As soon as she’s busy with the shed I head to the forest. I need information about the areas around us, and I’m betting Leona is the best source nearby.

I get a hundred metres into the forest before I cross the invisible border of her domain. It felt like walking into a spiderweb. I walk for another few steps before stopping, waiting for her to make the first move.

“Back again so soon? And all alone. I’m beginning to think you’re after more than just my vast power over nature.”

As her hand touches my shoulder I yelp in terror, jumping out of my skin. She’s a ninja in the forest. I turn towards her and she laughs, a bright sound that brings out birdsong all around us.

“Lady Cethi, I didn’t see you there. Please forgive my…”

She waves me off.

“Don’t be silly. If I wanted you to see me you would have. Now please tell me, why are you here?”

She cocks her hips as she asks, clearly trying to fluster me. She damn near succeeds as well, making me pinch my side to keep my mind from drifting.

Ability increased: Focus.

I step closer to her, ignoring the sudden aroma of fresh wildflowers, looking into her eyes. She’s fazed by my audacity, giving me a slight advantage in our conversation.

“I’ve come to ask you for some information about any nearby farms. Nobody knows the surrounding area as well as you.”

She nods sagely, accepting my compliment without noticing it.

“And if you know about a source of water closer than Providence Keep, I would love to hear about it. The poison ground isn’t helping our saplings grow.”

Her shoulders drop slightly as she sighs.

“You’re right. I can sense your plants growing, and they love you for your effort. Most of them will be mature soon, and you will need to find something else to plant, otherwise the soil will be exhausted. The Emgrass is a greedy child. Nevertheless, the poison grows stronger. It feels like it’s reacting to your efforts. We may not have a lot of time to solve the problem.”

She straightens up again, shaking off the sadness and smiling at me.

“There are three farms nearby, beyond your own. The furthest one has a lot of angry beasts, and I wouldn’t recommend going there without a good reason or strong weapons.”

She points as she tells me about each farm.

“The closest one has started suffering from the same blight you are. If they chose not to leave, they’ll die in a few years. Then there’s the last farm. I don’t really know anything about it, as animals stay away from the place. They have healthy crops and a source of water, so I think they would be your best bet.”

I think about it for a moment. I guess the closest farm is my first port of call. For no other reason then to warn them about the problems they’re facing. My attention drifts back to the woman next to me.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. Tiene and I are going to explore the old mine tomorrow. Hopefully we can narrow down what’s wrong and make some headway against fixing the soil here.”

Her eyes widen briefly in surprise.

“Already? I expected you to drag your feet and take forever to get started since I already gave you what you wanted.”

I smile at her.

“You’ve given me more than I could have ever hoped for, and every time I meet you I leave with more. I only wish I could return your generosity in a way worthy of a lady of the forest such as you.”

She straightens up, hardening her face in a stern expression. With her narrow eyes I’d consider her angry, if it wasn’t for the red shade spreading across her cheeks. I bow my head to give her a moment to compose herself.

Skill discovered: Etiquette.

I can hear her regulating her breathing, and when I look at her a moment later, she’s smiling again. A lot of smiling, actually. As I see the rows of razor sharp teeth in her mouth, I recall the reactions some people have had to my dryad blood. Female dryads are true monsters. I backing away from her, moving towards the farm to get away from the situation, and she watches me the whole time.

“Thank you again, Leona Cethi. I will be back to visit you soon.”

She fades into the forest, and her voice is different. Deeper. Huskier somehow.

“I will be looking forward to it, Tee.”

Your relationship with Leona Cethi has changed to: Friendly.

As soon as I’m out of the forest I spend a few minutes just standing still with my eyes closed. It feels like I barely escaped with the skin on my back. I shake off the feeling and head to the shed in time for Tiene to finish the roof. I check the info as she’s climbing down to the ground.

ShedStructural integrity: 95%Current use: None.

“Fantastic work Tiene, but why are you stopping at 95%?”

She looks puzzled for a moment before realisation dawns.

“Oh, of course you can see the status, you’re the owner. Normally you have to have a high skill in construction, a specialised perception skill or an engineering profession. It’s stuck at almost perfect because my profession level is too low. I can repair stuff pretty well, but I can’t return anything to pristine condition.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“So you’re an engineer? I’m sorry, I never really thought to ask.”

She rolls her eyes at that.

“Nobody ever does. I’m also a Courtier, because my father had plans for me.”

Smiling, she looks at me.

“I never thanked you for that, did I? For taking me away from there, giving me a chance to be myself for once. Risking yourself. Thank you Tee.”

Quest completed: The Farmers Daughter.Tiene considers your pledge complete. She is no longer considered your companion.Your relationship with Tiene has increased to Glorification.Your relationship with the Candrid Family has dropped to Vilification.Note: Your relationship with Tiene has reached the highest level. Any overflow will be added to a buffer against negative changes.Tiene Candrid is no longer your companion.

I’m left speechless for a moment. I didn’t really expect to lose her as a companion over this. But when I look at her, I can tell she’s happier now than when she was bound to me by the harsh bindings of the quest. From now on she would be here because it was where she wants to be.

[Skill increased: Social Perception.][Ability discovered: Wisdom.]

