"It would seem that one of the whores in Restov is a werewolf then...interesting." the Ulfen woman says.
"We should secure Kundal for now, for his own protection as much as protection of the townsfolk." Freya says, agreeing with Josef.
"We can head out to meet with the witch whenever the rest of you are ready. Just be forewarned, she wasn't particularly keen on company when Josef, Akiros, and I were there before."
"Then let us go. If she has a cure, we can take care of this man then send an envoy to Restov to locate and help the prostitute as well. Hopefully we can convince her to be a bit more hospitable than with your previous visit," Darian replies.
Once Kundal is properly secured and the horses are readied, he follows Freya as she guides them to this witch.
you travel SW for a few days, finally arriving at the Witches hut.
Her dilapidated mud-brick hut squats atop a small hummock in the middle of a fetid marsh, a thin tendril of bluish smoke trickling through a gaping hole in its moss covered roof.
A wooden fence surrounding the perimeter of the mound is festooned with crude fetishes crafted out of sticks, feathers, and animal bones. A lone crow caws noisily from the top of a nearby cypress tree.
What are you doing now?
The young man walks up to the fence, such as it is, but does not cross it. Then he calls out, trying to be polite . . .. "Uh . . .. HELLO? We hope you can help us with a problem. Can we talk? Please?"
Darian reigns in his horse next to Isabel’s. He gives her a concerned look and was about to turn to call out to the hut and its habitant, but Josef takes the lead. He instead remains seated on his horse and waits for a reply.
After a few moments the window flies open and an old woman peers out grumpily. "You again? Didn't you get the message last time? What do you people want?"
What are you doing now?
"We are in dire need of your wisdom, grandmother," says Lisl with a bowed head. "We have run afoul of a lycanthrope, and we are at a loss as to how to treat the dire curse, yet we do not wish to simply execute folk who meet with such misfortune."
"We're looking for a way to help another man find peace in this life, without having to hurt him. Killing him would be easy. We would rather help him, and we were hoping you could assist us in doing so."
The old woman peers shortl sightedly at the party, soothed by Isabels polite words. "Well I suppose so. Sounds like you went and got someone with manners anyway!"
She invites you to enter her hut and have tea.
What are you doing now?
A small smile crosses the Ulfen woman's face as she follows her companions toward the hut.
|
Isabel dismounts and goes inside, taking a seat with a sigh of relief and looking around.
"You have a lovely home, Grandmother. I can see the attraction of living out in the countryside, so peaceful."
She makes small talk a little while longer before moving on to business.
"I'm sorry to intrude Grandmother, but as we said we have a werewolf problem. He is perhaps three months gone and seems to have contracted the disease from a" she pauses and coughs slightly "lady of the night, somewhere far from here. We are hoping that we might find a cure, so that we don't have to execute him. We heard of your wisdom and knowledge and hoped you might have some advice for us."
As they head in, Darian leans in and whispers to Isabel as he gently takes her hand, "Well, seems she's taken a liking to you. Hopefully you can keep her hospitable and we can convince her to help us."
He enters and allows the others to sit, joining them if there are enough seats. If not, he politely stands behind Isabel to allow the others room to sit.
"My wife speaks the truth, ma'am. But first, perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I am Darian Aulamaxa, and this is my wife Lady Isabel. Accompanying us are Magister Freya, Marshall Josef, and High Priestess Lisl. As they have said, we desire no ill will to you or yours, and hope that we can establish a friendly and cooperative relationship with you."
Josef looks slightly cowed, but remembers to remove his hat as he enters the woman's home. He nods and lifts the hat, slightly, as Darian calls his name.
Remembering her less than stelar efforts to engage the old woman before, Freya remains silent, letting her more socialable companions do the talking.
The interior is dark and smells strongly of plants and herbs. The Old Beldame is human, although the blood of fey runs deep in her—over the years, her magical bloodline has given her skin a strange greenish cast and lengthened her ears to points, further fuel for the locals’
rumor-mongering.
"Sit down girl, you shouldn't be wandering around with that child growing inside you." She orders snappishly as she bustles around making tea. It's clear that with only two stools Isabel is expected to use one while everyone else must sit on the floor or stand.
An extended conversation with the Old Beldame, proves her to be a knowledgeable—though crotchety and ill-tempered—old woman.
"One of the Moon-touched giving you trouble is he?" She mutters as she pours. "Tricky that, very tricky. I might have something that can help...."
What are you doing now?
"Or maybe we could get you some fertilizer and some different vegetables to eat and use the seeds to expand your garden? Or do you need some additional chickens, or pigs?"
