It has been two weeks since the introduction of fungal honey into the diets of the druidic cult. Amongst several other things, hunger has drastically been reduced. Less people are getting sick. Those who suffered from plague are slowly recovering. Old wounds are magically closing, and old people are no longer complaining about their stiffened muscles and bones.

Madarchen and I are walking together through the town, handing out rations to people. Of course, they can’t just eat mushrooms; but now that their primary hunger has been satiated and they have been thoroughly convinced of its effects, we can start dividing other nutritional meals for the people who need them. We prioritize families with young children. They are the most important ones for our future.

I can hear the whispers of the mushrooms amidst the houses. I recommended every villager plant some of the mushrooms they received in their yard or in front of their house, so that the fungal honey can attract more insects towards the village. More villages means more birds. More birds means more food for them, and more eyes for me. Infected as they are, they can’t help but provide me with intelligence and implications about all sorts of people. Most of it is gossip at best, but other information can be a tad more useful. For example, the defecting of the Knights of Coedraig. Shortly after hearing about the treatment plan Jeanne and Eric were receiving, the Knights of Coedraig, led by Captain Leonard, gathered their supplies and abandoned the village. I was the only person aware of their whereabouts, as well as the exact amount of food and weapons they had stolen from the druids. Tut tut. Do they really think they can get away so easily?

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Of course, the druids, in their fear, came to me for advice. They were afraid what would happen without the protection of their knights; pillagers, looters, bandits, wild animals, and all other sorts of nightmarish occurrences. Madarchen, now the sole protector of the village, managed to placate the druids somewhat with her reassurances. Meanwhile, I worked on a plan that would allow us to no longer be dependent on the whims of men; a plan that would use the fungus to protect us, and the villagers who had consumed it, without the need for weapons.

The mantle of Lady Coedraig has served me well so far. But soon, I won’t need to hide myself under these juvenile disguises and trifling deeds of goodwill. Madarchen doesn’t quite understand yet, but I will make her aware of my plans tonight. I intend to initiate her as the first true follower of the Goddess, Madru.