Wesley informed us of an unfortunate incident at Springreach University. Apparently, the university has implemented a new policy stating that an egg is not a presentation, and for rather tragic reasons. A student brought an egg into class, it hatched, and three students died. Our assignment was to dispose of the creature and determine where the egg originated.

Piprim was kind enough to provide us with Greater Healing Potions.

Upon arriving at SRU, we were greeted by an older orcish gentleman named Professor Farmslow. His class studies animals from other planes. His students had been given a research assignment, and one of them had spent the entire semester incubating an egg. Unfortunately, the resulting creature killed his two best students and his worst student.

The professor described the creature as having strange, remarkably fast limbs, something resembling a head or perhaps a claw, and two tails. He seemed quite fascinated by it. Apparently, it had been very small when it first hatched, but scrying into his classroom revealed that it had grown considerably.

Of particular scientific importance, Professor Farmslow verified for Piprim that eggs did, in fact, come before chickens.

The creature was nowhere to be seen when we entered the classroom. There was, however, a considerable amount of blood at the front of the room, along with the remains of a broken orange eggshell.

While Piprim searched for notes, the creature dropped from the ceiling and attacked! We dispatched it rather quickly, allowing me to begin an autopsy.

What a fascinating specimen! Its anatomy shared characteristics with both eels and crustaceans. I carefully cut it open, peeling back its tissues layer by layer to examine the internal structures. I discovered several peculiar, slimy organs in a delightful assortment of colors. Naturally, I intend to preserve them as wet specimens for further study.

My favorite discovery was what I believe to be its brain. It was a long, thin organ composed of numerous small, nugget-like structures connected in a chain. Quite unlike anything I've encountered before!

The creature appeared to have fed on the students before our arrival. Their remains were scattered throughout the classroom. Locke took the opportunity to rummage through their pockets in search of what he described as "clues."

Piprim discovered notes indicating that the student had purchased the egg at a farmers market in Springreach. Interestingly, there was something peculiar about how the market was mentioned, almost as though the student had hesitated while recording the information.

Locke interpreted this as evidence of something suspicious and suggested that we seek out someone named Horace.

By the time we arrived at the farmers market, most of the vendors were packing up. One exception was a heavyset, gray-bearded dwarf who appeared determined to remain at his stall. He was selling onions for the rather extraordinary price of 25 gold pieces.

After considerable hemming and hawing with Locke, he mentioned a woman who arrived each morning selling blue eggs. Apparently, she was usually sold out by 11 AM.

When we asked about Horace, the dwarf permitted us to pass behind his stall and descend into a rather strange area with unusual lighting.

What an interesting place!

The produce and meats available here were particularly unusual, especially the selection at Harby's. According to their advertisement, "We got the eats." I overheard a nearby gentleman remark, "It might be meat. It might be something else."

How reassuring.

Piprim subsequently became involved in an argument with a vendor who offered him meat on bread. He threatened to involve the health inspector, which resulted in the vendors promptly shuttering their establishments.

We encountered a possumkin performing dental work on a gentleman who was screaming rather enthusiastically.

"Third time's a charm," the dentist announced.

By this point, the unfortunate patient was missing five teeth, and the dentist had another two in his pliers. Naturally, I inquired whether he intended to keep them.

He informed me that this was an uncomfortable interaction.

Regrettably, he refused to part with any of the teeth.

Piprim asked how many teeth could be added to a person's mouth. Unfortunately, the dentist could only accommodate four additional teeth that day, although one of his available specimens was an orc tusk. He even offered to position it centrally for a more symmetrical appearance.

A unitooth, if you will.

We also learned that "Professor teeth are good teeth. Smart teeth."

Our enterprising dentist, Phil, was available to insert teeth any day except Sunday, when he was apparently confined to the drunk tank.

According to Phil, "We can only use the teeth we acquire in the drunk tank while in the drunk tank. There is usually a fight, and I won't ask where the teeth come from."

An unconventional approach to dentistry, certainly, but I must admire his resourcefulness.

Our investigation continued when Locke threatened a kobold gentleman whose fingers were covered in blisters.

The kobold had noticed a child leaving the market with one of the mysterious eggs concealed beneath a blanket. He explained that the man selling the eggs was not always present but happened to be there today.

His description of the supplier was remarkably concise: very ugly, impossible to miss, and located toward the northern end of the market.

We eventually located the gentleman in question, Ska'nak.

He was attempting to sell a magical shield for 1,500 gold pieces to settle his outstanding tab at Bendy's. During our conversation, I learned another fascinating piece of local wisdom:

"You gotta dip the spicy nuggets in the frosty."

Ska'nak refused Piprim's generous offer of 300 gold pieces for the shield, explaining that he needed the money to feed his bitey cat.

Eventually, we managed to redirect the conversation toward our actual investigation. Ska'nak provided us with a map leading to the outskirts of Springreach, where we arranged to meet him.

Upon our arrival, he escorted us into the woods.

"I'll only do this once. You're on your own for getting back, and we never met."

He then opened a portal and explained that we could find the eggs on the other side. Unfortunately, locating our way home would be our responsibility, as the return portal would be somewhere farther inside.

We emerged into a thoroughly psychedelic environment, surrounded by creatures resembling the specimen we had encountered at SRU.

The laws of physics appeared to behave rather unusually here, and time itself seemed to be nonlinear. A fascinating phenomenon that certainly warrants further investigation, preferably under circumstances involving fewer potentially murderous creatures.

Piprim enlarged himself and proceeded to deliver an impassioned speech about how his mother had always assured him that size didn't matter and that it was the thought that counted.

He then launched into an equally passionate monologue concerning his apparently forbidden love for Aura.

He is red. She is blue. He is machinery. She is nature.

Quite the predicament.

According to Piprim, the hussy had tempted him with such scandalous declarations as, "One minute is a long time."

I shall refrain from speculating on the anatomical implications.

We traveled across a series of floating islands in the Far Realm, exterminating the creatures we encountered along the way. Eventually, we discovered a gargantuan specimen that appeared to be several of the smaller creatures fused together. Quite fascinating!

Rattle delivered the killing blow, slicing across its throat and unleashing a tremendous amount of ooze directly onto Piprim. An unfortunate position to find oneself in.

Afterward, I discovered a bag concealed behind an altar. Inside were a mask, an amulet, and a cloak. Locke immediately put on the mask because it had apparently been whispering to him. A perfectly reasonable response to an unidentified magical object, I'm sure.

The amulet suited me rather nicely, Cori claimed the cloak, and I gave the bag itself to Aura.

We eventually located another rift and crossed through it, emerging in the very same stretch of woods where our expedition had begun.

Upon returning to the university, we informed Professor Farmslow that our investigation had taken us into the Far Realm. Naturally, he was eager to hear every detail of our discoveries.

He rewarded each of us with 300 gold pieces for our efforts.

A successful expedition, although I do wish we'd had more time to study the specimens.