Originally posted by dragonfire999
My S-Classic owns your iceman to death.



It Is Revealed

Mahogany, mahogany and more mahogany

Taser FTW!

Is that a SCA 220? I have one myself.

[OOC]This is a raw version of the book my character Thyrion Alzhaman has been writing. It\'s a bit incomplete, but since I have to go to the army next Monday, I decided to post this. I\'ll propably make some more entries to it as I find the time. Feel free to comment. [/OOC]

The Herbalist?s Handbook
by Thyrion Alzhaman


Index:
1.1  A word from the writer
1.2  How to use this book
2.1  Healing
2.2  Enhancing
2.3  Other beneficial recipes
2.4  Poisons

1.1 A word from the writer

For years I have travelled the wilderness. An essential part of wilderness survival is the knowledge of how you can benefit from the resources of nature. This book contains a collection of my favourite recipes that I have gathered during my travels. There are also some recipes that are the results of my own experiments, and can be found nowhere else but in this book. One recipe usually has one single effect, but one can always combine different herbs for multiple effects (although extreme care should be taken when using the more powerful herbs like kkhara). I hope these will prove as useful to you, as they proved to me.

1.2 How to use this book

Example:
Herb: Uhun ? the name of the herb
Description: A small flower with dark green leaves and white petals ? a quick description of the herb?s appearance
Parts: Stem, leaves ? the parts of the plant that can be used
Where to find: Almost everywhere except extremely hot, cold or dry areas ? where the herb usually grows
Effects: Gives nice taste when applied to red meat ? what effects the herb has
Method: Crush the parts into tiny pieces and apply to food ? how the herb should be used to achieve the desired effect
Other: May cause indigestion if used in large quantities ? possible side-effects, alternate uses and such



 
2.1 Healing

These are healing recipes for general purposes. In case of a serious disease, one should consult a healing expert personally.

Herb: Althenm?
Description: A thick, thorny bush, 1.2 meters tall at max. Black stalks, small, reddish green leaves and red, round berries
Parts: Berries
Where to find: Dry, rocky areas, for example the lower parts of mountain ranges and such
Effects: Disinfects small wounds and quickens blood clotting. Not very effective on larger wounds
Method: Boil the berries a bit to soften them. Then crush the berries in a bowl and apply directly to the wound
Other:

Herb: Eehran
Description: A small, stick-like plant without any leaves. Consists of a hard, brown stalk and roots. 80 cm high at max.
Parts: All
Where to find: Moist, dark areas, for example swamps
Effects: An effective painkiller. Cures cold as well.
Method: Can be consumed instantly
Other: A plant called umei is often mistaken as eehran for their quite similar appearances. Umei, however, has no particular effect.

Herb: Drastz? (commonly called bloodleaf)
Description: A quite small tree, often no taller than 2,5 meters. Thick, charcoal coloured trunk with many branches from halfway to top. The common name bloodleaf comes from it?s crimson, drop shaped leaves.
Parts: Leaves
Where to find: Rare. Found in deep, thick forests in colder parts of the world.
Effects: An effective poison neutralizer. Works on almost every natural poison (not artificial)
Method: The leaves are to be dried and then boiled like tea. In case of a serious and lethal poisoning the leaves can be smoked with common tobacco in a 1:1 mix. Smoking causes the neutralizing substances to enter the bloodstream more effectively, which results in faster and more effective poison neutralizing than consuming bloodleaf tea
Other: Smoking bloodleaf usually results in very bad nausea, so care should be taken when determining the state of the poisoning



 
2.2 Enhancing
These are recipes for enhancing effects.

Herb: Mmasora
Description: A weed that spirals at it?s top. 10-20 cm long, green. Smells faintly of fish
Parts: Stem
Where to find: Edges of fields, roads, walls etc. Very common.
Effects: No effect if used by itself, but if mixed with catnip, mmasora enhances darkvision.
Method: Boil mmasora stems with catnip in water. Then remove all solid material from the water and let it cool down. When the water cooled, pour directly into eyes.
Other:

Herb: Hunter?s Aid (real name unknown)
Description: A parasitic flower that grows on the trunks of large trees. Small, red, circular flowers visible, other parts are often under the bark of the host tree.
Parts: Petals
Where to find: Large, ancient forests with old trees.
Effects: Augments senses
Method: Smoke with ordinary tobacco
Other: One should be careful when determining the right amount of the herb. For a medium sized person, 7-9 petals is enough for one dose. Overdose results in too enhanced senses, and the sudden change in the amount of audiovisual information one is subjected to after overdose can lead to temporary insanity. This usually goes by after the effects wear off, but those with weak minds are endangered to permanent mental disorders

Herb: Kagashroom
Description: A small green mushroom that grows in large numbers.
Parts: All
Where to find: Usually found in moist, warm caves, but sometimes in very dark rainforests.
Effects: Aids in concentration. Tastes good.
Method: Use only small, younger kagashrooms. Boil the kagashrooms before eating them.
Other: Using older kagashrooms results in sleepiness.




