Having passed the mound at a safe distance, you return to the path and continue forward. Looking down at the hard-packed dirt under your feet, you aren't able to discern any clues that would tell you if the fleeing orcs have continued along the trail as well, or if they turned into the woods, but either way, you don't see any signs of them.
It's tough to establish an exact time of day under the thick canopy of the forest, but by your estimation, you guess it's probably just past the noon hour now. It's been roughly three hours since you left the lodge, but you spent a bit of time at the stream crossing conversing with the Calia and her group of rangers, and travel off-trail through the forest is often a little slower than usual, but for the most part, you figure that you're close to your intended time frame to reach the tree.
In about twenty more minutes, the trail opens up in a small open glade, and in the center of the clearing, you see an huge, stout willow tree that's perhaps fifteen feet in diameter at the base. The immensely thick trunk and roots that are visible above the ground are gnarled, twisted and contorted with many, knots, rolls and bumpy, wart-like burls in such a way that they create a distinct profile of an old man's face with a bulbous nose, heavy rolling cheeks, sunken eyes and a large open mouth that droops all the way to the ground. A number of huge, thick limbs shoot upwards from the top of the trunk above the face and create a dense canopy of hanging leaves that look like long strands of thick hair blowing gently in the breeze.
Lumen nods amiably, strumming a soft chord with his lute at the Old Man Tree in greeting. Then he looks left off the path, reminding the others that they're to look for a maple tree in a clearing, among a grove of tall oaks, 500 paces in. The idea being to go slow, keeping eyes and ears open for any clue at all to where the dryad's gone, and any harm that might have befallen her.
Chrys feels completely out of her element, surrounded by so many trees, but she knows an elder when she sees one. She takes the time to bow respectfully in greeting to the Old Man Tree, whether it's sentient or not. "Sorry for intrudin' on yer forest, but we're here lookin' for a dryad friend," she offers in explanation to the clearing. "We don't mean no harm, so I hope you'll let us pass in peace."
After a moment of waiting for any sort of reply, she begins to slowly count her paces into the clearing, looking for said maple tree.
The tree doesn't respond, at least not visibly. Right after Chrys speaks her greeting, a gentle puff of wind blows through the glade, causing the long drooping willow branches to sway back and forth ever so slightly. A few songbirds chirp cheerful melodies from their perch in the upper branches and you also see a couple of small red squirrels climbing and frolicking around on the trunk. One of them pauses and stares at you for a brief minute while you pass.
Looking directly left from your vantage point on the path right next the Old Man Tree, you see a pronounced gap between two tall birch trees of very similar height and girth. Based on the directions you received from Master Dundragon, that seems like the most likely, and the most direct pathway to follow back into the woods. As you pass in between the two trees, you enter back into the thick of the wood, although the terrain here is relatively flat. The forest floor in this section is covered with thick moss and fallen leaves, and is very soft underfoot. Every once in awhile, a slim shaft of light breaks through the canopy and casts a sliver of brightness upon you as you navigate in between the trees.
After about three hundred paces, the ambient light becomes noticeably darker and no more light slivers break through. The trees start to get pretty dense here, and there is no straight line to be traveled, you have to constantly weave back and forth in between the closely spaced trunks, and occasionally climb over and duck under the long, twisting branches that reach out in all directions, some of which are the size of a man's torso. Also, things seem to get eerily quiet the further you go. There are no more birds singing and you see no more squirrels playing almost the tree trunks.
"I think I liked it better back there.. that squirrel seemed nice. I could go back amd ask it if there is a less scary way to go..." Krackle would say as he moves closer to Chrys.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"You sure we're goin' in the right direction?" Chrys asks the others, feeling uneasy as she scrambles over the tree trunks and branches. When Krackle gets close, Chrys offers him a ride on her shoulder. Honestly, the little kobold is likely more nimble than she is when it comes to navigating the tree trunks, but she can't deny the comfort that sticking close provides against the unknown backdrop of the dense forest. "I felt right comfortable in that clearin' too, but if everything was just as peachy keen back here, I guess Dundragon wouldn'ta sent us out ta have a look."
Despite the strange surroundings and effort it takes to keep climbing, she tries to keep an eye out for any sign of the missing Dryad - or danger.
Kess gets very on edge as she notices the sheer absence of life, as well as the darkness and the sheer amount of silence - three signs of very potential danger.
Is there anything Kess would know from the teachings of her past and her lessons with other members of the Lorrath family, that would give her an idea of what is happening right now?
