DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3Y.A1 - Shadowtop Cathedral

DM

The party headed to find Turlang finishes their goodbyes and sets off on their quest.

The road leaving Noanar's hold curves gently toward the north, pulling away from their true destination. To the east, beyond a stretch of open ground, rises the northwest border of the High Forest. The canopy is dense and ancient, the tallest oaks and lifting their crowns high above the rest. Somewhere deep inside, beyond miles of shadow and green light, waits Shadowtop Cathedral.

Eastward as well, the Dessarin River catches the sun, winding along the forest’s edge as though inviting travelers to follow its course. From here, the river’s path and the unbroken treeline seem to run together for many miles, although its gentle winding limits how far anyone can see from the ground.

Jaliera’s owl, Whisper, arcs silently overhead, riding the thermals above the clearing before winging east toward the trees. A few moments later, images bloom in her mind—branch upon branch, layer upon layer of green, and more trees beyond that, stretching as far as the eye can see. And a bit more of the winding river, leading generally in the direction they want to head. But no paths or roads or clearings are evident even from above.

No trail marks a way forward. The forest stands quiet and still, but for a gentle waving of the leaves in the light breeze.

Jaliera

"Whisper shows me trees, trees and more trees. No paths, no features. Maybe a ranger or druid would help?"

She teases the two of them, glad to be away from the oppression she had felt around the hold.

Davroar

He looks towards the forest line close to the river as tries to discern any opening from where animals would travel along.

"Suggest we find a path close to the river?"

Davroar is not suggesting to travel right along the rivers edge as that can be a little more hazardous, but it would allow them to access fresh water when they need it.

Davroar Nature Check
Dugan rolled 1d20+3 and got 22

Davroar Survival Check
Dugan rolled 1d20+4 and got 12

Jaliera

Jaliera Survival check
Gypsy rolled 1d20+2 and got 10

Just more trees...

Pavel

Pavel was seeing more trees than he'd ever thought possible. Especially with what Jaliera had said that Whisper told her. But he looks on and studies their area as they gaze on the forest.

Pavel Survival (+0)
Miales rolled 1d20 and got 19

Pavel

"Now that is an odd impression," Pavel said pointing towards a small clearing. He rides forward slightly for a closer look.

"A footprint! By the size..." he pauses. "Giant."

He rides around to the other side of it. Glancing up at the forest and surrounding area when he does. Squinting at something he notices near the river's edge before glancing around for other footprints like the first.

Pavel dismounts and starts walking around the indentation to possible figure out which way the creature was going.

As he starts he looks over to Jaliera. "Oh send Whisper along our side of the river bank. I think I saw signs of a road over there."


Pavel Survival (+0)
Miales rolled 1d20 and got 18

Jaliera

She guides Meadow after Pavel.

"A giant! Surely we'd be able to spot one as it moves through these trees?"

She looks around to judge how easily a giant could move through the woods.

"And yes, sending Whisper over there now."

She issues a mental command to her familiar.

Davroar

He suddenly remembers being told that the High Forest under Turlang will allow those trustworthy enough to traverse through it. He stops briefly to look at the giant footprint then slowly moves towards the trees.

"Don't send Whisper too far in, Jaliera. Give me a moment to find a way. The forest will allow me, Bern and Zindra, but I remember being told the forest will prevent outsiders from entering."

Holding out his left hand in a supplicating manner, he waits a moment in contemplation then says in a low voice, "I wish to enter please. I will be responsible for my friends Jaliera and Pavel, and will guide them to be respectful toward this ancient land."

DM

Pavel's closer observation, assisted by Bern (OOC: Ghosting as he's been offline a while), indicates that whoever (or whatever) made that giant footprint was not alone. There are also smaller human-sized footprints. They're easy to track toward the muddy riverbank, until they abruptly disappear into the forest, although there's no obvious path there.

Whisper glides low along the riverbank, the ground below alternating between patches of firm earth and sections eaten away by floods, particularly where the river turns corners. In places the stones under the waterline look too regular, as though an ancient path once clung to the river’s edge before time and weather swallowed most of it. Fallen trees stretch like barricades across narrow bends, and the banks are pocked with alcoves of bramble and stone. The chaos provides perfect hiding places for those who might prefer not to be seen. Beyond a short distance, the view becomes more of the same: river, mud, bits of road, bits of detritus... and trees without end.

