DnD Apothecary Short
Draft 1
This is a rough draft of a short story inspired by the Apothecary dialogue piece. Working towards writing a home brewed DnD campaign in the future so here is a bit of a dabble for now.
“Three more ales for these gents, Brock!” cried Malady over her shoulder as she reached for the empty tankards lining the edge of the table.
With hands and arms full she made her rounds through the dining room of the tavern, making sure to see if anyone else needed more food or drink. As she cut around the last table at the edge of the floor, she spotted him with his group of exuberant adventurers. Malady recognized this trope all too well. Being at the edge of town along the Ferdon Canal, the River Stone Inn attracted a lot of traveling adventurers in between cities. Genasi are not commonly among them. She had only ever seen one one along her quest for answers to her ailment many years ago from a prophet in Athas. That was before she met Brock. This monk was just as handsome and graceful as that wise old sage, Ardor. Her long black hair fluttered with the wind that he carried in with him. It was as though he brought in the feel and scent of a crisp breeze everywhere he moved. The skin exposed on his shoulders, flawlessly silk and light blue lined with his flowing white hair. His youth radiating from his great smile and jovial nature as he entered with 2 of his comrades under each arm.
The group made their way to a corner table and Malady greeted the boys with her usual banter, “Come on in boys, it looks like you’ve got some celebrating to do. Let me sit these down and I'll be right with ya.” The genasi instantly locked eyes with her at the first resonance of her voice on the air. Malady, knowing what her presence can do, returned his glare with a cunning grin and continued to make her way behind the bar. She turned away before she could even see his reaction.
….....
Mikkei recognized that grin. Afterall, he knows what his presence can do to a room, especially of women. He attempted to return the same cunning grin however, she turned away to break their eye contact before he could even react. He released Elowen & Magnus from under his arms and they all took seats around a large round table at the corner of the room. Aerin, always taking the lead, made his way instead to the bar.
“Oh well, there goes Aerin. Ever the gentleman not wantin’ to make the lady have to make her way back to this gang of fools in the back of the room, ay? Says Mikkei to the other two.
“Oh don’t go getting jealous that he’ll have the first chance to make the lady’s acquaintance now, Mikkei. We all know who ends up winning those challenges.” replied Elowen. She was always on his side; they were the closest in the bunch. Mikkei always amused with her aloofness and satirical chants. Elowen ever in awe of his swift gait and beautiful skin.
“Alls I know is this ale’s gonna be the sweetest taste I ever had life! That damned bugbear practically through my shoulder out!” said Argon. He had used up the last of his strength healing them all after the last battle in Caraforte. Aerin made it back to the table gracefully taking up his seat at the head of the table, with his back to the door. He shared a glance with Mikkei, that he knew meant to keep an eye on his blind spot as they all rest with their ales for a reprieve before seeking shelter at the Inn tonight. The woman made her way to the table with four tankards perched in one hand. It’s clear she is strong and unphased. As she places them into the center of the table, Mikkei makes sure to give her a quick wink before she turned to walk away again.
The four of them bantered boisterously and joyously for a few hours, drowning ale after ale. Each time, Mikkei making sure to take the opportunity to share a sweet glance with the woman as she placed the tankards before them. Mikkei was the one amongst them with the most tolerance to human made ale. When he noticed the gang beginning to reach their limits, he asked the woman before her departure from the table if there were rooms available for the group at the Inn.
“Oh, I think we can accommodate beds for these three in our largest room, just above.” responded the woman as she looked around to see that the rest of the group was either dozing or engaged in other conversation. Mikkei raised his eyebrows with his usual debonair pursing of lips. “I think I have finer accommodations for you dear.” she finished.
The next morning Mikkei awoke to an empty bed. He saw the sun from the opening in the ceiling was already up high in the clouds. He must have slept in later than usual. The rest of them must already be out and exploring the town. As he stretched out of the bed he felt his bones crack in places he’d never before noticed. As he lifted his body off of the bed, his knees buckled beneath him. Now alarmed he made his way to the mirror along the boudoir. He could see wrinkles lining his forehead and cheeks. With two hands dragging his cheeks down Mikkei screamed in angst.
….........
Danilo was behind the counter of the River Oak Apothecary, quietly examining the emerald gem he received from a halfling last week when the doors burst open.
“Medicine man! Please take a look at me! I am not myself, I assure you! Please, tell me what is wrong.” A blue air genasi, disheveled and erratic, screams from the threshold.
Danilo, unmoved, peers down his glasses to glance at the boy. “Calm down boy.... what is the problem? You look positively inebriated son.” He returns his sights to the gem.
“No, no, no... THAT is my nature, sir. That is not the problem at hand. THIS! ... This is the problem!” The boy pulls on Danilo’s arm to return his attention to him and exposes the grey hairs lining the edges of his forehead, stretches and releases the wrinkles under his eyes and chin.
With a deep sigh, “Oh dear, my boy, I do not think you needed to come all this way for that. This is no ailment at all. This my child is called aging. We all must endure...” Danilo returns his attention, once again to the gem.
