Grugga ascends into the upper branches of the Elm, looking for sign of this wounded Vrock.  

Leelan follows at a slower pace.  Smaller, gnomish arms perhaps are not built for climbing, as he loses his grip and takes a tumble.  The tree, still with some echo of Cosette's magic, breaks Leelan's fall with some of its lower branches, but glass vials spill out and shatter upon the ground.

[I think you still had some vials left over from all that hydra blood half a lifetime ago?  Well, not anymore, sadly.]

Grugga doesn't immediately spot any sign of Vrock ick, and after Leelan's accident and the loss of those containers, the purpose of this investigation seems to have already been lost.

Aubrey sends Furvus off to scout while Raq looks for sign of a trail left by the wounded demon.  For now, neither Furvus nor Raqisat find any leads.  

The party leaves the once-and-again-normal trees behind and ventures deeper into the wood.

9

As the team is ready to proceed, the young noble finds his position in their formation as the team advances deeper into the corrupted Mastieri gardens, wary of threats, calling Furvus back for close forward reconnaissance.

Perception: 7
Furvus perception: 18

"From the willow's story, it ounded like it could roam teh me." Cosette shrugs to Raq. Her magic was done and the trees were behind them, so that's the best she could do for him. With the others deciding their direction and priority, she follows along thinking on her suspicions. While she didn't expect to think up anything fruitful, it's where her mind was at.

(Maybe should have done this last post, but since no prompts for Cosette, tossing out some dice too to see if anything sticks:)
(Religion: 3 on deities & practices)
(History: 14 to further recall lore about historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars, and lost civilizations surrounding what the trees told them)
(Arcana: 17 recall lore about spells, magic items, eldritch symbols, magical traditions, the planes of existence, and the inhabitants of those planes, specifically related to the sock puppeteer and the spiders.)
(Investigation: 12 to seek out any clues as they move along that could be related to furthering knowledge of the above)

[There could have been some follow up questions to the trees.  I interpreted - perhaps erroneously - from post 3396 that you did not want to bother the trees with more questions.  Please feel to ask anything else you had intended to ask.]

[As far as the rolls...]

Cosette is well aware that, until approximately a century ago, this ruin was one of the largest and most populous cities in the known world.  Until the event commonly referred to as 'the Breach' occurred. 

Very few living witnesses remain, but the most common understanding of the Breach is that it involved some other place breaking through into this world.  The barriers between this material plane and the outer planes is said to be quite strong, but it is not unheard of for things like water and fire elementals to find themselves here, often summoned by wizards or warlocks.  What happened in the Breach is said to have been quite different.  The barrier was rent completely, and this other place and the space of the city of Amnifortis came to occupy a singular point, completely overlapping one another.  Strange ones from the other place were able to move about freely, and the air and water changed to become something alien and incompatible with healthy life.  What invaded Amnifortis was not like any of the known outer planes.  It was a completely unknown, foreign space... a realm far removed from anything mankind was familiar with.

Many of the creatures that attacked Amnifortis were said to defy description.  Beings without shape or mass; that could pass through the corners of walls as you or I could pass through a doorway; that could reach out and touch the minds of men and women, with awful, incomprehensible mental images and thoughts.  While you don't specifically know of anything matching the description the tree gave of this 'sock puppeteer', it does remind you of the horrible stories of outer terrors that were said to plague this space.  

As far as the Vrocks and their 'master in the castle' something bothers you.  The trees perception of time makes it a little difficult to understand, but you are left with the impression the Vrocks and the poison soils are a much more recent phenomenom here, something that has been present for years, rather than decades.  Additionally, based on your understanding of cosmology, demons - like Vrocks - are somewhat more common and mundane (for lack of a better word) than some of the other horrors found here in the ruins.  You have a hunch the vrocks are not related to the Breach... or at least that they are not here because of the Breach.

As far as the spiders, you have heard of a cult of spider worshippers.  They are hunted as blasphemers by the Skrillites of Memnikophis.  So far though, having just seen the singular spider corpse, you don't have any proof these are anything more than normal spiders, adapting to hunt in this unnatural environment.

(You were correct :) Cosette didn’t intend to ask any prying follow up questions to the Willow. And it didn’t seem like it would have wanted too. Thank you though!)

Cosette would walk along with the others, jotting her thoughts and her notes as they go along. She’d share it with the others if they were curious. 

Leelan follows the group further in, grumbling occasionally, his mood a little soured by the fall from the tree and loss of precious equipment.

