Session 20 - Into the Woods

General Summary

39th of Planting - Cont.

Having uncovered the properties of the strange ring given to the party by Eskarina Price, the party began discussing all that they had learned, including the ring's properties and the strange prophecy that Esk had recited.

Not wanting to waste the afternoon light, Ell suggested that the party examine the statue in the park, thinking that it might be the 'heart of Foxhall' that was mentioned. Stepping out of the library, it was only a few more to the stone statue. The statue was of an elven man in a long frock coat with wide lapels and a large tri-cornered hat, staring out towards the docks.

No nameplate or other inscription adorned either statue or plinth. Janora tried to recall the story of the statue, but apart from being one of the founders and a ship captain, they couldn't remember any more details. Denye began examining it for hidden levers or secret compartments but there didn't seem to be much to it other than the worn carving that showed the ravages of the elements.

Discussing the prophecy and trying to make sense of the individuals described, Denye suggested that 'story-keepers its dark provenance trace' could have something to do with the library. Ell asked if Janora had shown Panna the prophecy. Shaking their head, the witch suggested they try that, and putting action to words turned back toward the library.

Panna was gracious as always when the party trooped in. Handing a small folded paper with a wax seal to Janora, "I found your letter. It's a couple of weeks old, but we weren't sure where to send it on to. But was there something you forgot? Or some other question that you had."

Janora smiled, "Yes, actually. I showed you the ouroboros ring earlier, but there was a prophecy that came with it. Like most prophecies, it's vague to the point of uselessness. I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on it. If it helps, we got that from the same person who gave us the ring."

As the dark-haired elf read Denye's transcription, all the life seemed to drain out her and eyes became shadowed. For several long moments, she said nothing but eventually let out a low sigh and said, "Yes. that would make sense. If you have the key, then you are the Chosen."

Janora asked, "Chosen to do what?"

"Chosen by WHOM?" added Ell at practically the same time.

Panna swept her gaze around the room before rubbing a hand across her face and muttering, "Why isn't Dara here?" Locking eyes with Ell, she said "Presumably by whoever gave you the ring. But the rest is a long story. Let's make ourselves comfortable and I'll tell you what I can."

Leading the party upstairs to her quarters, Panna directed everyone to two large couches arranged in front of a stone fireplace. Logs were stacked on the grate, ready for tonight, but were not yet lit. As the party made themselves comfortable, Panna offered tea and pastries.

Janora just shook her head and taking Panna's hand, pulled the elf down next to them. "We don't need tea or anything to eat. Now tell me what is going on. We've been friends forever and whatever this is is clearly making you upset."

Panna gave a shaky laugh. "Not quite forever, but that is as good a place as any to start." Giving Janora's hand a squeeze she pulled it away and smoothed her gown. "I would have told you at least part of this eventually, but you've had your hands full with Bay Moon and then you left to look for answers." Turning to face the group more generally she began, "My sister and I are not exactly what we appear to be. The three of us first came to this town, or more precisely the town that used to be here, two days before the explosion that became known as the Cataclysm."

Janora looked nonplussed but asked, "Wait, THE Cataclysm?"

"And by three, I assume you mean Zardok?" sneered Ell.

That actually produced a silvery laugh from Panna, "Yes, THE Cataclysm. And no, I do not refer to the old gnome. He is a Truwater and has his own secrets. The third was Kylara, brother to Dana and myself. We had been sent by what remained of the fey resistance to try to learn how Kelveren had subverted Pancorin's curse on the loup-garou. This town was the closest we got to Fang Keep."

"When the explosion happened and all hell broke loose we did the only thing we could think of. You have to understand, while each of us had some power, together our triad was capable of challenging many of the major archfey. We put most of the town to sleep and shifted the entire place into a space between the Feywild and this plane. We didn't want to take them all the way through, there were some of Kelveren's troops among those we held. Perhaps not the most elegant solution, but let me tell you, having a sun suddenly spring up next to you while being lashed by storms magical and material isn't conducive to extended planning. Perhaps if we had know more about this area we would have tried something else...or just ran ourselves."

"What do you mean?" asked Janora. "What's special about this area?"

