A search for a cure.

[Tobias]

Celador enters the Moraken’s tower carrying a large box under on arm and a bucket of water in his hand grumbling about the weight. He nods to the old wizard and continues toward the alchemy table. As he reaches the table Lynessa, his familiar, zips into the tower cursing “Celador Blackleaf!  You son of a troglodyte! Why do you always try and seek that damnable cat after me!? It got my boot!” she says as she points to her left foot which indeed is missing a boot. Celador hides his grin as he sets down the bucket of water and dips a beaker into it filling it with water. “His names Fluffy, and you could do with a bit of exercise.. You really should be thanking me.”
 
He turns toward the pixie hiding his mirth. “You will be the only pixie I know that has combat training.”  Lynessa growls at the mage “Combat training!? Is that what you call it!?.  You’re as thick as a giant! That thing could’ve killed me!” Celador scoffs as he lights burner and setups the beaker of water over the flame.  “Pfft, Please you are more than capable of handling a cat and his name is Fluffy, not that thing. Now if you are done talking about my heritage I could use you help..”
 
Lynessa opens her mouth to reply but, closes it quickly eyeing the wizard with interest. A sudden realization comes across her face. “ Oh! You are starting to work on those samples that you gathered while dragging me all over Mistone?” Celador opens the box and begins to organizing the contents as he speaks. “Yes, and I didn’t drag you anywhere. You were quite comfortable in my pocket minus the spill in the Black Dog Moors and I don’t know how many times I have to say I’m sorry.  Now quit being difficult and hand me the first sample.“
 
She cautiously flutters over looking into the box. Lynessa slowly drops down into the box shifting through the contents. Moments later she lifts up a small leather pouch with a tag attached to it that reads “Sample #1 Path to Ire Mountains”. She struggles against the weight but manages to pass it to the mage.  “Thanks babe” he says as he takes the pouch and starts pouring the contents into a vial. He reaches for the stopper and plugs the lid. “Now  let us begin the testing! Would you be so kind as to take notes, Lynessa?” Her eyes go wide with shock. “You gotta be kidding me!?” Celador rolls his eyes and slams his fist on the table. “Will you please stop your whining! Why else did I take all that time to teach you how to write if you never use it?! hmm? “
 
Lynessa wrinkles he nose. “ No reason to get all snooty.  I’ll do it.. “ She swoops into Celador’s pouch and digs out some parchment, quill and ink. “Well if I’m going to do it I’m using the purple ink!” Celador takes a deep breath before grumbling and snatching the quill from her. “Fine, I’ll do it. Just be ready to hand me things as I need them.” She gives a mock salute and says “Aye aye cap’n Grumpy!” In return he scowls at her.
 
Celador straightens his robes and closes his eyes focusing. “Alright.. Sample one, test one, magical contamination.” He says as he raises his hand focusing on any magical aura surrounding the sample. Celador focuses his will on to the vial for a couple of moments and finally releases his concentration. “Him interesting.. very interesting..” he picks up the quill and dabs the tip in the ink but, pauses as he pulls the tip out and notices the color is in purple. He eyes the pixie who is trying her best not to giggle. He shakes his head muttering “Bloody pixies..”
 
Celador takes a couple minutes writing down his findings. He rises again and speaks. “Alright Sample one, test two, chemical contamination.” He picks the vial up and pours the contents into a round bottom flask and adds the now boiling water. He glances around and ask “Hand me a stirrer, Lynessa?” She flies around the table looking for the stirrer. She spots it and dives for it and picks it up and circles around the table placing it in his open hand. “There ya go boss!”  He cocks an eyebrow at her as he stirs the content and says “Thanks, minion.” Lynessa’s face goes red with rage but, holds her tongue as she notices Celador is busy pouring the contents into the retort. He then places the base of the retort over the flame heating the contents. Celador watches it closely until he is sure that the condensation was taking place. He then moves a flat bottom flask over the other end of the retort.  “There we go now, we just have to wait. “ Lynessa looks to the table to Celador then back at the table and ask. “Err so what are we doing?”  Celador sighs. “We are waiting. You see the basic of alchemy is where you take two or more things and create something totally different except in this instance I’m doing the reverse of it. I want to extract anything that might be in the soil. So as the retort heats up and the vapor or steam rises, I hope that the lighter water steam will filter out the first opening” He points at the first hole while continuing.  “And the heavier vapor, hopefully our “Not so good stuff”, will condense and into the other flask. Then we will have extract of whatever is harming the land. Then we can test of figuring out how to neutralize it.”
 