Darian places a reassuring hand on Isabel’s shoulder as he stands behind her, quietly awaiting what this witch will request in return for her help in attempting to spare this man from his curse.
The old Beldame cackles a bit. "Oh I won't deny that having a town springing up close by wouldn't be nice for an old woman. A few comforts in my peace and quiet would be very nice."
She thinks a bit, "Of course having people close by brings back all that foolishness as well. Eating babies and cursing milk to spoil. That simpleminded nonsense is what made me come here miles from fools!"
She sighs. "Still at my age having friendly neighbors would be a nice thing. I may have something that can help your moon-touched unfortunate. But in return I'd like you to do a little favor for me."
She mentions an area Freya & Josef are familiar with Hex19, specifically the geothermal mud pit you came across but bypassed.
Quest: Black Rattlecaps
She asks you to gather a batch of black rattlecap mushrooms from a dangerous mud pit.
Source: The Old Beldame,
Task: The Old Beldame uses the sporepods inside of black rattlecap mushrooms to brew a potent tea, but the mushrooms are very rare. She sends you to the Mud Bowl (area P) to gather as many of the mushrooms as they can for her.
What are you doing now?
"Collect some mushrooms? I think we can do that. Even if it does mean going into the hot mud pit . . .."
Darian nods to the old woman. ”Thank you for your willingness to help. Do you know anything about these mushrooms we should know? Are they toxic if handled wrong? Do any creatures prefer to eat them that we will have to tend with?”
The old woman shrugs and holds up a jar filled with small black balls of some substance. "The mushrooms grow to about 8 inches, but the caps are hollow and full of these, which gives them a loud rattle. I've made tea out of it for years dearie, so I doubt it will harm your pretty hide."
She sits back down. "I haven't been there for years, too old to make the trip nowadays, so I can't tell you anything about what lives there."
What are you doing now?
"The area she is describing had an awful stench to it when Josef, Akiros, and I were near there before. So awful in fact we turned back." Freya comments.
”Well, it looks like we are just going to have to hold our breaths, then,” Darian says with a smile. He turns back to the old woman and adds ”We will do our best to bring you as many as we are able in a timely manner. Thank you for being willing to help us help this man.”
"Do we need to exercise caution when handling the mushrooms? Wear gloves?" asks Lisl.
"Well, as I recall, the mud pit was a hot mud pit, bubbling as we watched. We may want gloves and such regardless of what the mushrooms might make happen."
Since Pek seems to have vanished on you it might be wise to check in at Silverhold on your loop around the lake.
As you set off the leave the old woman stirs as she remembers something. "Make sure you bring the moon-touched boy with you when you return. I'll have what I need set up by then."
What are you doing now?
Darian nods to the old woman. ”Thank you. Everyone, let’s go give Kendal a bit of hopeful news then and get what we need then set off to these mud pits.”
"It's always a treat to be able to give good news for a change," says Lisl.
"Thank you, Grandmother," she says to the witch with an inclination of her head.
Darian lead the group back outside and helps Isabel up to her horse before mounting his own. He then leads the group back to Silverhold, talking to his companions on the way.
”So, what do you guys think of her? Can she be trusted? I saw no reason to distrust her based on our initial encounter there, but what did you guys think?”
"No obvious reason to distrust her. No other real ideas to save that guy's life. The mud pit is going to be pretty unpleasant, but at least finding her special mushrooms supports the idea she's a witch with some sort of special powers."
While there is a little distance between you and the Swamp witches hut, it still takes you less than a day to return to Silverhold. There you not the Peks boat has gone, along with the colorful Gnome.
This does leave you lacking someone to deal with the nasty business of traps. Fortunately news of the new kingdom is spreading, and bring with it the normal flow of treasure seekers and adventurers.
Surely finding someone able to remove traps won't take you too long?
As they ride into the little town, Darian says to the others ”Gather what you will need and get a good nights rest. We will ride for these mud pits at dawn,” before dismounting from his own horse and heading to the Silver Raven. As he nears, he uses his magic to alter his appearance to that of some fairly inconspicuous commoner before stepping inside.
Once there, he looks around the room for any of the adventurous looking sort that could prove helpful in a pinch.
Freya considers Darian's question momentarily before responding.
"Yes, I believe she can be trusted...particularly after your bride's honeyed words." the druid says with an appreciative nod toward Isabel.
"She could prove to be a valuable ally, particularly if we respect her privacy and do not call upon her unnecessarily."
"Hmmph...so much for the gnome. I wonder what made him decide to leave?" Freya rhetorically comments before settling in for the night.
