Ulf asks Guern if he can think of anything that might have killed the wabbit.*
Next Ulf tries ‘biting’ the rabbit with the metal snake.
Then we use Jorund’s suggestion of going back to look for experts (same marching order as coming), taking the box, snake, sample of rabbit flesh and book.
P.S. This party is very useful - special fighting powers and lots of useful spells. 
*this is all RoOsh’s fault!
Guern: “Hard to say. I don’t recognise these marks at all - and if the rabbit didn’t see it coming, who knows? The wound is quite unlike anything I have ever seen made by fang or talon, but it looks as though a bite or two was taken out of the animal’s flesh, by small sharp teeth.”
The metal snake’s fangs leave small puncture wounds, as if a boat-nail had stabbed into it (some of you probably know the kind of little niggles you can pick up when helping to make a boat ready for sea). Nowhere near as big as the stab wound on the rabbit. However, the flesh does discolour similarly at the wound site.
Without significant interference, you’re able to get back to Woolverton. There are no specialists available here, however. You can either stay here while Ivar checks out the book, or carry on to Pevensey - if you were in a hurry, you could just about make it in daylight.
My guess: There is a similar but Bigger mechanical snake somewhere in the area.
“We go to Pevensey? Ivar can study and others can go find smarts . . . We stay we wait on Ivar, it go faster if all work”
Yes, perhaps it was supposed to guard the outside of the Wizard’s House?
OK, Vikings, we are trying to:
Ulf suggests we rest the night, Ivar finds out about the book and we ask Woolverton everything they know about the Wizard.
Jorund, you make a fair point. 
But we are not in a big hurry - remember we are … exploring the World!
Also if Ivar finds something out and we need to go back to the WIzard’s House, it will be quicker from here in Woolverton.
“Ok me good at stay. Wonder if there is mead-hall near . . . so me ask about wizard”
Jorund really needs to work on being sly but he heads out to find a place to get a drink and some conversation.
True. I agree with this course of action.
We should stay and rest up while Ivar tries to figure out more about the book.
“As for testing the amulet, perhaps I should go out one day and quickly use and un-use it? Or is that rather too dangerous a method? If we are waiting for a Day, I see no problems with using it quickly during that resting time.” suggests Osvald.
Sounds good. Let’s check in at the local Inn/hole in the wall/house of grateful person/ditch and catch some Zs.
Well, since you are a valuable member of the party, I suggest we do an Augury just before your useful test.
As mentioned, this is ale country rather than mead, but there is plenty for sale - a big brew was done in time for the spring shearing, and most of it is still unsold for some unfortunate reason. Ivar estimates it will take about four uses of Comprehend Languages to process as much of the book as is readable. Not only is it partly burnt, but it seems as though something alchemical was spilled on it, and the pages are becoming crumblier almost as you watch. Osvald could help with this task, by taking notes as fast as Ivar can read.
You still have no difficulty finding yourselves some lodgings - the shine hasn’t quite worn off your gratitude yet. Sadly though, locksmiths appear hard to come by in this backwater, and as for any kind of a thieves’ guild, don’t be silly.
Well in that case Jorund pulls himself up infront of a keg of ale and invites some of the locals to partake with him
Ulf is happy to share some ale and ask both about the local Wizard and any craftsman who work on bone necklaces…
Well, then- looks like a nice day in town. Spells prepared:
O: 1xTorchlight, 4xCure Minor Wounds
1: 2xBless, 3xCure Light Wounds
2: 2xHold Person, 2xSpeak With Animals, 1xFind Traps
3: 1xCure Moderate Wounds, 1xDispel Magic
Ulf mutters that he’d much rather have Cure Light Wounds than Bless.
(Hitting isn’t a problem, but taking damage is. :eek: )
Okay. Let me know what you want to burn for the Comprehends.
Whatever you use for the first one, I’ll give you that extract for now. The first page is written in a different hand to the one after, and some pages before it are missing, as though removed from the binding. It looks as though someone was thriftily re-using someone else’s notebook, and threw away the parts he wasn’t interested in, keeping just a page as an end-paper. The first extract begins mid-sentence:
of the Lesser made in honour of the Thunderer (according to their pagan conceit), although much smaller and of less might than his fabled weapon. Certainly the craftsmanship, attributed to the Dvergar, was of exceptional merit. But most of these are now lost without trace. One, it is said, was buried beneath the sacrificial slab when the Northmen established a shrine on Vectis, but they worship there no longer; it is many years since the beach at Keyhole Cove was ground beneath the keel of the serpent. If ever the power of the Aesir lay upon that place, neglect has surely seen it expire, for in that place are now only reports and rumours of the dead that walk, and worse creatures besides. The folk of Vectis go not there by land or sea.
The next page is damaged and contains the following writing in a different hand:
What fools people are, afraid of what they do not understand! Those who dare seek for knowledge they label as mad; they shun them and give them bad names. Still, he laughs longest who laughs last, it is said.
The amulet has two powers (counting the two transformations as but one power) and of course the greater is not without its risks, while the lesser power is of small use unless one has the creatures to exercise it upon. But the rewards are commensurate with the risks. Having in my possession the formula, it seems as though it will not be impossible to perform the act of creation myself. Would that I could obtain cublings or even viable eggs, but they are not to be had for any price.
No matter. The work begins tonight.
"Well it no seem that Bearowl changer is cursed. . . maybe write island should be a stop we kill no living and get great magic . . . maybe go home. . . . . . . . . Ulf right we hit very much hard but need help feeling good after hit . . . Oh well we go to Pevensey now?
Did we learning anything from our chat with the locals over the ale?
Use two Bless and two Cure Light Wounds for the Comprehend Languages for the book.
Mother-in-law’s 70th birthday party today - there will be a delay before I can post the next extracts.
Spells Loaded:
0) Flare , Read Magic, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation.
*I can use the Prestidigitation to just take better notes. Just have a pen write down everything that we say/learn from the book.