- Messages
- 32
- Character Biography
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In the Shallows of Alliria there had stood for decades a public house of healing, run by a long line of witches whose sole focus was on aiding the poor and underserved of the district. It had been a wooden home on a stone foundation, always threatening to sink into the mire, accessible by the raised wooden walkways that linked most of the eastern docklands together. Aderyn had spent the latter half of her childhood in that house with her grandmother before inheriting it and the position as a valued leader in the community. She couldn't attend Elbion, but she could at least care for the people she had grown up with.
Two years ago, though, the house burned down during the Siege of Alliria. Whether it was by the attackers or the locals, on purpose or by accident, Aderyn did not know. She had been too busy tending to the wounded to protect her property. It was just a thing, anyway - or, perhaps more accurately, a great many things, but things nonetheless.
Eventually, she made herself a new home on the ground floor of a townhouse, renting the space and maintaining the residence above for the owner whenever he was away from the city for a long period of time, an often occurrence.
Decades of work to perfect the shop could not be regained quickly, however, nor without great cost. She was gone much of the year to build up her stock of rarities, especially those things which most merchants didn't carry much of in their ignorance of true wellness.
Aderyn had regretted the last two years of her waning leadership in the community. It felt like a betrayal of her mother, her grandmother, and the Shallows themselves. Her name was still known, yes, but how many fell ill when she was on her way to Dornoch and back for a month, or in the Falwood for two?
But that was then, and now was now. Now, she was in Alliria for the foreseeable future. Her landlord was away on business but had local affairs to manage all the same alongside his home. She had to attend to those as much as her patients.
It was on her way down the stairs from the upper residence, having cleaned it top to bottom, that she realized she could finally take a breath and sit in her little shop and wait to be called upon by those in need. She had supplies of all manner of crystal and stone, herb and spice, blood and sinew - whatever was needed by the people of the Shallows. She had her zither, fiddle, and gittern for when the pain was deeper in the soul such that even correcting one's aura with physical treatments was insufficient.
She had her medicines, her stones, her hands and tongue; she had every possible instrument of her trade, though perhaps the former in smaller quantities than the latter. No matter, though, her music and voice could make up for that.
"I'm so sorry to leave you waiting," she said cheerfully as she came through the door and saw a portly, ambiguously-gendered dwarf leaning against the table. "Did you have an order to pick up already?"
The dwarf shook their head and grunted, "My head's been off, lass; in a bad way since my ship came in, bosun told me to come here."
"Oh, dear me! Are you in Alliria often? No, of course not, this is probably just some small sickness from the new surrounds." She set about to putting together a small packet for them. "You will burn this in close confines, try to breathe in as much as possible but not so much that you cough. Coughing expels the smoke and dilutes the effect."
She tied the packet together with a thin string and handed it to them.
"Before you go, though, please take this piece of fluorite in your hands."
When the dwarf did so, she clasped her hands around theirs and leaned in close to touch her forehead to theirs. She whispered, "Feel the calming influence of this crystal in your heart and mind, and accept its healing power into your soul."
As she did so, she tapped - unconsciously - into a stored well of Charity to heal the dwarf's ailment, though having no certain idea of what it was. The magic would do as she intended regardless of her understanding (or lack thereof) of what it was that she was doing. The use of her Charity, though, affected her deeply itself, and any thought of making a profit from this dwarf left her head as she spoke.
"The fluorine will direct the smoke's properties to the core of your ailment, so keep in contact with it."
The dwarf accepted both parts of the treatment and took a step back from her. "Thank you, lass. How much do I owe you?"
"However much you have to spare to fine." She had no choice but to say that. She hadn't wanted to, at first, but now it was as though her very nature demanded she serve at her own expense, even though deeper down she knew that it was no way to run a business. "All I ask is that you return the crystal to me before you set out again. It will be sapped of its power anyway and won't be of any use to you."
She thanked them in return as the dwarf placed a silver coin on the table, and then led them back to the door.
"And rest," she cautioned. "All healing begins with rest."
Eventually, she made herself a new home on the ground floor of a townhouse, renting the space and maintaining the residence above for the owner whenever he was away from the city for a long period of time, an often occurrence.
Decades of work to perfect the shop could not be regained quickly, however, nor without great cost. She was gone much of the year to build up her stock of rarities, especially those things which most merchants didn't carry much of in their ignorance of true wellness.
Aderyn had regretted the last two years of her waning leadership in the community. It felt like a betrayal of her mother, her grandmother, and the Shallows themselves. Her name was still known, yes, but how many fell ill when she was on her way to Dornoch and back for a month, or in the Falwood for two?
But that was then, and now was now. Now, she was in Alliria for the foreseeable future. Her landlord was away on business but had local affairs to manage all the same alongside his home. She had to attend to those as much as her patients.
It was on her way down the stairs from the upper residence, having cleaned it top to bottom, that she realized she could finally take a breath and sit in her little shop and wait to be called upon by those in need. She had supplies of all manner of crystal and stone, herb and spice, blood and sinew - whatever was needed by the people of the Shallows. She had her zither, fiddle, and gittern for when the pain was deeper in the soul such that even correcting one's aura with physical treatments was insufficient.
She had her medicines, her stones, her hands and tongue; she had every possible instrument of her trade, though perhaps the former in smaller quantities than the latter. No matter, though, her music and voice could make up for that.
"I'm so sorry to leave you waiting," she said cheerfully as she came through the door and saw a portly, ambiguously-gendered dwarf leaning against the table. "Did you have an order to pick up already?"
The dwarf shook their head and grunted, "My head's been off, lass; in a bad way since my ship came in, bosun told me to come here."
"Oh, dear me! Are you in Alliria often? No, of course not, this is probably just some small sickness from the new surrounds." She set about to putting together a small packet for them. "You will burn this in close confines, try to breathe in as much as possible but not so much that you cough. Coughing expels the smoke and dilutes the effect."
She tied the packet together with a thin string and handed it to them.
"Before you go, though, please take this piece of fluorite in your hands."
When the dwarf did so, she clasped her hands around theirs and leaned in close to touch her forehead to theirs. She whispered, "Feel the calming influence of this crystal in your heart and mind, and accept its healing power into your soul."
As she did so, she tapped - unconsciously - into a stored well of Charity to heal the dwarf's ailment, though having no certain idea of what it was. The magic would do as she intended regardless of her understanding (or lack thereof) of what it was that she was doing. The use of her Charity, though, affected her deeply itself, and any thought of making a profit from this dwarf left her head as she spoke.
"The fluorine will direct the smoke's properties to the core of your ailment, so keep in contact with it."
The dwarf accepted both parts of the treatment and took a step back from her. "Thank you, lass. How much do I owe you?"
She thanked them in return as the dwarf placed a silver coin on the table, and then led them back to the door.
"And rest," she cautioned. "All healing begins with rest."
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