”E’m noot sure whet a sketh tree is, boot eef et ets eenteeligent people, et needs to be poot doon.”
Colwyn offers a polite bow to the dryad when invited over. He's heard stories of some sort of "fey court," and while he has barely an inkling what that means, he won't risk having word spread that he has no manners.
"Killing a tree? Ha! It seems Corax was bothering the wrong fey!" Colwyn says with a boisterous laugh.
However, the rest of Zelera's words soon sink in.
"Wait a moment...pardon me, Miss Zelera," he asks, scrunching his shoulders in uncertainty, "but did you say this tree is killing and devouring things?"
With just a slight nod, perhaps accompanied by an impish smile, Zelera leaves Colwyn with a frightful shudder. He turns to his magister for confirmation.
"There are trees...that eat people?" he asks Niadroub, hoping for some assurance to the contrary. He groans and shudders again. "Well, let's just be damned sure not to blight Miss Melianse with any such monstrosities when we replace her trees."
"Nevertheless, we dispatched a whole lumbering gang of trolls. I doubt a single tree will be a challenge for us, no matter how hungry it may be!" he declares, then turns back to Tiressia. "It would be a privilege to help protect your grove. Just point us in the right direction!"
With hands upon his hips, Colwyn punctuates his offer with his best confident pose, hoping perhaps this fey friend might speak favorably of him to Miss Melianse.
Richard answered Colwyn's question. "More than one, since she's being literal about the devouring part I believe that rules out some. Assasin vines strange like a constrictor snake before dumping the corpse at their roots. Tendriculus would be closer, their a chimerical creature with elements of animal, fungus and plant and they do consume foes but it doesn't match the description... and I'd expect a Dryad to be able to talk one into an arrangement. This is a more potent creature than I know about with any reliability."
"We should engage it at range as long as we can. I have a few daggers you can use Isaac... I'm sure it will start closing in as soon as it can. On the plus side a creature of it's size should be easy to track- I hope."
"Thank you Richard, they should help keep me out of trouble for now."
He turns to face Tiressia.
"This place really doesn't seem to want anyone living in it if even it's trees have turned to hunting. I'm sure we can take care of it before it comes here and makes trouble for you, no one should loose their home to unintelligent predators."
"Well, can't say I know much about trees - even less about 'fighting' them," Colwyn says, offering what glimmer of insight he may. "I doubt arrows will be much use, 'less of course we set them alight.
"Speaking of which, I have a couple flasks of that alchemist's fire with me. I made sure to purchase some from a local snake-oil man, in case we ran afoul of some more trolls. While I wouldn't trust anything that bloke sells to cure gout, I can at least trust him to mix something very flammable."
”Jes mek soor you oonly burn the trees we want burned.”
"Actually I do recall an old tale about a similar creature, might not be the same but as I recall in that tale the creature was indeed quite vulnerable to fire. Arrows and warhammers did little to slow it but cutting weapons like axes and heavier blades did well enough. About as fast as a dwarf but with the long limbs on it's boughs could threaten further than a long spear."
"The one in the tale at least could speak Sylvan but was wicked and treacherous by nature and tried to swallow the dwarven hero Althrax. They have too much concern for themselves to fight to the death but are a bit stubborn so will stay in a fight longer than they should."
Richard licks his lips. "It sounds too big for my tanglefoot bag to affect. If we have a good quantity of lantern oil amongst us maybe we could set the thing ablaze with it and the alchemists fire. Prodigious use of Niadroub's rolling bonfire spell might be useful too. We don't have to destroy it in one encounter if it proves too much of a challenge, it probably doesn't have access to healing magic, if we need to withdraw and come back to finish to job we can."
”Jes mek soor you oonly burn the trees we want burned.”
"Hmm, yes indeed," Colwyn agrees. "We don't want to dig ourselves into a deeper hole and be left needing to replace even more trees. Hopefully this wretched, hungry tree likes to give the more respectable, normal trees a wide berth."
Tiressia tells you that the Scythe tree is hunting to the south. and gives you the location it seems to be lairing in now.
The Satyr emerges warily from the trees, you can see now that he is badly wounded. Tiressia introduces him as Falco, her lover. The pair have been battling the tree for sometime now but have been failing and were on their last legs until you arrived.
