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You look and see

a stocky gnome standing but 34" tall.
He has skin the color of nugmeg,his
bright intelligent eyes being of a
darker brown yet.

Strong teeth showing white beneath
the whiskers of his wiry moustashe.
The 'tashe in question pokes out in
all directions underneath a long and
slightly bulbous nose.

His long, snowy white hair, where it
has not been daubed in mud and herbs
is alive with headlice, except in a
few patches at the sides where a truly
vile smelling mix of bright red berries
and bat guano have been used.

6.34pm 1st day of the Month of Mirtul, DR 1335

The priestess of Gond carefully lays the cloth swaddled infant in the prepared cot and turns back to the sweat drenched mother.

It is being a fine boy you have birthed Martha Smithsson

At the unexpected noise the babies tiny head lifts slightly and large brown eyes stare in the direction of the disturbance before the newborn relaxes into sleep.

---

12th day of the Month of Flamerule, DR 1350

The four opponents advanced steadily on Kailith, the last of which was still looking pale after seeing the rock worms writhing in his breakfast. Poleaxing the first of his siblings with a stout right hook Kailith danced to the left, lifted another brother one handed, overbalanced and…

… for a tenday after the beating from his brothers and cousins Kailith still black and blue, but pleased he held his own for a few minutes.

---

DR 1355 to 1414

The next twenty five years see the various factions and entrepreneurs training, assessing and varying for who would have this industrious gnome….

Yorian Deepmist, trusted advisor of King Draelith and a skilled practitioner of the illusionist arts wanted him in his much respected school with the other group of six gnomes he now instructs in the use of illusion magic, liking him for his clever answers and seeing in him an outstanding mage.

King Draelith took a liking to him for sharing his own passion for books and learning, often reading through his sizable collection of books from across the Realms.

Having hauled him out the Bluewash several times while his mind went elsewhere, the fishermen around the large freshwater lake grungingly taught him to swim and then chased him away at the end of a switch.

However, Raethin and his twelve clergy in Guldenstones temple to Garl Glittergold in Guldenstone were, as one, firmly of the opinion that genius or not, he hasn't the sense he was born with and took altogether one too many bangs on the head in the constant rumbustious rivalry with his kin. They did, however teach him the rudiment of medicine and field care to keep him bothering them every time he hurt himself again.

Skorrus Cedarburrow, was a wealthy man, having made his fortune selling the local red sheep's fur and meat to Cormyr and Sembia and beyond. In Kailith he saw a good man, a strong guard if needs arouse. Mostly he saw in the generally placid fighter a devil may care attitude in whom he could get away with paying little or no wages, as long as he could keep his mind occupied. Sadly for Skorrus that lasted for as long as it taught to teach him to cut and dress the animals he kept and to identify, in depth, the breeding habits of several species of Rothe. In his benefit, did travel widely, depending a keen eye for gems while bartering with merchants and a passing skill at arms fighting off bandits.

Ultimately however, he returned to his parents hearth, helping to mine raw metals like telstang and arandur, occasionally returning to his fathers huge forge to create wondrous swords, axes and crossbow heads, along with mining impliments more usually created as needed.

---

18th day of the Month of Nigtal, DR 1414

For the past six years, tribes of fomorian giants have troubled roaming gnomish patrols, if not the warrens themselves and as often happened, battered and bleeding travellers once again found themselves shepherded into the protected valley.

This freezing winters eve brought in a wretched looking pair, survivors of a once large merchants convoy. The human was blue with the cold and near death, his nose and several fingers already black with frostbite, likely his toes too from the crab-like way he stumbled in. The stocky dwarf beside him faired better, though the overwhelming stench of strong spirits may well have helped in that reckoning. In one gloved hand he held a vicelike grip on an etched steel flask, in the other, the object of his mournful stare, was a once fabulous double bitted axe, the mithral edges notched, the oak haft dark with frozen blood.

In due time they were nursed back to health, though the gaunt human would never fight again, the clerics healing coming too late to save several toes and the thumb and forefinger on his right hand. The Dwarf had spent his time looking over the Gnomish mines, telling them, By Moradin, ye are nearly as good as us Dwarves at delvin', completely misunderstanding the stares such comments invariably recieved.

As the grey haired Dwarf and his crippled friend made to leave Kailith, scratching irritably, handed him his axe, the shaft polished and new blades skilfully welded to the head of the axe, its' edges once more razer sharp. Tears running down his face, he removes his dragon winged helm and pushing his fingers though long greasy hair, bowing deeply to those gathered.

Kailiths' face, and those of several gathered dignitories froze for, up close with the helm removed, the bearded warriors hair looked alive with lice! In the days that passed more and more of those present that day were noticed scratching and muttering until it became clear of the extent of the problems. Nor did it stop there. The lice they had contracted were singularly unaffected by washing, by even the best attempts of the mages and clerics to disinfect, were devilishly hard to even remove individually. The nits of the lice were an order of magnitude harder to remove.

