(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 10)

[DracoOmega]

>Do the shelves and displayed wares have proper labels?
>If so, have a quick scan for the items we seek.

>Yes, both shelves and the wares upon them are arrayed with small white tags upon which names and prices are written in a thin, tidy script.
>You take a look around for the items on your shopping list. Though the shop's inventory is well-organized and reasonably comprehensive, you find no evidence of bittercress among either the fresh or dried herbs, nor for that matter any Athran's Vigor or Aqua Veritatis. The shopkeeper glances in your direction from time to time as he putters about, but otherwise takes no special notice of you.

[Oldmansour]

>Come to think of it, the absent-minded professor back there didn't mention what exactly made up the two liquids, did she? Just that they needed to be made.
>Guess it's time to ask some questions.
>Approach the shopkeep.

[DracoOmega]

>Come to think of it, the absent-minded professor back there didn't mention what exactly made up the two liquids, did she? Just that they needed to be made.
>Guess it's time to ask some questions.
>Approach the shopkeep.

>She suggested a few times that aqua veritatis was essentially treated water, but made no mention of the constituents of Athran's Vigor. Or the manner in which said water needed to be treated, for that matter, though it's possible this might have gone over your head anyway.
>Decided that some more questions need asking, you approach the shopkeeper.

>With an almost preternatural awareness of this gesture, the man turns around from his work and gives you a professionally warm smile as you approach. "Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"

[Oldmansour]

>Ma'am? That's a rare one. Professional, this one, nice guy.
>"Possibly. There's some flower seeds I was hoping to find somewhere here in town, and I was told it's a rather rare plant. Goes by the name Bittercress, among others."

[DracoOmega]

>Ma'am? That's a rare one. Professional, this one, nice guy.
>"Possibly. There's some flower seeds I was hoping to find somewhere here in town, and I was told it's a rather rare plant. Goes by the name Bittercress, among others."

>"Bittercress, is it?" He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "We might have some of it dried in the back, maybe. The seeds, though? Pretty sure that's a no on that, sorry."

[Oldmansour]

>Dried.... That wouldn't be sufficient, would it? The recipe called for the flower itself in bloom, not the plant dried out.
>Still...
>"Would dried bittercress still have the same properties as the flower in bloom? For alchemic purposes, I mean."

[DracoOmega]

>Dried.... That wouldn't be sufficient, would it? The recipe called for the flower itself in bloom, not the plant dried out.
>Still...
>"Would dried bittercress still have the same properties as the flower in bloom? For alchemic purposes, I mean."

>The man's accommodating smile wavers little. "Well, since it isn't the flower itself that's dried, I'd have to say no on that. It doesn't really have a lot of applications in the first place, though; I'm not even sure we still have any."

[Oldmansour]

>Hey, what do we know about herbology, anyway.
>"I suppose that brings me to my next question, then. Well, more of a price check, really, on a pair of mixtures, if they can be made here. Athran's vigor and aqua veritas."

[DracoOmega]

>Hey, what do we know about herbology, anyway.
>"I suppose that brings me to my next question, then. Well, more of a price check, really, on a pair of mixtures, if they can be made here. Athran's vigor and aqua veritas."

>A small amount, as concerns first aid and the application of a few common remedies, but nothing substantial.
>"Athran's..." The man pauses here, his head turning to the side with a confused furrow in his brow. "What?"

[Oldmansour]

>Did the professor mention any alternate names for the vigor, or its composite ingredients?

[DracoOmega]

>Did the professor mention any alternate names for the vigor, or its composite ingredients?

>She gave no alternate names, nor specifics on its composition, though she did say it was quite an antiquated mixture and one which you'd be unlikely to find at any ordinary supplier.

[Oldmansour]

>"It's the only name I know it by. It's an older substance, I know that much. I get the feeling it hasn't been commonly available for a long time."

[DracoOmega]

>"It's the only name I know it by. It's an older substance, I know that much. I get the feeling it hasn't been commonly available for a long time."

>"Yeah, the name does sound a bit old-fashioned." The man pauses a moment, then shakes his head. "I'm afraid we don't stock either of those things here, either."

[Oldmansour]

>Nod. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.
>"Well, what about making them? I mean, do you make items on request? Not the Vigor, obviously, but what about the truth water? Or aqua veritatis, whichever you prefer."

[DracoOmega]

>Nod. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.
>"Well, what about making them? I mean, do you make items on request? Not the Vigor, obviously, but what about the truth water? Or aqua veritatis, whichever you prefer."

