It was quite a journey back through the swamp, with Trilup oaring like crazy (and often barking and laughing maniacally) while Aviri tried to regain his composure. He barely noticed when they stopped at one of the Oggton barges first, to drop off the fish that had been in the boat the whole time. Trilup was quick about it, and soon was setting the skiff back on course for the gypsy camp.

"I bet Sylvania Jack will give me something for this story," she natters on. "Mister Mustardsalty likes weird stuff. Oh, and I've got a bit of ol' scumble if you want a sip to calm your nerves," she tells the Lapi. "I know you bunny-folk can be a bit easy to stress out and such."

Aviri, still clutching the talisman so hard his knucles, were they not already covered in white fur, would be white, says, "N-no druggs. Mmess with mmind."

"Scumble isn't a drug, it's a drink," Trilup claims. "It's made from apples. Well, mostly apples. Like a tonic! Why, Old Silas says it's good for Khatta's too, cuz it's like.. a catty-tonic.."

Through his quivering Aviri manages to shake his head, no. It seems that he's slowly regaining his composure.

"Don't worry then, I'll stick to ya' so you don't go all Kadie or anything," the otter promises, just before thunking the boat into the muddy bank. The sounds and smells of the gypsy camp are close. "You're going to see the gypsy witch, right? Only a witch would want that stuff, I bet. I've never seen her, but I hear she's really tall and has glowing eyes and can read your mind and knows when you've been bad.. although I think that's what they say about Isolde too, so.. maybe it's just witches in general.."

The impact is enough to make Aviri look around. His ears twitch as if he was not just getting conscious of her speaking. "Going to see Natasha," he says, once again straining to not stutter. "Th-anks for the ride." He debarks the boat but stops on the bank, suddenly curious. "What was with the demon-fish-thing?"

"Huh? Old Swampy?" Trilup asks, looking at Aviri as if he's just crawled out from under a rock. "He's the legend of the swamp! Or she. Nobody's dared to find out. Back in the Old Days, according to Granny, when we Akwavi were coming this way 'cuz of it being the Promised Land, and all recently flooded like, there was this Serendip - way out of place, mind you - at would follow and steal our fish. But one of the fishermen got fed up, and when Swampy got close, he speared her! Right through the chest! And that was that.. until like, we got here, and Swampy came back from the dead to search for his killer, or something.."

"Kinda romantical!" the otter claims, and takes Aviri's arm to walk to him towards the Gypsy camp. "In a zombie-revenge kind of way."

Aviri seems stunned at the mere mention of Old Swampy, twitching slightly, but he quickly returns to normal, or whatever passes for normal with Aviri. "No," he says, seemingly ignorant of the fact that he's being not only lead, but lead -by the hand-, into public. "I meant ... you said somebody stole your fish-thing. When I got you out of the boat."

"Oh, that!" Trilup notes. "It was just a weird fish, for Dr. Pike in the castle," the otter notes. "She buys weird animals we catch!"

"Ah," Aviri says, recalling his relatively benign time in the castle. He'd never suspected that going to that castle would be considered benign compared to other experiences.

"That's a weird thing to remember," the otter notes, giving the Lapi an odd glance. "I mean, we just ran from a monster, and you're asking about my fish. Are you okay?" She puts a hand to the rabbit's forehead as if checking for a fever.

"Just sorting things out," Aviri says. "Fish happened first. Then monster. You already told me about monst.." he stops himself when he realizes he's back to truncating his sentences, takes a deep breath, and continues. "You already told me about this Old Swampy. No ... there is no need to ask more unless you have more to say."

"You sound pretty scumbled up to me," Trilup notes, and suddenly stops, as they're at the steps leading up to Natasha's wagon. "Is this it?" she asks Aviri. "It looks like a witch would live here. See, it's got the magic squiggles and stuff." She helpfully points with the webbed hand not currently grasping Aviri's arm.

"I'm fine," Aviri insists quietly. "This is it." He tries to discretely detach himself from Trilup.

The girl lets go, and puts her hands behind her back. "I'll wait here for you," she chirps.

Aviri doesn't let it show that he's glad to be free of her and he knocks on the door a bit harder than he would have liked.

The head of the ghostly reptile sticks through the door, right at Aviri's eye-level. "Yessss?" it inquires politely ... and ticklingly when its cold, translucent, tongue wiggles against the Lapi's nose tip.

"Aaaagh!" Trilup squeals, right behind Aviri. "It's a ghost!" She runs around behind another wagon, then peeks around the corner with her whiskers rigid and vibrating.

Aviri doesn't react to the reptile. "Need to speak to N'tasha," he says tersely, gripping his satchel containing the moss.

