You all begin moving towards the trees, hoping to avoid whatever seems to be watching you.

Thallan: Xandar reports that the things are stalking you, remaining about 60 ft away.

Nean: (don't forget you'd have disadvantage on perception checks because you don't have darkvision) It's impossible for you to make out anything in the gloom surrounding you.

(ah right, sorry! quite clueless anyway tho)

As the group heads along the path, Thallan relays Xandar's report,

"Xandar reports the creatures he spotted are pacing us about 60ft away, but not currently coming closer."

"I feel that we should do something to lose them, leading them to our destination could cause complications."

"Do you think we should confront them, or maybe we try to mislead them?"

Thallan offers an idea,

"I can create 15ft illusions, I could try to distract them while we make a break for the trees."

"I would make an illusion of a 15ft giant and get it to stand up and block the road. Then we make a break for the tree's and see if we can loose them in the forest."

Thallan looks around in the gloom, at everyone else.

"Any other ideas or suggestions?"

"Unfortunately I cant make my illusions move more than 60ft from me."

"The illusion can be further from me than 60ft, but I cant make it move to locations further than 60ft."

Thallan casts Silent Image behind the group, forming a 15ft giant lying on the ground.

As the group continues to head along the path, the giant stands up, looking imposing in the gloom.

Just before Thallan gets out of range of the illusion, the illusion stands firm astride the path folding its arms, facing directly where Xander indicates the creatures are.

Thallan turns and starts to run full out.

"Right lets hope that distracts them for a bit, so we can get far enough away. Run for the trees!"

Thallan: The trick seems to have worked for now, as Xander calms down and communicates that the pursuers have stopped in their tracks, but he loses sense of them as you make a break for it.

Moving as quickly as you all are, it takes about ten minutes to reach the edge of the forest. As you step into the wooded area, you are surprised that it is somehow even darker. Despite the lack of direct sun, the bare trees cast deep criss crossed shadows across the ground. Though none of you are particularly familiar with the natural world, it's not hard to see that this is no healthy forest. The trees' bark is mottled gray, peeling away in places to reveal dead black wood. The floor is covered in colorless leaves that seem to have fallen ages ago; much of it is crushed, only distinguishable from the dust in places where it piles up. The road is slightly more obvious here, though it narrows more to a path that snakes ahead deeper into the woods.

Xandar come and lands on Thallan's shoulder as they enter the forest.

"Xandar thinks the creatures stopped when we run, so hopefully we have left them behind."

Thallan genitally pats Xandar,

"Thank you my little friend, you are much appreciated."

Thallan looks around,

"It is so dark and bleak, I would love to light a torch, but I'm not sure that would be a good idea out here."

Looking to Liafial, Thallan remarks,

"Liafial, is it true that elf kind can see in the dark? If it is so, perhaps you should lead the way? I'm not going to be much use on my own, Xandar can see for me a little, but I'm stumbling over myself here."

"How about everyone else, who is having trouble seeing?"

"I can help with that. Hand me anything you wish to use as a guide, and I'll cast Light."

Ospos says to Ava, "No need.  Four orbs of light that float and can move independently will be better."  Ospos casts Dancing Lights and arranges the orbs to be in the front arc of the direction the party is headed.

The magic lights illuminate the forest ahead quite well, and the shadows almost seem to scurry away from them. As you continue down the winding path, the sounds of wind from the wastes behind you die down, muffled despite the lack of foliage. This choked silence is unnerving, and makes the next few hours of walking drag on.

"If I may, whilst we walk, can I ask you all a few questions? I'm realizing that, although I could now consider all of you to be my colleagues, I know very little about any of you."

"What spurred you to walk this path in life? Travelling, learning, risking your lives?" 

Thallan walks up beside Ava.

"Well, for myself, its a mix of adventure and material gain, originally."

"Due to my troubles over the last 9 months or so, my persona have been making the decisions."

"Bram was holding the group together, and he is very keen for adventure and new experiences."

"Frank would get a bit anxious, if he was unable to exercise his skills in acquiring wealth, for to long."

