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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1587328" data-attributes="member: 1210">The Bakeswells are more than happy to see our heroes.  The group is welcomed out of the continuing storm into the wagons with cheer, food and strong beverages.  After warming themselves for a time and a healthy helping of pie and mulled cider, the group happily relates the tale of the jam contest to Leanne Bakeswell and the group pulls forth the jar of mysterious jam concocted by that Benjy Peachtree upstart.Leanne examines it; sniffs it; looks at it carefully.  She spreads a little on some crackers and then passes them around.  The jam is certainly fine-tasting!  Mmm, what a nice flavor!But what flavor is it?Leanne Bakeswell, well-known for the breadth of her culinary expertise, frowns.  She tries a second cracker, then a taste of the jam by itself.  Exasperated, she says, “I must admit- I can’t tell what’s in this.” The wagon falls silent.  Leanne can’t tell?  That’s unthinkable!She leans back and sighs.  “We can find out for you,” proclaims Ed.  “Somehow!”“But how?” wonders Trinia.“Well,” suggests Sandy, “someone could apprentice himself or herself to Peachtree...”“Maybe we can trick him,” muses Federico.  “If we bring him back what’s left of the jam, he’s bound to need more, so we can follow him, you know, slyly, arf.”“But there’s already so much jam missing, he’ll blame us,” protests Trinia.“Not if we blame the kobolds that took it in the first place,” grins Sandy.  “We can claim that we followed them and struck them down, but it was too late- they’d already eaten most of the jam!”“And he’ll surely need to make more,” adds Trinia excitedly.  “We can follow him back to wherever he does it!”A few days’ rest, while the weather improves, and then our heroes set out again, heading back towards Blackwood.  Hopefully, they’ll be able to find out just what is in Benjy Peachtree’s jam.  The ground is swampy as they walk; the rains of the last few days have left things bloated with water.  Though it’s not too pleasant for walking, the day is bright and warm.  Just the thing for overland travel!And just the thing to bring out the leeches.Fat and slimy, leeches the size of large dogs slither forth from the tall grass and the wet muck underfoot.  Our heroes are assailed!  The fall into a rough circle, seeking high ground, and put their weapons to use.  Martini dances among the bloodsuckers, twirling his blade back and forth and skewering leech after leech.  But soon there are two of the little beasts siphoning his life away, and he grows sluggish and pale and slow.  With a groan, the halfling ranger sinks into unconsciousness.The dog pack is barking furiously as they attack, tearing rubbery leeches from their halfling friends.  Federico whimpers and fires his crossbow, crouching next to a bush.  Sandy stays close by, jabbing at leeches and frantically trying to cut his way to the bleeding Martini, but by the time he finally does it’s been too long.  Barring a miracle-Checking Martini’s pulse among the ruin of leech bits, Sandy blows out a loud sigh.  He’s alive!  Maybe it’s something to do with the leeches’ anesthetic, or maybe just his will to live; but Martini made it!*Our heroes set a camp; they’re in no shape to travel.  Mama does her best to tend to Martini’s wounds.  Federico offers to help, and she snorts.  “I don’t know how much help a dumb dog can be, but you can try.”The next day Martini comes around.  He’s able to limp along or ride one of the dogs, so the group continues towards Blackwood, Benjy Peachtree and the secret ingredients.Next Time: A little more trouble, then the group reaches Blackwood.  What will Benjy Peachtree do when they tell him their tale??*Or maybe it’s just one of those rare moments when someone successfully rolled to stabilize. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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