After a particularly active afternoon of training with the fighters Ethelred submits himself to Gustav for some bandaging. While watching the ranger work a phrase from the scrolls pass through Red’s mind.
“Gustav, what do you think about when you are healing people? Does the skill you have flow out of you like water? Are you a river or an ocean of healing?”
Red, for the first time, seems genuinely interested in the healing arts.
Gustav looks surprised with brow furrowed. He talks slowly through it.
“… I think… a mule is harnessed to a yoke. The yoke is attached to an axle. The axle moves a couple of large gears. The gears move a waterwheel. The waterwheel slowly slides into a creek. Instead of a normal waterwheel that turns a mill and crushes grain, this one does the opposite and moves water into a small barrel. The barrel is attached to me. Then… when one of us is hurt, I pour some of the barrels water over us.
The barrel is very small and is emptied quickly. Before I would poor out all of the barrel. Now I can pour half the barrel twice.”
Gustav looks up at Red, seeing if understanding shows.
Ethelred stares at Gustav……
“Uh, a mule, yoke, axle…. let’s start over simpler?
The bandage you are using, can it be too tight?”
Gustav looks surprised again.
“Oh, I thought you were asking about healing. Bandaging is not using my god. And I was trying to explain god healing in water terms like you suggested, and in machine terms since I thought you liked machines.
As for the bandage, it sounds like you are asking me to loosen your bandage? Or are you just asking me generally. Yes, generally bandages can be too tight if the applier applies it too tight.”
Gustav loosens Red’s bandage.
“Oh, yes. Both?
Let me start again.. again.
The scrolls I received mention water and healing. ”
Red takes a pause and recalls what he can from the scroll in question
“Water is a fluid. Water adapts easily. Item can be made to work.. not flow easier. Object infused with water can be used for defense or healing. Not like ocean, but like rivers.
I hadn’t really considered healing flesh possible. Mending object sure. But to rebind the forces of life?
So, I figured the best place to start was to learn how you and Alexis heal without magic.
Hence why I am asking now about bandages. Can you help me learn something about these healing object, and how they can be used to mend wounds?”
“‘Object infused with water can be used for defense or healing’… You got me there, hehe. Not sure what it means. Like wet bandages? I don’t think bandages have to be wet to help with healing. In fact that will often cause green puss to pour out of the wound and it won’t heal. Although initially I try to wash the wound in the river, but not the bandage, unless the bandage was dirty I guess. But I would wring the water out of the bandage after washing it. Ocean water won’t help as the salt just hurts the wound.
If someone has a cut on their arm, I add a bandage for two reasons. One is to slow bleeding as losing too much blood can kill you. And another is to keep out bad stuff like dirt and swamp water which can make a wound worse. Eventually after tending to it in the way I was taught, the wound will connect back up to seal the hole. I am not doing that. It happens on it’s own. I guess someone is doing it, maybe that healing god.
I have noticed and been taught that the wound will heal faster when I add a poultice. Good dirt that helps instead of bad dirt that hurts. The dirt isn’t just dirt I pick up off the ground. It is made of herbs, ground up coal, certain plant leaves like that (points to a bush with small leaves), also root plants like garlic and ginger.”
“Poultices, yes I have seen you apply those. Any chance I could learn how to make one of those? The alchem… combinations of those items sounds very intriguing.
As for water, the scrolls on Infusion of Power were not talking about wetting bandages… or at least that is my belief. More the scrolls we hinting at some power that is intrinsic to water itself. That water, how it flows, how it cools, how it can absorb and wash, clean even, is a power that can be utilized to heal on it’s own.
For now, can you just help me learn how to apply bandages, to tend to wounds.. as you have done many long nights for all of us.”
“Of course! I can learn you Poultices and bandages. We can start whenever you want.
Water can heal by itself?… If that is true, someone could sit in a river for hours to heal wounds? I mean I haven’t tried it I guess. But I haven’t heard people suggest that. Is there something else that needs to be done to the water? Like some special addition? Maybe adding some rare items like faerie poop and snow owl spit? I have heard some weird stuff about witches brewing up some stews with strange stuff. Or maybe go to a specific river that has been blessed by a god? A lot of possibilities.”
Ethelred smiles, as if something fell into to a pit he built
“Gustav, when you are right you are so right. You have already mentioned, you already know just what material could be used with water to heal. Anything good enough for a poultic would be an excellent candidate. so much to learn from you… so much”