Drexon listens to Edna's descriptions of the items Cob holds with growing concern.

"We hold powerful artefacts and yet our path takes us into danger risking exposing them", he says. "It seems fate is toying with us. It also seems to want us to travel the whole world!", he says with a wry grin.

"Perhaps you can make sense of some other things too. Have you heard of the Peak of the Weaving Way? Or the enigmatic three, the discordant two, the illusive one. The trammel, the wild, the cradle. The blue sovereign, the hidden prince, the bleeding queen? Any of these things mean anything to you?".

"Hmm... The Peak of the Weaving Way may be the area where one of your elemental crystals is," Edna says with a thoughtful frown. "To the east lies a mountain range that touches the sky. It is called the Weaving Mountains because of the monastery that resides on one of three peaks. The monks who live there are a secular bunch that lives by the Way of the Weave. People who encounter them say that the monks move as if they are weaving a spell out of the Cradle or out of reality itself with their entire body. Weaving Way, Weaving Mountains. One of the peaks of the mountain is called the Peak of the Weaving Way. It is a sacred place for the monks. The beastfolks will know more. They roam the foot of the mountain range and have a sacred place of their own nearby called the Genesis Peak."

"The trammel definitely refers to this part of the continent," Amber adds after pondering the answer for a long moment. "The wild could refer to Pancarona or just the wild in general. I'm not sure about the others, but the Cradle is the protective barrier that was erected by the gods to prevent threats that come from beyond the stars." 

"You really are in deep trouble, aren't you?" Edna asks bemusedly. "I have not heard about the Blue Sovereign. Could be skin colour, but also could be clothes colour. The hidden prince may refer to two possibilities. Maybe three. The only places still holding the monarchy are the Root Anvil and Pancarona. You would better look at Pancarona because it is in conflict right now and a hidden prince may be more possible there. However, there are rumours that the last prince or princess of the old monarchy in the Verdant Trammel, or at least their descendant, is still alive."

Edna is quiet for a long moment before asking. There is a shake in her voice. "These words, I think they are prophecies. It is vague but detailed enough. Who gave this to you? Prophecies are fickle but powerful. You have your fate outlined for you. It is a clue and a curse wrapped in one. Whatever task you've been sent to, you will complete it one way or another. The fate had ordained it so. However, what you become at the end of the line... well, no one knows."

Cob turns the crystal over and over in his hands a few times. He looks to Drexon. "Let me know if you want to look more closely at this."

The sapling however, he has a new respect for. "I'd harvested this because I thought it was beautiful. Just glad I didn't lose it."

He thinks for a few moments.

"Pancarona is far to the west. That might mean another piece of Karm is there."

"I am not going to argue about being in deep", Drexon replies to Edna with a chuckle. "Prophecy or just clues, either way there is a lot to deal with. But your insight has been helpful. I am not sure telling you more would be the right thing to do though".

He looks to Cob as he mentions Pancarona, "I guess it can't hurt to add Pancarona to our list of destinations. You know, it does occur to me that if nothing else, at least Dvark should make it home in time to marry Amber's descendant".

"No, no, I don't want to hear more of it," Edna says quickly. "Prophecy is a heavy burden. The more you know, the closer to reality it could become, and the higher the chance that said prophecy will forcefully involve you. That's why even fake prophecies can become a real self-fulfilling one. Let my involvement be only to this far."

"I was merely reluctant to answer your question about the person who gave the prophecy to us. Do not worry, I will share no more", Drexon reassures.

He then has another thought, "There is one other thing you might be able to help with. Up until recently we have had a healer travel with us, but now we are not so fortunate. I wonder if you have the knowledge to make healing potions? And the ingredients to hand? We would of course pay if you can supply them".

"We're both proficient with healing magic," Amber pipes up. "Unfortunately, we don't have a ready-made healing potion. If we start now, it will take the rest of the day to brew a new batch, which won't finish brewing until the evening. I have a leftover healing salve, maybe 2 or 3 uses left."

"Whatever you can offer would be appreciated", Drexon says with a smile.

When noon comes, you are set to embark on the last leg of your journey to Saikhan. Amber has changed into more practical clothing instead of the usual loose long dress she wore in the house. Eremoz has read a few more pages into his rune book. Cob and Drexon also have had some time to regain the magic power they expended. 

As you begin your journey, you do notice that the Umbral Mire is quite different during the day. While there is still a shroud of gloomy darkness over the area despite the sun being high in the sky, the place seems just a little bit brighter than last night. There is no longer the buzzing of insects, and a few curious critters even dare to show up along the way. It is like a different place entirely. 

Drexon is far more comfortable walking the through the Umbral Mire in the daytime, despite the gloom. And with a guide as well. He remains vigilant and wary of pretty much everything they come across after the ordeal of the previous evening.

