day 7: Aches and Pains
Yesterday I had but little time to scribe down my findings. Most of it was consumed with the dreary drabblidgs of an incessant pest that I had picked up along the way. The traveller who by all his own accounts was the hero of Mindara, the esteemed chivalrous knight of the Wandering Isles, who was in all reality just a jester disguised as a Duster. The tales he spun held no water, the details too clean as if fabricated to insight some response. A dullard. He may have others fooled along his journey, me not so much. Of course I played the line, took the bait as you will, but in reality I could not wait to get away from his unfathomable depth of bullshittery.
Today though was more promising. The great tree market Aeris could be seen rising amongst the already luxuriant emerald canopy. Was not long now, about a day away from where I have set up camp. The cave whose mouth I lay up had caught my eye as the sun went down. Nestled deep into the thick brush the caverns walls were scribed with sigils and etchings I presume were made by Wild Ones. The notches in the walls deep and precise, though the glyphs I had not seen before. In truth, little is known of the Wild Ones, though we do know that they try very hard to keep it that way. We do know that the Wild Ones have a tribal society, each with their own leader and hierarchy within the tribe, they speak their own form of language that is continued throughout the people and live deep in the Wilds. These particular glyphs looked as if they meant that this place was a harvesting area for mushrooms, and water. Perhaps that explained the dull glow that emanated from the caves inner cavity.
I carried a small thurible that contained a bit of wood chips, Coal and Ruubrum. When struck to the ground the Ruubrum would ignite the chips, the coal was used to dampen the chips so they would not burn too quickly, an old maester’s trick when reading late into the night. The cave was deep, as I walked, it was clear the path had been cleared over and over again, the stones smooth to the touch. As I got deeper the blue glow became more intense, until eventually I was able to extinguish my torch.
The small walkway opened up into a large inner dwelling, large stalactites and stalagmites created columns, the noblest of houses would be jealous of. The source of the blue light became clear. Decorating the ground and walls, large clusters of Caerulea. Enormous mushrooms with blue globules that beamed with fluorescent light. The earthy aroma of the cave brought me back to the depths of the Great Hall, the center of the Seal’s aqueduct. I studied the mushrooms, taking a small cluster that I stored in a large glass container. It was intended for research, but in a pinch could be used for healing or selling. I shall stay the night in this cave, something about it draws me in, like the touch of loved one or a reassuring look from a parent.
See study below-
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