“NO, YOU FOOL! I SHOULD NOT BE AGING! I am but a mere 30 years of age! How can this be?! It would seem as though this transpired overnight. Please tell me this can be reversed!” The boy slumps down onto his knees and pulls back his head to face the heavens.
Danilo, gently places the gem down onto the felt wrap lyinig on the counter and comes around from behind to approach the boy and lift him to his feet. He lifts his spectacles onto the top of his head. Examining the boy, he says “I see. Hmm... curious indeed. Yes, I suppose I can see now that this most definitely is the result of a curse. Have you been in the presence of wild magic as of late?”
The boy returns Danilos' gaze with absolute bewilderment. “Wh... Wild magic?” He brings a hand to his wrinkled chin and begins to search his memory, looking up to the skies for answers again. “Well, shit man, who’s to tell. I do a lot of.... well, work that could expose me to all sorts of things.”
Danilo, makes his way back behind the counter and reaches below for something. “Yes, I’m sure. An adventurer, are we? Is not your... imposition a bit of an impediment to your work?”
“Can you reverse this damn thing or not Elf! I’ve got many years left in me to be indisposed of in such a way so soon!” Shouts the boy, exasperated.
“Yes, yes, of course. There is a way. But we will need to find the source. You say this happened overnight?” Danilo comes up with a sack and a staff, making his way back around the counter.
“Yes, overnight.” He responds.
Danilo stands before him, “Can you recall whom you encountered.... or spent the night with?”
The boy looks to the ground for his answers now, “Well... memory’s not too sharp, is it? We'd just completed a quest outside of this town, just before the river, Aransas. We stayed at the River Stone Inn. Celebrated in the tavern before... Yes! There was a woman! A woman at the tavern that wooed me to bed. She did have a curious nature to her.”
“Hmm... yes, a woman. Would you happen to recall her name?” Danilo wraps an arm around the boys shoulder and turns him to face the door.
Guided by Danilo the boy begins to walk, “Name... hmm... maybe it was... Malorie? Melonie?
They make it to the door Danilo releases the boy to face him, “Could it have been... Malady?
“MALADY! That’s it! That witch must have cursed me! For what cause?! I couldn’t have possibly done something to deserve this.” the boy says.
Danilo returns the boy under his arm. “Oh, my dear boy, it would seem you have gotten yourself into a bout of trouble here.
“What... What do you mean old man? Where are we going? Will you not help me!? Pleads the boy, desperately.
“Yes, I will help. I believe you’ve not been cursed by Malady, but by her husband. Brock, the owner of the River Stone Inn. We must go and see him for this. I am sure there is a way he can be reasoned with... for the right price.”
….......
Brock was polishing tankards and hanging them on the iron rack above the bar when he heard the door open behind him. “We’re not quite open yet, but I can pour ya a pint to go if ya need.” He says without looking back.
“We’re not here for ale, Brock.” Brock recognized Danilo’s voice and perked up to gather his thoughts before turning to face him.
Brock turns around with a sly grin and sees he is accompanied by the blue boy from last night. “What then, may I help you boys with?”
“Oh I’m sure you’ve got a good idea.” Responds Danilo.
“Can’t say that I do, Danilo. Not like you to pop in, unannounced. Or at all, really. What’s this about.”
“Brock, my boy. I understand this gentleman was a patron of yours last night... And of Malady’s??”
“Huh.... is that so? Must have blended in with the crowd son, sorry. I don’t recognize you.”
“Oh ,come on Brock, don’t be coy. You know I’ve seen this come through the apothecary before. We’ve come to request that you release the boy from the curse. He’s much too young, Brock. And an adventurer to boot. He’ll be needing his knees a bit longer, don’t you think?”
Brock looks to Danilo sternly, then to the boy, then back to Danilo. “What are you doing, Danilo. I thought we had an arrangement!”
“This has gone on far too long, Brock. Why can’t the two of you just live out your days together, whatever is left of them, in peace like everyone else.”
The boy looks curiously at both men with frustration, “What in the hell?! Are you trying to set me up old man? You’re taking part in all of this?!”
“Well my dear boy, what I haven’t told you is that Malady is a succubus and Brock, well, Brock is not, you see? Malady will live on and on into eternity but her love here, Brock, will not be able to join her on this long journey of life. So, Brock, the genius necromancer that he is, has discovered a way for Malady to drain the life of her suitors in order to formulate an elixir of immortality for Brock. It has been going on for some years now, and I have let it pass despite the many men who’ve approached me for aid, but you, you are too young and too valuable to the well-being of our town.”
Danilo faces Brock now, “Don’t you think this boy's talents, and that of his party might be of better use to us, Brock. Given the circumstances that currently plague this town, we could certainly use the muscle.”
“UGH! You will literally be the death of me old man!” Responds Brock. The boy, lost in thoughts about his night with Malady no doubt, glances about the room in agony and wonderment. “I suppose we can spare this one, this time. We do need the aid more than my youth at this moment. I do still have one more elixir left, after all.”
…...........
The two men introduce Mikkei to his adventuring party’s next quest.