Semirhage speaks to Edward, "I vow to do find this Aiden Kael, our elf explorer who has travelled the Bryr, and convince him to aid us in locating the Hord. If he is not amenable to reason, we should prepare for coercion of a more forceful nature."
Semirhage asks around for an Elf that matches Thorn's description as well as possible, mentioning her party's aim to explore the Bryr and slay any demons that reside within.
You learn that Kael has a room at “The Wandering Friar” in Newchurch.
When you arrive, the Innkeeper mentions that Kael's claim is becoming close to abandoned.
"The poor sod's overdue thirty gold pieces, he is." He taps the edge of the bar with three fingers as he says this.
"Ah, I see," says Semirhage thoughtfully. "Perhaps I can assist him with his downpayment. I'll be sure to send him back with the rest once I find the man."
Semirhage slides fifteen gold pieces on the bar, with a wink at the Inkeeper.
Semirhage proceeds to Kael's abandoned room. Once there, she searches for any clues he may have left behind.
Once you pay the innkeeper his thirty pieces of gold, he lets you into Kael's room, no questions asked.
Inside the room is Kael’s map to the Horn laying out on a table weighed down by a common dagger. Besides a few worthless personal effects, his emergency funds are also hidden under the mattress in a sackcloth bag (containing 132 gp in mixed coinage).
Mordekai picks up the map and collects the lose change. "And now we have a map, how convenient. Should we set out now or wait for tomorrow?"
Edward meets up with the others after his shopping is done.
"And now we have a map, how convenient. Should we set out now or wait for tomorrow?"
"I am prepared to leave immediately. Shall we be off?"
"So am I, let us depart." Semirhage gathers the few things she has in her pack and consults the map for an ideal route, "Let us go this way," she says, drawing a route with her fingers.
As they set out Mordekai lets Oswald come out of hiding. "Fly around and keep and eye out for trouble my friend but keep close to me." Semirhage seems to know where she is going so they let her lead. Reaver has zero problems with walking behind her, the view is better.
Oswald obeys his master and flies around the heads of the party members keeping watch. Never going more then a foot away from anyone.
The northern Caer Bryr is a temperate rainforest richly blessed with rain fall and broadleaf trees. The trees here are tall and broad. The thick-trunked baobab tree, unusual in such a wet clime, is common here and grows to enormous size. It is not uncommon to see trees hundreds of feet tall with trunks twenty feet across. To walk into the deep Briar is to enter the domain of giants.
Every flat surface is covered with brilliant green moss and lichens in every hue. Mushrooms of a million sorts proliferate and crowd every fallen log. Small animal life is dense -- squirrels, voles, mice and white-faced ghost monkeys. Birds dwell here in endless variety and dazzling panoramas of plumage are everywhere on display. It is a bountiful place rich and thriving with nature’s splendor.
The Lake of Skye, rarely seen by civilized eyes, fractures into a thousand streams that course through the forest floor. These streams eventually stagnate and fail near the coast becoming the Salt Brack.
The Salt Brack is also blessed with life -- crocodiles, fish, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders and birds teem there. The blue-cray, a particularly delicious and rare swamp lobster, can be found hidden in the mud of the Salt Brack if one is brave enough to hunt it. A good sized live blue-cray can command a 30 gp a head back in Farholde.
Perhaps the single most famous feature of the northern Briar are the great stone spires. They proliferate everywhere in this jungle rising hundreds of feet above the forest floor. Often covered in foliage, they are the home to countless small animals. These are natural spires though the Iraen are full of stories about how they were carved by ancient giants. The beauty of these spires has drawn more than natural creatures. Fey and spirits dwell in and around the stone spires in great abundance.
As you approach the spot marked on your path, a Treant brushes through the undergrowth.
"You have happened upon the Horn of Abaddon,” he lectures, “a cursed place once of great corruption. It is my sacred charge to see that evil never again takes root here.”
"Thanks for letting us know that we have found it, tree."
Mordekai doesn't stop moving and draws his blade.
"Now out of our way!"
As the Treant lectures, Semirhage exchanges a quick glance with Mordekai. She begins casting silence on Mordekai, attempting to isolate the treant and prevent him from casting druidic magics.
Edward thinks back to what he knows about treants as Mordekai leaps forward. He makes sure he has some distance on the treant and is well behind his allies.
EDIT:
Seeing that there is a fight starting Oswald flies off to hide behind Edward till the killing is over. It will hide with Archaeros.
The huge plant is a Treant, with Plant Traits and is weaker against fire and slashing weapons. Treants are also known to animate the trees around them.
Tracker 1: 26
Tracker 2: 0
Tracker 3: 85
Semirhage steps lightly within range of the treant . She unleashes gouts of flame from her fingertips, fuelled by her anger at the self-righteous treant.
Vyllaria is annoyed at Mordekai's impetuosity, but seeing as combat is joined she quickly shuts the thought out and goes to work, stepping around the treant to attack its weak points. She then takes three quick, underhanded slices at its backside.
Seeing as how Semirhage has taken his voice Mordekai doesn't say anything and just attacks the tree. He know why she silenced the area around him but he is still missing the sound of his own voice.
Edward gets a safe distance away from the treant and watches carefully for any more intruders. He asks Archaeros to help.
Archaeros flies upwards, staying below the leafy canopy. He keeps an eye out for any motion approaching his master.
Semirhage's flames wreath the Treant, making it shudder. Mordekai's strikes slice deep into its bark, and Vyllaria's last strike cuts cleanly into the trunk.
The mighty Treant shrieks in soundless agony, and smashes Mordekai twice with its huge limbs.
