Nestis continues poring over the list, fragments of cooking lore coming to mind...
Most of the ingredients are common enough, though expensive in some cases. The only one that could be a problem is the amethyst plums. Neither of you have heard of such a fruit, but a merchant of exotic fruits would probably know.
You blink and you find yourself standing on a polished obsidian floor that seems to stretch on forever. Light comes from somewhere, but you have no idea where.
"Oh dear. You're just falling apart! I mean look at you," a voice comes out from everywhere, rattling you a bit like a maraca.
Floating signs pop into existence while you feel your limbs move to pose you spread-eagle while arrows point out your various injuries and conditions.
"I'm surprised you're not a nervous wreck, dear! I, uh... Sorry dear, but what's your name," the voice asks.
"Three days until the feast. But! Ve must haff time to cook, so chop-chop!"
"Let's get this s#!+show on the road!" bellows Mark as he starts making his way to where the cart is located.
Teegor obviously takes the lead to pull the cart by himself, like the loyal servant he is.
Nestis gives Teegor a slight but noticeable nod of approval then turns to Nilelane.
"Could you explain that, please? Also, we need to find a seller of exotic fruits for the amethyst plums. The other ingredients should be trivial to obtain."
"Hmm? Oh it's nothing," Nilelane says in as reassuring a voice as can be managed when you sound like a zombie.
Teegor finds that the wagon, a large one that would be difficult for even him to pull alone, is already hitched to a pair of stout horses bred for such work.
"Indeed! I can see that you were quite yummy," the voice says as images of seeing yourself in mirrors pop into existence, some of the memories from your adolescence could have stayed hidden in the depths of your mind however.
"Now, I have a proposal to make you. How would you like to have your body restored back to pristine condition?"
As you all clamber into the cart, Nilelane blinks, as if only realizing where she is and giggles.
"Oh, so we're taking a wagon! That makes much more sense than just walking there," she says as she flounces up next to Teegor and hums contentedly.
Mark and Nestis know that Teegor is perfectly capable to drive the cart. That's what henchman do. The bugbear climbs aboard taking the reins, happy that horses are actually pulling this cart and sets out, once all are aboard.
"Teegor knows driving a cart. As for the list, it's mostly composed of straightforward, commonly available ingredients, albeit some expensive. The amethyst plums are set to be a potential tricky point but we can look for a exotic fruit merchant. I am content to handle negotiations if ye wish."
As promised the town is only about an hour away. You arrive to find a lively market, and a signpost as you enter the square finally gives you a clue as to how far you've come. Whaddamacallit is about a day's travel to the south. Putting that thought aside, you begin to procure the ingredients needed.
"Regurgitate? Patch? Oh no, no, no! I do not do such base restorations! Your body will be new, pristine! As for what you may call me–" the voice says before being interrupted by a voice almost forgotten. The voice of a yochlol.
"Thief! This is my mortal! Go find your own," it accuses the unknown voice.
With a very disturbing sensation of being crushed, the room shrinks until you find yourself sitting in a comfy chair at a table set for tea. In one of the other two remaining chairs is the half-melted waxy form of a yochlol. And in the other, a mouse?
"I, madam," the mouse speaks in the same voice that was offering to restore your body, "am no thief. She is free to chose or refuse as she sees fit."
"But she's mine," the yochlol whines as it slumps and looks ready throw a childish tantrum. "She's my favorite! Do you know what I had to do to get Lolth to let me keep playing her?!"
Unlike most wizards, Mark had alot of hard years loading and unloading ships in his youth. He knows the best person to talk to in a town without a port is the caravan master, so he says "Alright, I'm going to go get some information. Let's meet back here in an hour, and we should still have enough time to talk to the people we need to talk to."
He then turns and starts walking back towards the gate the group had just entered.
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At the gate, Mark asked where he could find the caravan master's office. Getting directions, eventually found the man's office, but not before making a brief pitstop to pick up a bottle of whiskey.
Knocking on the caravan master's door, Mark enters and explains his request, offering the man a drink while he talks.
"So, basically, I need to know which companies deal with hard to find spices and ingredients, or exotic and really high-end creatures, and I knew you would be just the man to ask."
While Nilelane wreaks mayhem, Nestis collates intelligence gathered by Mark and Corso, then picks his targets.
He walks up to shopkeepers, some with intact shops, some with smouldering ruins - and starts engaging them in conversation.
He uses whichever lies will secure the most ingredients in good condition. He offers services to secure goods by "soldiers sworn to serve the God of Commerce". He tells others that "emergency taxation" is in effect for the effort to defend the town and that they must hand over merchandise straight away. Others he tells that there is something behind them and that they really should look at it. Right there, can't they see it?
Teegor parks the cart and goes about shopping. Standard chores for the henchman. He is as gentle as possible in his behavior but takes the advantages that his appearance gives him when offered.