Panna sighed again before replying. "Only that it connects to a particularly nasty place in the Wild. A forest that has been corrupted by an overwhelming need for growth that seeks to choke out all other life. Which is another reason that I'm glad we held the village between the gates."

Jilken, who had been silent for much of this conversation, called out in a sing-song voice, "Bet a gold piece it's one of those trees."

Now it was Janora's turn to sigh, "I really hope not. But Panna, what does this have to do with this prophecy. What is it we're supposedly chosen to do?"

Panna smiled wanly, "I'm getting there. This spell that we cast required anchors on both sides. Kylara, he was always the strongest you know, took the Wild side on his own while Dara and I held this side. And we did it too...held it until the major explosion had burned itself out. We were just about to return, when disaster struck. Kylara had been too focused on the spell and hadn't noticed several large clusters of vines that had moved towards him. We lost sight of him when the spell rebounded and pushed us, village and all, back to the Material Plane. Unfortunately, that also seems to have had some consequences and left my sister and I cursed."

That got Denye's attention, "A curse? Maybe I can help you break it. I know quite a bit about curses."

Panna smiled, "You are welcome to try my friend. I have spent many years on it, but am no closer to a solution. I say it is a curse, but it is a bit more complicated. The unstable magics released in the storm, combined with the spell backlash, more or less fused Dara and my souls into the weave of this area."

Denye deflated slightly, her eyes blinking rapidly, "Well that sound more like some serious post-doc research. I'm only a sophomore, but give me a few years and I might be able to do something about it."

Panna chuckle, "Well, I'm not going anywhere. But you want to know about the ring. The portal is still here as well and fluxes about every 50-70 years. The first time it happen and Kylara stepped through I was so happy. I thought he had returned to us...then I saw his face. The eyes were just...dead, glassy. It broke my heart to do it, but my sister and I pushed him back through and the portal sealed itself shut." Panna just broke down crying at that point for several moments.

Jilken broke the silence and asked, "Was his armor covered in bark and vines?"

Panna nodded, wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, and pulling herself together picked up her tale, "Yes...and by the second time there were more. He had grown more powerful and attacked us. He almost killed Dara. Luckily there were a group of clerics and druids who were in town. They were able to drive him back, kill him, and seal the rift. That worked for a while. It was almost 100 years before he appeared again. And another group of friends showed up with the ring and drove him back."

"But why all the secrecy," asked Janora, "why couldn't you just tell me about this."

"That was Dara's idea," said Panna shaking her head. "We told the second group everything. And only one made it out alive. None of the next group survived, although the gate did close. After that Dara suggested that we only tell part of it...as a local legend."

Ell asked, "What legend? No one said anything about a legend?"

Panna growled, "She should have told about it. Either she's getting lazy or she didn't recognize you as the away party."

"Let me get this straight," Ell said holding up a hand, "Your solution to the problem has been to wait for unsuspecting folks to get dragged in to deal with it. And we're just the latest victims."

The elf winced, "That is perhaps one way to look at it. But as I told your birdkin friend, I have spent much time researching this gate and I have yet to find another effective solution. So yes, I am asking you to go kill my brother...or what is left of his body."

Janora sat back with a whomp, "Well why couldn't you have just led with that?"

Denye preened a feather or two in thought before suggesting, "We should do this. It will not be a permanent solution, but it will buy us time to find a way to actually stop this. At the very least we should try do something about his soul."

The party discussed various ways of dealing with the corrupted forest. Jilken and Ell were in favor of burning the whole thing to the ground, but Janora found that highly unlikely to work. Panna sat quietly listening to them until Ell turned suddenly and asked, "How many people has your brother killed?"

"I...I don't know," was the shocked reply.

Ell pressed, "Don't know or don't care? Are you okay with him going on the occasional rampage?"

Panna stirred angrily, "I do not know because I can not watch him, young lord. I can not sense the portal when it opens and it's never in the same place. With that in mind, the chances of me catching a glimpse of him are slim. To my knowledge, he has never gone on a full rampage. Usually about the time he's moving up to mid-sized animals, a group shows up with the ring. Speaking of which who gave it to you? It disappeared after the last time and we lost track of it."

