Apothecaria Log

I’m still not quite used to the terrain of the bog. I found the Coffee Caps I needed without issue, but I got a little too curious around a unique patch of violent purple moss, which promptly began glowing and then exploded all over my leg. The muck below was boiling hot, but the burns are light enough for me to ignore, so I’ll continue on. Although I don’t immediately need more reagents from the bog, I really want to stay and poke around for a while. Neither of my patients are in urgent need, and thanks to my new Treatment Room I’m confident that they will be comfortable for the day.

I revisited the crashed airship I found on my first trip, and the Fairy Dust footprints I’d left on the tree below it were gone, as expected. I don’t know if the rest of the dust remained inside, because before I could climb up I spotted something else that has derailed my entire visit: Amethyst Antlers. At last! And not covered in bog slime this time! They were wedged between some of the roots, and I found hoofprints in the soft patches of solid earth between the stretches of swamp. Some buck has been shedding his horns, apparently, and I have a hunch that I might find more if I follow the trail.

I found another good chunk of shed antler about fifteen minutes away, although reaching for it tipped my boat over and I had to struggle to right it again and climb in. I lost nothing, thankfully, but I gained several leeches. The third piece of antler I picked up was halfway submerged in a dark pool, and much easier to reach. As soon as I tucked it into my bag I heard a loud, gurgling pop and looked back over the pool. Beginning slow but quickly growing in frequency, a number of strange bubbles were rising on the surface of the bog and exploding into rainbow-colored flames, which then shot into the air like a lightshow. It was honestly spectacular. I stayed to watch the fire until it all died down again.

I wish I had a wand. Some of this fire would make for a wonderful reagent if only I could catch some.

The game trail was getting a little harder to follow, but I still managed to stay on track, as evidenced by the fourth piece of Amethyst Antler I snatched from atop some kind of huge bone jutting out of the bog. As I pushed forward I saw more and more of the enormous bones. I assumed it was some kind of titanic creature that fell here – perhaps another giant – but I knew my guess was wrong as soon as I rounded the next bend and saw the skull. It was bigger than the Trippins’ shoe-house; its jaw could have held an amphitheater; its eyes socket alone was like the entrance of a cave.

It had once been a dragon.

As I passed closer to the eye socket, I noticed a pair of buzzards nesting there, and they looked down at me in turn. To my surprise (although I really shouldn’t be surprised at this point) they spoke, just as clear and understandably as that poetic toad from the other week, and they offered to tell me a story if I stayed a while. I moored my coracle and told them I’d love to listen. They took turns speaking in a lovely back-and-forth sort of narration as they spun their tale. I can’t recount the story very well here – I’ve never been much of a storyteller, and I took no notes while I was listening (I thought it might be impolite), but I can do my best to summarize.

This dragon’s name is lost to time, but she apparently ruled over this territory back when it was still an ancient forest and not a swamp. Mostly the story was about how the dragon protected her territory from an incursion of giants from the Cloud Isles, back when they were still an invading society at odds with the kingdoms below. The dragon and the Empress of Giants had once been good friends, but they grew into bittersweet opponents over time. The buzzard-bards described multiple confrontations as the two clashed over the Empress’ attempts to invade the lower earth.

One notable day, the dragon found herself blown by a hurricane into a forest of strangling vines beneath one of the largest Cloud Isles. Her breath had been doused, her strength worn thin by the storm, and the more she struggled the more tangled in merciless vines she became. She became trapped there for days, becoming weaker and weaker, and could not even cry out for aid for fear of bringing her enemies down from the topside of their floating isle to finish her off. A school of Nimbus Fish witnessed the dragon’s struggles and brought the information to the Empress of Giants, for they were her spies and messengers in those days. When the dragon saw the Empress’ skyship descending into view, she thought she was finished. The skyship opened fire – but instead of injuring the dragon it shot at the roots and far tangles of the vines that held her, breaking just enough of them so she could struggle free. The dragon broke from her bonds and, unsure if this release was deliberate or an accident of fate, retreated from the isle instead of attacking the skyship in return.

That was it for the anecdote the buzzards told me. It felt a little incomplete, just enough to make me curious for more, but I also realized that night was falling over the Bog and I should probably try to call it a day. I thanked them for their tale and moved my little coracle onward through the swamp. I lost the trail of the Amethyst Antlers as I paddled through another garden full of half-sunken statues – the ones with the screaming faces – but fortunately I found it again when I picked a piece up from a cluster of giant toadstools. I belatedly realized this was where the colossal Poetry Toad still sat, corpulent and sleepy. I nearly passed it by, as to keep from disturbing its rest, but when I drew close its eyes slid open and it began to speak, granting me another little snag of verse:

“The Dragoness sank into endless sleep, Bound with enchantments the young Wizard spoke; Imprisoned forever within her keep Until by chance the curse be broke. But woe to he Who found the key– And by foolish fate, the dragon awoke.”

After hearing the buzzards’ story, I’m beginning to suspect the toad’s poetry refers to the very same dragon. I wonder if it’s all true? I’ve decided I’m going to write down every rhyme the toad shares with me, to see if I can get a full picture of the tale in time.

As it was nearing twilight, I found my last piece of Amethyst Antlers along what looked to be the outskirts of civilization. I soon realized this was the edge of a village full of those goblins that kept running me off before…but I must have come around a better way this time, because instead of being attacked again I only met with a few wary fishers who watched me pass from a distance. After a while I found a crowd gathering closer to my slow-moving boat, but their faces went unexpectedly from uncertain to friendly, and through a sort of pantomime I managed to gain an invitation ashore. I tied up my boat and followed them straight into some sort of community dinner celebration. The food looked and smelled…nauseating, to be honest, but they seemed so eager to share it with me, and I really didn’t want to offend them or be chased off with rocks again. I smiled and held my breath and resigned myself to eating at least a little bit. To my utter shock, none of it was actually as bad as I feared, and for the most part the taste of everything was much more palatable than the smells – even if the textures were alarming. Although only a few of my dinner partners spoke the same language I do, it was an unexpectedly pleasant social experience. After dinner I was given a cursory tour of the town, which was fascinatingly constructed in a mixture of treetop architecture and something like dams or burrows within the swamp itself, with canals or bridges mostly serving as the paths in-between places. It turns out that there are actually two disparate tribes of goblinkind local to this swamp, and these were entirely different from the ones that were so aggressive with me before.

During my tour, Shadow suddenly began acting very strangely, hissing and growling at – well – shadows. It was alarming my hosts so after a few instances of this I asked what was the matter, and he directed my attention to a creature staring at us from the next bridge over. It has been following us, Shadow told me, and I could feel his irritation sharply. It is watching us. At first glance it was nothing but a rather angry looking little monkey, very small – If it weren’t for Shadow’s eyes I never would have noticed it against the trees. Its fur glistened golden, reflecting back the lurid evening swamp lights. I decided it must have been a pet, because if was far too clean to be a wild animal living in the swamp. It stared back at me for a few seconds, glaring with huge, almost bulbous eyes, and then it bared its sharp teeth and abruptly flew away – yes, flew, on wings feathered in green and gold that reminded me of a parrot. It had a long, silken-furred tail trailing behind.

I have never heard or read about any such creature before in my life, and honestly, this fact annoys me. Not to sound arrogant but I have done a lot of reading, especially when it comes to exotic animals. It’s something of a competition I have going with my elder brother Edhaas. I tried to ask my hosts if such monkeys were native to Blasfire Bog, but none of them had seen it before it flew off, and I was told that they had in fact never seen anything like what I described. Perhaps I can find more resources on such things back in High Rannoc…or, perhaps I’ll get another glimpse whenever the creature shows up again. After all, it was intelligent enough to follow us, and for some reason it had been watching us. Whatever it wants may yet become clear in time.

