RP:Cultivation And Crystals

From HollowWiki

Part of the Magic, Madness, and Mayhem Arc


Summary: Lanara meets up with Callum at his greenhouse in Sage Forest, and brings along a box of amethyst, citrine, and obsidian gemstones. After an in-depth lesson on how to choose the best stone, cleansing the tools, and informing Cal of their properties; it's Lana's turn to learn all about plant care as she is Cal's assistant nursery worker!


It’s been a week since the Yule party in Frostmaw, and as agreed upon, Lanara arrives at Callum and Meri’s house just before noon, eager to begin her first day on her new job. She knows that most plants need sunlight and water, and she has managed to keep a few houseplants alive, but beyond that working in a greenhouse will be an entirely new experience. Lana can identify a great deal of herbs, thanks to her upbringing as a witch and being heavily involved with nature, but there are still so many things that are foreign. Some plants need heat, others thrive in darkness, and there were even a few that ate flies! Somewhat nervous, she rests a large box on the doorstep and raps lightly on the door, waiting for Cal to let her inside. Clad in a pair of tan cargo pants, a brown long sleeved shirt, and sneakers, she looks as though she’s prepared to get a little dirty from playing in the soil. Having left her hair loose, she has a tie around her wrist, in case she has to pull it back in a ponytail later in the day. Lana lifts the box back into her grasp, the contents inside clanging together, and her gaze drops to check on the precious crystals. Today she would introduce Cal to three gemstones in particular; amethyst, citrine, and obsidian.


Callum was in the middle of making tea, the kettle’s whistle sounding not long before Lanara got to the door. Ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and a few cinnamon sticks were tossed into the teapot along with some black tea leaves, and the water added soon after. Allowing it to steep in the boiling hot water for a few, Callum answered the door and offered a smile to Lanara. “Hey. Come on in.” He motioned with his head to the inside of the house, letting her set foot inside before shutting the door behind her. “I just set some chai tea to steeping on the kitchen table. Want to work on the crystals first while it’s hot and then we’ll head outside?” He’d lead her on through the living room into the dining room/kitchen. Porcelain clinked together as Callum grabbed a couple mugs from the cupboard, and dug the honey pot and its accompanied dipper out of where it’d been stored in the pantry. “Meri’s in Cenril. Dealing with stuff at her art studio, so she was nice enough to take -all- of the dogs,” he said with a smirk. “That includes Fleur.” Was it nice to joke about lycans like that? Cal still… really wasn’t sure on the specifics for that sort of thing, but he -was- a lycan so that gave him a pass, right?


Lanara is hit by the smell of the tea as soon as the door is ajar, and she returns Callum’s smile and steps into the home, her gaze trailing around the living room. She notices that none of the dogs rush to greet her, which is a little sad, but she’s grateful since she’s holding a heavy box of rocks. The last thing she needed was to scratch the floors or break some toes if she were to drop the box. “Tea would be great! And that sounds like a plan! I figured we’d start with the three gemstones that I most use, aside from rose quartz, of course.” Everyone knew that Lanara was obsessed with rose quartz, and that she incorporated the crystal in almost all of her spellwork, and that it graced each corner of her set-up altar. “How have you been?” Following Cal into the kitchen, she rests the box on the table and takes a seat, spooning a little honey into her mug as she lightly laughs at his comment. Lana has a good sense of humor, so she certainly doesn’t take any offense, though little Fleur may if she were here! “Meri must have her hands full! But at least you will have fewer distractions when studying crystals!” A tentative sip of her tea is taken, as she carefully states her next question, “Cal… Do you know –how- to choose which crystal is the right one for you to use? Surely, they are all tools of the craft, but a witch needs to choose the crystal that’s meant for them, using their third eye. The crystal will answer your call! If you don’t know how, I can show you, it’s pretty easy!”


Callum || “Meri’s used to it, considering she dealt with all three of them when her and I were split up. Dunno how she did it, but she’s a much better parent than I am,” Callum said as he got situated in his seat and his own tea acquired. “And, I’m alright. Sorry, uh… about Yule.” He hadn’t exactly ruined it--no, that glory went to the Backstreet Bard if it had indeed been “ruined”--but he still felt a little bad once he’d realized how upset Meri had been. “I sure hope Tiber shoved that insufferable idiot bard off a cliff. As for the gemstones, that sounds like a good place to start. Valrae tried, at one point, to get me to choose a gemstone from a collection she had, to see which one called to me most. Out of the ones she’d had… it was… an…” He thought about it, trying to remember. It’d been an age since he’d seen the Red Witch and an even longer age since that day of his first and only lesson. “Oh, it was ametrine. Which I vaguely remember was a mix of both amethyst and citrine. All of my other information/connections to crystals are purely scholarly. I know that each one has their own properties and meanings in both the magical and nonmagical world, much like plants.”