2.3 Other beneficial recipes

Herb: Kkhara
Description: A common tree that grows very tall. Very usual looking, but can be identified by it?s large heart-shaped leaves.
Parts: Bark
Where to find: Almost everywhere, except for the most extreme territories
Effects: Relaxes body and soul, prevents insomnia
Method: Boil pieces of the bark in water. Instead of drinking, inhale the vapours that are released during the boiling
Other: Drinking the boiling water results in a deep sleep that last for 2-4 days. Although very refreshing, it is not commonly recommended.



 
2.4 Poisons
NOTE! This chapter is not for learning how to make poisons. It is for identifying common poisons and poisonous plants and trees and such by smell and look. There is also information about antidotes to them. The part ?where to find? is dropped out for a reason.

Herb: Yba?n (commonly called ?Widow?s Tear?)
Description: An ordinary looking bush with blue, tear-shaped berries. Almost every other part is edible and harmless, but the black seeds that are contained in the berries are lethal. Yba?n seeds can be identified by their bitter, salty odour, and if a seed is dropped in water, the seed releases black colour into the water.
Parts: Seeds
Effects: Yba?n poisoning can be identified by sweating, extreme weakness and red eyes. Yba?n poison causes a violent rise in body temperature, and the victim usually dies of fever in few days.
Antidote: Yba?n poisoning can be cured with bloodleaf (see above).

Herb: Cingawari
Description: A 50 cm high plant with large, pointy leaves. Thick, white roots are the poisonous part. Cingawari is easy to identify in nature, but if refined to poison, it is hard to notice by smell.
Parts: Roots
Effects: If consumed, cingawari toxins are destroyed by stomach acids before they can enter the bloodstream, causing only mild nausea. But if cingawari poison is released to the bloodstream directly, for example from a poisoned arrowhead, it causes the victim?s lungs to swell until he chokes to death (in most cases, this takes only several minutes).
Antidote: regular poison neutralizers work on pure cingawari extract, but more skilled poisoners use a specific chemical in addition that renders natural healing useless

Herb: Abendel
Description: A rather large mushroom. It is mostly white, but larger ones develop bluish stripes. A young abendel can be often mistaken as some other mushroom, as it is very common looking, but can be identified by it?s strong odour, that resembles sulphur.
Parts: All
Effects: The strong toxins of abendel paralyze neural systems, and when ignited, dried abendels burn long and emit very much smoke, that causes unconsciousness when inhaled. If consumed, the toxins cause almost immediate death.
Antidote: A cure for abendel poisoning is yet to be found. If abendel smoke has been inhaled, the unconsciousness wears off in two hours. Consuming abendel leads to death in half an hour.

Decided to post a couple pictures of me with long hair, as it\'s going to be cut off in a few days. They\'re quite large, so I put them in thumbnails.



This was the most decent picture of me I could find. Usually I have some kind of odd expression on my face. Notice the Playboy calendar on the right (it\'s not mine, really).



This pic is here, because it has the best view on my favourite guitar.



An older picture, taken about a year and a half ago. Don\'t take the shirt seriously.

Well, you asked for me to comment, so:
I liked this story much, especially the mysterious atmosphere was effective. I liked the amount of detail, too: there was enough to create the right feeling, but not too much that in my opinion would make reading the story a bit boring. I think I spotted a few typos, but not anything that would make the story incomprehesible. A very nice story. I\'d like to see more of your tales in the future.

Chapter III: Into the City

?Hey, you there!? shouted one of the city guards standind at the gates. He pointed his finger towards Jeronyn.

?Me?? Jeronyn said and pointed himself.

?Yes, you?, the guard continued with a stark tone. ?Come here.?

Jeronyn walked to the guard who was looking at him suspiciously.

?You are not from the city?, the guard said with a more relaxed tone, and Jeronyn nodded to him. ?What be your business in Xania??

?I?m?uhh?? Jeronyn was not accustomed to dealing with city people. ?I?m here to contact the local authorities.?

?The Peacekeepers? barracks are just down the big street?, said the guard and pointed to a wide, crowded street inside the city. A large, white building stood at the end of it. ?Why, has a crime been committed??

?No?, Jeronyn shook his head. ?We?I mean I am looking for work, and I?ve been told that the authorities are always in need of a helping hand.?The guard nodded slowly.

