Step one: Grind the elfroot into a paste...

[fleurdesel]

WHO: Adelaide & Whoever wants to attend
WHAT: Potions & Poultices 101
WHEN: Harvestmere 28, morning
WHERE: The Garden
NOTES: As advertised the day before.



Set Up

As promised Adelaide had a large kettle brewing of a simple black tea. It wasn't much but it was hot and it was bitter- sugar, honey, and cream weren't exactly in ample supply but there were a few jars of donated jam and honeycomb donated by the kitchens and patients. Her own supplies for potions and poultices are laid out on a makeshift table. To one side her apprentices finish writing out and folding instructions- basic recipes for healing poultices, salves, potions- and the principles behind simple healing spells. If you could throw a fireball, you could heal a cut. Anything more complicated took greater study but the basics? Should be well known.

Behind and looking somewhat uncomfortable but, well, present, Bruce stood minding the bundles of herbs, handing out what was needed. While not a mage the surgeon was trustworthy and, honestly, needed to get out more.

During

It was simple enough. Adelaide went over the information on the cards handed out by her apprentices, demonstrated the proper techniques for grinding, mixing, layering the poultices and brewing for potions. They did not have as many kits for the brewing as they did for creating poultices, but they should have enough for those with an interest to learn or to help. After going through those Adealide would motion the mages that wished to learn more of basic healing off to one side to walk them through the theory, using some of the not quite so injured patients to demonstrate. Volunteers, all- she was careful in her instruction and thorough above all else- the last thing they needed was anyone getting injured from an attempt at healing.

After

Packing everything away in the afternoon to return to her tent, Adelaide was available for further questions, commentary- or criticism if something seemed poorly done, presumptuous, or overly curt.

Comments

[fleurdesel]

"Ah- yes. My apologies. If we need to move anything to be out of your way..." She'd tried to keep to the clearer part of the garden for the most part but people would likely move about once they began. Adelaide frowned at the arrangement of herbs before her, the mortals and pestles laid out. They ought to be fine but- Hm. "Let us know?"

[nadasharillen]

"I'm sure whatever you're doing is more important than setting the garden aright. At least for the time being," the elf said, with a small smile. She placed her tools at the wall, and then moved to look at the herbs laid out on the table.

"So many... did you bring them with you, to Skyhold? Or are there people out gathering them for you?"

[fleurdesel]

"We'll be done in a few hours at the very most, I do not expect this to take long." Simple instructions and grinding away, it won't be much.

"Some we brought, some we've found, and some others have gathered for us for poultices." It saved them a trip outside in this weather- while the walk was good for the group she'd rather not repeat last week's incident with one of her students wandering off. "And some bring me herbs when they need healing. Whatever I don't use I'm allowed to keep."

[nadasharillen]

"My First, Siuona... she is skilled with herbs," said the hunter with an unconscious smile, "It's with her help that I'm trying to restore this garden. I've mind to join the scouts here, once she's done healing, and I thought perhaps I could bring back seeds or plants to cultivate here. She asked for a few new elfroot plants, some rashvine, and some spindleweed. Is there any plant you'd like me to keep an eye out for?

I'm not good at growing them... but I'm certainly able to dig something up by the roots and get them back to Skyhold. Or--perhaps better--if you show me where the plants keep their seeds, I can bring those parts?"

[fleurdesel]

"Ah, Embrium? And Arbor Blessing if any can be found at this time of year. That would be greatly appreciated." Enough so that she would have to find a means to compensate the scout to be for her trouble afterward. Having a steady supply of herbs for potions and poultices growing in the garden would take time to cultivate- but it would save them pain and coin after everything had grown. A pragmatic idea, Adelaide had to commend them for it.

"For Elfroot- I think there might be a more complete plant here somewhere for me to show you. Let me see. I do not know if I've any of the others on hand but I should be able to sketch out where it is you'll be looking for a proper harvest."

[nadasharillen]

Embrium, Arbor Blessing, Elfroot, Spindleweed, Rashvine... Nahariel named them in her mind, trying to call up images for each. Elfroot was easy, she'd seen it hundreds of times. Rashvine she thought she'd recognize from Sina's description, Embrium had a flower? Red, like an ember? Arbor Blessing was a vine? She wasn't sure what differentiated it from other vines. After all, there were vines in the courtyard garden right now, but Sina had told her they weren't of any use. And Spindleweed? "You'll know it when you see it," her friend had said.

Creators.

