#Relissa Sparrow

[witchyfictional]

Week 12 pt.1 (SPRING 12/13)

Professional Log of Harper Tobin, Journeyman Witch

Patient #1: Tybalt Potter again, although this time it wasn’t a prank but self-inflicted misfortune.

Ailment: Yeti Chest [hair*] [lungs*] The poor lad came to me rumbling sheepishly about how he bought a tranformative potion out of a magazine because he thought it would make him seem more tough and impressive, but now he’s afraid his party will just laugh at him even more. I told him that he’s probably correct, knowing his so-called friends, but that I thought the new fur was actually quite nice if he wanted to keep it. He declined.

Recommend: Skeleton Dust to get rid of the hair, Gull Drake Guano to clear the lungs and correct his voice

Patient #2: An elderly barbarian named Hildahrafn, enormous in her old age but even more imposing for it.

Ailment: Loss of Experience [mood**] [magic*] (T4) She’s in a funk about not measuring up to her glory days, thanks to a wayward magical effect. Honestly it’s hard not to roll my eyes when this particular problem arises in veteran adventurers. It’s nothing but a pity party escalated to the point where she’s at risk of lashing out at other people. But, a job’s a job.

Recommend: Coldrust to banish the magic influence, Fairy Dust to lift her mood

Field Notes:

While gathering the necessary Fairy Dust in the Glimmerwood, without warning or provocation I was suddenly shot – yes, shot, with a gun – right in the shoulder. Thankfully it only grazed me, nothing crippling or very serious, but it was a painful shock. Outraged, I was able to spot a stout woman with a rifle crouching the nearby bushes. I have no idea who she was or why on earth she could have wanted to shoot at me. I sent Shadow on her as she tried to flee, and he dragged her down by and ankle. That was probably retaliation enough, but I confess I was too incensed to think straight. I’m ashamed to even admit some of the curses that went through my mind at that moment, but in the end I regained just enough sense to refrain from anything truly damaging. Instead, I took her gun and demanded answers.

She called herself Tori Baggle and claimed to only be out truffle hunting. She had no excuses for why she shot at me, only looked angry and refused to speak further. So, while Shadow held her in place, I force-fed her a mushroom I uprooted from the nearby fairy ring. If it’s truffles she wants, then truffles she’ll get. There will soon be one more embarrassing case of Fae Wind in High Rannoc, and I don’t think this one will find remedy any time soon. I then told her to get out of my sight, and warned her that the next time I would not be so gentle...and neither would my panther.

That entire incident cost me both time and blood, and I was forced to return home immediately to treat my wound. Resentfully, I had to use the Coldrust I already had in stock to mix up the cure for old Hildahrafn. I suspected if I couldn’t get her remedy sent quickly she might fly into a rage and ruin Nana Dorea’s cottage.

“Affirmation Potation”

Crush Coldrust into a fine powder

Add raw Fairy Dust and mix thoroughly

Dissolve combined powder into high proof vodka

End result is chilled but spicy, best consumed the same way as any shot of alcohol

Paid: 60 silver I sent off the small bottle along with a note advising that the woman would probably benefit more from some therapy.

Now that the more urgent problem was taken care of, I left for Hero’s Hollow to gather the Skeleton Dust I needed for poor Tybalt, as well as possibly stock up on my depleted Coldrust. I easily found some more of the latter on a half-destroyed suit of armor in the old library, and the former was collected in a deeper hallway where I knew Skeleton Paul tends to take naps. He wasn’t there today, but I did nearly step on a shivering redheaded girl in a chainmail bikini. She offered to pay me if I led her back to the entrance, and I agreed without thinking, although I would have done so without payment as well. She was covered in dungeon grime and looked like she hadn’t slept in a while. I asked why on earth had she chosen to wear nothing but metal underwear and she looked mortified that I’d ask. Eventually I got her to admit that she had been told it was enchanted armor. It wasn’t.

She gave me +10 silver as we emerged into the sunlight, and shyly introduced herself as Relissa Sparrow before thanking me again. I asked if she lived in High Rannoc and she said no, she’d just been traveling, but she might look for a place there to stay for a bit so she could rethink her equipment. I told her where to find me at the apothecary if she ever needed to, then sent her off with recommendations for the more experienced adventurers if she desired to join a party.

