The hunt for companionship (Calleigh)

[Anastasia]

One Tepen provided portal later, you stand on a sunny plain. It's bright here and the sun shines all the while at high noon. "Oh, I know where we are," Moonlight perks up, "C'mon, there's a town nearby. We can start there."

[Yuthirin]

"Onward to victory!" Calleigh trumpets. Tryll is a silent mist surrounding Calleigh, an otherwise invisible house-sized squid monster.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=61 ]{61}

You soon reach a town - an hour's walk at most, a pleasant summer stroll. Houses are spread out here, country homes with small fields full of growing grain, often ringed by fruit trees. A many-forked babbling brook winds through the town, providing crystal-clear water. Little footbridges of cobblestone provide passage over the brook. The natives look to be a mix of mortal races and celestials, going about their business without a care in the world.

"This is Hornville," Moonlight says, "It's on the civilized side of the House of Nature. Tranquil, serene and not all that different from Elysium. Mortals who aren't suitable to become outsiders or favored servants of Lathander spend eternity here, along with a smattering of celestials who enjoy it. Anyway, I figure we can ask around, see if Lathander's been seen. He'll just pop up all around, but he usually stays in the same area for awhile, seeing to any business there. With any luck, we can get a lead."

[Yuthirin]

"Ohhh, good idea!"

[Anastasia]

Canderella nods, "This should be child's play," she says, "Shall we, ladies?"

GI unless you have a better plan, Calleigh?

[Yuthirin]

[21:27] <Kobot> DarthSquiddius rolled 1d20+35 GI --> [ 1d20=17 ]{52}

[Anastasia]

Canderella takes 10 on aiding you and so does Vivantha for a total of 56. Helping's limited to two, so Moonlight will help by showing you around and the like.

A bit of hyperactive courre, smiles from Canderella, a bit of Vivantha's song and Moonlight shaking a shopkeeper around get results. You're talking to a middle aged, balding man in front of his field, wearing old, dirty clothes. He wipes his face down with a kerchief, sweaty and smelling like freshly turned soil. "Yeah, he last came through about a week ago. I heard he then dropped into Kelm. That's to the north, 'bout a day's walk or so. Back a few years ago, they had a pumpkin contest during the autumn. Grew the best damn pumpkin there is and took it there, won first place. It had to have been one of the best pumpkins ever, a real superstar of pumpkins. Tell them Liney sent you, they'll sure as the sun know that name!"

[Yuthirin]

"Thanks! Pumpkins are awesome!"

[Anastasia]

"Big pumpkins?" Canderella steps forward, "What fertilizer did you use? I've never had a lot of luck with them, I do better with things like corn and grain."

"Huh?" Moonlight says, a hand to her mouth as she watches this.

Liney laughs, "Oh, trade secret, lass, trade secret. But the trick with growing pumpkins is the vines. They're fragile, and if you damage them, you'll get an inferior product. You have to step like a thief when you're around them, plus make sure you water them enough. They're thirsty plants, you have to really find the sweet spot for your strain."

"I know, I always struggled with watering them," Canderella hmphs, "I'd either water them too much or not enough, it seemed. Or they didn't react well to something I tried, or beetles - ugh!" With a deep scowl, "Terrible pains, lost some promising pumpkins to them."

"Too true, too true." Liney agrees, "Why, back a few more years I lost a great crop due to some pests that set in fast. Only got the pumpkins, the other fall harvests made it fine. "

[Yuthirin]

Calleigh non-nods along, certainly nothing amiss here. Succubae want to grow pumpkins? That's perfectly fine. 

[Anastasia]

Moonlight tilts her head to the side, following the conversation with a curious look. Vivantha does much the same.

"Oh, you really have to stay on top of them," Canderella says, "I knew a druid who could cheat with that, but sometimes she wasn't there and bugs are still bugs. She's say something about them being part of nature, too."

"Pfaw," Liney shakes his heads, "They can be a part of nature away from my farm! At least bees make honey, but common vermin add nothing."

"Yes, though beekeeping's easy when they can't sting you," Canderella smiles, "Do you do it yourself?"

"Oh, sometimes, sometimes. I'll keep some hives for a few years, get tired of it and do it again a decade down the line. Honey's nice, but I'd rather barter for it. Smashfoot down the way likes to trade corn cakes for honey. Better to do that than to bother with the trouble of doing it myself."

[Yuthirin]

Calleigh cocks her head, hey eyes adopting a far-off look before cracking up laughing. Still following along through her giggles, she asks, "What-what's a Smashfoot?"

[Anastasia]

"Oh, Smashfoot's a farmer down thataways," he waves his hand, "Everyone knows he got the name for stomping the foot of old Weatherby when he tried to cut in on Smashfoot's daughter. Broke Weatherby's foot but good!"

"Good, a daughter's virtue has to be protected," Canderella says with a hint of amusement.

[Yuthirin]

As the man talks, the mist around Calleigh coalesces around her head. It forms into a tiny, pale green squid which curls its tentacles into the air and rests atop her head.  Calleigh nods, flopping the squid about. "Virtue's good."

[Anastasia]

"Ah, what in tarnation's that," Liney gives the squid a stare, "Looks like a squid, but out of water. Squid's good eating if you're a fisherman, especially squid legs."

Canderella smiles softly, "I've never much cared for seafood," she admits, "It's been fun, but we really must be off." With that she turns and walks away.

"Huh," Moonlight says, saying just that and nothing else. "Didn't expect that one."