As Cirra and Lassim made their way through the town, the ground beneath their feet was consistently damp, releasing earthy, swamp-like scents with every step. The air was thick with moisture, and faint mist hovered around the luminescent street lamps, adding an ethereal glow to the evening.
"The Spinner’s Rest is just ahead," Cirra mentioned, pointing towards a quaint two-story building adorned with motifs that resembled spider webs intricately woven into its structure. "It’s one of the nicer spots to stay, especially for travelers who aren’t from around here. You’ll understand a bit once we’re inside"
Along the way, she gestured towards various establishments embedded within the town. "Over there is the Marshlight Apothecary," she noted as they passed a small shop with windows aglow with softly pulsating lights. "Best place around for remedies and potions if you need to resupply. The owner, a healer, uses some of the local swamp herbs known for their potent effects.
I spend most of my free time working with them for my research, so if you can’t find me I’m typically there or out in the field."
"Across from it, that’s the Gossamer Goods," she continued, indicating a shop with delicate fabrics displayed in the window. "They sell unique and highly valuable garments made from spider silk—extremely durable yet light. Very popular among spirit warriors traveling through the Spider Queen’s threads.
I’d recommend you change out of that tough leather attire soon as the further you get through the swamp, the warmer it’s going to get."
As they approached ’The Spinner’s Rest’, the building’s rusty sign board swayed slightly as they walked past the entrance. The webbed design caught Lassim’s eye for a moment as the threads shimmered slightly with the movement.
Entering, the interior was immediately welcoming, with dark wooden panels carved in intricate web designs. The counter was unmanned when they arrived, giving the room a momentarily deserted feel. Cirra, familiar with the place, didn’t hesitate. She reached over and rang a small bell on the counter, the clear tone cutting through the quiet hum of the inn.
A moment later, there was a soft shuffle from somewhere behind the counter, and then suddenly, the innkeeper made an appearance, causing Lassim to jump back in surprise.
The innkeeper was not your ordinary host; it was a sizable spider, nearly the entire size of the counter with its surface area alone with a humanoid-like upper body that seemed to emerge from the shadows of the lower counter.
Its multiple eyes, while startling, featured two main, more humanoid eyes in the center that twinkled warmly. Its mouth, equipped with small mandibles and a more typical human-like structure, moved with surprising expressiveness as it greeted them.
"[Skreeka tarrak varrak!]" the innkeeper clicked in the spider language, its mandibles moving in sync with the sounds. It recognized Cirra immediately.
"[Karrak tik tik, skree varrak lokka,]" Cirra responded smoothly, asking for a room for Lassim.
The spider clattered back, "[Skree tikka lok varrak, skree!]".
Cirra turned to Lassim, translating briefly, "She says you’re welcome to stay the night. I’ll leave you to get settled then. We’ll start early tomorrow."
"By myself? How do I get the room key and know where to go? Can you ask for me?" Lassim asked.
"Don’t get your spinners in a twist, I was able to give it to you. You’re on the second floor at the end of the hall." The spider replied in the common tongue directly to Lassim.
"Ah… So that’s what you meant. Uh, thank you for all the help Cirra. I’ll see you tomorrow?" Lassim said, still eyeing the innkeeper with a mix of fascination and unease.
"Sure, I’ll be up before sunrise at the Marshlight. You can come there and we can begin our lesson once you’re awake. See you!" Cirra replied, before waving goodbye to the innkeeper and exiting.
The innkeeper handed over a key, its limbs surprisingly dexterous as it managed the small object. "Please come visit the counter again if you have any troubles or need anything adventurer. [Skreeka lok varrak!]" it said warmly, wishing him a good night in its own way at the end.
Lassim nodded, managing a polite, "Thank you," before he headed towards his room, his mind racing from the encounter with the innkeeper. He shuddered slightly as he thought about its giant and human-like head that appeared to be just grown out on top of a spider’s body. It was almost demonic with how creepy it appeared to him.
He’d only seen two species of spiders so far, but it seemed like his idea on what kind of spiders he’d be encountering during this stretch of the journey was going to be wildly different. He planned to speak with Cirra and learn a bit more as none of his tomes had touched upon the different species or even the hierarchy of whatever the ’Widows’ were.
Lassim headed up the narrow staircase and treaded quietly down the narrow hallway of the inn. The floorboards slightly creaking under his weight, echoing softly in the dimly lit corridor.
Each door he passed was marked with unique, web-like patterns, the craftsmanship adding a touch of eerie beauty to it all.