>"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with it," he says. "Now, if you have a recipe, I'd be more than happy to take a look at it, of course."

[Oldmansour]

>Did the prof mention a recipe for that one?

[DracoOmega]

>Did the prof mention a recipe for that one?

>She said that it was basically water, prepared and treated in certain ways. She did not specify what those ways were.

[Oldmansour]

>"All I know of it is that it's water that's been specially prepared in some way. As for what way, specifically, I honestly don't know."

[DracoOmega]

>"All I know of it is that it's water that's been specially prepared in some way. As for what way, specifically, I honestly don't know."

>"Not even a hint?" he asks.

[Oldmansour]

>Spread hands helplessly.

[DracoOmega]

>Spread hands helplessly.

>"Well, then I'm sorry to say there's not much I can do for you, is there?" He gives you a conciliatory smile. "There's a lot of things I can do with water if you're not picky, though."

[Hello Purvis]

You know, Doc Hoatzin would probably be delighted to see us again, anyways. It'd be like the grandchildren coming to visit.

[Oldmansour]

It seems a bit.... I dunno, wrong, somehow, to turn around after that rather extended goodbye with a somewhat delayed doorknob question.
On the other hand, she DID seem to know her stuff, once you get down to the meat of her sentances. Maybe we SHOULD go back, indeed.

But there is at least one more thing I want to ask this guy, and that's if he knows of any alchemist shop in town that specializes in older-style recipies. A shop like that might have the recipes we need on file, and maybe even the seeds we need.

[Hello Purvis]

Go for it.

[Oldmansour]

>"I believe I do have to be picky, if I want the stuff I'm looking for. I don't know enough about it to know if I can start substituting materials, if you can even do that."
>"Well, do you know of any place in town that specializes in more, as you said, old-fashioned substances?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I believe I do have to be picky, if I want the stuff I'm looking for. I don't know enough about it to know if I can start substituting materials, if you can even do that."
>"Well, do you know of any place in town that specializes in more, as you said, old-fashioned substances?"

>"Couldn't tell you," he says. "Not without knowing more about this aqua veritatis of yours."
>The shopkeeper smiles and idly scratches his head. "Old-fashioned? Can't say that's something I've heard people looking for in their potions before. But I'll tell you what: if you can tell me what this stuff of yours is supposed to do, I'm sure I can recommend you something we have that'll still do the trick. Unless you're trying to poison someone, of course." He chuckles lightly.

[Oldmansour]

>Oh, if he knew the irony of that one.
>"Remedy, actually. Gimme a sec..."
>Pause and remember the wording of the book. "Fortify the blood, screening foul vapors, and curing the ragged blackening of veins. And if my client's right, it might serve to fortify crops against disease, too."

[DracoOmega]

>Oh, if he knew the irony of that one.
>"Remedy, actually. Gimme a sec..."
>Pause and remember the wording of the book. "Fortify the blood, screening foul vapors, and curing the ragged blackening of veins. And if my client's right, it might serve to fortify crops against disease, too."

>An uncertain frown slips through the man's professional demeanor for a moment. "That's a lot of stuff for one potion to do, isn't it? But we've got antivenoms, remedies for fevers, chills, and weakness, and even something that'll let you breathe smoke near as good as if it were clean air. And if that's not what you mean by 'fortifying your blood', I can whip up something that'll keep you sober after half a keg of brandy. Not sure how well any of that stuff works on crops, though; not my usual market, you know?"

[Oldmansour]

>Man makes a decent sales pitch.
>"That's pretty fortified, all right. Still, I feel I should try to replicate the elixir the recipe calls for. Which means I should try and find out what, exactly, goes into the two liquid components."
>Not to mention this impossible plant.
>"But about how long does brewing a potion usually take... Actually, I suppose that would depend on the potion, wouldn't it?"

[DracoOmega]

>Man makes a decent sales pitch.
>"That's pretty fortified, all right. Still, I feel I should try to replicate the elixir the recipe calls for. Which means I should try and find out what, exactly, goes into the two liquid components."
>Not to mention this impossible plant.
>"But about how long does brewing a potion usually take... Actually, I suppose that would depend on the potion, wouldn't it?"

>There's an unmistakably practiced ease to his friendliness, but it doesn't seem altogether artificial either.
>He nods. "As you like. We'll still be here."
>That would probably help, too.
>"It would indeed," he replies readily. "Some I can whip up inside an hour, others have to steep for days, or longer. But you'll be hard-pressed to find a place that can do it faster than us, let me tell you that."