Cyel's Journal: Week Two - An Apothecaria Playthrough
I stayed busy over the weekend by heading back up to the mountain cave to tinker around with the broken stone golem. I tried my best to reactivate it, trying multiple spells to cast into the runes carved into its surface, but it remained lifeless. I will need to consult my books again and spend more time studying this ancient being if I hope to bring it back to life.
While I was in the mountains, I also took some more cuttings of cynic ivy and brought it back to plant in the garden plot behind the cottage. I'm hoping to cultivate my own supply rather than having to trek back up the Moonbreaker Range each time I need it. The soil here seems rich, so with some care and attention, I'm hopeful the ivy cuttings will take root.
I still can't help but feel a bit like a stranger in this cottage. The previous witch's notes are helpful, but this place doesn't quite feel like home yet. I suppose it will just take some more time to get settled and accustomed to my new life here in High Rannoc. For now, I'll keep busy with my work and duties.
I was just finishing up some chores around the cottage this afternoon when there was a knock at the door. To my surprise, there stood an adventurer in leather armor. She looked quite disheveled, her face flushed and covered in angry red splotches.
I invited her inside and she obliged and she sat on the couch. I noticed she was missing her left hand but that obviously wasn't a recent injury. She said her name was Pepper Cromgale and that she had spent the day before exploring Glimmerwood Grove but woke up this morning sneezing and covered in a rash.
I checked the notes the previous witch left for me and this seems like a clear case of Pollen Pox, a common ailment and one easy enough to treat. It would take another trip to the mountains to gather some gull-drake guano and moon lotus. It was too late in the day to travel out so I will wait until morning.
I rose early this morning. I knew the trek up Moonbreaker Mountain is a challenge, but I was determined to make the journey and return with what I needed.
The weather was clear when I set out, but as I climbed higher, dark clouds rolled in. The wind picked up, whipping my hair across my face. Then, lightning cracked the sky, followed by a deafening rumble of thunder. I had to find shelter quickly.
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| Photo by Frank Cone: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lightning-2373897/ |
Just then, a massive figure emerged from the gloom, an ancient giantess of the mountains. She spotted me struggling against the storm and called out, beckoning me to take refuge in a nearby cave. I gratefully accepted her offer and hurried to join her.
Once inside, I shook the rain from my cloak and expressed my gratitude for her kindness. She towered over me, her blue skin and silver hair seeming to glow in the dim light. She said that humans always struggle in the mountains. She introduced herself as Bresomna. She then proceeded to offer me advice about climbing mountains, explaining how to plant my feet firmly and use the contours of the rock to my advantage.
The storm last for a while so Bresomna and I spoke of my mission to gather the reagents. She informed me that gull-drakes often perch on a nearby outcropping, which would be the perfect place to collect their guano. I was grateful for her guidance and felt a growing sense of respect and kinship with this ancient being of the mountains.
When the storm finally passed, I thanked Bresomna once more and made my way to the outcropping she had described. Sure enough, a flock of gull-drakes was roosting there, and I was able to gather the necessary guano with ease. With the advice of my newly discovered mountain friend, I decided to see if I may be able to reach the apex today.
I continued up the mountain until I made it to a breathtaking overlook. The skies had cleared, and I could see for miles. Below, I saw the village of Rannoc nestled in the foothills, a place that I am now a part of but have yet to visit. I also could see some moon lotus nestled on the underside of a boulder, its petals closed, waiting for the moonlight.
As I gathered the moon lotus, a sudden movement caught my eye. A diminutive figure, no more than two and a half feet tall, emerged from behind a cluster of rocks. It was a goblin, and he greeted me cheerfully. He seemed to know who I was - the new witch in town. The goblin rambled on about meeting the previous witch, saying she was friendly but talked too much.
He continued to talk like a stream of conscious, as he then inquired about my lack of a familiar. "All witches have familiars," he said. Then he followed with, "Where's your familiar? You should have a familiar." Before I could respond, the goblin produced a bundle of nest scraps, a useful reagent, and thrust it into my hands. "A gift for you," he said, and then vanished as quickly as he had appeared.
