The group gathers, Elthana and Muir make their way back to into the encampment, Vin and Sam finish up their preparations and helping out. The plan set, directions given and a heading made, the group set off, in the morning light, northeast back the way they came from the previous night.
Gewyn clings to sleep as tightly as he clings to his cloak for as long as possible, eyes scrunched in denial of the rising sun. When he can put it off no longer, he reluctantly rises and, seeing the group getting ready to depart, grudgingly gets up to join them. "How do you all get up so early so easily all the time?"
Elthana looks over to Gewyn complaining and responds, "How do you not?"
She helps with the last bit of packing as they return to the group. Once they set out, Elthana goes out a bit ahead of the rest to try and scout any danger they may come across. She also keeps an eye out for more of the trees with the blight issue.
"You're the type to close down the bar," Sam grumbles. "I'm the one who has to open it back up and clean up after you..." The hostility in his voice is playful though. Truth is he's just gotten too old to stay up all night carousing. Too old to sleep through the whole night too.
Sam shoulders his maul and is ready to take to the trail as soon as everyone else is. He does his best to keep his footfalls soft and to avoid crunching too many branches as he walked through the woods, but one his size only gets so stealthy... But he kept his ears open and his eyes scanning the ground and the branches, ready for any oddly shifting trees or branches or shrubbery that has more life in it than it has a right to.
Sam's hand repeatedly drifted down to the rust colored bag at his belt... Finally he drew forth one of the warm balls of fuzz inside and tossed it out a few feet in front of him. "Welcome back Órga," Sam says even as the ball hits the ground and begins to grow and move and transform into... A giant goat?!?
"You're not Órga!" Sam says with a mix of shock and disappointment... "You're a goat!"
The giant goat makes a bleating "baaaaa-aa" sound and walks straight up to Sam and nudges him with it's horns, a slow motion ramming.
"Not that's there's anything wrong with being a goat," Sam says with a chuckle, reaching out to place his hand between the horns and give the beast a bit of a pet. "I was just expecting someone else is all..."
There is a snort and another "baa!" as the goat stand it's ground and stares at Sam.
"Weren't expecting me either, huh? Yeah, sorry about this... I kind of... Found the bag. I um... The one who used to have it..." Sam stammers and feels a bit... Ashamed? Embarrassed? Silly for talking to a goat? Emotions suck, he tries not to dwell on them. "Yeah, he didn't fare to well in this world... Sorry."
The goat looks down at the ground and claws at the soil a moment or two. The goat then looks back up at Sam and leans in against him a bit.
"Yeah, I know," Sam says and pushes the giant goat a bit with his hand. "But come along, eh? We'll make the best of it..."
As they movement of the refugees begins Vin seems anxious but excited to get going to. A fear of what might happen but a hope to save these folks. Very much a storm of emotions. Neferox seems indifferent as she takes her customary place walking in Vin's shadow. Always behind him and always on the alert for anything that could threaten the boy.
As Gewyn asks about how to get up early in the morning Vin takes it as a real request to explain. The young man sidles over as Nef gives Gewyn a piercing eye to make sure he knows she's watching him. The hound clearly not trusting him at all. Vin on the other hand says, "Oh! I grew up that way. The earlier you get up the better your chances of finding food. You know that saying? The one with the bird and worms? I guess really, I can't sleep in too late... not that I've had much chance to. Even once I joined the academy I still had to get up super early for classes."
They seem to want to walk next to gewyn at first and chat a bit but as the group progresses ahead of the refugees Vin takes it on themselves to be in the shadows protecting their allies and friend. If there is an ambush Vin will be ready to ambush the ambush. "I'm going to stealth along side you all. I'm here just ready to act." They go off to the side of the group hiding in the shadows of the early morning tree. The shade they provide seems to cling to the half-elf like a veil and he vanishes from sight.
Neferox follows along in step with Sam but she seems to keeping am eye out for trouble but those with keen insight will probably notice she favors looking a bit ahead and to the right of the party the most. Although Nef is strong Vin bests even her with his ability to stealth in the shadows and shade of the trees. She always seems to know where he is though.
