The party has landed in a room of gray stone, the walls carved to resemble a library study room filled with denizens of the Wood. Denye looked around with a quick glance to confirm that they had arrived at the Avium. The Corvum wizard rushed for the doorway, triggering an Alarm spell as she exited the circle. She also quickly discovered that the doorway was protected by a Wall of Force. Meanwhile, Ell looked around in a panic and tried to call Tear over the earrings. There was no response but there was still a sense of connection. Janora tried as well, but still couldn’t reach the young goblin. Shaking her head she suggested that the most likely reason was that Tear was no longer in the Material Plane. It wasn’t long before four Perch Guard appeared. They were quite wary of the party, but were willing to at least speak to Denye. After a handful of words the Guard agreed to escort the party to speak with Under Dean Brassbottom.
The Under Dean proved to be an elderly Hedge in a blue and purple wrap with a penz-nez hanging from a chain. She recognized Denye but was shocked by the others. After assuring her that the others were friendly Denye tried to ask about what was threatening the Wood, but the Dean just broke down crying. It took a bit to calm her but even then it was difficult to get her to focus. What they were able to learn was that there had been several incursions through the teleport circle that had devastated the magic school. That seemed to be separate from the problems affecting the Alderheart, although Under Dean Brassbottom was also able to tell them a little bit about that as well. In the end, Denye told Jilken to break the circle so that no more invaders could appear. Promising to investigate further, the party followed the Perch Guard down to the entrance hall.
Threats at the Avium
- Men in black armor and masks appeared and snatched 6 students and a teacher
- Pixies with moth wings and sharp teeth
- Looked like 5 raccoon mapach led by a badger…they were really smallish gnomes with red hats
- Displacer beasts
Threats in Alderheart
- The tree is sick…perhaps two choruses ago…at first it wasn’t that bad, but I heard a measure ago that one of the boughs fell. Just horrible.
- And then there are the spirits who were attacking city dwellers. Doesn’t know much about them, only that they take memory and age from a person. Archibald Windflock took two of the more promising students, but she never got word back
Denye led the party down to the Snailway station where a 7ft tall small was attached to a series of joined wagons, some covered, others open to the night. The party had good timing and it wasn’t long after they found seats that there was a whistle and the entire collection began moving. It was slow at first, but quickly began picking up speed until they were moving faster than most horses. There were a couple of stops, but even before they actually neared, it was quite easy to see the enormous tree rising above the rest of the forest. The entire trip was just a little more than an hour and eventually Denye directed them to get off at the main station and from there up the stairs to the Entry Hall.
The party was stopped at the doors to the Entry Hall by the Perch Guard, concerned about the outsiders. Frustrated, Denye used her Uncle’s name and position to intimidate the guards into letting them pass. Still quite worried, Denye led them through the echoing and dazzling chamber to the large arch that marked the beginning of the Mainstay branchroad.
It was quiet for the most part, with low lights and fairly empty branchways, but Denye led the party onward without hesitation, always rising as Mainstay corkscrewed it’s way up through the great tree. They were just about through the Warrens when the coldlights flickered and a number of specters rose up out of the shadows. Denye was the first to spot one and was confused as to why it appeared to be her father. Even stranger, each of the party members saw them as lost loved ones of their own. What finally broke the illusion was that all of the undead looked like that same favorite loved one. As the specters tried to reach out to hug the party a fight broke out and with focus and determination the party brought it to a swift conclusion. Not even the appearance of some sort of sap ooze monsters joining the fight helped, the party using superior magic to dispatch them all.
Realizing that these were some of the monsters that had been threatening the Humblefolk.Denye led the party onward and upward to the Plaza and her uncle’s house overlooking the ornate fountain. Pushing open the door the Corvum wizard rushed inside, calling for her mother and cousin. Serenya came out of one of the middle level rooms and with a trill of happiness glided down to give her daughter a hug. She had just released Denye when Jena came up behind to lift her cousin and squeeze her tightly and weeping into her feathers. Between sobs Jena explained that Uncle Lewin had been attacked by one of the specters. He was still alive, but had aged greatly as well as losing his mind.
Denye introduced her friends, particularly Janora and the witch took charge asking to see the patient. Jena led the group over to Lewin’s bed chamber. Aunt Kithery was sitting at the side of her husband’s bed, but she looked up in surprise as everyone trooped in. Uncle Lewin had changed greatly. His antlers had fallen out and most of his short fur had turned gray, but it was the empty way he stared at the ceiling that was most disturbing. Both Denye and Janora examined him magically as well as physically. Denye’s magic wasn’t of the right kind, but Janora worked out that with a Greater Restoration she could reverse one of the conditions. Unfortunately the spell would also likely make the other condition resistant to magical remedy. Kithery was adamant that returning his mind was more important. There were only two problems; first, the witch didn’t have the diamond dust needed for the spell and she did not have it prepared. The second was easily fixed in the morning and Lewin appeared to be stable so a few more hours were of little consequence. The diamonds were the bigger issue. The party discussed trying to find a jeweler but Kithery surprised everyone by going to her dressing table and pulling out an ornate necklace. Bringing it over she offered it up for the diamonds it contained, which Ell promised he could remove the diamonds without damaging the rest of the piece.
With the immediate concern for her uncle, Denye wanted to know more about what was happening to the Tree and why the Canopy Council wasn’t doing anything about it. Jena and Serenya weren’t able to answer all of the questions and still worried Denye suggested a quick trip up to the Dawnmother’s Aerie and to the Council House. Janora wanted to stay with Lewin, but Ell and Jilken agreed to take a walk with Denye.
