Herbs for Swans
Log Info
- Title: Herbs for Swans
- GM: Riptide
- Place: The Mythwood
- Summary: The trials of Lady Nuala continue with Luco'lann riding with the adventurers Harshad, Lucius, Crik, Magpie, and Lheo into the Mythwood, where she and the Lady explain the issues with Lady Nuala's parents and the hope that the crescent-leaf plant that Lady Nuala has identified can wake them from their slumber. The party encounters three dire badgers in the Mythwood, and while the fight is tense, the adventurers prevail. After a tense discussion with a pixie, the adventurers make it back in one piece and deliver the crescent-leaves to Lady Nuala.
The wind is only a tad lighter today as you leave in the wagon that takes you from the wintry Alexandria to the Mythwood, meaning that it's still plenty cold as you leave, and the winds don't really let up until you come to the edge of the Mythwood. Your ride out is accompanied by an ebon-skinned woman who sits with you inside of the wagon, seemingly of elvish heritage on account of her graceful features and pointed ears, although her striking red eyes scan the assembled group. She nods just a little as her eyes fall on Lucius in particular. "Good. I hoped that you would show eventually," she says.
She adjusts her sitting position, the rapier hanging from a belt around her hips and her dark leathers dotted with black feathers announcing herself as a warrior. But that clashes with what she says next: "For those of you who do not know me: I am called Luco'lann. I am the handmaiden of Lady Fionnuala, daughter of the Baron and Baroness of the Pale Plume. We are entering their lands--"
The snow-clad forests of the Mythwood outside the wagon turn from a wintry white to a vibrant and healthy green, and Luco'lann gives a wave of her hand to the wagon window. "--have entered their lands. The Baron and Baroness are currently in a slumber from which they do not wake. My Lady, who serves as the regent in their absence, has exhausted her options that are available to her, and is fond of mortals--hence why I was sent to your city of men to recruit your aid."
She looks at the group again. "We will speak with my Lady shortly. I ask that you all are careful with your words. I will tolerate no offense toward her."
Harshad sits in the wagon, wrapped in his canvas sea-coat, looking distinctly dour. The prospect of dallying with the fey really doesn't fill him with good cheer. But money talks, and he can't afford to be picky. So he's here. When the landscape shifts from snowy to green, he sits up, looks outside, then looks at the others with a furrowed brow. At Luco'lann's words, Harshad shifts in his seat, before nodding. "...Alright."
The frosty wind and weather don't seem like the best places to be, but Lheo is reminded quite forcibly that the need for adventurers does not stop merely because of chill weather. He in his dark green arcanist robes, fur-lined boots, and warm cloak, has been among the quieter ones on this trek. Well, except for the very unhappy-looking grey hawk that has sunk its talons into the side of the wagon as they ride, its feathers fluffed and generally looking pretty miserable. Tarna has been even more quiet, outside of the occasional cry as the wagon jolts particularly hard.
He listens to the explanation, nodding, but doesn't say much, only pulls the thick leather glove off of his left hand and flexes his fingers. Tarna, on the other hand, gives a pleased squawk as the weather abruptly improves, and launches herself in a rush of wings.
The name 'Lady Fionnuala' seems to jostle a couple braincells in Magpie's head, and the gnome spends a good deal of the journey frowning in thought, gnawing absently on a thumbnail, occasionally distracted by the rolling countryside and appreciating the ability to travel through the snow without actually travel through the snow. It's a nice change, when head-height is such a low bar for snow to clear!
Around the time the snow gives way to green, Magpie snaps her fingers. "Oh that's right! Nuala! I remember her! Oh yeah don't worry ma'am your lady'll be fine, you'll see. I can't... promise I'll be careful with my words, but I can promise I'll be nice. If that's not enough, well... wouldn't be the first time someone's tied a scarf 'round my mouth, I guess."
Luke rides astride Thunder, keeping pace with the wagon. "It's good to see you again, Luco'lann. I look forward to aiding your cause to the limits of my ability." Luke inhales sharply as the forest changes around them. "Wow. That's cool," he manages, wide-eyed. His head turns from side to side as he surveys the unfamiliar landscape.