[continued in PART 2 here]

OOC: Rep – 19 [Intermediate] Silver – 74 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 to find Animal reagents) Golem Helper: learning to read & write

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw) – Treatment Room (+3 all Timers, +10 silver /successful potion)

As we swam just past the sunken pirate ship, the lake bottom dropped into a deeper slope and we could see farther down into its depths. From such a distance – who knew a lake could be this deep? But then, this is also home to a sea dragon and sunken pirate ships, so what do I know – we could not see much, but we certainly saw enough to hint that there was more than sand and algae below. Mysterious silhouettes and the occasional flicker of strange light drew us forward, down farther and farther. We had to take several rests before continuing, but eventually we found ourselves entering a wondrous landscape of ruins rising up from the lakebed. Spires and citadels, gardens and great stone bridges all crusted over with coral and surrounded by shining schools of fish. Among the ruins there were numerous glowing figures drifting about in slow patterns, too far away for us to make out clearly.

We descended into a courtyard to decide where we would explore first. As we swam around the next corner we encountered the sight of a brightly colored merfolk swimming ahead of us. They had hair like fiery red coral and skin tinged a pale, minty green. Its tricky to guess at gender, since they aren’t mammalian and don’t have some of the same differentiating features that we do, but they were very beautiful. The way they moved was mesmerizing, like a spectacular, glittering dance. We were spellbound.

They eventually noticed our staring and approached, beaming widely. We tried to greet them but we quickly found that we didn’t share any language, although we made a very determined attempt using mostly pantomime and hand signs. It’s difficult to say for sure what they wanted to tell us, but I got the hunch that they were celebrating the banishment of Bàs Bàta’s wrath. At some point they tugged at our hands and drew us into dancing with them, humming a slightly surreal but lovely melody. Their voice resonated in the water in a similar way that Bàs Bàta’s did, but on a much smaller and less unsettling scale.

Ariadne has dubbed our new friend “Coral,” because it’s thematic and sounds vaguely similar to the word they used when they seemed to be trying to tell us their name. After we all had our fill of dancing, Coral stuck with us as an impromptu tour guide to the sunken city. The place is magnificent and enormous. I am certain we won’t be able to see it all in one outing. It’s not all dancing and sightseeing, either – as we drifted through the sunken streets, we were able to see those glowing shapes from befores a little more clearly, and realized that each and every one of them was a a ghost. Unsure which, if any, were malevolent, we followed Coral’s lead and did our best to avoid their notice.

As we passed what seemed to be an ancient temple domed in colored glass, which was somehow mostly intact, I finally spotted a Fossil Fish around one of the open archways. I was able to catch it, but then there was a sudden shriek as a ghost darted at me from inside. I’ve never gone up against a ghost (at least, none free of suits of armor). I had no idea how to react. Although it seemed to be trying to strangle me, it passed right through me – harmless, physically – and then faded into the silt. I was paralyzed for several breaths as my vision blurred into what was probably a memory, or the echo of a memory.

The courtyard was under the sun instead of underwater; the air smelled like salt and iron. My hands – which weren’t actually my hands but someone else’s – were wrapped around somebody’s throat. I felt them squeezing and shaking and I felt my teeth gritting painfully and in the distance I could hear another voice screaming…

…Then it all abruptly ended, and I was back in the muffled quiet of the lake, although my hand were still shaking. Although I was fine, and I told my friends I was fine, and we continued our exploration, it took me a while to shake it all off to be honest.

I found another Fossil Fish just before the end of the expedition. Or, well, the end of the expedition for me. After bottling my second catch up, I thought I saw another through the cracks in a stone wall, but it turns out it wasn’t a Fossil Fish. It was a breed I’m unfamiliar with, and it fed from me in a jet of warm water sprayed directly into my face. I lost consciousness, and am writing this now in the wagon home, having only woken up hours later. I’ve already apologized to the others for the necessity of dragging my limp body around.

I’m very embarrassed, but also a little intrigued by the incident. Whatever that fish sprayed at me gave me intensely vivid dreams – not at all horrible like the vision I had from the ghost; these were very, very good dreams. The details will remain private, but I will say I feel extremely well-rested for the first time in weeks, and I’m finally feeling like I’ve got the hang of it here in High Rannoc. It’s an exciting place, and I feel like I have the energy to take on aynthing now.

OOC: Rep – 19 [Intermediate] Silver – 74 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 to find Animal reagents) Golem Helper: supervising construction

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw) – Treatment Room (+3 all Timers, +10 silver /successful potion)

She called herself Tori Baggle and claimed to only be out truffle hunting. She had no excuses for why she shot at me, only looked angry and refused to speak further. So, while Shadow held her in place, I force-fed her a mushroom I uprooted from the nearby fairy ring. If it’s truffles she wants, then truffles she’ll get. There will soon be one more embarrassing case of Fae Wind in High Rannoc, and I don’t think this one will find remedy any time soon. I then told her to get out of my sight, and warned her that the next time I would not be so gentle...and neither would my panther.

That entire incident cost me both time and blood, and I was forced to return home immediately to treat my wound. Resentfully, I had to use the Coldrust I already had in stock to mix up the cure for old Hildahrafn. I suspected if I couldn’t get her remedy sent quickly she might fly into a rage and ruin Nana Dorea’s cottage.

“Affirmation Potation”

Crush Coldrust into a fine powder

Add raw Fairy Dust and mix thoroughly

Dissolve combined powder into high proof vodka

End result is chilled but spicy, best consumed the same way as any shot of alcohol

Paid: 60 silver I sent off the small bottle along with a note advising that the woman would probably benefit more from some therapy.

Now that the more urgent problem was taken care of, I left for Hero’s Hollow to gather the Skeleton Dust I needed for poor Tybalt, as well as possibly stock up on my depleted Coldrust. I easily found some more of the latter on a half-destroyed suit of armor in the old library, and the former was collected in a deeper hallway where I knew Skeleton Paul tends to take naps. He wasn’t there today, but I did nearly step on a shivering redheaded girl in a chainmail bikini. She offered to pay me if I led her back to the entrance, and I agreed without thinking, although I would have done so without payment as well. She was covered in dungeon grime and looked like she hadn’t slept in a while. I asked why on earth had she chosen to wear nothing but metal underwear and she looked mortified that I’d ask. Eventually I got her to admit that she had been told it was enchanted armor. It wasn’t.

She gave me +10 silver as we emerged into the sunlight, and shyly introduced herself as Relissa Sparrow before thanking me again. I asked if she lived in High Rannoc and she said no, she’d just been traveling, but she might look for a place there to stay for a bit so she could rethink her equipment. I told her where to find me at the apothecary if she ever needed to, then sent her off with recommendations for the more experienced adventurers if she desired to join a party.

While I was collecting Gull Drake Guano off one of the rock formations that jut out of the center of Meltwater Loch, I heard the familiar rumble of a pained sea dragon before the water around me even shifted. I turned to grab at my supplies just as Bàs Bàta beached the surface. Somehow my little boat managed not to flip, so I gathered my string of coconuts and held steady. Bàs Bàta’s mouth was wide open in a scream, and I briefly considered trying to bola-whip them inside, but as cool as that would make me look I doubt I could actually pull off such a feat – especially not while it was still thrashing around. Instead I had to do this the hard way. I waved my arms and shouted to get its attention and hoped it wasn’t so out of its head that it would just attack me.

It snarled as it pushed its great head my way, but it seemed to be listening. Using the loudest and clearest voice I could muster, I explained that I’ve made some pills for it (the coconuts) and that they will make the pain go away. It didn’t seem like Bàs Bàta was buying into it, at first, and as it reared back I thought it might be readying to capsize my boat. I yelled up that the Lady Yeza of the Strange had helped me gather some of the supplies. Thankfully, it seems that name holds some sway, as I hoped it might. I immediately knelt and bowed as low as I could, trying to show it I meant no harm and only respect. I proffered my coconuts again and waited.

After what felt like a wet and harrowing eternity, Bàs Bàta lowered its head to me again and opened its jaws just enough to snatch at the end of the coconut string. I let it go, and the beast dove back into the water before I could even say another word. A little shaky, I decided to head back to shore for the rest of my foraging.