"A mysterious half-elven woman," answered Janora cautiously, "She said her name was Eskarina Price. At the name, Panna let out a deep, angry growl. Confused, Janora said, "Okay, you need to explain that reaction."

Panna's whole posture had changed, sitting up rigidly, face red. In a not quite shout she said, "I'll tell you what that person has done...she stole a BOOOK! Sure, she said she was only borrowing it, but that implies that you give it back. It's been 200 years!"

"Well, I expect we shall be seeing her again," Janora said soothingly. "We'll be sure to pass on your frustrations.

Muttering, "Tell her to bring back the damn book," Panna deflated. "But to your earlier question of why you four, I can't say. I have never understood who gets chosen, but every team has managed to seal him away again...most have survived. If Eskarina gave you the ring, she must of had her reasons."

Denye gave a derisive caw, "This just seems like a shoddy way to do things. If there is a curse we should be working on lifting it, not just meekly doing our job to patch things."

Janora nodded, "I would agree with you, but I think we may need to deal with the immediate problem. After all, if we do only bind this knight for now. There isn't a reason we can't come back later while he's quiesient."

"That's not a bad idea," added Ell. Turning to Janora, he went asked "Say, while we were out did you happen to show Panna our other artifact?"

"I did not," Janora admitted. Pulling the leather wrapped bell out of their bag, they handed it to Panna saying, "We recently got a bit more information about this from your book-stealing nemesis. Do you know anything you'd like to share?"

Taking the bell, Panna sucked in her breath, "Long has it been since I have seen one of the Shiners. Perhaps if you wield this sort of power, it might be possible to do something to the binds here." Looking up at Janora she asked, "Tell me, is this the only bell you carry? Have you found any of the others?"

At Janora's headshake. "Pity, Redanar or Avreil would be particularly useful. There isn't much that I know of them, my people weren't really involved in that conflict. They are spotted here and again, but never together. I haven't heard of one popping up for several hundred years at least."

"It was worth asking," said Janora, taking the bell back and slipping it into their pack. Surveying their friends, the witch said, "I think we are just about out of questions. Is there anything else we need to know?"

Panna thought for a moment before replying, "Two important things about the Barren Fortress. You will find your healing magics twice as effective. But the longer you stay, the more of your life force the forest will drain away."

"Lovely," said Janora getting to their feet. "That sounds like a problem for tomorrow. I think it's time to get some dinner and turn in." Leaving the library with plans to meet Panna at the blacksmith in the morning, the team headed back to the Glittering Cup for a restful night.

40th of Planting

The morning dawned overcast and cold breeze swept in from the lake. After fortifying themselves with a good breakfast, the party headed down to the alley behind the blacksmith where they found both Panna and Dara waiting for them. Panna had already drawn her magical circle and after confirming that the party was ready to go, she took Dara's hand and they stepped into the center. Holding up their hands, green/yellow energy quickly began forming in the space between. As Panna chanted, the light became brighter and brighter, until with a final shout, both elves thrust their hands down, sending the energies into the circle.

The magic energy spiralled outward until every sigil glowed with green fire and with an other flash, the magic broke the circle and quickly the brick wall of the blacksmith and sank into the rock. As the spell dissipated, a large 8 ft circle of opaque, milky-white light took it's place.

Jilken was the first to step forward, muttering, "Might as well get this over with." Putting a hand out before her, the Aiel attempted to pass through, but the barrier resisted. Not a wall of impenetrable force, more like the surface tension on water, it flowed around her fingers but did not break. Turning to look over her shoulder at the others, Jilken asked, "Anybody got ideas?"

A few minutes of discussion and a reminder of the key from an amused Dara, saw the party holding hands, with Janora at the front, holding the ring out. They approached the gate and Janora gingerly touched the ouroboros ring to the portal. Nothing happened.

Glancing over at Panna, the witch cocked an eyebrow and asked, "What are we doing wrong?"

"You have to empower the ring first," Panna replied, "As the instructions said it must be tossed from hand to hand among the party." Stepped back, the four adventurers tossed the small ring around the circle and this time when Janora caught it, the artifact was warm and slightly vibrating. Taking hands once more the team repeated their eariler steps. This time when the ring touched the portal, there was another flash and the party found themselves standing in a small three walled stone room.

