[[ Traveling with Eliza pulling her cart would restrict you to a slow pace, but with Vira pulling you can maintain a normal pace. ]]

"Wonderful! I'm sorry to hear that Brynlee won't be joining us, she seemed a lovely young woman. Oh, thank you dear," she says, as Vira takes the handles of the cart. The eluran looks capable enough, but you know from experience that travel will be quicker this way. "I hope you've all packed appropriately! It's a long three days from here to Alderheart, at least according to my sister."

With your trader companion and her cart in tow, you all set out towards Alderheart.

[[ Either here or in chat, please let me know your marching order for this first day of travel, and everyone roll a perception check as you keep your eyes and ears open for any potential threats along the road. Also feel free to engage in any travel conversations you'd like or narrate anything your character is doing while walking, and tomorrow we'll see what the road to Alderheart has in store! ]]

Vira perception: 15

Vira will go second, letting B'Reh go first.

B'Reh nods in acceptance of taking the lead, keeping a vigilant eye on the road ahead. Occasionally, she leaps into the air, using her wings to glide forward in wide sweeps, scouting the path ahead before returning to the group. As they walk, she turns her attention to Eliza, offering a thread of conversation. "What did your sister do again in Alderheart, Eliza?" she asks, her tone casual but genuinely curious. Knowing more about their companion’s connections in the great tree city could prove useful.

Being the only one who is new, Sherwin suspects the others have a preferred marching order and he doesn't want to get in the way of that so he will aim to slot in somewhere he doesn't feel uncomfortable (somewhere in the middle, probably just behind Vira/the cart). His Everbug familiar (which will get a name when I think of a good one, Suggestions are welcome) will fly 20ft above the party.

Sherwin is more focused on his new party than surroundings (nat 1 perception) and his familiar is not much better (9)

Aric will keep an eye out at the back of the cart, ready to spring forward. 

[[ Sorry friends, lost track of things for a day or so but I'm back now! ]]

"Oh she was a trader as well! She used to travel to and from Alderheart every couple of years, running a shop there and trading along the road, but she's grown tired of making the journey and decided she wanted to settle down in the Tanglewilds for good. I made the journey with her a couple years ago, and decided I'd take over the shop now that she's retired! I don't remember the roads being so dangerous though, it seems that the Grove and the bandits have grown more active since then."

As you walk along the road, the grasslands give way to trees, which give way to dense forest as you finally enter the Wood. Dappled sunlight plays across the road in front of you as it shines down between the leaves and branches of the dense canopy above, and the sounds of birds and insects fill the air. As you walk, Eliza happily continues chatting about her older sister, Sarai, and their home in the northern jungles of the Tanglewilds further south on the continent of Esden. She tells you of the elurans, and their patron amaranthine Kaluz and Eresutha who accompany the Dawnmother and the Nightfather respectively in their daily journeys across the sky.

During a brief lull in the conversation, Vira and B'Reh both catch a glimpse of something between the trunks of a few trees just to the right of the trail. There's a flicker of something bright yellow-orange, which stands out against the dark green and brown backdrop of the forest, accompanied by a faint crackling sound. Not a large forest fire, or even a bonfire, but a flame of some sort only a few short steps off the road.

B'Reh listens attentively to Eliza’s words about the Amaranthines, intrigued but struggling to grasp the full religious depth. Though her own devotion to the Nightfather is unwavering, she has never been much of a scholar—her mind always drawn to the wind, to movement, to action. Only history has always resonated with her more than theological discourse, a connection to the past that seems to whisper through the Rhythm itself.

Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted when she spots the flicker of yellow-orange flames between the trees. Her sharp eyes catch the movement, and in an instant, she reacts. "A fire!" she calls out urgently, pointing toward the glow. "That deep into the woods!" The crackling sound raises alarm in her mind. Fires in the Wood were dangerous, especially now with the Grove’s unrest. "We must make sure it won’t spread!" Without hesitation, she hurries toward the source of the flame, her wings giving her an extra push as she moves swiftly to investigate. 