With her deep elven knowledge about forest life and lore, and the balance of nature, Kess's insight tells her that this kind of ambiance in an otherwise active forest could be one of three things, the most likely being some kind of evil presence that has taken hold here. Of course, there are many kinds of evil that could infect a place such as this, but from what you currently see, there's no way to discern the exact nature of evil that might be present, if indeed there is some sort of evil here.
It could also be some kind of magical ward or other arcane aura created by some entity that's causing this imbalance and frightening other creatures off. Or, this could simply be a location that contains a strange magical aura created by no one specifically; perhaps an odd wrinkle in The Weave, although you don't recall Dundragon mentioning anything particularly peculiar about the forest near Phelanie's tree.
From her current position, there is nothing specific in Chrys's line of sight or sound that would indicate an immediate threat or cause for concern, other than the spooky atmosphere that seems to exist here. You also don't see the dryad's tree yet, by your count, you still have a couple hundred paces to go.
Does there seem to be a boundary of some kind that we passed through? If we step back out into the life/light area, does it change back, and could we notice if walking around the grove would help define an area where this odd effect existed? Lumen says, "well this is going to be weird. Make sure you have that mask fragment stowed away tightly. Who knows what's causing this, and I hope it doesn't rhyme."
There doesn't seem to be a defined boundary of where this life/light area begins, it's just kind of a gradual decline as you get further into the woods away from the Old Man Tree.
"Light would be good. This could get weird. Let's stay quiet and stay within arm's length of each other and head in. I've got a bad feeling about this." Lumen says, heading in slowly.
"Light is good, but it could also be a beacon in these woods," Kess cautioned, eyeing the party's surroundings. "Darkness is more natural here than the open sun."
Although the light is getting noticeably dim the further you walk, it's still light enough to see without having to resort to your natural darkvision. However, with the trees so tight in spots, it getting more difficult to see very far. As you scan your surroundings, you find it hard to look in any direction without your eyesight hitting numerous visual obstacles, a fact that prevents you from getting a comprehensive look at anything that lies beyond about 30 feet.
You keep walking, cautiously stepping over downed branches, passing underneath low hanging limbs and doing your best to move forward while staying close together as you pick your way along what seems like the easiest, most direct and obvious path along your intended trajectory. In another hundred paces, after passing between a row of tall birch trees, your progress is abruptly halted by a thick wall of tangled, silky, semi translucent fibers that block your passage and extend upwards about ten feet high and stretches across your path for as far as you can see left and right. Anyone would recognize this material as some kind of spider web.
At this point, you figure that you're still about 200 feet away from the drayd's tree.
"Vesper, you can still do that fire thing, right? I bet that would take care of the webs in our way... and which might be the thing that's keeping Phelannie trapped..."Lumen says, looking up into the branches. He readies some vicious mockery for anything arachnid and hostile he sees.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Wait a minute... silk is very flammable," Kess would point out, her voice suddenly hushed at the sight of such a huge web. "If you light it, and she remains trapped and bound within, that would probably kill her. Worse, we could end up trapping ourselves inside the flames and suffocate to death from the smoke."
Kess looks around, hand already reaching to he right for the hilt of her left-hand scimitar, bringing her other hand down onto the other hilt as she did her best to steady her breath, look around and listen:
Chrys sighs. "Well, a thing that makes this much webbin' has got to be a really big spider, that's all. We can use our torches to burn it section by section, jus' so we don't get trapped in it. Or we can cut it apart with daggers or swords. But either way don't make much difference -- once we start movin' past it, them spiders are gonna know we're here, and check us out ta see if we're munchy. So ya better get ready for a fight,"she warns.
"Now, I can try an' detect if there's somethin' evil in these woods, but I'd rather be doin' it closer to our goal. So what'll it be... the torch, the spell, or the dagger?"
Even as she speaks, Chrys keeps a hand on her hammer, readying an action to swing at anything hostile that comes within hitting distance in these woods.
Lumen and Kess both listen carefully and look around, scanning their eyes around the immediate surroundings as they try to spot whatever creature might have manufactured this web that blocks your immediate passage forward. Unfortunately, the the forest is unsettlingly quiet, and you hear no sound, nor do you see any other life forms or signs of movement within or around the trees.
