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The Improbable Adventures of Corvella Greyrose: Day Eight


(continued from part seven, upthread!)




DAY EIGHT:

I awoke distraught and shivering, my skin covered in a sheen of cold sweat. My dreams were very vivid last night, and I have been shaken by them all day. At first, it was pleasant. A woman appeared to me, a beautiful drow whose voice I recognized. A voice I'd been hearing, now with a face as well. She called me chosen, she said she'd been searching for me, and that I was a shadow of what I'd become but that I was brimming with power. She told me she'd make me feel better, and her touch was soft and gentle. It was comforting, and I felt a longing to simply let myself dissolve into her embrace and forget all of my troubles. But something was off about the whole thing. It felt wrong, somehow, and the mysterious woman said that I was not ready, but she would return when I was. Then she was gone. Was she the Absolute? I wish I knew more. I am afraid to see her again, but I also . . . want to.






But this was not the dream that shook me so deeply. I had another dream later, one in which my skull split open and my skin peeled back. My face twisted and distorted, blood pouring out of the hideous rents in my flesh as slimy tentacles grew from the pulsing mass where my mouth used to be. It was not painful, in the dream, but somehow that just made it all the more horrifying. It felt . . . inevitable. Unstoppable. The process cared nothing for my will, my feelings. And there was so much blood.

When I woke up, I pressed hands to my face to ensure that I was still me, and to my alarm I discovered that my lips were covered with blood in the waking world as well. It was leaking from my nose, and it took me a long time to finally get the bleeding to stop. My head was pounding as well, the familiar headache returning, but somehow sharper this time. I couldn't stop thinking that I could FEEL tiny teeth biting into my brain, over and over. I hope that was just my imagination.






I'd intended to return to the ruined temple of Selune today, to venture within and see what there was to find. Perhaps to talk with some of the goblins. But now I felt decidedly unwell, and I didn't want to take any chances with dodgy goblin medicine. Those horned people I'd met before had told me there was a healer at their camp. For the first time since I came to my senses in the nautiloid, this morning I really felt like something was WRONG with me. I decided that I needed to go and seek this healer out.

I thought that the devil-people might be more apt to help me if they thought I was one of them, so I spent some time studying my spellbook and experimenting with the magic of the Disguise Self enchantment, and after a bit of tinkering, I was able to make myself appear as one of those creatures, even though I still didn't know what they were called. So now I had red skin, horns, and even a fiendish-looking tail! I also took the precaution of hardening my flesh with necromantic energy using the False Life spell, just in case anything went wrong. The rune circle returned me to the massive gate I'd seen before, which had been under attack by goblins the last time I was here. (I rubbed at my upper chest, remembering the pain of that arrow wound.)

As I approached, I saw that the ground was still drenched with blood, and bodies of both humans and goblins were strewn about in various poses of unexpected demise. They still had useful things on them, and I was quite sure they wouldn't be needing those things any more, so I took some time to redistribute their equipment to the needy. The needy being ME. It's what they would have wanted, I'm sure. To my great surprise, one of the dead goblins wore a pair of magical leather gauntlets! I could feel the power radiating off them as I carefully slipped them off the goblin's hands and put them into my Haversack. I hadn't expected to find an artifact here, of all places, but once again my keen archaeologist's senses led me to unclaimed treasure waiting to be properly collected.

Whoever was up on top of the wall opened the gate for me without saying a word, so I had to assume that my illusionary disguise was working. I don't know what I was expecting to find on the other side of the huge gate, but it wasn't this. On one side was a series of caves, with clearly ancient ruins built within them. On the other, down below a long drop, were more ruins and some kind of sacred circle of stones, like a ceremonial site from some long-lost era. There was also a conspicuous amount of greenery, so I wondered if that half of the encampment was inhabited by wood elves or something.

Moving forward down the path, I encountered a grey-haired halfling man who apparently had goods for sale. Never one to pass up the opportunity for some friendly commerce, I engaged the diminutive fellow in conversation. His name was Arron, and I learned much from him about this place. Apparently this was a druid grove, dedicated to Silvanus, and the druids who have been here for a long time have recently taken in a group of refugees, which would be the horned devil-folk. They're called "tieflings", as it turns out. So that's what I was appearing as. A tiefling. That sounded a little bit familiar to me, but I couldn't remember exactly what I might have known about them before, or if I'd ever met one in my old life. These druids are currently engaged in some big ritual to seal off this grove, preventing outsiders from getting in. They also plan to kick the refugees out before then, even though the latter are afraid of being killed by the goblins. The whole thing seems like a real mess, but it's not MY mess. I want no part of this particular struggle, and I resolved to keep my head down and not get involved.






