Kiren introduces himself to Rena with a courtly bow, then reads the letter she delivered. He is lost in thought for a moment. "It appears I am needed back in my homeland. Apparently they have forgiven me for that accidental fire..."
After gathering his things and taking the horse Rena brought, he bids farewell to his colleagues, even giving everyone a hug. "I hope our road brings us together in the future. Rena, they are good companions. They will always have your back. Just try to keep them out of trouble" Then he rides away in a cloud of dust.
A new entry has appeared in the log book. A map has been drawn showing the route to an isolated cabin in the woods. A notation simply reads, "Parcel for delivery, a days ride away. You may commence when ready. Please acknowledge."
"Oh. I wanted to see him juggle." Kalum adds forlornly as Kiren leaves.
Shorga responds in an embarrassed fashion to Rena, "Arcane, of course. Excushe my ignorance."
As Kiren heads away Shorga waves, and wishes him well, hoping they'll meet again.
When the message comes to wait for the next delivery, the half-orc suggests Kalum write their intention to take the next delivery. At some point afterwards when their relaxed and waiting for the next day, "Sho those were shome bee'sh! I've never sheen them that huge before, and if I never she another redcap in my life I think I'll be grateful, eh?"
Anybody need equipment? I still haven't gotten around to tabulating the account balance.
(I realize that is pretty low gold for level 3...)
I am still recovering from our battle with the redcap, everyone who has been around notices that I am very subdued, not doing any of my usual antics on the new person and try not to move around too much.
"We need to buy a map, remember. I don't want the universe angry at Icarus anymore. I certainly don't want it angry at me!"
Shorga spends a fair amount of time grooming Ursa, who took a bit of a beating, and got extremely dirty, during their last mission to retrieve the honey. He wonders after the fate of the fey creatures they encountered in the forest as he works.
Shorga: they are able to sell you a spare suit of barding for Ursa.
Kalum wends his way off, and returns with a lighter purse and a surprisingly accurate map.
In a surprisingly Stentorian voice he asks
"Icarus, do you renounce the evils of Geometry?"
Kalum mimes a broad nod at Icarus.
I look startled at Kalum's question, thinking for a moment. "Well, nothing is inherently evil, you see, everything is just a tool and it is the people that use the tools that make it evil or not...." I trail off seeing the look on Kalum's face. "Uh, yea sure, DOWN WITH GEOMETRY!" I wince a little after shouting and my hand goes to my stomach.
Bluff (for the down with geometry)
this okay? Taken a few liberties...
Kalum holds the map up high, chanting in an ululating voice
"Ia Ia Yog Sothoth Ia Ia The Gate and The Key"
As he speaks tiny black motes form in the air around him, drifting down like tiny gentle delicate snowflakes. Where they touch the map it cracks and blackens, quickly marring it forever. As the last of the map disintegrates a burst of healing energy flows over everyone.
Kalum, a luminous green glow in his eyes, as if reflected light from some strange invisible being or place was somehow transmuted temporarily visible, or more disturbingly those around him had temporarily become able to see it.
"Icarus! You are forgiven! Do not risk displeasure a second time!
"Otis! Be healed!"
At this last Kalum puts his hand upon Otis' leg. Wracking pain hits Otis as the pain of the bee stings transmutes into fire. One by one small bees crawl their way out of the swollen stung skin, forcing their way to the skin's surface and then buzzing into the sky.
damage map (and Kalum)
Healing energy
Restoration 1
Restoration 2
After Kalum works his magic, Otis stares at him, wide-eyed.
"This was tne most negative-feel positive energy I've ever received."
He spends the next 15 minutes or so closely inspecting his healed leg, as if expecting more bees to come out of it, or honey to start dripping.
The pickup spot appears to be just a few hours away to the east, although it is hard to tell in the forest. You leave in the morning and make good time through most of the day.
The locals avoid this region because of stories of a witch, Lyzelda, who lives in the area.
The more believable stories seem to indicate she is sometimes helpful to travelers in need.
Give me a drive check, plus a Knowledge Geography (or Local) check for navigation. Also who will be on watch? The trees are too low to sit on top.
For the assist(s) - maybe +2 will make a difference:
I will ride in the back with Kalum talking to him about his belief system
"Well Icarus, it's complicated, obviously. And there's secrets and stuff. But, I guess I can give you a simple version. Basically, the universe is alive... and by universe I mean not just the sum of all space but also of all time, which is really just another sort of direction, a bit like up and down - we can only go in one direction. Maybe there are time birds? That might make sense. So the universe is alive and we're all part of it, living in it, like people live in a house. Wait - no - like tapeworms live in people. Yeah. And the universe can think and sort of see, but it has trouble seeing inside itself. Occasionally it makes things that can see for it, like an eye or something, only inside it, Like if you could see through a tapeworm inside your stomach. Obviously the universe is really powerful, so it doesn't actually need us to do anything, but I think it appreciates the gesture. Geometry is all about telling the universe how it should work. Con-straining it. Yeah. Maps are like someone telling the universe "you should be this way" so they're rude. My purpose is to see as much of the universe as I can so when I die it can see itself through what I saw, because of course at some time I die and it is not only already at that time, but actually is that moment and that place where I die."
