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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2042468" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #302a] Mission Accomplished[/PLAIN]"What is this?" Faithful Daughter Betina demanded. She didn't have her hand on the quarterstaff that lay behind her on the seat, but her eyes were watchful for some sign of a goblin ambush. Sister Lenoire placed a staying hand on the holy warrior's arm and turned to Ledare."Is this expected?" she asked, and there was a hint of worry in her voice. She was, after all, very far from the civilization that she knew with people she had met but a scant few days previous."Don't worry," Ledare answered and hopped down off the wagon. Gorguul flinched at the Janissary's sudden movement, but she held her ground, defiantly. She seemed most unlike the quaverng old gobliness that they had intimidated into spilling her tribe's secrets a few weeks ago. Ledare smiled at her and said, "I'm pleased to see you're looking well." "Great Oak say bring you to green place," the goblin answered. "I bring. You follow." And saying thus she turned and stalked off down the newly-created path through the Wandering Trees."It's good to see this one has turned her life around in the wake of Sheesek," Ledare said quietly as she turned back to the others. "That in itself is a step out of the darkness. It speaks to the power of mercy.""Well said, sister," Lenoire answered with a smile.The trek back through the forest was uneventful, although for both Lenoire and Betina it was a troubling one. They hadn't experienced a walk through the Termlane, and were quite alarmed the first time they turned around and discovered that the path had disappeared behind them.Bisayo was unperturbed, and kept prattling on as they went about how similar the effect was to one that his own people used to magically lead invading enemies to specially prepared clearings in their woodland home. Once in these treeless killing fields, he told them, the interlopers could be safely dispatched using some of the more deadly spells. He listed Acid Fog, Fireball, and Explosive Cascade as a few of the spells the elves considered too dangerous to use within the forest itself for fear that they would damage the trees.Karak did his best not to yawn too obviously.Once they got nearer the Great Oak, itself, they began to see subtle changes. Several buildings that they hadn't noticed previously had been cleared of choking vegetation and they gleamed white in the dappled sun of midday."Some of these designs are similar to those I've seen on the White Hall of Flor's Hand," Matriarch Lenoire observed as they passed near one of the exposed buildings."According to the Great Oak, this place was sacred to both Flor and Dridana," Ixin told her. "It was a place for both churches to train.""I've never heard of Dridana or this place," Lenoire answered. "But I can plainly feel the White Lady's presence here."Gorguul lead them through the ruins and up to the black wall. The gate that had barred the VQS on their previous visit had been ripped open and now allowed easy access to the inner sanctum. Beyond the black wall, the grounds were being carefully tended by dozens of goblin gardeners - all of them women or children. They paused in their labors and looked up as the group was led toward the massive hedge of thorns dominating the center of the enclosure.At the hedge stood another gobliness dressed similar to Gorguul. She was taller and younger than their guide, and carried a staff decorated with feathers. A silvery metal baton was stuffed through her belt."Stop now!" she commanded, holding up a long-fingered hand in warning. She pointed at the two Florians and squinted her yellow eyes menacingly. "You not enter yet. Only those who Great Oak send to get you."The two women looked cncerned, but Ledare smiled. "It'll be all right," she told them. "You're safe here."The younger goblin drew the baton from her waist and pointed it at the hedge. As before, a silvery arch of light appeared and then the hedge withdrew, leaving a vaulted tunnel through the thorny mass. They entered and the hedge closed behind them, sealing them in the awesome presence of the Great Oak."You have returned," the tree spoke into their minds. "That is good."Perhaps it was Karak's dwarven nature, but of them all, he was least impressed by the Great Oak's grandeur. He stamped forward and planted his axe. "Oi, Great Mountain that Lives," he shouted in greeting. "We have brought you two followers of Flor.""You have done well," the tree sighed. "The balance may yet be restored.""Yeah, well, I suggest you tell your comrade the Great Root he be needed to guard something else. You see, it seemes that a vessel of Chaos has inhabited Tawayn the druid and escaped with a Chaos artifact the likes and powers of which we nae know," Karak said and punctuated his tale by spitting, as if the very word Chaos tasted badly to him."Word of your deeds arrived from Great Root two days ago," the Great Oak said. "Your findings are most troubling.""Well, what troubles me is that he got away. But we seem to have lost all our trackers. Of course if we be underground than I might well've had a chance to track, but as it stands..." Karak let his voice trail off as he pondered his own words."You suffered a loss while in my service," the tree said."Aye! We lost two of our number. But I only knew the one," the dwarf said. "Plonius and Feln both fell to the powers of Chaos. I would like to build a cairn for each in your sancturary here if I might.""You may do so. There are many sacred burial sites within my realm," the Great Oak replied. "It is not beyond my power to restore these two to the Great Wheel if that is your desire.""Ye mean raise 'em from the dead?" Karak asked, dumbfounded. He had heard of such magic, but never encountered its use before."Not resurrection. Reincarnation," the tree corrected. "All I require is a bit of their flesh and I can grant them a rebirth if their soul has not yet migrated beyond." Karak considered this, but before he could answer the tree added, "I owe you a debt for the service you have done me. If you wish these two fallen returned to Orune, I will do so. If you wish gold, I will give it. Ask, and if it is within my power to give, it is yours."</blockquote>

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