ixxn

probably won't help anyone beyond the point, but: I wiped out Thalla before getting to the 'speak to the apothecarist' quest. I realized that after checking the poison flask on the tower, it was spawning a sparrowhawk bowman up the stairs from the apothecarist. First and second time i reloaded a save i wiped out the bowman, couldn't speak to the apothecarist. Third time i crouched past him and it let me talk to the apothecarist.