Though it took longer than it should've to process at least in part what happened based on Utar's reaction to things, a sleepy smile briefly found its way to the stoutling's face, before the slow realization of the likely culprit drained him almost of all energy. "Mn. That's a pretty good one 'n all, but we really need our sleep. So if'n ya don't mind saving the rest for the morning proper, that'a be appreciated." He said, seeming to whisper to himself with one-eye already back close and the other lazily glancing about the immediate area. "And if ya can rid me friend of the honey and ants on his poor sleeping bag, might there be a gift in turn awaiting you in the morning." He carries on quietly before letting sleep gradually take him once more.

-Persuasion: 24. 

"The forest is subtle isn't it? Feels at though it doesn't want us here at all. I'll sort a boot out if you want, Neya."

Outstretching a hand, Utar offers to take one of Neya's boots. Not thinking much ahead as to the impact on his hands, Utar just gets in there with his fingers. Stinging sensation be damned!

"I agree. It seems that the charms of this forest, and our welcome, are beginning to run thin," Neya says as she passes one of her boots to Utar, and begin the process of extracting the nettles out of the other.

(She could use arcane means. But, hey! Solidarity in suffering!)

-> Denae's perception check with Biscuit's help: 24

Doozey waves the problem away and goes back to sleep. In his grogginess, he swears he hears a disembodied playful laugh in response to his offer. In the meantime, Utar delays his own slumber a while longer, offering Neya a literal hand in clearing her boots of nettles. Once the ordeal is over, the half-orc finally claims his "comfy" rock by the campfire, and the human pushes onward with her couple of hours worth of watch duty. To her relief, no other trouble pops up.

Denae takes over the next watch and, given prior permission, wakes up Biscuit to keep her company. At some point in the middle of the night, the mastiff watches as Denae examines something she spotted just at the edge of camp. She brings it back and, after fiddling with it for a bit, shows it to Biscuit while displaying a sorrowful expression on her face. Biscuit licks it, an effigy of sorts, and tastes the saltiness of forest debris. Some time later, when it is time to wake up Doozey for his own watch, Denae hands over her finding to the halfling. It is an effigy representing Biscuit. It is made of sticks, leaves, and mushroom fuzz, and it is painted with what appears to be blood. Denae simply says: "Keep an eye on him..." and goes to sleep.

During Doozey's own watch, things appear to be going smoothly. His eyes feel a little heavy, though, and, at one point, he fears he might inadvertently take a quick little nap. His earlier grogginess may not have been entirely natural. Closing his eye just a lick, Doozey suddenly wakes up again midair. He is floating some 5 feet from the ground. Just as soon as he opens his eyes wide, the force keeping him up lets go, and the hunter stumbles to the ground awkwardly. Besides embarrassment, nothing else keeps Doozey company for the rest of his watch. Doozey is no longer groggy.

You may all complete a long rest, but:

@Utar: The uncomfortable setup and the loss of sleep comes at a price. Please roll one of your Hit Die and, after hitting Long Rest in your sheet, deduct the roll from current HP as if you had taken damage. This represent you not getting a full night of comfortable sleep.

@Neya & @Utar: You can still feel the nettles' sting on your fingertips. You have disadvantage on sleight of hand checks until your next long rest.

@Biscuit and @Denae: The looming threat of harm as represented by the effigy plays tricks on your mind. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened until your next long rest.

@Doozey: The sudden fall was not enough to damage you, but the awkwardness of the fall is reflected in a little annoying sting of pain on your left ankle for the rest of the day. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being prone until your next long rest.

Utar's rough night: 6

With narrowed eyes, Doozey nodded at the warning from Denae, before giving a concerned look. Biscuit, for his part, tried to put on a brave face and distract his halfling companion with many affectionate licks, but both knew each other too well for the deception to stick. Even so, the stoutling played along and played at being mildly annoyed before shooing the beast off to slumber. A silent promise is made to be extra vigilant that night. Yet for all of his determination, the combined stress of an impending confrontation, revelation, and overall travel fatigue had its way with him in the end...

