Nagbur frowns. These men seem exceptionally stupid, even for longshanks. Suspecting another trap of some sort, he remains quietly hidden in the bushes, listening.
"Could you bring us to your camp?" Ama asks the men, not looking away from the mushrooms.
One of them looks a bit ashamed and the other one scratches his head looking away. The one in the bush answers the question.
"We eh... yes eh... are actually kind of... might be sort of... lost"
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Fish shrugs, "Well stopping robbing. Or maybe lose more then weapons next time." Fish leads the way in the direction Ama was going.
"Bye! Be nice next time!" Ama says and continues to walk down the path.
The group continues on its path and leaves the thieves behind. After a mile or so you encounter another crossing. A small path branches off to the right of the main path, further up the road you see that the road also has a right turn.
Ama takes the first right and continues to follow the branch path.
Almalik shakes his head at the idiots behind him.
"I'm concerned about that," he says as he follows Ama along. "That fey creature said things are not what they seem here. They could have been a test of some sort. Still, maybe we passed because they were unbelievably stupid."
Almalik produces his wand of mage armour and casts the enchantment on himself. "Can never be too sure..."
You take the path right whilst Almalik is being philosophical about the whole magical forest. As you walk along the path you get the feeling that the forest closes around you. The air feels supressed and you start to feel uncomfortable. After some time you find yourself in a small clearing, where the path ends. Turning around reveals that the path behind you is also gone.
You hear the rustling of leaves and branches coming from ahead of you. Followed by a low creaking voice.
”Who enters my domain?”
Once the party begins moving away from the men, Nagbur cautiously exits the underbrush. Falling in at the back of the group, he follows along, quietly contemplating.
"I'm concerned about that," he says as he follows Ama along. "That fey creature said things are not what they seem here. They could have been a test of some sort. Still, maybe we passed because they were unbelievably stupid."
Nagbur nods. "Much strange, something not right. Maybe they unbelievable smart and we fail test, not even know."
"Who enters my domain?"
The little vitalist cringes. "Yep. We failed."
Almalik glares about himself belligerently as the forest closes in, changes, and erases their at behind them. He starts at the voice as it creaks out.
"My name is Almalik Fezana, my companions and I come to your domain by chance and would happily seek the way out. The forest lead us here. Our intentions are peaceful provided yours are as well," he says politely.
The creaking and rustling sounds are coming closer.
"Everyone knows... No chance... You took the path, you chose it. I don't force anyone here."
The old creaking voice says. The whole forest around you seems to come to life. All the trees, bushes and plants seem to move and make sounds.
A living tree steps out of the trees in front of you and everything seems to die down again.
"Why are you here? What do you seek?"
It emphasises the last words with distrust, his eyes narrowing on Almalik.
"Way out all Fish want. No here for magic or shinies." The Kobold says while keeping his sword lowered.
Almalik groans, his already thin temper fraying that much more.
"You don't force anyone here? The only voluntary choice I have made today was to follow those damnable dwarves. The 'choice' we were presented with was arbitrary and made without information or knowledge of risk. We are here against our will and wish to leave. That is what we seek. Are you going to help us or hinder us?"
"I'm concerned about that," he says as he follows Ama along. "That fey creature said things are not what they seem here. They could have been a test of some sort. Still, maybe we passed because they were unbelievably stupid."
Ama grins, knowing very well that fey creatures aren't always what they seem to be.
"We also seek a hammer," Ama says to the tree. "The dwarves asked us to find their hammer for them, then disappeared in between the trees."
Even with the others feeling out of place Ama feels perfectly comfortable. All the weirdness fits within Ama's own way of thinking.
"Things flow as they do. We shall find the time to do things right," Ama muses.
Nagbur nods at what everyone else says. "We be eating, dwarves bang on door, conk Nagbur on noggin, yell about somebody take much important hammer. We just come to help. Then we get to sign say 'Too Late!' and we all alone in forest. Not know where dwarves be. Or way out. Way out."
The tree's eyes narrow even further on Almalik.
"You walk a thin line small here human"
He waits till everyone has spoken out.
"I know nothing of a hammer. But you have the right of things little creature. Nothing is what it seems and time flows as it wills."