It is slow going as you move through the old growth forest.  Most of the park is just overgrown with ancient trees, but you do eventually reach a clearing with a marble patio and two fountains.  The fountains are of course long inactive, with their basins filled with dark water.  

Just as you pass and prepare to renter the forest from the other side, Aubrey receives an urgent mental message from Furvus.

Vrocks, just ahead!  They are charging through the trees in your direction.  Four... no, five of them!  Just as Aubrey is able to warn the others, you all begin to hear the sound of flapping and breaking branches from the dark forest in front of you. 

[Based on the warning, you have two rounds to prepare yourselves before the Vrocks arrive.  The Vrocks aren't currently in sight and you can't use these rounds to target them, but you can move into position or cast spells or prepare abilities that take actions etc.  You're all currently on the north side of a small marble plaza 50' x 50' with two round fountains in it.  The plaza is surrounded by trees in all directions.  The Vrocks are approaching from the northwest.]

     Raqisat draws his radiant whip and a scimitar and starts looking to the skies.  He begins stepping forward toward the plaza but pauses, assessing the canopy of trees above - Does it look like there is enough cover above that the Vrocks wouldn't be able to swoop down from above?  Or are the trees not interwoven or sturdy enough to provide that kind of protection?  And the fountains, any potential cover from above provided there?  ((I am guessing not but I have seen large fountains that have multiple layers where you could basically stand and have a bit of a roof over your head...))  The canopy from the trees seems the more likely and if they did form a bit of a ceiling above us perhaps we could use the path entrance as a choke point...  But if not then Raqisat is considering stepping out to be the visible target so the others could potentially snipe from the safety of the trees...

"Sounds like a bear of a time." Cosette smirks. "Limber up." Taking advantage of the warning, she prepares for the incoming. Bringing herself to her knees, she sits on her heels and inhales a large breath. Spreading her knees comfortably apart she bends forward lowering her chest to the ground and brings her hands in front of her, locking her fingers together. She exhales her deep breath into her hands, warming them and the ground beneath them.

Round 1
(Action: Casting Enhance Ability - Bear's Endurance on self = Adv on Con Saves and Temp HP: 7)
(BA: Bardic Inspiration on Raqisat who gains an inspiration die (1d8). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome)

Bringing herself back to her feet, Cos begins to hum a low baritone melody. Much like before with the other trees, she walks around the patio as if addressing them. However this time there's a stomp to her steps as her boots hit the stones and she takes out her shield, pounding on it like a drum. She hits a beat much like a warrior tribes haka, rallying the spirited trees to come to their aid. She focuses on the trees in the northwest corner from which the vrocks would be incoming. Depending on whether they were the prickly offensive type or the robust defenders, she would look to inspire them to use their skills, maybe even surprise the threat.

Round 2
(Action: Casting Speak with Plants in NW corner to mimic spike growth/plant growth?)
(BA: Bardic Inspiration on Aubrey who gains an inspiration die (1d8). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome)

"They are coming! Five Vrocks!" The young noble suddenly stops and calls out to the others in the team. "They'll be coming from over there, within seconds." He adds, pointing to the northwest of the plaza, then looking around at his team mates, trying to stay calm although he feared this time they were walking into their deaths. He should have been more prudent, should have used Furvus to scout out the forest thoroughly before entering it. Now the team risked paying a steep price for his mistake. "This is our toughest fight by far so don't hold anything back to save it for later now."

Aubrey then gives a quick nod and a grateful smile to Cosette, feeling her reassuring calm and resolve could mean the difference between victory and defeat now, feeling it embolden him before the coming battle. He then strides into action, moving back to the southeastern edge of the plaza, using the mystical power of his talisman to create a shrubbery at the southeast side of the closest tree there. He then hides inside the shrubbery, ready to blast away at the winged demons as they appear through the treetops, also calling Furvus back to his side.

Cast Minor Illusion of shrubbery that seems to fit in with the landscape.
Deception if needed: 25
Stealth if needed to hide inside: 8

Almost forgetting about them, Aubrey also quickly puts into his ears the ingenious earplugs Grugga created for the team.

(Phew, thanks :-)

     Seeing Aubrey puts the strange ear plugging devices into his ears Raqisat shrugs, sticks his whip beneath his arm for a moment, and digs out his own.  They feel weird and seem to muffle the world around him but he suspects they won't interfere with his fighting tactics...  Though it could make communicating and coordinating with one another a bit difficult.

