The Stable Flask

Overview

The Stable Flask is the most reputable potion laboratory in the City of Or, known far and wide for its uncompromising standards, consistent results, and polite signage. Located just outside the fringes of Gutterbrew Alley, it serves as a calm counterpoint to the more chaotic brewing establishments nearby.

While not the most revolutionary or exotic alchemical workshop in the city, it is widely respected as the safest place to acquire potions that do exactly what they say they do—and nothing more.

Location

The Stable Flask occupies a modest, slate-roofed building with reinforced stone walls and windows that never rattle, even during minor magical flare-ups. It’s situated on a clean, well-maintained corner near the Gutterbrew border, clearly marked with a polished brass plaque and a sign that reads:

“No Chaos Past This Threshold.”

Inside, the shelves are meticulously labelled, the floors gleam, and the smell of dried mint and distillation herbs fills the air.

Proprietor: Professor Marwa Krindlenut

The lab is owned and operated by Professor Marwa Krindlenut, a middle-aged gnome with a sharp bob of grey-streaked hair, a piercing gaze, and a memory for potion orders dating back decades.

Marwa is renowned for her insistence on precision, quality, and predictable results. She often tutors apprentices in the finer points of magical infusion and maintains a running feud (albeit an affectionate one) with Drip, the infamous hobgoblin behind The Cauldron Lottery.

“If it fizzes unexpectedly, it didn’t come from my shelf.” — Professor Krindlenut

Potion Types

The Stable Flask specialises in:

Healing Draughts (certified non-addictive)
Focus Elixirs for mages and scholars
Endurance Tonics for miners and travellers
Minor Resonance Boosters approved for use near sensitive magical equipment

Each potion comes with a full label, including usage instructions, known interactions, expiration dates, and brewing signatures.

Reputation

Among merchants, adventurers, guards, and even council members, The Stable Flask is the go-to establishment for dependable alchemical goods. It is often recommended in medical referrals from The Red Palm Hall, especially for patients in need of ongoing treatments.

Though it lacks the flair or intrigue of riskier shops, many citizens have come to see its utter reliability as something bordering on sacred.

Comparison to Gutterbrew Alley

While Gutterbrew Alley is a district of unrestrained experimentation, The Stable Flask is often cited in contrast as a bastion of measured intent. Professor Krindlenut has been known to lend stabilising formulas to younger brewers—and to fine them if they spill ingredients near her threshold.

Subtle Services

While the storefront is professional and clean, rumour has it that Professor Krindlenut occasionally accepts private commissions from respected clients, including discreet anti-toxins, clarity philtres, and detection brews. She will never confirm or deny this.