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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mahiro Satsu" data-source="post: 305099" data-attributes="member: 4970">Episode XIII Into the Woods part 4From the Journal of Aoth Sepret25th of Ches, Year of Rogue DragonsIt was not long after Van and I were awakened for our shift that the attack came. My eyes glowed with magic, my darkvision spell allowing me to see clearly even in the darkest of nights. Even with this advantage I did not see them coming. Six of the squirrel creatures descended from the trees within the campsite. One latched onto Van’s arm, and his cries of pain ran down my spine. Lenet was bitten while she slept, one bit my foot as I tried to kick it away, Artemus was also bitten in his sleep, and one more slipped into Kaemris’s tent. Kaemris grabbed his holy staff and whispering an incantation flew out of his tent and into the night, high above us. Van, surprised and injured, moved so quickly to draw his sword that he fumbled and it fell to the ground. Lenet was still half asleep and her hands could not hold onto her dagger. Artemus cast a spell that froze the creature attacking him where it crouched.The creatures bit and scratched with intensity, their claws leaving deep wounds. The frozen creature met a swift end at the tip of my rapier. Lenet finally managed to stand up and ready a dagger just as Artemus created a flaming sphere, setting one of the creatures on fire. Kaemris cast a spell to learn more about these creatures and discovered, as he shouted to us, that they were evil.I cartwheeled around one of the creatures to land across from Lenet, but I could not hit the creature we then flanked. Several of the creatures bled freely from wounds now, and one was on fire. They ran screeching into the night. I followed, putting out little fires started by the flaming one--it would not be good to have a forest fire started around us. I stuffed the dead creature into a sack so that we could study it in better light.When daylight came I spent some time making notes about the creature. It looked more monkey-like than I had originally thought. Lenet was at my side watching and remarked that the creature was not of this world.Kaemris communed with his god asking “for advice on who is bringing evil outsiders to this forest, the source, the origin.” He received “Those who dabble with the power of the stones bring nothing good to this forest,” for an answer. Discouraged we picked up our things and began the day’s march.We walked southeast for an hour before we came across one of the villagers. He was hanging from a tree with many wild elf arrows imbedded in his flesh. The body had only been hanging there a week, and the stench was over powering. Vines were used to suspend his body. We took the time to give him a proper burial. I don’t understand why we have to bury every dead person we come across. Certainly it is not to prevent disease. Maybe it is one of their strange religious things.We turned south a short time later. The forest grew thick and dark as we walked. I tried to pick up the pace, but to no avail. An hour later Kaemris spotted a man with a bow hiding beneath some trees on top of a small rise. His hair was long and unkempt, streaked with mud and grease. His features were sharp and chiseled, and his ears pointed. He raised his bow and fired at the priest, but it passed harmlessly above Kaemris’s shoulder. A second arrow embedded near his heart, but Kaemris did not show any reaction.“Hold your fire!” Kaemris commanded.Artemus was already in the middle of a spell and couldn’t stop. Suddenly the underbrush around the elf grew thick with wickedly thorned vines. Van and I, arrows knocked in our bows, retreated deeper into the undergrowth.Tymora’s priest opened a dimensional door and stepped through to stand next to the elf. I thought he had given up on our quest and meant to die, but in a loud voice he said, “We mean you no harm.” The elf blinked uncomprehendingly; so I translated his words into elvish adding, “do not attack.” Kaemris dropped to his knees suddenly and held his arms out wide, pleading.Off to the side Lenet called out in elven, “We are trying to heal the forest, and help those who dwell within!”The elf seemed confused. He raised his sword and plunged it deep into Kaemris’s chest. Fearing for his life I quickly cast a spell, and an arrow sped from my hands into the elf’s side, pumping acid into his body. To my surprise Kaemris pulled a wand from his belt and waved it at the elf, and the gruesome wound in the elf's side closed. I slumped to the forest floor in confusion. I did not know what Kaemris wanted us to do. The elf then fled through the magical brambles, tearing his feet to shreds. He limped off into the forest with Kaemris shouting after him that he could heal his wounds, that his companions were scared, that we meant no harm. When the elf did not stop, Kaemris gave chase, and his feet also were torn.I followed, not knowing what the elf would do to our leader without reinforcements. I came across Kaemris a few dozen yards into the underbrush. He was on his knees. I think he was crying. I kept to the shadows, not wanting to alert him that he was not alone. I knew that I had let him down. Surely, I thought, he would understand that I was simply trying to protect him. Later I would learn that if he did, he didn’t care. Artemus and I had disobeyed a direct order not to fire. We received a scolding when Kaemris arrived back to where the party waited. Never had I felt so low.After I climbed a tree to check our bearing we continued on to the Silent Watchers. Legend said that this was the place where druids had been turned to stone. All we found was a ring of broken and weathered worn stones, no higher than my knees. We searched though the area for any clue that might help us. Finding nothing we made camp. From the trees came a flash of light and an arrow imbedded itself in Kaemris. We heard no other noise, and no further attacks came. At the time I was inspecting the stones with the aid of a detect magic cantrip. I found no magic present in the stones, but the arrow was enchanted with an enchantment spell. The school of enchantment is not well known to me, so I could not tell what spell had been used.That night Lenet left a ration outside of the campfire’s light. It was a gift to the elves. I did not understand how we could give a gift to those who would kill us. Maybe these men and this woman I travel with are more than me. Van and I have first shift tonight. It will be nice to sleep the entire night through.</blockquote>

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