With Vin hiding and Neferox seemingly without the boy they don't seem too perturbed by Sam or anyone else they managed to upset. The hound not caring what the others think just focuses on their own task as they walk with the others. She is doing her best to hide the fact she is quite tired but those with keen eyes can see she's a bit worse for wear after the attack on her dreams.
Leaving the survivors behind, the group treks into the forest.
The route is as treacherous as they remember, not helped at all by the crunch of frozen leaf and fallen branch underfoot. Slow progression assists with the groups need to be stealthy, and as such no ambushes spring, every so often the group spots a tree moving around behind the others, seemingly going about their own business and not noticing the groups progression.
The number of these awakened trees is unknown, and as such, paranoia creeps in. The only way to truly make these forests perfectly safe for the survivors would likely be to fell the entire thing, but the group also remember the words of Iver the guard and the others who had not issue with felling those awakened trees that they had encountered, one would only hope that their success would hold up on the journey to the cave.
After around two hours following Muir's direction, the group find their way back to where the blighted trees are dotted around with no reasonable sense to how or why those specific trees had died, eaten from the inside out. At this point in time the sun is fully up, warming the air slightly and assisting the frost to dissipate and soak into the boots of anyone travelling through, the group become soaked from knee to toe, unable to keep the cold and moisture out. Looking further north and toward the base of the mountains, the groups investigation helps them spot more and more of this dessicated vegetation, for each hundered meters, they walk north from this point they see the frequency of healthy trees grow thinner and thinner, as they head towards the likely source of this blight.
As they head toward the likely sources, Elthana reaches up and breaks off a small branch of a tree that has been effected, wondering what it looks like on the inside of the tree... if anything different. She is closer to the group now then when they started off - now that the situation has changed a bit with the healthy trees fading away.
Molly, the giant goat, mucks around here and there during the journey, exploring up ahead or off to the side, sometimes pausing to graze, other times just rushing about as if just trying to burn off energy. But she comes whenever Sam makes a clucking sound and stays calm and by his side when he rests a hand upon her and walks besides her. She gives Neferox a very wide berth at all times and tries to ensure Sam is between them no matter the distance.
Sam pokes and prods at some of the dead and dying trees but has no real idea. “Seems yo be more of them the more we head this way,” he says, stating the obvious. “We still like the idea of bringing helpless people towards the source of the tree death?”
Elthana and Gewyn specifically notice a hungry look in Neferox's eyes as she regards Molly the giant goat, the goat itself seems non plussed bt the hounds presence, it's long grey coat swishing around as it runs back and forth, rubbing it's yellowing horns against trees as if to scratch an unreachable itch.
Sam and Elthana find upon their curiosities, that the dead trees, especially the ones further out from the apparent source of corruption, are dying from the inside out, their trunks and bases, dried in the centers and the furthest reaches of the tips of the branches still struggling for life, slowly, inevitably petering out as their source of nutrition is cut off and death spreads wild like a web of necrosis.
The group breaks through, to an area where the living trees are dwindling and the white death becomes unnaturally present, there hangs ashen dry flakes of dead vegetation in the air and the ground becomes near waist deep in dry rot, it covers all, restricting movement and offering no cover for hiding. However the bad news comes with good, the meandering living trees in this area stand out like a sore thumb, unable to blend in seemlessly here with their non awakened brethren. Far out at the very base of the mountain stands a gigantic tree, towering over the others, warped and shuddering in the haze of white, the base of it glows unnaturally, but not much else can be made out at this distance.
(Every conceivable way forwards is difficult terrain. The gigantic warped tree is 600ft in front of the group and there are at least 7 awakened trees between the group and it's assumed quarry)
“This is insanity,” Sam insists. “Someone explain how it can possibly be wise to bring the huddled masses this way…”
Once at whatever could generously be called the last of the living forest, Sam is looking for such an explanation. “I know it hurts to turn around and find another way, but this is about their lives, not our pride. The ramshackle camp they had was better than bringing them into this. I say we turn back, March them through the night of need, and get them to the Trundlesten side of the forest do they can flee that way…”
"The way to the cave can circumvent this area. They do not need to come this way, but dispatching the evil here will rid the area of this blight and make it safer for them once in the cave. It seems this is the cause of the blight. I can smell the death in the air. You have seen how the death spreads. Taking them through the woods to the road at a slow pace to the road where no one has been in days could be a death sentence. We can take care of this with fire....Awakened or not trees do not do well with fire." Muir says matter of factly.