I was initially quite successful, as a Shockfish had gotten caught in one of the tidepools that had formed in the holes of a giant button wedges among the rocks. It was easily caught, but my luck soon turned around completely as I made the mistake of wandering too close to the Gull Drake scavenging grounds. The whole flock descended on me and actually managed to steal my Shockfish before flying off again. Frustrated and feeling challenged, I decided to risk the shallows of the lake and hunt for another one around the site of the sunken pirate ship. Not only did Shadow catch two replacement Shockfish, but I also found another of the lost treasure chests.

Before I could drag the chest ashore to see what was inside, I noticed that Shadow was agitated, and I caught the approach of an enormous dark shape looming out of the murk from the deeper side of the lake. I intended to swim away, but the shape was too quick, and I soon recognized it as Bàs Bàta’s head, snaking right toward me. I froze, only barely keeping my senses and my breath. I’ve never seen Bàs Bàta this close to shore before. I was worried that perhaps it hadn’t taken my cure after all, but as soon as it drew near I could tell that it was much calmer and more clear-eyed than I’ve ever seen it.

Bàs Bàta stopped so close to me I could have reached out a touched its snout. Suddenly I heard a deep, reverberating voice, and I couldn’t tell if it was only echoing in my head or if it was vibrating in the water all around me.

“THANK YOU.”

Unsure of what manners were called for with dragons, I could only bow in return – awkwardly, since I’m not used to that kind of thing underwater. Bàs Bàta then opened its mouth only slightly, and out from its jaws fell a very distressed Shadow Shark. I was alarmed, at first, before I realized it was trying to give me a gift. I gingerly took hold of the terrified shark’s tail and quickly gathered some of its ink in an empty bottle before allowing it to swim away in fright. I bowed my thanks again, and to my shock, Bàs Bàta bowed its head to me in return.

I stared, stunned, for a long while as I watched the great sea dragon coil back upon itself and take its leave. I watched it until every part of it had swam out of sight, down into the depths of the lake...which, I suddenly noticed, weren’t remotely as dark and murky as they’ve always been. In fact, as Bàs Bàta swam gracefully downward instead of kicking up silt with its usual thrashing, I caught a glimpse of strange lights and silhouettes…distant shapes that almost reminded me of a city.

The residual ink cloud from the Shadow Shark was spreading too far in front of me to see further, but I plan to revisit this later.

“Chest-right Chowder”

Crush Gull-Drake guano evenly into dust

Dissolve and boil guano dust until the color of the mixture stays consistent

Crush Skeleton Dust into a fine, flour-like powder

Stir powder into the guano broth until it thickens

End result tastes almost like fish chowder

Paid: 20 silver Tybalt left with some relief and some disappointment as he shed the last of the yeti fur. I told the kid that his self esteem shouldn’t be determined by body hair.

[continued in PART 2 here]

OOC: Rep – 19 [Intermediate] Silver – 374 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 to find Animal reagents) Golem Helper: learning to read & write

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw) – Treatment Room (+3 all Timers, +10 silver /successful potion)

Blastfire Bog is a unique and fascinating sort of place. The name really should have tipped me off, but I never expected it to be so hot. Plenty of new risks to navigate – but oh, so many interesting sights to see as well! I soo got the hang of the tiny boat and paddled myself deep into a dense tangle of squat trees trailing limbs like heavy curtains into the pungent soup of the bog itself. After exploring a while through their giant, twisting roots, I looked up and caught sight of what looked like ropes all wrapped up in some of the branches. I tethered my coracle so I could leave for a closer look – the trees were a little slimy but not too difficult to climb due to their size, and of course Shadow had no problems. High in the canopy of an old willow, I was absolutely flabbergasted to discover an enormous, nearly intact airship, nestled in a bent and broken slew of branches that it had apparently crashed into a long time ago.

I managed to pry open an outdoor door and make my way inside, awed by the pristine preservation of the interior. Upon a closer look, I realized the reason for this was probably because everything – and I mean everything – was coated in Fairy Dust. It was the most abundant amount of loose Fairy Dust I had ever seen, and I had no idea what could have happened to so thoroughly coat the interior of an airship. I could have kicked myself for bringing only one collection vial with the proper preservative spells cast on it for transport. I was aching to do a thorough exploration, but I had other ingredients to look for and limited time. Instead I only marked the area on my makeshift map and reluctantly made my way back to my boat, coaxing Shadow along with me (he doesn’t like the coracle, but I can hardly let him stay up in the trees in an unfamiliar place). We left glittering footprints and pawprints all along the tree as we descended, but I’m sure they’ll wash away the next time it rains.

Before I pushed off very deeply into the water, an odd shape caught my eye among the roots of the willow. Thinking it might be an exotic creature, I approached cautiously, but upon closer examination I realized it was a carved stone head thickly covered in moss and algae, rising from the rest of wat I assume was a statue beneath the water. After wiping off as much I could from the face, I saw it was a woman, screaming – which was a little unsettling. Inside her mouth was a Princess Toad, though, and I felt very pleased as Shadow was able to snatch it without difficulty when it tried to hop away.

Now that I’ve collected my necessary ingredients, I chose to linger a little bit in search of more of the Amethyst Antlers that Maddi brought me – assuming the deer are more abundant in the Bog than in the Glimmerwood, for some reason. Alas, all I met with was failure and frustration. The first new direction I tried brought me into an horde of very angry goblins, who I suppose I startled. They chased me off with rocks and insults shouted in a surprisingly crisp human tongue, and it took a good while for me to shake them off. Shadow wanted to attack but I held him off; it was my fault for alarming them, and there’s no need to make enemies of the locals.

I found a clump of enormous mushrooms upon which to moor my coracle so I could give my arms a rest from paddling. I’d barely settled for even a moment before I belatedly realized there was an absolutely gargantuan toad sitting among the toadstools, neatly camouflaging with their darkly spotted caps. When I say it was big, I mean I think it could have swallowed me whole…but thankfully it wasn’t aggressive, and to my surprise it began speaking to me with perfectly understandable words. I’m not exactly sure what its name was, or if it was a male or female toad – the voice was as ambiguous as its anatomy – but it spoke only in measured, rhyming syllables, as if reciting to me. It said:

“For hundreds or thousands of years, or more, Reigning over this land was a Dragoness fair, Casting terrible fear into man's very core ’Til along came a Wizard whom she couldn’t scare. The boy was fast The spell was cast And the Dragoness trapped within her very lair.”

My interest was absolutely piqued, and I waited for the rest, but the toad fell silent. After waiting a while to see if it would speak again and trying to greet it and prompt it to go on, I caught the sound of a low, gurgling snore. I think it tired itself out, the poor thing. I did my best to leave quietly.

I eventually found my way back to where I started – I could tell because I bumped into another statue, different than the first I found but with the same strange screaming motif. I tried to find a new direction to explore, but I accidently went the wrong way and once again ran straight into those agitated goblins. The only good news is that as I fled from them a second time, Shadow snatched at something beneath the water and flung it into the boat. After we safely escaped, I looked to see what it was, and there was a fully intact Amethyst Antler! Covered in mud and Bog slime, but I’ll take it. I considered it a victory and made my way home, giving my excellent, ingenious, talented panther as many cuddles and scritches as he desired.

“Settling Swill”

Crush Princess Toad droppings until texture is consistent

Add water and mix by shaking, not stirring

Sprinkle raw fairy dust

End result should be almost smoothie-like

Paid: 30 silver Tybalt was a little uncertain about the sparkling smoothie, but after one sip immediately calmed his stomach he was eager for the rest. I told him as he left me that he needed to learn to stand up to his friends more often, or they’ll just keep on taking advantage.

