* Yarrow *

The system woke me when someone pounded on my door. "Get up you tick-infested slut!"

On hearing Mack's voice, I groaned. "Go away!"

"What the fuck does she want?" Rick muttered, pushing his face into the pillow.

The beds were too small to lie on comfortably with more than one person. Luckily comfort didn't mattered with the game's sleep system, so I's simply lay atop of Rick when it was time to switch off. It was easier than going all the way back to the mayor's house.

The little Wood Sprite had left us before our activities had finished. She'd only stayed to watch two rounds of play.

I think I scared her off when I tried to coax her to join in.

It had been shocking how shy Rick was with her looking on. Especially since it really fired me up. His reluctance meant I had to work extra hard for the both of us. But it was fun putting on a bit of a show. I felt it was important for our audience to see my pleasure, so I moaned louder than normal, writhed with every touch, and had Rick unload on me rather on in me, so she didn't miss any of it.  Although, now I was incredibly sticky and dried cum glued my skin to Rick's Chest. I peeled away from him, and we both made little pained sounds.

The knocking didn't stop until I got up and opened the door.

"What do you want, already?"

"You're naked ... and filthy."

"Well, you're drunk and annoying."

"Touche," Mack said, listing to one side against the door jamb. 

"Did you get any sleep?"

"Not much. Well, no, None, I guess. Dong 1 and Dong 2 were a lot more energetic than they looked. Then, we got some whisky and ... What was it that you wanted?"

"You knocked on my door."

"Oh right. Right. Right." She seemed to drift off. "Right! So, I'm going to see about a blessing. Could you come with me?"

I almost face palmed. We were suppose to get going in a couple of hours. I really didn't feel like this crap right now. But I had been the one to urge her to accept a god. And it had been a while since she approached me as a friend. "Fine. Lets go." I stepped out into the hall and closed the door.

"Aren't you going to get dressed?"

"It's 4 a.m. no one's around. And if there are they won't care. Are we going or not?" She shrugged and we left the inn.

Day was just brimming over the horizon. A soft purple taking over the lower band of the eastern sky. I'd been right that there were few people about, and the ones that were didn't seem to notice how I was dressed (or not dressed) although we did get a few propositions.

This got me thinking, and I asked Mack (more to voice the question aloud than expecting a coherent answer), "Did you think the new people were easily corrupted? I wonder if it was just their regular personalities or if Katie is doing something to them straight from the beginning."

"Pfft. The two dudes I was with were just being men. Nothing out of the ordinary there."

"Perhaps." I certainly had never been like that, but I couldn't argue that many were. Or pretended to be. "But Aellae seemed really cool with watching and masturbating." It was right after I put her sopping fingers in my mouth and told her I wanted to eat her pussy, she bolted. But before then, she really went to town on herself in front of us. "And Pinja had no problems going off with Blossom and Ellie, which had to have been a strange experience. I mean, can you imagine being with two women half your size?"

It would be really awkward, but also incredible erotic. Like some sexy version of Gulliver's travels with their tiny bodies moving around pleasuring me. Especially that hot Blossom. I could see that being pretty incredible. Or if there were a lot of them. Like, if I could get six to eight faerie-folk of different genders together and just be absolutely covered in them. To be both a participant and a platform for their orgy.

Mack's voice snapped me out of my daydream. "Yeah, well, either way, it's not our problem. Is there a particular one I should use?"

We'd reached the area with the three temples. Lanterns hung out front on poles like lamp posts and the soft glow of candles came from within. Some attendants could be seen moving about or silently praying. 

"You'll want the open one on the right," I said, pointing out the temple without walls. The details of the goddess were pretty vague, but I'd looked in the day before and saw the statue was of a felinoid woman.

We approached an attending priestess and asked about the requirements for the prayer. It was pretty simple. Mack just had to lay some wildflowers at the alter and pledge herself. And the priestess had bouquets on hand for her to buy.

Gripping the flowers, she went to make her blessing, repeating: "May Mackenzie, Marie Mackenzie ..." as though by chanting her name she could keep hold of it.

I waited for her when she went in. With it being all open, I could see inside. There were woven grass mats with an aisle leading to a slightly raised platform with the idol of the god placed on a small table. It was hard to tell in the candle light, but it looked as though it was made out of a rough gray rock or maybe dried mud. I watched Mack approach it and kneel.

I asked the priestess, "So, what sort of blessings does your goddess give out?"

