The Council wants me to find out what happened to the witch of High Rannoc & do her job till she's found. Of course, they can't tell me anything else about her. Fortunately, High Rannoc's witch is a bit more prepared then the Council. She's left me a journal going over the area and reagents as well. 

My first patient is an adventurer stumbling over my porch. He introduced himself as Callem and it was easy to tell by his chest hair he's suffering from Yeti Chest.

Yeti Chest [Hair*] ([Lungs*]

"The afflicted's chest hair grows longer & thicker until it becomes a fur-like coating. They also speak with a much lower voice for some reason."

According to the witch's journal the two reagents I need to treat Callem are in Meltwater Loch. 

Gas Weed * - Plant - Loch 3

'A popular plant among diving enthusiasts, this bulbous seaweed is filled with oxygen rich gas."

Seed & pulp can be Crushed for [Lungs]

Mermaid's Gift ** - Plant - Loch 5

"A type of poisonous algae, this age old cur for baldness is very effective if applied properly & prepared in such a way that it's hair growth properties don't end up giving people furry tongues."

Add 1 point of Poison

Algae can be Boiled for [Hair]

The Meltwater Loch looks very calming with its beaches and islands dotting the clear water. Though I do need to heed the witch's warning of the Bas Bata. 

Thinking of the great beast must of summoned it because it rose from the depths as I walked between some rocks. I felt its roar in my bones. I also noticed it has a shattered tooth that's infected, but had to note that for later since I have nothing to treat it with. I quickly slip between some rocks and hide under a shelf until it left. Fortunately I found some Mermaid's Gift under the shelf.

I found the Gas Weed in the ribcage of a skeleton clutching a barnacle covered chest. I decided to leave the skeleton and chest where they lay. I'm new to the area & don't want to disturb his resting if he's there for a reason.

I decided to do a little more foraging & look for a Shadow Shark. It was probably the wrong decision. Some gull-drakes flock around me & managed to take my Gas Weed. I held onto the Mermaid's Gift as they flew away.

As I grumbled and back tracked to gather more Gas Weed, I heard the bark of a cu-sith. Grabbing the weed, I did a quick dig spell to create a hole in the ground. As I did a water breathing spell, it barked again. I jumped in the hole & reversed the spell to fill it just as I heard the start of the third bark. I was able to hide some where safe before the end of the third bark.

I had just managed to find a Shadow Shark when the Bas Bata swam by and gave a roar. The roar scared away the Shadow Shark. I cursed & decided I was getting a Shadow Shark no matter what.

I finally located another Shadow Shark in the shadow of a giant skein. After I collected the shark, I looked the skein over. It's leather was well maintained and had jewels decorating the seam. It's smell told me it held mead. I decided to quickly move on before its owner returned for it.

Shadow Shark ** - Animal

"Whenever this glowing eyed predator is injured it surrounds its self with a cloud of black ink that is nearly impossible to see-through."

Removes 1 point of Sweet

Ink can be add Raw for [Rash] & [Burn]

Ink can be Distilled for [Pain]

After all that trouble to get the shark, I was frustrated. I decided to head back to the house and make the potion for Callem. Fortunately it is fairly easy and straight forward to make.

DeFur

Ingredients

Gas Weed

Mermaid's Gift

Water

Tools

Cauldron

Mortar & Pestle

Heat source

Flask to bottle

Directions

-Put the cauldron on the heat source.

-Add water and Mermaid's Gift

-Let the cauldron's contents come to a boil.

-Crush the Gas Weed with the mortar & pestle

-Once the Mermaid's Gift has boiled for 3 minutes, add the crushed Gas Wee stirring while doing so

-Once fully incorporated, take the cauldron off the heat source

-Cool, then bottle the potion

I gave Callem the finished potion. He looked ecstatic once the fur had fallen off & been replaced with chest hair. He thanked me in a much higher voice and paid me 16 silvers. The he was off to his next adventure.

I decided to spend the rest of my week exploring my new surroundings and foraging for some other reagents. I hoped to find some Fairy Dust, Rat Spit and Surgeon Sap at least.

Looking for Fairy Dust, I came across a group of child size pixies. They started giggling and flying around me. They dropped a caber in my hands & challenged me to a caber toss. I barely managed to toss it just a little further then they did. The pixies pouted as they handed over a silver and some Fairy Dust. They flew away looking for new, more fun mischief.

Still chuckling at the pixies, I stumbled across a sleeping giant. I can only assume this is the Glimmerwood Giant the witch mentioned in her journal. I quietly left him to his sleep, but managed to grab some Surgeon's Sap I spotted by a rock. 

Relieved I got away without disturbing him, I let down my guard. A group of of faeries grabbed my reagents bag. I managed to grab the Fairy Dust, but lost the Surgeon's Sap. Easy come easy go I guess.

Trying to shake off that frustration, I see a hunter with a pig. I go to greet him when he shoots at me. Pain spreads through my leg from where he clipped me. He yelled something about this being his foraging grounds and truffles, but I could barely hear him. I'm sitting there snarling and cursing, wishing I had studied actual curses as I start the slow process of healing myself. As I sit on the forest's floor an old rat past me. I let out a particularly loud curse startling it. It spat at me. At least I was able to collect Rat Spit even if I had to get shot for it. It is definitely time to head home.

Fairy Dust ** - Magic

"Difficult to get straight from the source, thankfully the little blighters don't worry too much about cleaning up after themselves."

Dust can be added Raw for [Mood] & [Curse]

Rat Spit * - Animal

"Yeah, not very appealing. I would not recommend telling the patient about this one."

Saliva can be Boiled for [Teeth]