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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 4, 2006 2:58:42 GMT
Aleksandr Brovsky gave the head of the iron nail one last whack! with the flat of his pick-axe, driving it the rest of the way into the wood, thus securing the golden-lettered sign above his doorway. He climbed off of the step-ladder and admired his handywork.
Brovsky's Chemist Shop: Potions, Unguents, Powders et. al.
The sign was simple and bold. Aleksandr absently wondered what that said about him... was he simple and bold? He thought so, but the majority is always right, and most people thought him as eccentric and untamable as the thick black hair atop his head.
With a shrug, he went inside the shop and climbed the well-worn stairs--he lived above the shop, in a small apartment divided into living spaces and his labratory--and placed the pick-axe back in the loops of his leather knapsack. He pulled off the leather gloves with his teeth, mildly aware of the taste of dust and oil they left in his mouth. Once those too were back in his all-purpose knapsack, Aleksandr picked up his knife--he had been a country man all his life, and still viewed the city as dangerous--and the stack of fliers off his bed, and proceeded to lock up the shop.
At every inn he found--there were plenty--he placed a flier against the door. The scroll advertised the new Chemist Shop, but more importantly, stated the following:
Aleksandr Brovsky, chemist. Requiring protection for trip to Dimien Mountain Range. Expedition Goals: The securing and carry-home of certain minerals. Expected Dangers: None known. Should be jaunt through park. Price: Willing to negotiate, whether gold or Shop items, services, knowledges. If interested, please visit Brovsky's Chemist Shop... I don't have directions, apologies.
When he was done--he ran out of fliers before inns--he entered the closest tavern, tired but satisfied and in need of a drink.
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 5, 2006 3:00:02 GMT
The good chemist Brovsky sauntered back to his place of residence, his thirst quenched and his head suitably lighter. He whistled a tuneless melody up the last few steps while fumbling for the front door's keys.
Once inside, he flipped the 'Closed' sign to its 'Welcome' face and then retreated to his labratory. Without a large quantity of sulphurous ore--cinnabar or galena, preferably--his lastest project was postponed indefinitely, hence the advertisements all throughout the town. Hopefully someone wouldn't mind guiding/protecting/company-keeping him during the potentially long journey, for if he couldn't continue his research, he'd have to rely on only the Chemist Shop sales. Hardly a lucrative future.
Aleksandr sat in his chair and leaned back, eyes closed. In moments, he was dozing.
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Post by Zoltan on Mar 5, 2006 11:21:48 GMT
"Aha! Here we are, Trix!" Zoltam's voice roared through the door. "Meow." Yes, yes. I, well, the key does not seem to fit." "Meow." "Oh, wait it's not even locked!"
Zoltan stumbled into Brovsky's shop, thinking it was his own. Until he saw what the interior looked like offcourse.
"What? What has happened t my shop?" he gasped. "Where are my labelled... My contrapt... The seeing helm! Where is my stuff?"
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 5, 2006 15:46:23 GMT
Brovsky woke up abruptly with a coughing snort. His chair nearly tipped backwards, but he snagged his foot underneath his desk to catch himself.
"What was that?" he muttered drowsily. He kneaded his eyes with the palms of his hands for a moment, before climbing downstairs to encounter an old man--who was looking rather apoplectic--and a cat.
For an instant, he hoped the man had come about the advertisement, but this man was much too old to lead any expeditions. Just a customer, then.
"My first visitor!" he greeted happily, with a thick yet understandable accent. "My most sincere and warm welcomings, good sir. I am Aleksandr Brovsky--and, as sign states--owner of Chemist Shop. What can I help you with?" He rubbed his hands enthusiastically.
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Post by Zoltan on Mar 7, 2006 15:59:08 GMT
"Who...?" Zoltan started. "Wh... Who...?" he repeated. "I should've thought this sentence through before I started it. Who... are you?"
Zoltan looked around again.
"And why have you redecorated my shop?"
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 7, 2006 20:38:15 GMT
"Your...shop...?" he said slowly, his great wild eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Not a customer!?" he suddenly shouted, punching a clenched fist into the palm of his other hand. When he yelled, his accent was much more pronounced.
"No customer, no business!" he roared and began ushering the old man out forcibly.
Once the man was on the steps, Brovsky slammed his door with such force his 'Welcome' sign flew into the street. A moment later, the door swung open part-way, and the chemist stuck his head out.
"Wait! Your shop? You are chemist too?" The door opened fully and Brovsky stepped out to the steps, his arms wide in companionship.
"Wonderful! A fellow scientist! Come in, come in," he exclaimed, his accent once more subdued.
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Blanca
Regular
Working for the Father
Posts: 122
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Post by Blanca on Mar 9, 2006 1:48:20 GMT
Blanca rushed in, with his helper holding Dameon. "I was told i could find a chemist here. Where is he? Zoltan's shop is closed. My friend is in need of help. Please help him. I don't know what's wrong."
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 9, 2006 3:20:06 GMT
The chemist was in the middle of ushering the no-doubt confused gentleman back into his establishment, when two men rushed to the steps, carrying a third, injured, man. Brovsky listened to the leader's entreaty, nodding all the while.
"Yes, yes. Upstairs, hurry," he ordered, clapping his hands like a strict school teacher. He bounded up the steps in front of the party, showing them the way.
"You don't know what happened? No obvious injuries, then. Poison...? How was he found? Answer me, man," he barked, unaware that his barrage of questions hadn't allowed the man a chance to speak.