With the mire seeming a little less hostile during the day, Cob decides to stretch his legs and walk a long with the others. 

Eremoz looks around, taking in the seemingly safer version of the Mire. “Amber, are their any daytime specific dangers we need to look out for?”

"The lizardlions usually still roam around, but not many," Amber replies. "With the sun up, they prefer being stationary and bathing under it. The blights also don't really like the light, so they tend to stay away. Apart from the creature that mother warned us about, the one roaming the northern areas of the Umbra, I suppose the quagmire is still a possible danger. Even with the light, it is still difficult to differentiate where the solid ground and the quagmire are. So, keep an eye out in case I miss them."

Amber leads the group through a safe path across the Umbral Mire. There are still times she has to force the group to veer away from an obviously safe path, but she quickly points out that there are strangling vines up ahead or a large quagmire that they have to evade. One hour after you leave the safety of the Adama cottage, you do feel your journey is easier than last night. There are not as many obstacles that distract you, or creatures that attempt to attack you outright. 

{{Let's take a turn rolling a complication. Drexon, roll me 2d20 and take the highest. You might encounter something interesting along the way. Not all the complications are bad.}}

Drexon starts to relax as they walk, trusting more in Amber as she points out dangers. It is easy to forget that they are journeying towards more danger in Saikhan.

"What is Saikhan like?", he asks Amber as they walk. "Is there a Rangers Conclave there?".

Complication: (6 ,1) = 6

"A port town," Amber replies. "Small and doesn't really see much traffic from land due to the Umbra. It's a transit town, in a way. They are self-sufficient with their fishing industries and coastal farms, so ships often stay there to rest and resupply before taking a long journey south around the continent. I haven't been there in years, but I think there is an outpost there, yes. A little bit run down the last time I saw it. Maybe three or four years ago."

"What will you do in Saikhan?", Drexon enquires. "I think we have mentioned that we are looking to rescue some children. We then need to make sure they are well and get them home. Perhaps you would be willing to stick with us just until they are safe? Not that you have to follow us into danger of course, but once the risky part of it done we could meet back up".

"I was thinking the same thing," Amber says. "I will probably join you for some time. You do say you will help mother and I after we rescue the children."

Suddenly, Amber stops midstride and urges you to follow her. She brings you to crouch behind a large tree. She points to her nose and to a direction. As you peek your head around the tree toward the direction she pointed, the smell hits you before the sight. It is an eye-watering rancid smell that permeates the area, withering the fallen leaves but strangely invigorating the trees at the same time. When you get your bearing, you see that there is a shambling pile of fallen trees, reeds, vines, and flowers. This pile of rot and decay is slowly engulfing an unmoving humanoid body. You do notice that the humanoid body is richly dressed, probably a noble, and there is an ornate sword as well as a half-spilled coin pouch that have some several hundred coppers in it. 

"We have to circle around," Amber whispers. "It is a corpse flower. It usually doesn't appear this early in the day, but something must have woken it up. It will add an hour to our journey because I have to make sure we don't meet with the flora's familiars. If you don't know what a corpse flower is, it is basically a large mass of sentient flora that had consumed so much humanoids that it had learnt to preserve and use the rotting corpse it consumed as drones. Sometimes these corpse drones can act as an additional sense for the flora. We can go through, but we will have to be quiet. I have a spell that will help, but its not a guaranteed invisibility from the flora's senses."

Drexon's eyes come to rest on the sword and coin pouch, even as his nose wrinkles at the smell.

"It will be a shame to leave behind those coins, and that sword looks expensive", he muses. "But if it is too dangerous to attempt to get them I guess we follow your lead Amber. Could we perhaps encourage it to move on, or is that corpse going to be more attractive than everything else around?".

Cob wrinkles his nose and shrugs.

"Smells a bit what every pit latrine smells like by the time the caravans are ready to move on," Cob whispers. "Is it something that protects you and your mom from outsiders? If so, I suppose we should leave it alone."

"I can shroud us so that the plant will think we're one of their own," Amber offers. "I just hope you are lightfooted enough to be considered friendly by the corpse flower. It's not exactly docile, but it may be distracted enough with consuming that body. Mother has dealt with a few that went near the cottage. Fire usually works, but it is more durable than any plant blight I've seen." 

Amber grasps a handful of greenish ash and dried leaves from a pouch by her belt. She crushes the leaves and mixes them with the greenish ash before spraying the mixed ash all over the group. The ash becomes motes of green light as it settles on your skin. Even among yourselves, you notice that your skin and appearance are starting to resemble the swampland and forest around you. It is not a jarring invisibility, but a subtle shift that makes you nearly identical to that of your environment. You also feel your body lightening and your steps no longer crunch the dried leaves on the ground even when you deliberately do it. 

{{Amber is casting Pass Without Trace. If you want to make a Stealth check to get the coins and sword, you can add 10 to the roll.}}