“Getting the Witchdoctor Dunken: A Guide to Narcotics, Imbibements, and Toxins,” Sera read from the old cover, almost reverently. She bowed her head slightly. “I’ll guard it with my life,” she said earnestly, holding the book close as she listened to Duncan’s calm explanations about the dangerous and curative plants of the desert.

He spoke of roots, leaves, and blossoms — and then mentioned a certain large flower that produced a corrosive acid capable of dissolving metal. The idea made Sera blink in disbelief before biting her tongue to stop a laugh. A nasty flower… and if it melts your armor off, you’d be running nude through the dunes. How tempting, she thought wryly, but kept it to herself.

Her eyes wandered to Duncan’s thoughtful expression, and she caught herself admiring him before scolding the thought. Stop it, armor, she muttered inwardly as a strange warmth pulsed beneath her skin.

“I’m grateful you taught me my mother’s art, Duncan,” she said softly. “I never got the chance to know her before she died. But this—” she lifted a small pouch of herbs “—this feels like something of hers I can carry.”

Sera smiled faintly. “I’ll make use of what you’ve shown me. Healing and remedies can save lives just as surely as my sword.”

She packed several small ceramic bottles and the basic ingredients Duncan had helped her obtain, setting aside a neat stack of coins — one hundred steel — enough to brew four healing potions later.

Rising from her seat, she gave him a grateful nod and a brief, friendly hug. The armor under her cloak softened strangely against him, almost pliant, before she tore herself free with a startled breath.

“I should return to my room,” she said quickly, gathering her satchel. “We’re heading out tomorrow with Buckeran — to the old dragon cave. Maybe we’ll learn what curse still poisons that land… and perhaps find clues about the metallic dragons.”

Her voice turned almost wistful. “Paladine’s chosen. I’d give anything to see them again.”

With Hastos heading over to talk with Dana, Nare training with Ororana, and Sera brewing with Duncan, Merkas returns Barkly to the forge stable and heads off to find Piruz. “I’ll come getcha in the morning, kay? Be sure you rest well” He casts bonfire on her neat before heading off to warm to up for her. 
Wandering the streets he takes in the sights of the different store fronts and the more stable town before finding his way to the librarians place. Knocking on the door gently before gently pushing it in.  

“Helllooo? Mister Piruz? You around?” The blue kender moves inside to see the shelves and mounds of books, scrolls, parchment, and maps about the place before spotting the curator. “Oh hi, I’m Merkas, but I ‘spose you would know that already, still getting used to this people knowing me before I introduce myself thing, anyway, I was hoping you could teach me how to draw maps and stuff, I have a really neat idea for a map table in the guildhall that could plot all the quests on it so people can map out what they want to do based on the locations of the different requests, like if there are three or four bounties in the same area or if you take a slightly longer road you could clean up two in one trip kinda thing. But I realized that I would need maps of the area first and then need to enchant them and, anyway, I figured I would start to learn cart of graffiti, so that I could get the table built.” His eyes open wide and then says, “Oh and I just thought that maybe I could get a map connected to the table so that it can be checked while on the road too, so that I can see if anything new came in while we were out! Whatcha think?” 

(Merkas is going to train cartography and map their trips in their downtime. Rolled persuasion to get Piruz help in training Nat 20+10 for 30 total)