After he left I prepared a hardy dose of Chillixir Mix (see previous entry) for Mr. Verdan and sent it off with one of the ravens, along with a note of inquiry to Nana Dorea whether anyone had decided to look for the cursed area causing such trouble. Paid: 60 silver

Additional Notes:

At the beginning of the week I took what I intended to be a quick trip to Hero’s Hollow to gather a few more servings of Skullcaps, just in case another wave of Bard Boils crops up. I found a prolific patch of them just on the inside of the hollow, to my delight, growing on what looked like a pile of discarded papers. I collected enough for two doses, then rifled through the papers and found two decently legible maps drawn out of places within the hollow I had never been before. One was marked “The Larder of Suffering,” which honestly should have put me off, but the way it was phrased gave me an inkling that perhaps I’d want to take a look.

When I got to the marked place (after deciphering several wrong turns and other outdated notes), it was indeed a larder, but it looked to have been cleaned out of whatever used to sit on its shelves. There were a few empty bottles and a lot of broken glass bits. I did, however, notice the shine of something underneath one of the shelves, and managed to pull out one fully intact vial of Innocent’s Suffering – stored and labeled exactly like the one I’d picked up from the Bacchae’s campground a while back. So this is where they must have gotten it! Even better, there was another patch of Skullcaps along one of the higher shelves that I was able to collect.

It was an unlucky choice to linger so long, however, as the rattling clank of footsteps sounded behind me and I turned to see Baron Jackass making his approach from the hall. He challenged me, again, and I told him we’ve already been through this, but he only shoved an old sword into my hands once more and pretended not to hear me. He ended up making quick work of it, thankfully withdrawing as soon as he saw the first blood he drew from me. I suppose I should be grateful he only ever wants to duel, and not actually kill me.

I asked him what his problem was, and he asked me what MY problem was, for the first time dropping his boisterous speech and actually sounded a little petulant. He complained that my predecessor always knew how to have a good time, and could actually hold his own in a fight. This gave me pause, so I asked - “Do you mean Kevyn?” To this the Baron gave a woeful sniff – ridiculous, since he has no nose or tears – and just repeated the name “Kevyn” in a mournful wail before turning on his heel and clanking away at a distressed jog.

When I finally shook myself out of my stupefied shock, I bound my wound and left to follow the second map I took. It claimed to lead to a vampire nest, but it too was out of date, so all I found was a dead end and a patch of fungus. A closer look revealed it to be Foot Fungus, specifically, which I promptly took, and that made it all worth it I suppose.

Alas, on my way out of the dungeon I ran nearly face-first into the Baron again. He was hiding in a corner and singing softly to himself. I actually felt a little sorry for him, despite everything, and asked what he was singing. All he replied was “Kevyn used to love this song,” before he seemed to snap out of it and clamber to attention again, calling out the familiar challenge for me to duel him. I said no and turned to walk away, but of course he attacked anyway. I did a slightly better job of defending myself this time – possibly due to his distraction, as I could still hear him sniffling and humming brokenly every time he drew near – but I didn’t manage to escape before he hit me again, drawing a stinging gash down my arm. I called him a motherfucker, and he turned away without acknowledgment, singing and sniffling as he wandered back down the hall.

I think I despise him.

While treating my arm, I found another small patch of Skullcaps and gathered them up, but then I left, feeling extremely fed up with dungeons. I spent nearly the rest of the week mixing raw Slime Shells and Vampire Venom in a large vat, for the sake of hopefully healing Bàs Bàta’s broken tooth. I poured the concoction into a string of hollowed out coconut shells I collected along the beach, corked them all up, and sealed them with some beeswax I found lying around. With any luck, I’ll be able to deliver the remedy soon.

The entire end of the week was spent teaching Dwayne the stone golem how to read and write. Now that he seems to have gotten used to living here, I see him often watching passerby from the village and trying to interact with pantomime. I think he’ll like being able to communicate properly, once he gets the hang of it.

OOC: Rep – 18 [Intermediate] Silver – 284 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Golem Helper: learning to read & write

I had no time to look for more. Thankfully, I still had an extra in the storeroom, as well as a few surplus Skullcaps I’ve been keeping. I whipped up one batch of Shockfish Soup for poor Maddi immediately (see earlier entry for recipe), but unfortunately there weren’t enough Skullcaps for a second dose to send to Nana Dorea for her banshee. After pondering this a while I decided to experiment with my Milkstone instead. It’s a much stronger painkiller than Skullcaps so it should get the job done, although I am sure the taste will end up very strange. Ah, well…perhaps banshees don't mind strange, milky-tasting fish soups.

Paid: 30 silver from Maddi Paid: 60 silver from Nana Dorea I kept a vigilant eye on the doorstep this time, in case the vagabond returned again to thank me, but after a few days of watchfulness I figured perhaps they had run out of money to tip. Soon after, however, I received an unexpected package delivered by mail coach, containing +40 silver and the familiar, ridiculously embellished note of thanks. Well played, sir or madame bard. Well played.

Additional Notes:

My encounter with Bàs Bàta this week has re-ignited my ferver to collect the ingredients necessary for his cure. I searched with determination in Hero’s Hollow, and thankfully was met with much more success than my last few attempts. I visited with both Bap (who was able to point me toward the new nap room for the vampires), as well as with the Dark Ruler, Lady Yeza, who invited me to dinner again so I could update her on my progress. I told her I hadn’t yet had a chance to explore the Strange because I was too busy trying to sneak up on sleeping vampires, and she immediately called one in wide awake and ordered him to allow me to extract some venom without a fight. It was both impressive and intimidating.

As I finished extracting a third dose from one vampire hiding in a room off the main tunnels, I nearly tripped over another fancy helmet, even more elaborate than the last. I put it on just for fun, and it must have made me look impressive because I was approached by a small group of very young and tired-looking explorers soon after, offering to pay me to guide them out. Money is money, so I accepted their +10 silver and led them all the way back to the entrance before turning around and delving right back in again.

My foraging for the week came to an end on the day I met the Baron.

On my way out of yet another vampire napping nook, I passed a long hall full of identical suits of decorative parade armor. One of them suddenly sprang to life and cornered me against the opposite wall, and I wasn’t sure if it was flirting or threatening at first, to be honest. The voice that came out was deep and sonorous and rather lovely, but the mood quickly soured after he introduced himself and demanded a duel. He had no face, I noticed, as his visor flapped. I don’t know if he is a ghost inside the armor or if he is the armor, but he calls himself “the Baron” (as you may have guessed) and he sounded suave and full of himself.

I’m not really the dueling sort, but he wouldn’t allow me to move on without facing him, and even forced a sword into my hands. He refused my forfeit and he berated me when he saw I tried to lose on purpose. Finally I gave in and did my best to bang him up a bit, but of course I was no good. He beat me soundly and only allowed me to leave, limping, after he’d scored a nasty blow on my leg. I’ve decided the Baron is a jackass, and I’m going to try and avoid him from now on.

OOC: Rep – 16 [Intermediate] Silver – 194 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Golem Helper: getting settled

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw)

First I had to forge a rather feisty river and lost my footing, falling straight into the arms of its resident naiad. So embarrassing. She was one of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on, although she seemed flustered by my lack of coordination. I introduced myself and apologised profusely as she helped me back to shore. She told me her name is Nelofar, but that I could call her Nel if I liked. She was keen on conversation, and we spoke for a little while, but in time I had to explain my search to her and say my goodbyes. She seemed shy, but almost flirtatious? I don’t want to assume, but I think we hit it off. It’s really a shame that I had to move on in such a hurry. I wonder if I’ll see her again.

Soon after, I was fortunate to find what I was looking for - and yet, not so fortunate, as the mushrooms I was picking were probably growing in a fairy ring that I was too occupied to notice. I say this because halfway through my harvest I fell into a familiar fever and lost my footing again, blacking out to the sound of whispers in the strange and beautiful language I’ve only heard once before. I awoke just outside of town in another fairy ring - although, thankfully, still holding onto my Coffee Caps.

I was able to serve Yolanda her Come-To Brew in good time, despite everything, and she perked right out of her fixation. She even complimented me on the taste. She suggested I could start selling this concoction for purely recreational purposes as well, but I don’t think it would work out. It’s far too expensive to make.

