Expedition: Bianca to the North Woods - 03 Aug 2021

[Modric]

Malenor

... decides to try the food, since he's famished.

[Zhym]

"That looks wonderful!" Clint Brockhammer says. "Much better than my travel rations! Thank you for—"

He realizes no one brought the food in. It floated in. That's odd. He's not used to people avoiding him, except every now and then when a shy lass would find his attractiveness more intimidating than his natural charm could allay. And he's never eaten food that arrived on its own before. "Well, thank you anyway," he finishes. He chows down on the meal eagerly—but with impeccable table manners. His mother raised him better than to make a pig of himself, no matter how hungry he is.

He offers his opinion between bites, making sure to swallow his food before speaking. "I respect your ladies' opinions, but I think our hosts are nice. The bogmen are scared of them because the bogmen are bad. And we asked to be invited in! If the nice ladies here meant us harm, they'd have lured us in, right?" He takes another bite with obvious delight. "Besides, no one who makes a pie this good can be bad."

[Bluehorse]

Bianca

Remember what the Lady at the River said... It wasn't a warning so much as he saying that it depended on the mood they were in when they saw us whether they would be friendly or hostile. It could be they are like fish or frogs that only get aggressive during their spawning cycles.

[Zhym]

"Maybe they know that, and the ones who are nice right now are protecting us from the ones who aren't so nice," speculates Clint as he dips a berry into the whipped cream. "Anyway, all the more reason not to do anything to make the nice ones less nice."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Winnie steps back out (onto the stoop) and blows her whistle, attempting to summon a useful forest animal. She takes a bit of her pack food with her (bread, cheese, nuts and dried fruits), as well as some of the mixed green salad to prove herself a friend of whatever forest folk emerge.

Marullus, go ahead an make any necessary CHA rolls for Winnie. If successful, she will try to glean any information she can from the local fauna about who lives in the structure. If an elk or moose appears, she will try to get it to stick around so she can befriend and ride it.

[Starbeard]

The Grizzly Woman sides with Clint as soon as the food appears.

"I am right famished. Give me a plate of that broiled steak and potatoes!"

She flops down on the exotic furniture and scarfs down her fill of food, handing out big mouthfuls to Huckleberry. "This is some good eating. You all will be sore to miss it."

After dinner she takes a peek outside for a while, just curious to see if anything comes their way through the forest.

[Alethan]

Willow waits perhaps a quarter of an hour, under the pretense of taking watch while the others eat, before she serves herself a plate of food.

[Modric]

Malenor

Eases into the furniture after finishing his meal, content and calm.

[Marullus]

With Clint, Grizzly Woman, and Huckleberry leading the way both in speed and quantity, the party enjoys the sumptuous food which is - indeed - as good as it looks. Mrs. Dash scarfles a plate down hungrily with no ill effect, after which Winnie fills her own plate. Willow waits, ensuring that her companions suffer no ill effects, then also joins in. The meal is filling and everyone is satiated and happier after a good meal, having left town four days ago.

As the others get ready to set watch and bed down to rest for the night, Winnie goes out and sits on the stoop, blowing upon a small silver whistle. The Grizzly Woman joins her and they stare off into the gloomy night, the ominous flapping of large leathery wings heard in the skies and trees above. Halla and Berra eye the trees suspiciously.

Finally, two rats of unusual size clamber out of the thick muck, their fur caked to them as they approach, sniffing the offered food. The fetid, smelly animals gobble up what is offered and squeak to Winnie, who responds in squeaky rodent-noises of her own.

You inquire as to who lives in the tower. The friendly rats are terrified and will not come close or enter... it is well known among rats that the giant serpents within consume rats whole. They are wary of the boglings by day and are loathe to be seen at night, as the bats are hunting. The rats, generally, are afraid of everything. They also tell you that two legged people live in the tower, too, and that they come out sometimes and melt people in the swamp, turning them to mud.

(Actions before sleep?)

Date: 06 August 2021, 11:00pm
Distance: 13.5 miles
Light: wall sconces
Effects: None
Injuries: Grizzly Woman (minor wound), Halla (minor wound), Bianca (minor wound), Willow (minor wound)

[Zhym]

Clint leans back and loosens his belt. "Mmm, mmm that was good food," he says. "Thanks for the good food!" he calls out, loud enough that he hopes the nice ladies can hear him but not so loud as to be rude.