Lanara nearly chokes on her tea when Callum brings up the incidents that occurred on Yule, a day she preferred to keep –far- in the back of her mind. Talyara’s little prank with that midget boy being her date, the Backstreet Bard proposing in the middle of opening gifts, and Tiber’s admission of their non-existent sex life, just to name a few! “Oh. Um. That. Yeahhh… It seems that the high holidays are pretty eventful lately, right?” Lana quirks a brow, as Cal had his own little mishap on Samhain! It’s a miracle the male still wants anything to do with the sisters, as he probably thinks they are bad luck, but at least things aren’t dull in their company! “Nick never seems to listen to me, so I should be thanking you for electrocuting him! And Tiber…” Did she just swoon a little?! “He’s a wonderful man, when he wants to be… And that bit at dinner? Well… -THAT- hadn’t happened, yet. We are taking things slow.” Not that Lana hasn’t thought about it, as Tiber was easy on the eyes, much like all men of Catalian heritage. Another sip of her tea is taken and they move along to discussing crystals, “Well, yes! Everyone has their favorite, or a stone that answers their call stronger than the others… However, each type of stone has its own properties, yes, like plants! It’s best to use the ones that produce the most ‘hum’ or tingling when you touch them, because that means they will absorb the most of your power.” Smiling, Lanara rises and peers into the box, sorting through its contents before she removes all of the amethyst pieces. “Obviously you can see and feel the difference… The oddly cut ones with the rocky edges? These are ‘raw’ amethyst, and the ‘polished’ amethyst is more rounded and super soft to the touch, more acceptable for jewelry or decoration. I brought five raw and five polished of each stone, in various sizes, and you are welcome to keep whichever ones you feel attuned to, please take as many as you like. We will work with amethyst, first, then move on to the others.” As Callum eyes the stones, Lanara busies herself with placing a black cloth atop the table, before she lines the stones up before the lycan. “Okay… I want you to close your eyes and extend your dominant hand to about six inches above the stones. Center yourself, and when you feel that you’re ready, slowly wave your arm to the left and right… When you feel your ring finger dip slightly, open your eyes and remove that stone from the line up. Repeat until you no longer feel any tingle in your ring finger… That will show your strongest pull with the stone.” Lanara sits down and watches Callum work his magic, eager to see which ones answer the call of the storm witch. Of course, he could have just held each rock and felt which one hummed the loudest, but this was how a true witch would choose their tools.


Callum || All of Lanara’s reactions to the most recent holiday happening was watched and silently noted by Callum. For some of it, he resisted a smirk; for the rest, he merely observed and listened. “I’m sure things will work themselves out. Somehow. Or Tiber will maybe have a slight violent streak until it does work itself out. With the bard, I mean. Seems to be a Catalian thing, I guess. I prefer being a pacifist, but likewise, I tried to attack Kahran when Meri and I were still in Larket.” Meri had also been attacked a few days previous to Kahran showing up in Larket, but that wasn’t entirely the point. The Catalian shrugged and sipped his tea, savoring the fresh herbs and spices he’d used in it in as Lanara set up the crystals and told him about the difference between the raw and the polished. Aesthetically, he certainly liked the polished more--he was a vain person after all--but once he set down his tea, centered himself as best as he could, and waved his hand over top of the crystals, it was the raw ones that called to him. Specifically the amethyst. Having been born under the sign of the fish, the storm-mage-turned-witch was drawn to a medium-sized piece. After that, it was a much smaller piece of citrine. The obsidian had not seemed to call to him, however. Or perhaps, he just wasn’t as attuned to crystals yet as Lanara and the other witches were.


