Bullywuggin’

We saved the lizard-man and brought him back to the Witherbloom College. Professor Trotski didn’t like that we – a bunch of first years – were sent out to cleanse the spring. Apparently it was too dangerous a task. I hope that it doesn’t get Professor Lang in trouble.

They healed Cian while we were there and we were all permitted to have a nap as we waited for the lizard-folk to recover. Once he did, he told us that he fought some “frog demons.” He said his name is Darzuz and that if he didn’t return to his tribe they were going to be destroyed. I spoke with one of the Strixhaven teachers, but they didn’t seem too concerned for their native neighbors. While saying it was too dangerous for us to help, they simultaneously said that they’d put in a “request” for help to assist these lizard-folk. That’s not really good enough!

Cian said that he’d help them by killing the frog-demons, and of course I’d help him because he’s my bestest best friend! It took some convincing by Rigor to get Darzuz to agree to allow us to rest for a while before going to help his tribe, since no one else would do it.

We went with our new lizard-folk friend to his village the next day and we met his chieftain, a lizard-folk named Shrask. He didn’t seem to understand what to do with a cupcake, what a sad people! Clearly, I need to let Mom and Dad know to send some care packages this way. They’ll learn the true experience that is the Brighthorn Bakery!

According to Shrask, the frog-demons came with their frog soldiers and giant lizards, decimating their people. I went to their infirmary longhouse and gave everyone a cupcake, then played a soothing Song of Rest for them to help them recover! Some of the others did things to help, too, but I was too busy playing to pay it much attention. After a while, the chieftain announced that we were going to help them and that volunteers were welcome to join us.

Darzuz was given a pretty necklace and I guess he’s a prince now or something! I dunno, he didn’t want to talk about it. I gave him some congratulatory cornbread, I even mixed beetles into it since lizard-folk seem to like that. Extra crunchy! He didn’t really seem impressed.

We trudged through a lot of mud, following the subtle markings of the lizard-folk until we came to a campsite that seemed to be one of their outposts. They set into motion gathering wood and preparing the camp for us to use. According to Darzuz, this was the closest one to their borders with the frog-men.

I casted a couple of Unseen Servants to help with the camp chores, then I sat near the fire to play music and more Songs of Rest to help those who were working. I also made them some johnnycakes to go with their… uh… unique brand of stew. It was… uh… an interesting blend of flavors. I took a turn with the watch afterward and then I got some sleep.

The next day, we came upon the “frog-demon” camp and discovered it was a bunch of bullywugs! But they were doing a lot of un-bullywuggy things, these particular ones shouldn’t have been active during the day and everything in their camp, including them was dry, dry as a bone, which is unusual for them.

It feels like we spent the whole day planning, but all that we really got down was that someone should sneak in and set a fire, likely Leon, and someone should use Disguise Self to go and free the imprisoned lizard-folk and their mounts, likely me. I’m not sure I like this idea, I’m not really looking to get hurt and this is a Really Big Camp of bullywugs.

I told everyone that I left a note for the teaching staff back at Witherbloom and left a trail of cupcake wrappers for them to follow, but none of them seemed to care much. Like, all we had to do was go back and inform the teachers about what was going on and they’d take care of it, right? It’s what they’re supposed to do. Even Cheryl said as much, but nobody seemed to want to listen to that. Rigor, especially, seemed to believe that the staff would do nothing and we’d be sent back out here to deal with it anyway.

I don’t know why any of these people come to school if they don’t trust their teachers. I know we’ve dealt with a lot this past year, but we’re not invincible. This plan will force me to use half my First-Level spells before we’ve even done anything. Rigor seems entirely too eager to throw us spellcasters into the fray when he’s the stealthy person. Why can’t he sneak into the camp and do some reconnaissance? I dunno, this whole situation bothers me, but no one’s going to listen to me. I’m just the silly little satyr with cupcakes.