[I want to note that, every night just before the group retires and that she has a first level spell slot left, b'Reh will cast Emerald Goblet. Mostly this should help Aric but for the rest of us it also extends our dark vision by 30 feet to a total of 90. I suspect there will be dim light conditions in the wood, or not?]

The Everbug flies quickly towards the fire (40ft fly speed) while Sherwin runs along behind B'Reh, silently cursing his decision to not have prepared Create or Destroy Water. "Once we have dealt with this fire I can have a look around from above to make sure there is no more. I only hope that this was not set intentionally by someone reckless or malicious." 

Vira grips her axe tightly and moves swiftly alongside B'Reh, eyes locked on the flickering flames. "Yeah, that’s not a good sign. Could be natural, but I’m not betting on it." The memory of her own dreams, of the relentless fire consuming everything, creeps into her mind, making her heart beat faster. She glances at Eliza. "Stay on the road, keep an eye out for anything—or anyone—coming this way. If things go south, get to cover."

Eliza nods in response to Vira as you all begin to move away from the path, in the direction of the flame.

Moving through the underbrush, you quickly pass between a few tree trunks into a small clearing. You see, on the far side of the clearing, the source of the flames. These aren't the shapeless, roaring fires that engulf the wood and consume people's homes, but they instead have form, substance. Flickering yellow and orange, is the vague shape of a grove cervan. The flaming creature is kneeling, a small patch of blackened grass and leaves surrounding it, and it looks to be reaching for something near to the ground. It seems not to notice your group, intently focused on whatever it's doing, but you can see the patch of blackened grass and leaves slowly spreading as the tiny bits of organic matter char and decay into ash, though nothing larger seems to be catching on fire yet. 

Vira slows her approach, eyes narrowing as she takes in the scene before her. A cervan? No…not exactly. The flames licking at its form are unlike the wild, consuming infernos she sees in her dreams. This fire seems…contained, controlled, though the way it blackens the ground around it still sets her on edge.

"What in the world is that?" she murmurs, barely loud enough for the others to hear. Instinct tells her to raise her weapon, but she hesitates. Is it a spirit? A spell gone wrong? Or something else entirely? Her fingers tighten around her axe, though she doesn’t move to strike. Instead, she exchanges a wary glance with B'Reh, Aric, and Sherwin. "It hasn’t noticed us. What’s it doing? Is that some kind of magic?"

B'Reh moves forward cautiously, yet deliberately, her sharp eyes fixed on the flickering cervan-like figure. The unnatural flames dancing across its form send a ripple of unease through her, but she pushes it down. This being—whatever it was—was not lashing out or spreading fire wantonly. It was doing something. That alone meant there was room for words before weapons. She stops just within striking distance, her spear held loosely but ready in her grasp, and calls out in a respectful yet firm tone, "Hail, traveler. The flames at your feet threaten the Wood. May I ask what you are doing?" Her voice carries an air of authority, tempered with concern. "If there is a way to calm the fire, please do so before it spreads beyond your control."

She does not yet take an aggressive stance, though she remains coiled like a spring, prepared for anything. Her eyes dart to the blackened grass beneath the figure, measuring how quickly it is spreading, and whether there are any signs of magic at work beyond just the fire itself.

[[ Rolled perception (9 + 3 from guidance = 12) and arcana (5) for B'Reh to move this along a bit. Also rolled arcana for Vira since she was wondering in a magical direction (15). ]]

As B'Reh moves closer, the heat from the fiery creature grows more intense, reminiscent of the emberbat swarms the group has encountered twice before, and she is forced to stop about ten feet away, feeling that if she moved any closer the heat would become harmful. She calls out, yet still the creature seems not to notice her as it faces away from the path. From this closer position, B'Reh can see that in front of the glowing orange humblefolk, just beyond the blackened circle, is a patch of deep indigo flowers. Hands of flame reach toward them, as if to pluck a bouquet from the ground, but as soon as they make contact the stems wilt, blacken, and crumble to ash.