"If this can be circumvented why we didn't do that in the first place?" Sam asks, angrily. "We were told we had to clear a path for them, now you say there is a safe way?"
“Safe way for them, yes, but if this is left here with them in the cave they won’t be safe. So here we are. You can all fight it or not, but I have to stay”
Gewyn steps forward. "I'm actually with Muir on this one. For once, we can actually come into a fight forewarned and forearmed. Our land won't be safe until all the dark fae presences are dealt with, and so I don't think we should miss this chance." Gewyn glances over at Nef. "Also, Sam, I'd keep that goat close if I were you"
"I'm for fighting... well, fighting whatever there is to fight. It's dragging the refugees here with us, they would be far safer far away from this cursed land!" Sam insists.
"Fine, Gewyn... Explain why we brought the people here with us to this cursed land? Why did we bring them closer to this instead of sending them away? 'Cause I'm starting to think Muir's solution may be to sacrifice them to whatever is causing all this...."
"And Molly can take care of herself, I'm sure..."
Molly bleats in agreement. If she understood. She may just be bleating due to needing to pee.... She's a goat. A giant goat but still, their minds are confusing...
Vin is ready for the fight but waiting for someone else to grab the attention of the enemy before assisting. It seems the giant tree that is infected might be at the core of the issues with the forest but the boy can't help but wonder why the villagers, druids and Muir wanted to go this way for safety. Vin was led to believe they were go away from the dangers not towards it. They will need to draw the enemy's attention to make sure they are safe as they travel. Vin knows they following behind slowly but now they worry they might be in danger. The boy thinks a moment while they approach the trees. Neferox warned the boy that these beings are communicating somehow so if that was the case it stands to reason they might know their plan. Vin in their worry summons an ally in the darkness before they get too close tot he infected trees.
They whisper into the dark a protector, "Вывядзіце таго, чыя душа была праклята, каб я звязаў іх сваёй воляй і паслужыў сваёй справе." the being summoned often doesn't want to do anything. A form of shadows and despair that gave up on life once but now Vin tries to show them that there is good in the world still. They often only summon them to protect others. Vin feels that in protecting life they get to reflect that life, even their own, is worth something. Vin always words their instructions carefully so they don't just slack off, "Hello Maka, I hope you are well today. I summoned you to help protect a bunch of refugees. Some cannot defend themselves and I'm worried something might attack them while we are dealing with those..." vin points to the corrupted trees in the distance. "...Head back that way to the refugees. Don't reveal yourself to the refugees at first and stay on the outskirts of their traveling party. Circle around the group twice looking for enemies, dangers that might hurt them outside the risks of a normal forest, keep in mind sometimes the wildlife and flora might be getting controlled so look out for oddly acting animals and plants for them too. If a threat appears take it out. Prioritize protecting the refugees though. If someone is being attacked you can reveal yourself to attack their attacker. If you need to reveal yourself and danger has passed write in common you are hear to help in the ground, if the druids give you any orders, or the guards, you follow those orders Prioritize orders from Iver or Goldshelf. If not revealed after circling two times you come back here to me for further instructions."
After doing this well before the group reaches the infected trees Vin continues to follow and waits for others to take action. They remain invisible as much as possible sticking to shadows of the trees where able but also checking out each tree carefully incase they too are animated and mean them all harm. Neferox meanwhile seems to keep eyeing the goat but is mostly focused on keeping a look out for anything dangerous. Perhaps he lack of focus is coming from her seeming tired and not as strong as normal although she doesn't act like she is.
The group gathers, Elthana and Muir make their way back to into the encampment, Vin and Sam finish up their preparations and helping out. The plan set, directions given and a heading made, the group set off, in the morning light, northeast back the way they came from the previous night.