Richard will take an alchemist's fire or two and stand up front in the defensive line for when the murderous tree attempts to close with them.
Niadroub Kliip keeps his wand of burning hands in hand when they approach the area the scythe tree is said to be.
Colwyn climbs a tree that he is certain won't try to eat him and conceals himself among the lush foliage. He keeps his two flasks of alchemists' fire handy, as well as his bow. Regardless of how effective it may be, he would still sooner riddle the damned thing's trunk with arrows before getting close to its maw - or whatever passed for such on a tree.
"If only I'd brought some oil to light my arrows," he thinks, sitting upon a sturdy bough.
Isaac positions himself to the forward of the group, taking care to watch and be sure he hasn't wandered past where the others would consider to be safe.
He then cast barkskin and draws the daggers Richard gave him, tossing them in the air to get a feel for how they will throw.
When they reached the area where they were expecting to find the tree Zelera spoke quietly and said, "I have a few spells prepared that might help. I have two castings of one that will make a melee weapon deal a small amount of fire damage when it strikes and one of a spell that will coat it in acid and fire. Beyond that I think we are as prepared as we can be." She began to pray and cast one spell before they moved to their hiding places, "This one will let me keep track of all of you for a few hours and know how badly you are hurt." With her preparations complete Xelera moved to be near those fighting in melee so that she could cast the spell to make their weapons burn when the fighting started.
"Arrows and punches won't be doing much to that thing I think boys and girls" - Reknar grunts as Richard and Colwynn relate what they remember about the creature, then turns to Zelera - "It might be a good idea to boost Colwynn's bow with one of those spells. Or Isaac's fists? Add some punch to them, so to speak?" - he chuckles - "Otherwise I'll take some of that"
Looking around at the group, he adds to Niadroub - "I say we pepper it from afar as much as we can - hammer it with some fire based spells Niadroub? From my end, I've got a nice trick up my sleeve" - he winks.
"And I've got some Alchemist Fire in my pack, if anyone wants to lob it at the thing" - the half-orc finishes - "Play this one by the numbers ladt and gentlemen!"
"hammer it with some fire based spells Niadroub?"
"Oobvioosly," Niadroub Kliip mutters as he scans the tree line for a moving tree.
Colwyn peers through the foliage ensconcing him, and he spends some time in silence studying the scythe tree. The arbor abomination is not hard to distinguish from its neighbors. He does not yet train his bow upon the target, and instead Colwyn waits patiently for it to draw closer before unleashing his first volley.
Zelera shook her head and said, "The spell will only work on melee weapons, not ranged ones and it is very short lasting. It would be better to cast it right before you move in to attack it."
Richard holds position and readies himself to hurl some alchemist's fire at the tree once it comes within thirty feet.
"Will your spell hold on my fists Zelera? I don't think punching wood is going to work very well without a little extra oomph"
Isaac prepares a dagger to throw once the tree approach's within 30.
The tree drifts closer, suddenly stiffening as it gets close enough to detect you. It lashes wildly as Richard's fire splashes against it's trunk, Issac's dagger sinking in deeply next.
What is everyone else doing?
Zelera considered Isaac's fists as he threw his dagger and then said, "Yes, I think it will work Isaac. Hold them out to me." She began her prayer and then touched Isaac's fists with her hand. pale flame wreathed his hands, not harming his flesh, and he was set to start pummeling the tree.
When he spies the scythe tree spying them, Niadroub Kliip forms a flaming sphere right on top of the plant creature. He cackles a little bit when he does so.
Reknar stands his ground, ready to attack if the tree comes close - "Bah, I knew I should have bought that potion that makes you grow to the size of a giant!" - he growls, zapping his wand and conjuring a protective shield - "Keeps attacking it boys and girls!"
The tree lashes even more wildly when Niadroub drops a burning ball on it. It shifts closer, stopping 20' away and lunging at Issac.
The party may now act. Colwyn, you get one attack from previos, and then one this round.
Richard draws and throws his second alchemists fire before starting to edge towards the tree creature. Raising his buckler he calls out to those behind him. "I'd advise you to start backing away if you don't want to try your hand at being a very foolish lumberjack!"