Meanwhile, as Davroar raises his hand and speaks his quiet words, the trees ahead shift. At first, the movement is almost imperceptible, just a recognition that something looks different than it did a moment before. But those who look more closely can see the movement. A tangle of branches and twigs that seemed woven into an unbroken barrier stirs, creaking faintly as though stirred by wind that no one else feels. Slowly, the interlocked limbs part just enough to reveal a narrow, walkable gap leading into the forest’s shadowed depths. The air carries a hush of expectation—as if the woods are listening.

The revealed path is narrow, wide enough for one horse or perhaps two humans to walk side by side.

Davroar

He speaks a quiet thank you to the forest trees that have revealed the narrow trail.

Waving his hands to grab his companions attention, he will wait until they are closer.

"A trail has opened for us. I will lead for now. Everyone please do not shout, and do not wander off."

Unless anyone has questions, Davroar will step cautiously at first into the shadowy trail.

Zindra
She reaches down beneath her cleavage to pull out a pendant that hangs from a lanyard of vines. The pendant is clearly recognizable as the symbol of the Emerald Enclave.

"Thanks Davroar. I'll take the rear. Pavel, Jaliera, you should walk between us. Bern, why don't you take the middle?"

OOC: is the trail wide enough to walk double-file or is single file necessary?

Davroar

Seeing Zindra is now displaying her Emerald Enclave symbol, he will do the same by flipping the collar of his hide armour where he has it pinned underneath. He nods in agreement with Zindra's marching order and adds, "We can take turns leading. It will keep our eyes fresh I think."

Walking for a minute, Davroar takes a deep breath smelling the old growth trees. He is almost tempted to shape shift into one of his animal forms to get the full sensation, but will hold off for now.

A few minutes later, if the trail allows it he will pick up his pace a bit being mindful of the trail and scanning ahead as best as he can.

OOC: Who all actually has horses after the Zombie giant fight?

Pavel

Pavel dismounts and takes position near the back where Zindra is.

Jaliera

She nods and then relates what Whisper had seen, thinking it is probably safer to keep Whisper aloft for the moment, just ahead, as an extra pair of eyes. She leans forward and pats Meadow's neck reassuringly, before taking her place behind Davroar. Being on horseback gives her a view forward above Davroar's head. She watches for low hanging branches.

She is happy to be respectful of this place and the life within it.

DM

As the party enters the forest, Whisper glides just ahead, wings silent weaving between branches. But here, beneath the canopy, there's not much to see. The trees grow close together, their crowns interlacing into a ceiling of dark leaves that blocks most of the sky, letting in patches of green-tinted light. The owl can follow the trail for a short stretch, but after that the forest becomes a maze of trunks and shadows, impossible to track from the air. If Whisper breaks above the canpoy, there is little more to see—green upon green, rolling without end.

Suffice it to say, Whisper won't be much help navigating this forest.

On the ground, the party moves steadily eastward. The narrow trail threads between ancient trees, sometimes opening into clearings where shafts of pale light fall, sometimes tightening to barely the width of a horse, those mounted sometimes needing to duck low to avoid low branches. Here and there the trail brushes against other paths, faint forks where side trails merge or peel away. Some are broader, some little more than deer tracks. The foliage thickens at the mouths of these paths, as if discouraging wandering, though not enough to bar them completely.

The way forward lies open before you, a steady path east into the heart of the forest. But the forest also offers choices, seeming to sometimes open up as those bearing the sigil of the Emerald Enclave approach. Narrow trails vanishing into shadow, game paths bending north, even a broader track curving southward before disappearing behind a wall of ivy. Whether these are diversions, dead ends, or true roads, it is impossible to tell from here. What is apparent is that the forest is allowing the party to continue traveling on its own in whatever direction it chooses, but not seeming to guide or suggest any particular direction.

Davroar

After a few hours of walking, Davroar will stop to take a short break for some water. Both Bern and Zindra are more senior than him with the Emerald Enclave, so he asks both, "Bern, Zindra. I know we got a long ways to go. All these other paths we've passed, you figure we just keep heading on whatever one keeps us going east?"

Davroar is just a bit worried if they do take the wrong path they would then have to retrace their steps back until they reach a different path. It is not exactly an efficient use of time, and hopes one of them has more knowledge about where they need to go.