Lanara studies Callum as he’s studying the stones that had called out to him, noting that it was the raw pieces that had drawn his attention the most. Once he had selected an amethyst, she returns them to the box and repeats the process with citrine, and lastly, with obsidian. “No obsidian? Hm. Well, I’ll be sure to bring some more to our next meeting and maybe you’ll have more luck in that batch! It’s alright, just hold onto one for reference, so you know how to identify the stone.” Once all the stones are returned, save for the two that Cal selected, and a random polished obsidian that she hands over, she takes another sip of her tea. “Alright. Let me go over a few of their useful properties, if you want to take notes, that’s fine!” Pointing to the gem that was variations of purple, Lana smiles, “Amethyst is a fantastic stone because if it’s placed beneath your pillow, it can chase away bad dreams! It also helps to decrease stress, and if pressed against your temple, it can help to remove a migraine. And if you are lacking inspiration, amethyst can help with that, too! Now… For use in ritual, amethyst is great because it helps to combat negativity and keep any outside darkness from entering a circle. To charge an amethyst, it’s best to leave it beneath a full moon on a cold night.” Moving along to the citrine stone, which is a combination of light orange, yellow, and white, she smiles, “Citrine has so many uses, and I think I use it just about every single day! It helps to open your third eye, to enhance ones intuition. It also helps to boost ones self-esteem or to attract wealth and success. It’s a stone that invokes all areas of positivity, and like amethyst, if placed beneath your pillow it can ward off bad dreams! Citrine will add energy and light to your circle.” Finally, Lanara points to the obsidian, which is solid black in color, “Obsidian is a vital tool for all witches to use, because it offers strong psychic protection and it banishes negativity. The energy of the stone can stimulate prophecies, and strengthens truthfulness. Think of it as a good luck charm, as it also draws out strength and tension.” Now that the lesson was complete, unless Callum had questions, Lana would conclude with, “Do you know how to cleanse your tools after an altar devotion or ritual? Stones need to be cleansed before their first use, and if you loan them to another or practice with another, they have to be re-cleansed.”


Callum just shrugged at the obsidian. “That day Talyara had been around looking for herbs and happened to find the house, I told her my connection to all of this might not be as strong as the rest of you. I suppose it could get better in time, but… I’ve never really been the spiritual type. It could just be the disconnect there.” He took up a piece of raw obsidian at random, placing it with the other crystals he’d chosen as he listened to Lanara explain each one in turn. “I did attempt to use obsidian and…” Callum squinted, thinking about what the hell he’d used last winter when he made his own attempts at wield the Craft. “Hematite, I think? When I was trying to do spells to protect myself from Caiburne.” He’d soon nod at Lanara’s question of cleansing, “Salt, right? At least, that was the main way I’d read. I, uh… might’ve forgotten to cleanse them a few times when it was clear that tree his bones are in was still growing.” He sighed. “I’m really bad at this. Maybe I’m not actually a witch. Maybe the bismuth skull just likes me for my plants or something.”


Lanara listens to Callum as he voices his concerns and she shakes her head, “It’s alright if a stone doesn’t speak to you, Cal, it just means that your connection with that stone isn’t as strong as it is with the others.” She pauses and nods towards the small citrine, “I was watching when your intuition caused your finger to dip over that stone, almost immediately it answered your call! Or maybe it just means that none of the obsidian I selected are meant for you… Don’t be disheartened. I find that the more we open ourselves up to the Craft, the more likely it is to answer to our call in all areas. Taly is wonderful at reading cards and tea leaves, whereas my strength is in scrying with fire or blackened mirrors and candles. Each witch has their own strengths and weaknesses, which is why we often practice in Covens, because we all bring something to the table.” Her expression softens as Cal refers to a previous spell gone awry, “Hematite can be used for protection, but I don’t think it was meant to be used in that sense? It tends to absorb negative energy, so I’m wondering if by absorbing that energy, it caused Caiburne to seek you out even more? It attracted him and even more negativity manifested? Perhaps?!” Talyara and Lanara still had to work on how to banish the bastard from haunting Callum, and she vows to write to her sister as soon as she’s done for the day about this matter. “Cleansing is simple! You place the stones in a cauldron or large bowl, fill it with water, add in three pinches of salt, and circle your finger in the water thrice clockwise while thinking of infusing it with positive energy. Another way to cleanse crystals is by placing them outside beneath the full moon, and allowing the power of the Goddess to bathe them in purity.” Lana finishes the remainder of her tea and daintily dabs at her lips, looking expectantly at Cal, as he still had to teach her all about the plants she’d be daily caring for in the greenhouse.


