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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kid Charlemagne" data-source="post: 197966" data-attributes="member: 93">The Kingdom of Caer Sidi, June 24th, AE 420Jovah moves back from the tree in surprise, and the other party members come over to see what is going on.  Brennen translates for those in the party who don’t speak elvish; namely Gavin, Soldago, and Jovah.  Gavin half pays attention as he tries to wake up Corwin.  Soldago goes over to the one small creature he pinned to the forest floor, and finds that it is a tiny humanoid shape, about a foot tall, with dark hair, pointy ears, and cruel features.  It is quite dead.”You have released me, for the moment, from the darkness that afflicts me,” the huge tree says.  ”I apologize for any injury that I may have done to you before.  I was not in possession of my full senses.”Aris grumbles a bit, having been nearly killed by the tree moments before.  “You are a treant, is that correct?” he asks.The immense creatures nods in the affirmative.  “What is your name?””You may call me Broadleaf.”“Are you the only treant in this forest?” Reana asks. ”No, but I am the greatest of all the treants in the forest,” the treant replies matter-of-factly.“We came here to find a place called Caer Sidi, ruled by elves like myself,” Aris explains.  “Do you know where it is?””Yes.  You speak of Duke Alfric’s lands.  They lie to the east of here.”  Broadleaf points with one of his leafy arms in the direction of the gap in the mountains that Brennen saw earlier.“Is there a path that leads to there?” Brennen asks.  ”There is not.  But I can make one.  I will do this for you, but I can only keep the path clear for about one day.”“We should be able to make it there in a day,” Reana says.  “Maybe less.”“Will the other treants still be a danger to us?””Yes, but they will not interfere while you are on the path.”“You hear that, Jalea?” Brennen asks.  “Jalea?”“Oh, damn.”  He shakes his head in resignation.Corwin finally shakes his head and wakes up.  “What were those creatures that attacked us?””They are called Quicklings,” Broadleaf answers in his deep voice.  ”They are Fey creatures that once were as full of light as they now are of darkness.  They are accursed, as this forest is.  As I still am.”“What!?” Aris stammers.”The crystal splinter that you removed from my trunk will regrow in time,” Broadleaf explains.  ”That is why I say that I can only keep the path open for you for a while.  I will succumb again; this has happened before, and no doubt will happen again.”“How did this forest become cursed?” the Bladesinger asks.”I do not know precisely how.  An elf like yourself came here once, a long time ago.  He made his lodgings deep in the forest, and I believe that something he did brought this upon us, unwittingly or not.”“And the curse emanates from his old lodgings?” Aris asks.”I believe so, though I know little about such things.  My mind is clouded about much that happens while under the effects of the splinter’s curse.”“We’re going to have to do something about that,” Aris says, as Reana and Brennen nod.“Just remember,” Jovah pipes up.  “We’re here on a mission, with a potential time limit.  We need to get Kentfield before the summer solstice.  That’s five days.”“Right,” Aris says.  He turns to Broadleaf. “We will try to come back here and do something about this curse, if we can.  Our path leads us elsewhere right now, but we will return.””I look forward to that meeting,” Broadleaf replies.  He waves his leafy hand again, and the trees to the east of the party part, leaving a clear and unobstructed path towards the mountains.”Good luck to you in your journeys, and may you find that which you seek.”</blockquote>

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