"Well," said Alore Edris, "I can take that lot of silks from you. These appear to be fine silks, possibly from Quoro to the west. Fine silk works there. I often get my silks from there." The tall wizard gestured and a Goblin took the crates and started hauling them to the back of her well-lit store. Behind her, the 12-foot-tall cases were filled with books, scrolls and parchments. Higher up were a bevy of hats topped the shelfs, and floating in various well-lit spots beautifully designed clothes were on magically lifted racks. The adventurers had come here to sell off the silks found in the barrows.
Baldur had already replaced his leather armor, and Quinby asked the stern looking woman if she dealt in armor. "Well," she replied, "not armor per se, but I can craft some magic armor from those silks that may be a more fitting armor for one of your stature and style."
"Cost is no object" said the kinder, his eyes on the hats above. "And, may I see that beret above?" His glee was barely in control as the hat floated down to him with a quick gesture. "And can you make my armor match this? And" his lit up even more as a thought crossed his mind, "could you make this a hat of holding?"
The wizard looked down at the Halfling, her hands rubbing her silk scarf. "Yes, but that will take a bit longer than the 3 weeks for the armor. Assuming I can get the ingredients, it will be about 6 weeks. And with the hat, it won't be quite as large as your traditional bag of holding, but should hold a fair amount."
There was no bargaining as none of the adventurers had much in the way of financial wits. 500 gold later, the deal was struck for the armor to be ready on the 15th of Reedwryme, and the hat by the end of that same month, about 2 weeks later. "I should have it all by the Festival of the Green Man" she said as she finished up her measurements of the thief.
 |
| the beret and matching silk armor |
Offering her the python eyes and teeth, she shuddered a bit and said, "You may want to try selling those to old Bellatrix, the witch up in the hills. I have no use for that sort of magic ingredient. Rennor can probably take you up there, she and Sharn often visit the old woman."
Our crew leaves the store and heads to the town square, in search of the teenaged Rennor.
Rennor was watching the spearmen train in front of the barracks, the sun high overhead. While mimicking the motions, she felt a light tap on her elbow, and looking down, sees an open bag with a python eye staring at her. A quick intake of breath and she sees the Druid, the thief and the Mycelium.
"We hear you may be able to take us to Bellatrix - think she could use these?" asks Quinby.
"She's a scary old witch, but she may be able to use those." The Orc looks up in the sky and notes the sun. "We could leave now and get there about dusk. There are some good places to camp nearby."
Baldur speaks, asking about Bellatrix. "What makes her so scary? Has she harmed anyone or caused mischief?" Quinby blurts out "Does she eat children?"
Rennor shook her head at the Halfling, replying "She's been here since before Windemere Crossing started growing again. Years ago, a couple of boys were bullying some other kid. She cursed the bullies, and ever since then, their pants never stay up! They left not long after according to my dad. But she has an evil eye I've heard, so I never look her straight in the face. My friend Sharn, she's a potion peddler, will probably be there tomorrow. She's at the stables right now, probably getting reading lessons. Da is big on education. Are you ready now - I can take you. For a price...".
Quinby holds out a handful of gold. Eyes wide, Rennor just takes a single gold saying that would be enough. They leave town through the east gate, which is still under construction. Soon they leave the noises of the town behind, moving south through the town farmlands. Eventually, much to Baldur's relief, they are in the hilly scrublands that lead up into the mountains.
A few hours later, moving through rougher hills, with the trees starting to lose their leaves, they hear a rustling, windy sound. Up the path, maybe 150 yards ahead, coming against the wind are 2 dust devils with swirling leaves caught up. As they get closer, they realize that the two dust devils are going against the winds, and there are whispers and voices in the twirling columns of leaves.
"So hungry" says one, the other responding, "And there is food ahead." Baldur recognizes the leaflings from his days in the grove. These spirits, mere shadows of a dryad, are hungry for life. They feed on the life force of living creatures. Baldur asks what these creatures want. "Food - and you are food."
"Ahh, if I should give you some of my life force, would you let us pass?" asks the Druid. The susurrus of the leaves goes on, and one says "We are not sure we can hold back." The Leaflings approach. Out of the blue, our thief takes out his stolen lute and starts playing very badly. "Hurts!" says one of the Leaflings, and rapidly leaves the path. Quinby looked sad, but Enoki consoled him: "It is off to get more of its friends to hear your playing. It is a good thing." Smiling, Quinby is about to start playing again when Baldur stops and asks the Leafling again, "Will you let us pass if I give some of my life to you?" The Leafling hesitates, but as Quinby's fingers approach the lute strings, it too runs off.