Within the Silver Raven's walls, standing before it's bar and gesturing expressively with a flagon of beer is what could be charitably described as a 'mountain man'. The clothing adorning his broad frame is very frontier, and the cloak he's got piled on top of his pack on the floor next to him very obviously has it's roots in an unfortunate bear.
The one thing which marks him as unusual specimen vis a visit backwoods trappers stylistically is that he's very thoroughly shaved. No beard on this fella.
He's doing his level best to monopolize what passes for a conversation at the bar with an assortment of other drinkers; he's deep in the middle of a third straight story involving being outnumbered by unsavory sorts. "... so, you know how hunters drive their quarry ahead of them? Well, these fine gentlemen thought they were driving me towards this little glen they'd rigged with foot manglers. Only, ye see,I knew they were there. So I..," and Ortossi carries on with the gruesome tale.
The “common man” steps into the main room of the inn and looks over the crowd. He juggles a coin purse and calls out ”Lookin’ fer someone to do a job! Any takers?”
As the room falls silent at his call out, he waits patiently for who might answer first.
" .. to absolute shreds. It were like-," only the story isn't finished, the thrilling conclusion to 'Four Bounty Hunters Get Lost In The Woods Part 5' gets cut off by, if not the offer of work, the lyrical sound of a full coin purse in motion.
Ortossi polishes off the flagon, lays it down on the top of the bar, and eyes the nondescript man. "We-ell, that depends on what it is and for how much. Though it looks like you've got a good start on to the how much."
”We will discuss the wages. Let’s go talk,” he replies as he turns back to the door, leading the way out.
”I have it on good authority that the leaders of this town are gonna be heading out on an expedition at dawn. What have you heard of them? And what ya think about ‘em?”
"Never met them. Don't generally make up my mind on folks what I don't know. As for what I've heard, it's good enough I dragged myself from one end of the River Kingdoms to the other to partake of the hospitality of this here village of theirs.". Ortossi is quick to take up his pack and sling it over a shoulder as he follows the presumed underling out the door, an almost comically over sized hammer resting on the other.
" Expedition, eh? Exploratory, military, or diplo-matic?
As the two talk, the man leads Ortossi all the while towards the castle. ”And what sort of man are you? Is your loyalty to coin?”
The ranger considers this question as they walk, his gait the easy rolling proceeding of a man who spends a lot of time putting one foot in front of the other. " Naw. Not as such. Been out in the back end of the world for a fair while. My loyalties mostly been to keeping my head attached to my neck, ye know? But, worr, beer don't grow on trees, and Wallace's grown 'ccustomed to eating oats, the lazy beast. Wouldn't mind having a roof over our heads in the winter, neither. Need silver and gold to make all that happen."
Ortossi scratches at his cheek as he ruminates on unfamiliar topics involving bmoney, and it's diverse uses. " Seems like a nice enough village though, in't? Leastwise there's no guild of assassins running the place, that's for sure. Makes for a nice change."
”Indeed. So you are a traveler, then, looking for a place to settle in, it would seem?”
Ortossi sucks on his teeth as he thinks about that. He's in no hurry to answer. "Seems as accurate as any other way to put it, yer."
When they approach the gates to the castle, the man turns to Ortossi and says ”Wait here.”
He then heads off to a side alley and allows the illusion to fade before approaching the castle from a side entrance, where he enters. He immediately finds the others and says ”I think I have found us a bit of extra muscle for the trek, in case things go poorly. Seems a woodsman and hunter. He has no idea that it was me he was dealing with. But he seemed, at least for now, to not be someone looking to kill any of us. So...that’s a plus. He’s outside the gates now if anyone wants to talk with him.”
Lisl says, "A woodsman? That seems a sensible choice. There's no reason for us not to meet him, yes?"
"Prefers the wilds to being cooped up here in town? Can't be all bad." Freya says with a smirk.
Turning to her ever-present companions, Fenrir and Muninn, she says, "Shall we go meet our new 'friend'?" before heading for the gates.
A large gray wolf leads an Ulfen woman out of the castle gates. A raven sits perched on the woman's shoulder.
"So I hear that you might be interested in joining our most recent expedition. What do you bring to the journey other than another bow and a rather large hammer?" Freya matter-of-factly asks.
Outside, Ortossi loiters like a studied professional, seated on his pack, and eating a morsel of cheese. When whatever collection of people come out to interrogate him, he stands up. " Hm. Well, I've got a mule, and a big cat, and some jerky. More important might be that I've been evading, out fighting and out foxing bounty hunters off and on for years. Know my way around traps, snares, deadfalls, ambushes and the like. Scramble a mean omelette, too."