A bundle of rags and cloth- no wait, that's just a bundled up Crik in the corner of the wagon with his head tilted back. It was obvious he was paying a lot of attention to the discussion - with his head tilted back, a black tongue sticking touch out of his black beak, and his feathers completely puffed out.
It is when the forest changes that the rogue egalrin suddenly perks up and looks like he was about to fly - instead, while his body shuffles in his place, he looks towards Luco'lann. "A herb for eternal slumber?"
Luco'lann seems placated by reassurances in the three manners: silent, brief, and verbose, although her red eyes flicker to Magpie in particular. "I take it you are one of the mortals who helped my Lady when she was forcibly brought to your city of men," she says. "She will be overjoyed to see you again." There is a hint of a smile that plays on her lips, but only briefly. "It has to do with the matter of herbs, yes, but I will let my Lady explain. She has more knowledge on that matter than I do. I wield my blade, but compassion is the blade that she wields."
The journey doesn't take much longer. The wagon rolls up to a lake shrouded largely at the other side by fog and mist, its sapphire waters almost so still and so bright that one could mistake them for a smooth crystalline sheen--except for when a single swan rides across the surface, the ripples slow and gentle as the swan glides. Luco'lann departs from the wagon first and waits at the shore, seemingly to meet the swan--
--who transforms into a woman with a cascade of white waves for hair, her pale skin matching the white feathers she'd worn just a moment before. Her deep brown eyes look to the adventuring party, and she smiles warmly. "Hello, adventurers--is that you, Magpie?" she asks in a gentle tone, her face lighting up in joy as she spots the gnome. "I am so happy to see you! I wish we could celebrate, but I must explain your task: I believe I've identified some herbs that grow only in a specific part of the Mythwood that I cannot reach, and I refuse to send my people out and risk trespass into another's territory. I believe that they might help my parents wake from their slumber."
"I knew it!" Magpie crows, punching the air in victory-- her memory hadn't failed her completely! "Good to see you too, Lady Nuala! And okay, so... Are we going to be trespassing? Not that we won't help, but, definitely want to know if anyone's gonna be upset to see us. That, like, important information to have."
The blond gnome seems almost to be vibrating in place, eager to get out and get to helping.
Harshad blinks at the swan that suddenly turns into a person. But at the prospect of... well, skulduggery, even if it's for an odd cause, he relaxes a bit. This he can do. Well, almost. "Ah... I don't know a lot about herbs. I hope we can get a description, or someone else here knows what we're looking for?" He looks at the others uncertainly. "I've... never burgled a forest before."
The quiet wizard follows the others to the shoreline, but the first thing he does upon alighting from the wagon is put his fingers to his teeth and give a sharp whistle, then quickly don the leather glove he'd laid in his lap during the ride. In short order, the gray hawk that had launched itself from the wagon swoops down to his heavily-gloved fist, and he coos quietly to her, fumbling with his other hand for a piece of leather in his belt pouch. This he fits over the bird's head, and he snaps it into place before rejoining the others, still gently stroking the bird. "Can you describe the herb you are looking for?" He speaks for the first time in a while, still stroking the bird as he listens.
Crik seems to look very fresh and greenery - having flopped over appropriate slice of gold trimmed green cloth over his shoulder. Still, looks more like a hooded bundle of rags. "Burgling a forest comes easy." He tells Harshad with the low voice of his. He reaches out with his hand, then snaps something out of thin air. Puts it in his pocket. "But be wary of what your hands came for." Beak opens as he looks around himself - before he moves to stand behind Harshad. Just in case an angry woman with a rapier gets close.
After dismounting and sticking his lance into the earth, Lucius bows to Lady Fionnuala. "Well met, my lady." He nods as the other adventurers ask their questions. "The task you described does not seem all that complicated. Nevertheless, the more we know about our mission, the better we'll be able to complete it." With a grin, he continues, "I heard from a fellow adventurer that one can encounter unexpected dangers when picking herbs in the Mythwood, but it's my first time visiting in person, so I don't know anything about it myself."