While I was collecting Gull Drake Guano off one of the rock formations that jut out of the center of Meltwater Loch, I heard the familiar rumble of a pained sea dragon before the water around me even shifted. I turned to grab at my supplies just as Bàs Bàta beached the surface. Somehow my little boat managed not to flip, so I gathered my string of coconuts and held steady. Bàs Bàta’s mouth was wide open in a scream, and I briefly considered trying to bola-whip them inside, but as cool as that would make me look I doubt I could actually pull off such a feat – especially not while it was still thrashing around. Instead I had to do this the hard way. I waved my arms and shouted to get its attention and hoped it wasn’t so out of its head that it would just attack me.

It snarled as it pushed its great head my way, but it seemed to be listening. Using the loudest and clearest voice I could muster, I explained that I’ve made some pills for it (the coconuts) and that they will make the pain go away. It didn’t seem like Bàs Bàta was buying into it, at first, and as it reared back I thought it might be readying to capsize my boat. I yelled up that the Lady Yeza of the Strange had helped me gather some of the supplies. Thankfully, it seems that name holds some sway, as I hoped it might. I immediately knelt and bowed as low as I could, trying to show it I meant no harm and only respect. I proffered my coconuts again and waited.

After what felt like a wet and harrowing eternity, Bàs Bàta lowered its head to me again and opened its jaws just enough to snatch at the end of the coconut string. I let it go, and the beast dove back into the water before I could even say another word. A little shaky, I decided to head back to shore for the rest of my foraging.

I was initially quite successful, as a Shockfish had gotten caught in one of the tidepools that had formed in the holes of a giant button wedges among the rocks. It was easily caught, but my luck soon turned around completely as I made the mistake of wandering too close to the Gull Drake scavenging grounds. The whole flock descended on me and actually managed to steal my Shockfish before flying off again. Frustrated and feeling challenged, I decided to risk the shallows of the lake and hunt for another one around the site of the sunken pirate ship. Not only did Shadow catch two replacement Shockfish, but I also found another of the lost treasure chests.

Before I could drag the chest ashore to see what was inside, I noticed that Shadow was agitated, and I caught the approach of an enormous dark shape looming out of the murk from the deeper side of the lake. I intended to swim away, but the shape was too quick, and I soon recognized it as Bàs Bàta’s head, snaking right toward me. I froze, only barely keeping my senses and my breath. I’ve never seen Bàs Bàta this close to shore before. I was worried that perhaps it hadn’t taken my cure after all, but as soon as it drew near I could tell that it was much calmer and more clear-eyed than I’ve ever seen it.

Bàs Bàta stopped so close to me I could have reached out a touched its snout. Suddenly I heard a deep, reverberating voice, and I couldn’t tell if it was only echoing in my head or if it was vibrating in the water all around me.

“THANK YOU.”

Unsure of what manners were called for with dragons, I could only bow in return – awkwardly, since I’m not used to that kind of thing underwater. Bàs Bàta then opened its mouth only slightly, and out from its jaws fell a very distressed Shadow Shark. I was alarmed, at first, before I realized it was trying to give me a gift. I gingerly took hold of the terrified shark’s tail and quickly gathered some of its ink in an empty bottle before allowing it to swim away in fright. I bowed my thanks again, and to my shock, Bàs Bàta bowed its head to me in return.

I stared, stunned, for a long while as I watched the great sea dragon coil back upon itself and take its leave. I watched it until every part of it had swam out of sight, down into the depths of the lake...which, I suddenly noticed, weren’t remotely as dark and murky as they’ve always been. In fact, as Bàs Bàta swam gracefully downward instead of kicking up silt with its usual thrashing, I caught a glimpse of strange lights and silhouettes…distant shapes that almost reminded me of a city.

The residual ink cloud from the Shadow Shark was spreading too far in front of me to see further, but I plan to revisit this later.

“Chest-right Chowder”

Crush Gull-Drake guano evenly into dust

Dissolve and boil guano dust until the color of the mixture stays consistent

Crush Skeleton Dust into a fine, flour-like powder

Stir powder into the guano broth until it thickens

End result tastes almost like fish chowder

Paid: 20 silver Tybalt left with some relief and some disappointment as he shed the last of the yeti fur. I told the kid that his self esteem shouldn’t be determined by body hair.