The Elders continue there grilling.
… and furthermore Kailith, we are not being entirely sure this wasn't yet another of your pranks gone wrong. Horribly wrong. You are having worked on 'that dwarfs' axe and are being familiar with all the major cities and trade routes. You are to go to the Temple of Gond in Tilverton and seek a solution there. If they are not having a cure you are to look elsewhere. You are to be keeping the length of your hair intact and are only to return to the Thunder Peaks when you are having a cure. We however, are going so shave our hair. You can suffer these tenacious vermin…

The lecture still ringing in his ears, Kailith gathers a few essentials from the family house and leaves, waving sadly to his father.

Spring DR1415

Arrived in Shadowdale, via Tilverton and Arabel

---

20th day of the Month of Marpenoth, DR 1415

Kailith climbs up onto a battered oak chair in the corner of the Skull, sighing miserably as the other patrons give him a wide berth. Wincing in irritation, the tiny gnome pulls another fat louse from his fringe, holds it on the table and procedes to attack the bloated parasite with a horny fingernail, it's crushed body joining the previous one that had dropped down onto his left eyelid and had him hopping round the table, cursing fluently.

Alledra turns away mortified as he removed his helm and the full extent of his lice infection becomes evident. Though these creatures can camoflage to the hosts hair colour, their shear numbers resulting in an undulating mass that looks nothing less than maggots feasting on a rotted corpse.

A veiled woman by the name of Zethyra, shrieked, Come any closer and I'll, I'll, I'll fireball your mangy head ! before fleeing up the stairs.

Raszaron however looks over sympathetic, saying I think if you use some lye and water that may work.

Several days of research later

Kailith walks into Weregund, muttering irritably at the store owner as he flitches behind his counter. It's alright, I'll not come closer," says the gnome wearily. I've finally got the recipe for Lye Soap, so you can be having some made for me.

On a bundle of scrolls handed to Weregund

To be making lye soap, the first ingredient being required is a liquid solution of potash or lye. This is being obtained by placing wood ashes in a bottomless barrel set on a grooved, lipped stone slab. The stone, in turn, is being rested upon a pile of rocks. To prevent ashes seeping into the solution, you are to be putting a layer of straw and small sticks in place in the barrel, with the ashes being strewn on top. This lye is then being produced by slowly pouring water over the ashes until the water, now being a brownish colour, is oozing out from the bottom of the barrel. You are to be collecting the lye solution by allowing it to flow into the groove around the stone slab, then to drip down into a clay vessel, which you are having previously stationed at the lip of the groove.

Next is being the preparation of fats to be used in forming the soap. This is consisting of first cleaning the fats and grease of all impurities. Cleaning the fat for soapmaking, or rendering, is being a most unpleasant aspect of soap making, for it is having a truly foul stench. You *must* remove all meat tissues remaining in the fat sections, this this is being tallow, of off cattle, not being lard off of swine.

Finally, in clean pot, you are to be putting the rendered fat with roughly an even amount of lye solution. For the stench it is being best if this pot is being placed outdoors, over a fire, and boiled until soap is formed. The soap is ready when the mixture is roiling up into a thick frothy mass; and when a small amount of the mixture, placed on the tongue, caused no noticeable "bite" or sting. This boiling process will be taking up to six to eight hours depending on the volume of fats and lye, and the strength of the lye solution itself.

Pulling himself up on the counter, Kailith patiently explains the rest to Weregund the Trader.

Now, this in itself is being a good cleansing soap, but it is not affecting these accursed Dwarven carried lice so we are having to experiment. The juice of the bright red berries from the Chondrodendron bush, if mixed with fresh bat dropping are being all that can kill these lice, but is being a problem. It is causing blistering to skin and scalp and not even killing the nits themselves. I am hoping that if mixed with the lye, it will work. I am having prepared several vials for you.
You can remember these added instructions ?

Weregund coughs loudly, rubbing his hands together meaningfully. Nodding at the unspoken request, Kailith tosses over a tattered leather pouch holding no small amount of gold.

Tossing a backwards glance on his way out, Kailith adds, with a casual shrug My friend Yssidra is saying honey soap is working on her hair, keeping it clean. You might want to add honey too…"

A week to the day later

My soap, it is being ready now ? Er, you are having removed your eyebrows why ?

Weregund glares venomously at the tiny gnome. Parodying the gnomes voice, he snarls You might want to add honey too… and takes a deep breath. Well, I did and the whole lot went up in my face, burned like a, a…. Well, it failed and if you want me to risk making another batch - without the honey - I'll need more of those vials. Oh yes. The price is increased tenfold, up front…