Paid: 28 silver

My next destination was Hero’s Hollow to replenish the ingredients for Muffins’ remedy (I have them in the storeroom but it’s always good to keep stocked). Again, my trip was full of mixed luck. The very first thing I did was step into an acid trap and get badly burned, and I had to go right home again to heal myself. Of course then it felt like a challenge, and my stubbornness compelled me to return and try again.

This time I found the Coldrust I needed on a suit of armor in the old ruined library, and was able to gather Hermit Snail shells along the path outside of Rufus’ little dungeon shop. He asked if I was there to buy today, but I told him I’d better not. I wanted to see if I could gather a little more Vampire Venom on my way out. Sadly, all I did next was fall into yet another trap. I had to go home with a good deal less blood and no painkillers at all, neither for me or for Bàs Bàta.

I don’t know what I’ve done to bring this upon myself. Maybe that weird “Orendal” box I found in the lake was cursed.

“Chillixir Mix”

Crush Hermit Snail shells into a fine powder

Crush Coldrust & mix together with the shell dust

Dissolve powder into any beverage

End result will be cold & refreshing without the need for ice

Paid: 60 silver When my raven returned I saw that Nana Dorea passed along double payment as compensation for the burden of extra duties, which I’m certainly not going to refuse, especially if this is going to be the norm. I was already nearly regretting the new arrangement, after everything, but this might make just it all worth it.

Additional Notes:

I bought a sickle in town for 70 silver in hopes of improving my foraging a bit on bad-luck days. I also went and paid a visit to the Lunar Tower, in case the problem was that my equipment needed purification. After that I felt a little bit better, and I eventually managed to get up the gumption to head out to Hero’s Hollow again.

Already my luck was much better this time around, as I was able to get a good dose of Vamp Venom within the first few hours or so of the expedition. I was also startled by the sight of a wooden chest walking around and sniffing things as I rounded the corner. It seems to be a mimic, I assume - I know of them but this is the first time I’ve ever seen one in person - and it was very friendly. It shuffled right up to me and allowed me to give it a few pats. It seemed hungry, but when I offered some of my trail rations it was utterly disinterested, and it eventually wandered off. I wish I’d had something else to give it.

Further down the corridor I accidentally stepped on a skeleton again - why do they insist on sleeping in the middle of the floor? - and as his loud, droning complaints filled my ears I recognized the voice as the same one I’d stepped on last time. I called him out and asked where the helmet was that I’d given him, and his whining quieted instantly into a mutter as he told me he’d lost it. I asked his name (it’s Paul), then explained to him at length why it was a bad idea for him to sleep sprawled across the middle of a corridor if he didn’t want to get stepped on, and this time I think I might have gotten through to him. At least he was tired enough of my lecturing to agree and move along somewhere else.

When I accidentally entered the puzzle room, it was filled with mirrors, and it waylaid me for a long while as I tried to find my way out. The upside is that I discovered a vampire taking a nap in one corner - it seems it was lying in wait for a victim and dozed off. Taking my chance, I extracted a second dose of venom before taking my leave and heading back home.

OOC: Rep – 14 [Intermediate] Silver – 54 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Golem Helper: getting settled

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw)

I was able to distill the soup for Susan in no time (see my earlier entry for instructions), and although I didn’t pry, I was hoping perhaps she might let slip any kind of hint of who could be spreading this infection so quickly. She did not.

Paid: 30 silver Later that night I once again found a pouch waiting alone on my doorstep, containing +20 silver and a lavish thank-you note from the anonymous culprit. It was irritating, but I suppose money is money.

Additional Notes:

I spent the rest of the week in Hero’s Hollow, determined to collect enough painkillers to concoct a remedy for Bàs Bàta’s shattered tooth. As much as I’m itching to go explore somewhere new, I feel I have a duty to prioritize the suffering creature, both for its own sake and for the sake of those it terrorizes in the Loch.

Near the entrance of the dungeon I had no luck (unsurprisingly), but I did find another outdated-looking map, hand-drawn and messy. It was useless, but it was dropped right in the middle of a patch of Coldrust that was eating away at a mostly-disintegrated breastplate, so I collected what I could on my way past. Not wanting to waste time, I went straight to the imprisoned demon Bap’s confinement chamber, as they have been very helpful on previous expeditions, and traded gossip for information on where the vampire nest had been moved that day.

Thanks to Bap’s advice I was able to extract three doses of Vampire Venom before I saw one of them stirring and had to beat a hasty retreat. Before I left the room, however, I spotted a young man in the corner, looking absolutely frozen with fear as he stared at the cluster of sleeping vampires hanging from the ceiling. I got his attention and was able to quietly lead him away from the chamber. He introduced himself as Tybalt Potter and begged me to lead him back to the exit; apparently he had gone in on a dare, to prove he was a brave enough adventurer to risk the Hollow by himself, and then got hopelessly lost. He was so pitiful I had to give in, which cost me a lot of time - but he did give me +10 silver in thanks when we finally came into the sun again.

When I returned to High Rannoc, I spent 150 silver on the construction of a raven loft for the cottage. Nana Dorea has been sending near-constnat telegrams with pleas for my return, claiming she’s overwhelmed on her own. Perhaps with this I can take on a few of her cases long-distance, so I can stay out here without her moaning about it. The postal coach is far too slow for such work, but a few trained ravens should do the job nicely.

OOC: Rep – 13 [Intermediate] Silver – 36 Tools – basics / coracle Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Golem Helper – getting settled

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw)

I spent the rest of my time at the Loch collecting as many Slime Shells as I could possibly find for the management of Bàs Bàta’s shattered tooth. I was highly successful, despite several very curious incidents (enough for eight doses).

One notable encounter was with a siren I haven’t seen or heard before. I was out on the water when I found it suddenly hard to think, strongly compelled to swim out to some distant rocks toward the sound of singing. The way he sang was somewhere between a human voice and birdsong, strange but wondrously lovely. He stopped abruptly when he saw me and flushed red with shame, immediately falling into apologies. I asked why he was all alone in the Loch - usually sirens travel in flocks, or so I’ve been told, and since the males are rare, I’ve never heard of one traveling without his mates. He hedged around my questions, seeming reluctant to answer, and hastily offered me a Wigfish wig he’d picked up as an apology for interrupting my day. I can’t say no to such quality reagents, so I accepted, but when I looked up again he was already gone with a flurry of his wings.

Baffled, but pleased with my newly acquired prize, I continued with my exploration and came across another stranger - a very kind dwarf out fishing, who invited me into his boat. His name was Raggen Gabbro, and he spoke with me for a good while about his own explorations of the Loch. He seems to know quite a lot, and I appreciated his insight and advice. When we parted, he directed me to where I might find some Gas Weed, which was much appreciated.

I was eventually chased out of the water again by Bàs Bàta’s tortured thrashing. I feel for the creature but I certainly don’t want to be anywhere near it while it’s mad with pain. I hope I can gather enough ingredients to help it, soon. I doubt any human-portioned remedy will be effective. I briefly returned to the huge nest in the rocks that I found last week, and to my delight found that the Amethyst Antler shards were still there among the eggs - but again I was pecked away by the vigilant mama bird before I could grab them.

I spent the rest of my foraging at the Loch following those unidentified footprints all along the shore. I tripped over half-buried items in the sand at least three times along the way - there is a lot of flotsam and junk left by people all over the beach. The upside was that I also found a substantial pile of Deep Reed that had also washed ashore. As the sun set, I spotted the familiar shape of the ghost ship Capybara cresting into the bloody horizon once again, so I got back in my canoe and headed over for a visit. I ended up spending the entire night partying with the raucous spirits, losing track of time so badly that I got unceremoniously dunked in the water at dawn when they retreated again beneath the waves.

When I swam back to shore, I stubbed my toe on something half buried in the wet sand. When I dug it up and rinsed it in the waves, I was startled to find a small, empty box carved from ancient coral. It looked extremely old, crusted a little with the fossils of other sealife around the edges. The strangest part was that I saw, carved into the inner lid of it, a sigil - the same sigil printed on all the leftover containers and equipment in my Apothecary. Kevyn’s personal sigil.