Upon hearing the news of five Vrocks coming their way, Leelan gets a few unpleasant flashbacks of the night prior. There were only two that time and they had to fight like hell to survive. This could be a difficult encounter.

Seeing everyone prepare to fight and putting on their special ear protection device crafted by Grugga, Leelan does the same and goes to hide in the trees. Hopefully, he can find some branch big enough to hide his tiny body.

He'll also sprinkle a bit of powered iron and silver on his clothes and chant a few arcane words to try and ward off attacks coming his way. (Casting protection from evil and good).

Stealth (rolled in dice log): 14 (12+2)

Grugga inserts his earplugs and steels himself for a tough fight. "Hopefully one is already injured!" He yells out. "We should finish it off first, if so!" He's not sure if his companions hear him through the earplugs - probably not. Perhaps he'll just have to lead by example.

Round 1: earplugs? Is this an action to put in?

Round 2: protection from poison on Raqisat. Grugga crushes a small purple crystal in his fist and rubs the dust under Raqisat's nose. He doesn't have the time to explain it to the fighter, nor can he with the earplugs in, so he simply gives a thumbs up. The crystals should help neutralize the poisonous spores these creatures breathe out.

Grugga moves to the Southeast side of the central fountain... in a 50x0 plaza he should be within 30 ft of anywhere for his movement. He'll wait to see if he needs to charge to melee or peel for his ranged allies.

For now, he keep Zap right next to him, one square to the west.

[Here is the map we will be using.  The dimensions are not exactly as described, so please feel free to edit or alter your positioning plans based on the map.  For example, the place is closer to 70 x 50.]

(Aubrey's position would be behind the large tree to the south of the eastern fountain. And nice map, as always :-)

     It's not Raqisat's first time snorting a strange substance, he plugs one nostril and sniffs then the other without ever really questioning the substance Grugga has offered him...

((Raq would be pretty center stage of the map looking to make himself a target rather than the others...))

Grugga will be SouthEast of the eastern fountain, trying to be somewhat hidden by the fountain but not actively hiding.

     Whatever it was that Grugga got him to snort, Raqisat is feeling it - A little itching in his nose that has Raq sniffling and snorting a bit.  The whole thing gets him shuffling from one foot to another and puts him on edge, making him edgy and dodgy...  (Dodge action as he waits for the incoming...)

 Initiative!

1. Cosette
2. Vrocks (flock 1)
3. Leelan
4. Grugga
5. Aubrey
6. Raqisat
7. Vrocks (flock2)

[Some rulings...

* Aubrey, I'll take your first roll, which you called deception, as your stealth roll.  You are hidden inside an imaginary bush, for now.

* Cosette, you can cause plants to create difficult terrain, but you must be within 30' of them.  I positioned you to still be in the plaza but impacting as many trees as I could.  You may not want to be that close to the Vrocks... good news since you can move first.  Keep in mind, if you move away from the trees, they will stop providing difficult terrain for the monsters.

* Since Cosette is way out on the edge, I put Raqisat next to her.  I didn't think the Whipmaster could abide his bookish partner standing alone against the demons.

* Leelan, you are hidden among some fallen trees at the south end of the plaza.

I have everyone but Cosette wearing the earplugs.  Thinking about this some more, I am inclined to give the earplugs as a defense against the special attack without mechanical penalty for spellcasters.  You will not be able to hear each other talk without removing them, but caster can still cast spells without any penalty.  I think that's not too much of a handicap for you.  It was a clever idea to address this enemy ability, and with a monster slayer and an artificer in the group I think it makes lore sense that you came up with this.  So Cosette, if you want them to, go ahead and assume you put them in.

LEGEND:

Lime Green Halo:  Protection from Poison

Black Halo:  Hidden

White Halo:  Protection from Evil and Good

Green Dots:  Difficult terrain (up in the trees) ]

The sound of flapping wings and snapping branches grows louder.  Cosette implores the living trees to aid her against the encroaching demons and they oblige, their branches and leaves reaching out to clutch and grab at the Vrocks as they fly by.

Three of the Vrocks pull ahead of the others, reaching the edge of the clearing (flock 1).  One of them calls out to the others, telepathically.  You hear the conversation in your own minds.  You also see this Vrock is badly wounded.  

There!  The ones with the ship!  I told you they would invade the master's lands!  We must kill them quickly, before they awaken Deinochlorodon and he grows displeased with us!  Don't get too close to the masked one!  He grapples like a devil-monkey!

Two more have fallen behind, still a short distance away from the clearing (flock2).