"I... may need sketches, yes. Once I know what it is you're looking for, and the best way to harvest it, don't doubt you'll have your supplies," she said with a confident smile. It would have seemed boastful, had it not been followed by a quiet wry chuckle.

"I don't usually hunt for herbs, and there's a reason for that. Bana'hale, bana'verema'mir, my hunting partner used to say. 'Black fox, black thumb.' Of course, he said it fondly, but it's true. Perhaps with two teachers and a need for it I can do better." This time the smile was genuine.

[fleurdesel]

"Even hands with black thumbs can water or prune a plant." A beat passed. "With proper instruction. I think I have a few sketches of Embrium and Arbor blessing here for the lesson- I can make additional sketches of spindleweed and rashvine with notes on where to find what you'll need as well."

Adelaide motioned to one of the benches set off to the side and flips through the instructions they'd written out for attendees. Sketches of embrium and arbor blessing take up half of one side- adding the other two and notes on how to harvest their seeds takes up the back. Adding the notes to the front did not take long- and while she could hand this off as is? If they were to make the most of this she would walk her through it. "For the Embrium- the bloom is red at the center- I have no colored paints or I would make note of that but the seeds would be here."

She tapped the sketch in the appropriate point on the plant. "Their roots are hardy so if you are able to bring in a whole plant? That would work as well. The arbor blessing is more delicate and for that I would recommend finding the seeds rather than attempting to bring the whole vine to the garden."

[nadasharillen]

Nahariel followed to the table, and looked over the sketches with interest--they were well done. The healer's work?

She made a mental note to acquire paints.

"I'm going to volunteer for the scouts, I think... so that will place me in a good position to find and harvest plants we don't already have. If I'm out there for a long time before coming back to the hold though, would it be better to just gather seeds than try for the entire plants?" she asked, crossing her arms thoughtfully. "They'll die if they're out of the ground for too long, right?"

[fleurdesel]

"If you take some earth around the roots and wrap the lot in burlap, and keep it moist it would last...I think, perhaps, five or six days depending on the weather. Your safest bet will always be to gather the seeds- it would save the most space as well. Tending to a live plant on the move is likely more complicated than it is worth." Scouts needed all their resources to tend to their work, the added stress of a live Embrium? Probably not something they needed on top of everything else.

[nadasharillen]

She nodded, "Seeds then, most like. Unless I happen to find a nice plant on the way back from... wherever I am," she said. "Can I just keep them in pouches, or do the seeds need some kind of special treatment to keep them viable?" Nari asked, and then chuckled self-consciously, "So many questions, and you with something to set up."

[fleurdesel]

"Keep them cool and keep them dry until you mean to plant them, so a bag that is of waxed oil to prevent moisture from reaching them ought to do nicely. Other than that? They will be fine. So long as they are not soaked, frozen, or burnt, they can be planted and will grow." She smiled- it was a small thing, a faint curve to her lips, but it was a smile none the less. "I am here to teach and instruct- even if this is not what I am covering today it is something that is worth knowing- and probably something I ought to pass along to everyone else today. I do not mind."

[nadasharillen]

"The quartermaster should have bags like that, yes?" Nari asked, numbering them in her mind. She'd need... four? No, five? Elfroot, Spindleweed, Rashvine, Arbor Blessing, Spindleweed... no, she'd thought about Spindleweed already. Oh, Embrium. Five. And if there weren't small bags, she could always twist the seeds in paper and put them into a single bag.

It was a surprisingly exciting thought.

"It wouldn't be wrong to teach this to everyone. I mean, everyone proper," she said. A memory surfaced; the bright shine of tears in Keeper Thalia's eyes when the first of the plains-blossoms from their clan's true home had bloomed after Sina's careful cultivation.

"Many of us are far from home, and -- as a garden you've helped to plant grows, so to can a new home."

[fleurdesel]

"Certainly- they are useful for carrying ground dust and powders for alchemists and herbalists alike- or springs for traps for most rogues I think. I've used them before to carry dried herbs for tonics and teas." Finding them should be no trouble. Finding enough? May be an issue. "If they don't have enough for each seed on hand I think I have a few spare that I can give you for this. I am in the Healing tents most of the day, if not there? The library."

But if they were fortunate there would be more than enough.

"I cannot think of a more proper student than a scout for this- you see the field more than the rest of us." Mages may heal and herbalists may grind, but without the lay of the land, without the seeds? They had nothing. But the thought that came after was a kind one. A warm one. It would take more than a garden to sow roots for those that traveled to Skyhold- but it would help them flourish all the same. "That is an elegant way of putting it."