Search for the Mortality Panacea

[Apolla Windrider]

Apolla dropped the ancient book aside in a dusty heap with all the others. She let out a drawn out sigh as she stared helplessly at the piles and piles of old tomes around her. She had spent nearly a week in the old library going through every single book on herbology and healing it's old shelves possesed. Alas, the anthro couldn't find anything beyond the typical '100 Ways to Cure The Hiccups"
Sighing again, Apolla glumly stood up to start putting the mass of books away. As she began collecting the scattered writtings, a loose parchment fluttered from the pile.

"The librarian will have my head!" she groaned as she snatched it up and began searching for which book it belonged to. Absently scanning the contents of the parchment, something peculiar caught her eye. Apolla squinted to try to read the document, but the ink was faded and smudged.

"...Proffessor Arathan....Karys Root...Cure-all..." She read. Trying to piece the phrases together, Apolla began scratching at a nasty stain on the parchment.

"MISS Windrider!" A voice snapped behind her. Apolla wirled around to see the angry figure of the Librarian. The woman must have been nearly a hundred years old. She was hunched over, her bosom nearly dragging along the floor, and tiny spectacles perched on her large hooked nose.
"Mrs. Aggenfen..." Apolla began, quickly stuffing the parchment out of sight.
"The library closed 2 hours ago! You'll have to come back tomorrow." The old woman's eyes glanced at the messy pile Apolla had left on the desk. "And please for the love of the gods, child, clean up after yourself!"
"I'm sorry, Ma'am," Apolla said shyly as she quickly darted from the old library.

Once out of the stuffy library and into the sunbathed streets of Ayla, Apolla pulled out the crumpled parchment from her pocket.

"A lead.." she whispered to herself, smiling.

[Marshmellow]

((I'd think the library would close at night, personally, but I rather prefer day anyway. It makes it more likely that Marshie'd be lurking about...))

Finally! After five straight days of powerwalking, Marshall was finally back home. Good thing, too, 'cus his supplies were starting to run low. Too bad about the lack of money, though. He'd hate to be mooching off his parents. He'd earn some money somehow, get a room at the local inn, and then see his parents again. Maybe surprise them with a gift, if there were enough customers.

Then he started setting up shop. He'd done this before, of course. Ask the property owner for permission, put up his sign, pull out the portable desk and start shouting. Scribe services for sale! All your writing needs! Diction is also available! Privacy guaranteed!

The library was perhaps not the best place for this, though; who went to the library that could not already read and write? But maybe someone would prefer just to dictate. There was always someone that needed a good scribe, and if that failed, a good lore master. Whatever it takes to get ahead in the world, right?

[Apolla Windrider]

((psch, you know those government buildings, closing when daylight is still burning! I figured it'd be early evening, when the sun was still up. shoulda clarified better i guess ;/))

Apolla trotted down the ancient steps of the library, clutching the parchment as if it were her life. As she descended, she noticed a small scribe's booth. Meandering over, she peered curiously at the sign.

Hmm...maybe this scribe had knowlege she needed.

"Excuse me, sir." she said politely, placing the page on the table in front of him. "Would you happen to know from what book this parchment is from? And possibly where I could obtain a copy? I couldn't find it in the library..."

[Marshmellow]

((I'ma make stuff up about Arathan now. Hurray!))

"Where it's from? Well, I can't make any promises, but let's take a look anyway..." Marshie picked up the ancient document, noting every stain, tear, and imperfection. Difficult to read, all smudged and stained, but legible nonetheless...

"This would seem to be the theories of one 'Professor Arathan' on the concept of some type of cure-all medicine, a panacea of some sort," Marshie began. "Hmmm, or maybe not... a panacea is definitely referred to, however. I've read some of Arathan's works. Crackpot theories, but some sense to them... He believes all sorts of odd things, specifically regarding the human body. Silly things, like the circulation of blood and a thing he calls 'germs,' which are the cause of illness..." Marshie replaced the parchment on the desk. "Anyway, this parchment may have come from any number of his works, though I'd focus on his books on medicine. They're not especially easy to find, being such odd theories, but they're not entirely uncommon. The library might have one or two of Arathan's books, but if you'd like the complete set, I'd recommend Gryphon City. He used to live there, you see."