Gewyn clings to sleep as tightly as he clings to his cloak for as long as possible, eyes scrunched in denial of the rising sun. When he can put it off no longer, he reluctantly rises and, seeing the group getting ready to depart, grudgingly gets up to join them. "How do you all get up so early so easily all the time?"
Elthana looks over to Gewyn complaining and responds, "How do you not?"
She helps with the last bit of packing as they return to the group. Once they set out, Elthana goes out a bit ahead of the rest to try and scout any danger they may come across. She also keeps an eye out for more of the trees with the blight issue.
"You're the type to close down the bar," Sam grumbles. "I'm the one who has to open it back up and clean up after you..." The hostility in his voice is playful though. Truth is he's just gotten too old to stay up all night carousing. Too old to sleep through the whole night too.
Sam shoulders his maul and is ready to take to the trail as soon as everyone else is. He does his best to keep his footfalls soft and to avoid crunching too many branches as he walked through the woods, but one his size only gets so stealthy... But he kept his ears open and his eyes scanning the ground and the branches, ready for any oddly shifting trees or branches or shrubbery that has more life in it than it has a right to.
Sam's hand repeatedly drifted down to the rust colored bag at his belt... Finally he drew forth one of the warm balls of fuzz inside and tossed it out a few feet in front of him. "Welcome back Órga," Sam says even as the ball hits the ground and begins to grow and move and transform into... A giant goat?!?
"You're not Órga!" Sam says with a mix of shock and disappointment... "You're a goat!"
The giant goat makes a bleating "baaaaa-aa" sound and walks straight up to Sam and nudges him with it's horns, a slow motion ramming.
"Not that's there's anything wrong with being a goat," Sam says with a chuckle, reaching out to place his hand between the horns and give the beast a bit of a pet. "I was just expecting someone else is all..."
There is a snort and another "baa!" as the goat stand it's ground and stares at Sam.
"Weren't expecting me either, huh? Yeah, sorry about this... I kind of... Found the bag. I um... The one who used to have it..." Sam stammers and feels a bit... Ashamed? Embarrassed? Silly for talking to a goat? Emotions suck, he tries not to dwell on them. "Yeah, he didn't fare to well in this world... Sorry."
The goat looks down at the ground and claws at the soil a moment or two. The goat then looks back up at Sam and leans in against him a bit.
"Yeah, I know," Sam says and pushes the giant goat a bit with his hand. "But come along, eh? We'll make the best of it..."
As they movement of the refugees begins Vin seems anxious but excited to get going to. A fear of what might happen but a hope to save these folks. Very much a storm of emotions. Neferox seems indifferent as she takes her customary place walking in Vin's shadow. Always behind him and always on the alert for anything that could threaten the boy.
As Gewyn asks about how to get up early in the morning Vin takes it as a real request to explain. The young man sidles over as Nef gives Gewyn a piercing eye to make sure he knows she's watching him. The hound clearly not trusting him at all. Vin on the other hand says, "Oh! I grew up that way. The earlier you get up the better your chances of finding food. You know that saying? The one with the bird and worms? I guess really, I can't sleep in too late... not that I've had much chance to. Even once I joined the academy I still had to get up super early for classes."
They seem to want to walk next to gewyn at first and chat a bit but as the group progresses ahead of the refugees Vin takes it on themselves to be in the shadows protecting their allies and friend. If there is an ambush Vin will be ready to ambush the ambush. "I'm going to stealth along side you all. I'm here just ready to act." They go off to the side of the group hiding in the shadows of the early morning tree. The shade they provide seems to cling to the half-elf like a veil and he vanishes from sight.
Neferox follows along in step with Sam but she seems to keeping am eye out for trouble but those with keen insight will probably notice she favors looking a bit ahead and to the right of the party the most. Although Nef is strong Vin bests even her with his ability to stealth in the shadows and shade of the trees. She always seems to know where he is though.
With Vin hiding and Neferox seemingly without the boy they don't seem too perturbed by Sam or anyone else they managed to upset. The hound not caring what the others think just focuses on their own task as they walk with the others. She is doing her best to hide the fact she is quite tired but those with keen eyes can see she's a bit worse for wear after the attack on her dreams.
