GLOGtober 2023-8

So this is NOT inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia: In Another World As The Magician's Nephew. Don't go assuming it is. It's inspired by a Diana Wynne Jones book called The Merlin Conspiracy that I read ages ago and remember fondly but vaguely. I might have the wrong book.

It's also inspired by that time everyone on Phlox's GLOG server - the PhLOG server - made up a bunch of endless staircase encounters.

This is what a forest looks like,
so imagine this but like way more dense.

Encounters in the Extraplanar Forest

So you've untethered your soul from its home plane and gained the ability to walk the twilight paths between worlds. Unfocus your vision, unfocus your mind, let yourself be pulled wherever the forces of the universe decide. There's surely an entrance to the Forest nearby.

The trees seem to be made of stone, although anything you chip off immediately vanishes and regrows on the tree. The leaves glow gently the amber color of the setting sun. The sky above is perfectly black. Paths wind between densely-packed trees. Trust your instincts, you'll find the way to where you need to go.

Wizard Courier

Not a wizard, only recently a courier. Gained the powers to enter the Forest by eating a magic bean he came across by chance, now works for a wizard to deliver interplanar packages and correspondence. Happy to chat - and fairly knowledgeable about the realms - but does have to be somewhere.

A Goat

What's it doing here? I wonder if it knows how to get out,

A Being Of Pure Flame

Striding through the Forest, radiating intense heat but burning nothing. The form of a large, extremely muscular man with no shirt. Works for the Dark Wizard... Marco. Sure, that name sounds plausible. It'll say that it works for the Dark Wizard Marco, and is on a secret mission to return a pouch that Amelia the Grass Witch left behind while having an uncouth visit with the Dark Wizard. He's... chivalrous like that. And now the being needs to deliver the package before Amelia sends her own familiar to retrieve it, inevitably running into the Dark Wizard's loving wife. But if you'd like to hold the being up and prevent it from making it on time, feel free. "Marco" probably deserves it.

A Very Large, Very Angry, Eight-Horned Goat

It breathes fire. As soon as it sees anything move, it starts charging, frequently chipping off bits of tree with its horns. Can't really turn around.

A Barn Owl

This barn owl can talk, though. She was cursed to have the form of a barn owl in a battle to protect her friend's soul from being sacrificed in a ritual. Has the amulet necessary to return to normal form, but cannot perform the ritual as an owl. A powerful enough wizard might be able to learn the ritual from her. Her friend is lost, but he'll find his way back home.

A Spice Trader

An old lady carrying an enormous backpack full of spices. The backpack folds out into a full stand containing even more spices. She doesn't claim to have much knowledge of the different realms, but has been trading spices between them for decades now. She also has multiple Rings of Magical Force which she uses for self-defense, but if anything threatens her she will run - surprisingly fast - and leave anyone remaining to fend for themselves.

A Mapper

A scholar from the city of Everend. They don't explain which plane Everend is on, and don't really know how to answer that question if asked. They're trying to map this strange forest they've found. Will hire anyone they meet to help map it. No one can map the Extraplanar Forest.

A Wizardly Student

Looking for a barn owl. He has the amulet necessary to perform the ritual to return her to normal. This amulet is the wrong one. Still, he knows how to perform the ritual.