Episode 8 - The Way is Shut!

Where we last left off, our intrepid party continued down the hunter’s path to cut off the dark elves, rescue the Rybalka prisoners, and retrieve the Moonshard.  The tree line shifted within the range of the party’s vision, and they heard the sound of panicked birds taking flight from the shadowy canopy. A booming, grandfatherly, and slightly racist, voice shouted as if talking while inhaling at you in anger. “Brownbark has had enough of long pigs and dark ears! Flee Brownbark’s forest and tell your flesh slug ilk to take their black magic and warfare elsewhere!”

The source of the voice reveals itself as it speaks: a moving tree with an angry, moss-covered face emerged from the wood.  The group noticed the corpses of two dark elves impaled in Brownbark’s branches.  Upon searching the drow, they found x2 healing potions and magical slippers. 

The party ensured the Treant that they were on the same side. Brownbark lamented the fall of one of his friends.  Murdered by the dark ears.   Upon learning the party was going to stop them and restore the sun, Scomatch approached the fallen tree and lightly touched it; it shrank into a staff. 

Brownbark gifted the party with the Staff of Brownbark and said if you need Brownbark, plant the Staff of Brownbark in the ground, and Brownbark will feel its roots and come.  

Exiting from the Hunter’s path, the party entered on the North Road.  Tracks of dark ears and long pigs had passed in the past 4-8 hours. 

The marathon continued through the darkened forest path, with Nick the Beardless bringing up in the rear, as grey dwarves are known as natural sprinters.  The party heard the wailing and lamentation of wood falling as two large trees dropped across the road, closing off the path in front and behind.  

A large spider the size of a horse emerged from the forest with a humanoid-shaped spidery prey wrapping, gripped in its fangs.  Riding it is a drow rogue covered in black.  He smirks as a globe of darkness descends across the road before him.  There is movement in the tree line as dark elves emerge with weapons drawn and smiling with an intent most sinister.