Session 26 into session 27 recap:
When last we met, the party were situated around the campfire in the middle of the encampment, happily discussing what actions to take, especially for when they find themselves in the heat of battle next.
From out of nowhere, a Rogue messenger by the name of Heather, runs up to the group, waving an important notice in front of her, and promptly hands it off to Ophi, who reads the message aloud, exclaiming that Gheed required able bodied adventurers to answer his call for help, in searching for mysterious egg shaped objects, which had appeared recently around the Darkened Woods.
Realizing that the request was likely going to be very profitable for them, the party decide to help Gheed out with this task, and accepted it fully… and so they moved towards Gheeds wagon for more details from him, before they set out again.
Scarlett and Xerxes however opt to remain in camp, and do whatever it was they wished to do, they both took quite a beating from the battle previously, and so it’s understandable if they wished to remain and recover further.
Meanwhile, Francis, Ophi, and Kester (along with Blaise) decide to head back towards the way point, and enter into the Dark Woods, to see if they can make a start on the task beset by Gheed.
Almost instantly, the few who ventured out managed to spot several of these brightly coloured, egg shaped objects, and began gathering them up one by one… However, along the way they encountered a familiar sight, the mighty tree guardian they were forced to flee from beforehand.
With both the party fully healed, and the guardian brutes wounds also closed, they both do battle once more, as Treehead is not about to just let them get to the tree, or wander around unchallenged.
The battle was fierce, neither side really gaining advantage over the other for long, but eventually through might and magic… Treehead is overcome and slain by a an arrow cast from Blaise at a critical moment, who sends flame torrents billowing out from each of his eye sockets, as the soft tissue was engulfed in overwhelming fire by her well placed Flame Arrow, to the middle of his forehead.
The area goes quiet, allowing the party to take a victorious moment to gather their thoughts, Ophi of course, providing some much needed healing using her warm magic energy.
Heading north from the slain beast, the party run into a small group of Spike Fiends, find more eggs, find a chest, and deal with the rat like creatures quickly and efficiently… Further north along the main path lead them to a Carver demon scouting party, which Kester cleverly dispatched pretty much on his own, with a nicely placed Spike Growth spell.
With the threats in the main area all gone, there was only looting to be done, and the great glowing tree also needed to be inspected, this was what they had come for… The tree of Inifuss shone before them, and Kester approaches with caution.
Reaching for what he perceived to be a scroll from inside the tree, in a small recess in its bark, he takes the scroll from its resting place, and instantly feels that the tree begins to wither, as its glow softens to a dim light, and its colour begins to fade to a horrible shade of grey.
Gathering the last of the egg items, the party headed towards the way-point, on the way they decide that Akara is the best person to have the scroll, and so decide to head back to the encampment, and deliver it to her.
Once back in camp, Ophi heads towards Gheed, Kester takes the scroll to Akara, and Francis goes and sits by the fire as usual, losing himself a little in the flickering dancing flames.
Kester leaves the scroll with Akara, and goes to join Ophi, helping with the delivery of the eggs, and reward collection also.
From here…. the party are doing their own thing, within the safer confines of the encampment… and this is where we pick up this session.
Act One: Episode 27 – One Step Closer To Cain