"Bit beyond manners," Aviri says. "Have moss for her. You know, the moss she asked me to fetch?"

"There is never a time you should not express good manners. I hope you know if you don't use proper manners around a Lich king they'll bite your head off and use your neck as a toilet," the reptile lectures, "And that makes for one crappy day. Why ... " The apparition then has to pause as if listening to something, or someone.

"Keep that in mind next time I see a Lich king," Aviri says quietly, mostly to himself, but otherwise waits for the lizard-thing to either continue his anecdote or let him in.

"Apparently I am to let you in," the ghostly lizard relents. "Just because they create you they feel as if they own you." Its head disappears back through the door and a few seconds later the door opens with an ominous creak. No one invests in oil around these parts.

Aviri makes to enter the wagon in a storm, but hestitates a fraction of a second. When he does go in, it is with square shoulders and determination. His eyes flick about, looking for Natasha in the now-familiar section of the interior.

Madame Natasha's WagonDark. Very, very dark. The khatta seems to prefer to keep the lights low in her somber wagon. The walls are draped in black fabric with arcane silver-ish symbols. In the center of the wagon sits a round table that's about enough to seat three people around it. In the center of the table rests a crystal ball. A few feet behind the table hangs another sheet of dark fabric, presumably for keeping her bedding and personal items away from prying eyes.

Natasha is in the same chair as she was earlier .. and apparently reading a book. "Ah, vou are back," she says as she closes the book's worn binding. "I trus' de trip wus successful, ves?" She even gestures at the pouch the lapi carries before continuing.

"An dere is no need to be so angry. Vou vell know de forests and swamps are dangerous." she finishes.

Aviri's fists clench as if he's about to attack her. He doesn't, and instead procures the moss from his bag. "You said ghosts and things can't hurt me, not undead lizardfish that can," he says hotly.

"Actually, no, it canno as long as you kept the talisman," Natasha remarks, "Had it intended any violence an attacked, it would have been reduced to ash. I made a promise to vour town vitch I voul no harm any creature of de lands here unless dey intended harm first. An seein' as you have no injuries, nor are you covered in ash, I kin savely deduce dat it meant vou no harm."

The cold logic provided by Natasha makes Aviri narrow his eyes. His mind whirrs to nowhere and he just sets the moss on the table, the crystal necklace ,still wrapped tightly around his hand, now easily visible. "You ha ... If you had protection, why not go yourself? Why ask me?"

Natasha's eyebrow arches. "Khatta. Vater," she points out. "Plus it is no' me role to. Every position in lif has expectations; and I must keep mine to keep de tribe t'gether. I haf to be in charge." The air in the room suddenly feels like it drops several degrees in temperature as Natasha slides her chair back and rises. "If vou feel I haf mistreated vou; ve kin take dis discussion to vour town vitch."

Aviri's ears shrink back a bit, but he somehow manages to otherwise face her full-on. "Just think full information would been nice."

"As Isolde vou tell vou, it is not our business t' tell vou everyt'ing," Natasha points out. "Life no tell vou everything dat goin' t' happen to you, either. Y'vant to know t'ings? Go ou' an learn dem. A book, a map, dey jus' give you basics; but only vou/ can fill the nuances in for vourself."

"So whole thing just effort to teach me?" Aviri asks, almost shocked. "Wha ... Ho ... Nevermind." He unwraps the talisman from his fist and sets it on the table. "Anything else you need, ma'am?"

"Keep it," Natasha says and gestures to the talisman. "Payment fer collecting vhat I needed. Y' prefer to keep to the forests an alone, so at leas' vou be a little safer. Dere are lots vorse t'ings dan vhat vou encountered. Be safer if vou vent vith people, bu I canna make vou do dat."

"Well, next time you have group, can ask me to join." His tone indicate he thinks such a thing impossible. "Have forage mission for me alone, ask. As you say, I fine."

"No one is fine forever alone," Natasha says as she collects the moss and places it in an earthenware jar on a small side shelf. "Open vourself t' others an de vold opens to vou."

"Don argue vit me," Natasha says. "Vou haf completed de job I asked. Vou kin go."

"Did you get a reward?" Trilup asks as soon as the Lapi emerges. "Did she ask about Swampy?"

"Knew about 'Swampy'," Aviri says, tucking the crystal into his pocket. "Your afraid of her familiar?"

"I have a healthy fear of things that pass through solid objects," Trilup claims. "That's like part of the Otter Scouts Guide to Things. I bet she didn't know about Swampy though. We Oggtons know the swamp, and I know nobody ever saw Swampy eating that stuff before. We're the first! It's gotta be worth somethin', right?"

