With a collective groan and a few muttered curses about glitter being the herpes of the crafting world, the party agreed to tackle the Toadstool of Gloom, mostly because Stickyfingers spotted a shiny gold coin in Barnabus’s pocket and Grumblesnout had already started twirling toward the forest in a warrior’s waltz. Sister Puff-Pastry blessed the group with a holy croissant, claiming it would ward off evil—or at least keep them from getting hangry—while Gandalfred rummaged through his spellbook, muttering about a “Disco Dispel” that he swore he’d written down somewhere between “Summon Snack” and “Beard Braiding for Beginners.” Armed with questionable confidence and a sack of stale biscuits, they marched toward the fungal menace lurking in the swampy outskirts of Puddlefrog.
The journey to the Toadstool was less epic than it was damp. The swamp smelled like a mix of wet socks and regret, and the giant frogs—because of course there were giant frogs—kept eyeing Grumblesnout like he was a particularly muscular appetizer. Stickyfingers tried to pickpocket one of the amphibians, only to end up with a handful of slimy lily pads and a very indignant croak in his direction. Gandalfred, meanwhile, tripped over his beard for the third time, accidentally casting a spell that turned a nearby tree into a disco ball, its shimmering branches reflecting light across the bog and briefly distracting a frog mid-leap. Sister Puff-Pastry declared it a miracle, though the others weren’t so sure.