Lynessa offers a blank stare at Celador for a moment. He grins. “You didn’t understand one word I said, did you?” She jogs her head and blinks rapidly. “Shut it and it’s not that I didn’t understand I was just fighting to stand awake.” Celador rolls his eyes and says “Yeah.. sure. Well anyway, once that process is done I’ll take the remainder material which should contain minerals and place that on top of the calcinator and create calx or better known as limestone.  And that can be used as a conditioner to neutralize acidic soils. Which could be a possible another theory what’s causing this to the earth. But, once the testing is done and I've reviewed all the findings...” He glances over noticing that Lynessa is drifting off to sleep. He flashes a wicked grin and says loudly “Aww hey there Fluffy!” Lynessa snaps awake and flies high screaming. “ Ack! You are not getting my other boot!” Celador chuckles as he pulls up a chair and leans back lower his head over his eyes. "Now that I have gotten your attention, keep on eye on things and let me know when retort has stopped steaming and the calcinator has finished.  We got a long night ahead of us. This is just the first sample and nineteen more to go!"  With that Celador nods off to sleep until he will be awaken by the pixie.

[Tobias]

Celador sits in the chair in Moraken’s tower with his hand in his hair muttering quietly to himself. “I must’ve been mad when I thought that this be a good idea..” Lynessa flutters down from one of the rafters eyeing the wizard curiously “ What you mean? You talking about all the research?” He scoffs. “No, I mean having you as an lab assistant! I might as well be doing it all myself!” Lynessa’s face turns red. “ Hey I would have helped but, you said it yourself you wanted to make the notes. Not my fault you are too proud and stubborn to put me to good use.” Celador grips his hair tightly and pulls at as he throws his hands up as he rises. “What help!? You hand me bags of dirt and then get all jump every time you hear a noise.” “That cat is around here somewhere. I just know it!  He had a taste and he wants more!” She says as she zips up to the wizard’s face. “ And, I wouldn’t be so jumpy if you didn’t try to get him to eat me every time we walk in Hlint!”  Celador ponders for a moment looking at the pixie then shrugs and says “Fair point.”
 
He shoo’s Lynessa out from his face as he begins to walk toward the alchemy table. “So do you even know what sample we are on now?” She stutters a moment before he speaks. “Five, we are on sample five, you cousin of a gnat.” He reaches onto the table re-positioning the retort and checking on the calcinator. “Excellent! Perhaps another hour before this sample is done.” He reaches over for his quill and dips it to the ink well and makes a couple more notes on the scroll. Lynessa flies over and lands on Celador’s shoulder leaning over looking at the notes before speaking. “So err, you know anything yet?” Celador shakes his head. “No and really I am not comparing any data yet. My goal is to get through all these samples then compare notes.. as I’ve said before. But, I think I’m missing some important information. I need to find that bard, Andrew. I think he could provide some more useful information of the blight and its origins.  That is key. If we can trace where it came from and how it was created it would be much simpler to solve this enigma.”
 
Lynessa folds her arms and looks up to the wizard from his shoulder and speaks softly. “Why wizard, why do this? Surely there is other things we could be doing?” He rubs his eyebrow and scratches at the stubble growing on his face. “I don’t want to sit by as the people of the world suffer. I feel I know I can help and that is what I’m going to do and even if all my research fails I will be confident that I have done everything within my power to help.” He rubs at his temples and continues. “ I don’t want my conscience burden on the things I could’ve done but, didn’t. And I can hear the voices of my unborn sons calling out to me to make this world a better place for them. So I’ll push myself to the point of death to make sure I do what must be done to save the people and the lands.”  Lynessa ponders that for a moment and stands up and walks across the wizard shoulder and reaches over and kisses him softly on the cheek and whispers quietly. “Thank you, Celador.” His eyebrows raise and ask “What is this? You do have a heart?” She grins and gives his ear a hard tug. “And if ye tell anyone I’ll cut off yer ear.” He rubs at his ear. “Fair enough.”
 
