"Oh no you don't!" Sarah said as she threw the needle like a javelin, aiming for the rat king. Unfortunately, her track record for hurling things is anyssmal as she strucks at the crystal ball accidentally,"AH... Ah nuts... I mean, I meant to do that. Yeah." she said, brushing off the fact that she was trying to scare him off.


10:19, Today: Sarah Farwing rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,5,1.  Forceful Attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:25, Sun 18 June 2023.

The crystal ball shatters!

The mists and vapors emerge... and coalesce into the form of a ghostly woman... Who glares at Sarah-the-mouse. "Who are you, to break my hold over these mice...?!" she asks Sara angrily.

Sarah looked surprised to find a guess. Then she ran for the needle, grabbing it and pointing toward the ghost,"The name is Sarah. Sarah Farwing, remember that because I'm the strongest rat, kid, and soon enough, the greatest warrior in all the lands."

"...I will remember you, Sarah the mouse, who is also a child and a warrior-to-be..."

The ghost fades away.

"Um... Hey, there was a ghost in my crystal ball! Who knew! I, um... it put me under a spell! Ah, good thing you freed me! I'm definitely thinking clearly again now!" the mouse on the throne says very nervously and very unconvincingly. (Then it realizes it's sitting on a throne, and hops up and inches away from it...)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:42, Sun 25 June 2023.

"Hold it buster, where do you think your going! Your not tricking me at all. Get over here and apologize to Peromi!" Sarah said, and turned to the other mice,"And you guys too for being a bunch of bullies. Say sorry."

"I'm fine, Jaffa... I just need soap."

Anthi stormed off after the crone, eager to finish business and be on her way.  She missed Sarah... and her comfy home.

"Soap? What's soap?" Dinkar scratched his head. "Is it something to eat?"

"It sounds kinda like soup to me. Maybe it's, like, a pastry you can dip in soup? That would make me feel better." Jaffa shrugged, though she was unable to match the gesture with an expression of confusion; she was far too relieved that her friend came out of this okay. Now they just had to get back home and hope Sarah was fine too.

In any case, it was time to head back with Madame Bitterroot and maybe try something to cheer the nice lady up? Jaffa wasn't really sure what she could do, but she would think on the way back!

If a fervent apology is maybe going to get the throne-mouse out of this, he'll gladly comply. He starts a stuttering, stammering, long-and-eloquent-but-vague apology to Peromi for any inconvenience she may have encountered while he was lording it over the other mice.

All the other mice apologize to Peromi much more quietly, but much more sincerely. They're as sheepish and sorry as they are bewildered. Unlike the throne-mouse, they really were under some sort of enchantment.

---

Back at Madame Bitterroot's house, Anthielle gets to wash up with some very nice floral-scented soap. It's gritty, but that's just what she needs right now to get those orange-ish stains off her hands... or as much off her hands as soap and water can manage in a hurry, anyway. (They'll wear off completely in a couple of days.)

Having supplied the soap and a sink, Madame Bitterroot gets right to work on making a fake gnomish belaying pin. Soon she's got one that looks just like the real thing. "Except my fake one has these two little scratches near the bottom, see? So you can tell the difference, and give the fake one to ol' Smash."

"Nifty! How's that Peromi! A quest resolved by yours truly. I accept praise and adoration like any good child or mice." Sarah said with pride.

The soap mollified Anthielle sufficiently that she mumbled a tiny "Thanks Madam" in return.  And while she scrubbed, Anthi talked over her shoulder.

"So how did you make the Lumberdog?  They aren't as grand as my Father's stuff... but I'm still interested in learning.  Way more fun than school homework... and three times as useful.  And just in case you're worried, I have a big garden at home.  Does it have to be a dog?  A Lumberpony would be awesome.  Not that I'm fussy or anything. With this silly war taking everyone's attention its so hard to get a decent education..."

She probably could have been asking about the gnome's ghost or other things, but given her chisel had been a bust, Anthi wanted to secure something for herself.

"Thank you for helping me and my people, Sarah... Whenever you're ready, I'll take you back up to the surface to transform you back into a human girl again..." says Peromi.

"...You're not a mouse?" Tassa, the bat, asks Sarah...

---

"It's very complicated enchantment work. There are elementals in the glass of my creation's eyes. Earth spirits, sometimes... fire, smoke... usually earth, though. Fire's a bit unstable to work with for this type of thing, usually..." says Madame Bitterroot.

"Oh, I didn't mention that. Yep, I'm a fully grown human kid. The names Sarah Farwing, the strongest kid in the street. I thank you my animal companions. I won't forget your assistance." she said, then she gives Peromi a hug,"And obviously I won't forget about you. Anyways, I'm ready to leave to find my Hoggie."

First, Peromi leads Sarah up to the surface of the city again. (What part of town do you two come out in, Sarah?)

Sarah and Peromi appeared through one of the poor districts. She thought her pig might have been captured by hungry hobos.

"All right... are you ready...?" Peromi asks (obviously meaning "ready to be changed back into a human?")

"Heh, Sarah Farwing is always ready for anything. Cast your spell, I'm going to find my Hog whether it kills me!... Or before dinner, whatever comes first."

Anthi sensed reluctance from the witch... plus some potentially boring stuff.  Maybe she could get the witch to make her a lumber-pony?  She'd have to have a think on this... find something that the witch wanted (other than her first born).

"Maybe we should get back to the ship?  I can't wait to get home for a proper meal.  And poor Sarah, she's probably stuck in class... wondering where we are.  For all that we went through, I've yet to see a sword... and I'm beginning to doubt that Captain Smash will honor his end of the deal in giving us one.  Hmph.  Oh, didn't we need some note?"

Peromi messes around with some (tiny) ingredients in a pouch on a belt at her waist...

(Sarah! Endurance test incoming! Roll Forceful!)

---

"Eh? You need a note? From me? What should it say?" asks Madame Bitterroot.

If there's anything Sarah's got above the rest is endurance.

18:19, Today: Sarah Farwing rolled 15 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,4,6.  Endurance.

“That the belaying pin is authentic, of course.  I guess you’ll need some paper…”

Anthielle brushed past whatever passed as a desk and grabbed some random pages for Madam Bitterroot.  Some if them even had writing on it.  She held out a handful to the old witch.

“Will this do?”

Meanwhile her other hand palmed a black pebble thingy (probably a harmless paperweight).  It was pretty and probably wouldn’t be missed.  Plus she deserved ‘something’.

Occ:  not happening:)
21:22, Today: Anthielle rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Agile, nicking something.

(You are about to turn back into your old human self.

However, you will retain one USEFUL/BENEFICIAL mouse-ability.

What is it?)

---

Madame Bitterroot takes the paper with one hand, and deftly smacks Anthielle's hand and retrieves the pebble with the other. "That is not something that's safe to let you wander out of here with. Keep your hands off my things unless invited, dearie."

(Anthielle takes one (deserved) non-physical Hurt.)

Dinkar snickered quietly as Anthielle's sticky fingers had consequences.

"Anthi!" Jaffa gasped, "What if that had cursed you again?! Be more careful!" Even beyond stealing from someone helping them being a very not-nice thing to do, Jaffa could scarcely believe her friend would try something so... so... silly!

Sarah has earned herself the power of easily climbing anything. Be it a building or a street lamp. Kitties hanging on a tree beware for Sarah will save you.