As to my purpose, Arron told me that there WAS a healer there, by the name of Nettie, and pointed me in the right direction to find her. Then we got down to business. Like the goblin Grat, he had a few magical artifacts for sale, along with potions, scrolls, and other bits and bobs. There was one item that he offered that I was interested in, a magical staff of twisting white birch called Rain Dancer. It has the power to produce water from thin air, and I thought that might just be handy. So I sold him all of the gear I'd just looted from the corpses outside. I mean, I accepted a reward from him for helping to re-home the precious items of the dearly deceased. I also managed to get rid of the rest of my gems and trinkets, including that incredible ruby (his eyes lit up when he saw it!), and received not only Rain Dancer, but also another very large pile of gold coins. I think it's safe to say that I won't have to worry about money for a good while now.

There was a lot going on in the tiefling caves as well, and I saw many who looked interested in meeting me (why wouldn't they be?), but I didn't want to get dragged into anyone's drama, and I needed to see that healer. So I made my way directly down toward the druid's circle itself, where Nettie was supposed to be. But another surprise awaited me! The pretty half-elven woman from the alien ship, the one in the armor whom I'd been unable to free from her pod and then ran into again later outside the door to the first ruin I came across, suddenly appeared as if from nowhere and accosted me. She seemed to recognize me, which I thought was odd considering that I looked very different from when she had seen me before. She accused me of following her, which I laughed off as ridiculous. Because it WAS ridiculous.

I tried to keep the conversation short. In other circumstances, I might have been intrigued by her, and wanted to find out more, but right now I'm in surviving and working mode, no time to socialize. We spent a disturbingly long time discussing (for some reason?) whether or not she would kill a cat, and she said she was here to find a healer, too. She told me the REAL healer here was a great druid named Halsin, who had apparently gone missing. That didn't bode well, but I still planned to seek out this Nettie. I could tell, again, that the half-elf wanted to team up, but I was having none of that. If there's one thing I do remember from my forgotten former life, it's the sure knowledge that other people will always get you into trouble. When you rely only on yourself, you stay safe. So in that spirit, Corvella the Lone Wolf moved on.

At the entrance to the sacred circle proper, there was a bit of a ruckus. Several of the tieflings were arguing with some druids, demanding to be let in and such, and then one of the druids turned into a huge bear right in front of us! Well that was impressive, and the tieflings quickly dispersed. I heard a couple of them talking about a missing daughter, but . . . not my business. The druids didn't want to let me past, either, but then one of them (a gnome, if you can believe it!) spoke up for me and said that their leader, Kagha, wanted to see me. Which seemed pretty suspicious. How did this Kagha even know I existed? Why would she want to see ME? I didn't think it was a good sign, but it seemed that I had to go into Kagha's den in order to find Nettie. I silently prayed to Mystra that these silly bark-biters (or whatever druids do) wouldn't try to rope me into any nonsense.






So, passing by the druids who were actually performing their special ritual, I entered another ruin, passing through a heavy stone door covered with lovely carvings. The chamber that I entered after descending a short staircase was quite interesting, with some very fascinating murals painted on the ancient stone walls. But I didn't have time to examine them, as I saw some druids before me (and a big wolf, randomly?) harassing a small tiefling child. Somehow I got pulled into their confrontation, and learned that Kagha (an angry elven woman who could give Mean Green a run for her money on top tier scowling) wanted to lock up this little tiefling girl because she tried to steal their holy idol, and there was a scary-looking snake there guarding her, I guess? Another druid tried to reason with Kagha, but had no luck. So it was looking bad for the kid.

I had some sympathy for the child, since it sounded to me like she was just trying to do some innocent archaeology, and I think it's great for young people to get started early on such endeavours. So then I tried to talk Kagha into letting the girl go, but the bellicose druid leader was entirely unmoved by my words (eloquent as they surely were), and after that things happened quickly. Kagha ordered her subordinate to take the girl, the tiny tiefling resisted, and the sinister serpent struck. And that's how I ended up watching a little kid die in front of me today, while multiple druids just watched and did nothing. Aren't these leaf-lickers supposed to be able to cure poison? What good are they, seriously? That was when I decided that I would never help this group of vine-venerators in any way. To the Hells with them.






