judged, and does not fall into petty roles of right and wrong… But
yes, Dark Moss can be used to make poison.”
“Can you teach me how to create
it?”
“It requires the skill:
Potions. Before seeing you learn Herb Lore so quickly, I would have said it was
beyond you, but perhaps. Let us cleanse the Forest, and then I will try to
teach you at the Hearth Tree. Now reach those other patches of Dark Moss along
the ceiling, and we will continue our hunt.”
Richter spent the next hour
collecting moss, each time it was marginally faster to detect the resonance of
life. He was able to collect four more Dark Moss, before the cave was picked
bare. The sun was almost setting when they exited the cave. Knowing they could
not track effectively in the dark, Sion built a fire as Richter dragged the
wolves’ bodies several hundred away. There was no need to attract more
predators overnight. Coming back, he found Sion already sitting in front of the
fire. Agreeing to keep watch second, Richter laid down to rest.
The night passed without
incident. In the morning, Sion examined the surrounding area, quickly finding
the trail that the wolves had taken to arrive at the cave. Again the two
Companions would be moving upriver. Looking at the useless pelts of the rabid
wolves, Richter shook his head in distaste at the waste of life, before setting
out after the sprite. He attempted to ask about the blue glow the sprite had
made around the arrow, but Sion had cut him off saying it was not up for
discussion.
Throughout the day, they found
and killed eight more wolves, all with distinctive look of sickened animals.
Once he had killed five, he was notified that he had completed his quest
Cleanse the Forest I, and that he should return to the Hearth Mother for his
reward. Even though Hisako had only asked for five wolves, his second quest,
Cleanse the Forest II, required that he find out why the animals were getting
sick so they proceeded onward.
The land grew progressively
rockier as they moved upriver. They were also climbing in elevation as they
walked closer to the mountains. The further up they went, the more pine like
trees were seen. They had been walking in silence for several hours when Sion
suddenly stopped. There was a look of severity on his face that Richter had not
seen before. Taking a sniff, he looked at his human companion and quietly said
one word, “Goblin.”
Looking back at the sprite, he
mouthed back “Goblin?” Sion nodded once, and then silently melded back into the
foliage. Richter moved to follow him into the denser undergrowth, leaving the
relatively open space on the side of the river. It was easier to walk there,
but made them a clear and obvious target as well. Stopping a dozen yards into
the forest, Sion turned to Richter and motioned to him to wait. The sprite
quickly climbed the tree they stood beside and disappeared into the leaves
above. It sounded like the sprite moved along the branches to the next tree. Well
that’s a new trick, Richter thought.
Waiting, Richter examined his
immediate surroundings. As he looked down he found one plant had colors that
were somewhat more vibrant than its surroundings. Reaching down he ran his hand
along its length. It had yellow flowers that shot off to the sides and a deep
purple bud on top that had yet to open. As he slowed his breathing, he felt he
could visualize all of it in his mind, not just the portion that was visible.
He could feel the leaves, the flowers, and the roots. He made the connection,
and again instinctively knew to loosen the soil lightly around it, grasp below
the level of the flowers, and then twist and pull in a clockwise direction. It
easily came free from the dirt.
Congratulations! You have advanced to
level 2 in Herb Lore. Herbs are 3% more effective. Increased chance of finding
higher level herbs.
Congratulations! You have found Tiger
Lily. The colors of the flowers make you think of the pleasant heat of the
yes, Dark Moss can be used to make poison.”
“Can you teach me how to create
it?”
“It requires the skill:
Potions. Before seeing you learn Herb Lore so quickly, I would have said it was
beyond you, but perhaps. Let us cleanse the Forest, and then I will try to
teach you at the Hearth Tree. Now reach those other patches of Dark Moss along
the ceiling, and we will continue our hunt.”
Richter spent the next hour
collecting moss, each time it was marginally faster to detect the resonance of
life. He was able to collect four more Dark Moss, before the cave was picked
bare. The sun was almost setting when they exited the cave. Knowing they could
not track effectively in the dark, Sion built a fire as Richter dragged the
wolves’ bodies several hundred away. There was no need to attract more
predators overnight. Coming back, he found Sion already sitting in front of the
fire. Agreeing to keep watch second, Richter laid down to rest.
The night passed without
incident. In the morning, Sion examined the surrounding area, quickly finding
the trail that the wolves had taken to arrive at the cave. Again the two
Companions would be moving upriver. Looking at the useless pelts of the rabid
wolves, Richter shook his head in distaste at the waste of life, before setting
out after the sprite. He attempted to ask about the blue glow the sprite had
made around the arrow, but Sion had cut him off saying it was not up for
discussion.
Throughout the day, they found
and killed eight more wolves, all with distinctive look of sickened animals.
Once he had killed five, he was notified that he had completed his quest
Cleanse the Forest I, and that he should return to the Hearth Mother for his
reward. Even though Hisako had only asked for five wolves, his second quest,
Cleanse the Forest II, required that he find out why the animals were getting
sick so they proceeded onward.
The land grew progressively
rockier as they moved upriver. They were also climbing in elevation as they
walked closer to the mountains. The further up they went, the more pine like
trees were seen. They had been walking in silence for several hours when Sion
suddenly stopped. There was a look of severity on his face that Richter had not
seen before. Taking a sniff, he looked at his human companion and quietly said
one word, “Goblin.”
Looking back at the sprite, he
mouthed back “Goblin?” Sion nodded once, and then silently melded back into the
foliage. Richter moved to follow him into the denser undergrowth, leaving the
relatively open space on the side of the river. It was easier to walk there,
but made them a clear and obvious target as well. Stopping a dozen yards into
the forest, Sion turned to Richter and motioned to him to wait. The sprite
quickly climbed the tree they stood beside and disappeared into the leaves
above. It sounded like the sprite moved along the branches to the next tree. Well
that’s a new trick, Richter thought.
Waiting, Richter examined his
immediate surroundings. As he looked down he found one plant had colors that
were somewhat more vibrant than its surroundings. Reaching down he ran his hand
along its length. It had yellow flowers that shot off to the sides and a deep
purple bud on top that had yet to open. As he slowed his breathing, he felt he
could visualize all of it in his mind, not just the portion that was visible.
He could feel the leaves, the flowers, and the roots. He made the connection,
and again instinctively knew to loosen the soil lightly around it, grasp below
the level of the flowers, and then twist and pull in a clockwise direction. It
easily came free from the dirt.
Congratulations! You have advanced to
level 2 in Herb Lore. Herbs are 3% more effective. Increased chance of finding
higher level herbs.
Congratulations! You have found Tiger
Lily. The colors of the flowers make you think of the pleasant heat of the
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