"I'll take first watch," he volunteers.

[Starbeard]

The Grizzly Woman wanders back inside. "Those big rats I do not like the look of them. I am going to get some shut eye inside tonight I think."

She will eat whatever else nobody's eaten, then flop to the floor and start counting sheep.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Miss Grizzly, you are as bad as the grumpbears. They are our sister rats and do important work here in these swaps. And they are being helpful. After dismissing the Grizzly Woman's concerns, Winnie considers what the rats have said and thanks them for the warnings, especially about the snakes. Then she tells the rats that the person they met seems nice enough, and asks if they are sure they aren't exaggerating. Mud? How often does that happen? Have you actually seen it, or is it just something rats have known? She asks the rats if they can guide the party safely through the boglings' swamp. We would be most appreciative, sister rats, and would entreat you to foodstuffs not found in these woods upon our safe passage. Have you had dried fruits and cheeses before? We can get different kinds.

Winnie informs the others what the rats have said. She will assist with the first watch, then sleep the rest of the night.

Edit: She also informs the group about the sound of leathery, flapping wings. I wonder if that is the dragon we heard about. I've never seen a dragon and wouldn't mind spying one from a distance. A really large distance.

[Marullus]

The rats of usual size squeak to Winnie once more on the doorstep.

They have seen the mudding of people. Boglings (you think from description... they don't differentiate between large humanoids) freeze in place, smelling of nothing, the the women melt them into mud with their words.

Oy yes, they promise. They will gladly lead you all through the forest for all the foods you can give. However, the longer they excitedly squeak, the more sure you are that the territory they have seen is rather small.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Though she feels the woman and her friends seem hospitable, the mention of snakes cause Winnie alarm. She asks the rats to hang around for a day, offering them another ration up front to secure the deal. Then she heads in and casts Web across the doorway the woman used. I have passed beyond this world once and will not go again out of stupidity or lack of vigilance. The rats warn us against giant snakes. They also say the woman and her friends can turn creatures to mud, though I do not feel they would do so without reason. Her concerns about it seeming bad manners are removed by the state of the room.

As others prepare to sleep, she sings a sweet song to calm herself as well as the others. She scratches Mrs. Dash behind the ears, taking watch with Clint.

[Alethan]

Willow scoffs at the suggestion that this woman (or women?) who has thus far been nothing but kind to the party would turn them into mud, if it is even possible to turn someone into mud, that is!

[Zhym]

Clint smiles with satisfaction when Winnie and Willow speak kindly of their hosts. He nods as Malenor and the Grizzly Woman settle in comfortably. He's glad he was able to persuade them not to worry so much about the nice ladies who invited them in out of the muck.

"Mmm-hmm, that was some fine food," he says, unable to get off the subject. "A good meal makes everything better."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Willow scoffs at the suggestion that this woman (or women?) who has thus far been nothing but kind to the party would turn them into mud, if it is even possible to turn someone into mud, that is!

Winnie points out that transmutation is very possible for a skilled willworker, and that the rats seemed trustworthy. She asserts, again, that if their hostess had done such a thing, the recipients must have been threatening her, and therefore deserving. Perhaps she will be kind enough to reach us how to transmute flesh, though it is not a.natural thing, so I do not believe I would bother learning the spell.

[Marullus]

Winnie summons a massive quantity of webbing, wadding the ebony pair of doors shut with the sticky strands. The rats agree that they'll stay near for more food for a little while, disappearing back into the swamp muck and darkness, still afraid of the flapping above. The others settle in, content from their meal, and decide on watches for the night. A cool breeze comes through the open window, the room otherwise comfortable. The party is awoken in the morning by a rattling and thumping against the doors, which no longer can swing open into the room.

"Open the door. Now." comes the woman's irritated voice from the other side.


Date: 07 August 2021, 07:00am
Distance: None today
Light: Sunlight through windows; wall sconces
Effects: None
Injuries: Grizzly Woman (minor wound), Halla (minor wound), Bianca (minor wound), Willow (minor wound)

[Alethan]

Willow jumps to her feet, concern on her not-yet-fully-awake face.

"We should open the door for her! Why... why did we block it?" she asks sleepily.

[Zhym]

"That was rude of us," agrees Clint.

"Sorry!" he calls out across the door. "We'll get this open, um...as soon as we can figure out how!"

"Um...anyone know how to clean web goo off the doors?"