Vesper pulls Krackle off her leg. "Please don't do that."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Having passed the mound at a safe distance, you return to the path and continue forward. Looking down at the hard-packed dirt under your feet, you aren't able to discern any clues that would tell you if the fleeing orcs have continued along the trail as well, or if they turned into the woods, but either way, you don't see any signs of them.
It's tough to establish an exact time of day under the thick canopy of the forest, but by your estimation, you guess it's probably just past the noon hour now. It's been roughly three hours since you left the lodge, but you spent a bit of time at the stream crossing conversing with the Calia and her group of rangers, and travel off-trail through the forest is often a little slower than usual, but for the most part, you figure that you're close to your intended time frame to reach the tree.
In about twenty more minutes, the trail opens up in a small open glade, and in the center of the clearing, you see an huge, stout willow tree that's perhaps fifteen feet in diameter at the base. The immensely thick trunk and roots that are visible above the ground are gnarled, twisted and contorted with many, knots, rolls and bumpy, wart-like burls in such a way that they create a distinct profile of an old man's face with a bulbous nose, heavy rolling cheeks, sunken eyes and a large open mouth that droops all the way to the ground. A number of huge, thick limbs shoot upwards from the top of the trunk above the face and create a dense canopy of hanging leaves that look like long strands of thick hair blowing gently in the breeze.
Lumen nods amiably, strumming a soft chord with his lute at the Old Man Tree in greeting. Then he looks left off the path, reminding the others that they're to look for a maple tree in a clearing, among a grove of tall oaks, 500 paces in. The idea being to go slow, keeping eyes and ears open for any clue at all to where the dryad's gone, and any harm that might have befallen her.
Chrys feels completely out of her element, surrounded by so many trees, but she knows an elder when she sees one. She takes the time to bow respectfully in greeting to the Old Man Tree, whether it's sentient or not. "Sorry for intrudin' on yer forest, but we're here lookin' for a dryad friend," she offers in explanation to the clearing. "We don't mean no harm, so I hope you'll let us pass in peace."
After a moment of waiting for any sort of reply, she begins to slowly count her paces into the clearing, looking for said maple tree.
The tree doesn't respond, at least not visibly. Right after Chrys speaks her greeting, a gentle puff of wind blows through the glade, causing the long drooping willow branches to sway back and forth ever so slightly. A few songbirds chirp cheerful melodies from their perch in the upper branches and you also see a couple of small red squirrels climbing and frolicking around on the trunk. One of them pauses and stares at you for a brief minute while you pass.
Looking directly left from your vantage point on the path right next the Old Man Tree, you see a pronounced gap between two tall birch trees of very similar height and girth. Based on the directions you received from Master Dundragon, that seems like the most likely, and the most direct pathway to follow back into the woods. As you pass in between the two trees, you enter back into the thick of the wood, although the terrain here is relatively flat. The forest floor in this section is covered with thick moss and fallen leaves, and is very soft underfoot. Every once in awhile, a slim shaft of light breaks through the canopy and casts a sliver of brightness upon you as you navigate in between the trees.
After about three hundred paces, the ambient light becomes noticeably darker and no more light slivers break through. The trees start to get pretty dense here, and there is no straight line to be traveled, you have to constantly weave back and forth in between the closely spaced trunks, and occasionally climb over and duck under the long, twisting branches that reach out in all directions, some of which are the size of a man's torso. Also, things seem to get eerily quiet the further you go. There are no more birds singing and you see no more squirrels playing almost the tree trunks.
"I think I liked it better back there.. that squirrel seemed nice. I could go back amd ask it if there is a less scary way to go..." Krackle would say as he moves closer to Chrys.
"You sure we're goin' in the right direction?" Chrys asks the others, feeling uneasy as she scrambles over the tree trunks and branches. When Krackle gets close, Chrys offers him a ride on her shoulder. Honestly, the little kobold is likely more nimble than she is when it comes to navigating the tree trunks, but she can't deny the comfort that sticking close provides against the unknown backdrop of the dense forest. "I felt right comfortable in that clearin' too, but if everything was just as peachy keen back here, I guess Dundragon wouldn'ta sent us out ta have a look."
Despite the strange surroundings and effort it takes to keep climbing, she tries to keep an eye out for any sign of the missing Dryad - or danger.
Perception 10
Kess gets very on edge as she notices the sheer absence of life, as well as the darkness and the sheer amount of silence - three signs of very potential danger.
Is there anything Kess would know from the teachings of her past and her lessons with other members of the Lorrath family, that would give her an idea of what is happening right now?
