"Here we are," Krom says as the group returns to the arboretum. "Those Netherese wizards were truly strange folk," the dwarf adds, gesturing at the illusory dome. "Anyway, let's head toward the center." Krom unhooks his warhammer from his belt as he prepares to advance.

"I say let's get this over with." Kazri has her sword and shield ready, and Oli next to her.

As the memory of the group's last encounter echoed through his mind, Rhogar slowed to a stop, squeezed his eyes shut, and in time even clenched his jaw. But then, his eyes snapped open as Kroms words seemed to hit him like catching a face full of a bucket's worth of water. "Y-yes.. Y-yes, we, uhh, need follow through. Stay sharp, everyone, as I would not put it past it to sense our presence on approach and be less gentile in greeting us. But if there's yet a chance to settle things peacefully, I would urge us to yet aim for it." He conveyed while moving to follow after Krom. Gorrah, who in sensing Rhogar's apprehension, sought shelter in the dragonborn's backpack for the time being. 

Chill followed along with the others. 

"I don't see how we can get the would directly from the treant.  He was clear we are not welcome back.  We just need some of his wood right?   Maybe we can find some on the ground?   Its a tree right? Gotta drop branches i would think."

"If Tymora smiles upon us, we may find a couple of his branches around, but alas, I fear that the Frostmaiden is keeping Lady Luck away from this place," Krom replies to Chill. "I still hope we might find a way to reason with the Neather Oak, but I doubt our encounter will end peacefully, Chill."

You make your way through the arboretum, the soft crunch of leaves beneath your feet. As you draw closer to the center, the trees begin to grow taller, their trunks thick and gnarled, their branches arching high overhead in a natural cathedral of wood and leaf. Then, at last, you see it. Once more, the Nether Oak appears to slumber. Its immense presence is felt more than seen. You can see that there is some fallen wood around the area where the ancient treant stands.

Rhogar started to speak, but just barely manages to catch himself after taking in the site. Both dragonborn and draconic familiar then share a sidelong look between each other, before turning to regard Chill with a more expectant look. However, if the Tabaxi looked yet confused, Chill would feel a familiar prodding sensation from Gorrah trying to reach out to him, prior to her then sending him a series of images, suggesting he grab some of the fallen wood so Krom and Rhogar could examine and reshape them into a wand!

Krom grins at Rhogar as the group notices the fallen branches. The dwarf stops and silently mouths the words "Go for it, Chill," while gesturing to the tabaxi.
Then, gripping the handle of his warhammer tightly, the dwarf waits patiently.

Kazri stays close behind Chill, in case things doesn't go as planned.

The moment Kazri moves to try and follow Chill, Rhogar is swift in placing a firm hand on her pauldron. Then once he had her attention, he just shakes his head 'no'. It's then Gorrah stepped in and sent images of a cat creeping along without notice, followed by the image of Kazri walking around a graveyard while wearing a bunch of pots and pans, waking even the dead with presumably her racket. If, however, Kazri yet insisted on following after Chill, then it would take no effort to shrug off the dragonborn's grip. He would look hurt for moment in such an instance, but would reluctantly refrain from interfering any further.

Chill looked at his companions as they all stopped.  He immediately understood the unspoken words and looks.  He nodded and gave a thumbs up.

As he began to move forward he might have sensed Kazri move also.  He would the stop and simply raise a hand bidding her to wait. 

When he was sure she understood,  even waiting for her to to react to Rhogar's grip he would the move forward again.

He slipped his hood over his head and then moved as carefully as he could.  He did his best to ensure that the piece of fallen wood he collected was a definite match to the treat.

Investigation (if needed) 15 to match the wood.

Stealth 26

Does Kazri stop or go with Chill?

Chill won't go if Kazri tries to follow. He'll wait for her to decide not to go before he does. 

Kazri stays back at a safe distance. Eyes trained on the ancient tree, and Oli right next to her.

A gentle but firm hand rests on Kazri’s shoulder, halting her just as she moves to follow Chill. The message is clear: this part of the task must be done alone. Chill, understanding the gravity of the moment, pulls the hood of his cloak up, the fabric whispering as it settles around his face. Instantly, he becomes one with the forest's shadow. Even the brittle leaves beneath his boots betray no sound as he moves forward with practiced stealth.

Each step is deliberate as he approaches the slumbering treant, its massive form entwined with moss and root. Chill scans the forest floor, eyes sharp, and carefully selects a piece of fallen wood. It matches the texture and shape of the treant's own branches — a perfect fit. Certain he has what he came for, he retreats, just as silently, fading back toward his waiting companions.

Behind him, the ancient guardian of the forest stirs not a leaf, still lost in its slumber, blissfully unaware of the small theft from its fallen limbs.

Chill grins as he returns to the others.  He removes the hood from his head and stops in front of Rhogar. 

With a short bow he presents the piece of wood to him, 2 outstretched hands holding the wood.

While Rhogar let out a sigh of relief, Gorrah smirked and intercepted the retrieval of the wood piece when the dragonborn went to grab it. Annoyed yet well aware any outburst too close to Nether Oak might awaken the ancient, the sorcerer instead let out a huff through his nose, and chose to wait for to hand it over. In the meantime, Rhogar motioned for the group to at least follow back to the edge of the arbortium and a fair distance out of immediate ear shot of the Nether Oak. Only then is able to focus on coaxing Gorrah to relent and pass over the wood, and leave it to sorcerer to study and confirm whether it could be formed into a wand.

-Arcana: 24. 

As soon as Chill returns to the group with the piece of wood, Krom relaxes and gives the tabaxi a thumbs-up. Still eyeing the Nether Oak, the dwarf then, follows the rest of the group towards the edge of the arborium.

After moving to a safer spot Chill speaks up.

"So what now?   We have all the riddle clues and the wood for the wand.  I suggest we go back to camp, puzzle out the puzzles and then head for the spire."

Kazri and Oli silently follows the group. She nods at Chill's suggestion.