"She knew, or at least suspected." Aviri sighs, looking around. "You have someone to tell about seeing it eat that moss?"

"Well, I know people that'd be interested in knowing there's something that could be used to bait Swampy," Trilup notes, looking sneaky. "But they ain't gonna pay for it! I say we go to one of the crazy rich folks who will." And then.. Aviri's hand is otter-grabbed once again.

It's a good thing otters have shorter legs, or Aviri might have trouble keeping up. He's led to the start of town, at the Frog & Peach Inn, then around the back to where the rental cabins are. Each one emits an odd, exotic odor (and one also has a tiger keeping watch outside). Finally, Trilup drags him to the last one, and knocks on the door loudly. "Mr. Mushedmysoretoes! Are you in there? It's Trilup Oggton and I have something to tell you and I have a witness and everything!"

"Impossible! I was not not with Emmett's sister the other night. Furthermore, I did not steal her underwear, because, well, Oggtons don't war any," a voice from inside calls back. There is a pause and the sounds of footsteps approaching the door. "Though, perhaps I should fix that. The whole point of underwear is to take them off."

"No... uh.. it's about Old Swampy," Trilup claims. "The undead Serendip, you know? You like to hear about stuff like that right?"

The door swings open. Standing in its center is an otter. But ... well, rather different from any of the typical ones of Stonebarrow. For one, he's wearing pants. For two, he's wearing a shirt with buttons ... and a jacket made of some sort of hide! Topping all of this off is a wide-brimmed hat neatly places on his head and somehow tilted just the right amount. "Wait, what? The Serendip? In, now! Before anyone else sees you!" the otter says as he shoos the pair into the cabin.

Adventurer's Cabin
The 'delux' adventurer's cabin in Stonebarrow is actually furnised quite nicely. It's several rooms, meeting/kitchen, sleeping, and bathing. Recent renovations have even added /internal plumbing/ to the cabin, making the bathing room equipped with running water. Hot water is provided by a second ceramic fireplace quipped with a water reservoir. Needless to say, it wakes a while t actually get a warm bath. The hot springs are still faster.

Aviri looks around in a kind of distant wonder, as if nothing in the cabin applied to him but still trying to take it all in.

Added to what the cabin comes with are piles of crates, books, and maps. Odd statues stick out the the crates, as do urls and other stuff that looks rather dusty and old. "Sylvania Jack," the otters says to Aviri by way of introduction, along with a doff of his hat. "So what is this about the Serindip? Did you find its lair by chance?" he asks as he rubs his hands together.

"Oh, this is.. Berry Chalk," Trilup introduces the Lapi. "He almost got kissed by Swampy! We know where it gets its snacks now."

"Aviri Chalk," Aviri corrects. "I was foraging when it ... started eating the very moss I was collecting."

"Well, that answers the question on if Ol' Swampy is a girl or guy," Jack muses, rubbing his chin while doing so. "Or maybe not. There's nothing wrong if Swampy is a guy and also likes guys. They have whole clubs dedicated to that in the sky cities."

Jack waves his hands as if dismissing that line of thought. "Right, so, where exactly was this?" the otter asks.

"Wait.. you're a guy?" Trilup asks Aviri. "With a name like Berry? Oh.. ah.. nevermind."

"Yes, I'm male. And Trilup would know better where. She drove the boat," Aviri says.

"But I'll have to pay her," Jack argues. "Surely you can remember where. It is important. It'll answer one of the mysteries of the last Necromancer way. Which, by the way, is only one of many. They go back even further than that. They started on anoth ..." That's where Jack pauses and blinks. He didn't even have to pay her! But ... that means guilt is soon to follow.

"Oh, I can remember perfectly fine," Aviri says, a smile breaking his face for the first time that day. "But I have neither boat nor the will to go there again."

Trilup gets a horrified look on her face as she realizes what she just did, then recovers with, "O' course, only a skilled guide could take you there, and it is forbidden after all.."

"Where is your spirit of adventure, lad?" Jack asks the Lapi. "You hacve to go back. It's the only way to impress a lady."

"Which, I take it, is universially agreed to be a good thing," Aviri says. "Why do you need to go there?"

"Well, because I suspect that creature was in contact with a certain artifact ... and so its ichor might actually activate the map to said artifact," Jack comments. "Not that it would be of any interest to anyone who doesn't study the fine art of archeology."

Aviri's ears rise a bit off his back and he tilts his head a degree or two. "So, you want to use the blood of that which knows the thing so you can find the thing yourself?"

"Correct. Have you ever considered going to University? You have the ability to think," Jack remarks to the Lapi, "Unlike ..." His head tilts towards Trilup.