Leaving the survivors behind, the group treks into the forest.
The route is as treacherous as they remember, not helped at all by the crunch of frozen leaf and fallen branch underfoot. Slow progression assists with the groups need to be stealthy, and as such no ambushes spring, every so often the group spots a tree moving around behind the others, seemingly going about their own business and not noticing the groups progression.
The number of these awakened trees is unknown, and as such, paranoia creeps in. The only way to truly make these forests perfectly safe for the survivors would likely be to fell the entire thing, but the group also remember the words of Iver the guard and the others who had not issue with felling those awakened trees that they had encountered, one would only hope that their success would hold up on the journey to the cave.
After around two hours following Muir's direction, the group find their way back to where the blighted trees are dotted around with no reasonable sense to how or why those specific trees had died, eaten from the inside out. At this point in time the sun is fully up, warming the air slightly and assisting the frost to dissipate and soak into the boots of anyone travelling through, the group become soaked from knee to toe, unable to keep the cold and moisture out. Looking further north and toward the base of the mountains, the groups investigation helps them spot more and more of this dessicated vegetation, for each hundered meters, they walk north from this point they see the frequency of healthy trees grow thinner and thinner, as they head towards the likely source of this blight.
As they head toward the likely sources, Elthana reaches up and breaks off a small branch of a tree that has been effected, wondering what it looks like on the inside of the tree... if anything different. She is closer to the group now then when they started off - now that the situation has changed a bit with the healthy trees fading away.
Muir follows along near Sam talking to him about the blight in the trees and the lack of animal life in these woods being concerning
Molly, the giant goat, mucks around here and there during the journey, exploring up ahead or off to the side, sometimes pausing to graze, other times just rushing about as if just trying to burn off energy. But she comes whenever Sam makes a clucking sound and stays calm and by his side when he rests a hand upon her and walks besides her. She gives Neferox a very wide berth at all times and tries to ensure Sam is between them no matter the distance.
Sam pokes and prods at some of the dead and dying trees but has no real idea. “Seems yo be more of them the more we head this way,” he says, stating the obvious. “We still like the idea of bringing helpless people towards the source of the tree death?”
Elthana and Gewyn specifically notice a hungry look in Neferox's eyes as she regards Molly the giant goat, the goat itself seems non plussed bt the hounds presence, it's long grey coat swishing around as it runs back and forth, rubbing it's yellowing horns against trees as if to scratch an unreachable itch.
Sam and Elthana find upon their curiosities, that the dead trees, especially the ones further out from the apparent source of corruption, are dying from the inside out, their trunks and bases, dried in the centers and the furthest reaches of the tips of the branches still struggling for life, slowly, inevitably petering out as their source of nutrition is cut off and death spreads wild like a web of necrosis.
The group breaks through, to an area where the living trees are dwindling and the white death becomes unnaturally present, there hangs ashen dry flakes of dead vegetation in the air and the ground becomes near waist deep in dry rot, it covers all, restricting movement and offering no cover for hiding. However the bad news comes with good, the meandering living trees in this area stand out like a sore thumb, unable to blend in seemlessly here with their non awakened brethren. Far out at the very base of the mountain stands a gigantic tree, towering over the others, warped and shuddering in the haze of white, the base of it glows unnaturally, but not much else can be made out at this distance.
(Every conceivable way forwards is difficult terrain. The gigantic warped tree is 600ft in front of the group and there are at least 7 awakened trees between the group and it's assumed quarry)
“This is insanity,” Sam insists. “Someone explain how it can possibly be wise to bring the huddled masses this way…”
Once at whatever could generously be called the last of the living forest, Sam is looking for such an explanation. “I know it hurts to turn around and find another way, but this is about their lives, not our pride. The ramshackle camp they had was better than bringing them into this. I say we turn back, March them through the night of need, and get them to the Trundlesten side of the forest do they can flee that way…”
"The way to the cave can circumvent this area. They do not need to come this way, but dispatching the evil here will rid the area of this blight and make it safer for them once in the cave. It seems this is the cause of the blight. I can smell the death in the air. You have seen how the death spreads. Taking them through the woods to the road at a slow pace to the road where no one has been in days could be a death sentence. We can take care of this with fire....Awakened or not trees do not do well with fire." Muir says matter of factly.