Where the forth wall should have been was only a sharp cliff edge, with a 4ft copper ring floating in the air. Stepping forward revealed a drop of several hundred feet to the dense forest below. It was also quite evident that they stood at the point of a large mesa, itself crowded with twisting trees and dense underbrush.

In an attempt to get a look at what was ahead, Denye cast fly on herself. Janora also summoned up a giant crow and joined the wizard in the air. While it seemed they could go as high as they wanted to, neither was able to get outside of the box outlined by the room below. What they were able to see were several large clearings further along, but the verdant foliage made it difficult to see much else.

Coming back to land, they share their discoveries and Ell pointed at the gate in one wall, "I guess we're supposed to go through there." The rest turned to examine the gate; a simple bronze doorframe set into the wall. A semi-translucent curtain of power blocked passage through however. Ell asked, "Should we try the ring again."

Tossing it around to empower it, Janora moved up to the gate and touched the ring to the shimmering barrier. There was a brief flash of light and the ring discharged, but the barrier remained.

"The cypher did say to throw it, maybe that's why it didn't work," Jilken suggested. The four quickly completed another circuit and Janora hurled it at the gate. The ring hit dead center and stuck. There was another flash and the ring dropped to the ground, but still the way was closed.

Janora picked up the ring and turned to look at Denye, "Any chance you could have a look at this magic and figure out what we're doing wrong?"

Denye's beak cracked open slightly in a bird-smile. "I can take a look. It will take a few minutes but I should be able to learn something at least." With that she began pulling out her spell book along with chalk and other paraphernalia and began casting Detect Magic.

Jilken stepped up to the edge for another look at the forest, trying to catch sight of any movement. Her eye was caught by the hovering ring. Made of the same metal of the doorframe, it even had similar runes and diagrams etched into the surface.

As that realization clicked, Denye's spell kicked in. The magical barrier sang with the rich sounds of abjuration magic. Examining it closer, it was easy to find the disruption in the pattern where the ring had made some impact. It was also clear that more power was needed. Turning to say this to the others, her attention was caught as well by the floating ring. It too rang with abjuration magic, with the same melody as the door.

Jilken started to say, "I think it's this ring" but was cut off by Denye's excited chirp of "The big ring, they are the same magics." Ell was reluctant to throw the ring towards the edge, but eventually agreed. Tossing it around, Janora caught the ring, now vibrating once more, and threw it at the large ring.

As it approached the larger ring, it stopped and began to spin in place, faster and faster until it was only a sparkling orb. A moment later the ring shot back toward Janora who caught it deftly. Now the ring not only vibrated, it glowed with a golden light. Throwing it at the gate once more, the ring stuck, light flashed....and the curtain of power was gone.

Picking up the ring, Janora slipped it into a pocket and looked through. A thick dark forest lay on the other side. A thin path led away from the gate for 20-30ft before bending out of sight. Leading the way, Janora was the first to truly enter the Barren Forest.

Only dim light filtered through the twisted branches overhead, the air thick with humidity and the smell of rotting plant material. Large ferns competed with brambles and twisting vines in the underbrush. What was most disturbing about the forest however was the complete lack of sound, no small forest denizens crawled through the underbrush or called from tree branch. Strange stone obelisks stood scattered among the trees, unmarked by any carvings or inscriptions.

The path continued for a bit before splitting off into several paths going in different directions. Choosing one Janora, led the party deeper into the forest. After about twenty minutes for moving through the still forest they eventually came upon a large stone tablet stuck in the ground at a Y intersection. The tablet had two arrows pointing in either direction, but no indication of what lay in either direction.

Stopping for a moment, Janora said, "I'm pretty sure this is where that woman told us to 'turn left.' From what we saw, there is a clearing in that direction with a lot of red flowers. We should probably take care of the threat first."

The others agreed and took the right hand path. Another five minutes or so found the party in a largish clearing. At one end floated another ring, similar to the one where they first arrived. Positioned at the other end of the clearing was another copper ring, this one much larger and half buried in the ground so it formed an arch.

Examining this arch revealed three large glyphs that shone with a sickly blackish grey light. As before the party quickly empowered the ring and threw it at the floating ring to charge it. Janora turned and threw it at the gate. It hit the center and with a sizzle the left glyph went out, and green energy flowed into the etchings on that side.