She told me, "It depends on the individual of course and what she feels the person needs to ascend to the stature worthy of one of her disciples. But Tanamarra is all about openness. Her symbols are: an open field, a wide hole in the earth, a flower with its petals unfurled with a bee pollinating it. So, she usually helps guide her devotees to be more open and accepting."

"Well, she has her work cut out for her there," I said, jerking my head toward Mack. But I was thinking: this should be interesting.

After a while, she sat bolt up, staring in wonder or shock at the alter. Then she quickly stormed down the aisle and out of the temple. When she reached me she said, "Why the fuck did I let you talk me into that!" And kept stomping her way back to the inn.

The priestess looked horrified, but I had no time to apologize if I didn't want to loose track of my friend.

When I caught up to her I said, "It can't be that bad?"

"I must have the stupidest name ever!"

"It's a little unconventional, but it's never bothered you before."

She stopped and faced me, and I realized from her expression she wasn't only furious but completely sober. "I though you were supposed to be the smart one. It changed stupid, you just don't remember it that way. To you I've always been called this."

"Maybe, but Mistie Frisky does jsuit you." 

"I ought to gut you here in the street." She looked mad enough to try it. But a middle-aged couple dressed as farmers started heading our way, and Frisks squealed and started walking quickly away.

"What's a matter?"

"I need to get back to the inn before anyone talks to me."

"How come?"

"Because that stupid goddess—" She stopped and checked herself. "I mean, that lovely and perfect goddess, has given me a quest not to say no to any direct offers made to me for the next two weeks. I have to accept everything no matter who its with or what they want me to do. This is fucking awful!"

"So, does that mean if I said: hey Frisks, I want you to eat my—"

She threw her hands over her ears and screamed, "No! Don't fucking say that! What the hell is the matter with you!"

"Don't worry. I wouldn't do that to you. We're friends. I'll take care of you. Come on." I took her arm and guided her to the inn.

The queen of no had to say yes to everything ...

Oh, yes! This was going to be fun.

* * *

We had a quick breakfast at the tavern before leaving. It was pretty basic, consisting of bread, cheese, and a thick, dark beer. Then we hit the road just as the suns golden rays were breaking over the mountains. The other party was heading out at the same time we were.

I noticed that they all seemed bashful, even Velia, which made me wonder what the otter-girl had gotten up to yesterday after I left her.

She said, "So, you say: follow this road."

"Yes," Blossom replied. "We didn't walk the whole way along it. We made a detour through a valley, but I wouldn't recommend that. Just watch out for bandits."

They thanked us and went on their way.

Our way led farther down river where a bridge would get us across to what had been described as a trade trail that would take us into the forest where Dewy Valley lay.

I had to admit I was anxious to see more of my people, but that was still awhile off. According to the information we'd gotten, it should take us two days to walk there.

The bridge was surprisingly solid and made out of stone. It was built at a narrow point of the river, and we were across it in no time. Our one precaution was to have Blossom scout up ahead to make sure there was no ambush in the trees on the other side, but we need not have worried. 

The forest started right away, growing up at the very edge of the shore. An arch formed by two ancient trees, made entering the wood feel like stepping inside a cathedral. Under the canopy of leaves the air was cool and fresh, sweet to my mouth and nose. But despite the more temperate air, it made me want to remove my robe even more than the baking sunshine. It felt heavy and stifling. It felt wrong.

So much so, I was almost relieved when we were attacked and I had to strip.

I'd never seen these monsters before. The were lumbering plant things made of vines and thick gnarled trunks of wood. Their heads reminded me of Venus Fly traps or the plant in Little Shop of horrors. The slipped out of the underbrush soundlessly all around us, six in all. I did a quick system check on them and got back: Woad (Carnivorous) - Level 10.

six Level 10s wasn't good. Not at all.

We quickly formed a circle with Rick, Ellie, and Savanna in the center. But while we got into position, they struck.

Unlike most of the creatures we'd faced, these seemed to have multiple types of attack. Some lashed out vines, others swooped in and tried to bite, the one closest to me coughed, and a cloud of red dust spewed out at me. 

I registered a failed-saving throw, and then I was lost in a kaleidoscope of fragmented images. It made me dizzy and my stomach began to twist with nausea. I wanted to cast a spell, but I could barely tell which was up, never mind where my enemy stood.

