Fellowship of the Dice

** Sarenith 24 **

After good nights sleep the group wakes up to the smell of Svetlana's cooking. Bacon frying in the pan, eggs being poached, and plenty of fresh bead with jam and honey. A good night on a good bed, and a good wash in the tub and you are seated around the breakfast table in high spirits. Oleg has already made good on his promise of reward for the Tatzlwyrms.

An hour after breakfast you've sold your small spoils of war, and collected all the items you pre-ordered from Oleg. Some of the things you have to finish paying for, but Oleg has kept his end and managed to get everything you wanted.

The issue of Tuskgutter came up last night in passing so Oleg sent word to Vekel Benzen a local hunter and trapper. He suspects the man could arrive tonight or tomorrow to give you your reward.

After all the tale telling, eating, shopping, and generally relaxing you find it is already nearly noon.

As Svetlana serves up breakfast Cal makes a quick trip to their baggage and brings something with him, held behind his back. "You know, as delicious as this breakfast looks," he tells Svetlana, "it seems to be missing something." Then he takes his hand from behind his back to reveal a batch of relatively fresh fangberries. "I think fangberries would go well with one of your delicious breakfasts, don't you?" He hands the batch over to Svetlana, a smile on his face.

"Some of our pickings have to go to Bokken," he adds. "But there are certainly more fangberries for you to make into pies, tarts, jam, or whatever you like."

Svetlana gives a squeel like a little girl, "Fangberries! Oh my! How delightful." She scoops the berries up and hurries toward the kitchen, then she turns, comes back, kisses Cal on the forehead and then races back to the kitchen. Oleg narrows his eyes at Cal, looking very serious, then he breaks into a smile, "You're lucky I love fangberries!" He laughs and cuts into his breakfast.

Svetlana produces a big stack of Fangberry Pancakes for the group and they are the best flapjacks you've ever had. The woman really should be cooking in some great city for royalty not out here in the sticks. Yet you can't complain about it too much as you get to eat the results.

Cal blushes when he gets the kiss on the forehead, then is pleased when Oleg doesn't take it the wrong way. "I love them too," he adds. "Though I don't like the spiders that came with them. He shudders a little bit theatrically. Then, as they're eating the magnificent fangberry pancakes, he makes a proposal to the rest of the group.

"We promised Bokken we'd get him enough for seven potions," the sorcerer recalls. "I'd say seven of our remaining eleven pints would do that - which leaves us five. I propose we give those remaining five pints to Svetlana to do with as she pleases. Pie, tart, jam, jelly, whatever she likes. And if we head out right after breakfast, I'll wager we could get to Bokken's cave and back again before dark. I'd like to get him the fangberries while they're still mostly fresh."

Arenhal smiles at Svetlana's antics, then wider at the meal. "Ah, far be it from me to argue with our sage arcanist," Arenhal's voice barely carries across the table, his expression now stern, though a hint of a smile remains, "but unless his magic changes things, for we simple folk, eleven less seven is four." By now the grin is back, a little jest at the sorcerer's expense. "Sounds like a plan Cal, math aside."

Lem does not say much at breakfast as the small halfling is busy eating a man sized portion of breakfast. As Calanthir brings up old Bokken Lem nods approvingly. "Yep tha shouldn't be a problem to make it to Bokken's. I'm sure he wouldn't approve of old fangberies.

Valen nods sagely....as sagely as a man can shoveling pancakes into his mouth can look. "I think getting to Bokken" munch munch"and back sounds good. I think maybe Svetlana could make a jar of jam for our trips? Some good food would really help. When we get back ill discuss Jhods plans for the temple."

The group shovels down the pancakes like a pack of wolverines, and too soon the meal is nothing but empty plates and sticky fingers of maple syrup. Licking his Lem looks up and agrees to Cal's idea, the consencus goes around the table. So the arangments are made, the horses saddled, and for the first time you realize that Colban isn't about. Turns out Oleg has sent the former bandit into town on an errand -- seems he's trusting the man more and more.

So you are saddled up, Fanberries, as well as a shipment of glass vials for Bokken from Oleg in hand. You promise to return by nightfall. Traveling light you leave the Trade Post and gallop east with all speed. You reach the old hermit's cave in about four hours and reign in outside. You dismount and approach calling out to him. The crazed old man climbs out of his cave and sniffs the air, "I smell something.. what's that I smell?"

"That's fangberries you smell," Cal replies, dismounting. "Seven pints, picked less than a week ago." He smiles. "I hope that's fresh enough for your potions," he adds.

Bokken comes down from the cave mouth, "Yes! Excellent, he motions for you to follow him back into the cave. Doing so you place the Fangberries and the vials and bottles where he instructs. He tastes the berries, "Hmmmm hmmmm." He slaps at you if you attempt to reach for them at all. "Discount! Yes I promised you a discount, one quarter off the prince for thirty days." He lifts one dirty eyebrow, "Sounds fair? Yes!"