Lady Nuala looks a bit bashful. "I should clarify," she says. "When I mean encroaching on another's territory--I mean the animals and other creatures who live there. That is a part of the woods that has many of them living there, because it is warm and many herbs and other food sources grow there."
Luco'lann cuts in. "We are capable of scouting there. I have offered such a service to the Lady. But she fears that our presence could attract the attention or ire of other courts. While your people do attract attention, it is of a different kind, and my Lady already has her hands full with caring for her parents as they sleep and keeping our people together."
The handmaiden produces a folded note that she offers to Lheo. "In your tongue, you might call it a crescent-leaf. When it is at its most potent, it glows very softly. Bring back two of them, including the roots, and leave the rest for others to use as needed. It will be noticed if you take more than you need."
The note contains an illustration that is competently done, presumably with a quill and some sort of dark ink. It is indeed a small plant with leaves that resemble a crescent moon, clinging to the thin and graceful stem like a tiny tree.
Lheo transfers the bird on his hand to the leather-padded shoulder of his cloak, the bird's talons sinking into the well-used leather. "I need my hand, Tarna." The bird doesn't seem to mind, and settles after a moment of ruffling.
He takes the note, opening it with one hand gloved and one not, and showing the others. "Harvest the ones that are glowing, and don't take more than two. Understood." Short and to the point, this one. "Special harvest or store needed, or no?"
Harshad looks at the note as well, heavy brows furrowing a bit. "Huh. Must be valuable. Hope they're not too fragile, I don't think any of us brought stuff for carrying live plants. Could be worse, at least it's not a live animal." He makes a face. "Never take a job involving live critters. Way more trouble than its worth."
"Wrong!" Magpie stabs a finger at Harshad. "One time I took a job protecting some sheep, and it was one of the best days of my life. D'you even know how fluffy and warm a sheep is?!"
It's at this point she realizes she's in public, and her cheeks turn red. "Anyway. As long as we're careful with them, they should be perfectly okay for the trip back. I hope they help like you think they will, Lady Nuala, and we should get going!"
Crik stares around, looking at nothing and everything special, before his eyes turn towards Lady Nuala. Brief bob of head. Then towards Luco'lann, and finally, back to Harshad. There's a bit of a ruffle in his cloak, before he hefts up a pair of larger looking vials. "When truth lingers, it serves to be prepared." Truth or just a collection of trinkets, the corvid turns towards Lady Nuala at last. Another bob of his head. "Lady." It's almost as if he finally remembered to be courteous. "What is the fauna that demands a group of blades?"
"That's very helpful," Luke notes, peering at the illustration. "You call this a crescent-leaf? A beautiful name that befits a beautiful plant." He smiles at the other adventurers. "I'm looking forward to this."
"Put them away immediately into a dark place after you bring them out of the ground to keep them at their most potent," Lady Nuala explains, as she is the healer. "They will survive the journey here. I believe they are seldom-known outside of the woods because they are wild-grown plants that thrive only within. I suspect they would be nothing more than an ordinary plant if you brought them out of the woods and back to Alexandria." The name of the city is said with an affectionate and nostalgic tone.
One that Luco'lann catches and, for a moment, looks almost uneasy, before she retrieves another slip of paper that she also hands to Lheo, as he's apparently been deemed the document-keeper. "That is a map that leads to your destination. Follow the paths as marked. I have placed markers along the path where I could, as Lady Nuala did not want all of you to lose your way."
And thankfully, the promise of the map and the markers proves true. There are strips of cloth that are wrapped around trees that are the same red color of Luco'lann's eyes that correspond to the dots on the map. And while there's no shortage of odd sights on the path, such as softly glowing butterflies and the tolling of small bell-like flowers, it's best to keep on guard. At least it is a pleasant walk with a warm ambient temperature.