Vira does think this is a spirit of some kind. Not a flame-corrupted beast like those that have emerged within the habitat of the Scorched Grove since the Great Calamity three centuries ago, but something more ethereal or mystical. B'Reh sees no signs of magic beyond the creature itself, though the flames do seem to be spreading as the flame spirit reaches toward the patch of wildflowers. If they were to burn up completely (which she thinks would likely happen within the next several minutes), the fire may catch more of the underbrush, spreading beyond this clearing and into more of the wood.

“I think it’s a spirit,” Vira murmurs, stepping back from the growing heat. “Not like the creatures we fought before. It’s not lashing out—it just…can’t touch what it loves.” Her grip on her axe loosens slightly as she observes the surreal way it moves, the way its fingers hover, reaching, longing. It reminds her of her own dreams—fire always at her back, consuming everything she can’t protect.

She glances to B'Reh and Sherwin, voice quieter but urgent. “Do either of you know any magic that could soothe it? Or stop the fire from spreading?” Her eyes flick to the wilting flowers. There has to be a way to help it.

B'Reh furrows her brow, the flickering orange light casting sharp shadows across her face. The oppressive heat keeps her from stepping closer, and the sight of the delicate flowers blackening at the spirit’s touch unsettles her. The being isn’t attacking, but it is dangerous—whether it realizes it or not.

"I have nothing that can soothe it," she admits, frustration lacing her tone. "I could mend wounds, but it does not seem wounded. I could invoke a blessing, but it does not seem lost. I could call upon the Nightfather’s light, but I fear it would only harm it." Her sharp gaze flicks to Sherwin, hopeful. "Perhaps nature can speak to it where faith cannot?"

Her grip on her spear tightens, though she does not yet raise it. The spirit is not hostile—but that does not mean they can leave it unchecked. "I do not wish to strike first," she continues, voice heavy with reluctant resolve, "but if it will not stop, then we must act before it spreads beyond this clearing." Her wings shift restlessly, a telltale sign of her unease. "Sherwin, can you reach it? Dissuade it from burning down the glade?"

"I do not have anything to soothe it. But I can try and talk more directly with it." and he casts message at the creature, saying directly into its mind. "We mean you no harm. But the forest can't survive your touch. is there a way we can help you while you stand somewhere less flammable?"

Sherwin hears no reply in his mind, but the creature does finally react to the spell. Its head whips around to stare at B'Reh as the flames flare brighter for a moment, forcing her to take another step back from it (B'Reh takes 2 fire damage). Seeing her step back, and everyone else keeping their distance, it slowly turns back to the flowers, reaching once more toward them and blackening a few more stems. It still doesn't seem hostile, but the flare has caused the blackened patch to spread further, likely cutting a minute or two off the amount of time until fire begins to catch. 

[[ Anyone may make a DC 15 insight or perception check to try and discern what the creature's purpose might be, or to search for any other hints around the clearing to why it has appeared here. ]]

Insight:

Perception:

Vira insight: 16, Perception: 6

"It's sad. I wonder if it's someone that died here, or wanted to return here," Vira murmurs, trying to stifle her pity as the danger of the fire spreading grows more pressing. "Talking to it just seems to make the heat worse. Is there anything we can do for the clearing? Grow more flowers or something?"

Aric tries to understand but cannot (7 Perception)

But he still feels that it is not trying to be hostel. So he tries to work it out in his mind. 

(I REALLY wish I was 3rd level and had the Way of Elementalism subclass)

Sherwin tries to read its emotions but "flame spirit body language" is not something he has looked into before (11 insight). (not sure if I can attempt the perception check or if it is one or the other).

Sherwin leans down and casts mend plants causing "a 5-foot cube of living plants to flourish with foliage such as leaves and grass. This area can become thick enough to conceal a Medium or smaller creature". This is near where they are all stood though. "This could help the clearing, however I don't think I can get close enough to them to help those flowers. I also am not sure I can help the blackened areas as they are past mending. If we had some seeds I could cause them to instantly sprout and start the regrowth though."