Ref save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 :)
Niadroub Kliip concentrates and has his flaming sphere follow the scythe tree.
And then he ignores Richard's advice and summons a second flaming sphere! He cackles a little bit louder.
As the tree first emerges from its...lair? Glade? Clearing? Colwyn shakes the nomenclature away and simply aims a few quick, opening shots at the deadly tree's broad trunk if only to goad it towards the coming flames.
.....
With the tree now upon them, swinging its branches and bursting into flames, Colwyn wonders whether adding more fire would actually have an effect. He knows nowhere near enough science to hazard a guess, so he simply offers a quick prayer to Erastil as he notches a few more arrows.
"I doubt this thing is sacred to you, considering how it likely gobbles up both elk and hunter alike, so please guide my shots," he mentally implores Old Deadeye.
Isaac dodge's the first branch swinging in his direction before leaping at the tree, electric sparks joining the flames that envelope his hands.
Zelera began her prayer again and said, "Richard hold out your weapon so I can put the spell on it." She was careful not to cast too quickly so that she could change her action if he didn't do it.
With a snarl, Reknar steps forward, and slashes with his bardiche - "Let's get this going then!"
The evil Tree dies as flames, weapons and fists batter it to death.
Treasure:
The scythe tree keeps its most precious treasures buried where it was lairing.
3 pieces of amber worth 100 gp each
A folded up bundle of cloth that appears to be a robe of bones (but
is in fact a robe of vermin).
In addition, 42 cp, 55 sp, 6 gp, and simple silver ring worth 65 gp can be found scattered among the bones in the clearing.
Richard tries to see if he can hack off a sizable branch before it burns. "A shame we had to burn so much, part of it could have been carved into an impressive throne with a tale about it. This part... maybe we could fashion a walking stick. Establishing a sense of tradition could help bolster people's confidence in their leadership."
Once they've checked the area and it's lair Richard feels a lot less concerned, a knot in his stomach going away. "I was worried we'd find more. Time to start allaying the concerns of the fey."
A folded up bundle of cloth that appears to be a robe of bones (but is in fact a robe of vermin).
When the scythe tree falls, Niadroub Kliip cancels his two flaming spheres quickly so they don't burn anything else in the surrounding woods.
Richard tries to see if he can hack off a sizable branch before it burns. "A shame we had to burn so much, part of it could have been carved into an impressive throne with a tale about it."
"'The coorsed throone et would be kelled. The esh might be good reeagents, thoo."
Colwyn picks up one of the amber chunks, holds it up to the light, and turns it about to examine it.
"Voracious and avaricious? Tsk tsk," Colwyn sarcastically chides the smoldering husk of the scythe tree. "Then again, amber is just hardened sap, right? For all I know, these could be the wooden beast's ear wax," he jokes.
This observation doesn't stop Colwyn from pocketing the amber for safekeeping.
"Let's give this thing's grove a once over, make sure it hasn't left any saplings that'll grow and menace us or our fey friends again. Then we can go deliver the good news to Lady Tiressia."
Tiressia and her lover Falcos are overjoyed at your news, thanking you with great sincerity.
She gives you the promised rewards happily.
Reward:
Goodberries (5),
Potion of cure moderate wounds (2),
Scroll of summon nature’s ally II,
Wand of cure light wounds (26 charges),
6 feather tokens (tree).
In addition, since you gave her and Falcos your aid without any argument she promises to aid in guarding the Narlmarches and keep them updated about threats within its borders.
This grants a +2 bonus to your nation’s Stability.
Where to now?
Richard thanks Tiressia for letting them know about the threat before it could do any more harm. Being forewarned of the creature certainly helped preparations to banish it.
"Let's return with these mystical tokens to Melianse lest she think we have forgotten our arrangement. After that, perhaps exploring some of the woods to the south before returning to civilization?"
With the death of the tree Zelera felt a wash of relief. She'd worried the fight would be more difficult than it was but, given their for knowledge, it had turned out alright. She took a few pieces of the dead tree creature thinking they might be of use at some point, some short branches that weren't burned and some leaves, and stored them away for later consideration. When they looked through the loot she saw the wand and realized that keeping these guys alive just got easier. She looked to Reknar and asked, "Which of us should hold onto this?" she pointed to the wand, "We should both be able to use ti easily enough."