Janora went to retrieve the ring, but as they did so two large, purple mushroom like creatures with waving tendrils pushed out of the underbrush. As did a tall thin humanoid with a mushroom head. The creatures quickly attacked and the party defended themselves well, bringing all three down in only seconds.

Ell grunted, "What are the chances that won't happen again?"

Denye let out a little moan, "Not good."

Jilken only smiled, "Next time we won't be surprised. We should stand back to back."

Empowering and charging the ring once more, the team took their positions and Janora tossed the ouroboros ring at the gate, causing the right glyph to sizzle out. This time it was two vine blights and another myconid that attacked.

Again the party powered through the enemies and disrupted the gate a third time, completing the arch. A green portal formed, just as two large piles of vines and leaves shuffled out and attacked. Putting them down quickly, Ell suggested that they should empower and charge the ring again so that it was ready. That accomplished, Jilken let the way through the gate.

This clearing was much larger and offered a splendid view of the forest floor far below the mesa. Near the edge was a rough hewn stone altar. A large chest rested on the altar, covered in vines. In front of the altar as if praying was the party's quarry, the overgrown knight.

He still had a humanoid shape and what looked like armor, but everything was covered in moss, bark, and leaves. No sign of intelligence was visible behind the dark helmet and the creature moved like an automaton. As he rose to his feet, he pulled his sword and rushed at Janora who quickly jumped their giant bird and flew out of reach.

Frustrated, the knight swung at Ell and Jilken. The elf dodged both blows with ease, but Ell wasn't quite fast enough and got a long cut down one leg. With an angry mutter, he cast Hellish Rebuke at the fiend who managed to dance back out of the worst of the flames. Jilken pulled out her lightning spear and responded with two swift jabs, both of which found weak points in the armor.

Janora attempted to cast Hideous Laughter at the knight, but he didn't seem to find her jokes amusing. When that failed, the witch directed the giant crow to attack. Ell fired off two Eldritch Blasts. The first went wide, but the second hit square in its chest. As the knight went flying Jilken got another jab in with her spear, causing even more foliage to crisp and blacken.

Denye flapped her wings and with a quick, "I'm sorry" sent two of her small meteors at the knight. He avoided one, but the other struck him in the shoulder. Seeing the metal armor, the Corva wizard cast Shatter and a large bell sound rang out, shaking more of the bark and moss free from the knight.

The knight rushed at Jilken and swung several times. The nimble elf managed to dance out of the way of the first blow and deflected the third. The second swing however connected, sending a lance of pain down Jilken's arm. In response she jammed the point of her spear between the helmet and the chestplate. Pulling back the elf attempted to do it again, but the knight parried the blow.

Janora sent the giant crow diving at the knight and threw the ouroboros ring at it's back. As the ring struck  the knight stiffened before shaking convulsively as the ring discharged through its body before it flew back to Janora's hand.  

Ell called to Janora, "Toss the ring" before sending two more Eldritch Blasts at the monster and snatching the ring out of the air as the witch complied. The first blast went wide, but the second hit, knocking the overgrown knight back towards Denye. Ell tossed the ring to Denye as well. The wizard caught it and responded to the nearby knight by casting Thunderwave and pushing it back. Running back toward the others Denye tossed the ring to Jilken before hiding behind the Aiel elf.

The knight charged after the bird wizard, but swung at Jilken when Denye hid. The first blow, a wicked over hand strike caught the elf along the collarbone. Jilken tossed the ring back up to Janora as she jabbed at the creature with the shock spear. It went wide. Taking a moment to focus she waited for an opportunity and drove the sparking head of the spear up under the helmet into the head. The knight confused again as the lighting spread over its body and dropped to the ground unmoving.

For a breath or two nothing happened but then vines covering the altar pulled into the ground revealing the chest. Almost at the same time vines burst out of the ground around the fallen knight, covering the body and pulling it beneath the soil.

Landing, Janora threw the ring at the floating ring to charge it once more and walked up to the chest. Examining the closed box, they turned to the others and asked, "What do you think, should we open it?"

