(Lucky reroll: 17)

The creatures stir and fidget at the three of you who speak in common clearly not understanding a word of what you say.

The circle closes to about 10 feet on all sides.

The creatures seem tense but relax a bit as Ludolf speaks. The one who initially addressed the group again speaks in Deep Speech, "You are not the first Dreamers to enter these woods in search of Kadath." The creature looks pensive as it wrinkles as it seems to consider your statement and manners "Our Elders, the Council of Zoog's may have this knowledge or they may not. For they are ancient and wise but not omnipotent but why should we help you? The Zoogs have their own concerns that the Waking World does not care for."

"Well, if you would share your concerns maybe we will be able to help you with them somehow, we would of course do what we can to show out gratitude for any help you may be able to provide us with." Ludolf politely continues in Deep Speech.

Insight to get a clue on what may be appreciated by the Zoogs: 21

You can tell that the creatures are suspicious of you but do not seem to be willing to fight. Based on their body language and how they approached the group they seem more likely to run and hide than try to fight despite the considerable number advantage. You are not familiar with their culture or society but  you don't suspect them of lying to you. You are not sure what they might appreciate or like.

The creature's ragged ears perk up a bit as it responds, "The Zoogs are beset by many a trial! We are hunted for our flesh by the monstrous Gugs and our spring has been sullied ruining the entire forest, we can not even approach it for a foul power shuns our presence! Beyond these woods the threat of the Moon hangs above us always!"

"Tell us more and I'm sure we will be able to help you. I am Ludolf, and this is Daventry, Pardot and Triäsa." The old man explains, his eyes staying with the young half-elven bard a brief moment, smiling warmly at her. "Perhaps you could take us to your council of elders and we can come to some sort of mutually beneficent agreement?" He adds, returning his attention to the Zoog speaker.

Triäsa had been listening quietly, but not she softly speaks to Ludolf.  "Well? It at least sounds like you're trying to be polite to them." Her tone is a bit sarcastic. "Any idea what they want? Can they help us?" 

The creatures look back at Ludolf and say in firm tone, "NO! You will not meet with the Elders! Your words are pleasant for Dreamers but you could be sent from the moon! Give us cause to trust you and an audience with the Elders will be granted." The rodent hisses as it speaks clearly set in it's decision. "Purify the spring! Restore our forest and if you collect the heads of a few Gugs all the better!"

(I am happy to assume Ludolf is translating all of this directly to you all and is willing to translate any questions you all have just to make these types of interactions more open to everyone)

"They want us to purify a spring and slay something called Gugs, likely the kind of aberration we avoided earlier." Ludolf turns and explains to Triäsa and the others in the Common tongue. "If we do that they want we will have an audience with their Elders who might in turn give us directions." He adds, looking for the others opinion on how to proceed.

Daventry nods, finally caught up in the conversation thanks to Ludolf's translation.

"Well. Despite me guiding us here, I'll be honest it's way different than I was expecting. So... we could use the help to get to Kadath, and perhaps an ally of any sort in this place is good to have. Where is the spring? Is there any way to get an overlook, to see what awaits us rather than charging blindly forth?"

Assuming Ludolf translates your message the apparent spoke person.... spoke rat.... spoke zoog... clears its throat and spits a foul liquid as it speaks, "Continue you down the path Dreamers. First you will find the Great Dreaming Tree though it has been quiet since the corruption has taken our pool! Turn toward the cursed Moon and walk in it's vile light until you come to a small gathering of hovels... Those there look like you but they care nothing for this forest! The stream sustains their homes but that water is your goal. Follow the stream against it's current till your reach our pool. The corruption is there cleanse whatever has taken hold and surely the Elders will grant you audience."

The creatures relax as you all seem to be willing to help their cause the circle loosens and you notice a number of the Zoogs retreat back to holes in the grounds and into the trees. 

"Fighting off those aberrations is not my first choice," Triäsa says. "But I guess if we need to help the Zoogs then we shall do what we must." She is ready to follow the others down the path to try to find their way to this pool.  

"I've always been more a fan of the stars than the moon anyway... but the hatred for our world's heavenly sister is something we may want to ask about later," Pardot says thoughtfully relaxing a bit and following the others.

Ludolf simply nods and is ready to warily follow Daventry's lead forward down the path of Dreamers, sending Edgar ahead to spot threats from above.

Perception: 25
Edgar perception: 9

Agreeing to the terms set by the strange rodents you head down the path as they directed. The circle of Zoogs parts as you walk forward past the remaining creatures. They look at you oddly, a mixture of hope... and some other emotion you can't place. 

You leave the clearing with the ancient stone monuments and enter back into the blue-green fluorescent forest. The burnt orange sky bleeds just slightly through the forest canopy creating a strange mixture of colors. Again the forest is strangely quiet, no wood on the Sword Coast is this quiet. There are no small creatures or bugs crawling through the underbrush and no breeze passes through the branches. You walk and walk looking for the first of your landmarks.

As you progress Ludolf notices those small orange eyes peering just off the path. The Zoogs are obviously watching your progress.

After an hour or maybe five, time doesn't seem easy to measure in this place you come to an enormous tree, an unfathomably large oak tree. It strikes you as a bit odd you didn't see the tree until you were basically feet from it. A tree this large should have been visible as soon as you entered the Dreamlands for stands hundreds of feet above the rest. The trunk at the ground is similarly hundreds of feet wide and it will take you some time to circle it. 

Pardot looks up in amazement at the huge tree before him and says, "Spectacular! The things this old grandmother of a tree must have seen!" 

((Nature: 21 - is there anything Pardot might know or be able to tell about a tree like this?))

The tree seems to be a very old very ancient oak tree just like the ones back home but a few things strike you as odd. Certainly the size... but the bark of the tree appears unhealthy even for wood it is exceptionally dry and peels off with barely a touch. Underneath that bark there is no sap or moisture just desiccated wood. There are only a few leaves adorning the branches, you feel fairly certain this tree is dying.

You also noticed that there is none of the glowing fungus along this tree which is a bit strange for this forest.

"This must be... what did you say it was Ludolf?" Triäsa asks. "The Dreaming Tree?  I wonder if it does anything special? Although, didn't you say something about it being quiet? What do you suppose that means?" 

"I believe it was somehow affected by the corruption that took hold of the pool we're heading for." Ludolf says plainly, looking to the sky for the cursed moon the Zoogs mentioned.

Perception assisted by Edgar: 12

“This old grandmother of the forest is not doing well…” Pardot says quietly. “Even if she is not important for this dreamland I would like to help her if I can. She must have been around for years beyond years and seen so much.”

Triäsa nods as Pardot mentions his desire to help the tree. "Probably the corruption at the pool is what caused this. Hopefully our efforts there will help here. But it would not hurt to check things out here."

She slowly investigates the tree and surroundings to look for any clues to what is happening and how they might help. 

(Investigation: 11, Nature: 13)