Felix takes the offered narrative cue and starts to walk backwards towards the canyon wall.
Felix begins backing up faster and faster, leaving his bedroll and blanket behind. Seeing their prize trying to escape, the cheetahs abandon caution and charge. Felix, with little other option, turns and makes a mad dash for the canyon wall.
The race is on. The cheetaurs are much faster than Felix, but Felix is better able to maneuver around trees and bushes. Still, there are two hunters, and the cats begin to box the human in. Felix sees a clump of bushes growing right against the canyon wall and hurls himself at the shrubbery.
Crashing through the bushes, Felix comes out in a large, round meadow at the base of the cliff wall. Wild flowers of countless colour and variety grow everywhere. A small pond of crystal clear water reflects moonlight onto the western canyon wall. Next to the pond is an enormous slab of rock with runes etched into the sides. On the other side of the clearing, a tall, lush peach tree grows, impossibly covered with both blossoms and perfectly ripe fruit. A sense of peace and safety washes over Felix, and his fear fades so much that when the two cheetaurs also crash through the bushes, he feels no fear. Indeed, once within the clearing, all hostility falls away from the catlike creatures, and they amble over to the pond, drinking deeply before settling in among the flowers to sleep.
A part of Felix recognizes that now would be an excellent time to finish off at least one of the cheetaurs that were moments ago trying to run him down. Another part of him decides that they look so peaceful that it would be incredibly rude to surprise attack them right now.
He puts his sword away and wanders over to the pond next to the sleeping hunters.
"You guys are fast," he says, not expecting an answer. He looks down into the pond to see if he can see anything in its depths using the dying light. If there's nothing interesting there, he'll head over to the rock with runes etched into its sides and see what he can see.
Actually, if Felix had tried to attack the placid cheetaurs he would have found that he couldn’t, the urge to do violence would have faded from his mind. Essentially, this entire meadow has a permanent calm emotions spell.
He doesn’t see anything in the pond and the large slab bears runic writing that looks arcane in nature, beyond Felix’s ability to decipher. That leaves the wildflowers and the peach tree.
Actually, if Felix had tried to attack the placid cheetaurs he would have found that he couldn’t, the urge to do violence would have faded from his mind.
Thinking of the venison he had to leave behind, Felix's stomach rumbles. He heads over to the peach and selects a juicy peach to pick and eat.
It is by far the best peach he’s ever had. Firm yet juicy, with the perfect balance of tart and sweet, Felix’s stomach stops rumbling. In fact, he feels as if he’s eaten a full course meal.
"This is by far the best peach I've ever had!" Felix exclaims, the fruit's juice running down his chin.
Savoring his peach as he walks, Felix wanders over into the wildflowers.
Actually, as Felix looks the tree over, he can’t find any other peaches. Strange, he could have sworn there were more just a moment ago.
The smell of the flowers are heavenly and they seem to glow with a faint light all their own.
"Gotta' stroll through the middle of that," Felix murmurs before he does exactly that.
The flowers’ scent is heady as he walks through. Disturbing the flowers causes them to tinkle with a magical bell-like sound. There is definitely something very magical about this place.
Felix wonders if this place is Erana's Peace. Amelia Appleberry would pay him some money for some of these flowers, but she's paying for them by the "flask." Felix had an empty flask, but he was confused about how he was going to get these flowers into such a container. He bought a few sacks, so maybe he could just fill one of those up?
He picks a magical flower in experimentation.
Picking the magical flower doesn’t seem to hurt it and nothing comes to smite him for disturbing the garden. All evidence does point to this being Erana’s Peace. He’s able to pick several “flasks” worth before he feels compelled to stop.
Felix finds a comfy spot and tries to spend the night in this safe haven. If the night passes uneventfully, he'll wake up and eat breakfast from any rations he might have. If he can leave the clearing without having the two cheetaur (cheetarus?) on his tail, he'll go and retrieve his bedroll, blanket, and any gear that might still be at last night's abandoned campsite.
