Whispers and Wildfire in Blighted Slate
The uneasy truce forged with Oakhart the party to his secluded camp deeper within the corrupted woods surrounding Slate. A sense of temporary safety settled over them, though the blighted environment continued to exude an aura of wrongness. Oakhart, his ancient wisdom palpable, informed them that a significant contingent of cultists had departed the area a few days prior, heading south, a detail that sparked both relief and lingering concern.
Scouting the Abandoned Town
Under Oakhart's guidance, the party cautiously approached the outskirts of Slate. The dilapidated structures loomed like skeletal remains against the blighted landscape. As they observed the town from the treeline, the stone watchtower near the broken bridge became a focal point. Figures in dark cloaks moved within its upper levels, their watchful gazes sweeping across the approaches, confirming Oakhart's warning about their vigilance. The stone ford further north along the Bredensby River was then pointed out by the Wood Woad as a safer crossing. However, the memory of his near-drowning experience at the hands of the river's current in the past clearly lingered with Tim the Not-so-Tiny, who voiced his vehement opposition to using the slippery stones. Despite Oakhart's assurances, Tim declared his intention to remain near the dilapidated bridge in case anyone misjudged the ford's treacherous surface. Ultimately, a compromise was reached. The party would take a few hours of rest before attempting the crossing at the ford the following morning, with Tim reluctantly agreeing to follow. They returned to Oakhart's camp, each member taking a two-hour watch through the unsettling night.
Uneasy Slumber and Lingering Dread
During Keck's watch, the oppressive stillness of the blighted forest descended, punctuated by the unnatural rustling of corrupted leaves. A creeping unease permeated the air, and unwelcome thoughts, tinged with decay, flickered at the edges of consciousness. Fel'Shu's vigil was disturbed by the faint, rhythmic chanting carried on the night wind from the direction of Slate. The guttural sounds resonated with a dark purpose, causing Oakhart to stir with evident concern. As the deepest hours fell upon Tim, a peculiar sensation washed over him – a fleeting numbness and a disturbing discoloration on his skin, a subtle and unsettling touch of the blight itself. Just before their planned early departure, during Malark's watch, the silence was broken by the distressed whimpers and unnatural movements of a blighted creature that stumbled into the edge of their camp, a stark reminder of the pervasive corruption.
The Treacherous Ford and the Cultist's Abode
Awakening in the pre-dawn gloom, Tim, swayed by the party's decision and perhaps a desire not to be left alone, surprisingly agreed to attempt the stone ford. Malark, Fel'Shu, and Keck navigated the slippery rocks with relative ease. However, Tim's earlier apprehension proved well-founded as his foot slipped on a wet stone, plunging him into the icy waters. With a desperate struggle, he clawed his way back to the riverbank, soaked and shivering. Oakhart, in contrast, traversed the ford with an effortless grace befitting his connection to the natural world. Following Keck and Oakhart's cautious advice, the party stayed within the shadowed treeline, circling the abandoned town of Slate. Their destination was the herbalist shop, identified by Oakhart as the epicenter of the blight's influence on the town's eastern side. As they moved through the dilapidated streets, Oakhart pointed out a larger, decaying house as the likely dwelling of the cultists. A swift decision was made: Fel'Shu would attempt to create a diversion by setting the house ablaze, while the rest of the party continued towards a rendezvous point near the herbalist shop.
Diversion and Demonic Surprise
Slipping silently through a grove of dead trees, Fel'Shu scouted the cultist's residence – a two-story building with a southern balcony guarded by a lone cultist. Choosing his moment, the monk ignited the back of the house and retreated into the shadows to observe the chaos. As flames began to lick at the dry wood and the alarm was raised, a swarm of rats poured from the burning building. To Fel'Shu's shock, the vermin twisted and transformed, morphing into three vicious, demonic imps. Their stingers posed a significant threat, but Fel'Shu reacted quickly, casting a protective ward. The ensuing fight was brief and brutal, with the monk swiftly dispatching the unexpected demonic guardians before charging towards the front of the burning house, shouting in the guttural tongue of @
Phasnoshi, "Invaders! From the north!" hoping to draw the cultists away from his companions.
A Vision and a Violent Awakening
Meanwhile, as the rest of the party neared their rendezvous point, a wave of unsettling energy washed over Keck. The air shimmered, and a colossal, malevolent eye opened in his mind's vision, its gaze piercing and judgmental, leaving him with a profound sense of dread. Instantly, Keck knew something had gone terribly wrong. Urging his companions forward, they pressed towards the herbalist shop.
They were not to reach it unmolested. Writhing, unnatural vines erupted from the blighted ground, ensnaring their legs. The source of the corruption was revealed – Krev'nas's blight, a malevolent growth at the heart of the abandoned shop. Oakhart roared in primal fury as he and Tim were dragged towards the nearest blighted trees by the grasping vines.
The battle was fierce and desperate, but in a display of unexpected resilience, Tim, alongside the rest of the party, unleashed a furious assault, laying waste to the insidious Tree Blight.
An Unforeseen Encounter
As the sounds of battle echoed from the herbalist shop, Fel'Shu confronted the confused cultists pouring from the burning house. Just then, a female elf with long, dark hair rounded a corner, her gaze falling upon the embattled monk. A curious expression crossed her face before she swiftly unleashed a sticky web, ensnaring Fel'Shu. Approaching the trapped monk, her voice a low, smoky drawl, she uttered words that chilled him to the bone: "Hmm… curious. You're not one of mine."
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