Wardens of the Sorrowood C4E05

Game Scheduled: August 9th, 2024
GM: Thom
==Chapter Synopsis:==
In the depth of the forest, a nefarious Archdruid is on a mission to resurrect a green dragon, once turned to stone and shattered into a thousand pieces. The druid's machinations have been slowly uncovered; a Tower he was researching to the Northeast, a Quarry to the West, and evidence of missing troll clans in the marshes bordering the Sorrowood. Perhaps the one hope to turn the dragon to stone once more is a lost Medusa, last seen in a maze where the Wardens unleashed an Anti-Magic Zone by accident. Some, or all, of these threats will need to be neutralized in order to guarantee the safety of the Wardens' mission: assaulting the Druid's Lair...
==Mercenaries==
===Active Mercenaries===
*Bim Bim - Elven Barbarian
*Darksteel - Fallen Aasimar Warlock
*Havlow Killbottom - Dwarven Paladin
*John Weck - Human Rogue/Fighter
*Rarkus - Bugbear Druid
*Shepard Swiftfoot - Halfling Druid
*Tyber Zahn, Fire Gensai Ranger
*Ulfgar Fireforge - Dwarven Cleric
*Xilon Starrati - Half-Elf Wizard
===Inactive (Guarding the Fortress)===
*El Cangrejo - Crabfolk Rogue/Bard
*Jayzal - Tabaxi Rogue
*Snarela Kegfury - Dwarven Artificer
*Xane - Air Genasi Paladin/Cleric
==Adventure Debriefing:==
Having defeated the assault of trolls at the Overlook, the mercenaries prepared to take the fight to the evil druid. Fresh faces joined the expedition, Rarkus from the Meatshields, and Tyber from the Righteous Wreckers. Shepard requisitioned the Ring of Obscuring from the Vanguard Quartermaster. 
The evil druid's hideout was suspected to be about 54 miles west-north-west of the Overlook. It would take about five days of travel through the thick of the Sorrowoods to get there. Everyone would need to use their unique skills to avoid danger and expedite the journey.
Entering into the densely forested Sorrowoods, John used the magical shortsword, Tyrant, to hack through the underbrush (Athletics). Ulfgar cast the spell Fabricate to form a bridge over an impassable ravine (Wisdom). Shepard did his best to make notes on his map, but was unable to suggest routes due to the area being new to him (Cartography). Bim Bim used his knowledge of the Sorrowoods to suggest safe plants to cut through, sometimes a bit too late (Nature). Tyber's ranger skills were particulary helpful as he helped John guide the party (Natural Explorer). Darksteel used his magical staff, Cedarella's Sorrow, to cast Speak with Plants (Persuasion). His attempts to negotiate safer passage were unsuccessful, resulting in him getting chased for a bit. The druid Rarkus dipped in and out of the foliage, scouting for danger (Stealth). Xilon's red hawk familiar, Nailo, took to the sky to watch for threats (Perception). [Skill Challenge Success]
The mercenaries arrived at a Quarry on the second day. It had been noted as a point of interest on the evil druid's crude map. Rarkus searched the quarry for clues (Nature). Whatever the druid had been up to, he had finished. Bim Bim used his strength to reposition some boulders for crude cover (Athletics). Shepard paced the outside of the quarry, but was unable to find tracks (Investigation). Darksteel used his archeological training to scour the area, and found a dragontooth (History). It was not fossilized, but petrified. Ulfgar activated the Vanguard's Surveyor's Stone, scanning the quarry he found flakes of iron that weren't part of the original layers of earth. He surmised golems may have been used to dig something out (Insight). Tyber attempted to have his Wolf companion sniff out where the golems may have gone, but was unable to get a good scent from the iron (Animal Handling). John dodged amongst the rocks (Dex Save). Xilon also searched the quarry, trying to gleam more information (Investigation). Unfortuantely, the mercenaries made more noise than intended and didn't notice a golem hidden in wait to trigger a small avalanche of boulders before it disappeared into the forest. The party was left bruised and battered, but still determined to defeat the evil druid's machinations. [Skill Challenge Failure]
Xilon retrieved some iron flakes, and tapped into his knowledge of magic and metallurgy to track the golem (Arcana). Darksteel attempted to help, but was still shook from the boulder trap (Arcana). Bim Bim asked his forest friends summoned form his Cloak of Squirrels to help look for the golem, but, they were rabid and nipped at Xilon and Darksteel before running away (Animal Handling). Shepard looked for a path away from the quarry, but the brambles only thickened (Survival). John was more succesful and found a easier route for the party (Stealth). Tyber kept Pass Without Trace cast on the group further hiding their passage (Stealth). Ulfgar had switched out of his chain mail and into a Mirrored Breastplate at the Overlook, and felt more comfortable in his movements (Stealth). Rarkus saw a swampy area ahead and suspected they were getting closer to the evil druid (Perception). [Skill Challenge Success]
As the Sorrowoods' lush green trees began to give way to darker decayed foliage, Bim Bim climbed one of the few remaining sturdy trees with the strength of a White Ape to look ahead (Perception). He shouted down that he could see where they would find the druid. Shepard noticed the tree wasn't as sturdy as they thought, so he ripped it from the ground and used it as a lever to throw Bim Bim ahead and over the wet marshy landscape (Athletics). Tyber cast Longstrider on Ulfgar to help him move through the more difficult terrain (Arcana). Ulfgar moved deftly over fallen logs and through the swamp, even helping the long-limbed Rarkus (Athletics). While Rarkus didn't like doing so, the wet bugbear graciously accepted the assitance of a fellow Vanguard (Athletics). John asked Shepard to yeet him too, while he only flew half the distance his landing was graceful as he slid on his feet accross the terrain (Persuasion). Darksteel made judicious use of his ability to Blink from one solid patch to another (Stealth). Xilon cast Fabricate to craft a raft to help the party through areas too deep to wade (Spell Mod). [Skill Challenge Success]
