to go. Have you ever considered writing a guide on useful herbs, with illustrations and such? I know I could use one...
"Anyway. I traded an interesting item from a friend, and he wanted a painting in return. Hence the dyes. Got any suggestions for a scenery to pick? He's from around here. Tough guy, with a good heart."
Snatching up the cleaning tools before Ray could start with the boring part, Seren smirked at her and set to work. As always, the act of doing something with her hands was soothing, banishing all dark thoughts and troubles from her mind.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Ray snorted at the idea. "I've written dozens filled with my own notes and drawings. But I never even considered copying them over and trading them to others." She shook her head. "I don't know why. It is nice to figure some of it out on your own, but having a book as a staring point is a great idea. I'd be happy to make you one." If Seren wanted, Ray would happily make her a beginner's guide to useful herbs and such.
Scenery in Torchline? Ray hummed, thinking of the best spots as she grabbed the indigo for the next batch. "The sunset over the water is always gorgeous. No matter where you are in the area, as long as you're near the water you have a beautiful view. That'd make a nice painting." She smiled at Seren as she did the grunt work. The gesture was much appreciated as the herbalist hated cleaning. "Thanks."
Once the cauldron was clean, Ray refilled it with fresh water and vinegar and handed Seren some of the plants. "We just need the leaves from these." She then set about stripping the leaves and placing hem into the heating pot.
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
"You could probably sell them, if you wanted to," Seren smiled. She rather liked the idea of a book made just for her, but it wouldn't do to be greedy. "It would certainly be useful, but don't feel like you have to." Ray already had a time-consuming job after all, and Seren did not want to add more burdens on her.
The suggestion was well received, and the girl stashed ideas of sunsets and watery landscapes away in her mind for later. Humming contentedly she finished up the rinsing of the cauldron, and set to work on parting leaf from stem.
"This is the blue color, then?" she wanted to confirm, and tried to squish one leaf between her fingers, just to see if the plant juice would dye her fingers at all.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Ray hummed at the idea. "Maybe. I'll start with making you one and depending on how it goes, I'll see what I think." Taking on the task of copying down her notes into one book would take time. But if she only committed to one and it was for a friend, it'd get done much faster. That and Ray could argue that it was technically war preparations. After all, teaching a new healer would certainly aid any efforts of preserving life.
As for the indigo, Ray chuckled. "Yes. I know it's hard to believe." The plant juice that coated Seren's finger wasn't particularly bright blue. "But when it's boiled for a while it just extracts it out. And soon enough you have a rich purple-blue color that's perfect for dyeing." As the water began to boil and the leaves were all placed, Ray gave the pot a stir. Soon the water would begin to turn that famous blue.
We can be the kings and queens of anything, if we believe.
"I look forward to seeing what you come up with," Seren smiled. Turning her attention more fully to the dyes, she watched with relish how the color began to thicken and deepen in hue within the cauldron. Never one to play favorites normally, she had always been drawn to all things blue. The sea, the sky - she had even begged her mother for a specifically blue dragon, which said something about her delight in the color.
"I can't wait to try these out," she smiled, when the batch was done and the process of straining and cleaning was repeated. "Is there anything you would like in return for these materials? I travel a lot, I could bring you something if you want to." A few instructions and a challenge was all Seren needed to go hunting for just about anything.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Ray grinned as the batch was completed and set aside. "I hope you like them. They're kind of relaxing to make once you've got the process going." The mention of repayment had the herbalist humming. "I guess, if you ever stumble upon a plant, mushroom, etc. that you've never seen before you could bring me back a sample? But if you do, try to use gloves and just put it in a sealed bag so you don't accidently hurt yourself." That would be a fantastic trade for Ray. The herbalist was always looking to find new plants to work with. A hint of mischief came to her smile. "And if not, information is always good too. I try to keep in the loop about what's going on in Caido." For both safety and for her side business that is.
Once the pot was clean once more, Ray went and collected the last bit of supplies. She handed Seren a clump of branches as well as a motor and pestle. "See the small round knobs on the branches? Those are the oak galls. We're going to strip them off and crush them in these motor and pestles. Then we'll put them in the pot with water and vinegar." She explained, getting to work on another motor and pestle.
