From Camp Narache to the Claw
A long day carried Nanaki from the lowing crowds of Camp Narache through the Rites of the Earthmother, Moonglade, and a bear's strength at last.
The Road
The day began at Camp Narache, where a crowd of newcomers filled the air with bellowing and the cookfires hadn't yet burned low. From there I climbed Red Cloud Mesa, then followed the trails to Brambleblade Ravine and Kodo Rock. Stonebull Lake and Bloodhoof Village came after, and in the village I made my home at the inn and set my hearthstone there.
The long hours that followed took me to Palemane Rock, the Winterhoof Water Well, the burned wagons of the Ravaged Caravan and the Bael'dun Digsite. I even glimpsed the Rolling Plains. Come evening I reached Thunder Bluff. I walked Spirit Rise and the Wildmane Water Well, crossed the Golden Plains, and stood among the graves of Red Rocks. Later I climbed to the Elder Rise.
A spell from Turak carried me to Moonglade, to Nighthaven, the Shrine of Remulos and Lake Elune'ara. Near midnight I reached the Southern Barrens and Camp Taurajo. I met the flight master there, and we flew together back to Thunder Bluff.
Battles
Two hundred and seventeen foes fell to me today. The Bristleback quilboar numbered eighteen, the Battleboars seventeen, the prairie wolves and the Venture Co. workers fifteen apiece. Fourteen Bael'dun Diggers fell, along with thirteen Palemane Poachers and thirteen mountain cougars. At Red Rocks I drove off a dozen Bristleback Interlopers. Palemane Skinners and Tanners, Bael'dun Appraisers and plainstriders made up the rest.
On the road to Thunder Bluff I slew Enforcer Emilgund, a rare humanoid.
I fell three times. The first was in the Rolling Plains, to something I never saw. The other two came in Nighthaven, again from something unseen. Between those two I won an honorable victory over an adventurer of the enemy.
Chief Sharptusk Thornmantle fell, and I took his head back to Brave Windfeather. Near the end I faced Lunaclaw at the Moonkin Stone and came away with the strength it guards.
Deeds
The first task came from Grull Hawkwind, who wanted plainstrider feathers and meat. Chief Hawkwind then asked a "humble task" of me: to look for his mother at the well. She sent me back with a water pitcher, and so the Rites of the Earthmother began. Seer Graytongue set the Rite of Strength, and I carried incense to the shrine of An'she and Mu'sha before it burned away. Grull's requests for cougar pelts and Battleboar snouts and flanks were filled, and Brave Windfeather had his chief's head.
At Bloodhoof, Baine sent me against the Palemane gnolls, and I smashed the dwarven picks for him. Ruul Eagletalon wanted Windfury talons. Mull Thunderhorn had me cleanse the Winterhoof Water Well, and the beasts there drank freely afterward. Morin Cloudstalker had me search the Ravaged Caravan crates, which held Venture Co. papers, and later I thinned the goblin workers at their mine. I hunted Chakuyak the wolf, found Longwalker Malah's body and carried her report to Baine, and fed Ahab Wheathoof's runaway puppy Kyle. Smaller errands came from Antur Fallow, Maur Raincaller, Harken Windtotem and Krang Stonehoof, whose arena I sparred in.
The Rite of Vision led me to Zarlman Two-Moons, whose brewed Water of the Seers sent me after a vision. Seer Wiserunner said I had passed it. At Red Rocks the Ancestral Spirits granted the Rite of Wisdom. Cairne Bloodhoof greeted me in Thunder Bluff and set me after the Horn of Arra'chea, which I have not yet found.
Then Turak Runetotem sent me to Moonglade. Dendrite Starblaze sent me to the Great Bear Spirit and back, and Turak sent me to the Moonkin Stone. When I returned he said he sensed the strength Lunaclaw held, and he taught me the Claw.
Fellowship
Kaga Wildhoof's camp taught me about resting by a fire, and Brave Wildrunner, Baine and Turak each sent me on my way. Beyond that, the day was mostly my own.
Twice I joined small parties of fellow travelers, among them a hunter and a warrior, and each time we went our separate ways again. Once I stood in the Bloodhoof square and called out advice on where to set a campfire. Toward evening I joined the guild Blacktide as an Initiate, and a fellow of the guild hailed us all soon after. Early in the morning, before I knew what I was doing, I let out a long lowing of my own: "Mooooooooooo." When I got my first good skinning haul I laughed to myself and said, "lol too good."
Spoils & Craft
My knife work with hides improved steadily, from nothing to a respectable hand, and the trainer at Bloodhoof taught me the Journeyman skill. I learned to cook, fish and bind wounds, and to work leather. I turned out linen bandages, charred wolf meat, Brilliant Smallfish, Herb Baked Egg, light leather, and eleven light armor kits. I made a camp chair, two basic campfire kits, a first aid kit, a fish bowl and a camp tent. A new recipe for Spiced Wolf Meat came my way as well.
Among the finds were a schematic for EZ-Thro Dynamite, a pair of Tribal Pants, and two lumps of malachite.
Growth
I could feel my strength rising throughout the day, until by the end I was a different druid from the one who stood at Camp Narache. Gart Mistrunner taught me Mark of the Wild, and he and Turak gave me the rest: Moonfire, Rejuvenation, Thorns, Wrath, Entangling Roots, Healing Touch, Nature's Grasp, and stronger versions of Mark of the Wild and Moonfire. I learned Teleport: Moonglade as well.
From Turak at last came Bear Form, Growl and Maul. I fought with the staff and mace and felt my defenses toughen. I took up Two-Handed Maces, and I was admitted to Thunder Bluff and welcomed by Cairne.