"See? She doesn't want your stupid pristine body restoration," the yochlol spits, sounding and looking rather smug.
"Would you want your body to be able to do that, without the painful contortions," the mouse asks, ignoring Lolth's Handmaiden for the moment. "Consider this a favor owed. Do me a favor in return and I'll consider it even."
"What?! No! Don't listen to him Nilelane! You're happy with me! You're happy being my favorite," the Yochlol demands petulantly.
The party is mostly successful, with Teegor's bad reputation getting in the way of his attempts to buy ingredients, what with the guards shadowing him and the shopkeeps running in terror. After two hours, you have everything, but the Amethyst Plums. Thankfully, Mark's efforts have lead you to a vendor.
It is about then that you notice the two short, badly disguise kobolds tailing your party.
Nestis whispers to the others:
"Two kobolds following. Terrible disguises. I'm happy to handle speaking with them."
"I'll speak with them. If they prove a problem, I'm sure you'll know what to do.", Nestis whispers with a smile.
He turns, and walks straight up to the kobolds.
"Why hello there! I'm surprised to see you! What are you doing here, may I ask?"
"You mean the eternal abyssal enforcer that is currently whining and simpering over there," the mouse asks. The yochlol, now that it seems you aren't going to switch sides on it, is busy muttering to itself.
"...Wouldn't be so high and mighty if it weren't for me!" The demonic entity grumbles and whines as it stuffs its mouths with teacakes and other pastries. "Who does Lolth think she is? Huh? Would be a goddess too if I could make myself look like that...Damn cakes are tasty..."
"Yes, I can see why you'd want to stick with the being that is responsible for your current state. Well, if you would rather continue this existence and not try something new for the small price of baking and delivering a cake, then who am I to argue," the mouse says turning away.
"I mean, eternal life is eternal life, who cares if everyone thinks of you as some disgusting zombie or that you still feel the pain of your unhealed wounds."
The kobolds try to act as if they do not see Nestis approaching, but they are not very good actors.
"Why we issss ssssimple gnomesssessss! We isssss looking for trinketssssss for our fifty–"
"Fifteen."
"Yesss, Fifteen childssssessss. We have never metssss before!"
The first kobold grins from behind the poorly-made, fake mustache whiled the second snout-claws and shakes their head.
Nestis leans in and whispers:
"Cut the act. We are busy with our task. Why. Are. You. Here?"
"We were sent to help and to keep an eye on things," the second kobold whispers back as he pushes the first aside. "Consider us help if you need it."
"Understood. Be warned, your disguise is easy to see through."
Nestis walks back to the others.
"Eyes, and assistance if we require it. Let's get to that vendor that Mark mentioned."
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"It's not," the mouse chuckles, "You'll find the details in your bag."
"Wait. WHAT?! You're accepting his offer?! NO! NONONONONONO–"
With a pop, you're back in your body on a wagon heading to a village. In your bag, as promised, are a couple of sheets of parchment sealed in wax that detail the task you are to do, as well as a small vial labeled "Bottoms Up"
There are two sheets of parchment. The first is a recipe for a red velvet cake that, honestly, sounds really good. You're able to find the ingredients for it easily on the shopping trip.
The second sheet has the location and description of the person you are to deliver it to. It sounds close by, maybe an hour's travel by foot. It also has a note for you.
As a token of good faith, I've taken the liberty of putting a small vial with a potion that will effect the change immediately into your bag. Simply drink the vial's contents and take a nap to enjoy the new you.
"Ow! Owowowowow! Stop! You're gonna tear my snout off," the first kobold complains as Nilelane jerks his head about as she tries to rip his mustache off.
"Please don't rip his snout off," the second asks politely, "He'll be complaining for weeks if you do, even if he deserves it for being an idiot."
Meanwhile, the rest of you approach the merchant who looks at Teegor and nearly wets his pants.
"Um, yes. Can I... *gulp* Can I help you, good sirs," he asks, his eyes never leaving Teegor. "F-first purchase is free!"
As you turn to join the others, Nilelane, you hear the second kobold tell the first, "I like her. Maybe we can talk the Chef into hiring her on after this."
The first kobold just groans.
"We require amethyst plums.", Nestis says, with the most genuine-looking smile that he is capable of right now.
Satisfied that the others have cowed the Kobolds, Mark approaches the merchant and is about to speak when the others speak up first. He offers a "Ya, what they said."
"Oh, uh, yes, Amethyst Plums, was it," the merchant asks as he's brought back from nearly wetting his paints at the sight of Teegor. "Those are, ah, incredibly rare. Perhaps you'd like some alternatives? I'm afraid that, ah, I'm out of stock."
The merchant gulps, not fool enough to try fooling those that walk with Teegor.
"Q-quite sure, milord. B-but! There's a grove that is rumored to have an Amethyst Plum tree nearby," he quickly adds as he sees Corso's eyes narrow.