When they returned to the dryad's grove Zelera was happy to see the look on Tiressoa's and Falco's faces at the news. "I'm glad we could help the two of you." She looked more closely at the pair and asked, "I'm afraid I was remiss in asking, are either of you in need of healing after your encounters with the scythetree? I have more than enough prayers left to heal you both."
Before leaving the grove Zelera stepped aside with the two denizens of the woods.
"Let's return with these mystical tokens to Melianse lest she think we have forgotten our arrangement. After that, perhaps exploring some of the woods to the south before returning to civilization?"
"Agreed Richard" - Reknar mods and chuckles - "Love being in the air and all" - he adds with a prod at Colwyn.
With the death of the tree Zelera felt a wash of relief. She'd worried the fight would be more difficult than it was but, given their for knowledge, it had turned out alright. She took a few pieces of the dead tree creature thinking they might be of use at some point, some short branches that weren't burned and some leaves, and stored them away for later consideration. When they looked through the loot she saw the wand and realized that keeping these guys alive just got easier. She looked to Reknar and asked, "Which of us should hold onto this?" she pointed to the wand, "We should both be able to use ti easily enough."
"In a pinch, I once learned I can muster some minor healing magic" - the half-orc shrugs - "Don't ask me how because I don't know, I just can" - he explains - "So you keep the wand. You're definitely much more inclined towards healing others than myself, don't think I have a shred of the divine in me" - then laughs out loud - "And if really needed, I can just grab it from your pack?"
Looking around at the rest of the stuff, he adds - "I would like to keep one of those pots though, and definitely taste a couple of those berries - they gotta be amazing!"
Colwyn accepts the feather tokens with a gracious albeit nervous bow, inching away from the dryad and satyr. He was raised upon his father's stories of such beings stealing away children or slaughtering hunters to fertilize their trees, so to entreat so pleasantly with the duo - well, it is a jarring experience to say the least.
He leaves Zelera to speak as envoy with Tiressia and Falcos, as she is obviously more at ease with the fey. He also leaves his companions to sort out the other gifts, both to avoid appearing greedy in the eyes of the fey and to give himself a moment to sort his thoughts. So engrossed is he that he does not even register Reknar's jab.
He trembles. They would be returning to Miss Melianse now, and he couldn't entirely rule out that Zelera was having a spot of fun on him.
"After all, making a fool out of me is no challenge," Colwyn thinks to himself. "Well, I never would've entertained the idea of becoming a ruler, either. Clearly, stranger things have happened."
A cautious smile germinates upon his face.
Melianse is delighted to see you all again, and even more delighted when you show her the Feather tokens.
Reward:
Melianse gladly agrees to keep an eye out along the Greenbelt’s rivers for any trouble or rumors of danger, increasing the PCs’ national Stability by 2.
Even as she darts about selecting the ideal sites for her new trees she keeps throwing Colwyn inviting looks.
What are you doing now?
Zelera knew that Colwyn was unsure of what she had told him about Melianse and her interest in him. It was one of the downsides of being a prankster, no one could quite believe you when you told them the truth. That was alright though, she could manage that, and she did see that he seemed to need a push. While she very much wanted to take that swim she didn't get earlier Zelera knew that, if things went the way that Melianse wanted, they should give Colwyn and her some privacy. She didn't figure that Melianse cared about such things, fey generally didn't, but she figured Colwyn did. It was some prudish thing that humans had about such things.
While Melianse was looking for good places for her new trees Zelera went around to the others, when Colwyn wasn't looking, and said to each, "Let's give them a bit of privacy, I know Melianse won't care if we were to watch but I think Colwyn might like to be alone with her for a bit." To any who expressed concern at leaving him alone with the fey woman Zelera simply said, "She very much fancies him and won't hurt him. You have my word." She tried to get them out away from the grove a short distance to begin to set up camp.
Niadroub Kliip agrees to move on. He doesn't snicker or give Colwyn a hard time, but his thoughts turn towards the Old Beldame.