Prologue: The slums of Carcossa (1)

Ah the crimson potion, a concoction utilized to relieve fatigue, stress and a common painkiller, as well as a staple in modern medicine

At least according to my book it was.

"first we must have boiled water"

'like all good elixirs do'

"to which we must add a dash of ginebrew oil, along with just a pinch of ethersalt"

Before you bother me with your questions, yes I did memorize the whole thing.

I know that old book better then myself.

It was my first book, and for all my life it has been my only book.

"3 grams of decressel root and finally 9 red clovers."

I reached my hand to the bag on left, where there was barely enough clovers needed for the medicine.

I dropped them into the concotion.

But my joy for brewing was interrupted as soon as I realized what it meant.

Killing the momentum.

"By the king's crown do i hate the market"

Not markets themselves no.

I love to simply look around a place filled to the brim with rare and exotic spices, herbs, oils and elixirs.

Not to buy them but to simply observe the various little quirks and smells that each had.

However, you don't want to go to the slums market, not in Carcossa at least.

If you go there it means that you have money and if you have money you get robbed.

of course they don't rob the merchants, but either the merchant sells you dirt for "dirt cheap" or you get knifed at the corner and stripped of your possesions.

But I had no choice.

Even if i had all the spices, herbs and elixirs of the world I would still have to sell them eventually.

"Oi Sheryll, where's the money pouch again?"

"Didn't you have it?- She yelled from her room"

"Dunno"

I said while reaching to my pockets, nothing

"Nope, I don't have it, and you bought the groseries yesterday"

"Ugh, did you check in moms vest?"

I had not

I went to fetch it, the vest wasn't actually my mothers, but mine.

It was actually one of the few presents she ever could afford for me.

However I was quite young by the time she had bought it since it was the only one we could afford.

So I just recently started wearing it.

She had made use of it untill I could fit in it, and actually wore it quite often.

Untill her death of course.

"Apologies, it seems I did have it"

"See? I knew I gave it to you yesterday"

I put on the vest in a swift smooth manner whilst holding still the money pouch and took a look at it.

'Five crystals and a single shard'

I muttered to myself

'Well if I play around a bit with the vendors we might have enough for the week'

I went back to my now fully brewed elixir and filled, to my surprise, 6 potions.

It was a good batch (Maybe even a week and a half) and so i finished packing up the other potions i had.

"Sheryll Im going out"

I said with a slightly raised voice

"Yeah I could kinda guess"

She said sarcastically

"Don't waste our glass on shit we dont need"

I chuckled

"You know I won't"

And so I climbed the stairs and headed to the market