(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 10)

[DracoOmega]

>Let us depart, then, under the librarian's watchful eye.
>As we return upstairs, though, "That book-fairy from before, does she do that sort of thing often?"

>You turn to leave. The librarian carefully closes the large herbalism tome and files it away, then follows behind and locks the rare book behind after you. You head back upstairs.
>"She has done it before," the librarian replies. "Several times. She succeeded once - temporarily. Today's incident was... new. It won't happen again."

[Oldmansour]

>"Must be a rare fairy. I didn't think they went into books that big. Or used as many five-syllable words as they could at every turn."

[DracoOmega]

>"Must be a rare fairy. I didn't think they went into books that big. Or used as many five-syllable words as they could at every turn."

>She has strange and faulty ideas about how learning works," the poltergeist replies. "I don't think she even understands herself. But she is... persistent."
>You reach the top of the stairs and the librarian opens the door. Your surroundings immediately feel more spacious as the quiet sounds of activity filter back to your ears again. The two of you exit the stairway and she locks it behind you.

[Oldmansour]

>Has our hearing cleared completely after that fairy-foam?
>"That big fairy knew what she was doing, though. First time I've ever seen a fairy could handle magic like that."

[DracoOmega]

>Has our hearing cleared completely after that fairy-foam?
>"That big fairy knew what she was doing, though. First time I've ever seen a fairy could handle magic like that."

>Not completely, but it's serviceable.
>"She is a competent apprentice and studious - not at all like a fairy. The two of them have almost nothing in common."

[Oldmansour]

>"Guess fairies and youkai both come in all forms."

[DracoOmega]

>"Guess fairies and youkai both come in all forms."

>"Some more than others." She looks slightly impatient.

[Oldmansour]

>Let's not wear out our welcome more than we already have.
>Say our goodbyes then depart, off to the Alchemy departmant.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's not wear out our welcome more than we already have.
>Say our goodbyes then depart, off to the Alchemy departmant.

>You bid the librarian farewell and depart for the Flamel Building.

>While this one is more isolated than your previous destinations, finding it proves to be straightforward. You follow the groomed path which leads left from the library exit and meanders through the shaded green that borders it. At first, the building itself can be seen only in thin snatches through the trees until you clear the sparse copse that separates it from the rest of campus and reemerge near the stone wall that encircles the whole of the grounds.
>Compared to the other halls, this building is squat and heavy-set, lacking some of the stately dignity of its peers, though the detailing of its facade is similar. The roof is low and shallow-pitched and the windows seem to be heavily reinforced. Hints of strange and foreign smells brush past your nose as you approach and intensify sharply as you open the heavy wooden doors and enter.

>It is difficult even for you to say what it is you're smelling, but you're smelling a great many things at once - a melange of herbs and brews and vapors, pungent and sweet and acrid all at the same time. The effect is not entirely pleasant. The corridors are narrower here than elsewhere, yet more brightly-lit, flanked with dark wood paneling and patterned hardwood flooring. Helpfully, the entryway is provided with a map in similar fashion to Flenceburne Hall, so finding the Alchemy departmental office proves simple. You steal glances at a few of the open rooms you pass along the way, catching sight of complicated arrays of beakers and tubing attended by drab-smocked academics. A harmony of vigorous bubbling and gentle frothing provides a steady backdrop to their conversations and occasional arguments.

>The departmental office itself is a small and strictly functional room - if one wished to be generous. Cabinets of bundled documents and poorly-organized supplies line the walls and crowd the doorway, threatening to seal off the entrance entirely if even one more were shoved in; you are left with the distinct impression that someone's closet overflowed into the room at some point and no one has bothered to clean it up since, or perhaps even notice. Clinging to a small oasis of space in the middle of the office is an old and heavy-looking wooden desk, well-organized by contrast. The woman seated there adjusts her glasses and appraises you as you squeeze inside.
>"Can I help you?" she asks.

[Oldmansour]

>Nod. "I've never been in this part of the world before. Do you folks here make brews or potions on request?"

I'm going to be a bit sporadic tonight, comrades. Sour's a bit under the weather, no need to wait for me if you don't want.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod. "I've never been in this part of the world before. Do you folks here make brews or potions on request?"

>The woman takes a look at your badge and regards you dryly. "This is a school, not a marketplace, I'm afraid. For that, you would be better off visiting an apothecary or one of the city's many commercial alchemists; I'm sure they would be happy to accommodate you."

[Oldmansour]

>"I know, just thought I'd check here while I was on campus. Proximity, and all."
>"I was also looking for some information, as well. On a plant called Queensfoil, and something called Athran's Vigor."

[DracoOmega]

>"I know, just thought I'd check here while I was on campus. Proximity, and all."
>"I was also looking for some information, as well. On a plant called Queensfoil, and something called Athran's Vigor."

>The woman nods dryly.
>"I'm just the secretary, I'm afraid," she says with a slight self-effacing smile, then leafs quickly through some papers on her desk. "But perhaps one of the professors here might be able to help you. I... think Professor Bosqueverde is free at the moment, if you'd like to speak with her?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Yes, please."

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, please."

>"Okay, turn right when you exit," she says, pantomiming the directions with her hand, "and then right again. Her office is two or three doors down. On the... left, I think. It should be easy to find, anyway."