?Aye, there?s always plenty of work to be done for the good of the city and its people.?  The guard looked towards the building. ?Ask for commander Herreck. He?s the one who takes care of things such as this?.

Jeronyn bowed slightly. ?Thank you, sir?, he said, but was returned with a bored look from the guard. Jeronyn decided to proceed towards the Peacekeepers? barracks immediately. He almost rushed to the building; the city made him feel uneasy. He knocked on the large wooden door.

?Who?s there?? a harsh voice inquired from the other side.

?Jeronyn Alar?is?, Jeronyn replied. ?I wish to speak with commander Herreck.? The door was opened. A gigantic, tough looking guard waved at Jeronyn to come inside. Without saying a word he escorted Jeronyn to a big door and left. Jeronyn pondered the situation for a moment, took a deep breath and knocked. The door was opened by a tall, elderly man bearing many scars; a stereotype of an aged, experienced warrior.

?Hmmm?? he muttered. ?Welcome, elf, to the Peacekeepers? barracks. I am commander Herreck as you propably know.? There was slight arrogance in his voice.

?Pleased to meet you, commander Herreck sir?, Jeronyn said respectfully. ?My name is Jeronyn Alar?is.? Jeronyn bowed.

?Hmm?? Herreck muttered again. ?And what business does an elf named Jeronyn Alar?is have with commander Herreck?? The commander obviously didn?t like elves, for whatever reason.

?I wish to speak with you about employment?, Jeronyn said confidently, perhaps to annoy the commander. ?I?ve been told that you would have some work to do.? The commander?s expression lightened up, showing both surprise and amusement at the same time.

?Ahh, a mercenary, right?? he said mockingly. ?An elven sellsword?. Jeronyn decided to spoil his fun. He lifted his chin and said proudly:

?Aye.?

Herreck was clearly surprised by this elf?s self-confidence. He narrowened his eyes and tried to size him up. He waved Jeronyn to come inside his office and closed the door. Then he sat down in a chair that was behind a large table.

?A bunch of bandits have been troubling us for some time?, he said looking Jeronyn straight to the eyes. ?I need someone to take care of them?.

?One practical question, if I may?? said Jeronyn. ?How much??

?Hmph?, the commander replied with hushed voice. ?Bounty hunters?? Then he stood up and spoke out loudly:

?They have stole much from our farmers and merchants.? Jeronyn nodded to the commander. ?I want you and whatever scoundrels you call your party to get the stolen money back.?

?Tell me more?, said Jeronyn.

?There are six of them?, the commander continued. ?They?ve been spotted yesterday at the borders of the great Bloomwood forest. I believe you know the place??

Jeronyn smiled at the commander. ?I know it better than you would guess.? The commander mumbled something incomprehensible and carried on:

?Good.? He tried to crack a smile. He paused for a while before continuing. ?The leader of the gang is called Jorwin the Jolly, and they?re lightly armed, but still dangerous.?

?I understand?, Jeronyn said. ?Now, about the payment, if you may?? The commander frowned.

?Bring me their loot and the leader?s head?. He pulled a bag of coins from his desk. ?500 pieces and no more?.

?500 pieces and no less?, said Jeronyn slyly. He reached for the bag, but the commander pushed back in the depths of the desk. ?You?ll get the money after the job is gone. And now, dismissed!?

Jeronyn turned slowly and started making his way out of the city.

Originally posted by Sharakaz
Finns are taught swedish from 2. grade(or atleast a very young age) if i remember correctly..

From 7th grade, at least that\'s when I had to start. And yes, there are some communities in Finland that speak mostly swedish.

Chapter I: A Brother In Arms
   

    About 1650 years. That was how long the Ghiltegans existed. Me, I had not lived among them but for some twenty years, and still it seemed to me that the world itself had caved in. I had never been a true Ghiltegan myself, but they were the only people I had known by that age, and even if most of them did not treat me as a friend, but more like a stranger, I had always treated them all like they treat each other. As family members. After all, it?s very hard to hate the people who raised you and saved you from a certain death.
  I was too young to remember anything about how I actually arrived in the great forest of Bloomwood, where the Ghiltegans lived. All I?ve been told that a wandering bard named Elthyn Ravensong had found me and left me to the custody of the Ghiltegans with nothing else but my name, which Elthyn claimed to know by a mind-reading spell he cast on me. I was a klyros, something that none of them had seen before, so they were extremely doubtful about me. But when Elthyn threatened to abandon me, because he couldn?t take care of me, they took me among them and promised to raise me; for the Ghiltegans have sworn to the spirits of nature to aid everyone who seeks help and shelter among them.
  I was never accepted as a true Ghiltegan, because the old scriptures say that only an elf can be a Ghiltegan. Still, I was raised like one, and I remember how I was taught how to hunt, how to shoot a bow, what herbs, plants and mushrooms are edible and other necessary skills for wilderness survival. They also taught me to love nature; how nature protects the ones who protect nature, how in nature death becomes life and how it affects us all in a way or another. I learned to listen to the sound of the world, the constant humming you hear in the silent moments of the night, and I was told that if you listen really well, the humming turns into words. I never were that good listener, but sometimes when an older Ghiltegan was teaching me about the cycle of life or such, it sometimes seemed like the powers of nature spoke through him. Some of my friends said that even if I wasn?t a Ghiltegan, I surely had the heart of one.
  All I knew was what the Ghiltegans had taught me. Everyone I knew was a Ghiltegan. I was almost a Ghiltegan myself. And then, all of a sudden, there was nothing.


