“We are not drow, we are hunting them ourselves, looking for the Moonshard.  What can we do to prove this for you?  I can strip naked but I’m not sure you want to see that.”  He pulls the hood off his head and let’s him have a good look at his face and head.  “My hair was blonde not white before I lost it and started to shave it off.  We encountered a drow near the river who set a trap for us with logs, injuring us.  We nearly killed him before he disappeared.  Have you seen anything else strange nearby?”

Quote from o_Merlin_o >>

OOC: How about using the scroll of daylight we received back on page 20 / post #384?  Use it to convince the tree ent that we're not allergic to sunlight like Drow are?

(Lol works for me!)

(Assuming no one has any issues with that plan) "We are also unaffected by sunlight which the Drow famously have a sensitivity to." Doc added in a placating voice.  "We can attempt to show you if you'd like."  

• Persuasion: 13  

(If the tree wants more proof, Doc will pick up a tiny stone and cast Daylight onto it shining the entire group in bright light)

"I am NO drow!" Arora growls "That bastard set a trap for us and sent me hurling into the icy waters of the river!  I'll have his head as trophy just as you have a few dangling from your limbs there." She starts stepping forward towards the talking tree "We were sent to chase after the drow that stole a moonshard from Juriender - I beg that you tell us of any other drow you know of so that we can retrieve this moonshard and help cleanse your forest of these foul creatures!"

Brownbark, after your words and proof, slowly begins to back away.

"If I discover you are untruthful with your words, I will return, and show no mercy. Deal with these devils and dark elves, and you will have my gratitude, should we ever meet again. The forest knows."

"Boy, it sure does!" Kasha says.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, we pressed on past the giant living tree.

The dense wood opened into a small clearing dominated by a single great tree at it's center. Old roots stretched out from the massive trunk before arching into the ground several feet away. Here and there a few low mounds of earth sit above the moist dirt, signs of some form of animal life.

DC12 Perception: ?!!?!??

Arora bows a bit to the tree "I do hope we meet again with the excellent news of dark elf eradication."

As they move on... "That was interesting" she states to no one in particular "he was barking up the wrong tree bout us being drow..."

Aroraception: 15

"Whew, glad that tree guy let us pass!  I didn't fancy being a decoration on his branches!"  Raza keeps an eye out as they continue on their way, wondering if this darkness will lift anytime soon.  Coming up on the great tree she notices some dirt mounds on the ground around it.  "Hmm, what do we have here?"  

Perception 14

Listen, as soon as the tree thing mentioned devils, Mock had gone absolutely silent. No use drawing attention to her horns or her tail or her fangs or anything, really. She did let a breath of relief out as they got to pass, the quick thinking of her team always amazing her. Now she joins the rest of her group in the new clearing, squinting her red eyes at this new tree. "This one gonna move and talk, too?" she asks almost warily, her hands reaching for her axe. "Because I know some fire magic now, and I'll use it."

Perception: 15

"What the..." Kasha said, crouching down next to Raza. There are about six large holes in the ground scattered throughout the clearing. The holes resemble nothing so much as giant gopher mounds. 

Arora moves closer to Raza and Kasha and places a hand on each of there shoulders "So, any idea what those are?" she asks gesturing her head towards the mounds of dirt.  "Anyone got a long stick or sword they want to poke into it?"

Zhisshikassa was clearly suffering. His muscles are too cold to even shiver - frozen from his time spent in the river. He wields two palmfuls of flame in order to hopefully thaw out partially.

He had remained quiet during the meeting with whatever tree decided to approach the party. He held his forked tongue - he had many snide comments, but he recognized they wouldn't help against the behemoth. Noting the holes in the ground, he unwinds his serpentine familiar around his neck and commands it to slither into one at random. "My familiar can scout. Come on, Iskri." The familiar looks about as happy to unwind from the warmth of Zhi's neck as Zhi did when he was pulled out from the river.

Iskri slithers into one of the holes. Eventually, travelling down deep tunnels, it detects gray withered creatures that resemble morlocks underground. There's about ten of them in their hideout. 

"This one gonna move and talk, too?" she asks almost warily, her hands reaching for her axe. "Because I know some fire magic now, and I'll use it."

Kasha leaps up on you and wraps her wiry arms around your neck, talking into your ear lovingly.

"What did we say about forest fires, mm?" she coos.

Zhisshikassa's eyes blink open as he pulls himself from the senses of Iskri. "Morlocks. Ten," he hisses. "I suggest we pass. They are not our quarry." He shivers. Deeply

Arora waits patiently as Zhi send Iskri in.

"Agreed, we best avoid this area" pointing at the mounds of dirt "and keep moving... we've got a date with some drow.  Nicely done Zhi, give Iskri an extra treat tonight."  She proceeds to walk off the side of the path away from and around the mounds of dirt back to the path again "Let's go guys" she encourages.

The night is quieter here, the meager light outlining the rise of the forest hills and cliffs. Then the silence is pierced by an inhuman screech, as a large gray shape drops towards you from a nearby escarpment. It's a gargoyle, and it's observing you all from a distance.

Kasha leaps up on you and wraps her wiry arms around your neck, talking into your ear lovingly.

"What did we say about forest fires, mm?" she coos.

Mock shifts to accommodate Kasha's weight as she always does, moving to hold her so she doesn't fall off, too. But she does sort of freeze as Kasha speaks into her ear. She wracks her brain, trying to think back to a specific conversation. But, like, that's really difficult for Mock, so she just cautiously says, "Uhh... Bad thing, maybe?" To kind of make up for it, Mock carries Kasha on her back as she follows the others.

Mock shifts to accommodate Kasha's weight as she always does, moving to hold her so she doesn't fall off, too. But she does sort of freeze as Kasha speaks into her ear. She wracks her brain, trying to think back to a specific conversation. But, like, that's really difficult for Mock, so she just cautiously says, "Uhh... Bad thing, maybe?" To kind of make up for it, Mock carries Kasha on her back as she follows the others.

"Yes! Maybe. Exactly. You are so smart!" she squeaked, wrapping her arms tighter around you and leaning in to playfully bite your shoulder, kissing where she bit you afterwards, and patting it. She stayed piggyback as long as you let her.

"Look!" she said to her, pointing where the gargoyle was observing us.

"Gargoyle?!  Hide, quick!  We don't need to be fighting one of those..."  Arora immediately tries to hide and be all stealthy like.

Arora Hide: 17 

Arora disappears into the shadows.

Not sure what hiding is gonna do when it already sees us...  Doc thought to himself as he heard Arora's warning.  Sighing to himself tiredly, he stepped forward and tried to communicate with it, "Can we help you with something.  Or are you looking for trouble...?"  (Hopefully these things can talk lol)  

(Just confirming, was the daylight scroll used?  And if so, has it been an hour since we talked to the tree or has it run out?)  

The scroll of day was indeed used. Another gargoyle joins the original on the hill, both staring intently at the party.