Kagha indicated that she wished to speak with me further, but I just gave her the cold shoulder and strode right on through the room to where Nettie was supposed to be. Moving into another old stone chamber, I found the woman I was looking for, a striking dwarf who was talking to a bird when I came in. Because I guess that's normal, when you're a druid? So I told Nettie that I needed healing, and she "examined" me, and concluded that I was just "tired" and that I needed to "rest" and perhaps "take a nip of whiskey". What kind of healer was this? I felt ripped off, and I hadn't even paid anything. I mean, admittedly, I didn't actually tell her about the possible ghaik brain-worm living in my skull, but I dunno, I just didn't trust her. Looking into her eyes, I just got the feeling that I shouldn't tell this spoony druid my deepest secrets. Disappointed, I left the inner chambers and headed back upstairs into the sunlight.

A bit despondent, and with my recurrent headache torturing me still, I just wandered aimlessly past the gibberish-chanting, wildly-gesticulating (alleged) ritual casters. I didn't come to this place with any predisposed opinions on druids, but I was going to leave with quite a sour taste in my mouth. They're going on THE LIST, just a bit below gnomes. I wanted to get away from their weirdness, so I took a path out of the circle that led down, down, down by the river again. I thought I'd just sit by the water for a little while and maybe soak my feet. But alas, that was not to be. At the river's edge, another damn druid in the shape of a bear (I think?) was catching fish. I didn't want to disturb (him? her? who can tell with a bear?), so I just sat down a short distance behind the creature on a flat, mossy rock.

"Tymora, I could use some more of that uncanny luck you were handing out before," I whispered, not expecting much. To my surprise, the rock upon which I sat shifted, and suddenly my seat was all wobbly, as though it was perched on something smaller beneath it. Standing up, I picked up the large, heavy stone (seriously, I'm freakishly strong now, there's no way I was this brawny before) and moved it aside. A delighted grin blossomed on my face unbidden as I saw what lay on the ground where the rock had just been. It was another relic! A softly-glowing amulet (there are a lot of amulets around here, eh?) engraved with a waterfall, which sent a soothing sensation of coolness through my body when I picked it up. I felt a strange calm descend on my troubled mind like a silky blanket, and I closed my eyes, relaxing into a most welcome, and most needed, state of serenity.

Maybe THIS was what I'd really come here for. Even before Identifying it, I somehow knew that it could aid me. I wasn't going to wait to find out. I was done here for now. Maybe I'd come back later to . . . relieve these druids of some of the unbearable burden of ownership. Wouldn't want them to be tied down to all these possessions, right? But not today. It was time to return to my camp. Fortunately, I was able to make it back out of the druid and refugee settlement without being bothered by anyone else. I did pass the tiefling couple whom I believe to be the parents of that little girl who was killed, and I thought about stopping to tell them, but I just couldn't. I wasn't at all prepared to deal with that kind of grief, and I thought maybe it was a bit of kindness to let them have at least a few more hours of believing that their daughter was still alive.

The ever-trusty arcane sigil outside the grove brought me home, and I smiled to see this camp yet again. I've grown quite comfortable here, despite the almost complete lack of . . . well, comforts. I set about Identifying the new relics immediately. The new necklace is an Amulet of Silvanus, unsurprisingly. It has the ability to channel restorative energies into someone, cleansing and revitalizing them. What a perfect thing for me to find! I used it as soon as I discovered how, and the feeling of relief that washed over me was miraculous. The pain and malaise I'd been suffering all day just sort of popped, like a bubble. I started laughing for no damn reason, that's how good it felt. Oh, I think I'm gonna sleep well tonight!

Those leather gauntlets are called Gloves of Power, and they're sort of cursed, it seems. Dedicated to this Absolute that I've been hearing so much about, they will grant divine might to those who bear the Absolute's mark (must be that symbol I've seen on some of her followers), but weaken anyone who dares to wear them WITHOUT said mark. I just stashed them in the magic chest for now. That delicious new amulet, though, THAT I'm keeping on me at all times.