Celador reaches back and grabs the chair and scoots it up to the desk and sits down. He takes up the quill again and with his free hand reaches into his bag and pulls out another piece of paper. Lynessa looks on and curiously asks. “Now what are you doing?” He sighs lightly before answering. “ What I have should have done from the beginning.. Making a list. Now let us see.. First I want to talk to Andrew.” He scribbles on the parchment. “Then next I want to talk to clerics of Katia, Aeridin, Prunella, Folian, and Kithairien.” Celador scribbles some more on the paper. “Then after that I want to talk to the druids as they might have some better insight on what is happening to the land.” He makes another note before continuing. “Then I want to meet with that seer, Rose I believe is her name. I haven’t seen her in ages but, maybe I can get word through message board to find her.” Lynessa giggles “Seer? Really? You are putting your hope in that mumbo jumbo ?” Celador rolls his eyes “Can it shrimp, she has offered me great insight before and I’d be a fool not to try all avenues to find a cure. Even if you are skeptical.” He dips in the quill in the ink well and continues writing. He pauses a moment scratching at his forehead. “And between those meetings I’ll will head to the Great Library and the temple of Aragen. Perhaps I can find more information within their tomes.”
 
Moraken can be heard scoffing and muttering indecencies. Celador chuckles. “Don’t worry good sir, I saved the best for last.. But, first I need to finish getting through at least half of these samples. We still probably have a little longer on this one.. Perhaps we can speed up the testing by using more stations? Let’s see.. six hours is about average time per sample. I think we could use three stations and be done in a couple of days if we stay at it.” He turns to Lynessa and ask. “ So how bout it? Think we can do it?” She grins “Of course! Lets do it!” He grins and offers her a wink. “That a girl..”

[Tobias]

A rumbling snoring can be heard from the main level of the alchemist tower near Hlint. Celador hard at it. Sleeping. The chair he rest in is cocked back against the wall as three retorts and calcinator devices are in process on different tables. Moraken has already retired to his quarters. The only one awake is a pixie who is darting back and forth from the tables checking on the progress of each sample.
 
Every now and then she glances back at the mage slumbering in his chair. A slight grin flashes on her face every time she looks back at the young mage. She whispers quietly aloud to no one but, herself “All work and no play makes for a very tired wizard..”  She zips around Celador and picks up some scrolls that are laying upon the floor.  She moves them to one of the tables and opens one and begins to read.
 
Dear Andrew,
 
I hope you are well and forgive me for not contacting you sooner. It seems time has gotten away with me because of my studies. I have been back for four months now and I’m most interested in hearing the story of how the land has been infected with this blight. Also I have come up with a theory which I am testing now and would dearly care to listen to your opinions and suggestions.  
 
If it would be convenient for you, I would like to perhaps meet at your inn and discuss this matter with you in person. As well as that, I’d most love to hear about the happenings in your life and any other gossip you’d like to share.
 
P.S. Also have you found a judge for your little get together for your fashion show? If not I would case my ballet to be the last judge.
 
 
Celador
 
Lynessa wrinkles her nose and glances back over at the mage still snoring and scoffs. “Oh Celador when will you realize you have no fashion sense.” She rolls up the scroll and ties it and sets it back down on the table. Then she looks at the next letter and reads.
 
Dearest Rose,
 
I humbly request an audience with you to discuss and urgent matter in regards to the famine and hopes your cards could lead me to some answers. As well I hope this time that we are together we can catch up on things that have transpired with our lives. I’m truly most interested on how your multiple talents have progressed since my absence. Please respond and let me know if by chance we can schedule a meeting.
 
Celador
 
Lynessa rolls her eyes as she finishes the letter. “Mumbo jumbo hocus pocus if you ask me and a waste of time but, I ain’t your keeper. Do what you wish wizard.” She takes the second letter and rolls it up as well.
 
She gathers up the scrolls and checks over the tables one more time making sure all is in order. She flies over toward the slumbering mage. She pauses a moment and watches him sleep peacefully. A smile stretches across her face as she gazes upon him.  She flies closer whispering softly in his ear. “Wakey wakey wizard..You need to keep and aye on the last three samples. I’m off to deliver your letters.”
 
