text: Let me preface this with this is my first time trying something like this. I know there will be mistakes and would love to have you guys point them out to me. I have more of this story written out. Just didn't want to post a wall of text for my first time. #2 Will be released soon. Thanks :) **Pt. 1 - The Apothecary** The young man awoke from another night of wine and an empty stomach he stumbled over to the nearest pot and retched into it. His hair was a mess and his clothes tattered. He wiped his mouth with his forearm; he regained his composure and set off with the few coins in his pockets to buy himself some fine rabbit stew and refill his canteen with mead. He made his way through the village the smells of smoldering coals filled the air as smoke rose out the tips of the tattered teepees. He gazed around and saw the faces of the hard working. Blacksmiths busy in the forge, alchemists hard at work and cooks preparing meals for the village. The dirty young man reached the place where he was to order his stew when a strange man took a seat next to him, ordering something he had never heard of before. He looked down at his own dirty clothing and feet. Out of anxiety he started to get up to move a seat away. The oddly dressed man looks over and asks with a friendly tone, “Where are you off to? Isn’t your rabbit soup almost ready?” Ollie nods and let a small smile escape his lips. “I’m Ollie,” he says to the odd man meekly. “Well met, Ollie, I am Helmen, the local apothecary here in Reltun. Well- not much of one anymore since the gripes of old age restrain me from accomplishing some of my work...” he says his voice trailing off. Ollie looks up, rather intrigued. He takes a bite of his delicious rabbit soup in contemplation before asking, “Are you in need of an assistant?” he says hesitantly. Helmen tilts his head back and forth, “Perhaps if you’re serious about it we could arrange a deal.” He says gesturing to Ollie’s dirty garb. “Clean you up and get you a place to stay. This would depend though.” “What’s that?” Ollie eagerly replies. “I need a task done for me- something to prove that you are in fact, of some use to me. Follow me.” Helmen gets up and leads Ollie to his home, tucked away in the swamps. The doorway covered in heavy vines, a thick fog emanating from the woods nearby. They trudge past the vines and enter the rather humble abode. Helmen walks over to his desk, takes a piece of parchment and dips his quill in his ink and begins writing. Once done, he takes a candle and dries the ink on the parchment, rolling it up and holding it out to Ollie. “Bring me the supplies listed here. Then, show me that you’re capable of brewing and I’ll offer you a place to stay, food, and a profession. It’s only right in my old age to pass my knowledge down since I have nobody of my own to share it with.” Ollie accepts the parchment and quickly unravels it, reading its contents: *- Bark of a Phyn tree.* *- A vial of mud from the Grundling Swamp.* **Pt. 2 - Gundrak’s Demands** A large brute of a man trudges his way to Helman’s house and barges in. Skulls of his foes dangle from his waist, the chieftain Gundrak. He was demanding a shipment of Ellisium, a drug that is ideal for partying. As well as a large shipment of ‘Warrior Powder’ as they call it. It’s used to amp up soldiers before a fight. Giving them enhanced senses and inhuman strength, a forbidden recipe, however your life is more important than your apothecary license when Gundrak asks. Helmen reluctantly agrees to make the warrior powder, however he had some of the Ellisium on hand to satiate Gundrak for the time being. **Pt. 3- The Test** Bark of a Phyn tree. Ollie thinks to himself. The only tree he can think of is near the south of the swamp. So he grabs his knife and sets out. Trudging through the foggy swamp. Careful not to run into any tribesman, he makes it to the tree. However a few tribesmen seem to be camping nearby performing some sort of ritual. Ollie decides to take shelter in a nearby bush and wait until they are busy. As two of the members lay down for some rest, one remains on patrol. Ollie studies him and identifies when their shift change is. An hour before they change shifts is when Ollie plans to make his break for the tree and acquire some bark as that’s when the one on rotation is most tired. The guard takes a seat on a nearby rock surveying the mountain path as Ollie sneaks up and starts slicing some bark, he gathers some and shoves it in his satchel. He slithers away, making his escape into the density of the foggy forest. Next, is the vial of mud from the Grundling Swamp. A rather simple task as long as you keep away from the poison needles that litter the area. Having been raised in Reltun, Ollie knew the best and quickest way to acquire this. He filled up a few vials, hoping it was enough. He set off on his return to Helmen’s home. As Ollie returns to Helmen’s shanty he realizes something amiss. Helmen seems to be frantic and as his gaze sets on Ollie a light flickers in his eyes. “Did you get the items I asked of you?” he asks urgently. Ollie empties his satchel onto the table and a small smile forms on Helmen’s face. “So you’ve done it, eh?” Helmen walks over to Ollie, hands him a few coins. “Go wash up.” He says as he walks over to his closet and pulls out some fresh furs for Ollie. “These should suit you well here. Also, there’s a bed upstairs. Eat what you want. You’ve earned it... I’ll need a lot of help from you here tomorrow, so get some rest now.” **Pt. 4 The Book** Ollie wakes up the next day with a stack of books on his nightstand. A letter atop that reads: *“If you’d like to earn your keep here. I’ll need your help with my work. Start by studying these books and gathering herbs.”* * *Helman* So Ollie does as he’s told and cracks into the first book, “Swamps, Spores, and Fungi”. It outlined the various mushrooms, spores, fungus, and vegetation that grow around the swamp climate. Ollie found a recipe for an elixir that allows you to see in the night. So he set out to find the ingredients listed in the book. He returned with all the ingredients getting them ready on the countertop. He turned and looked at all the alchemical equipment and his heart sank. The book only outlined where to find the ingredients, not how to brew the elixir. Ollie heard a noise towards the door and in walked Helmen. “Ahh... the Nighteye Elixir.” Helman says as he eyes the ingredients on the table in an approved tone. ”Are you aware of how to brew it, Ollie?” he says with a piqued brow. He sauntered over to a bookshelf and read a few titles before pulling one from the shelf. “N-no.” Ollie says, rather frustrated. Helman flips through the book and finds the page labeled “Nighteye Elixir”. He sets it on the counter and grabs the first ingredient and starts the process, showing Ollie how every step of the way. Teaching him how to read the instructions and then allowing him to brew it himself. Mentoring him as if it were his protégée. A few days of Ollie foraging and concocting pass. Then one night he noticed Helman up in his study rather late. Reading a dusty book under candlelight. Ollie had never seen him do something like this before so he decided to keep a keen eye on his actions this night. Ollie heard Helman blow out the candle and so he snuck down the stairs to see what Helman could be doing. Helman carried the large black book in his hand and paced over to a wall. He pulled a board from the wall with ease, sliding the book behind before covering it back up with the board. Ollie was rather curious. What secrets could Helman be hiding? Is he a part of some criminal organization? Was it just merely valuable? There was only one way to find out.