Shrub's Journal
Day 1
Potion for Curing Fevers
(Blackthorn, Fairybells, Muckweed)Early in the morning I decided to head out and find some ingredients for a nice little potion. I wandered straight into the swamplands from my hut, searching for these plants. After so many minutes I found nothing at all, so I decided to move on.
Potion for Curing a Sore Throat
(Tenderroot, Phoenix Moss)I headed elsewhere after giving up on finding the ingredients for my fever-curing potion. I approached a bog so thick that my boots sank straight into the mud and it took all my effort to pull it out. Hell no, I'm finding other ingredients.
Potion for Causing Dreams
(Goblin’s Balm, Dragon’s Milk, Flameberry, Knotweed)Third time certainly was the charm. I was exploring more of the Gilded Mire when I ran into two curiously positioned trees. Woven together with purple vines and pink mycelium, the two trees formed a beautiful portal to what I learnt to be the Feylands. I noticed the ingredients I needed were of abundance on the other side of the portal. Several curious people approached me through the other side of this portal, declaring themselves the Fey. They didn't look too friendly, so I threw my shiny mushrooms on the ground to distract them. It worked, but after a few minutes their attention fell on me again.
I offered these Fey some of my catnip from my pocket, that works really well on my swamp raccoons. They took it, but they didn't look to pleased. I think they only accepted it because I was grinning through my ears. I then offered the fey a swamp raccoon to go with the cat nip - they LOVED the idea, so I'm running back tomorrow to bring them it.
Something overtook me and I lost control, so I slammed my staff down on the Fey Leader's head. She was surprisingly tough and dealt with it well, so I played it off as a greeting from my kind. She seemed okay with it, thank goodness. I was on the edge of my feet trying to get into the Feylands to grab the ingredients, so I just bolted through the portal, grabbed what I could get, and ran back out again. I managed to get everything so I headed straight home.
Getting home, I began my brewing. I hoped for three potions today but I only got one, but nevertheless I managed to brew four Potions for Causing Dreams!
When I finished my brewing, I took a deep breath and hopped in my sauna. My swamp raccoons joined me in there while my magpie flew about and enjoyed the evening air, and life was luxurious. For a moment. My two raccoons decided to start fighting in the sauna, cutting my relaxation short. Once I settled those two down the sun had hidden behind the trees, so I just headed to bed.
Potions Made
4 Potions for Causing Dreams, Low Potency (2)
Day 2
Potion for Curing Sneezing
(Summermint, Phoenix Moss, Beavertwigs, Zangerzest, Otter’s Whiskers)A bit later in the morning than yesterday I emerged from my hut to go find some ingredients. I headed straight out from my front door. The journey looked bleak, and almost immediately I ran into a thicket of brambles, much too dense for me to explore. I thought it would be too much effort, so I headed in another direction.
Potion for Relaxation
(Zangerzest, Pink Currant, Hollow Grass)I headed in another direction for the ingredients for my second potion. Good news is I did eventually get all of my ingredients. Bad news is I wandered into a big bee's nest, and a thick fog began rolling in. I love the taste of honey but it's a pain to buy, so I chopped the nest off the tree with my knife and shoved it in a large bag I conveniently carry about. That worked, but the bees were getting a bit angry, so I tossed a couple of my distracting mushrooms in the bag to hopefully distract and calm them down. It worked! So I headed on to find some more ingredients.
Potion for Health
(Hollow Grass, Catnip)I wish I could use my catnip I carry about, but unfortunately store-bought catnip doesn't have the same magical properties as naturally harvested catnip. After approaching my third location, a lush swampland on the border of the Gilded Mire, I ran into a lovely wandering bard that happened to be playing my favourite song. Unfortunately this part of the Mire was teeming with these giant spiders, no bigger than my face. I tried to fight a few with my staff and knife, and managed to kill a large group of them.
I convinced the bard to play some music for the spiders to calm them down; thankfully it worked. I then grabbed some of my distracting mushrooms, throwing them about to get the spiders to run away and chase them, but one spider remained. I impulsively grabbed it and shoved it inside my gilded lantern, burning it alive. Taking a deep breath, I managed to forage for all of my necessary ingredients, and I then headed back home.
Getting home, I began my brewing. I had the ingredients for Potions for Relaxation, but I think I swapped an ingredient by mistake because my cauldron blew up on me! I took a break for a couple of minutes, clearing the countertop, cauldron and my shelves, and I prepared the ingredients for the Potions of Health. Luckily, I was able to brew a nice batch of those, with a decent potency as well.
After finishing my brewing, I set up a small, makeshift apiary on the decking of my hut. It wasn't the fanciest, and I only used the materials I had on hand. The apiary was decorated with golden swirls and patterns, fit for the hive I took from the Mire earlier.
After the apiary was all set up, I sank into my sauna, relaxing my aching body. It was the comfiest I had ever been; the temperature was perfect and the cisp, chill air felt amazing. I managed to rest for a few hours but after a while my bees began buzzing rather loudly. I went to check on them, but everything seemed alright. I assumed they were just getting used to their new home. I then headed to bed, so I can have a nice rest before another day of foraging.