Chapter 6: Adventures in Shopping

## Day 4: A Serious Hangover

Escaping the Monarch's Endless Party, the heroes found themselves utterly exhausted. It seemed that their endless time loops had caught up with them. They didn't even have the strength to make it to a safety tree, setting up camp then and there and passing out. Their slumbers were interrupted by a swarm of Fury Sprites, who shrouded them in darkness and started throwing magical darts. The Highest Priest banished the darkness with the light of Pelor, setting to smiting merrily, while Puck unleased a horde of Flumphs, Timber summoned an army of squirrels, and Grank called down the darkness of the void. After a pitched battle (that included Grank getting practically exsanguinated by an offended tree), the heroes managed to slay the rest of the sprites and win some respite.

They asked Sivelle where the nearest safety tree is, and start tromping North. They traveled for a few hours, before encountering a strange light that causes them to lose a bit of themselves. Sivelle explained that the power turning their goey bits to transparent light was the Living Light. After some discussion of where they need to go, specifically Doctor Myriati's Archeological Dig, they learned that they'd been going the wrong North. The safety tree is nearby though, so they commit to the wrong North. They find a family of porcupine buddies sleeping in the tree, but leave them alone, catching up on some much needed shut eye.

## Day 5-7: Hair of the Dog

The heroes woke up, still tired, and decided to spend a day or three recovering in the safety tree. Luren, the Highest Priest, and Puck decide to indulge in some drugs that appeared randomly in Puck's pocket in the Gingerbread Village. Timber decided to spend the day hunting, becoming one with the forest, and Grank studied his maps, so they didn't indulge. It turned out to be for the best, for while the Sharpsugar started out making them one with the universe, it ended with making them one with the floor.

Timber spent the next few days enjoying the woods, while Grank spent the time taking care of his sugar rushed companions.

## Day 8: The Goblin Market

After recovering from the Sharpsugar, the heroes ventured North in the direction of the Goblin Market. Luren had some issues with that, given the very mildly cursed ring he had picked up outside the Tomb of Dromar. They made good time, until Timber got distracted by a plaintive mewing. Investigating, he found some 6-legged kittens with tentacles, and tried to make friends. It went poorly, triply so when the parents arrived. With a combination of gas, invisibility, charms, and some pure dumb luck, the party made a swift exit... except Puck who got cat-napped. Puck summoned wolves, Timber summoned squirrels, and the Highest Priest summoned **pain**. The displacer beasts dragged Puck kicking through a portal, but the Highest Priest dragged him back and they legged it.

Heading North, the heroes avoided a bridge and forded a creek, after Sivelle told them it was ensorcelled. Avoiding a colony of Red Caps, they eventually made it to the Goblin Market. Their guide informs them that to pass the doorway, they each need to share their heart's desire. Each shared a secret in turn.

> Timber: "Family"
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> The Highest Priest: "Pelor's Light"
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> Luren: "The greatest of knowledge."
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> Puck: "Passion."
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> Grank: L' lllln'gha lloig, ng illln'gha nilgh'ri cahf mgepah ng ah ng ephaiever ah, ot archlich kithhok jik, ot gof'nnn ot Xanth
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Once through the door, they were met by the guardian, a small man in a high chair with a net. Grank paid the admission with the answer to the riddle he had shared with the Collector at the Monarch's Party.

Upon entering, the hero's senses were assailed with an impossible variety of sights, smells, and sounds. Countless creatures of an infinite variety bartered and hawked their wares amongst the trees. Luren took on the first of many debts from Vandeha the Wandwright, agreeing to find the heart of a fiery red toad in exchange for the magic. Grank cut their own deal with the Wandwright as well, requiring the antler of a stag willingly given. Puck secured a discount in exchange for his.... ahem.... services that evening. Timber had less lofty goals in mind, trading the taste of chicken for a lick of unicorn poop from Black Pot Jan and an enourmous acorn for his deepest bark from Gemma Green.

With Grank looking for information brokers, Sivelle recommend either May, Cleo and Shade, someone known as Tumbleweed, or Nyx. Grank decided on the first, because there were three of them. They quickly lost Sivelle to the market, and were forced to hire a new guide, Norgan. The little guy quickly proved his worth, letting the party know that.

> *"There is a portal between the worlds where the green grass grows clockwise."*
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Puck cast a spell to try and recover from his exertions with Vandeha, but the magic went wild, turning him into a statue. Unaware of his misadventure, Luren, Grank, and the Highest Priest made their way to May, Cleo and Shade. Trading debts and favors, the heroes gathered wisdom. From May they learned that there is a special kind flower that only blooms when there's a rain while the sun is shining, called a "blind rain" within the Feywild, the The Feather of a Bird that Showers in the Tears of the Sun. From Shade they discovered that within the realm of summer, when the moon is full, fairie dragons come out in the moonlight in a sacred grove. If noticed, they'll scatter. There they would find The Worm Who Eats the Moon.

Timber continued trading for important things, trading the memory of where he came from for antlers and the tail of a grey wolf. The Highest Priest sought to continue spreading the Sun God's good name, trading away much of his power in exchange for knowing where every potential convert dwells.

Thinking that perhaps they might have wracked up enough debts for one day, the heroes at last retired to Fizzlenizels Hall of Wonders for a well earned rest. Drawing upon his newfound power, the Highest Priest set about making converts. Grank overheard a trio discussing invading Vol's castle, while Timber and Puck found trouble with a Gold Dragon taking a bath. Puck was seriously wounded, but found to their relief that the waters of the baths healed.

## Day 9: So... Much.... Debt

Waking, the Highest Priest set off to find some armor. Grank tried a little Booyahg, but the wild magic of the place warped his voice to start shouting. He had a moment of existential crisis when he heard himself speaking in a language he did not know, the language he always spoke when he used magic. Worse, his shouting drew the attention of some tentacled thing, though only Luren caught sight of it. Timber took umbrage with the owner of a pet store, and decided that violence was indeed the answer. Things got uncouth, and Miase ended up pushing the panic button, leaving Timber and Puck feebleminded. Luren, realizing just how dire things are, took the two of them and legged it towards the exit before the guards could show up.

The Highest Priest went shopping, because he still had things to do. He sought out Wittaker, trading Favors Three and unnamed for a host of useful magical items to bestow upon the heroes.

Luren, meanwhile, left Grank in charge of their two Feebleminded companions. He sought out Thomas Thistlewind - Master of the Market, and asked how Timber's debts could be repaid. The Master asked for The Flowers of Aldermere, and gave them a fortnight to find them. He was given a stone, and told that if he pressed it three times he would return to the Goblin Market. With their magic, Timber and Puck were freed of their Curse.

Timber, however, was very much banned.

The heroes set off to the Realm of Summer, searching for the Court of Aldemere, riding Elk-Timber. They soon came upon an enchanted glen, with two Fey caught dancing for all eternity. Luren, Grank, the Highest Priest, and Sivelle were caught up in the enchantment, joining the dance. Puck managed to free Grank by cutting off the noise, and the little Goblin wove his own enchantment to free his companions, teaching them that...

> *"You can dance if you want to, but you can't leave your friends behind."*
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Escaping the glen, and leaving the fey trapped their to their fate, the heroes were eventually let by friendly forest spirits to a rose canopy, where they promptly fell asleep.