I was stuck that way for what felt like forever, hearing screams and the clash of battle around me. Vines whipped at me, scoring my skin and knocking me to and fro. Suddenly, the head of one of the creatures chomped down on my shoulder, sending a shuddering pain through me. But my mind cleared, and both my hands pressed against its soft bulbous head, and I released a double flow of spells.

It savaged me, shaking my body and demonstrating its strength and power. I released another blast, and it whither in my hands, turning brown and brittle.

I had often questions if my Prune spell was any good, and if I hadn't made a mistake picking it, since it got so little use. But the massive damage it did against plant creature made me incredibly happy to have it now.

The thing dropped and crumbled on the ground. Rick was right next to me, and I realized he'd been trying to fight it off while I was in a daze. He placed a hand to my shoulder and healed me. I melted a little at the look of concern in his eyes.

It only lasted a second as their was still a battle around us. Only four of the plant monsters remained, meaning we could easily press them two against one. But both Frisks and Trogia were calling out that they didn't want help. It might have been the waste of an attack, but since it didn't seem as though anyone was desperate for my help, I opened the archive and took a look at what we were actually facing.

Woad: A form of botanical golum built magically from different parts of plants. These are servants of Dryads, who use them as guardians of their territory. They are hard to kill, taking only half damage from blunt weapons and most magic. They receive no damage from water or earth spells and by their nature cannot be disoriented. The only fully effective spells against woads are fire, botanical, or energy based in nature. Multiple sub-types of woads exist (see below section for specifics).

I scanned down the descriptions.

Carnivorous Woad: As the name states, these are meat-eaters and will consume their victims once dead. Carnivorous Woads have three types of attacks: bites, which are the most damaging; vines, which does a little damage but restricts their victim's movement for one round, rendering many attacks other than direct skin-to-skin contact useless; and pollen, which disorients and incapacitates victims for several rounds unless they make a saving-throw. Carnivorous woads like to use pollen and vine attacks to incapacitate their prey and then move in with their devastating bite attacks. Level is determined by the magic potency of their master.

I returned to the forest and the fight. Crystal and Savanna had killed another monster, and the remaining three were looking pretty tattered and ragged. Rick was keeping everyone safe by healing them when they got too low.

But I couldn't help be impressed by these creatures. They'd devastate a weaker or a smaller party. Between the pollen and the vines, it took forever for anyone to get an attack in. Ironically, it was only when we were in the grip of their vicious bite attacks that we could fight back.

I knew I could wade in and wipe the remaining ones out, but I also knew everyone was eager to gain more experience, and from all the sex I'd been having, I really didn't need to divide up the points they'd get from the kills. And I didn't have to wait to take long before we were victorious.

We dusted ourselves off and Rick and Trogia healed everyone up. I explained exactly what we had faced, and Blossom said, "So, if they work for Dryads, I guess there's some of them about. How dangerous are they?"

So, I looked them up.

Dryads: A highly intelligent, humanoid monster species. These creatures carve out territories in woodland environments. When mature (level 6+), they carve out a territory of their own and live separately from the rest of their species with their servants and any immature offspring. Normally, they choose remote, isolated locations, but occasionally their territory infringes on more populated and trafficked areas. Dryad's are magic-users and develop spells from a species unique skill tree. Being plant based they receive half damage from blunt weapons and most magic (only fire, botanical, or energy based in nature are fully effective). Higher level dryads (11+) are capable of enslaving other species, including playing characters, using enthrallment magic.

I explained what the system said, and even though there'd only be one of them, we were all a bit wary about encounter it. The enslavement bit sounded pretty terrible. And it was likely it would be surrounded by other creatures like these woads.

This also made me remember the group of higher tier zone refugees who'd been at the beer-garden. It was them that had relayed the information that the area they'd come from had monsters that enslaved. It would seem this was going to become a more common threat as we went on.

As it was, we came across one more group of the woads before we camped for the night. The battle had taken a while, but as we weren't caught by surprise, we had an easier time defeating them.

Some of the party wanted to march on through the night to get out of the dryad's territory as quickly as possible. But not all of us had rested well the night before, and the battles had left us in need of recuperation. In the end, we actually decided to take a ten hour rest with everyone serving on a rotation on watch. The woads could move through the forest pretty silently, and although an attack would wake us, waking to being incapacitated and taking damage wasn't a great idea.

But they didn't come that night. It wasn't until the next day when we saw more of them. So, many more of them! And so many other new creatures, as the trail we took read right into the path of the dryad's lair.