"Nothing. Happened." Doozey insisted should any inquire into the story of his watch. Though anyone observing the stoutling's movements about the camp could see on occasion an unsteadiness to his step, or the occasional half-hearted glare he gives the tree canopy. "Alright. No dawdling this time. We have a lot of ground to make up, and a certain gnome to maybe recruit on our way." He'd say, urging the others in the end to hurry to finish any final morning business.

Feeling less rested than they hoped, CRAP picks up camp and renews their pace toward the bifurcation in the path. Your breaths form misty clouds in the cool morning air, and your ears now feel better attuned to the forest's many sounds. Utar sports bags under his eyes and, like Neya, hesitates to touch too many things on the way given the sensitivity in his finger tips. One out of every dozen of Doozey's steps feels a bit uncomfortable, and Denae and Biscuit seem to look over their shoulders a bit more often than what they normally do.

You reach the fork on the road before your stomachs begin to indicate it is time for your midday meal. Seranolla has been apparently patiently waiting this whole time. She sits atop a rock nearby: "Ah, that was either the fastest visit to Greenhall or something has convinced you to pay me a visit sooner than expected."

Utar spends the morning walk in silence, grateful that the repetitive trudge doesn't require too much brain power from him. Happening upon Seranolla takes the half-orc by surprise.

"Have you been waiting here all this time? Waiting?"

Doozey appeared nonplussed at the sight of the still waiting Seranolla, though raised a brow at Utar's own reaction. "Of course she was. Well, maybe not in that exact spot per say, but she was here under a request of a feylord. And unlike us... mn, for now, at least, well..." The stoutling trails off from there looking thoughtful.

As this happening Biscuit almost immediately padded over to Seranolla's side and did his best to slide his head up under the crook of an arm before laying it on her lap, clearly missing her comforting scent and head scritches from the gnome. "... Mn. To answer your earlier question, we.... never quite reached reach Greenhall due to differing opinions and 'concerns'." Doozey said while narrowing his eyes a bit at Neya and Denae.

"Well," Seranolla begins to answer Utar's question: "I did tell you that, should you feel the itch for another talk with an old forest gnome, you'd know where to find me (link). It wouldn't be very hospitable of me to say so and then move, would it?" The gnome then nods along as Doozey reveals his lack of surprise regarding the fact that she was, indeed, here.

She welcomes Biscuit's snuggles and then furthers the newest conversation topic: "So I take it you are ready to trudge down the other path of this fork on the road, is that right? You'll be happy to know that it is a much shorter distance from here than the one leading to Greenhall. Well, that's not necessarily reassuring, but at least you won't spend days on your feet again."

She smiles grandmotherly and offers: "Is there anything I can do to help you on your way?"

Utar mulls over the gnome's response.  "Hmmm, I suppose it would be difficult to track you down if you went someplace else, but what did you do in the meantime? Did you just sit here on your own?"

Casting his eye about the fork in the road,  Utar attempts to look for signs of Seranolla making camp in the area.

Perception - 22 

"And here I thought I was the paranoid one..." Doozey muttered underbreath while side-eyeing the Half-Orc. Following a dismissive shke of the head, he returns Seranolla's grandmotherly smile with a weary one of his own and says, "More importantly, I don't s'pose you have any additional advice for, uhh, negotiating with, mmmmmn -- she-who-resides-on-yonder-path?" His words are accompanied by a gesture towards the Hag path, before then with a grimace he continues. "Or at least something to undermine another's attempt to... ehh, sway her to escalate things between the forest and... ya know." Doozey sighs and rubs a hand through his hair. "Honestly, I'm... I-I'm at wits end trying to... Mmph! Trying to work out somethin' fore we, mmn... make a Crap Sandwhich out of things. 'cause a lot's riding on things going well!" 

Seranolla answers Utar's questions with a question of her own a a joking smile: "Well, yes. How else am I supposed to grow roots?" Mayhap in lieu of laughing along, the half-orc takes a quick gander for any signs of a campsite, but is pretty sure the vicinity hosts no such setup.