Felix pulls out his map to mark the location of Erana’s Peace and sees the words "Spirea Patch" written nearby. "Oh," he says, feeling stupider than usual, and sets off to find that location.
Felix finds a comfy spot and tries to spend the night in this safe haven. If the night passes uneventfully, he'll wake up and eat breakfast from any rations he might have. If he can leave the clearing without having the two cheetaur (cheetarus?) on his tail, he'll go and retrieve his bedroll, blanket, and any gear that might still be at last night's abandoned campsite.
Felix pulls out his map to mark the location of Erana’s Peace and sees the words "Spirea Patch" written nearby. "Oh," he says, feeling stupider than usual, and sets off to find that location.
Making his way west along the canyon wall, Felix makes good time along the base of the rockface before hearing a strange sound. Up above, growing out of a series of narrow ledges, he sees five strange pitcher plants. Every few seconds, one of them spits out a large seed, making the bizarre spitting sound, and another plant unerringly catches it. They look nothing like the old lady’s Spirea plant, but what are the odds there are two varieties of plants that spit giant seeds back and forth?
Experimenting, Felix chucks a rock at the cliffside near one of the spitting plants. If nothing happens, he'll try again, this time trying to hit one of the plants. He's not trying to damage the plant, just see if it has some sort of defense mechanism.
The rock bounces off the innocent plant. Nothing different seems to happen. They continue spitting their seed, sending it tumbling through the air from plant to plant.
Felix ties one end of his rope to his grappling hook and hurls it up, hoping it finds purchase.
Taking off his armor and leaving his shield below, he tries climbing up.
The seed is being lobbed back and forth. From what Felix can tell, it's just the one seed.
Felix climbs the cliff face and up onto the ledge next to one of the plants. Then, he waits. The other plants continue to spit the seed back and forth, but eventually on tries to toss it to the plant next to Felix and he snags it before the plant does. He could have sworn he heard the plants moan, "Awwwwwwwww!" as the big meanie comes in and ruins their fun.
He carefully tucks the seed away in a pocket and climbs back down, shaking his hook loose.
Felix feels bad for the plants. "Sorry guys."
He climbs back up and tries to stuff a similarly-sized rock into one of the pitchers. As he climbs down, he hopes that he won't take the rock in the back of his head as he leaves.
Speaking of leaving, Felix puts his armor back on, stows away his grappling hook and rope, and heads back to Spielburg. He feels he should get these magical flowers to Amelia Appleberry before they spoil or something.
Heading back to town, Felix arrives just before sunset.
Knocking on the door, Felix hears shuffling inside and the bar being lifted. Amelia opens the door to let you in.
”Good evening. What can I do for you?”
Felix holds up his sack of magical flowers.
”Magic flowers, ma’am! From Uranus’ Place!”
”Flowers from my anus place?! Why, you wretched, uncouth, vagabond! How dare you-“
Amelia smiles at the large bouquet. ”Oh my, thank you. I’ve been running quite low. I use these flowers in all my potions. They retain some of the magic of the place, even when they’re dried. If you find yourself back there in the future, I would be most grateful for another bouquet of this size.”
She hands over 10 gold coins.
As Felix leaves the hut, he notices that the very low rays of the almost set sun are glinting off of something shiny in the pterosaur nest on the branch of the oak tree across the lane from the healer’s hut.
Felix stops and looks up at the nest, wishing the sun wasn't going down. Figuring he's safe enough here, he starts taking off his armor to better climb the tree and take a peek inside.
17 isn’t enough, but he only needs to make one check, so there’s no risk in taking 20: he can’t fall when he’s on the ground.
Climbing up the tree and out along the branch, he reached the nest. Pteresa squawks at his approach and takes off, leaving her empty nest. Woven into the twigs and grasses is a gold ring which perfectly matches the description of the healer’s missing ring.
Getting down from the branch will require a Climb or Acrobatics check DC 20. Failing by more than 5 will result in falling damage.