As he moved past one slightly ajar door, his eyes caught a brief glimpse of another resident—a creature that was both startling and mesmerizing.
This spider, unlike the innkeeper, sported vibrant, almost luminous blue and green hues across its back, with patterns that resembled intricate tattoos. It was smaller, about the size of a large dog, but its eyes were wide and alert, fringed with fine, silver threads that shimmered even in the low light.
As soon as it noticed Lassim, it let out a soft chittering sound—probably a gasp or other similar reaction—before swiftly slamming its door shut, leaving Lassim alone with the echo of the clicking sound.
Shaking his head, he continued to his assigned room, Lassim found the door and unlocked it, stepping into a small, quaint space that was surprisingly cozy.
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The interior was simple yet functional, with wooden walls that continued the theme of spider-web carvings, giving the room a consistent aesthetic with the rest of the inn.
A narrow bed with a thick, moss-green quilt was tucked against one wall, and opposite it, a small wooden desk sat under a small window that allowed for some light into the room, draped with a curtain made from soft fabric. It was probably the same spider silk material that Cirra mentioned, but he wasn’t sure.
Adjacent to the bed was an empty bathtub, a very welcome feature. It sat next to a rustic faucet, its pipes running exposed along the wall.
After a long day, the prospect of a warm bath was too tempting to resist. He first cracked the window for some ventilation, before approaching the tub, filling it with water from the faucet before using his control over water and lightning to heat it to a comfortable temperature. The steam rose in gentle swirls, filling the room with warmth before it escaped out the room.
After his bath, Lassim felt rejuvenated. He then proceeded to sift through his magic pouch, looking for a lighter set of clothes suitable for the humid environment.
However, as he unfolded each piece, a realization dawned on him—none of the traditional martial attire he had packed nearly five years ago would fit. His body had grown in both stature and muscle during his time in the Drow realm, rendering these old garments impractically small.
With a resigned chuckle at the oversight, Lassim opted for thinnest fur-line leather undergarment he had tailored in the Drow realm to sleep in by itself for the night.
Resolved to address his wardrobe dilemma, Lassim made a mental note to visit Gossamer Goods with Cirra after their language session. There, he hoped to take her advice and find attire that not only fit his taller, more robust frame but also was appropriate for the warmer climate and swamp as he continued south.
Lying beneath the gentle embrace of the quilt, Lassim’s thoughts meandered through the plans for the next day before he surrendered to sleep’s call.
The next morning, Lassim awoke with a plan firmly set in his mind. Quickly dressing in his functional yet uncomfortably warm outfit from his time in the Drow realm, he mentally prepared to tackle the linguistic challenge that awaited him with Cirra, and equally important, to update his wardrobe to something more suitable for the swamp’s humid climate.
After a quick freshening up with a splash of water across his face, Lassim headed downstairs across the creaky wooden floorboards.
The early morning light filtered through the ornate, web-like windows of the inn, casting intricate shadows that danced along the corridor that he hadn’t noticed the night before.
As he reached the front desk to check out, the innkeeper, the spider with a humanoid-like head on its body, swiftly appeared from behind the counter, causing Lassim to pause.
"[Skreeka tarrak varrak!]" the innkeeper clicked, her multiple eyes narrowing slightly as she addressed him in the Spider Queen’s language before switching to the common tongue.
"A word of caution, young man," she began, her voice a bizarre mix of clattering and human-like tones. "The young lady in the room you glanced into yesterday had just completed her molt. She was quite vulnerable, and in our culture, it’s considered highly impolite to intrude on someone’s privacy like that."
Lassim’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, his eyes widening in surprise. He had only taken a quick glance through an open door and had no idea about the other guests’ gender, let alone the customs of this different species. "I—I’m terribly sorry," he stammered, "I didn’t realize. It won’t happen again."
The innkeeper’s expression softened, her mandibles relaxing slightly. "Just be more mindful in the future. We value privacy highly here, and peeping, even unintended, can lead to... complications. I’d hate to have to ask you to leave over such a misunderstanding."
Flustered and eager to escape any further embarrassment, Lassim nodded quickly, muttering another apology before hurrying out of the inn.
As he stepped outside, the cool swamp air felt like a small relief against his heated cheeks. He couldn’t help but feel like a fish out of water trying to navigate the complex cultural waters of this unique town. First the town’s guardian and now an accidental peeping. It was presenting a challenge and he hoped he could at least learn a bit from Cirra to prevent further misunderstandings.
With a deep breath to clear his head, Lassim made his way towards the Marshlight Apothecary to meet Cirra.