"I never could leave a chest unopened," said Ell with a grin. Jilken nodded in agreement. Turning back to the box, holding the charged ring in one hand, Janora pushed open the box. Inside were a number of treasures including a gold statue, a 3ft length of thin chain made of a black metal with red and purple veins, and a rod made from an alloy of iron and gold.

Gathering everything into a bag, Janora threw it over their shoulder and said, "Let's get out of here before something else tries to kill us." 

"Agreed," said Ell, "We should stop and get the flowers for Eskarina."

Janora frowned at the reminder, but nodded, "We'll be quick about it. Maybe we'll get lucky and won't have to fight anything."

Heading back through the gate to the circular clearing, it was already clear that the mood of the forest had changed. The shadows that were mysterious and eerie before were now threatening and angry. Rushing down the path, the party took the turn toward the flower glade. This path was short and minute or two later, they found an open clearing almost completely full of blood-red flowers.  

At the far end of the clearing stood a large oak tree. Leaning back against the trunk was a person, some 10ft tall. At first she was difficult to spot, her skin being the same mottled brown as the tree trunk. As the party appeared however, she stirred and opened her eyes. Sitting up, she was quite surprised to have visitors, "Why, who are you and how did you come to this cursed place?"

Jilken bowed and introduced herself while Janora rubbed the bridge of their nose. With a sigh, the witch said, "I have many names depending on who I'm speaking with. For the moment, lets just say we are travelers who were sent here to deal with a baleful force that was trying to push into our world."

"Ah, so the knight sleeps once more," the dryad smiled. "I am Dardana, please you must have tea with me."

Janora shook their head and replied, "While that sounds lovely, I'm afraid my companions and I aren't very thirsty right now. We did have a secondary task that you might be able help with. May we take one of your beautiful flowers?"

"Oh I don't know if I could allow that," said Dardana, "the forest would be so angry with me." The dryad stared at Janora for a long moment, before asking, "Would you happen to be related to Nero Crowcaller?"

"Crowcaller is one of my names," agreed Janora, a little confused by the non sequitur. "How do you come to know that name?"

Dardana leaned forward, "She came through here ages ago. Yes, you have the same eyes....and the same impatience. She left something here, she said a descendant would need it in time. Perhaps you are who this has been waiting for." Leaning back around the tree, she pulled out a medium sized bundle wrapped in a grey wolf hide and handed it to the surprised half-elf. Leaning back she gave a small shudder and said, "Please don't open it here...once was enough."

"My thanks for holding this all these years....and the flower?" At the dryad's frown, Janora went on, "I don't ask this for myself, we were requested to gather a blossom by the person who sent us here."

Daradana worried her lip before sighing, "I suppose it will not hurt to let you take one flower."

With a sigh of relief, Janora bent and plucked a single blossom. "My thanks lady, for your gifts and your time."

In response, Dardana lifted a hand in farewell, "Go swiftly before the forest takes you."

With that warning nipping at their heels, the party headed for the gate home. No longer just threating, the foliage attempted to grab onto the party members as paths closed off behind them. Racing for the exit, the team didn't even stop when they got to tthe forecourt, they just stumbled through the portal.

Appearing once more behind the blacksmith's shop, the four adventurers stumbled to a halt, leaning on a wall, or in Jilken's case, flat on the ground. As the last member exited, the portal closed behind them with a soft pop. 

Just as everyone caught their breath, Ollie, the young blacksmith apprentice burst through the back door. "You're back, you're back! Did you....did you kill it?"

Janora looked confused, "Wait, you knew where we went?"

The young boy nodded brightly, "Mistress Panna has told me a little bit. She's been here everyday, both her and her sister to see if you had returned or sent some kind of sign."

Now it was Ell's turn to look confused, "Did you says days plural? Exactly how long were we gone?"

The boy's face scrunched up in thought, "Been five days since the morning Mistress Panna did her magic." That brought general protestations that the party had only been gone for a few hours. 

Janora rubbed the bridge of their nose again before letting out a long sigh. Addressing the boy, they asked "I need to talk to Panna, do you know where she is?"

"Probably at the library," replied Ollie, "she'll be so happy to see you." With that he dashed off in the direction of the square. The team followed, a bit slower and with less enthusiasm.

Report Date

26 Mar 2021