I stood there, clutching the nest scraps, wondering what just happened. But the goblin was right, a witch should have a familiar.
I had all I needed for Miss Cromgale's potion, but I wanted to see the summit so I continued on.
I finally made it to the summit of Moonbreaker Mountain as the last rays of daylight faded. The view was simply breathtaking. I could see for miles - the rolling foothills, the distant glimmer of Meltwater Loch, and the dark green blanket of Glimmerwood Grove.
As the sky darkened, a celestial sight unfolded before me. A magnificent dragon, translucent yet glittering like the stars themselves, appeared in the night sky. It circled the peak, then landed gracefully beside me. I was in awe, having only heard tales of such majestic creatures.
The dragon spoke, welcoming me and congratulating me on reaching the summit. It then began to tell me the story of Octo, the great octopus constellation that dominated the night sky. I listened, enthralled, as the dragon described how the beast became immortalized among the stars.
"Octo was once a mighty beast that ruled the grand ocean," the dragon rumbled. "With its eight powerful tentacles, it could navigate the deepest trenches and the roughest currents. But one day, a great cataclysm struck, and Octo's ocean began to dry up. Octo adapted and learned to hold its breath and used its great tentacles to carry all the animals of the ocean to another great sea. Octo managed to save all the animals from certain death at the cost of their own life. Seeing that Octo learned to adapt and make sacrifices made the Celestials memorialize them with stars in the sky."
When the tale was done, the dragon gifted me a piece of moonstone, a precious gem formed from the very rock of this mountain. I held it reverently, feeling its power humming in my hands.
I remained at the summit, watching the first hint of dawn creep over the horizon. I sketched the moonstone and constellation in my journal as I reflected on my former life in the city of Lunaria - the busy streets, the towering buildings, the constant rush. Here, in this serene and beautiful place, I felt a profound sense of peace. This was where I belonged now, as the new witch of High Rannoc.
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| Being a witch does not make one a great artist |
I descended Moonbreaker Mountain with a renewed sense of purpose and wonder. The journey had been challenging, but the rewards were immeasurable. As I made my way down the winding path, I came across a lost sheep, wandering aimlessly. Remembering a small flock I had seen earlier, I gently coaxed the animal and led it back to its home.
The shepherd, an elderly man with a weathered face, was overjoyed to see his sheep returned safely. He thanked me profusely, insisting that I take some of his prized valley honey as a token of his gratitude. I graciously accepted, knowing that the sweet nectar would be a perfect addition to the potion I was preparing for Pepper.
As I made my way through the foothills, a sphinx leaped up on a nearby rock and proclaimed that I must answer their riddle if I wished to pass. "What is always on the way but never arrives?" Without hesitation, I responded, "Tomorrow." The sphinx danced with glee, circled me, and then vanished into the hills.
I felt a bit bewildered by the strange encounter. What did the sphinx mean by that riddle? And why was it so delighted by my answer? I suppose some mysteries are meant to remain unsolved.
Back at the cottage, I got to work on the potion right away. First, I crushed the gull-drake guano into a fine powder. The smell was absolutely foul - I had to hold my breath while I added it to the boiling pot. Once the concoction was ready, I poured it over the delicate moon lotus petals. The mixture turned a scummy brown color with flecks of purple.
Hoping to mask the unpleasant odor, I added a generous amount of the sweet valley honey that the grateful shepherd had gifted me. The final product, which I've dubbed "Moon Gull Essence," had a surprisingly pleasant taste according to Pepper. She seemed pleased with the potion and didn't ask too many questions about the unsavory ingredients.
I'm relieved to have this task completed. Now I can enjoy a much-needed rest. The adventures of the week have left me quite exhausted. I'm sure my dreams will be filled with giants, dragons, goblins, and riddles.
Thanks for reading my playthrough of Apothecaria.
You can find the beginning here.
You can see my review of Apothecaria here.
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