Though intrigued at first and willing to follow along, Kazri's next words while on the move immediately set the dragonborn on edge. But while the old him might've immediately demanded some explination, trust in the paladin held his tongue even as she excused herself from the group to change. When she returns, Rhogar is almost immediately taken aback, and could scarcely manage a few half sputtered without switching from one concern to the next before giving up with a sigh.

"Just... Be quick about things as much as you can. We hardly explored the full breadth of the arboretum, so there could've been things we missed that can be dangerous, Lady Kazri." Eventually added Rhogar once Kazri makes her way back into the grove. With that, the dragonborn tapped the butt of his staff against the ground a couple of times, before beginning to pace.

Chill nods to Kazri.  "Okey dokey. Give it a try.  We'll be close by if you need help."

Chill can't help but grin when he sees Kazri in her dress.  So used to seeing her in her armor lately that it's hard to remember what we looked like without being dressed for adventuring.  

Chill recalls when the lived in Phandalin and they went a out their almost normal lives.  Better times when they lived in peace.

Kazri approaches the Nether Oak and sits before it.  The vines reach out and touch the slumbering treant and at first she is not sure that it will awaken. But after a few tense moments the branches above her begin to shudder and the treant lets out a slow, deep sigh as its dark eyes open.  

It looks around for a moment before spying Kazri sitting on the ground  before it.  Kazri looks up at the treant and gives her greeting.  

The Nether Oak frowns as he bends his attention and its branches over Kazri.  In a deep low voice he responds in common. He does not sound friendly.

"Who are you and what do you want that you awaken me from my sleep? You are no mage, what do you want?" 

With another hand gesture, the spectral vines slowly recede from the Nether Oak, and then disappear into nothingness. Kazri slowly stands up, and gives a low bow. "My name is Kazri. My apologies for awakening you from your slumber. We are travelers, and I was wondering if you would allows us to seek shelter in your grove. If you seek a mage, our esteemed Mr. Nimbatuul is a powerful wielder of magic." Before the Treant has a chance to say anything, Kazri adds. "Perhaps, we can also update you on what has happened in the last two thousand years?"

"I do not like that tone of voice." says Krom to the rest of the group as the Nether Oak replies to Kazri. "Things could go south very fast." continues the dwaft as he places an hand on haft of his war hammer. "I am maybe overreacting, but we should prepare for the worse." He points at Kazri's sword and armour. "She may need this soon." Krom kneels down and grabs Kazri's sword.

"Oh, Bah-rivv! If we had the reaction every time we've come across a gravelly voiced ancient, we'd make far more enemies than friends." Asserted a still cautiously optimisitic Rhogar. "And besides, even with neither blade or armor, let's not underestimate her or deny her the full chance to see this through." He would say aloud, and yet despite his own words the grip he had  on Vivic, the staff bearing an old horn of his teacher/patron, had yet to relax since the treant first spoke. And yet, the dragonborn can't help but preen a little at Kazri's mention of his name and adeptness with magic. 

"I care not what has happened in the last 2000 years." The treant bellows at Kazri, "And you are not welcome to trespass in my grove.  Leave now or I will drive you out." the treant says, with a menacing voice of anger and threat. 

Kazri Insight: 7

Kazri respectfully bows low, meanwhile she tries to determine if the Treant is just being grumpy or if there are other reasons they are not welcomed. "I shall leave promptly." She turns around to leave the grove.

Chill flexed his grip on his crossbow and shifted his weight.  "It does not sound like it is going well in there.  Be prepared for action, but I agree with Rhogar, let it play out."

(Sorry, for some reason last post is missing text.)

Kazri respectfully bows low, and tries to figure out if the Nether Oak is just a grumpy old Treant, or there might be more to it. "I shall leave promptly" She turns around to leave.

"It didn't go well, but it didn't go bad either." replies Krom as the Nether Oak orders to Kazri to leave the grove and the paladin turns to leave. "It's better to keep our strength for the tests that we will have to face within those towers."

Kazri's impression of the treant is that is it not just grumpy.  It is angry and does not want her there.

As she turns around to leave the treant bellows again.

"Do no return, you are not welcome here!"   

Kazri calmly leaves the grove. "Unfortunately, my friends, we shall not find shelter here." She gives a low sigh. "At the very least we did not have to fight an ancient Treant. If you will give me a moment, I will prepare myself to go to the next location."

Rhogar's low growling that began once the Treant got uppity only dies down with Kazri rejoining the group. "I'd say the day is yet young and roasting netherese wood might make for most a pleasant scent to bask in, but... *sigh*... now is not the time for petty jests. Take the time the you need, Ladzy Kazri. Once you're ready, we'll respect the tree's wishes and give its grove a wide berth on our way to that tower(Y11) just past it, discover what we need, and perhaps even make it into a nice base camp for the day."

Krom nods at Rhogar and with a toothed grin says "I agree on both points Rhogar. Let's stay away from this grove before we change our mind."

He then gives back to Kazri her sword. "Here you go lass. Take your time."

Chill relaxes as Kazri returns to the group.  "Let us hope we do not need to return there.  That treant does not seem like a creature to take lightly."

Chill is ready to move on.

 Kazri returns after putting her equipment back on. "Apologies for the delay." Then she looks at Xerophon. "The Tower of Divination is next?"

Xerophon leads you past the Arboretum after Kazri gets her gear back on.  Street lamps illuminate building interiors and exteriors giving the city its earie green glow.  Along the way Xerophon tells you that apprentice mages would graduate from the House of the Arcane and join one of eight arcane towers, each one dedicated to a different school of magic.

As you approach the Tower of Divination you see that the walls of this thin tower are etched with intricate designs of hands and eyes. Silver light flickers from a high window, above which a large, carved eye animates and blinks. Part of the tower’s roof is missing.

"Mnn... That is no good." Rhogar notes aloud before gesturing towards the roof. "At least... it might not be any good? Honestly really depends on where they kept their key, I suppose. Otherwise, we might very well take a more 'high handed' approach, and avoid any lingering security or the like awaiting us on the lower levels." He continued with some measure of mirth entering his voice towards the end. But then his expression grew more serious as he studied the tower and noted the eye. "Speaking of lingering security measures..." The dragonborn trails off from there waving at the eye, but otherwise waiting to see if more might magically happen in acknowledging its presence. 

"Had you such aspirations, Xerophon? Becoming an apprentice mage and joining one of the arcane towers?" Rhogar asks in the meantime without looking away from the eye. 

"At least it's still standing." adds Krom observing the missing roof as the group reaches the Tower of Divination. The dwarf shakes his head at Rhogar's suggestion of climbing it "Chill could certainly reach the top of the tower without any issues Rhogar, but you know very well that I am not a deft climber..." Krom's mind goes back to his failed attempts of climbing the rocky walls of Gnomengarde. He points at the door "Unless it's heavily trapped, that should do just fine." adds with a toothy smile.