She welcomes Doozey's change of subject. She ruminates on the halfling's request for a bit and then answers: "By the letter of the agreement, the pact between Phlan and the fey of the Quivering Forest must have already been broken. But the fey are not devils, they do not live and die by the word of their contracts, and the breach is still recent. For the right bargain, ones as astute as you lot may just find a way to maintain the agreement, at least from she-who-resides-on-yonder-path's perspective. Possible does not mean easy, however. I'd expect her price to be a steep one. But who am I to advise you not to strike a deal with the fey, hmm?" She says, obviously referencing her own accord with Lord Witchthorn.

She then looks at Doozey silently for a moment, and apologizes: "I'm sorry, maybe this wasn't the kind of advice you were looking for, but I hope you find it helpful in any case."

Utar shakes his head, mostly in disbelief, but also because the gnome's words are difficult for him to parse.  He can't imagine having the stillness of mind to simply sit in the one place, waiting for something to happen. 

"True enough.  I doubt I would have the patience you demonstrate so freely, but perhaps that is why we find ourselves in different positions. Maybe it would not be such a poor lesson for me to learn, but likely not one I have time for now."

Doozey waved off the apology but smiled weakly in appreciation all the same to Seranolla. "Ain't that the truth, Mr. Utar. Much as I have mixed feelings 'bout following through though, best to see it this sordid business sooner than later. If possible, we avoid any deals if we can, and if not..." Doozey looked to the ground and rubbed his chin. "I've been imagining a few things she might demand in turn for turning a blind eye. In fact, I wouldn't necessarily put it past her making the return of that one poor soul be a hint to her desire on that front." He admits, then grimace and closes his eyes. "What say you two? You've been awful quiet up to this point." He asks, turning to look at Denae and Neya each in turn.

"I cannot pretend to know the mind of such an ancient figure. But, from what we've experienced from others of her ilk, it may be quite a steep price, if she is even entertains the prospect of in re-establishing the pact at all."

"Hmm..." Denae responds to Doozey's prodding by agreeing with Neya: "I'm not sure I'd be able to pay her price even if I wanted to, but I guess we won't know until we parlay with the witch."

The half elf then takes the bait the halfling is dangling: "Please elaborate, Mr. Badger. What do you suspect her demands would be? What is this about returning souls? I figure that if we can brainstorm solutions ahead of our encounter, we'd be better placed to potentially out-bargain her. Even better if we can include the wise gnome in the brainstorming session."

In a side conversation, Seranolla shares a bit more wisdom with Utar: "Well, patience does seem to come with age..."

The corner of one of Doozey's eyes twitched a bit as Neya, for the most part, only restated Seranolla's advice/warning! Though Denae somewhat saved things pointing out a need to be in the moment with the witch and confirm possibilities, he still found himself letting out a frustrated sigh through the nose before rubbing his forehead.

".... Maybe I'm overthinking it a tad, but I, ehh... I got to thinking at one point about how her means of 'turning a blind eye' to the whole thing being to pluck the eyes out of those that did the intruding. A sort of cruel quid pro quo. Naturally, she's not gonna be plucking out her own eyes as part of the deal, but you get the general idea there, I hope, given the state of the man she had returned to the village." The halfling explained as best he could before letting out another sigh. "While I can't speak for the dweller-on-yonder path in full, hags in general care but for one thing. Misery. Specifically, misery in others, and stoking it further is one of their greater fancies."

"So, odds are -- provided this one particular hasn't expanded her diet too much or is, uhh... after anything in particular of late, she'll rope us into something with that being the theme." He continued before raising his hands in surrender. "But Denae here had a point earlier. We won't know 'till we're there and in the moment." On that note, Doozey calls over to Seranolla. "This pact ya have with Lord Witchthorn... I don't suppose, eh... uhm... A-are you allowed to leave this immediate area any time soon?" 

Wishing he had the time to take a few lessons on patience and fully realising the irony of that thought, Utar listens to Doozey's primer on hags.

"I've got to say, I don't love the sound of that, Doozey. But misery loves company, so let's do this together. We've seen off worse and lived to tell about it. Besides, it's like Seranolla says, we're an astute lot."