GAME: Harshad rolls perception: (16)+7: 23 GAME: Harshad rolls stealth: (13)+10: 23 GAME: Lucius rolls Perception: (18)+6: 24 GAME: Crik rolls perception: (3)+11: 14 GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (2)+10: 12 GAME: Magpie rolls stealth: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Lheo rolls perception: (11)+4: 15 GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Lheo rolls stealth: (20)+4: 24 GAME: Lheo rolls 1d20+15: (18)+15: 33
Harshad stops suddenly, and gestures to the others. "Hsst!" he whispers. "Something up ahead!" His hands flash to his belt, whipping his rapier and dagger out as he crouches a bit. "Like... something's fighting? I hear growling." He looks to see if any of the others are aware of what he's talking about.
Crik has no idea what was happening. He was happy staring at all the sights - or rather, he was easily distracted by the odd sights. Wrapped up in the earthy colors again, he kept walking besides the group just a touch off the beaten path. "-hear nothing-!" He clicks through his throat, making vague gestures with his dark fingers.
Luke nods and gestures forward with the tip of his lance. "I hear it too. Two creatures, maybe more. Are they fighting each other? I can't make out anything else, but something's definitely happening up ahead. We should be on our guard." He sits a little straighter in his saddle and narrows his eyes.
GAME: Lheo casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15
"Understood, thank you," Lheo repeats, taking the map and sharing it with the others as well. Laconic, but thoughtful, he displays the map for all to see. Only when they are out of the Lady's presence does he remove the bird's hood and send her to fly, further into the woods. The piece of leather is tucked away, and he follows the path in a near-ghostly silence, soft leather boots quiet amid the flowers and trees, his eyes eagerly devouring everything around him. Only when Harshad speaks does he stop, but when Tarna flies back in to land on his padded shoulder with a cry. "Tarna agrees," he tells the others, rolling up the map and tucking it away for now. "Just a moment."
His hands move, his voice intones a quick incantation, and a deep green glow envelops him for a moment, settling after that first flash into a quieter thing.
While creeping, mostly silent, through the woods, Magpie is entranced at the literal enchanted woods. Every time an animal is spotted in the distance, her hands twitch of their own accord, as if the urge to pet was strong enough to be a completely unconscious thing. As Harshad gives the signal, Magpie's eyes had been locked on a particularly colorful bird. Thus, her only response is a faint, distracted 'Whuh?'
But everyone seems to be arming themselves, and so Magpie makes sure her weapon is in hand. Just in case a kneecap offends her.
It becomes clear what's happening as the group approaches the clearing up ahead. The beautiful sight of a clearing in a magic, fey-spelled wood is somewhat marred by two rather muscular creatures writhing around with each other on the ground, snarling and snapping at each other. They wear stripes of white and black on their heads, with the rest of their bodies a solid black.
While they don't notice you, there's a third that's by a patch of what looks to be the softly glowing crescent-leaves... And although he's opened his mouth to eat it, he spots one of you in the distance. He roars, and the two in the middle of fighting stop what they're doing. They scramble back up and roar in a challenge.
GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (7)+4: 11
The first of these striped creatures takes the initiative and charges forward, lunging at Harshad. It tries to go for the throat but misses, causing it to land in an awkward position that leaves it a little more exposed than it might like.
GAME: Lheo casts Grease. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+5: (8)+5: 13
"Ugh," Lheo grumbles as the challenge is roared. "This is so much more Theo's thing." He pulls from his belt pouch, then, a bit of butter, and invokes a second incantation, pointing the butter-smeared finger at the badger's feet. The ground around it erupts in a slippery, shimmering substance, the butter vanishing from his finger in the same moment and leaving the creature to flail as it tries to keep its footing.
"Get the plants!" He takes off at at run towards the treeline, clearly intending to take a covered path towards their goal.
"On it!" Magpie says, scooting through the undergrowth with surprising speed. Partly because the herbs need to be got, but also because, c'mon, an upset wolverine the size of a horse?
No, no, no thank you, best to be over here.
GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d4+2: (3)+2: 5
The other badger that was wrestling rushes over to meet Lucius, carefully avoiding the puddle that has trapped its ally. The third creature spots Magpie over the patch of crescent-leaves and growls in irritation as it walks around, lashing out with its ferocious bite and drawing blood!
GAME: Harshad rolls acrobatics: (16)+10: 26 GAME: Harshad rolls weapon1+4+2: (14)+7+4+2: 27 GAME: Harshad rolls 1d6+2+3d6: (1)+2+(12): 15
Harshad's eyes go wide at the huge badgers charging the party, and he briefly wonders if he's ingested some of those 'special mushrooms' that old guy at the bar was trying to push on him the other night. Then the weedy little wizard lays down a grease-trap, and Harshad starts moving -- rolling to the side as the badger flails around, his rapier licking out to drive into its flank. "This is why I'm a city boy!"
GAME: Crik rolls weapon1: (12)+3: 15 GAME: Crik rolls damage1: aliased to 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Crik rolls 1d6: (5): 5 GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (3)+10: 13
Crik watches around him as badgers just come out of nowhere. This was not the kind of fae tale he was expecting from a gentle glowing forest, filled with deadly wonders. Undoubtedly. He slowly pulls out his thick knife from under his cloak, and watching Harshad dance around, he moves on up and shanks the dire badger in the gut. His eyes look about as the creature dies - and then his mouth opens in a repeated shrill cry. Moments later, the bundle of rags is gone - and stalking after Magpie.
GAME: Lucius rolls attack+1: aliased to 1d20+BAB+Strength+1: (4)+2+3+1: 10 GAME: Lucius rolls bite: aliased to 1d20+1: (16)+1: 17 GAME: Lucius rolls bitedmg: aliased to 1d4+3: (4)+3: 7
Luke lurches backward. "Are we allowed to —" One of the angry badgers answers his question for him before he has a chance to finish asking. Any last reservations fall away when he sees Harshad and Crik eliminate another of the creatures. He guides Thunder around the badger, then warhorse and rider strike as one. The lance bounces harmlessly off the creature's thick hide, but Thunder sinks his teeth into the badger, spraying red.
GAME: Lheo casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15 GAME: Lheo rolls 2d4: (6): 6 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
"Look out!" Suddenly alarmed as Magpie takes a bite from the badger, Lheo dashes out of the trees to stand not quite in the cover the egalrin's assistance provides. This time, there is nothing in his hands, merely a shouted incantation, and he raises both hands, fingers splayed. Fire bursts from his hands in a carefully-positioned burst that catches only the badger. The gout of flame doesn't seem to hurt it too much, but the fur catches fire, which only makes it smell worse.
GAME: Magpie casts Color Spray. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+2: (20)+2: 22
"Ow! Okay, stop that," Magpie shouts as the badger bites a long furrow into her arm. Hurriedly hopping back, she drags her hands over her arms, pulling the very color from skin and cloth, and mushing all the stolen color into a ball. Shouting a word of unintelligible power, she sweeps out one arm, and the glob of chromatic magic fans out... Leaving the badger unharmed, still pissed off, and now splattered with what looks like vividly multihued paint.
"...Oh. Shit. Um, guuuuuuuys?"
GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (9)+4: 13 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d4+2: (3)+2: 5 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (15)+4: 19 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d3+2: (3)+2: 5 GAME: Riptide rolls 1d3+2: (3)+2: 5
The badger down by Lucius continues its assault, snarling and lashing out. It reaches Luke with a mighty bite, but its claws don't find purchase.
Meanwhile, the badger by the crescent-leaves is visibly furious, licks of flame on its back and covered in magic. It goes for Magpie, and while its bite stops short of the gnome's throat, the claws tear deep wounds into the sorceress.