In any event, a quick knock on the door reveals a bemused Amelia, wondering what you could want so soon, but on seeing her ring, is overjoyed. After handing you 50 good coins and two healing potions, she adds, ”I don’t know how to thank you properly,” then the plump, middle-aged healer spontaneously grabs Felix by both cheeks and plants a huge kiss right on the lips.
Felix lets Amelia kiss him and then pulls away as soon as it wouldn't seem awkward.
"Now Ms. Appleberry, I know I just gave you flowers and a ring, but you mustn't mistake my intentions!" he shakes his finger at her in mock reproach, but he has a huge smile on his face.
"That's your graduation ring, I think I read?"
”Yes it is. Wherever did you find it?”
Upon hearing the story of the nest, she turns to look up at her pet pterosaur, hands on her hips. ”Pterry! Bad enough you’re always ripping things out of my herb gardens to give to her, now my ring?”
The pterosaur squawks in reply and, flapping its wings, swoops out the door and into the oak tree.
Looking up at the waning sun, she says, ”You’d better get a move on if you don’t want to be locked out of town for the night. Thank you again.”
Indeed, the sheriff is in the process of supervising the gate closure when Felix slips through. A night of rest in the inn and Felix is refreshed and ready for the day.
Felix heads out the gate, gives the cemetery a wide berth to the south and then heads southwest, looking for the Nerissal's Grove. He wants to turn in the spitting seed he's found.
It is late afternoon when Felix arrives back at the dryad’s grove. The stag is grazing in the lush grass. Mr. Fox is nowhere to be seen. Nerissal emerges from her oak tree. She smiles at Felix and holds out her limbs for the seed. ”Thank you for helping to preserve this magical species. Now this plant will boldly grow where none have grown before.”
”You are a true friend of the forest. If you wish to be a hero of the valley, there is a dispelling potion you will need to have the healer make. Its ingredients are flying water, green fur, fairy dust, flowers from Erana’s Peace, and a magic acorn. In addition, you should know that our valley has a recent visitor, a being in great need of compassion.”
Before Felix can ask any questions, Nerissal returns to her oak tree. A moment later, a small glowing object drops out of the tree branches in front of him. Nerissal’s gift of a magic acorn lies in the grass at Felix’s feet.
As he picks up and studies the acorn, Felix mutters under his breath. "More like true errand-boy of the forest. This place needs a true spokesperson of the forest. Explain where I can find the things on the true checklist of the forest."
Felix stows the acorn safely away in his backpack and looks up at Nerissal's tree.
"Um, flying water, green fur, and fairy dust. I know where to get more of those flowers. Thanks."
He wanders over to the white stag, but stays out of range of its hooves and antlers.
"So... do you know Red the fox? He can talk. It's pretty cool. It's very helpful for talking to other things that can talk. Pretty great. I don't suppose you can talk?"
"Hmm. What about these other things she just said? Flying water, green fur, fairy dust, or this new visitor? Are you up for leading me to any of those? Feel like helping out to help the valley?"
The white stag stares at Felix, chewing a mouthful of green grass.
”I’m afraid neither of us will be much help,” Red says, slipping out from behind some bushes. ”I know some goblins have been known to have green fur, though not any of the low status ones who get the job of raiding the forest. No clue on what makes flying water. The only one I can help you with is the fairy dust: there’s a fairy mushroom ring an hour’s walk north. Fairies sleep during the day and dance all night. If you left now, by the time you got there, it would be dark. If you’re going to try dealing with the fairies, just you remember the advice I gave you when we first met.”
”I’m afraid neither of us will be much help,” Red says, slipping out from behind some bushes.
"Red!"
”I know some goblins have been known to have green fur, though not any of the low status ones who get the job of raiding the forest. No clue on what makes flying water. The only one I can help you with is the fairy dust: there’s a fairy mushroom ring an hour’s walk north. Fairies sleep during the day and dance all night. If you left now, by the time you got there, it would be dark. If you’re going to try dealing with the fairies, just you remember the advice I gave you when we first met.”
