From the Papyri of the Reborn - Journal of Nephr-ka-Ra
[Gathering Ingredients]
(Below is a written account of Nephr's fourth adventure. Recollections may vary.)
Finally, after completing a final round of deep meditation, I am able to commune with the spirits around me once more. I could offer more help to my adventuring friends now.
Time to go see what other quests are up.
It seems that someone needed help with collecting ingredients for cooking. Well, getting acquainted with favorite local flora will be useful knowledge.
Of Directions and Meetings...
Arriving at the Adventurer's Guild, I met other adventurers that signed up for this quest:
Asher Branford the warrior, he seemed outgoing and a friendly soul. Fizzik Flamecrest is a curious one indeed, a dragonborn wizard bedecked in little charms and trinkets instead of jewelry. Then there is elf ranger Hak'tan, quiet and reserved. And lastly, the nimble halfling monk Neebus Binstok. Quite a well-rounded group.
Ms Witch, the person who needed the help, soon appeared, and after confirming we were the adventurers who had signed up, proceeded to let us know the specifics of the items that required gathering. Apparently she required the ripened berries of the Piper nigrum plant, and also mushroom.
Hearing this, I took the opportunity to don my mushroom hat!
Done with her briefing, she then told us to gather around her and teleported us to a forest clearing where the plant and the mushroom grew. Our team began to search and harvest the ingredients.
Of Happenings and Events...
We had a great start, collecting quite a bit. But then the ground beneath us began to tremble. It didn't feel natural. Looking towards the northern edge, we noticed the trees move. Might be something big, something dangerous!
Everyone began to hide behind some large rocks. My curiosity got the better of me, and I did not realize my position was a little precarious. The source of the thundering sound revealed itself; a stampede of buffaloes!
The creatures almost trampled me, but luckily Asher was able to pull me to safety behind the rocks. The stampede passed us, but we didn't feel safe. Something, must have frightened the large buffaloes and caused them to run. We decided to remain in our hiding spots for a little more.
The creature soon appeared, not long after the buffaloes. It was a large lizard, an allosaurus! By Isis' blessings, the creature ran past us. We were safe. Thus we resumed with our search.
But the appearance of the allosaurus spooked us, so Neebus began finding a perch up a tree to act as lookout. Apparently, the herd did return, with the lizard still pursuing. During that round of hiding, my beloved mushroom hat was too "outstanding". It was caught in one of the buffaloes' horns. Farewell mushroom hat!
Ms Witch told us we needed to gather just a little more of the peppers, and had sufficient mushrooms. So we quickly settled it should the herd started to run this way again.
Our task done, we regrouped around Ms Witch as she began casting the teleporting spell. At that point, the stampede returned! I tried to frightened the herd by calling forth a thunderous echo before the stampede, but the sound was not enough to frightened the buffaloes.
We braced ourselves as the herd were upon us, but instead of hooves and horns, we only felt the rush of air, and the animals melted over us as if they were illusion. We then found ourselves back in the hall of the Adventurer's Guild!
Ms Witch was able to pull us out in the nick of time, and we were once again safe with our bounty. She thanked us for our help, and after collecting the gathered ingredients, proceeded to hand us our rewards.
I suppose, a mere hat would be a fine price to pay for the experience, and to meet more new adventuring friends.
Here's to mushrooms, and peppers!