"If this can be circumvented why we didn't do that in the first place?" Sam asks, angrily. "We were told we had to clear a path for them, now you say there is a safe way?"
“Safe way for them, yes, but if this is left here with them in the cave they won’t be safe. So here we are. You can all fight it or not, but I have to stay”
Gewyn steps forward. "I'm actually with Muir on this one. For once, we can actually come into a fight forewarned and forearmed. Our land won't be safe until all the dark fae presences are dealt with, and so I don't think we should miss this chance." Gewyn glances over at Nef. "Also, Sam, I'd keep that goat close if I were you"
"I'm for fighting... well, fighting whatever there is to fight. It's dragging the refugees here with us, they would be far safer far away from this cursed land!" Sam insists.
"Fine, Gewyn... Explain why we brought the people here with us to this cursed land? Why did we bring them closer to this instead of sending them away? 'Cause I'm starting to think Muir's solution may be to sacrifice them to whatever is causing all this...."
"And Molly can take care of herself, I'm sure..."
Molly bleats in agreement. If she understood. She may just be bleating due to needing to pee.... She's a goat. A giant goat but still, their minds are confusing...
"Anyway, nothing for it now but to take down the Tree King, eh?" Sam says, readying his maul and heading out into the barren wastes.
"C'mon Molly, let's show that wood what-for!"
Elthana watches Sam has he has his little tantrum. She waits patiently until he is done and then joins him as they head straight for the giant tree.
Muir readies some fire to hurl and reminds his companions to use axes if they have them
Vin is ready for the fight but waiting for someone else to grab the attention of the enemy before assisting. It seems the giant tree that is infected might be at the core of the issues with the forest but the boy can't help but wonder why the villagers, druids and Muir wanted to go this way for safety. Vin was led to believe they were go away from the dangers not towards it. They will need to draw the enemy's attention to make sure they are safe as they travel. Vin knows they following behind slowly but now they worry they might be in danger. The boy thinks a moment while they approach the trees. Neferox warned the boy that these beings are communicating somehow so if that was the case it stands to reason they might know their plan. Vin in their worry summons an ally in the darkness before they get too close tot he infected trees.
They whisper into the dark a protector, "Вывядзіце таго, чыя душа была праклята, каб я звязаў іх сваёй воляй і паслужыў сваёй справе." the being summoned often doesn't want to do anything. A form of shadows and despair that gave up on life once but now Vin tries to show them that there is good in the world still. They often only summon them to protect others. Vin feels that in protecting life they get to reflect that life, even their own, is worth something. Vin always words their instructions carefully so they don't just slack off, "Hello Maka, I hope you are well today. I summoned you to help protect a bunch of refugees. Some cannot defend themselves and I'm worried something might attack them while we are dealing with those..." vin points to the corrupted trees in the distance. "...Head back that way to the refugees. Don't reveal yourself to the refugees at first and stay on the outskirts of their traveling party. Circle around the group twice looking for enemies, dangers that might hurt them outside the risks of a normal forest, keep in mind sometimes the wildlife and flora might be getting controlled so look out for oddly acting animals and plants for them too. If a threat appears take it out. Prioritize protecting the refugees though. If someone is being attacked you can reveal yourself to attack their attacker. If you need to reveal yourself and danger has passed write in common you are hear to help in the ground, if the druids give you any orders, or the guards, you follow those orders Prioritize orders from Iver or Goldshelf. If not revealed after circling two times you come back here to me for further instructions."
After doing this well before the group reaches the infected trees Vin continues to follow and waits for others to take action. They remain invisible as much as possible sticking to shadows of the trees where able but also checking out each tree carefully incase they too are animated and mean them all harm. Neferox meanwhile seems to keep eyeing the goat but is mostly focused on keeping a look out for anything dangerous. Perhaps he lack of focus is coming from her seeming tired and not as strong as normal although she doesn't act like she is.