Rennor, quiet throughout this encounter, shakes her head. "I've never seen one of those before!" And they proceed up the path.
Nearing dusk, the see a house built into the hill, a neat garden in front. In the light, the walls look like gingerbread. Of course Quinby licks the shale walls, disappointed that they are in fact not gingerbread. There is some noise from within the house, and an old, hunched over woman flings open the door.
"Wat are you doing here? And quit licking my house young man!" The group sees your typical witch from the stories: long bent nose with a mole on the tip, black frumpy garments, and peaked hat looking like it was just thrown on.
"Ahh, is that you young Rennor? What brings you out at this time of day? Getting too long in the day for you to get back to you father before dark?"
A brief introduction and the guests enter the house. A large cauldron is bubbling in the center of the room, and Bellatrix Grimsbane, the witch, eyes the halfling then the pot. There is a some discussion (forgive me - I am tired and did not write down a lot of conversation) and a deal is made to camp out behind the house for the night as Sharn will be there, and between the somewhat gruesome python and other parts of dead creatures, a deal is struck to exchange a healing potion for going with Sharn for the supplies needed.
Enoki did ask 3 questions, which I've yet to formulate any replies to:
and ask if she knows about the druid centaur...if she has a way to track the "stone", and if she knows anything about willow wisps. I'll some dialog prepared for next week as I've already got what I think she will say.
The thief actually leveled up, but the other characters have a bit further to go. OSE does not have equal levels by class, but hopefully that is a bit balanced by the skills and abilities. And as well generally play fairly rules light, a lot of that really does not matter all that much. But I would like to get the other 2 levelled up but also don't want to just heap on gold and XP. But they will get there!
The Quick Recap
NPCs and Encounters
Bellatrix Grimsbane
“Aye, an’ there be an evil witch who lives up in that Whitecona Grove. She got herself an evil eye and can curse ye as soon as look at ye. Old and crook-backed, she makes poisons and eats little ‘uns”. Overheard at the Nimble Priest Inn, the staff merely look like Old Gretchen is in her drinks again. Further research will reveal that there is an older woman who lives up in the grove, been there for as long as anyone can remember. Even longer in fact. But behind the scenes, there have been a series of Bellatrix Grimsbane over the decades. Always a witch, and usually more attuned to healing and love potions more than poisons, but she also has a wide range of poisons, some very specific in their application. The current Bellatrix works closely with Sharn, the potion peddler. Bellatrix has the facilities to make some of the potions that, as a traveling potion maker, the Orc cannot make on her own. Sharn brings in herbs and plants and other things that are not available near the Grove.
Bellatrix Grimsbane is more a title bestowed centuries ago, and each witch will train the following one. Usually someone ends up being at the right place at the right time so that there has been an uninterrupted Bellatrix for more than 300 years. One of the first cantrips they learn is the glamor that lets them appear as an aged crone, which they “wear” whenever there are people nearby.
The current Bellatrix is only about 25 years old, and has been in her position only a couple of years. She was a servant that was abused, and escaped from the caravan she was in when the caravan stayed at Windermere Crossing. Running miles past the town, she wandered into the Whitecona Grove and was taken in by the previous Bellatrix Grimsbane. Three years later, the former Bellatrix wandered off to gather herbs and was not seen again, and the girl assumed the role.
Her house is dug into the hillside, and at first glance does appear to be made of gingerbread. Closer inspection shows it to be an odd sort of shale. And yes, she has a giant cauldron in her kitchen but a child has never been it other than to get a bath.
A friendly face to the kind, she is fierce to those who hurt others. She has been known to visit town as Bellatrix and most people cross the street to avoid the evil looking woman. Oddly she visits with Zesp Zrag who seems unafraid. But there is coin to be made by selling her the tools she needs, and in buying her potions. Her healing potion is not only effective, but carries a faint taste of lilac and tastes better than any others.
The stories of her evil eye are a bit exaggerated. The previous Bellatrix, years ago before Sheriff Sprigbasher came to town, cursed several ruffians that were beating up some street urchins. The ruffians could not keep their pants on no matter what they did, and the constant laughter at the two caused them to leave town. No one knows if they can keep their pants on yet. She also always appears angry and most people try to avoid eye contact out of habit at this point.
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