Except this time, in addition to the signature swirling pattern, there was a word engraved around the symbol - “Orendal.” If this were written anywhere else, I would have taken this for something in a language I didn’t understand…But the way this was written matches too exactly with the way ancient master witches left their marks. Nowadays people tend to forego the name and only leave the sigil, but in more ancient times they almost always used both, according to my studies. “Orendal” is almost certainly a name...although why it’s written along with Kevyn’s personal sigil is a mystery to me. It can’t be that Kevyn copied the sigil - every witch must have their own, and every one must be unique, like a fingerprint.

When I retuned home, I compared it to the versions I have around the cottage, and confirmed - this is absolutely Kevyn’s sigil, but for some reason paired with a different name. Could “Orendal” actually be Kevyn’s real name? Or perhaps, a previous name he’s long since left behind? But if so, how on earth did it come to be on such an incredibly ancient object? I had no time to fully dwell on this, since I still had a remedy to make, but I set the box in a safe place to contemplate at a later time.

“Cough Quencher”

Crush the dried Gull-Drake guano into fine dust

Boil the the resulting powder and strain well

Spoon in raw Dentist Crab claw gell until the mixture thickens and smooths

End result should be something like a vaguely fishy yogurt

Paid: 30 silver Despite the strange taste, it works fast, and Susan was already breathing better as she left.

Additional Notes:

I spent the next several days going back up the mountain and repairing Dwayne the stone golem, and at last I deemed him fully healed, to the best of my ability. He can’t speak, but he seemed very grateful, and  nearly crushed me in an earnest but uncomfortable hug. Unexpectedly, he ended up following me back down the mountain. I didn’t protest, as long as he was careful where he stepped, although I wasn’t sure what more he wanted of me. After a complicated game of pantomime, I gathered that he wanted to stay with me and repay me for my help. I certainly don’t mind the company, so I agreed, and was able to direct him to an uncluttered portion of the land left to me by Kevyn. I’ll have to teach him to write if we want any extensive conversations, though.

I also went to Hero’s Hollow this week in search of powerful painkillers, and with Shadow’s help I was able to procure a bit of Vampire Venom without issue. While sneaking away from the coffin room I did end up triggering a trap and falling into a stone cell for a while, which was frustrating, but I was thankfully rescued not long after. A beautiful woman with hair like spilled ink and eyes like pale glass showed up and looked in on me, calling down to ask if I needed help. I expected her to throw down a rope, but instead I found myself levitating all the way back to the top to greet her. Her skin was a deep cerulean blue. She wore a lavishly embroidered gown and glittered with gems and jewelry, looking as elegant as a queen - which is certainly not what I expected in a dungeon.

I thanked her for her help, and she asked what my business was in the Hollow. I could have asked her the same, but instead I told her I was looking for ingredients to create a remedy for Bàs Bàta. I guess this was the right thing to say, because she immediately turned from aloof and suspicious to charming and courteous. She introduced herself as Yeza, Dark Ruler of the Underlands and Master of Shadows. It was quite a title, and I suddenly felt silly and shabby, but she was very sweet to me from then on. She apologized for the inconvenience of my falling into one of the many traps, and invited me for dinner in her throne room. I’ve never been in a throne room before.

I follower her safely through the deepest parts of her domain - protected from its various threats only by her presence, I suspect - and we entered a much more lavish and elegant wing of the Hollows than I ever imagined was there. It was less “dank dungeon” and more like a hidden underground palace. She clapped her hands for attendants and we were served one of the strangest and yet most decadent meals I have ever eaten. We ended up getting along very well. I told her of my explorations in the Hollow and how I’ve helped people with the things I’ve collected, and she was surprisingly eager to assist in my endeavors. She said the last witch, Kevyn, had been too obsessed with his own convoluted dealings, and never would have wanted to help poor Bàs Bàta. Apparently Kevyn hated Bàs Bàta, but when I asked her why she kept changing the subject.

She asked if I’ve ever met someone like her before - blue, that is - and I said no. She asked if I’ve ever heard of something called the Strange, and I said no again. She said that she wanted to help me by granting me passage to her original home plane, for the purpose of finding other kinds of reagents that might be useful to me, and I got extremely excited. I’ve read about the possible existence of other planes but never dreamed I’d get to see one in person. When we finished dinner, she led me back up into the shabbier side of the Hollow and showed me the way to an incongruous fancy archway standing empty and useless in the middle of a hall. After Yeza chanted a while in a language I couldn’t understand, the empty air beneath the arch began to swirl with deep blue and violet-black light

This is the portal to the Strange.

I wanted to explore it right away, but for once my better sense held me back, and I told Yeza that I would rather return with the proper equipment for a full expedition. She wrote down instructions on a scrap of parchment to instruct me on how to open the portal myself, for which I thanked her profusely, and we parted ways. I cannot wait to actually go through, when I can set aside the time. I am absolutely thrilled.

OOC: Rep – 12 [Intermediate] Silver – 126 Tools – basics / coracle Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Golem Helper – getting settled Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap)

Much later, I was cautiously diving in more shallow waters and I found another treasure chest from the wreck of that pirate ship from before. This one contained a plethora of colorful blown glass octopus figurines, which I was astonished to see were unbroken. I decided to keep them all and hide them around the cottage. I also picked up a few Slime Shells that I found around the chest - they’ll be useful in brewing something to fight off infection for Bàs Bàta’s shattered tooth, and using ingredients from its own lake might make the remedy more palatable to it.

After gathering a second batch of Slime Shells, I spotted an impressively large bird’s nest in the rocks along the shore. When I climbed up to peek inside, I was delighted to see that a good chunk of Amethyst Antler had been dropped among the eggs. Alas, when I reached in to retrieve it I got viciously pecked away by the just-returning mother, and had to give up the fight.

“Shockfish Soup”

Distill Shockfish fluid & strain out the remnants (fed fish bits to Shadow)

Boil Skullcaps in the Shockfish broth for added pain relief

End result is savory and salty with a bit of a numbing zing

Paid: 30 silver Alexander left without hardly a word, likely too embarrassed for goodbyes, but later that week I found a pouch of an extra +20 silver on my doorstep with a flourishy note expressing thanks. The note was unsigned, but as it definitely wasn’t Alex’s hand, I assume it was from the bard responsible.

Additional Notes:

I spent the entire week carting supplies up Moonbreaker Mountain and repairing my new stone golem friend, who does not have a name that I can suss out, so I have decided to call it Dwayne. It just felt fitting somehow. He seems to respond to it.

OOC: Rep – 11 [Intermediate] Silver – 100 Tools – basics / coracle Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) Golem repair progress – 8/10

I quickly went back to the cottage and whipped up some Balm Tea for poor old Wilfred (see my earlier entry for instructions).

Paid: 24 silver Wilfred expressed his astonishment at the effectiveness of the tea, and said he’d never had such pleasant or immediate relief from a burn before.

Additional Notes:

I bought a sturdy coracle in town for 70 silver, for the purpose of someday exploring the Blastfire Bog that that Maddi told me about.

Traveled back to the Loch to hunt for Shockfish, as I found none the last time I visited, but this time I was actually successful. I called on Calliope to celebrate and we took a canoe out together to watch the sun set over the lake. All of a sudden in the ruddy light we could see the shape of a ghost ship rising from the depths, directly next to us! They were rowdy but merry, and invited us aboard to carouse with them a while. I asked the Captain (Laurence) what he knew of the other wrecks beneath the lake, and told him about the skeleton I found with the chest full of paintings. Turns out that was the body (or used to be the body) of their very own Bosun Zeke (short for Ezekiel), who went overboard during a fight with pirates. I told him he was a wonderful artist, and he said that all of those paintings were actually created by a lost lover of his. They lost their entire haul on the day the pirates attacked, but Bosun Zeke couldn’t let his beloved’s paintings go, and sunk along with them. It’s too bad we can’t give some of them back to him now - they would be ruined as soon as the sun rose and the ship sank back into the waves.