GAME: Harshad rolls weapon1+2: (18)+7+2: 27 (THREAT) GAME: Harshad rolls weapon1+2: (12)+7+2: 21 GAME: Harshad rolls 1d6+2+1d6+2+2d6: (5)+2+(6)+2+(4): 19
Harshad glances back, and heaves a sigh as Magpie is getting kicked around despite both the wizard AND her throwing spells at the badger. "Be right back, Luke!" The half-oruch whirls and sprints over, trying not to stomp on the flowers, and he moves with surprising grace right behind the badger. "Hey, asshole. Pick on someone your own size!" Then his rapier flicks out like a needle, punching neatly into the badger's vitals and right into its heart. There's a whistling sound as Harshad whips the blade out, and he grins with tusks. "Gotcha."
GAME: Crik rolls weapon1: (8)+3+2: 13 GAME: Crik rolls weapon1: (10)+3+2: 15 GAME: Crik rolls damage1: aliased to 1d4+1: (1)+1: 2 GAME: Crik rolls 1d6: (6): 6
Crik sees badgers getting smacked left and right and the abstract piece of badger getting put out of his misery. Looking over his shoulder, he hops his way back over the grease pit - and moves to quietly stab the badger Lucius is harassing, before quickly dancing away with a caw.
GAME: Lucius rolls attack+3: aliased to 1d20+BAB+Strength+3: (2)+2+3+3: 10 GAME: Lucius rolls bite+2: aliased to 1d20+1+2: (20)+1+2: 23 GAME: Lucius rolls bite+2: aliased to 1d20+1+2: (4)+1+2: 7 GAME: Lucius rolls bite+2: aliased to 1d20+1+2: (7)+1+2: 10 GAME: Lucius rolls bitedmg: aliased to 1d4+3: (3)+3: 6
To Luke's relief, Harshad puts the flaming badger out of its misery. He turns back to the enemy before him and Thunder, and they lash out again. The lance misses yet again, but the warhorse screams and lunges at the badger, flashing teeth. A moment later, the creature collapses lifelessly to the earth.
Harshad exhales. "Hoo boy. This is exactly why I'm cityfolk..." He looks around, then down, and sees one of the crescent-leaf flowers just two inches from his right foot. "Uh... boy, I hope I didn't step on any of these..." He puts his blades away, and begins moving with exaggerated care away from the patch. "I know, we only need two, but still..."
Crik walks over and bends down to stare at the glowy herbs. "... what about one extra leaf?" He suggests, but he will help others to scavenge the plants.
Immediately, Lheo strides over towards Magpie. "Are you all right? My brother is the healer, not me, but those look pretty bad. No, just take two of the plants, with the root," he calls over to Crik. "We can put them in one of my pouches, I've got a spare."
"Uuuuugh owowowow," Magpie complains, staring down at her bleeding flesh... but more as an inconvenience than a life-threatening injury. "Okay so giant badgers. Not pettable."
One might get the impression that Magpie actually keeps a list of things it is safe to pet. Probably, she does.
Probably, she has to.
The smile she turns up to Lheo is right out of a horror movie, spattered with blood as it is, and she pats down her pockets for a moment, before diving a hand into a belt pouch. "No it's fine, I actually thought ahead for a change before we came out here!" A vial with a deep-crimson liquid is hoisted up for proud display, then unstoppered and gulped down.
GAME: Magpie rolls 2d8+3: (7)+3: 10 GAME: Magpie used a Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds.
"Boy do you scare me sometimes," Luke exhales, massaging Thunder's mane and staring at the dead badger. "In a good way of course," he adds, dismounting. They reunite with the adventurers on the other side of the clearing, and Luke rubs his chin.
"Luco'lann warned us not to take more than needed. I would suggest we take the brightest two plants of the ones we can find here." He frowns slightly. "They won't mind that we had to, uh, take care of these badgers right? In either case, we had little choice but to defend ourselves."
There's a loud yet tiny voice that comes from somewhere in the crescent-leaves. "Uhhhh, hey fuckhead, how about you 'extra leaf' and get outta here if you're gonna take more than you should?"
Sitting on a mushroom is... a black-winged butterfly? No, that's just a tiny woman with butterfly wings. Her dark hair is cropped in a short bob, and her completely dark eyes stare up at Crik. She looks miffed, to say the least. "Just two! One, two! No more! Three is WAY too many! You can count back where you came from, right?"