"Mmm-hmm. I remember," Felix says, making a mental note to go back and check the posts earlier in the thread when he rescued the fox from those goblins.
"I wonder if there's something special about the waterfall? Maybe that's what she means by 'flying water.' And I'll keep an eye out for goblin lairs or something of the sort.
"Looks like I'm taking a walk north, then. Thanks for your help. You're welcome to come with.
"Oh! And do you know who or what Nerissal was referring to regarding a new visitor to the valley?"
”The visitor? Why surely you’ve heard him stomping around. He isn’t exactly subtle now, is he? Still, be polite, and you won’t get too chilly of a reception. As for coming with to see the fairies, uh, no. Last time I went to see them, they knocked me out and braided my tail. Took for ages to get all the knots out!”
He scampers off.
Felix's eyebrows shoot up in understanding when he realizes that Red probably means the frost giant, the castle guardsmen are hunting.
"Oh!"
He waves good-bye to Red and starts hiking north, looking for the fairy ring.
Sunset comes and goes, leaving Felix to bushwhack through the only blackness. Presuming he lights himself a torch, he is able to keep himself roughly north.
After covering the distance he remembers from the last time he came to the fairy ring, he hears a soft, tinkly music off to his right. Creeping along the forest floor, he comes to the clearing. Flitting above the mushrooms and around the stones are small floating balls of light. They seem to be the source of the music.
Felix stands on the edge of the fairy ring, almost respectfully, just watching. He wants to see if he can see something that will help him learn what's going on or how she approach this.
It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on from the edge of the clearing, as the fairies (if that’s what they are) are so small. From the trajectory of the movements, he would guess that they are dancing. It isn’t long, however, before he’s spotted, and the balls of light fly over to him. Now that they’re closer, he can confirm that they are fairies, tiny female humanoids with gossamer wings. They start talking quickly over each other in a confusing barrage of conversation.
”Oh looky, a human.”
”What’s it doing here?”
”Yuck!”
”Let’s have some fun with it!”
”Humans! Why is it always humans?”
”Go away! You can’t play!”
”I think it wants to play with us.”
”Human, do you know how to dance?”
”How do you dance?”
”Will you dance for us?”
Felix cocks his head and scrunches his face up in concentration as he tries to make out the different things being said from the cacophony of voices. Suddenly, his face lights up as he realizes what's being asked of him.
"Dancing? Yeah! I love dancing! Check this out."
His armor's and equipment's bulk flying every which way, Felix busts into some of the moves that he and his friends used to do every Friday night at the best tavern in his hometown: Hunchback Dan's Improv Comedy House and Discount Liquor Barn. He shows off his dancefloor hustles such as The Sprinkler, The Running Man, and his closer, The Bad Touch.
”Oooo!”
”It does know how to dance!”
”Wowie!”
”This is neat!”
”Gee! I didn’t think it could do this!”
”Well, I just love it!”
”You love an Antwerp!!”
”Do not!”
”Do too!”
As Felix’s dance comes to a close, the fairies gather closely around him.
”So what do you want?”
Felix pauses for a few moments, to catch his breath, smiling the whole time.
"Whew! Yes, there is something you I want, actually, buuuuuut... I don't know if this is a weird thing to ask.
"You all know Nerissel? Lives in a tree, a ways over that way? I'm gather something for a potion she told me about, and one of the ingredients needed is fairy dust. So, I figure, who better to ask!
"Sorry if it's weird to ask for your dust, though."
”Fairy dust is very magical, you know.”
”Why should we give it any dust?”
”Well, it did dance for us.”
”I say we give it some dust.”
”That’s because you have a crush on it!”
”Do not!”
”Dewdrop’s in love with a human!”
”Am not!”
”Are too!”
”If you love it, you give it some dust.”
”Ick! Not me, you!”