[Oldmansour]

>"Thanks."
>Mosey thataway.
>And keep our nose peeled for imminent toxins and/or explosions.
>Come to think of it, are we aware of any poisons and/or chemical compounds that affect youkai but not humans, and vice versa?

[DracoOmega]

>"Thanks."
>Mosey thataway.

>You thank the secretary, then exit the departmental office and follow the directions you were given.

>And keep our nose peeled for imminent toxins and/or explosions.
>Come to think of it, are we aware of any poisons and/or chemical compounds that affect youkai but not humans, and vice versa?

>You would not be at all surprised if there was something toxic amid the flurry of strange and pungents scents that permeate this place, though hopefully it's not toxic merely to breathe. At the very least, the rest of the buildings inhabitants don't appear to be currently panicing. You may have a better nose than any of them (a dubious advantage in present circumstances), but they know their way around this stuff a lot better than you do. Hopefully you can trust to that.
>Absolutely. While a great number of chemical compounds have a similar effect on youkai as humans - alcohol comes immediately to mind - this is not universally true. In general, youkai show some degree of resistance to poisons and other substances that would have deleterious effects on humans (and sometimes considerable resistance), but certain medicinal or augmentative compounds can also be ineffective on them. Inversely, certain substances can have a much stronger effect on youkai than humans, particularly if they're imbued with certain kinds of spiritual magic. This tends to be considerably rarer, but you've heard of poisons that can be deadly to youkai, yet harmless to humans. Some individual varieties of youkai also have unique intolerances, as with oni and fried soybeans. Unfortunately, given that this varies from substance to substance and youkai to youkai, there's no hard and fast rules to follow; mouse youkai do tend to be among the most human-like in their reactions, however.

>Professor Bosqueverde's office turns out to be the second on the left of this new hallway, at least if the nameplate by the door is to be believe. The door itself is very slightly ajar, and a variety of pungent scents issue from the opening - less acrid than some of the others, at least. From inside, you can hear someone humming quietly to themselves; their sense of pitch is questionable.

[Hanzo K.]

>Knock on the doorframe.

[DracoOmega]

>Knock on the doorframe.

>You knock on the doorframe. The occupant lets out a muddled noise as you interrupt her reverie, then answers in a thin and reedy voice.
>"Yes? Who is it?"

[Oldmansour]

>"My name is Nazrin, of the Seeker's Guild. I was hoping to have a moment of your time."

[DracoOmega]

>"My name is Nazrin, of the Seeker's Guild. I was hoping to have a moment of your time."

>"Oh! A Seeker? That is... different. Yes, come in. Yes, yes." There is an oddly stilted rhythm to her words.

[Oldmansour]

>Well. This could be interesting.
>Entrez-zous!

[DracoOmega]

>Well. This could be interesting.
>Entrez-zous!

>Not sure entirely what to expect, you push the door open and step inside.

>The office beyond is considerably larger than you expected and makes the departmental one seem all the more like a closet by contrast. It is still crowded with enough furniture and materials to leave floor space at a premium, but rather than document cabinets and boxes of poorly-labelled supplies, it is lush with plants. Tall greenery in large ceramic pots line the far wall while the rest of the space is partitioned by several long wooden worktables, lined neatly with enclosed seedbeds and small pots, orderly arrayed. There are quite a variety of plants on display - a couple you recognize and many more you do not. Mortar and pestle, bottles and burners, and other tools of the herbalist's trade are laid out beside them, suggesting the greenery is not merely an aesthetic statement. Tucked in the other corner of the room is a small desk on which rests a smattering of disorganized papers and other minutia; it look rather neglected.

>"And a mouse at that," comes a voice from the more plantward side of the room. "This is a... change of pace. Do come in, yes."
>Peering out from between the tall stalks of an evening primrose and something less identifiable is a woman with deep red eyes edged in sky blue. Her hair is swept back into a rather unruly crest, strands of ruffous red giving way to black at their tips. A pair of long black and burgundy wings are folded around her like a cape and a jaunty yellow scarf is wrapped loosely around her neck and tossed over one shoulder. She regards you with vaguely muddled curiosity.

[Oldmansour]

>Can we place her species of origin from what we can see of her?

[DracoOmega]

>Can we place her species of origin from what we can see of her?

>Well, she's probably a bird of some sort, but no particular type of bird is jumping out at you.

[Oldmansour]

>Look at her curiously. "Don't see too many mice youkai in these parts?"

[DracoOmega]

>Look at her curiously. "Don't see too many mice youkai in these parts?"

>"Oh, from time to time," she says, gesturing vaguely. "But not today. I mean... not today until now, of course. So what... brings you here?"
>She straightens up and works her way around the table towards you.

[Oldmansour]

>"I was hoping to learn a little more about a few materials used to make potions. Specifically, Queensfoil, athran's vigor, and aqua veritatis."

[DracoOmega]

>"I was hoping to learn a little more about a few materials used to make potions. Specifically, Queensfoil, athran's vigor, and aqua veritatis."

>The woman chuckles a little as she approaches you. "Different, more and more. Those are some very... old names there. Very old, yes. What did you... want to know about them?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I suppose the first thing is their availability. Are they the sort of potion ingredients that one can find at any alchemists', or are they more specialized, rarer materials?"