"For what purpose?" Aviri asks Jack. A look comes over his face that indicates he's interested as to what context Jack will take the question. Turning to Trilup, he says, "No. I don't have any spare coats. Er, sorry. Archie Ollie is a friend of Jack's, I'm thinking." He looks around the room again. "A very good friend."

"What do you mean, for what purpose? To be found, that's what purpose. To prove it actually exists," Jack says as he actually rolls his eyes. "Kid, the world is just full of legends waiting to be proven true or untrue. It is our duty to do this. If we don't do this and learn the how and why, we might as well just spend our days playing in the mud."

Aviri looks hurt and says quietly, as if to himself, "Mud's where some of the best plants grow." A slight twitch of his lip might indicate he's mostly joking, perhaps making fun of himself? "And what is this supposed artifact?"

"Is that important?" Jack asks. "Until just now you didn't even know there might be one."

"Until a few hours ago I didn't know there was an undead 'Serendip', and I nearly paid heavily for not asking more. So I'm asking more." He pauses and mouths, "Cursed fishing pole?"

Jack gives the Lapi a really strange look. "Don't be silly, lad. The Crucible of Nala," he says. "Does anyone read in this town?"

Aviri returns Trilup's odd look. "I don't read books about archeology. I read books about plants. And where and how they grow."

Jack leans in and looks at Aviri with one eye. "The kind you smoke to get all goofy?" he asks suspiciously.

"If you want, I could find some for you, yes," Aviri says. "But this beside point. What about this cup? What would you do with it? What makes it special?"

"That's silly," Trilup claims, crossing her arms. "You don't smoke plants, you smoke fish."

"It was a container that could collect the magic released by the Light of Nala and used in its stead to heal the wounded and the sick and to protect against Amena's touch. The stories go that it was used by the Champion to give a way that others could carry a fraction of the Light with them into battle with the servants of Amena; enough to offer some protection even without the Champion with them. After all; there are many servants of Amena, but only ever one Champion of Nala. Of course of there is only a small amount of the power left in it; and in such a corrupted land, it could have the effect of creating something in-between. Not quite a zombie, not in Amena's sense, but ... close. Different. Less likely to eat your head." He pauses there for a moment, then adds, "Granted in this town eating a head isn't likely to garner any brains ... so maybe my theory on the Serendip is wrong. I had assumed since no brains were eaten in recent history that ... well. It found the crucible."

"Is that 'cuz the Champion rode our boats on the way, 'cording to Granny?" Trilup asks.

Aviri tilts his head. "Nala is good, Amena makes zombies? Sorry, didn't have much ... um ... lore in my childhood. Ergo, cup contained good to fight the bad, even if the ... avatar of the good wasn't around? And you think this serendip has the cup now. If it exists.

"That's a theory, yes. It would make a wonderful dissertation too! Except I already have my degree. so now I have to find it before some upstart does," Jack says, even shaking his fist at the ceiling. "If there is amazing history to be found, by the Gods, I'll be the one finding it! Grad students are just for cleaning off the dust ... and triggering the traps."

"Swampy couldn't have set traps," the otter assures. "I mean.. how smart are Serendips? Do they collect shiny stuff and such?"

Aviri turns back to Jack. "Okay, I'll guide you if you want. If you can procure a boat. Or ... if Trilup would want to guide.

Aviri smiles. "Wouldn't happen to have any magical talismans? I'm apparently collecting them."

"Welllllll," Trilup says, looking around with a sparkle in her eye. "Something that would make Twolip squirm. You gave her a thingy at the Boathouse that night you came and gave away thingies to the girls."

"Well ... that depends what you want it to do," Jack admits to Aviri. "I have a necklace that makes you smell like a rotten tuber. Never again will I look for the the forbidden tuber mines. They were forbidden for a reason."

"Ah, that would be much easier, yes. You and your girlfriend here will be paid somehow. I just, well, have to figure out how," Jack admits, then eyes the other otter. "I have a book about Lapi and how to drive them crazy," he half-offers.

"He did pull a boat off of me," Trilup says. "So I guess that's like dating.. right?"

Aviri says, "I knownothing about akwavi courtship. Hardly know about Lapi courtship.

"Well, I'm sure she will teach you. You'll get over the taste of fish oil breath," Jack assures.

Taking a small step away from the otter, Aviri says, "Don't think I'm 'in the market' for a relationship right now, sorry."

"Are you sure you're an Akwavi, Mr. Mushysorething?" Trilup asks, giving Jack a sidelong look.

"Is it true that you cook them?" Trilup asks. Then looks to Aviri and clarifies, "Fish, not Lapi."

"Yes, you can," Jack says, "And many prefer them that way. Not me, but I know the karnors do."