"Going straight to bokkens seems like the wise course if we are decided on it see if we can get something to advantage us against the bandits and come back"
"Fine, let's go to Bokken's and return the same day so we can protect the fort."
"I think it is settled. Unless someone here profoundly disagrees, I think it is decided that we will visit this Bokken. Hopefully he will have something useful for us against the bandits."
While the group is discussing their plans for the next day and making sure they are all in agreement Svetlana takes her leave and sees to cleaning up after the meal. While she is away from the dining area Oleg leans in and makes the group an offer.
"I'd like to ask you all to try and find my wife's wedding ring. She says its no big deal to her but it is to me. If you can find it and return it, I'll give you 1,000 gold crowns in store credit. The bandits were the last to have it but they could have lost or sold it by now. I know it's a long shot but I'd sure appreciate it if you could keep an eye out for it."
"Of course, Oleg. We'll do whatever we can."
Bella then gets up and helps Svetlana as much as she can get away with.
"Thank you," answers Oleg. "I know it might seem silly but I want it back if possible."
The proprietor of the trading post then stands and collects the papers he was writing on earlier. He then exits the room and heads to his office.
A few minutes after the departure of her husband, Svetlana returns to the dining room.
"If you don't mind," she says in a quiet voice so that her husband can't hear, "I'd like to ask you all while you are out exploring. If it's not too much trouble, that is, to try and find some moon radishes for me. They are really rare but I've heard of a patch a few miles into the Narlmarch southwest of here. Oleg loves them and his Naming day is coming up and I'd like to make his favorite dish, moon radish soup."
"I know it might seem silly to you, with all that you have to concern yourself with," she says shyly, "but with everything going on I'd sure love to make him his favorite. If you can bring me enough moon radishes to make the soup I'll pay you 250 gold crowns for them."
"I'll take second or third watch whichever allows a spellcaster to get a good straight sleep"
Before Oleg leaves, Celyne asks him pointedly "How will we recognize her ring if we find it. Is there an inscription? Anything specially notable about it... a stone perhaps or the design?"
Nothing like a good scavenger hunt to keep the senses keen.
Before Oleg leaves, Celyne asks him pointedly "How will we recognize her ring if we find it. Is there an inscription? Anything specially notable about it... a stone perhaps or the design?"
"It's nothing too unique," responds Oleg, "a simple gold band with rose etchings around the band."
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"If it's not too much trouble, that is, to try and find some moon radishes for me."
"Ah, the dreaded Moon Radish. I have heard of these fell creatures. Most of the time they seem to be perfectly harmless radishes, but by the light of the moon they turn into a terrible half-man half-radish, and they seek to avenge our treatment of vegetablekind by feasting on the flesh of humans - I'm sure they don't mind the occasional gnome either. They are said to particularly like the marrow of our bones, and the eerie Moon Radish groves are filled with the sounds of cracking bones on the night of the full moon."
"Fortunately they have many weaknesses. Shining moonlight into their eyes with a mirror will confuse them, and they have a pungent aroma that is easily discernible downwind. They can also be injured with silver weapons. Erm... does anyone have any sort of silver weapons?"
Numalar looks around for a moment, seeing if anyone steps up with a silver weapon.
He then continues speaking.
"Lady Svetlana, do not fear. We will slay these moon radishes for you and bring you their bodies as proof; we would do so even if there was no reward. Such creatures deserve to be exterminated. Let no man say that Numalar Auritonius feared to face a radish."
Svetlana gives Numalar a strange look. Perhaps he's had too much of that drink he carries, she considers to herself.
"Um, I'm not sure what you are talking about," she finally responds, "but these are nothing like that. These are simple radishes that the heads are shaped like the moon. They are a rare delicacy. The most dangerous thing about them is that they are beloved by kobolds."
Svetlana totally misses out on Numalar's bluff and goes off back to the kitchen worried about the gnome.