With her deep elven knowledge about forest life and lore, and the balance of nature, Kess's insight tells her that this kind of ambiance in an otherwise active forest could be one of three things, the most likely being some kind of evil presence that has taken hold here. Of course, there are many kinds of evil that could infect a place such as this, but from what you currently see, there's no way to discern the exact nature of evil that might be present, if indeed there is some sort of evil here.
It could also be some kind of magical ward or other arcane aura created by some entity that's causing this imbalance and frightening other creatures off. Or, this could simply be a location that contains a strange magical aura created by no one specifically; perhaps an odd wrinkle in The Weave, although you don't recall Dundragon mentioning anything particularly peculiar about the forest near Phelanie's tree.
From her current position, there is nothing specific in Chrys's line of sight or sound that would indicate an immediate threat or cause for concern, other than the spooky atmosphere that seems to exist here. You also don't see the dryad's tree yet, by your count, you still have a couple hundred paces to go.
Does there seem to be a boundary of some kind that we passed through? If we step back out into the life/light area, does it change back, and could we notice if walking around the grove would help define an area where this odd effect existed? Lumen says, "well this is going to be weird. Make sure you have that mask fragment stowed away tightly. Who knows what's causing this, and I hope it doesn't rhyme."
There doesn't seem to be a defined boundary of where this life/light area begins, it's just kind of a gradual decline as you get further into the woods away from the Old Man Tree.
Vesper makes sure that the bag holding the mask is sealed good and tight. "Anyone need a light?"
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
"Light would be good. This could get weird. Let's stay quiet and stay within arm's length of each other and head in. I've got a bad feeling about this." Lumen says, heading in slowly.
"I can see fine... I can help to make sure we don't step in any holes or run into any trees" Krackle would say with a smile.
"Light is good, but it could also be a beacon in these woods," Kess cautioned, eyeing the party's surroundings. "Darkness is more natural here than the open sun."
Although the light is getting noticeably dim the further you walk, it's still light enough to see without having to resort to your natural darkvision. However, with the trees so tight in spots, it getting more difficult to see very far. As you scan your surroundings, you find it hard to look in any direction without your eyesight hitting numerous visual obstacles, a fact that prevents you from getting a comprehensive look at anything that lies beyond about 30 feet.
You keep walking, cautiously stepping over downed branches, passing underneath low hanging limbs and doing your best to move forward while staying close together as you pick your way along what seems like the easiest, most direct and obvious path along your intended trajectory. In another hundred paces, after passing between a row of tall birch trees, your progress is abruptly halted by a thick wall of tangled, silky, semi translucent fibers that block your passage and extend upwards about ten feet high and stretches across your path for as far as you can see left and right. Anyone would recognize this material as some kind of spider web.
At this point, you figure that you're still about 200 feet away from the drayd's tree.
"Vesper, you can still do that fire thing, right? I bet that would take care of the webs in our way... and which might be the thing that's keeping Phelannie trapped..." Lumen says, looking up into the branches. He readies some vicious mockery for anything arachnid and hostile he sees.
"Wait a minute... silk is very flammable," Kess would point out, her voice suddenly hushed at the sight of such a huge web. "If you light it, and she remains trapped and bound within, that would probably kill her. Worse, we could end up trapping ourselves inside the flames and suffocate to death from the smoke."
Kess looks around, hand already reaching to he right for the hilt of her left-hand scimitar, bringing her other hand down onto the other hilt as she did her best to steady her breath, look around and listen:
Perception: 20
Chrys sighs. "Well, a thing that makes this much webbin' has got to be a really big spider, that's all. We can use our torches to burn it section by section, jus' so we don't get trapped in it. Or we can cut it apart with daggers or swords. But either way don't make much difference -- once we start movin' past it, them spiders are gonna know we're here, and check us out ta see if we're munchy. So ya better get ready for a fight," she warns.
"Now, I can try an' detect if there's somethin' evil in these woods, but I'd rather be doin' it closer to our goal. So what'll it be... the torch, the spell, or the dagger?"
Even as she speaks, Chrys keeps a hand on her hammer, readying an action to swing at anything hostile that comes within hitting distance in these woods.
Lumen and Kess both listen carefully and look around, scanning their eyes around the immediate surroundings as they try to spot whatever creature might have manufactured this web that blocks your immediate passage forward. Unfortunately, the the forest is unsettlingly quiet, and you hear no sound, nor do you see any other life forms or signs of movement within or around the trees.