"I still think that worg is up to something. We'll have to be extra alert tonight. Where to next?"
Clovis pulls a face as Tatsu bosses him through the door, but takes the hint and leaves.
Thumpy examines the ironbloom mushrooms in the morning light. He gives one a careful sniff.
"That was my impression, too, Thumpy. I need my mushroom experts. Are these things poisoned in some way or tainted? Felwyst is right, that old wolf has a bunch of dirty tricks and I don't want to have to come back here if I can help it. We'll examine these mushrooms VERY carefully before leaving to make sure they are good. Do they smell right?" Tatsu gathers the men around her and has them investigate the mushrooms.
Tatsu stares at the mushrooms to see if she can notice something wrong.
Clovis glares at the mushrooms, daring them to be less than perfect.
"They look fungal to me. Is that right?"
Felwyst joins in the communal inspection of fungus.
The party's investigation of mushrooms proves that the mushrooms are indeed the real thing. While having a light metallalic smell, they prove to have a delightfully savory aroma.
"We should put as much distance as we can between us and the Worg. Having the keenest senses, I'll take rear guard. Where to next?"
"Tats will tell us. She always does. We need moss and some other stuff and she said something about a witch. Still should've got a wolf to ride."
"We need to head back to the crossing where the witch is supposed to live. How long it takes, I don't remember, but we still have most of the day. If it starts to get dark, we'll stop closer by but after we've put some distance between us and this place. For ancient dwarven ruins, it sure was busy. I heard stories about the silent halls of the dwarven people. This place was busier than town. Let's go." Tatsu tells the others.
She looks at Clovis. "You're charming, Clovis, but not that charming. The only way you'll ever ride a wolf is if you raise it from a cub and it treats you like family. So look for an orphan wolf cub, or buy one from an unscruplious merchant. No full grown wolf is going to let you ride it. And that, "She says as she bops him gently on the nose, "is that."
And with that, she gathers her things and begins to move out. She moves slow enough for those not ready to gather their things and follow.
"What do you mean I'm not that charming? It worked on lumberjacks, why not a wolf?"
Clovis wraps his disgusting cloak around himself and pulls his saucepan down hard, before plodding off after Tatsu.
Mushrooms in hand the party heads back into the Darkwood. Luckly, from what Tatsu can recall, the hut wasn't too far from the here.
The sounds of the forest become suddenly distant as the trees part, opening into a small, almost perfectly circular glade. The nearest
stands of pine, eyln, and darkwood—all typically sturdy woods—twist away from the clearing, as if bent by some impossibly strong wind or seemingly in an attempt to flee despite their paralyzed roots. At the glade’s center squats an ugly cottage, little more than a pile of twigs, shoots, and ivy stacked upon mud walls. From the thatched roof dangle bundles of gnarled roots, old dried beast carcasses, and knucklebone bangles, all clattering together like gruesome wind chimes. A dozen small thatched fetishes—each shaped like a tiny man, imp, or rearing serpent—stand propped in the yard, keeping guard before a
rickety plank door.
"Hey! Looky here. Decor says "witch"."
Thorin looks curiously at the strange domicile before them.
"The lady doesn't know how to build a proper house. And those stick people must be the only company she has out here in the forest. Poor woman."
He drops his pack and ventures to the edge of the yard.
"Hello! Magic-lady!" he yells. "We're here to ask for your help! And to cheer you up too!"
"Manners, Thorin." Tatsu gives him a look. "Ulizila?" She calls out. "Lady Ulizila? We have need of some of your craft." She waits for Ulizila to respond.
"We're outside! Amazing."
Thorin and Tatsu call for the old witch, but everything around them is deathly still. Not even the sounds of nature can be heard.
The moldering door of the old cottage has rotted off its hinges but still block the door way.
Felwyst says "Allow me to investigate." and tries to quietly get a closer look.
"Felwyst, I'm not sure that's a good idea."
Felwyst pokes around the witches estate and finds a window on the opposite side of the home. Inside, the cottage seems is dank , and
filled with shadows. Haphazardly hung shelves line the walls, covered in all manner of clay jugs, clouded bottles, strangely cut rocks, rotted bunches of herbs, and a museum of other crude curios and remnants
of a bone grinder’s artifice. A rusted iron cauldron dominates
the hut’s single room, its ash-covered surface shaped with a relief of capering fiends and leering devils.
Near the window a highbacked chair made of wicker, the gigantic
curved tusks of some monstrous beast, and thousands of human teeth. In the chair sits what looks like a corpse wrapped in
filthy burial linens.
"Well?"
"Am I allowed to say "ick"? Or do I have to go all tolerant here?"
Hearing Felwyst's description of the forlorn place, Thumpy shivers.
"I .. I don't think we should go in there. It must be haunted!"
"Are we here for an ingredient, or a service?"
"We're here for a rat's tail, I think."
"While I don't advocate stealing, perhaps we could leave behind something of equal or greater value?"
"So, she's dead? Or not there? I don't understand." Tatsu turns and thinks while she talks. "We are here for a root called "rat's tail". I assume it is called that because it looks something like a rat's tail. But it's really a root. I don't generally advocate thievery, but if we can get that root without fuss, I am all for that. The big problem is we don't know what it looks like. So unless it is clearly labelled, we are going to need some help. If you want to poke around in there, go ahead." Tatsu pauses for a second. "But be RESPECTFUL. Don't touch anything you don't have to and don't take anything but the root. If she catches you, try to bring her here so we can negoiate properly."
"I can be charming. You said so. I'm good with people. Want me to play nice?"
For once in his life, Clovis waits for some kind of answer before heading in.
With a reluctant nod, Thorin assents to Tatsu's orders.
"Like I said, if you want to, go ahead. I am going to wait right here. Just be careful and don't touch anything but the root, if you can find it." Tatsu tells Clovis.
"I'll go in first, and if there is any problem or if I can't immediately find the root I'll call for help. Thorin, stay close to the door in case any of the decor should prove dangerous."
"If the witch shows herself, I'll be adorable at her, but I wouldn't know rat's tail root from real rat. I guess I can be appealing from the doorway."
"Just prepare your best blarney, Clovis, we may need that kind of fast-talking to distract her. Especially if she is a lich." Tatsu smiles as she suddenly has a humorous thought. "Do you know any undead jokes? We may need them." And then she winks at Clovis.
"She's an audience. Audiences, I can handle. It's my territory. Like bossing us about is yours."
"A joke? You mean undead people can laugh?" quavers Thumpy.
1d20+10
Felwyst