A sauna session with Juri
–
While Löwenzahn had already set up a small camp in the Astral during the last trip and was preparing for the night, Kel Tuh Las, Aldric, and Theo surprisingly reunited in the evening with Juri by the small sauna of Fichtenstein.
Carrying a whole wagonload of mead, Theo and Aldric now greet their good friend and client, Juri. While Kel’s brain has already been so thoroughly softened by the various sauna sessions that it is difficult for him to show any enthusiastic emotions, Juri is clearly more seasoned and visibly pleased with the various bottles of mead. Together, they haul the wagon onto the small veranda of the sauna and, to celebrate the day, immediately pop open the first bottle. Both Kel’s cooked brain and the still fresh brains of Theo and Aldric recognize: This is really good mead. Juri’s expectations are also met, and he invites the three heroes of Selbingen to join him for a drink in his humble abode.
However, since this small drinking session is accompanied by several sauna visits, it quickly spirals out of control, and the four spend a wild night full of mead, naked bathing sessions, and loud singing.
Löwenzahn’s night wasn’t as exciting. Instead, he rolls over one last time, feeling rested and without a headache, to enjoy the first rays of the sun on his face. Then, he wriggles out of his sleeping bag and makes a small, rudimentary breakfast of bread and the last dried fish leftovers from Feandal. Satisfied, he sets off again through the Astral, always on the lookout for clues or traces of Bibiane.
While Löwenzahn is already wandering fit through the Astral, the next morning finally arrives for his three friends. However, their morning is anything but pleasant. While Theo and Löwenzahn wake up side by side on the small beach of Selbingen, blinking at each other in confusion with sticky eyes, Kel has it much worse. With excruciating back pain, he sits up and almost falls to his left side. With what is likely a life-saving reflex, he barely manages to grab onto the rusty chimney in front of him. He looks at his lifesaver in astonishment and only then realizes that he must have spent the night on the roof of the tavern “The Captive Eel.” While he now has an explanation for both his headache and back pain, he’s still not particularly happy with his situation. As if his body is thinking the same thing, it begins a little detox process, and Kel’s stomach contents quickly make their way up his esophagus and spill out onto the tavern’s roof tiles. As his vomit slowly makes its way toward the roof’s drainage gutters, Kel suddenly hears excited shouts from the beach and sees his two companions cheering him on enthusiastically. With shaky legs, he climbs down from his sleeping spot and stumbles somewhat unsteadily toward his friends.
Upon his arrival, he can already spot the flag of his two comrades from meters away and once again fights against his stomach—this time, however, not emerging as the clear victor. His two pals are sure there’s only one way out of their misery, and it’s a simple one: a hangover beer. Kel obviously agrees with this theory, and so the three march confidently into the tavern “To the Boiled Pig’s Head.” Ignoring the barkeep’s remark that it’s only 11 AM, our heroes professionally order round after round of beer, which does indeed lift their spirits.
Löwenzahn is also happy when his little journey finally pays off, and he spots a herd of horses and a rider in the distance. Excited, he starts waving and, when that doesn’t work, shouting loudly. But somehow, Bibiane is unimpressed—or just doesn’t hear him—and continues riding southwest. Löwenzahn makes a note of this information, and since he knows he’ll never catch up with the herd, he turns back toward Selbingen and heads home.
Back in the small town, he first heads to their new beach hut. To his surprise, however, his friends aren’t there, and since Löwenzahn can add one and one together, he immediately heads to the nearest tavern. In “To the Boiled Pig’s Head,” he quickly spots his already quite drunk companions. Happily, he joins them, and since he knows it’s pointless to share any relevant information with the three of them right now, he simply plops down comfortably on a wooden chair and orders a freshly tapped beer. The evening slowly passes, and well-sitting, our friends make their way back to their new home late in the night, where they collapse into their beds in no time. What the next day brings and whether it’s finally time to say goodbye to Selbingen will be revealed in the next blog of Arkanthia Pen and Paper.
