Update acl.cool/site/writings/umbral0.5.dj

acl.cool/site/writings/umbral0.5.dj

@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ By the town's northern entrance, Gottlob Graal[^gottlob], a satyr, chats with a
 
 As the morning continues and the breakfast hour draws to a close, villagers and adventurers alike begin to take notice of a giant frog, apparently arrived undetected early in the morning. The monstrously massy amphibian perches with apparent ease, though presumed precariousness, over the mouth of the town's main well, which is adjacent to the inn wherein Warren now labors. A second guard, a half-elf, approaches Gottlob and his interlocutor for the changing shift. Drawing up close, he takes the helmeted head of the latter between his hands and turns it forcibly toward the frog; neither Gottlob nor his companion have looked down the road for some time. "That's becoming a problem now, ay!", the new arrival injects, but the tired and frankly overwhelmed human just stares, uncaring or uncomprehending. Gottlob, suddenly aware of the potential danger, abandons his conversation and heads toward the well--- giant frogs aren't unheard of on the prime material, but they are common in the Feywild. He casts "detect evil and good", furtively, a little embarrassed, but finds nothing to fear from other planes this morning. "Perhaps the frog is enchanted", he thinks, but doesn't bother with "detect magic", satisfied to know that if there is any threat, at least it's native.
 
-Almuth, having finished his breakfast across the street, comes outside and makes his way over to the curiously poised anuran. He tests the bounds of its docility, inching close and pushing it gently, trying to physically coax it off the well, but he wisely backs away when it shows signs of aggression. Almuth has a better idea and heads back to his room to prepare for his next attempt. Gottlob starts to follow, thinking to chat a bit with this interesting fellow, but the cleric doesn't even notice.
+Almuth, having finished his breakfast across the street, comes outside and makes his way over to the curiously poised anuran. He tests the bounds of its docility, inching close and pushing it gently, trying to physically coax it off the well, but wisely backs away when it shows signs of aggression. A better idea occurs to him, and he heads back to his room to prepare for another attempt. Gottlob starts to follow, eager to talk to this interesting fellow, but the cleric doesn't even notice.
 
-Most townsfolk have now begun to take heed of the commotion. The innkeeper offers Karmel, who chose the establishment for his breakfast, a profligate sum to remove the frog from its perch--- the villagers need water and the innkeeper needs one less shiny green gargoyle at the entrance scaring away his customers--- so the bard makes his way outside. The rest of the party shows up apace, finished with their respective morning activities and finally getting keyed in to the issue at hand.
+Most townsfolk have now taken heed of the commotion. The innkeeper offers Karmel, who chose the establishment for his breakfast, a profligate sum to remove the frog from its perch--- the villagers need water and the innkeeper needs one less shiny green gargoyle at the entrance scaring away his customers--- so the bard makes his way outside. The rest of the party shows up apace, finished with their respective morning activities and finally getting keyed in to the issue at hand.
 
 Almuth has returned. He invokes the magic of his goddess to "calm" bumpy green "emotions", which he hopes will make the beast more receptive to his coaxing, but alas, with no success. Peering sidelong down into the well, he determines the reason for the frog's obstinacy: it's guarding a milky, speckled mass of eggs with its life. As he makes this known to spectators, the innkeeper repeats to Karmel--- and to any who will listen--- the earlier offer of payment for the relocation of the frog and its clutch. Almuth and Karmel hatch a plan: they'll retrieve the eggs from the well with the winch bucket, then hightail it to the nearest large body of water, wherein they can deposit the eggs and the no-doubt fiercely pursuing frog. They find a wagon, but fail to find a horse; the centaur Clementine is the only unoccupied equine around, who, though she finds it slightly demeaning, volunteers to pull the load.