Apothecary

Note: This is a work in progress. Information will be added gradually.

Herbs and Fauna

Name Effect
Aloe A spined succulent with broad, smooth-bellied fleshy leaves and stems of tubular flowers. Some varieties in the far south grow to be enormous with leaves longer than a man and as tall as a house. The innards of the leaves can be mashed into a gel useful for healing topical burns and other skin discomforts, and ingested in small for inhalation burns, or as a purgative. This grows primarily in hotter environments, plentiful in rocky soil, but has found some success with the smaller varieties in Galenthian hothouses and potted gardens.
Arnica (Lambs Tongue) An upright flowering perennial with stiff stems and furred green leaves, Arnica is easily spotted along the roadsides by its bright yellow flowers which somewhat resemble the blossoms of its much larger relative, the sunflower. The furry leaves have a piney aroma when crushed, and are very useful in the treatment of sprains and bruises, encouraging bloodflow beneath the skin and rapid healing. Used on broken skin, however, it becomes toxic once entering the bloodflow and should not be consumed.
Comfrey (Knitbone) A perrennial herb with black roots closely resembling turnips and broad green leaves with blue and pink bell-shaped flowers. It grows near rivers and in deep shade where the ground is moist. As a poultice it is very effective at healing even deep gashes and wounds and encouraging broken bones to mend. Men with large wounds exposing bone are often treated with a thick poultice that is then covered with bandages. Skin/flesh regrowth is sped and scar tissue minimal. Taken internally it can lead to liver failure and other issues.
Dragon's Blood Resin (rare/expensive) The sap of the dragon's-blood tree (found in Partharia and some very arid regions of Galenthia) has both anti-inflammatory and powerful antibiotic properties. It is also popularly used in incenses by the church, as its perfume is very pleasant. Melted, it can be spread directly on a wound and if kept in an air-tight glass it will not harden again for some time.
Valarian Root Taken as a tincture or in strong tea, the valarian root is a proven and much-revered bringer of relaxation and deeper sleep. The taste is sweetly medicinal.
Saxifrax A tree with dark brown bark and broad, bright green leaves that vary in size and shape from the size of a man's hand to much larger than his face and sometimes resemble tridents or mittens. The bark of its roots is used in many foods and drinks and medicinal items. A popular drink, Sloop-Tea is brewed from this, as well as sweet beers. In addition it is used to make Saxifrax oil, a powerful decoction which used correctly inhibits the use of falsehood, though the dose is very difficult to administer and can cause sickness and fainting.
Whale's Blood Algae Whale's Blood Algae is very dangerous to work with, as the gases that rise off of it can cause faintness and dizziness spells even for experienced alchemists. It can be dried and powdered and added to animal feed in order to knock out larger beasts before veterinary treatments.
Mavre's Curls A ruddy fern with deep green stalks that curls tightly in cold weather and at night only to loosen into expansive fronds in warm or muggy weather, Mavre's Curls can be brewed into a tea to be used as a powerful expectorant, or its oils may be used as a wash for the hair, making for strong strands and high gloss. Care must be taken to avoid making either product too strong, as it can be irritating to mucous membranes. When made into a hair-rinse, it is usually combined with other oils like sunflower or olive to gentle it, and a fragrant oil like cedar or peppermint to leave a pleasant aroma.
Roadside Poppy The smaller poppies that grow along the roadsides of the civilized west where the soil is well-drained enough to support it (so, never seen in swampy or overly muggy areas or regions without sufficient sun throughout the summer) are prized by healers for their pain-killing and anti-anxiety properties. Like the stronger Opium Poppy, the seed pods are collected and dried, and the seeds once knocked loose can be brewed into a tea or made into a tincture to be taken under the tongue and kept there till absorbed into the bloodstream. It is not as strong as the Opium Poppy's effect, but it is safer as well, without the dangerous, addictive properties. The bright orange flowers have a bittterly astringent smell, not unlike dandelions.
Opium Poppy This is the gloriously red, heavy-headed poppy grown in Partharia and in some warm gardens of the West. The name is self-explanatory, and while not everyone who grows the flowers in their gardens is using it for its opiate qualities, it is certainly safe to say that anyone growing a large number of the expensive plant is doing exactly that.
White Willow The inner bark of the white willow tree can be dried and pounded and taken as a painkiller and blood-thinner, and is used to reduce fevers.
Foxglove Gorgeous purple flowers growing on a starkly vertical stem like silk bells, or, like the name suggests, elegant silk gloves for a fox's paws. Highly toxic to men and horses, causes vomiting and extreme dehydration upon consumption.
Bear's Child Moss (Clotmoss) This fine, springy moss resembles nothing so much as a clump of delicate netting or a ball of green spider's silk all tangled together and will crumble if handled ungently after it is dried. Once painstakingly cleaned of dirt, it absorbs moisture like an extra-effective sponge. Healers use this moss in terrible wounds to encourage the formation of a blood clot and prevent further bloodloss in their patients. If properly clean, it can be placed directly into a gash and bandaged into place, and the body will absorb it into itself.
Spiderwebs Clean spider's webs (without the spider, obviously) can be used to pack a wound and prevent infection. It is, in fact, a natural form of penicillin, with the same strong antibiotic properties. Most noble and merchant-class healers do not keep this in store, however the folk remedy is still used by wise medicine women among the commoners and 'barbarian' tribes, and so these healers will often keep a few spiders in the eaves of their porches or in sheltered places in their medical gardens.
Honey Honey is an expensive, but slightly more accepted form of topical antibiotic. It can be smeared onto an open wound to prevent infection. It is also consumed to heal ailments of the throat and digestive system, and to improve the taste of bitter medicines. Its uses are widely varied, and it is common for a wise healer to either keep her own bees, or make good friends with the local beekeeper.

Conditions and Treatments

Name Effect
Boneknit Poultice A thick poultice of comfrey and thyme that promotes speedy recovery from serious gashes and abrasions and broken bones.
'Lady's Mercy', 'Miracle Ungent' etc (expensive) A widely renowned healing balm, Lady's Mercy is comprised of several ingredients such as Rosehip Seed oil, Aloe, Rosemary oil, 'Dragons-blood' resin and other rare and expensive components bound into a buttery, cooling ungent. Applied to healing wounds, it promotes healing without infection and without the production of scar tissue. It has been called Lady's Mercy because of its special properties in preventing unsightly scarring, but also because of its ability to prevent blood-poisoning.
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License