The tree turns around and walks back into the forest. The path behind you opens up again and you are free to leave.
"He's a nice person," Ama states as she moves back onto the path the party was on earlier, and continues to follow it.
"Almalik, what's for dinner tonight?"
You return to the path and take a right followed by another right. After walking for quite a bit again you find yourself at another T junction. You can continue on this path or take a left. Through the dense trees you are able to see a tower top to the north-west.
Standing on the cross road you suddenly hear a rumbling behind you. When you turn around you see a pig-drawn farmer's cart coming towards you with two goblins on top of it. The two are yelling and screaming and seem to have a lot of fun.
Being at the back of the pack as usual puts Nagbur in front when they all turn to see what the noise is about. He grins a grin and says, "Me got this."
Quickly digging through his pack, he retrieves an unopened jar of goblin pickles. Stepping into the middle of the path, he raises both arms -- and, coincidentally, the jar of pickles in one hand and his walking-stick spear in the other -- and calls out.
"Brg grmk mokka-mokka poik krax! Yaya moa frp orn gafp? Brrprr mek fud, yinyin!"
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The Goblins keep charging towards you. One of them starts pointing at Nagbur whilst the other is yelling.
Nagbur frowns and his arms -- though still up -- drop slightly. "Me got this," he reiterates with a bit less certainty this time.
"Noit! Pakka frmp! Brrprr keh meki huh e framp fud!"
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"They won't stop." Ama draws her longbow and shoots an arrow at one of the pigs.
Almalik opens his mouth to speak and then blinks as Ama shoots a pig.
"I hate this place," the spellcaster complains. He watches the insane goblins carefully, waiting to see what happens... after stepping to the side of the trail.
Ama sticks an arrow in one of the pigs and the pig goes crazy. The pig takes a sharp left and the other one follows. The cart almost flips over but last minute the goblins save the cart and straighten it again. The cart disappears into the bushes and trees leaving standing alone on the crossroad again.
Nagbur stands, stock-still, arms still in the air, for several heartbeats. Then he slowly turns to Almalik.
"This no be right. Hammer-crazy dwarves. Longshanks way stupid than A..." he pauses to glance at Ama... "pothole. Ugly talking trees. Now goblins no care about food."
He shakes the jar of disgusting pickled garbage at Amalik for emphasis. "No goblin ignore food!"
Nagbur pauses again as his stomach rumbles.
"What chance be all this no real, just illusion?"
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"The pig should be almost dead, I'm sure I hit it. If we see them again I'll kill it," Ama says casually while putting her longbow on her back. "Maybe that'll tip the cart."
Ama then turns back the way the party was going and continues to walk. After a while she starts humming an unrecognizable song.
Fish nods at Ama's comment adding, "Also dead pig mean bacon." The kobold looks into the trees for any signs of the goblins and there pig.
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The forest begins to mess with your minds more and more. Were you to turn back you would not find your way back to the entrance of the forest again. The walls of trees surrounding you seem to come closer and closer whilst being really far away at the same time. Where you would hear birds and other sounds earlier this part is devoid of the sounds of nature.
You continue on the path, taking a right turn and a left turn to keep on the track. The eerie part of the forest seems to lift after a while again. As you walk on and on in the seemingly endless forest you hear the sounds of music and laughter coming from further down the path.
The sound of music slightly cheers Fish up after his bacon got away from him. "Where there music sometimes food."
Almalik sighs, producing some trail rations and sharing them with Fish and Nagbur.
"I'm half convinced everything we see here is an illusion. We could be unconscious or in a dream. But let's see what lies ahead, shall we?"
Almalik boldly advances towards the sounds of music and laughter.
You slowly make your way to the sound and soon find yourself staring through trees into a clearing. In the clearing you see a lot of highwaymen, dressed like the ones you found earlier, partying. There are about thirty men and woman dancing, drinking and eating. They have not noticed you yet.
"Let's see if these are stupid too," Ama whispers to her comrades.
Ama steps into the clearing and spreads her arms as she raises her voice above the music. "I AM A FOREST GOD! OBEY ME!"
Fish stays hidden in the bushes and shakes his head at Ama's rather unconvincing bluff.