The fairies argue for several exchanges with a barrage of “Not me, You!” Before one suggests,
”Make Mikey do it. She’ll touch anything!”
”Mikey!”
”Alright, but you all owe me.”
”Alright, human.”
”Hold out your hands and close your eyes.”
”And you will get a big surprise!”
Presuming Felix complies, he feels faint whispers of touch on his hands and arms, and then another touch he distinctly believes was way more intense than necessary. One of the fairies snickers Dewdrop’s name.
”No peeking!”
”I think it’s cheating!”
”Oh, just give it some dust!”
After a few seconds, the fairies move off and Felix opens his eyes to see a small pile of sparkling dust in his hands.
Felix looks around, as if expecting some sort of practical joke, but seeing that the faeries have moved away, he carefully moves all of the dust to one hand and uses his other hand to awkwardly dig out a flask. He carefully cups his hand to funnel the dust into the empty flask.
After stowing the flask and re-securing his backpack, Felix looks around to assess his location.
"I honestly was expecting a quest or task or something," he mumbles to himself.
He could head back to town, but the gates are likely closed for the night, and he doesn't think he can make it to any of the "safe" camping spots he's identified in time to rest before sunrise.
Well, he hasn't been to the west side of the valley, and he can live on one night with no sleep. Shrugging, he heads due west.
Felix says his good byes and heads west. After he's slipped a few paces in among the trees, he hears a tinkling behind him, and one of the fairies zips up beside his face.
"Thanks for the dance," she says with a giggle. Planting a quick kiss on Felix's (relatively enormous) lip, the fairy flits back to the ring.
After a few hours' journey through the dark forest, Felix arrives at the western canyon wall. He sees nothing remarkable about the rock in this area, and turns to head north. Several hours later, in the wee hours of the morning, Felix is fighting back his sixteenth yawn when he hears a distant sound: low, steady drumming. Estimating its direction, Felix more carefully picks his way through the trees. Seeing a light, Felix gets low and crawls up to the edge of a large clearing, and his blood runs cold.
Filling the large clearing, are dozens and dozens of goblins, surrounding a large bon fire. Several goblins bang on crude drums, while others dance and cavort about the fire, drinking and eating. Sitting on a large throne-like chair is an unusually large, fat, green goblin, wearing a crude metal crown of sorts. An enormous spiked club rests against one arm of his throne, and he shouts and cheers on the dancers.
Felix blushes at the kiss and has a goofy grin on his face all the way to the canyon wall.
At the goblin party, Felix look around beyond the clearing. Is this where the goblins live, or have they left their village or cave or whatever to come here?
This looks like a party zone. Felix sees a well-worn path leading west towards the canyon wall.
Felix backtracks a bit and tries to work his way through the woods to where he saw that path. If he makes it, he'll head down the path away from the party to see where it goes.
Felix circles wide around the party arriving at the path out of sight of the revellers. He follows it for several hundred yards before it arrives at the old road running east-west. Following the road leads you west to the remains of an extensive mining operation, most of it collapsed in disrepair. The mine entrance itself is partially up the valley wall and looks much better maintained.
Felix spots movement on top of the roof of an abandoned lodge: a goblin sentry keeping watch. From the looks of him, he’s not taking his job very seriously and spends most of his time badly juggling some small rocks.
Felix considers that no every "monster" he's encountered in Spielburg Valley has been monstrous. Centaurs, dryads, and apparently frost giants are not monsters, but cheetaurs, trolls, and bandits were aggressive and therefore the enemy. And goblins trapped and tried to kill a fox that can talk, so they are definitely the enemy. Perhaps he can throw a rock to distract the goblin long enough that Felix can block it from heading up the mine (where other goblins are, presumably)?
The lodge is a part of the outbuildings on the valley floor. The dilapidated building looks easy enough for a goblin to climb, or there might be a ladder against the far wall.
Throwing a rock to distract the goblin is certainly a viable strategy. Is it Felix’s intent to get inside the mine?