The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Carver Amell]

Carol just nods, swallowing around the lump in her throat. 

[Bethany]

"So... umm... yeah. That... I just wanted to say... all that." She shifts awkwardly, looking down at her hands, then forces herself to look up. Huh. Merrill is getting really close to Car real fast... I wonder if... Does Car like woman? She's elven, so her build isn't that far off from... a male elf's. "Anyway. So... Merrill looks good. Are you getting some more pants, uh, Storm?"

[Carver Amell]

He looks startled, then; it's clear the question hasn't occurred to him. He glances to Haliel, as if silently asking permission.

[Haliel Lightsong]

Who beams at him. "I was thinking we should get some trousers, shirts and maybe a legging and tunic that will work for exercising. Now that we're not traveling, I was hoping you would be up for resuming your sword training. No one else in the part does melee combat and I could use someone to practice with." Perhaps making it seem as a favor to me will coax them into resuming.

[Carver Amell]

It does bring that set of determination back into his jaw, his eyes. "Yes. I should keep learning," he says, more firmly. 

[Bethany]

Gods... all this, just from cutting their hair? Beth shakes her head slightly, a smile on his lips. "I will cheerfully lounge about nearby and shout supportive things while you get all, ugh, sweaty and stuff," Beth says earnestly. She purses her lips then, looking over at Shiori. "Actually... Ori, you fight up close too, right? Magic aside?" Mmmh, sweaty, flexing Ori... Lightsong isn't bad looking. Bit buff for my tastes but nice.

[Shisou]

"Uh. Y-ees?" says Shiori, blinking. 

[Bethany]

"You should train with them too," Beth says with a broad grin and a bit of flirtation in her eyes. "I can give massages afterward, if you hurt anything. Healer training." Basics anyway. Well, intermediate? 

[Shisou]

She flashes a shy grin. Oh, healer, I've got an owie, she teases, but keeps it on the inside for now. 

[Varric]

"Now, your traditional Altering Self potion lasts for, on average, three to five minutes. Double that from the cauldron of a master, double that from a legend. I can get about on the edge there, ten minutes. Buuuuut... that's not a lot of time to really get a feel for things. So. I am attempting to modify the characteristics of the potion." Varric's eyes gleam with delight as he crushes a handful of shiny white shells into a fine powder. The entirely of the kitchen at the inn is covered in ingredients and devices. The dwarf had paid a few silvers to take over the place for the afternoon and early evening, and is taking full advantage of it. So is the innkeepers two daughters, a pair of merikos elves no older than six who are watching all this from through the window with wide eyes. "Little bit thinner with that," he adds, glancing at Marian. "Beetroot is always sliced as thin as good paper except when used for healing positions. Do you remember why?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Maximize the surface area to improve the speed of desiccation," she repeats, absent-mindedly, as she adjusts the knife. To be honest, her heart's not in her lessons; she keeps going back to her conversations with Beth, with Lightsong. What do I want in life? What's my big impossible dream? I guess I'm too practical to have one...

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene dutifully notes down every move Varric makes, every action, every measurement. In truth, ne's a little glad he's focusing on their apprentice; he won't see the way ne is focusing on him, the care and attention ne is paying. It can be a little unnerving, having Helene's full regard, in no small part because of nir lack of pupils, nir rare blinking. 

And ne doesn't see half of it, of course. Ne isn't just paying attention; ne is hanging on his words, eyes shining, eager to receive what wisdom he doles out. Ne knows a little of alchemy, of course, primarily theory, as ne's never been much for brewing. But when Varric does it, ne can't get enough of his sure hands, his careful and precise measurements, his sheer skill. Varric makes it look easy, like magic, and ne wants to be part of it in some way. So ne chronicles everything in nir journal, the best way ne has found to make things last longer. 

[Varric]

I had no idea that Seeks was so into alchemy and brewing (...are you serious?). Hasn't looked away for more than a moment since I started. "Right in one. While in healing potions, we want a blend of raw and heat denatured beetroot essence so thicker slices. What I am to do here is to cut back on the flexibility of the potion- sacrificing the potion's ability to shift the imbiber's species in order to give it more stability. My hope is to get an order of magnitude more duration- so about an hour and a half for one of mine. I am also hoping to remove the mental aspect that is standard in transformation potions, that helps the person use and adapt to the new form, so that Storm can feel how it feels in its own right." 

He studies the powder, then nods. Not quite as good a quality as I normally get but amazing for such a small town. Guess they do have a shitload of druids, so having a strong ingredient market makes sense. "Where would you start to get that tradeoff? Ingredient, preparation or cooking?

[Marian Hawke]

"Um...." 

Marian shakes her head, trying to jar herself out of her thoughts. "I would personally start with the ingredients -- you'll want to put in mandrake instead of the wormwood I think, which would align the spell more closely with physical changes at the cost of flexibility. Um, and probably the cook time, lower heat for longer. Those are the easier switches to make and you'll be able to... oh, so I guess actually I'd start with the preparation, because you're going to have to hold the spell matrix in your mind and that has to be perfect before you can even get a successful brew, while the other changes just help add to the effect."

[Varric]

"Hah!" Varric crows. "Not even two months of training and you're already catching that trip-up! There are master level alchemists that forget that everything, everything, comes down to the mental focus and determination of the brewer. That's why every attempt to automate brewing has failed, full stop. Hells, there are legends- verified ones- of truly astounding brewers that could make a viable potion with water and dirt simply because they willed it so."