"Franz was interesting to watch. He was created to be bait to catch greedy, wealthy, merchants attentions. If all went well, he would be used to live large off of the support of his new 'friends'. Then, if the merchant started to get too pushy about helping to reacquire his family fortune, Franz would disappear, taking as much of value as he could, with him."

"Franz seemed to settle in, to start building both wealth and skills, that would allow him to return home to take back the fortune for himself. Of cause it would have been interesting if the group had ever tried to return to Franz' home, as it never existed. As far as I know, there is only forest and mountains in that area."

Thallan seems to be lost in memories for a moment.

"So I am here now because of decisions somewhat out of my control. Although, if I had been in control at the time, I cant say I wouldn't have decided to go on the adventure anyway. My persona are after all, based on elements of my true personality."

Thallan looks Ava directly in the eye, with a crooked grin.

"So I am bit of a scoundrel, a schemer, a thief, really. I don't want to hurt the poor and innocent, but the arrogant and greedy, are fare game as far as I'm concerned."

Looking about at the dark forest around them, he continues.

"Of course I am here now, for two reasons. One, I really would like not to have my memories wiped and be dumped back onto the material plane. And two, I quiet like the idea of travelling to mysterious places and collecting treasures I would never have the opportunity to, otherwise."

The grin returns.

"And how could I say no, to helping a beautiful lady in her hour of need?"

Thallan winks at Ava.

Ospos rolls his eyes and provides his own answer, "I have debts to pay and I... we took a job that paid well to retrieve the mirror you heard us talk about.  It all went down the latrine pit from there."

Ava replies to each of her companions in turn;

"Well Void, it seems that you have a noble heart, in spite of its complexity. Or maybe, rather, because of its complexity. A harbinger of equanimity and retribution, I appreciate both your nature and your presence here. If I may, however, provide a small amount of council; be wary of the beautiful, as the most vibrant life is often the most deadly." Ava gives a sly smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Ospos. I would hope that you have found that these misfortunes have borne you rich and nurturing fruit."  

A Bladeslinger! Such talents you carry, more than likely honed over your lifetime, teaching you patience and dignity and many other admirable traits, I'm sure. While I would rather that we avoid confrontation as much as possible on our travels, I must say that I'd relish the opportunity to see you in combat." 

Listening to the others introductions coaxes a little churtle out of Nean. "Ahhh well, guess I can't really compete with that. To be blunt, I simply got bored. Most of my life so far had been about not getting killed, but it seems like I managed to earn myself some reputation. It's an awkward feeling when the death threats fail to appear tho...So yeah, I was looking for something to fill the void anyway. But as we mentioned already, these shenanigans came pretty much out of nowhere, it's not like anyone here actually planned to participate..." With that, he shrugs and scratches the back of his head with a grin.

Thallan takes interest in Liafial revelation.

"A Bladesinger, that sounds intriguing. What is a Bladesinger of the Viper style? It sounds like some kind of martial technique."

As Nean adds his own revelation, Thallan turns to him.

"Death threats?! What happened in your earlier life that constant threats of death, became the norm?"

"Can't say my story is that interesting either. I was a guard, that ended and I couldn't go back. But you gotta make coin, you can't exactly eat regrets." Clermar's eyes spark a bit as if he's just come to a realization, "Someone told me I should go adventuring, but I saw her in the Feywild. Is that odd Ava?"

Dril looks around the group as they tell more of their stories. His attempt at feigning disinterest is easily noticed. Nervously, and scratching his neck, "Well ah, My name is Dril Moar, a rather ah, prestigious student of the arcane. So, as it goes, I was working on my thesis and then... i guess some undergrads and I fell upon tough times. Suffice to say the whole ordeal is regrettable. I found myself in the company of this fine group by pure happenstance after a fire elemental was conjured on our plane and then we were offered a job by a gnome and then kobolds and a giant worm..." Dril takes a breathe to calm himself, "But anyway, we are all here, more or less willingly. I, for one. have been taking great interest in all of this commotion, reveling in the endless knowledge to  be learned. I am, however, struggling to take it all in."  

Thallan nods at Drils last comment,

"Indeed, there is much desirable knowledge to learn, and not nearly enough time and energy to take it all in."

"But we can do our best, my intelligent friend."