Thyrion woke up early next morning. He gathered all the equipment he had; two sabres, a short spear, a long bow, various survival tools, a pipe and a silver flute. Then he walked out of his night shelter, a small leaven hut he had made. Some had woken up earlier: few of the tents and shelters were already disassembled. A few elves had already left the encampment. Thyrion was pondering who were they, but his thoughts were disrupted by a touch to the shoulder. Thyrion turned his head to see the smiling face of one of his few friends: A?Nel, a relatively young female elf.

?You?re up early this morning?, A?Nel said in a sleepy tone. Thyrion nodded slightly and turned towards A?Nel. She was not the most beautiful sight Thyrion had seen; her face was oddly formed and her movements lacked the grace that elves usually have.

?Who?s gone?? Thyrion asked.

?No one you?d miss?, A?Nel answered. Thyrion looked questioningly into A?Nel?s eyes, who replied with a sigh.

?Drinhal, F?Halan and Uriail with their families?.

?I see.? Thyrion replied.

?You are about to leave soon?? A?Nel asked. Thyrion replied with a nod.

They both were silent for a moment. Then Thyrion broke it.

?A?Nel, are you sure you don?t want to come with me and Jeronyn, like you said when we talked last night?? Thyrion asked with sadness in his voice.

?I am. I would be nothing but a burden?, she replied.

?What do you mean, be a burden? You are a good friend of mine and Jeronyn, and a capable fighter as well.? A?Nel sighed and pointed her eyes to the ground.

?To be honest, I think the decision to follow you into adventures would be the death of me?.She lifted her eyes and looked into Thyrion?s, which showed extreme puzzlement.

?Some?people say that I can?? She paused for a while.

??See things other people don?t. I see an aura of death and demise around you, as if you were?

?As if I was what?, asked Thyrion. His voice trembled slightly.

?Cursed?. A tiny tear ran over her cheek.

?I am sorry, Thyrion, but I can?t come with you?. She hugged Thyrion.

?So be it?, said Thyrion. He stepped a bit farther from A?Nel and took the silver flute from his backpack.

?You gave me this; I still remember it, although it was years ago, when I was a child?, he said in a warm tone.

?Maybe from now on it helps me remember you, my dear friend?. Thyrion put the flute back and drew the short spear.

?This spear has saved my life many times. Thyrion handed A?Nel the spear.

?May it now save your?s, like I would, had you chose to come with us?, Thyrion said and bowed deep. A?Nel held the spear with both hands and smiled widely.

?Thank you?thank you and farewell, friend?. A?Nel bowed.

?And farewell to you, friend?, replied Thyrion, smiling widely, but with sadness in his eyes. Then they both turned around and walked away.

 I knew A?Nel wouldn?t lie to me, but still I don?t know why I did not heed her warning. It took a long time for me to talk about it, and it was after the events that made me realize she couldn?t have been more right, as if those words were not meant to be heard by me. It was almost like I had forgotten them, except every now and then they came to haunt me. But then I just threw the memories away and carried on like nothing ever happened.

Thyrion walked through the encampment towards a long elf wearing similar clothing to his: leather armour and a dark green cloak. His long, brown hair had an odd, almost green tone in it. He greeted Thyrion with a wide and friendly smile.

?Morning, Thyrion?, he said.

?Morning, Jeronyn?, replied Thyrion. Jeronyn lifted his equipment from the ground.

?So, are you ready to leave?? Jeronyn asked.

?Almost?, replied Thyrion. ?I just go and say goodbye to my teachers: everyone else who was dear to me I have already visited?.

?Take your time, Thyrion?, Jeronyn said. ?We have all the time there is?.

    After saying goodbye to the friends and teachers I had to leave behind, I walked back to Jeronyn. Then without saying a word, we walked away from the encampment. When we could no longer see the encampment, Jeronyn asked me:

?Which way shall we take, my brother in arms?? I pointed my finger to a random direction and said:

?That way.?