Kalum stops - "You with me so far? It starts to get a bit weird now"
"Hey - anyone heard of this place?"
I listen raptly to Kalum's explanation, with his pause in narration I say quietly "mind blown" Then "Uh, yes makes amazing sense actually."
Kalum is confident that he is guiding the wagon in the right direction. You pass through some well-logged areas near the camp into a thicker and darker part of the forest. As evening falls, you seem to be getting close to your destination but the forest seems to grow more ominous. You see twisted trees and large spiderwebs. This area seems to be starting to get marshier as well. You can camp here or press on, but you may risk getting stuck in a bog.
Otis pats Kalum on the back - a driving job well done.
"Looks like we can all relax and let the tapeworm in your stomach do the driving. Or did I get something wrong in your theory?"
Big enough to be from a man-sized spider.
Rena turns her head, as if studying each strand of thick spider web... "Sorry, I don't much like bugs, spiders even less so..."
"Not exactly Otis, but like I said, theology is complicated."
Rena turns her head, as if studying each strand of thick spider web... "Sorry, I don't much like bugs, spiders even less so..."
"Me either..."
"I usually don't mind them too much, but with something that could make a web this large I'd rather not take any chances. I'd rather press on."
perception
Kalum feels the presence of spiders large and small all over the forest. You decide to press on. Driver roll, please. Kalum (or whoever is riding shotgun) and Shorga can aid with Perception. Can someone make light?
You go for a couple of hours and leave the webs behind. It is difficult to find landmarks in the dark but you see a standing hollow tree trunk that marks the path to your destination, marked on the map as a small house. You can see a bluish light from a window in the distance, a few hundred yards away. The path is narrower but it looks like the carriage will fit.
"What do you suppose those are? Hmmm..."
perception
Knowledge
(religion)
(planes)
(history)
Kalum snores gently
Rena believes they are Protection charms of some kind.
"Mosht curioush." The cavalier says as the others point out the objects in the tree's, his own neck craned back as he examines the odd shapes. "Are they dangeroush?" he asks Rena.
Rena believes they are no danger to the group but are likely wards against malevolent spirits.
As you approach the cottage, you see a variety of totem-like carvings. Two shining eyes watch from the underbrush, then you see it is a black cat which scampers across the path before disappearing around the back of the cottage.
"Oh! What a quaint little cottage!" I say, not seeming to notice the ambiance of the place
The door opens with a creak and an old crone appears. She says, "You must be the delivery boys. What are you doing out late in the woods at this hour? Won't you come in?" A black cat rubs against her leg. Through the door you see an ordinary, if run-down sitting room, decorated with lace doilies and cluttered with knickknacks.
Otis greets the crone politely (constantly reminding himself not to call her a 'crone' out loud), but can't help guffawing at the question.
"Well excuse me, lady, but we were out in the woods doing our job, delivering your parcel to you... Thank you for the invitation, though, much appreciated after the tiresome journey."
As Otis comes in, he briefly looks around the cabin.
The sitting room has old but fancy upholstered furniture. The tables and walls are cluttered with various figurines and carvings in a bewildering array of styles from grotesque (skulls) to rustic (taxidermied small animals) to dainty (porcelain figurines). Nearby is a small kitchen with an iron caldron hanging over a fireplace. It seems well stocked with herbs, various small bottles that could be potions or alchemical ingredients, and stranger items like preserved animals and a jar that appears to hold some kind of eyeballs.
The cat hisses at Shorga but the crone calms him. She offers you tea and introduces herself as Mother Agatha. "Hmm, what have we here, a servant of an Outer God, hmmm. A stalwart half-orc. A student of people, eh? An expert driver, of course. And a young student of the arcane arts. Always good to meet an arcane sister, eh?" She pats each person in turn like a doting grandmother, pinching cheeks and dusting off cloaks.
She gestures at a stack of small crates. "These are the items I need delivered, to my sister over in the Verduran Forest. She will pay you on delivery, but I can give you an advance by providing you with some of my handiwork. Perhaps a wand that makes you look younger?" She briefly takes the form of a comely young woman. "Sorry dearies, you have no need of that one, ha."
"You wouldn't happen to have any Slurk slime, would you? I could use some for my craft."
Otis is alarmed at the displays of witchcraft, but reasons that the witch must mean no harm as long as they are useful to her.
"No, we don't have any slime, un... fortunately. What's a Slurk, anyway?"