Celador flutters his eyes open and glances around.  He leans forward and puts all four feet of the chair back on the floor. He runs his fingers through his hair and ask. “How long have I been asleep?” “Only two hours. You have one more hour on the first table to go and we setup the other tables to be an hour and behind each other.” He nods yawning lightly. He reaches for the his staff laying against the wall and rises slowly.  He looks over at the pixie who has a huge grin on her face. He cocks an eyebrow. “Why are you grinning at me like that?”
She responds quickly. “Oh nothing. I better get going I don’t want to miss the post master.” She flies around the wizard once or twice before speaking. “Oh and I need to pick up some more ink.. Somehow we ran all out.”
 
She whistles innocently as she passes the wizard. Celador mutters. “Out of ink? That was a brand new bottle.. What in the devil where you doing with it?”
She giggles “Oh just drawing..”
“Drawing? I don’t see any paper?” He says still trying to figure out what happen to ink. Lynessa cackles “I know..” She exits the tower. Her giggling can still be heard outside.
 
For a moment he just stares at the exit trying to comprehend what she was hinting at. “Bloody hells, I hope she didn’t draw on the walls! Moraken will kill us!” He wipes his face muttering. “Too early to deal with her nonsense..” He then looks at his hand which is covered in purple ink and a sudden realization comes across his face. “That little witch!” he curses as he digs into his bag and pulls out a mirror.  He appears at the reflection and sees her handy work.  His eye lids are covered in purple ink and around his face he has a purple beard… On his forehead  four words are written in purple ink. He squints trying to decipher the pixies writing..
“I”,
“We”,
“Todd”.
“It”,
 
Over and over he repeats the words. In that order.. “I, We, Todd, It, I, We, Todd, It..”
 
Moraken comes out of his chambers looking at the mage with purple eye shadow and matching beard repeating this.  He flashes a grin before his scowl returns and says. “Son, you might want to go see the healer about your mental health and It might be best that once you’ve finished your last batch of whatever you are concocting, you find another place to conduct your experiments..” And with that he turns around and enters his chambers again.
 
Celador stands there dumbfounded, blinking at what just has transpired.. He mutters “Oh Lynessa, you are so going to get it..”
 
He lifts his robes to his face trying to remove as much of the ink as he can and returns to the alchemy tables.

[Tobias]

My Desert Rose,
 
I am in high hopes that this letter finds you well and in good company. My spirits are elevated as I come closer to finding a cure for this blight.
 
I have had my meeting with Andrew as we discussed over our first days together and many magical sunrises and sunsets. What he told me was along the same conclusions I have come up from my test. Now we work on a way to revitalize the soil. I wish to share what I've learned with you but, I fear to put it in writing in case this letter does not reach you but, trust when we are together I will share all that he told to me. I have agreed to assist him and his staff to work on a plot of land to see if we can re-fertilize the soil. Due to this most of my time will be spent on Alindor. It brings me great sadness that I will be away with you for longer than I anticipated but, like I said before I must give it my all for you, Melaa, our friends, and all of Layonara.
 
Over the past couple of days I have been to several of the temples in Mariners Hold but, still nothing that calls to my heart. The search continues I guess but, I did hear about a temple of Aragen south of Mariners Hold. If the weather permits and if your patients and staff could do without you for a couple of weeks I would love to meet you and Melaa at the Buckle and we could journey there together. Get a chance to spend more time with you and your daughter on the open road with the wind at our backs.
 
            Oh and I think Lynessa has a crush on Andrew the bard. She spends most of her time spying on him and when she is with me she won't stop talking about his voice, eyes and his butt.. mostly she talks about his butt.. Every time he bends over she whistles and cat calls but, he just sees me and gives me the oddest looks.. Thank the gods for silence spell or he might have thrown me out or worse; invited me to dinner..  
 
             And...there is another Poetr! They breed like rabbits.. Perhaps the earth could take a leaf out of their book how to be fertile... Hells bells they could populate a whole city..
 
            I am looking forward to seeing you two in a couple of weeks and I wish upon you safe travels and safe waters as you set out.
 
 
Love,
Celador