I went foraging in the Glimmerwood this week and was amazed to catch sight of an actual unicorn. It fled from me immediately, but in its wake I was able to catch a Princess Toad, so it must have been good luck. I briefly spotted it again that day as I was carefully harvesting Foot Fungus from the sleeping forest giant’s discarded boots. It was hiding at the corner of my vision, and fled again as soon as as I noticed, but perhaps it’s more curious than shy after all.

I visited the Lunar Tower again to tune up my foraging equipment this week. Wilfred was delighted to catch up, and I got a very good charge from the moonlight that night. I trekked up onto Moonbreaker Mountain with my freshly charged equipment and thanks to their fresh energy I had absolutely no trouble finding the Moon Moss I was looking for. It was growing up the shady side of the old abandoned shrine on the side of the trail. I don’t know who the shrine was originally dedicated to (I suspect it had something to do with the moon), but I left some of my trail rations as a thank-you offering.

Before I left the shrine, I spotted  an old book discarded in one of the far corners. It turned out to be a saucy romance novel (“Seducing The Stubborn Cleric”), and it looked well-loved, very battered and patched. It must have been lost by another traveler. On the inside cover I was surprised to find a note in the exact handwriting of the old witch of High Rannoc: “Property of Kevyn.” Kevyn, you spicy boy.

Later this week I was up on the mountain again, trying and failing to find a Jumpkin. I stopped to rest by the Wayfarer Stone and happened upon some unexpected company. Her name is Ariadne Soriah, and she claims to be a researcher from the Cloud Isles. I’ve only heard of the place, of course, never been, and I had a thousand questions for her. She in turn asked if I’ve ever heard of a place called “Deepwater.” I told her I haven’t. Apparently it’s supposed to be an ancient underwater city from long ago, and she’s on a personal quest to find and study it. I hope she does, someday. I like her a lot.

I finally spotted a Jumpkin as I descended back down the trail, but it ran and I had to chase it halfway around the mountain before I managed to catch it amidst a cluster of huge boulders. I was startled, then, to watch the boulders move and come together, forming themselves into a huge, badly battered stone golem. The poor thing looked so pitiful, I couldn't just leave it in such a state. I spent the rest of the day assessing the damage and doing what I could to start repairing it, and when I left I told it to stay put so I could find it again. I came back every day for the rest fo the week to continue my repairs. I feel like this is going to be a lengthy project, but it will be worth it to get my new friend functioning again.

OOC: Rep – 10 [Novice] — **I misunderstood the leveling process here, and assumed I could take on intermediate ailments after this point. I realized my mistake after it was way too late to retcon, but oh well. Silver – 46 Tools – basics / coracle Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) Golem repair progress – 2/10

**I’m flexing the rules a little with the timeline of events. I got extra exploring time during the “ailment” section of this cycle because it was an ailment without a timer, but it made little sense in-story to keep the injured man waiting, so I’ve decided most of that happened after I cured him.

I accepted. We had a thrilling time, the details of which will remain private.

I meant to direct us straight back to the Apothecary cottage, but I admit I got a little too distracted by the beautiful view(s), and we ended up landing in the Glimmerwood instead. I was too embarrassed to correct this, and said my goodbyes - I figured it was close enough to walk home anyway. I also realized that Fairy Dust might be a little more appropriate for Maddi’s particular ailment anyway, so I set to finding some before I left. Just as I finished, however, I got hit with sudden vertigo, my vision went blurry, and a strange voice I couldn’t understand whispered like echoes in my mind. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the middle of a fairy ring in a completely different part of the forest. It was disorienting, but I was unharmed, and apparently the fairies weren’t too offended because they allowed me to keep my dust. I had to book it back to the cottage to keep good time, though.

“Fuzz-Away Dust”

Crush the skeleton dust into a fine powder

Mix thoroughly with raw Fairy Dust

Apply the mixed dust gently with a powder puff to the face, and inhale

Paid: 20 silver Maddi left looking as sparkly as crushed mica, but free of fur and free of the urge to chew on furniture.

Additional Notes:

This week I went to the Loch to visit Calliope Trippin & had lunch with her family. Afterward I did a little foraging - Shadow easily snatched the wig off a wigfish showing off in the shadows, while I explored a sunken wreck a little deeper in the water. I found a skeleton clinging to a treasure chest, but this one was definitely dead. After prying its prize away and dragging it to shore, I found a number of absolutely beautiful paintings inside. I gave them to Calliope for safekeeping until I decide where I want to put them.

I also found the sock that possibly belongs to the giant who lost the shoe, mostly buried in the sand along a very long stretch of beach. There were Dentist Crabs all over the site, and it was easy to gather a good amount. I then found some odd footprints, which I tried to follow, but before I found where they led I was harried by a flock of gull-drakes and had to retreat. They made me lose all of my Dentist Crabs, which was frustrating, and I backtracked to the site of The Sock to gather some more. This time I noticed part of a seemingly endless rope also half buried, which I first took as one of those huge sailing ropes, but I now suspect it might have been a shoelace.

OOC: Rep – 9 [Novice] Silver – 92 Tools – basics Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap)

I visited my new giant friend Bernard before I left the mountain. After hearing of my business this week, he kindly gave me a bit of Milkstone that he keeps for when he occasionally babysits his baby nephews (twins). It’s a bit more potent than I need for Kiara’s particular problem, but it will doubtless come in handy in the future.

I was accosted by a sphinx while passing through a valley on the way home. I had to answer a riddle to get past them unharmed - but thankfully, they were not an especially clever or creative sphinx and it was very easy. I gave them some tips before I left and told them we could workshop it at a later date. Their name is Io...I’m not sure if I look forward to meeting them again.

“Balm Tea”

Boil Hiker’s Helper into numbing tea

Add a spoonful of raw Surgeon’s Sap for healing

End result is sweet & minty

Paid: 24 silver By now I suspect Kiara has come to expect delicious beverages to cure all her ills. I told her that if she ever just wanted to come by for sweets or tea, she could do so without getting ill or injured. Although I was pleased by the extra payment, I hope I don’t have to treat her again for a long while.

Additional Notes:

Decided to take a look at the Lunar Tower in town this week. I turned out to be very good timing, because conditions were ideal for attuning my equipment a little. Feeling lucky, I then made my way to Hero’s Hollow in search of more rare ingredients.

I found no valuable reagents, in the end, but I did do some exploring and made other kinds of discoveries. I found a shop run by a strange little furry creature that called itself Rufus, selling a wide variety of things it must have scavenged from victims of the dungeon. I traded him that old bottle of (presumably) whiskey that I found before - I never did find a way to pop it open - and in return picked out a lovely little music box to take home with me.

In my wanderings I also found a very old helmet with beautiful engravings. I planned to use it as a planter pot when I returned home, but then I accidentally trampled on a living skeleton who was taking a nap in a more shadowed stretch of the dungeon. He made quite a racket complaining and berating me for my clumsiness (although he was the one stretched out in the middle of the darkened walkway, so it felt a little unjust). His skull was cracked, so to make amends I gave him the fancy helmet. Hopefully it will protect his head better in his future naps.

While still in the dungeon, I passed a door I never saw before and I heard a voice calling out to me. As spooky as that sounds, my curiosity was stronger than my caution and I followed the voice into what looked like a very high-security confinement chamber. There were glowing runes and a web of magic chains, and suspended in the middle of all the chains was some sort of of demon, wrapped up so tight it was immoble  from head to toe. They introduced themself as Bap, and I fought not to snicker at this (what can I say, it was a funny little word). Despite their rather dramatic surroundings, they were very polite and full of questions, mostly interested in local gossip and a few history facts. Apparently they don’t get outside news very often. We chatted for a while before I left. I feel a bit sorry for them, to be honest, but I assume they’re being held there for a good reason, so I should probably keep my guard up just in case.

