<div class="floatright">(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/besrikarie/dnd/demonworldmap01.jpg)</div>The elderly rat man nodded his furred head, "Those berries, and the water of this lake, are mostly safe for humans to eat.  You know how food and drink can change you here right?"  He looked at Leanna's face and shook his head, "No of course you don't you're new here.  Ok, let me start by telling you why I'm here.  A long, long, long time ago, I forget now how long, I helped a ... well... an outsider like you.  Someone from another land.  I helped them on their task to save their land from the demons of this world.  The outsider gained a lot of power over the time they spent here, and eventually rose up to take control of this realm, beleive it or not, they were able to tame this land... to an extent.  As the new ruler of the land, they stopped demonic incursions into their own land.  Because I helped them, the new emperor granted me a great boon.  I was given life everlasting, but with the only price that I must give advice to any outsiders who enter this realm."<br/><br/>Rathazul took a sip of his tea and continued, "This land was once known as Mareth, and was much like the land that the outsider had come from.  With one exception, there were no rational beings on the land.  Animals, insects, plants, but no people.  Then one day a mass exodus of mages from another world transported themselves here.  They were trapped here however and unable to find a way back to their own world.  They created cities and castles while they tried to find a way back home.  I am told that the nature of this world makes it very easy to get to this world, but almost impossible to leave it, at least, this was the way it was till they created the portals... but let me get back to that later."<br/><br/>"However the gods of this world saw these humans, these mages, these people and decided they wanted their own creatures to rule the land, not the mages.  The gods gave some animals intelligence and the shape of these humans."<br/><br/>Rathazul gestured to himself, "I imagine that far back in history my ancestors were one of the products of this.  However the gods warred with each other, and the beast men and the humans got caught up in the conflict, and it was found that a man or woman could change his form to become like another on this world.  No one is sure exactly why, but somehow an evil demonic taint began to pervade and pervert the world.  The rise of sexual based magic became the only one that would work over time.  More so it's use continued to pervert everything.  The air we breathe, the water we drink, the land itself.  Everything became more and more infused with this primal sexual energy.  That's when the demons began to show up, Succubus, Incubus, imps...<br/><br/>Rathazul shrugged, "Some think that they came here the same as the mages, trapped here, but more powerful and able to wield the sexual magics more proficiently than any else.  As the mages lost their power, the demons gained it fourfold.  The beastmen were crushed under the rule of the new demonic hordes.  Worse was the fact that many mages didn't try to fight, but instead became demons themselves, knowing that was the path to power that would allow them to finally, after generations, go home."<br/><br/>"But that's all ancient history, long before even I was born, and I've lived for over seven hundred years.  So when the outsider came, they united various peoples.  Even demonic mages and forces bowed to the outsider, because the outsider had strength, had magic, and could control everyone they surveyed.  Yet, when I met the outsider for the first time, it was by a lake much like this one, but further to the south.  Back then the outsider was not corrupted by this land's nature.  The outsider was then much like you, very normal, a human."<br/><br/>"But the outsider understood that by eating and drinking of this land, they would gain strength, would gain magic, would gain power.  But it was always a balancing act to not lose them-self to the corruption.  Too little power and they would have been beaten, robbed, and raped by anything stronger that came along.  But to grow in power too quickly would be to risk corruption, to risk losing the sense of self.  But somehow they did it, they became the emperor of the land.  They created a shining city on the lake near where we met, the capital city of Melinir.  From there the various descendants of the original outsider have been ruling for generations.  Currently the ruler is a self centered hedonist by the name of Queen Mab.  She rules only concerned with her own pleasure, and has for more than a hundred years."<br/><br/>Rathazul paused, and pulled a scroll from a pocket, "Here, look at this then."  Unrolling the scroll it was a map and he jabbed down at certain spots on the map. "Here's where we are now, at my camp by the lake.  Across the lake is the human outpost of Kleine, they don't allow anyone corrupt in their gates, but the rumors I've heard are that they only allow new outsiders to the land in, and promise them saftey behind their walls in exchange for virtual slavery.  You might check it out, but I'd be very wary about it, I've seen women like you enter and never leave."<br/><br/>He moved his finger across to the east, "Here is the ruin of an old city, Raven, steer clear of that.  Imps, weak demons, but dangerous in packs, have made this place their home.  As a newcomer to this land, you'd be torn up there."<br/><br/>He moved his finger south west and pointed to a spot where several rivers met, "This is the ruins of the old factory.  It was the site of one of the outsider's greatest battles, but is now overrun by demons.  Another spot likely rich with treasure, but very dangerous, even more so then Raven's ruin.<br/><br/>His finger went further south and he tapped a large lake, "This is where my old lake was, where I met the outsider for the first time.  Here on the west edge is the capital city of Melinir, and in the center of the lake an island with a tower of mages.  The most powerful and wisest people in the world live in the mage tower, or so it's said."<br/><br/>He rolled up the map and poured both of them a cup of tea as he continued to talk, "Now, you'll find that if you focus on a place, really set it in your mind, when you travel, you will always find your way there.  I'm not sure why this is, but I left Melinir only yesterday morning.  But if you were to walk there yourself it would likely take you the better part of four or five days, even assuming you went straight there and weren't delayed.   But when you were to walk back, you'd find the miles speed by under your feet.   Once you know a place, you can get there much quicker.  You'll want to remember that."<br/><br/>He pointed at her backpack, "I'd suggest finding a good, safe, hidden spot to set yourself up a camp, after tonight of course.  Then if you need to go out exploring the area, you can always get back to your camp quickly as the sun sets.<br/><br/>"I mentioned eating and drinking food?  Hmmm yes, I did"  He paused to think,  "The fact is that the very air you breathe will eventually corrupt you, turn you into a lust fueled, sex starved maniac.  But eating and drinking anything but purified food and water will accelerate that.  Now, the humans of Kleine can sell you uncorrupted food, if you have the gems to pay for it.  Likewise, I can purify food with my alchemy, but again, I'm sorry, I have to charge for my services."<br/><br/>Leanna asked about paying, and Rathazul explained.  "Here in Mareth, the form of currency are 'gems' small green gemstones about the size of your thumbnail.  Now, I'm sure you don't have any, and I'd suggest finding some asap.  In fact, if you're an outsider, I'm going to assume you're a virgin, untouched by man?.  Ah, of course, your blush says it all.  Well, I've got good news for you.  You see, uncorrupted virgins are probably the rarest thing in this whole land.  As an alchemist, I can make use of your fluids in a great many potions, and would be willing to pay you for them."<br/><br/>Leanna must have looked shocked and Rathazul held up his hands, "Not your blood, I'm no monster.  No no no, I'd need your sexual fluids, and I'd give you a few gems for them.  Or better yet, no, I could give you some purified food, the map, and hmmm... maybe a bedroll so you don't get too cold at night?  A fairer deal you'll not find, you'd just need to hold a cloth against your sex, and masturbate till you come, making the cloth as wet as you can get.  It would cost you nothing, and would be a good way to repay me for my help tonight, don't you think?"<br/><br/>He leaned forwards and smiled as he drained his cup.<br/>