OCC: 

• A little more overgrown, but this is about what your location looks like.
• Next move is yours... for awhile...

"We should go back to town. Figure out what really happened."

“Sounds good. I’m starving.” Horus steps to walk with Wren.

Which way are you going to go?  North or South?

South is where we came from correct? I dont remember the page with the map you gave us, but I believe Waterdeep is South?

I dont want to start walking until we reach a group decision though.

Andolin frowns, looking back and forth from North to South along the road. "I am not sure there is a back. I'm open to either direction, but we should be prepared to not find Waterdeep the way we came...at least, not as we left it. Still, as it is the last constant we all shared..." He trails off, deep in thought. 

Cellica crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked at the road leading 'back to Waterdeep' . "Are we even still on the same plane." She dryly asked. "I don't see anything I recognize from when we arrived here. But that could be just because it was misty..." Cellica looked at the rest of the group "We should at least get moving someway. No point in standing around here all day." Cellica looked at Andolin "If we came from the South maybe we should head that way and see what we see." Looking at the rest of her group and then ending her gaze at the newcomer "You're welcome to join us if the rest of the group agrees." 

“Of course” Horus says with a grin. “The more the merrier.”

Darwin holds his amulet in his hand as he stares off into the sky. After a few moments of mourning He stands and rejoins the group. "Andolin, Im sorry for my outburst towards you. I know you did your best in the moment and I should not have blamed you for something beyond your control" Darwin's shoulders are low and his chin is down, He is trying his best to show regret for his actions.

"Im sorry miss, Im not usually that angry.....My Name is Darwin Suule, Whats yours?" The Dragonborn extends his hand to the newcomer.

So everyone agreed, south?

Quote from Kasian_Armistus >>

So everyone agreed, south?

 Yes

(South.)

"It is behind us, Darwin. I am sorry for your loss."

To the halfling woman, Andolin says "You are welcome to travel with us. I am Andolin."

In about 300 yards the road to the south enters the forest.  At first it is bushes, which quickly turn to birches, maples with the occasional spine oak or other hardwood.  In the undergrowth you hear small animals scurry from your approach, and deer hurry away.  As you go further and further into the forest, the road becomes more overgrown.  The exposed cobbles are covered in moss and buckle up from the roots which have grown under the road.  As the hours go by, your muscles groan in protest and exhaustion.

A little before noon, you enter another meadow, roughly 300 yards in diameter.  In the center is a monsterous yew, its limbs extend out fully 200 yards, and it towers high above any tree you have ever seen or heard of.  Immediately you can tell the tree is not healthy, as most of the limbs are bare of leaves.  As you wonder at the tree, you see a blackened streak of bark, as if it had been afire and there is a glint and flash, as if metal was imbedded into the trunk.

Horus will try to see what exactly is wrong with the tree.

Nature

4 17

From the road, you cannot see anything wrong.  (The closest the road gets to the tree trunk in over a hundred yards).

(I'll take the bait... :) )

(Also does that mean the branches are over are heads, even while we stand on the road?)

Andolin's heart was happy in spite of the troubles that had brought them here as they entered the forest.  Andolin loved the forest.  He loved the way it smelled, and how the trees would hide you on a hunt if you slipped between them just right.  He loved that the rustle of the leaves could guide you when you were afraid of getting lost. It reminded him of home.

When they came upon the enormous yew tree, Andolin' paused.  A tree this big had to be ancient. It would have seen many things, and its spirit might well have found its way loose from the bonds that tied it to the earth or within the deepest parts of the trunk.  He eyed the tree from the road for a moment as Horus tried to see what he could from the road, then began to carefully move toward it.

Forest is Favored Terrain. As soon as able:

Perception: 10 22 (additional +2 if Favored Terrain bonus counts here)

Nature: 2 6

As you approach the trunk you can tell the black streak is from an ancient fire, judging from the growth around the burn it happened many, many years ago.  The fire mark is about 6 ft. wide at the base of the trunk and goes up about 20 ft. This ancient fire may be the source of the tree's sickness.

There is also a hollow in the tree at this point, roughly triangular from the base (about 4 ft at the base, and 6 ft up.).  At the top is  a triangle of gleaming metal.

If someone wants to grab the triangle, Horus will help identify it. He won’t touch it though.

Following Andolin, Wren is curious as to why metal is stuck in a tree and decides too try and pull it out. "What the heck is this? Did metal start growing in trees?"

Darwin would have calmed a fair amount by this point. The Smell and sounds of the Forest always had that effect on him. He enjoyed the comfort of the Wildmothers creations and upon seeing the Yew Tree. Darwin would flash briefly to his memories of home, Where the Ancient white oak once stood. 

Realizing the Tree is not healthy, Darwin would bow his head and grip his Amulet. Begging the Wildmother to save this ancient Tree.

If no one protests, Darwin will remove the Triangle from the tree.