OOC: Rep – 8 [Novice] Silver – 72 Tools – basics Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap)

I hurried back to the apothecary to mix Kiara’s cure, as Dragon Sickness is a rapidly worsening condition, and I didn’t trust her to fight the compulsion to steal my things.

“Come-To Brew”

Crush the Coffee Caps, then boil the bits for about ten minutes and strain

Add a spoonful of raw Surgeon’s Sap

End result is both invigorating and delicious, considering the sweetness of both ingredients

Paid: 28 silver I admit I had a smug sense of satisfaction when Kiara’s eyes lit up as she drank her cure. I like to pride myself on remedies that actually taste good, whenever possible. Perhaps it’s because she’s in the body of a child, or perhaps it’s because she has a sweet tooth as big as mine, but she paid a little extra for the enjoyment, which I can certainly get used to.

Additional Notes:

I heard a rumor in town that there have been a handful of giants spotted all around this countryside, in the forest and in the mountains and even near the Loch (as evidenced by their lost possessions, I suppose). Would have been nice to hear about this before unexpectedly witnessing it in person. I should probably spend more time talking to the locals.

Calliope - the eldest daughter of that family of lakeside shoe elves, the Trippins - ran into me in town. She had just returned from a treasure hunting dive and came to the village to look for me, to give me a souvenir: a Fossil Fish! I’ve only read about them before. I was very excited. I treated her to lunch, in thanks. I will have to keep Señor SkeleFins in a bucket for now, until I can afford a proper fishtank for him.

I took a trip to Hero’s Hollow to stock up on Skullcaps again and had no problems scooping some up just inside the puzzle room chamber - thankfully, I didn’t have to go all the way in, and avoided the struggle of getting out again.

Before the week was out I went up Moonbreaker Mountain in search of some Candy Rock to combat less savory ingredients like the Scramble Bramble I found earlier. It was raining the entire time, but I don’t mind the rain. Two thirds up the mountain I somehow chance upon meeting another giant, this one awake...but luckily, he was very friendly. His name is Bernard and he invited me to take shelter in his cave to wait out the rain. Lo and behold, the walls of his home were encrusted with Candy Rock like a giant, sugary geode. We had a lovely conversation about geology, and he allowed me to take a sample before I left.

OOC: Rep – 7 [Novice] Silver – 48 Tools – basics Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap)

The shoe elves pointed me toward a local dungeon haunt called Hero’s Hollow, popular with the adventurers passing through. I headed there next, expecting it to be an ideal cultivation ground for Skullcaps, and I wasn’t wrong. Just outside of the dungeon entrance, however, I found an old map of the place half-buried in the dust. I thought it was nicely convenient, until I wandered around inside long enough to realize how terribly outdated and inaccurate it was. The good news is that it led me straight to a patch of Silverleaf, so I made sure to gather plenty of it along with my Skullcaps on the way out.

Hoping to make a good impression with my first patient in the area, I hurried back home to mix her cure in less than half the time I needed. I call it -

“Anti-Toad Antidote”

Crush Skullcap mushrooms into a paste

Boil the mucus out of Smooth-Croaks (discard the bodies - I fed them to Shadow)

Stir together with the mushroom paste until the Skullcap pulp dissolves

End result should have an oily consistency & a mild umami taste

Paid: +20 silver Kiara seemed relieved and thankful, if a little embarrassed. I told her that kissing frogs would never get the result she wanted, and she seemed to concede, although I didn’t like the gleam in her eye when she left.

Additional Notes:

Explored the village a bit this week. I ran into a newly formed adventuring party, lingering around the general store as they prepared for an expedition into Hero’s Hollow. I offered up the old map I found to them, in case it could still be useful, although I did warn them that it’s mostly out of date. They asked me to come along with them in person and act as a guide, instead – so I agreed, thinking this could be a good opportunity for more foraging, and it would be useful to know the layout a little better.

During our exploration I found an ancient-looking whiskey bottle with the seal unbroken despite its age. I’m excited to crack it open sometime and see if it’s really whiskey inside, or something else. Scattered around where I found the bottle was a good number of Hermit Snail shells as well, so managed to gather a good handful. I also picked up a few more Skullcaps, growing around what might have been a tapestry at one point (now it was just scraps of rotted cloth with hints of embroidery on the clean edges). I found a second batch after we struggled our way through something called “the puzzle room,” which is accurate if not expecially creative.

The adventuring party - they call themselves the Bacchae - told me they’ve heard rumors of Wyrd Water sometimes found in the depths of certain dungeons. I’ve studied the idea of Wyrd Water - I’m fascinated by the thought of an entirely separate dimension of reality - but I’ve never handled any personally. I got a little too ambitious and began to search for some while we continued forward, and I was less cautious than I should have been. I fell into an active trap when I wasn’t paying attention and it wounded me badly enough for the expedition to be cut short, as a few members of the party had to help send me home to recover.

OOC: Rep – 6 [Novice] Silver – 20 Tools – basics Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 Animal reagent rarity) Upgrades – garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap)

Witches & Co:

Harper Tobin — novice witch, ambitious and determined, used to being overqualified and understimulated

Shadow — Harper’s familiar, a large black panther raised from kittenhood, gifted by Edhaas

Kevyn (Orendal?) — the previous witch of High Rannoc; disappeared but left behind notes for his successor

Areidala Jackson — Harper’s cousin, a potter living in High Rannoc

Edhaas Tobin — Harper’s elder brother, adventuring scholar studying dragons; often brings home pets

Nana Dorea — Harper’s old master, the witch back home

Muffins the cat — Nana Dorea’s new pet, slightly accident prone

Adventurers:

Ariadne Soriah — research scholar from the Cloud Isles in search of a lost underwater city

Ferrio Verdan — old ranger who often passes through Harper’s hometown

Hildahrafn — elderly barbarian woman; still goes out adventuring as much as she can

Maddi Windwake — druid adventurer, part of the adventuring group The Bacchae

Nikola Skywode — hot (indeed) air balloonist, eccentric and charming

Relissa Sparrow — novice adventurer, long red hair, somewhat gullible

Tybalt Potter — novice adventurer, easily peer-pressured

Illinois James — notorious tomb raider and treasure hunter, possible old flame of Nana Dorea’s

Villagers:

Alexander Pumel — tavern bartender

Calliope Trippin — eldest daughter of the elves running a bed & breakfast out of a giant’s shoe on the shore of Meltwater Loch

Granny Windwake — grandmother of Maddi Windwake; hobbyist gardener

Kiara the vampire — vampire child who works as a bloodletting assistant for the local physician

Susan Chert — local geologist

Tori Baggle — aggressive, claims to be a truffle hunter

Wilfred Foom — the elderly curator of the Lunar Tower in High Rannoc

Yolanda Harrison — antique dealer in High Rannoc

Other Local Denizens:

Bap the demon — disarmingly polite demon convict chained up in the depths of Hero’s Hollow

The Baron — haunted suit of armor; suave, arrogant, pushy, aggressive; old friend of Kevyn?

Bernard the giant — friendly, lives in a candy rock cave on Moonbreaker Mountain

Coral the merfolk — beautiful dancer, assumed to live around the Dreamwater Depths

Dwayne the golem — newly mended stone golem, now helping Harper at the Apothecary

Ezekiel (Zeke), ghost bosun— bosun of the ghost ship Capybara; dated an artist before dying in a pirate attack

Finneon the siren — mysterious but sweet siren living alone & flockless around Meltwater Loch

Io the sphinx — sphinx who’s very bad at riddles

Laurence, ghost captain — captain of the ghost ship Capybara

Nelofar (Nel) the naiad — shy but flirtatious, lives in a river in the Glimmerwood

Paul the skeleton — living skeleton in the dungeon of Hero’s Hollow, gets stepped on a lot

Raggen Gabbro — dwarf who loves fishing & foraging, very knowledgeable about Meltwater Loch Rufus the ?? — a fuzzy dungeon shopkeep of unknown species in Hero’s Hollow