Tracker 1: 94
Tracker 2: 1
Tracker 3: 85
Semirhage, noting the fire's harsh effect on the treant fires off another burning spell.
Seeing the foe falter as it is wounded, Vyllaria strikes again, aiming for the same weak point.
Mordekai heals himself before attack the tree again.
Edward stays well out of reach.
The tree falls silently to the ground.
You hear a group of beings coming towards you.
Mordekai hears nothing. The beautiful silence is intoxicating and they just stands there enjoying it.
"Alright, there we go. Shall we move on?" Edward asks Semirhage.
Archaeros notices something moving, and hears footsteps approaching his master. He is concerned with this new development.
Edward frowns. "Hold that thought - I think Archaeros saw something." Edward shouts something that sounds vaguely like Celestial, but is not understandable to anyone present. Archaeros swoops down and replies, informing Edward of exactly what he noticed.
"Semirhage, dispel your silence bubble. We have company." Edward pulls out his wand of fireball and moves away from the approaching beings.
Semirhage dismisses her vale of silence as the tree falls to the ground. "Good," she says. "He had no time to call for allies, I have heard that trees can speak to each other."
Semirhage is startled by the sound of footsteps approaching, "Something approaches, prepare yourselves," she whispers. She quickly prepares by casting protection from good on Vyllaria, followed by Mordekai.
"More things come to die? Why today is indeed a good day."
Mordekai heals himself up a bit and prepares for combat.
Vyllaria watches in mild amusement as the treant falls to the ground making no sound at all. I guess that solves the old adage... The silence ends abruptly as Semirhage approaches casting spells on her and Mordekai.
She doesn't notice anything but Semirhage's words warn her of the approaching party.
"It may be nothing more than hunters, but I suppose we shouldn't take any chances."
Vyllaria moves into the foliage to prepare an ambush.
Six green-skinned frogmen leap out of the undergrowth at you, waving spears. Two more hang back, near the corpse of the Treant. One of them is holding a scroll.
Four of the frogmen charge, two at Mordekai, and one each at Semirhage and Vyllaria . The final two let loose with terrifying croaks.
Any non-**** creature within 30 feet of the **** must make a DC 13 Will save or become shaken for 1d4 rounds. Creatures that succeed at this save cannot be affected again by the same ****'s croak for 24 hours. Creatures that are already shaken become frightened for 1d4 rounds instead.
"Boggards. Watch for their sticky tongues."
Edward moves closer to the Boggard with the scroll, preparing to counterspell it when it casts.
Oswald is not prepared to see things this ugly and is scared by their loud croaks. It start flying away from the frogs things.
Mordekai is not phased by the loud sounds.
"Oh shut up already. You are scaring poor little Oswald. Hang in there buddy I will kill these things then come hold you." He attacks one of the ugly frogs things that are attempting to hit him.
Semirhage is disgusted by the croaks and shudders. She sees the two holding back, and judges that they likely pose the greatest threat.
Semirhage casts Hold Person on the non-scroll wielding target hanging back from combat. .
She thinks, 'Boggards... these are no servants of good, why do they attack us?'
Semirhage calls out to the presumed leaders, "Call off your horde and you may yet live through this day. We come to take the Horn in the name of our God, not fight you."
Archaeros is unbothered by the fearsome croaks, and remains on Edward's shoulder.
Vyllaria FsTS.
rounds.
Mordekai's strikes fell the nearest Boggard, angering his kin. He sneers at his foes, his teeth gleaming in the dim light of the jungle floor.
The boggards do not seem to understand the words spoken to them, glaring at those who speak and croaking amongst themselves.
Vyllaria turns tail and runs away from the fight.
The scroll-holding Boggard at the back completes his casting, covering the area with shadows so dark it seems none can pierce them. Edward's attempts to dispel the darkness fail. Scant seconds after, the area is also silent.
Edward backs up until he is out of the darkness.
Edward is not attacked as he backs out of the darkness.
Semirhage repeats her message in Abyssal and Demonic, hoping the evil creatures' leaders understand. "Call off your horde and you may yet live through this day. We come to take the Horn in the name of our dark God, not fight you."
"Well this is just grand. I was having fun." Mordekai backs up out of the darken and silenced area.
Semirhage's message goes unspoken due to the cone of silence blanketing the area.
Mordekai is not attacked as he retreats. He exits the cloud and finds that he has found the bones of a dead adventurer, little saplings poking out of the gaps between the being's ribs. Edward and Vyllaria are nowhere to be seen.
Semirhage calls upon her aasimar heritage and brings light into the darkness, shattering the scroll's spell.
She takes appropriate defensive movement based on what she sees.
The light burns brightly in the undergrowth, chasing away the shadows.
Semirhage stands dramatically, left hand raised as if in admonition, yet her pose is wasted.
Not a single live soul remains in the clearing. Instead, there is only a single fallen treant, its sap slowly seeping into the ground.
The corpse of the fallen Boggard has vanished, presumably carried off by his kin.
To Semirhage's left is Edward, some forty feet away. Behind her and to the right is Mordekai. A few tracks on the ground indicate the direction Vyllaria fled.
A innocuous-looking small brown rock lies four feet from her toes.
Mordekai walks over to the rock and throws it as far as he can into the forest. "Hello? Can you hear me now? All this dam silence magic is robbing me of my favourite aspect." Mordekai looks to the sky as his little friend returns to his side and rest in the back of his cloak. "Welcome back, Oswald. Anyways, where to next Semirhage? Please lead on for I love watching your backside. Hehehe. Oh wait, we are missing someone. Bloody Hell, where on earth did V get to?"