Battle and beauty

Into the unknown wilderness
 
The day started off much like any other in this place. We went on with our discussed plans to make for the fort. As we were getting ready to set out we met a new traveling companion in the form of a dragonborn. They seemed to know one of the others in the group so I kept my suspicion as we set out. We started our march towards the astral tower. Once in the area we found a spot on the river that could be crossed it seemed to have cover on the other side. So I set out making knots on a rope to make tie line to help the others. I removed my armor safely tucked it in my backpack and headed through the water. Slowly and methodically using my halberd to poke and prod the water and brace myself. I made it to the other side with no issues as I anchored the rope around a solid tree. The others begin to start the process to ford the river as my armor was being reequipping myself. As the druid and the dragonborn started the trek across they were shot at as they got to the bank. My brain went into battle mode seeing a companion under attack. The druid chanted but it seemed no effect of whatever they were casting had no effect. I went into a crawl position with my weapon at the ready to not give the archers a lower chance at hitting me I dove into the woods making my way towards the shot giving out a shout for the group to get low as i crawled on. Hearing splashes behind me I was surprised that a goblin snuck up on me and was able to stab me with their sword. All of a sudden I was surrounded hearing a goblin shout with a battle-cry. Losing my cool I snapped and jumped up with a single thought NOT again, I drew on my knowledge of the years training with a great weapon and brought hell down upon the goblin cleaving him into. The battle cry of the other goblin turned to horror quickly as I moved towards him with a fell swoop and laid waste to him. I could hear the same chanting as before and a thud as a goblin was wrapped in magical energy and pulled down to the ground from the tree they were climbing down from. I begin surveying the area looking for others in the war party, I could hear splashing and sounds of battle coming from the bank area. I later learned the others had a harder time crossing, apparently the monk and other paladin had an urge to take a quick bath. After confirming we were safer in the area I was I made my way back to the bank, to see the party going through the things left by the departed goblins. The draonborn seemed to reconsider the goods from a boastful adventure in town. We reequipped and left the rope as an anchor point for future crossing maybe we should name it monk’s folly…. HAHA!
 
The beautifully strange and deadly.
 
We make our way to as we now know inappropriately named Whisper Woods I am met with a sense of dread and fear because this place is full of ambush points. I revert back to my training as I tackle what I can and monitor the ground for ambush points. We come across a peculiar species of beetle and mushroom. The former is just under a foot in length and glows like a firefly, while the latter admits a glow of its own. We take a sample of the latter and continue onwards. As the day presses on we come to a clearing which stops us in our tracks we see a field that is unnaturally cut with several pits scattered across it, with these small rock looking things in them in piles. The pits are different because they contain these scrap marks we have never seen. We send the barbarian to investigate as they soon discover that the rock is not a rock and it seems to be soft and fruity in smell. As we ponder what to do with this we hear and see a large something making its way towards us. We drop the item and head back to the clearing to hide and observe. What we have dubbed Hornus Maximus spears before us. The creature is frightening in appearance with a horn on its head, barbs on its legs that cut and prick at objects as it passes… and that mouth what joke of a god’s sick humor created something that could do that. To spare the gory details to future readers of this tome, the creature begin to invert its stomach from its mouth over the pit and expel its harvested goods that seemed to be made of the mushrooms we harvested. Once it was done the creature left and we not wanting to wait around gathered the “egg” and made for the other side of the clea4ring keeping to the woods. We passed several more of these fields as we kept westward they started to become less and less. The day has become long at this point as we started to come across what we thought was game trails, but will soon come to find out they are being kept by someone. We stuck to the trails as it was less chance of an ambush. Down the trail things started to become more and more kept and we started noticing ruins of hewn stone, small amounts at first but more and more noticeable as we went further. At this point we are getting closer to the point what we think is the five miles or so we were told to keep eye out for. We agreed that we should find a camping spot and make a home for the night. We scouted and found a spot that provide excellent shelter and light protection. I set out on a search for food and to set my alarms to warn us of danger. The hunt was successful I was able to gather enough for the group and begin to cook it for the next day’s rations. The dragonborn and I talk during their watch as I cook. We are shocked and awed to see the amazingly beautiful sight that befell our eyes, dumbfounded I gaze out at the tapestry that begins to unfold before us. The beetles we saw begin to light themselves with the brightness of torches. Making for a dazzling sight. It appears we could travel at night if brave enough via BugLight if need be. After my shift and cooking I let the fire die down as a few of the bugs are drawn to the flame only to be disappointed in it not being a bug itself, this amused me through the shift. Eventually time had passed and I bedded down for the night.