“You’ve been the best partner I could have asked for. Without your knowhow and spirit, there’s no way we’d have survived the trip out here. This farm is yours as much as it is mine, for as long as you want to stay here. And when you want to leave, I’ll do my best to buy you out so you can continue your adventure with some resources.”

We hug for a while. Afterwards, I prepare dinner for later. Tiene starts building a ladder while I set out for the nearest farm. I decide to chance using the road, considering that my skill in navigating the forest is mediocre. It’s an excellent opportunity to see the area during daytime, however. There are old trees here, and a gradient boundary where I can see the poison has reached. At least a couple of kilometres from the farm. Once I’m out of the blighted area, there are a lot more birds flying around. I spot squirrels running about the trees, and traces of larger forest creatures. Probably some kind of moose.

Skill increased: Perception.

You are now a Beginner in the skill Perception.Specialisation options available: - Sight - Taste - Hearing - Touch - Smell

I consider the alternatives for a moment. I wasn’t really aware of this aspect of the game, but it makes sense. My Perception is at 11 now, so I guess I gain a rank every 10 points. But which option to chose?

Sight is obviously useful. But hearing could be helpful as well. I’m uncertain as to how much use I’d get out of Taste, maybe it’d help me identify poisons and bad food. Touch is much the same, unless it works for tremors. Smell being the final option, makes me think of the future. Many products require a keen sense of smell, especially anything brewed. It’s a tough choice. I decide to do the responsible thing and postpone the choice until later.

By then I’d reached an intersection, where a road led me back towards the blighted area. I follow it, noting how the world seems clearer than it was before. More details are available, smells are just a little bit richer. Increasing my skill rank had a much more pronounced effect than just improving a skill.

After another ten minutes I reach the boundary of a farm. Stepping across it, I see three buildings clustered together. A well, what looks like a barn and a small house, barely larger than my own shed.

[You have entered Old Jacksons Hollow][You are considered a visitor here.]

As I approach the farm, I see two fields in the distance, both of them grey and dying. A sound makes me turn around to see an old dog running towards me. Wait, not old, just sick. It growls at me, but I kneel, reaching a hand out to it.

“Hey there fella. Where’s your owner? I’m just here to talk.”

The dog barks at me twice, then retreats a little, regarding me with suspicious eyes. I stand up and turn towards the fields, just waiting. Soon enough a figure emerges from the tall stalks of the field. A young man made old by exposure to the sun and wind. Big and muscled, he’s wearing coveralls and a straw hat. I raise my hand in greeting, and he raises his as he whistles for the dog. It takes a long detour around me to get to it’s master as he approaches me.

“Hi there, I’m Tee. I just started farming on the Greenlily plot.”

He pushes his hat back, pale blue eyes searching me for any sign of hostility. He relaxes a bit, obviously not considering me a threat.

“Hey. The names Cullen. I run this farm together with my brother Dale. He’s off to town to get some supplies at the moment, but he should be back any minute now.”

A guarded stance, warning me about reinforcements. He’s not afraid, but doesn’t take any chances. That’s fair enough.

“I’ll be frank with you, Cullen. I know that you’re suffering from the poisoned soil here.”

His body tenses from my words.”

“And I am too. I suspect I know where the source of the problem is, but I need help in sorting it out.”

His eyes narrow in suspicion.

“And I should just take you at your word?”

An excellent point by the farmer. I remove the sample from my backpack.

“I got this sample from an old mine on the property. It only grows on the poisoned soil. There’s a lot of it surrounding the mine. I feel confident that if we go down there, we’ll know what’s happening.”

He scoffs.

“More words, and a sample of fungus. If that’s all you’ve got, I think it’s time for you to leave.”

I sigh, digging through my backpack again.

“I’d also like to trade a little with you. I’ve got a crop called Emgrass. It grows fast, but depletes the soil. I need a crop that’ll let the soil recuperate. Can we trade something?”

He looks at the seed I brought. It should be enough for him to see what it can yield. Grunting, he hands it back to me.

“I’ve never heard of it, but I can see it’s value. I can trade you the seeds two to three for this.”

He hands me a pod, and I examine it.

VoidsiphonCommonKnown effects: noneBase chance of cultivation: 10%

I nod at him.

“It’s a good plant, but I think I’d like to have two per seed for it. The Emgrass grows fast, and has a high yield.”

He considers my offer for a moment, then reaches out his hand.

“That’s a deal. I’ll send my brother to your plot when he’s back. Anything else I can do for you?”

I nod towards his dog.

“What’s his name?”

The farmer smiles as he looks at the dog.

“Her name is Selkie. She loves the water.”

His face darkens a little.

“The poison is killing her faster than it’s killing us.”

He closes his eyes for a moment before opening them, looking at me.

“If you do find the source for this curse, let me know. I won’t withhold help if you can provide proof.”

Your relationship with Cullen has increased to Wary Friendship.

No quest notice shows up, which surprises me. This is the kind of thing that I’d expect to be chronicled. I kneel down and address the dog.

“Don’t worry sweetie, I’ll do what I can to fix what’s happening to you. Just stay strong, okay?”

She whines silently, wagging her tail. She’s loosing fur, but there’s still strength in her. I stand, shaking Cullen’s hand before I head out. There should be time to visit one more farm before I have to return to Tiene.