Shrooms: the other, other white... meat?

Returning to the center of the glade you’re already beginning to regret not going out to hunt or set more snares. Laid out to dry in the sun was a variety of vegetation. Mostly the herbs you used to set the snares earlier, as well as some berries and some form of root. Beside the racks sat a much larger pile. Mostly white, though with the odd dash of bright orange or red thrown in was a sizeable pile of mushrooms.

You wrinkle your nose in distaste at the earthy scent that rises from the pile and look towards Sylvana. She beams at you, as if expecting praise of some sort.

“Are these actually edible or are you trying to kill me?” You ask flatly, picking out a bulbous red fungi with white spots.

“None of them are deadly.” She stated simply with a smile.

“And you eat these?”

She shakes her head in denial. “I don’t require food. So long as my tree stands it sustains me. I know that these are fine though. I see animals eat them often enough. Deer really seem to like that one.” She gestures to the one that you hold in your hand. “They always get very energetic afterwards.” A soft giggle escapes her as she seems to recall watching it happen.

“Right…” You give the fungus a skeptical look and lift it to give it a smell. Upon closer inspection a pop up appears.

Amanita Muscaria

Edible, Unrefined, Medicinal

Endurance +2, Stamina +2, ???, ???

“Maybe not right away….” The unknown effects on it made you wary of consuming it without further information. You set it to the side and pick up a smaller white mushroom instead, once again examining it.

Common Puffball (Immature)

Edible, Raw

Endurance +1, Stamina +1

Raw mushroom. Yum. Maybe it would be better to try and cook it. You add all of the mushrooms to your stockpile and enter your lodge. Crouching by the fire pit you look at it for a moment and then tap it.

Light Fire?

Cost Wood x1

You confirm and concentrate on the blaze, another dialogue appearing.

Show available recipes?

You confirm again and view a short list. Among the possibilities is a simple mushroom skewer. While you’re looking you also notice that there are options for fire-hardened spears and arrow shafts. You’ll definitely have to consider your equipment, but for now food comes first. You select the mushroom skewer and it appears by the side of the fire, one end of the skewer stabbed into the ground to keep it stable.. A small progress bar begins to fill and you watch it closely. In previous versions of the game if you let something stay after the progress bar was finished the end product got burnt and ruined.

The moment the bar fills you grab the skewer gingerly and raise it to your mouth. It smells…. Surprisingly good. The earthiness is still there but there’s also a savory, almost meaty aroma coming from it. Sylvana watches as you take your first nibble and grins as you take a full bite before quickly polishing off the rest of the skewer. It’s not very filling, but you can make more, and this will probably be enough to sustain you for now.

It’s still not meat, but you grudgingly accept that the mushrooms are edible.

“So how much progress did you make today?” You ask the nymph, licking your fingers clean of any lingering mushroom.

Now she seems to regain some small amount of her prior timidness and you stare at her waiting for an answer. She looks to the side, away from your eyes. “None.” The word just audible over the soft crackling of the fire. She breathes in to speak again but you cut her off.

“So.” Your voice soft and even with restrained anger. “Not only did you sabotage my snares, you did so while not doing any of what I asked of you?”

“I-it wasn’t my fault! I couldn’t! Every time I tried to do anything this sound kept going off and a message came up saying that the upgrade hadn’t been selected by the area Claimant.” She quickly explained, stumbling over the words slightly in her haste to make herself clear.

“Dammit, can’t anything in this update be easy?” You sigh and haul yourself up to go see. “Let’s go. This can’t be delayed any more. The adventurers could find this place any day now.” You resolve that if possible you’ll get this done before morning at least.

Heading to the edge of the clearing you trek into the trees, heading for where the thorny brambles are thickest. When you think you’re close enough you tap between the thorns on a nearby cane.

Bramblethicket.

Upgrade to Thorn Barrier?

Base Upgrade Time: 15 Hours

Grove Tender Bonus +10% Growth Speed

Total Upgrade Time: 13 Hours 30 Minutes

Well shit. Guess you should have checked this before heading out. No helping it now. You confirm the upgrade, curious at the lack of resource cost. As you’re about to turn away another pop up appears.

Time Remaining: 13 Hours 29 Minutes 25 Seconds

Upgrade time may be reduced with application of Life Essence

Life Essence Held: 0

“What the hell is life essence?” You wonder aloud and are surprised to hear an answer from behind you.

“The essence of life?” You turn and look at Sylvana blankly before motioning impatiently for her to elaborate. “You can get it several ways… Those with Nire’s blessing can harvest it from any slain living creature and Nymphs can….” She falls silent as if rethinking continuing that line of thought. “Never mind.”

“Nymph’s can what, little rabbit?” You ask as you move towards her. You reach a claw up to her chin and direct her gaze towards you. She shivers at your touch and meets your eyes.

“We can harvest it from consenting living creatures.” She tells you reluctantly.

“How? Since it seems we may require it in the days to come. If you can provide it then I would ask you to.” Ask. Yea, right. She’d do it, whatever it required.

“I can refine it from… reproductive… fluids.” Her quivering increases, her voice shaking as if to keep the words from leaving her lips. "Anything that's a part of the process of making new life."

“Then I guess our night is just beginning.” Your golden eyes gleam like beacons to Sylvana in the final moments; before the dark of night engulfs the glade.