Then she casts a look over at the dead badgers. "See? They were three and that's way too many. Good job. Anyway, take what you came for and go, alright?"
GAME: Crik rolls knowledge/planes: (10)+knowledge/planes: 10 GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/the planes: (16)+8: 24 GAME: Crik rolls knowledge/the planes: (7)+3: 10 GAME: Lheo rolls knowledge/the planes: (17)+8: 25 GAME: Lheo rolls knowledge/nature: (15)+8: 23
Lucius looks rather miffed. "We were going to take two," he retorts. "And frankly, there's no need to be so impertinent. Back where I came from, they taught us both how to count and how to have manners. You can mind your own business, please and thank you."
Crik, making friends. He holds up his knife, definitely not badger-bloody, as he bends down to look at the not-butterfly. "A tiny bit of the leaf, please?" He earnestly asks. But perhaps guessing at what was going on, he puts the knife away and bobs his head up and down, before hopping off with the rest of the group.
"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" Trailing scraps of clothing and flakes of dried blood, Magpie rushes to interpose herself between Lucius and the pixie. "Territory, remember? It's not ours, it's hers! Aaaaack sorry sorry sorry for the mixup we didn't understand till just now! We'll only take two, we promise, and thanks for being nice enough to let us handle the pickup!"
Harshad looks at the others as they move in to carefully excavate two of the plants. "Yeah, I kinda wonder, but then again..." Then someone starts cussing at them, and it takes Harshad a minute to peer down. "What the..." He feels that weird sense that he's definitely not in Alexandria any more again, at the foul mouthed little... uh... person.
Then something clicks in his head. "Hey, no trouble. We're just here for the two. We're not gonna mess around on your turf any more than we need to." He holds his hands up, glancing at the others, especially Magpie. "Yeah, see, she gets it. You don't tread on another gang's turf, see?"
Lheo watches as Magpie downs a potion, and breathes a sigh of relief. "Good idea. I'll have to make sure I do that, next time." He turns away, and strides over towards the plants, slowing to kneel down in front of the plants. "You heard the lady," he says, looking around for - where the voice actually came from? There she is. "Hey, easy. This is their space, and she's a pixie. I don't feel like messing around with the fey. Let's get what we came for and get out of here." He checks to make sure nobody else is actually digging or removing anything before moving to remove the first one.
The pixie stares up at the blade and at Crik. "Hey hey hey hey. /Hey/. Watch where you're going, mister. No extra leaves! Only two plants! ONE, TWO."
It's Lucius's turn to get a pint-sized glare from the pixie on the mushroom. But then Magpie comes running over to smooth things over, and then Lheo and Harshad speak. "Sheesh, at least some of you have brains and manners. Be gentle, okay?" the pixie asks as Lheo goes to remove the crescent-leaves. There's a genuine look of concern like a parent watching someone holding their baby for the first time.
But the extraction goes without incident. The crescent-leaves are stored away, and the pixie bids the group farewell with a call of, "Seeya later maybe! Don't die on your way back!" The trek back goes without incident.
Lady Nuala takes the crescent-leaves and gently holds them in her hands, looking at them as the precious and hard-to-find herbs that they are. "I hope they will work," she says softly. "If they do not... Then we will have to continue."
She looks at the group of adventurers, tears welling up in her dark brown eyes as she smiles warmly. "Forgive me," she says. "I am... always touched by the actions of mortals. Your compassion, your fervor. The work you have done here means more than I can rightfully say."
Time will tell if the herbs will work their magic, as the solution takes time to prepare. For now, Luco'lann rides back with the group, stone-faced and grim, as she continues to be her Lady's representative in Alexandria.
OOC
<OOC> Riptide says, "Map! https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mrqwp7l5w9r"
<OOC> Riptide says, "Orc face: Harshad, Bird face: Crik, Glaive: Lucius, Robes: Lheo, Bird with light: Magpie"