With dinner over and the companions with new tasks given to them by their hosts, everyone finally turns in for the evening. The horses remain in the courtyard during the night out of fear of the worgs returning. The animals do not like being confined and make quite a bit of noise but eventually settle in.
The night is cold and an hour or so after midnight a light rain begins to fall. Those on watch are able to warm themselves by the fire pit outside the main hall. Thankfully the night passes without incident but it is a cold and rainy morning that greets everyone.
Toilday - 1st of Gozran, 4708 AR
After a quick breakfast and making sure that all is prepared, the companions set out of Oleg's on their way. Armed with general directions to Bokken's Hut, the companions head southeast from the post, the rain still falling and dark skies overhead.
A little bit after noon, or so everyone believes given the fact that the sun remains hidden behind heavy clouds, the companions pull up outside the grove of trees they believe to have been described to them by Oleg. Inside the grove, in a clearing, will be found the hut for Bokken the Hermit. The rain lets up and finally quits as the companions dismount outside the grove.
"Yes lets look..... BOKKEN! calls Zokon... while looking around. He then gets off his horse and leads it forward.
Zokon manages to scare a number of crows and other birds out of the nearby trees. They voice their frustration at the slayer as they depart from their lofts. There is no answer from the wood however.
Following Zokon and his horse inside the grove, everyone with the exception of Fronar can see that the grove is very well kept. There are a number of different plants and bushes around the grove, many of them that are not normally native the area. There seem to be an inordinate number of small animals darting about; rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. They all seem well-fed and not all that frightened by the appearance of the company.
Moving further through the encircling trees brings everyone into a small clearing where there is a large garden sitting beside a rather ordinary looking wood and mud hut. There is smoke coming out of the chimney but no sign of movement. There is no door, only a number of thick, dark vines that hang over the doorway like a curtain.
Zokon will approach the house with his bow stashed.
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Numalar looks around at the surroundings, and sniffs the air for a moment. He looks at the ground, looking for footprints.
"Hm. A lonelier spot even than Oleg's. Perhaps Bokken is one of those back-to-nature types we often hear about. He certainly would get that out here; this place has little else to recommend it. Shall we look inside?"
Zokon also looks around examining the area for tracks and traces
"This place is beautiful. Look at all the critters up and about!"
Looking around the glade more the group finds that the garden is indeed well tended, that there are a number of tracks all around the glade and the surrounding wooded area though they are mostly of one person.
As Fronar speaks a rather skinny and small-framed man walks out of the hut. He is startled as he sees the group but is otherwise unafraid.
"Oh!-Visitorstotheglade," he says with little emotion. The man speaks quite rapidly and his eyes dart about all directions, never really lingering on one thing more than a second or two. "WellwelcomeIsuppose...Unlessyoumeenmeharminwhichcaseyoucanbeonyourway..."
With wild eyes and bushy hair he looks about at each of the member's of the group to see who will speak first.
"We mean you no harm, we come bringing you pleasant tidings of the day and business! I hope you are open to our trade." Celyne speaks calmly and evenly, hoping to allay any fear he may have of such a large group bringing trouble.
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"Greetings good sir!" Numalar steps forward with a big smile.
"I am Numalar Auritonius, and I am at your service." Nunmalar doffs his hat and bows deeply for a moment.
"My companions and I are explorers; we mean to explore and chart this part of the Stolen Lands known as the Green Belt. May I assume you are the one known as Bokken? We recently made friends with Oleg and Svetlana Leveton, and they advised us to make your acquaintance. They said you are a master of many natural arts."
Numalar looks around at the glade. "No doubt you know a great many things to keep yourself safe all alone out here. Since Oleg and Svetlana have recently had trouble with bandits, and we offered to help them, we thought we might seek out your advice."
Bokken smile at both Celyne and then Numalar. He laughs as Numalar makes his extensive bow. He means no offense, just not something that he sees around these parts very often. He looks the others to introduce themselves.
Valeska, pleasure to make your acquaintance... She finishes with a slight bow and genuine smile.
Forcibly making himself say more
Zokon steps forward and bows with a quick flourish..