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Blanca
Regular
Working for the Father
Posts: 122
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Post by Blanca on Mar 9, 2006 11:30:44 GMT
Blanca rushed up the stairs with this stern man. "I don't know how it happened. Freya Craftneedle and I came to check on how he was doing, for he had to leave before out visit was really done. We found him on the floor."
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Post by Zoltan on Mar 9, 2006 14:38:34 GMT
Zoltan, having come to his senses again after the confusing events that had happened, now climbed the stairs, two steps at a time. He was puffing when he reach the others.
"Freya Craftneedle helped you, my man?" he said. "Wonderful woman, isn't she?"
After looking around, he started to notice something.
"This... Is this? Could it... Maybe. I mean, I don't think this is... my shop."
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 9, 2006 21:13:54 GMT
"You," the chemist said, pointing at Zoltan, "downstairs on shelf marked 'ammonia' is vial of ammonium carbonate. Bring it here, please." The 'please' was perfunctory; the possibility of the old man refusing never entered Brovsky's mind.
Brovsky peeled back the unconscious man's eyelids, and looked in at his pupils.
"You see dilation," he asked Blanca, pointing at Dameon's eyes. "It indicates trauma to brain. However, dilation is equal in both eyes. Were there discrepancy, would be much worse."
Brovsky let the man's eyes close once more, and then began probing softly at his neck.
"No--what is word?--irregularities in spine. Most interesting."
"I am unsure, sir. Perhaps exhaustion? Too much heat? Whatever it is, ammonium carbonate will wake him up. Of that I am certain."
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Blanca
Regular
Working for the Father
Posts: 122
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Post by Blanca on Mar 10, 2006 0:57:49 GMT
Blnca nodded."Right." He was glad that Dameon could be helped. Once Dameon was recuperated, Blanca could head back to the church, then try to figure out his cryptic map message. He hadn't forgotten about that. And, guiltily, he found himself hoping taht he could just leave Dameon to go back to the church.
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Post by Zoltan on Mar 12, 2006 14:06:46 GMT
Zoltan's confusion immediately dissolved when he heard the scientific terms his fellow apothecary had used. Ammonia, this man had ammonia carbonate? He was better supplied than himself. Zoltan told himself he had been too busy and stressed, but he would work harder in his more usual line of work when all this had blown over. "Carbonate it is then." The old apothecary ran down to the shelves and quickly found the ammonia products quickly. He took not only the ammonium carbonate but also some basic anaesthetics. He ran back up the stairs, almost got lost by taking a wrong turn but found Blanca and Brovsky again. "I... Impressive collection... have it."
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 12, 2006 17:24:51 GMT
(Just to clarify for anyone/everyone, ammonia carbonate is the chief ingredient in smelling salts. Oh, and all my chemist information is pseudo-science at best, so if there are any discrepancies, I beg your leniency.)
Aleksandr Brovsky turned to the fellow chemist, and recieved the ammonia carbonate vial. "Most excellent," he said, and popped the stopper from the vial with his thumb. Even as relatively far back from the chemicals as Aleksandr was, the pungent stimulant made his eyes water. He waved the vial back and forth inches from the unconscious man's nose.
"Should wake shortly. Hopefully, is last of problems." He then noticed the other items Zoltan had brought up.
"Good thinking. I should have thought the same. Be prepared to administer if he is in pain when he awakes."
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Dameon
Stranger
Want some bread?
Posts: 34
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Post by Dameon on Mar 12, 2006 19:39:28 GMT
Dameon woke up and started screaming. "Where am I?!" Pain started creeping up his spine and to his his head. His blood was racing. "What's going on? Wha? Where?" He was babbling again. He felt feverish.
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 13, 2006 0:18:27 GMT
Aleksandr Brovsky flinched when the man jumped up. Most people coughed and stirred when ammonia carbonate was given to them; this man seemed possessed by a demon. And as empirical and rational as the good chemist was, his hand twitched to form a superstitious warding gesture. He scolded himself for such silly beliefs even as he rushed to hold the flailing man's head down.
"Calm! Be still!" he said forcefully, while trying to hold both the man's head as well as his shoulders down.
"The anaesthetics, sir! Now!"
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Post by Zoltan on Mar 13, 2006 18:21:25 GMT
"Right!" Zoltan shouted as he poured some white liquid on his sleeve. He moved towards Dameon and pressed the soaked sleeve against his nose and mouth. "Breathe deep, my good man." The old apothecary looked at the bottle he'd used. It was near empty now. Zoltan quickly sealed it off and sighed. "I am afraid lots of it has evaporated, my colleague. Did the trick, though. Not as subtle as milk of the poppy, but he wouldn't have taken that voluntarily. Ah well..."
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Blanca
Regular
Working for the Father
Posts: 122
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Post by Blanca on Mar 14, 2006 23:12:05 GMT
Blanca was worried, "Do you think he'll be alright? I don't want him to die. What do you think happened?"
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Post by Aleksandr Brovsky on Mar 14, 2006 23:47:35 GMT
Aleksandr grunted in response.
"Not death, I am thinking." He tapped his prominent nose with a bony index finger.
"But what is problem, I do not know... I have never heard of man waking so violently from ammonia carbonate. Truly, I am stumped."
He turned to his fellow scientist, the man who had the foresight to bring the anaesthetics unasked.
"What is your opinion, sir?"
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Post by Zoltan on Mar 15, 2006 13:38:15 GMT
Zoltan frowned sincerely and said: "Triple 'S', I guess."
For a moment it seemed as if nothing would follow to explain the meaning of what he'd said, until:
'Stress, sorrow and synagogue."
The olds apothecary lightened up suddenly and smiled. He was tired to be sure, but wasn't going to let it show. He sat down comfortably on the ground and kept on smiling.
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