Hello, Everyone!
Our heroes are still in Bytopia and it's been fun. Last time, we found out that this was one of the Planes where people went after they die. Aurum offered Mary to give her some less traumatic memories of their last encounter with Nurvureem but she refused, and then everyone headed out to buy some potions.
Bosygus Palatypus led them to a tall hill at the far end of the village. It was a lonely building and when they approached, they found out why. An atrocious smell came out of the door and windows of the house, and it looked like parts of the walls had burned recently.
“Welcome to my humble shop!” the alchemist greeted them. He was a cheerful fellow with a big knot of hair swaying on top of his head. “Brimbarius Gingerfoot, at your service! What can I get ya?”
He got them the potions they needed, as well as a few others that they hadn’t thought of (Agatha really liked the potion of diminution she found in the back). In the end, they didn’t have all the money that they needed for all that they purchased, but Brimbarius agreed to do some bartering. Mary’s second set of alchemy tools sparked his interest and he was eager to take them off of her hands in exchange of an additional healing potion.
They went back to Bosygus Palatypus’ abode with hands full of stuff, and sat down to have some well deserved rest. They talked about a lot of stuff--Mundus’ first owner, black dragons and their abilities, the possibility of killing Nurvureem from the inside…
At one point, when the discussion was low, Agatha sat next to Mary.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “Do you want me to protect you? In a fight, I mean?”
Mary stared at her in confusion. What had prompted this? Did Agatha think she couldn’t hold her own?
“I’m saying that because…” the tabaxi continued, “You and your spells are an asset in a fight, and I’m strong and fast. I can guard you so you can do your stuff better.”
“No need for that,” Mary said, a little defensively. “I’ve been doing well enough on my own.”
She turned around, suddenly very aware of the scarf around her neck and the way her Mending hadn’t connected the threads of her outfit quite right after Nurvureem’s sword had almost sliced her in two.
“But you know what?” she added. “If you promise you’d train me to be quicker and more agile, I can consider your offer.”
“Deal!” the tabaxi said, grinning.
On the next morning they gathered their things and prepared for teleportation. Agatha struck Mundus through the air and he swirled the world around them.
“I’m aiming at Pamagos but who knows where we’ll end up,” the dagger’s voice said. “It’s really not a precise thing. So, brace yourselves!”
They all grabbed on to the tabaxi and she turned the dagger. The vortex swirled around them, color and matter twirling in an enchanting dance.
And then…
The world froze around them, as if unsure what to do with the four travellers suddenly appearing hundreds of yards above the earth. Then, gravity caught up to them and they started falling.
This was the last episode of this chapter. It was a short one but that's because next time, we'll have a way longer Interlude! ☺️ You'll have the honour... no, the privillege... of reading Mary's late-night chat with Gillean. His words always have great effect on her, and we'll see that in the following chapters.
So, see you then!
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide, the Glossaries (Part 1 and Part 2)
and the Map for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: Mary Windfiddle's story is my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum, Bruno and Agatha) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.