"I am Zokon Santyev and I am pleased to make your acquaintance good Bokken, if there is a way that we can aid you please advise us so that we can show our good intentions with deeds as well."
"Good day Bokken, I am Bella, a priestess of Sarenrae. This grove that you have been tending to is absolutely beautiful."
Ah well, nice to meet you all," replies Bokken. "Come on in where its warm, no need standing out in the cold." The eccentric hermit then leads the group into his hut.
It takes a moment for eyes to adjust to the dimmer lighting inside the hut. Although there are a few windows to keep the hut ventilated, Bokken keeps most of them covered with vines similar to the ones over the door. In the corner there is a hearth and fire with several pots in various stages of cooking. There is a rather odd and strong mixture of smells that come from the pots.
"Make yourself at home as you can," Bokken says with a wave of his hand around the room. There is literally no where to sit other than the floor. Bokken makes his way over to a nearby table that is just about covered with various herbs, spices, plants, and even a dead animal or two. He moves some things around and makes a place to set some other leaves and plants that he pulls from a pouch at his side. He then unslings the pouch and tosses it in a corner. Moving over to inspect the various pots he says, "You mention business. I assume Oleg told you about my potions? You here to buy some?" Without waiting for an answer, the rapidly talking hermit moves from topic to topic and back again.
"Yes, I like the quiet of this place and most times I'm left alone. Haven't had any trouble in quite a while actually. Thank you, the garden and the grove are pretty much my life out here so I tend to keep them well tended. Ha!" He laughs at his own mini-joke and keeps on talking. "Exploring and such, eh? Well, you folk interested in finding some Fangberries for me whiler yer out there? Find me Fangberries and I'll cook up just about any potions you want for a month."
Bokken looks at Numalar for about two seconds. An eternity for the quickly moving and talking hermit. He gives the gnome a look that questions his sanity. "Dangerous?! Well no, of course not. And whoever told you that moon radishes were dangerous? They're a berry. I use them in my potions and I always need more."
"Now, I've got some already made if yer in need now?"
"How will we recognize these fangberries when we find them? Can you show us an example or describe them well? And of course potions would be most welcome... what sort of potions do you brew? Are you more of an alchemist or do you make magical potions as well?"
Zokon was already looking around the house and was about to touch what might be a potion bottle when the subject came up, he snatched his hand away just in case he was noticed.
"In the Narlmarch," responds Bokken to Zokon. "Southwest of Oleg's, deep in the heart of the forest. You can find them there. I have 3 potions that help with wounds and one that helps a person to stay alive in bad weather and such."
"Those are for sale now. If you want something else, just ask I'll let you know if I can brew one up or not."
As Celyne asks about the fangberries he nods and goes over to a cabinet. He rummages through before pulling out a sack. He reaches in and pulls out a handful of the berries that he shows to you all.
Zokon looks a bit guilty as if Bokken may have caught him checking out stuff he wasn't supposed to as Bokken talks to him.
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"Sounds like a great bargain to me. With the plans we have for the area, we may well become your most valuable customers. We are a bit strapped for researches this early in our campaign. Would you be willing to let us take the potions with us on faith, in case they may be needed in the recovery of your ingredients? Oleg can certainly vouge for our word, that we will provide acceptable compensation when we return, task complete. What do you say?"
Maybe it's the acrid smoke from the hermit's, or the effects the sun and travel fatigue finally setting in, but for whatever reason the world swims before your eyes like a mirage left revealed. You are back in the Leveton house planning your journey the night before. Oleg has just made his offer for the safe return of his smiling wife's wedding band. But...
Before Oleg leaves, Celyne asks him pointedly "How will we recognize her ring if we find it. Is there an inscription? Anything specially notable about it... a stone perhaps or the design?"
"It's nothing too unique," responds Oleg, "a simple gold band in the shape of a tatzlwurm with rose etchings around it."
"Well if we are all going to bed soon, I'll take whichever watch is most convenient for the casters to get their rest or preparations done."