[continued in PART 2 here]

OOC: Rep – 19 [Intermediate] Silver – 374 Tools – basics / coracle / sickle (+2 foraging points) Familiar skill – Hunter (-3 to find Animal reagents) Golem Helper: learning to read & write

Upgrades: – Garden plot (x1; Surgeon Sap) – Raven Loft (take 2 jobs; if both on time, x2 pay for second draw) – Treatment Room (+3 all Timers, +10 silver /successful potion)

Surplus reagents: ** Surgeon Sap [wound] [burn] [+1s]  — (freely available) *** Amethyst Antlers [magic] [curse] [mood] — (x2) ~Candy Rock [+4s] — (x1) * Coldrust [hot] [magic] — (x1) * Deep Reed [ear] [blood] [stomach] — (x1) ** Dentist Crabs [teeth] [mouth] [lungs] [infection] — (x1) ** Foot Fungus [burn] [boils] [rash] [+2p] — (x2) *** Fossil Fish [time] [magic] — (x1) * Gas Weed [lungs] — (x1) *** Ghost Goo [spirit] [curse] — (x1) ** Glittersnow [curse] [magic] — (x1) * Hermit Snails [wound] [bones] — (x1) *** Innocent’s Suffering [pain] [sleep] [nerves] [wound] — (x2) ! *** Jumpkin [stomach] [cold] — (x1) ** Mermaid’s Gift [hair] [+1p] — (x1) *** Moon Moss [blood] [curse] — (x1) ** Princess Toad [wart] [rash] [mood] — (x1) * Scramble Bramble [mood] [senses] [+1p] — (x1) * Skullcap [poison] [pain] — (x4) **Shadow Shark [pain] [burn] [rash] [-1s] — (x1) ** Shockfish [nerves] [pain] [boils] — (x3) * Silverleaf [infection] [rash] — (x1) *** Wigfish [mood] [sleep] [hair] — (x2)

[witchyfictional]

Dramatis Personae

(subject to change, may contain spoilers)

Witches & Co:

Harper Tobin — novice witch, ambitious and determined, used to being overqualified and understimulated

Shadow — Harper’s familiar, a large black panther raised from kittenhood, gifted by Edhaas

Kevyn (Orendal?) — the previous witch of High Rannoc; disappeared but left behind notes for his successor

Areidala Jackson — Harper’s cousin, a potter living in High Rannoc

Edhaas Tobin — Harper’s elder brother, adventuring scholar studying dragons; often brings home pets

Nana Dorea — Harper’s old master, the witch back home

Muffins the cat — Nana Dorea’s new pet, slightly accident prone

Adventurers:

Ariadne Soriah — research scholar from the Cloud Isles in search of a lost underwater city

Ferrio Verdan — old ranger who often passes through Harper’s hometown

Hildahrafn — elderly barbarian woman; still goes out adventuring as much as she can

Maddi Windwake — druid adventurer, part of the adventuring group The Bacchae

Nikola Skywode — hot (indeed) air balloonist, eccentric and charming

Relissa Sparrow — novice adventurer, long red hair, somewhat gullible

Tybalt Potter — novice adventurer, easily peer-pressured

Illinois James — notorious tomb raider and treasure hunter, possible old flame of Nana Dorea’s

Villagers:

Alexander Pumel — tavern bartender

Calliope Trippin — eldest daughter of the elves running a bed & breakfast out of a giant’s shoe on the shore of Meltwater Loch

Granny Windwake — grandmother of Maddi Windwake; hobbyist gardener

Kiara the vampire — vampire child who works as a bloodletting assistant for the local physician

Susan Chert — local geologist

Tori Baggle — aggressive, claims to be a truffle hunter

Wilfred Foom — the elderly curator of the Lunar Tower in High Rannoc

Yolanda Harrison — antique dealer in High Rannoc

Other Local Denizens:

Bap the demon — disarmingly polite demon convict chained up in the depths of Hero’s Hollow

The Baron — haunted suit of armor; suave, arrogant, pushy, aggressive; old friend of Kevyn?

Bernard the giant — friendly, lives in a candy rock cave on Moonbreaker Mountain

Coral the merfolk — beautiful dancer, assumed to live around the Dreamwater Depths

Dwayne the golem — newly mended stone golem, now helping Harper at the Apothecary

Ezekiel (Zeke), ghost bosun— bosun of the ghost ship Capybara; dated an artist before dying in a pirate attack

Finneon the siren — mysterious but sweet siren living alone & flockless around Meltwater Loch

Io the sphinx — sphinx who’s very bad at riddles

Laurence, ghost captain — captain of the ghost ship Capybara

Nelofar (Nel) the naiad — shy but flirtatious, lives in a river in the Glimmerwood

Paul the skeleton — living skeleton in the dungeon of Hero’s Hollow, gets stepped on a lot

Raggen Gabbro — dwarf who loves fishing & foraging, very knowledgeable about Meltwater Loch Rufus the ?? — a fuzzy dungeon shopkeep of unknown species in Hero’s Hollow

Yeza — Dark Ruler of the Underlands and Master of Shadows