Kneeling over the remains of the twig blights, Irina nods "It is odd, I can't imagine these are common among this region...", at the mention of the fruit, her brow furrows, "An interesting hypothesis, these creatures would be the right size to appear as a small shrub; regardless it is wise to be careful, if the golden fruit originates from the citadel, it is possible there is more at work here... "

Irina hasn't seen the likes of these creatures; now dead, they appear indistinguishable from torn-apart shrubbery, aside from the black sap running from them.

(We have two more adventurers joining us; I'll let them wander into camp and introduce themselves before the party continues on to the citadel.)

Oswald will start to nibble on some rations. Offering them around the group as they prepare for the day.

Sauntering over to both Alex and Irina as they perch over the remnants of the things that attacked them last night. "What are we looking at? Sentient trees? Magically animated shrubbery? Any ideas? Oh, has anyone touched that black sap? Bet it shouldn't get on your skin."

Chewing on a piece of dried meat he will make sure they are both offered some. "There's also some hard biscuit, if you'd prefer?"

Blaze begins to look closer at the remains of the blights, “Quick does anybody have any vials that we could put this black sap in?” Blaze pulls some grass and sprinkles a bit on some of the black sap. 

Investigation Check: 6

(OOC, crap lol)

Oswald, taking a cue from Blaze will take a stick and dip it into the black sap. Withdrawing it and holding it up in the early morning light.

Investigation - 14

OOC "You have a stick with a sticky substantance attached. It's a stickier stick. A sticky stick."

Blaze and Oswald's experiments suggest that the black sap, while sinister looking, is not harmful to the touch, at least in small amounts.

Irina's brow furrows deeper, "It's difficult to say, I've never seen anything like this in all my studies, so its difficult to say what exactly they are..." Suddenly noticing the rations being offered to her, she snaps out of her train of thought gratefully accepting the food, smiling at the gnome "ah thank you Oswald, you are most kind". Turning to Blaze, she pulls out her Alchemist  supplies and passes him a vial, "Here Blaze, this should do!"

Blaze takes the vial with a warm smile, “What a nice and gorgeous tiefling, I thank you very much.” And Blaze winks then begins to collect the black sap into this vial. 

Caught off guard by the compliment, something she is not used to receiving, Irina fails to reply with any coherent response. "I, uh... You're welcome?" She quickly turns around to finish packing her belongings, her tail tapping against the floor rapidly as she stuffs her alchemist's supplies into her bag.

"I think he likes the little demoness..." comes an unusual sounding almost purring voice at the edge of your camp.  "These little sappy things - you killed them or you find them?"

You see a quite tall, very thin Golden feline woman (Tabaxi-me) standing near the trees watching you.  You think there may be another person in the woods too, but you're not sure at this distance. 
(ooc - trying to present an opportunity for entrance of our other new member.)

For a second Irina is tempted to go into a lecture on the infernal nature of Teiflings as opposed to abysall roots,however the surprise of a new voice overrides her desire to correct the newcomer, "I er...we defeated it after three of them tried to ambush us in the night, ah where are my manners, my name is Irina, these are my esteemed companions, Oswald, Alex, Blaze and Hunhow; who are you if I may ask, and what brings you here?"

As the main group break camp, some bushes rustle 20 feet from the thin, golden feline woman. Looking that way, you see an elf shaking a twiggy brush, as if to draw attention to himself.

"I am Ranger Kai. This ", he points to the other newcomer, "is ..."  Kai waits for Opal to introduce herself.

"Yesss, pleasant meeting, my manners are slow.  Bring me here...you and now these plants.. things..eh sappy bushes." She continues to stare at the bushes and turns her head before turning her eyes to the group. "I am Opal and hmmm, you are a tiefling?  I remember the trouble I've gotten in before, for forgetting. I remember my manners in the future."   

Opal looks at the vial Blaze is filling and digs through a bag, pulls out a little stoppered vial filled with pink liquid, pops the stopper out of it and pours the liquid out on the ground away from the group.  She then kneels down and fills it with as much sap and she can gather without getting in Blaze's way. 

"I go with you?  See why these are here? I've never seen a bush just get up an attack a traveler before....though I didn't actually see the fight, you look honest. My friend here, Kai, he's good too...and has very nice dice."

Not minding the thin golden Tabaxi, Blaze looks toward her with a great wide smile, “I think we would be happy to have you two along. I believe the more we have the better chance we have. Wouldn’t the rest of you agree?” As Blaze finishes up collecting the vial of black sap he takes some branches from the Blight as well. 

(I like the roleplaying that's going on; let me know when ya'll are ready to move on, but no rush!)

Blaze rises putting the vial of black sap and branches from the remains into his pack. He looks to the others and says, “I’m ready whenever you marvelous people are.” 

"And I too, am ready."

Kia nods to signal that he is ready too. You get a sense that he doesn’t talk a lot. 

The party continues on their journey, now traveling alongside the ravine. After a few hours you come across something unusual: pillars carved with what appear to be crude Dwarven runes, and a rope tied about two of the pillars descending into the ravine.

The ranger looks around, and tries to find tracks and determine what, how many, and which way any creatures have gone, near these pillars.

[ooc: what kind of check would this be?]