He is way out of his element and aware that the only reason he is able to travel the woods is because those around him. He remains silent and close to the others.
It seems most of the trees and shrubs are carrying on the tradition of allowing Emerald Enclave members, including guests, to follow along the paths, but every once in a while it seems one of the awakened foliage creatures objects in subtle ways. A vine suddenly reaching across the path to try to trip Pavel. A shake of a branch raining pine needles on Jaliera. Minor annoyances, but clear evidence that the guests are noticed. They're somewhat predictable, happening near points that the paths intersect with others, or open into small clearings.
After another hour at another intersection, the party's eastward travel is abruptly stopped; the forest will not let them proceed forward, bushes opening a path toward the south instead. And a short distance down that path, the trail widens into a small clearing.
Here the damage is unmistakable: saplings snapped and trampled into the earth, bark stripped from trunks in wide gouges, and a circle of undergrowth flattened as though something enormous had made camp here.
Scattered at the edge of the clearing lie a half-dozen weapons clearly meant for the hands of much larger creatures. Oversized greataxes, crude but serviceable greatswords, even a massive spear with a haft carved from a young tree trunk. Though massive and deadly in their own right, the weapons bear the look of something churned out in bulk: rough edges left unpolished, handles hastily wrapped, the kind of work that prizes speed and quantity over true craftsmanship.
And curiously, each bears painted sigils and clumsy runes scrawled in berry-dye and chalk. Shards of colored glass and hammered copper have been nailed or tied onto the hilts to glitter like enchantments in the sun. To an untrained eye, they might look magical.
But to anyone with real knowledge of spellcraft, which includes everyone in this party... the markings are nonsense.
The air in the clearing is heavy. Branches above creak as if in warning. Behind you, the trail you followed is now half-obscured, shrubs crowding across the path. The other exits from the clearing are just as blocked. For the moment, the forest seems to hold you here. Waiting to see what you will do with what it has shown you.
OOC: While the party has been navigating eastward through the forest, they were still relatively close to the river as Davroar suggested.
And maybe the forest was more friendly to newcomers before whatever happened? Or maybe there's only so much a tree, awakened or otherwise, can do vs. a giant (or a herd of them). (What do you call a group of giants?)
"The forest is telling us something. We need to study this place. It's wrong somehow. Those weapons are probably a clue." She stops and reaches with her senses to find potential corruption.
She's going to study this place several ways. First, She's going to dig into her "favorite enemies" and gets to roll an Int check with Advantage to connect giants or humanoids to the weapons and the site. She's also going to spend a spell slot to use Primeval Awareness.
He nods with Jaliera's suggestion as he says, "Yes, we should remove these items."
Davroar will look at each of the weapons to see how these can be gathered up and perhaps transported out with a summoned animal.
[ooc: How far in the forest are we when we find this clearing? Just wondering if Davroar can conjure a pair of giant eagles or vultures to carry these items out of the forest? ]
Zindra's favored enemy knowledge comes through, though this is hardly a pristine battlefield to read. She recognizes the scale of the footprints and the way the damage spreads outward in a rough semicircle. Hill giants often travel in loose, noisy groups rather than strict warbands, and they camp hard... leaving the kind of devastation you see here. The false runes on the weapons aren’t any recognizable giantish script, but the crude work might fool less discerning giant races, such as Hill Giants.
And yes, while giants have trampled most of the ground, there is evidence of humanoid footprints as well. Likely not just humanoid... full humans based on the boot prints, as opposed to Wood Elves common to this forest.
Davroar can see the weapons are massive, serviceable and dangerous in their own right, but clearly turned out in numbers rather than lovingly made. He doesn't see any maker’s marks or inscriptions in Dwarvish on a quick inspection, which one might expect on more finely crafted weapons. The haft of the spear does show tool cuts consistent with dwarven forges working green wood under pressure. That suggests someone with dwarven training, or at least dwarven tools, were involved in their making.
OOC: Certainly large birds could carry some of these weapons away. The question is if they could find their way back to the party for a second trip.
When Zindra casts Primeval Awareness, the pulse that returns is faint, but certain: no giants, no undead, no dragons. But there are living presences nearby.
Humanoids.
More than one, within a mile. Not hostile, not trying to mask themselves.
If the group pauses and listens, they might even sense the faintest hints that they are being watched. A whisper. The rustle of leaves as one moves quietly, confident enough that they don't have to hide.
OOC: Attachment gives general estimate of how far you've traveled; you're still parallel to the river.
[ooc: AquaDyne, Davroar can summon two large birds (CR 1) so could both fly out with all (or most) of the weapons? The spell lasts up to 1 hour. Looking at the progress on the map indicated I am thinking both could fly past the High Forest's Western edge? ]
OOC: You all have been walking for (about) 3 hours at normal walking speed (30). A Giant Eagle has a speed of 80. Sure, it can make it back to where you started in about an hour.
Zindra "We've seen hill giants around. One undead one just yesterday. Who are we kidding, they use trees as clubs. What's curious to me are the markings. What is the story with that doppleganger that's been imitating Bern and you? Didn't you guys run into it back in Phandelver at that mine?"
"I sense that there are goodly folk about. Let's seek them out."
(OOC - For those players who have forgotten...., I would think the pcs would not...., I believe the Dwarf we're following was making fake magic weapons and selling them.)
From the east-northeast direction, there's a rustling sound, like wind moving through the trees. Except it's more like trees moving, making wind. The trail further out is parting for someone... or some thing... approaching from that direction, but not yet to the clearing where the party is.
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