I can't say it was a GOOD day today. Those druids annoyed me, and I can't get the sight of the tiefling child dying out of my head. But on the other hand, I did find a couple more artifacts, and made a bunch of gold, and found a way to deal with my headaches and sickness, at least temporarily. AND I didn't get hurt at all! Two days in a row, I just might make a habit of this. So it wasn't a BAD day, either. Somehow, some way, I'm hanging in there. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

Updating the inventory:

- 1 tattered robe, 1 suit of exotic half-plate armor, 1 pair of boots, and 1 handsome outfit that I took off one of the dead humans outside the grove gate (I think I'll clean this up and perhaps wear it sometimes).
- 6 Archaeologist's Lock-Defeaters and 4 Archaeologist's Trap-Busters.
- 1 dagger, 1 shortbow, and 1 half of a curious broken spear.
- 5 backpacks, 2 pouches, and 3 collapsible-yet-sturdy crates.
- 11 gross nautiloid bulbs: 3 "Caustic", 5 "Void", and 3 "Spiked".
- 25 Potions of Healing, 3 Potions of Speed, 1 Potion of Poison Resistance, 1 Potion of Psychic Resistance, 1 Potion of Animal Speaking, and 2 Potions of Fire Resistance.
- 3 bottles of water, 5 apples, 1 loaf of sourdough bread, 1 wheel of cheese, 1 zucchini, 1 clove of garlic, 4 carrots, 5 potatoes, 1 rack of grilled pork ribs, 3 dried pork sausages, 2 spicy pork sausages, and 1 leg of mutton.
- 2 Scrolls of Revivify, 1 Scroll of False Life, 1 Scroll of Inflict Wounds, 3 Scrolls of Mage Armor, 2 Scrolls of Fire Bolt, 2 Scrolls of Protection From Evil and Good, 1 Scroll of Guiding Bolt, 1 Scroll of Ray of Enfeeblement, 3 Scrolls of Silence, 1 Scroll of Burning Hands, 1 Scroll of Resistance, 1 Scroll of Color Spray, 1 Scroll of Healing Word, 3 Scrolls of Grease, 1 Scroll of Detect Thoughts, and 1 Scroll of Bless.
- 3 Alchemist's Fires, 5 Grease Bottles, and 1 Vial of Poison.
- 1 pouch of weird black powder.
- 1 Soul Coin.
- 1 very heavy egg which probably has a nasty spider-beast in it and oh gods why am I keeping that?
- 1 burgeoning journal.
- 4 quills, 1 ink pot, 3 candles, and 3 torches.
- 1 ever-ready spellbook.
- 6 (six!) Artifacts: The Watcher's Guide, The Amulet of Lost Voices, The Harpers' Necklace, The Rain Dancer, The Gloves of Power, and The Amulet of Silvanus (what a probably-quite-literal godsend!)
- 2,316 gold coins (maybe I'll buy a ship, or a castle, or a pegasus, or...)




OOC Part:

DEATH COUNT: 2

Honestly, the only reason I even went to the grove now is because I wanted that amulet. I'm going to the Underdark next, and I need that Lesser Restoration for . . . reasons. So I had to come up with some justification for why Corvella would suddenly want to go back to the grove when she'd avoided it before.

I wanted to save Arabella, but failed the check (even after using the Guidance necklace on myself first), and I'm doing "no save scumming rolls", so I had to go with it. It works out okay, as it will give Corvella a justification to rob these druids blind later on.

Thanks for the comments everyone! I'm glad a few people are reading these.




Stay tuned for the next part, coming further down the thread soon!

It's always tough for me not to scumm that roll with Arabella

It's hard for me to take as well but it makes the "expose the shadow druids" side quest that much better.

1) I am gonna have a talk with Halsin about her anti-druidite attitude and slurs.
2) How come her "Who do you dream of" looks more like someone I'd dream of than any of mine?

Yeah, the economy in D&D has always been a bit confusing and weird. Much worse in most D&D video games, though. This one especially. The prices of things make no kind of logical sense at all.

My story does reflect what actually happens in the game. If you want Fog Cloud to conceal you, you have to hide in it. Or hide, and then move into it. Since it blocks all vision cones, you can always hide inside it or behind it.

I like how her eyes matches the outfit.

The needy satisfied the greedy. Now Corvella might get unwanted company of the pretty half-elf hearing voices. :>
I wonder how many players have succed the check from get go. I had to reload at least once. It is an accident anyway, from roleplaying point MC shouldn't know the outcome.

Yeah, sometimes there might not be pictures because a session didn't include any dialogue scenes or the like.


There is more Corvella coming, by the way! I've just been a bit busy lately.