Ama walks through the bushes to reveal herself as a forest god. All 30 highwaymen immediately grow quiet and stare at her. Moments later the forest burst out in an ever louder party than before, ignoring the 'forest god'.
There is a small stage on which several musicians are playing a catchy tune. Several tables are placed in front of the stage and are loaded with food and drink. There doesn't seem to be any tent or house in which the highwaymen would sleep.
It is currently getting dark in the forest although you don't feel tired at all being in such a cheery place. The party feels very inviting after the long day spent walking.
Ama notices her bluff doesn't have the effect she'd hoped for. She then remembers something she heard Vaara say several days ago: never give up. So Ama steps back into the bushes, then back out. She again spreads her arms and raises her voice above the music. "I AM YOUR QUEEN! OBEY ME!"
Just like last time, Ama's ignored. She lets her arms fall back to her sides, steps back into the bushes, steps into the clearing again, and walks to a random table.
"Do you have orange juice?" Ama asks a random person. "I like how it prickles my tongue."
I will not eat or drink anything I did not bring with myself in this strange forest.
Almalik passes by Fish's hiding place as he approaches the highwaymen. "Stay hidden," he whispers as he walks by.
"Apologies for my friend, she is insane," says Almalik in a cheerful enough fashion. He looks around for anyone who even tries to acknowledge his existence. "My name is Almalik Fezana. I seek information about this forest I have come to find myself in. May I join you?"
As Almalik approaches, he scratches his eye absently with his middle finger, the foreigner being completely oblivious about the kinds of hand gestures used in this part of the world.
Everyone ignores Ama with her exclamations, they are obviously too drunk to even pay mind to such behaviour. As she asks for orange juice she gets some beer put in her hands by one of the men.
"Th..Thi..This hash BbBbBbubblss..."
The man adds. Almalik tries to immediately ask him some questions and makes some rude gestures at the man. He looks really confused and seems to have a hard time understanding Almalik's formal speech. He offers another beer to Almalik and adds.
"BbBbBbubblssshhh?"
You seem to have attracted one of the worst drunkards of the group.
Staying hidden in the bushes with Fish, Nagbur looks at his kobold friend while pointing a finger at his own head and twirling it.
With her beer in her hand, regularly sipping it, Ama casually walks around the courtyard. She takes her time to take in every detail, hoping to find something of interest.
This orange juice tastes funny. I didn't know bubbles did that.
Ama notices nothing, she does however have the urge to mingle in the crowd and to dance. Almalik slowly gets the same feeling. Nagbur and Fish seem unaffected by the weird influence.
Nagbur elbows Fish in the ribs and points at the longshanks, then quirks an eyebrow questioningly.
"Nothing here!" Ama says as she dances over to her smaller comrades. "Shall we head on?"
Depsite being attracted by the revelry, Almalik also notices that they seem to not really be reacting to his presence. Cautiously, Almalik backs up to Fish, Nagbur, and Ama.
"I think so, there is temptation here we should ignore. More to the point... I don't understand what's expected of us here. What is the forest trying to do?"
"Normal forest no try 'do' anything," Nagbur says quietly, his attention still on the revelers. "Normal forest just is."
"But this place... this place no be normal. Nagbur not know. Not know."
Almalik and Ama force themselves back, which cost a lot of effort. You continue to the path and give the camp a wide berth. You keep on the track and follow the direction you were heading earlier.
Whilst walking you feel the forest shift around you. You were sure there was a crossroad ahead just mere seconds ago. Now it seems the path heads only left.
You continue on the path and come upon a clearing. A lovely park bench is sitting in the middle of it. You have been at it for a while and could use a relaxing break. You are beginning to feel tired and the day is near its end.
Almalik looks at the bench with some irritation.
"Don't sit down. Everything nice in this godforsaken place is probably poison or meant to capture us until the hall of the fey people where we will revel with them until the end of time. We can rest on the perfectly comfortable rocks if we need to."
Almalik does take a moment to inspect the bench, though, casting detect magic.
"This place getting on Nagbur's nerves," the vitality grumbles, looking around warily.
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The chair has an enchantment aura floating around it. Otherwise Almalik finds nothing of interest in the area.