Callum smirked a little. “Never do magic while on milk of the poppy, I guess. I was using -that- to help with the anxiety and depression and whatnot. Not exactly the healthiest option. Between Caiburne and Meri leaving me and being upset about that, I suppose there would’ve been enough negative energy to crush a house,” he said with an awkward cough. He nodded, committing the ways of cleansing to memory, in order to write them down later. “Right. I’ll keep all of that in mind whenever I need to do some sort of ritual again. It probably won’t happen though unless you or Talyara or both of you are around.” He finished his own tea and stood, leaving the crystals on the table for now. Since there were no dogs or small children about, he wasn’t going to worry about them suddenly getting eaten when he wasn’t looking. “Alright then… Time for -your- lesson. There’s not too much to tell though, as I expect you know your way around plants well enough.” Unlike the last time when Lanara had been there, the entire greenhouse was fully set up. It was similar to the way the botanical gardens in Larket had been arranged: first by what sort of climate it needed to be in, and then by usage (ie: kitchen herbs were kept together or flowers that were bought most often). There was a huge cubicle for each section, sort of set up like an office, some with a door, even, if the plants called for something hot and humid. He went over all of this with her, noting how magic was used for certain areas. “The ones that need water often have a small cloud constructed over them for optimal watering. The ones that are also in humid weather will reabsorb the mist to replenish the cloud, allowing it for constant rewatering when necessary. The ones without the humid weather just needs a little… compelling.” They headed into the cubicle without humidity and Cal gave the cloud a little shock. First there was a small trickle and then it turned into a full-on shower, albeit in a much smaller form, the cloud providing rain to each plant in that section. “The more tropical ones, like orchids, might be a little more difficult to get used to. The biggest thing is keeping the door closed. If you’re in there tending to them, like pruning dead leaves and whatever, you can keep the door cracked so you don’t pass out from the heat. But, when you’re done, just make sure the door’s closed completely. Otherwise the heat’ll escape and the moisture and all that.” There wasn’t too much of a huge explanation, leaving Cal to let Lanara ask what she may. “And like I said before, if there’s anything you need, you and your sister are free to take it, so long as it’s not an entire plant.”


Lanara procures a small notebook from her purse as the pair head into the greenhouse, which is perfectly set up and has the woman’s lips parting slightly in awe. “It looks fantastic, Cal! You really put your heart and soul into catering to each plants need.” They walk up and down the aisles, and the plants that require more care than others have the witch scribbling in her book. She wanted to ace this job, and if she were to kill a plant, she’d truly take it to heart as she was a lover of nature. Plus, this was an entirely new experience and she didn’t want to let down her new employer, as Cal was nice enough to consider her as his assistant nursery worker! “So after applying the shock and causing the cloud to water the plants… Do I wait until the soil is damp and turn it off? Or will it automatically subside after a few seconds?” Overwatering could be as much of an issue as allowing a plant to shrivel from lack of moisture, and she wants to be sure she has everything down pat. “Alright, leave the doors closed, a small crack is alright if it’s during tending of the plants…” Each note is meticulously written, and she smiles as they pause in front of the orchids, “They are so pretty! I’ve always loved orchids and lilies, but these are so magnificent! You should enter one of those shows, Cal! I bet you would win!” Not to mention the business it would draw for the male! As the tour and instructions come to an end, leaving Lana without any further questions, she smiles at Callum. “Shall I get to work, Boss?” If he gives her the go ahead, she would begin her own private tour through the greenhouse, pruning and watering wherever was necessary.


Callum || “It automatically subsides! Otherwise, we’d have to be here at all hours of the day dealing with it and neither of us have time for that.” Cal thought about Lanara’s suggestion for a moment, “You’ve got all those connections in the Enchantment now, maybe you could get that Lunalesca to hold some sort of contest like that. Maybe an agriculture thing in general, so there’s a place for both plants and animals of different types.” He shrugged, but filed the thought away for later. It would -definitely- be something he was interested in. The other witch was clearly eager to get started and he was happy to oblige. “Go ahead! I left all the tools you need and some books on the table where the alchemical set was at that you used. Meri’ll be home later on, so I’ll get started on dinner in a few hours for all of us. Whenever you feel like having a break, feel free to come in for more tea or something to snack on. Maybe we can talk about more crystal stuff then too.” Fully satisfied with his choice in assistant and her obvious want to get started as soon as possible, Callum headed back inside to figure out just what the heck he was making for dinner.