On the final day of travel, the terrain changed completely from forest into swamp and ruin. Darksteel saw huge Vine Troll Skeletons ahead through the mire (Survival). John ensured his Paralyzing Paste was ready, and applied to his arrow (Poisoner's Kit). John gave Tyber a vial of the poison to also coat one of his arrows (Spell Mod). Ulfgar shared the information they learned from previously fighting Vine Troll Skeletons and new things they could try (Medicine). He said the undead would be immune to poison and exhaustion. Shepard added that when they last fought the Vine Troll Skeletons, they proved to be rather sturdy and loved to throw boulders. Xilon reached into the Bag of Beans borrowed from Jayzal and noted he was ready to use the one that could summon a golem (History). Rarkus looked for ways to sneak into the enemy compound (Survival). Shepard cast Commune with Nature to glean info about how many enemies they would face and the layout of the ruins (Spell Attack). After Shepard gave the party the logistics, Ulfgar delivered a rousing speech. Bim Bim was first into the battle and grabbed two Vine Troll Skeletons. He shoved their heads down in the water, thinking it would prevent them from breathing (Acrobatics). "I CAN HOLD BREATHE! TROLL CANT, HAHA!" Bim Bim cheered. John pointed out they were undead (and thus didn't need to breathe). "yeah its gonna be um, super dead, soon." Bim Bim replied. [Skill Challenge Success]
As Bim Bim sailed through the air to knock down the first two Vine Troll Skeletons, the rest of the party had snuck into position [Four Skill Challenge Successes]. There were several Vine Troll Skeletons in front of the ruins, and a colossal undead tree behind it. To get to the evil druid they would all have to be defeated to access to a hole that led to an underwater passage leading to the evil druid, and presumably the reconstructed resurrected green blight dragon.
Tyber cast Longstrider on John, allowing the rogue more mobility. Xilon flying on his broom above, cast Fireball down at two Vine Troll Skeletons. While vulnerable to fire, the Vine Troll Skeletons were also standing in deep swampy water that neutralized some of the flames. Ulfgar's Guiding Bolt missed it's intented target. Shepard floated in the water near one of the Vine Troll Skeletons Bim Bim had knocked prone, and cast Blight on it. The Vine Troll Skeleton's formidible constitution resisted some of the damage. A Vine Troll Skeleton under Xilon threw a boulder past him; but a boulder from the other Vine Troll Skeleton brutally collided with the airborne wizard. John took advantage of his new physical mutations to sneakily swim to the right of the party and stabbed a Vine Troll Skeleton twice with his Dagger of Wounding. The Vine Troll Skeleton would be unable to regenerate the wounds caused by the magical blade. A Vine Troll Skeleton alerted to the commotion approached Bim Bim from the left side of the ruins. With rage-fueled strength Bim Bim slammed the two Vine Troll Skeletons near him together and dragged them closer to a third. John saw Bim Bim "ring their bells," and thought to himself, "Bim Bim can cast Toll the Dead." Darksteel Hex'd one of the Vine Troll Skeletons, then Fireball'd all four Bim Bim had cleverly bunched together. Behind the ruins the undead Wraithroot Tree began to lumber forward. A Vine Troll Skeleton's claws tore deeply into Bim Bim. To the right of the ruins, Rarkus Wild Shaped into a Giant Constrictor Snake then constricted a Vine Troll Skeleton and held it firmly grappled. Rarkus-Snake was slashed by the other Vine Troll Skeleton near him.
Tyber aimed skyward and unleashed a Hail of Thorns upon the Vine Troll Skeletons surrounding Bim Bim. Two of the Vine Troll Skeletons lock up from the paralyzing paste delivered by the volley. One of the Vine Troll Skeletons dropped from the damage sustained. Xilon Vortex Warp'd Ulfgar up onto his flying broom. The surprised dwarf almost fell off, but managed to right himself as the half elf flew both higher into the sky. Ulfgar cast Cure Wounds on Xilon to stanch his wounds. Shepard Fireball'd the three remaining Vine Troll Skeletons by Bim Bim, felling one. A Vine Troll Skeleton clawed at John but his Kinetic Vest absorbed some of the blow. John slew the Vine Troll Skeleton with two swift jabs from his magical daggers. The acid dripping from the Dragontooth dagger prevented the Vine Troll Skeleton from regenerating. One of the Vine Troll Skeletons beside Bim Bim tried to cut Shepard. Enraged, Bim Bim tried to pull that Vine Troll Skeleton away from his friend. The two Vine Troll Skeletons standing below Xilon flung more boulders, the relentless assault on the weakened caster nearly killed him. Darksteel pounded a Vine Troll Skeleton with Eldritch Blasts. The grappled Vine Troll Skeleton tried but couldn't break away from Bim Bim. As John had slain his first victim, Rarkus-Snake swiveled to constrict the other Vine Troll Skeleton on the eastern side of the ruins. The Vine Troll Skeleton struggled but couldn't escape.
Seeing the leftmost Vine Troll Skeletons were well handled, Tyber shifted his stance on the mound of earth the long-range experts were hidden on. He popped a couple arrows into the Vine Troll Skeleton John and Rarkus-Snake were fighting; then sent his wolf companion to help them, it's teeth sinking into vine-wrapped bones. Xilon leaned heavily on his flying broom and cast Control Water. Choosing to split the swamp, he created a pathway from Shepard and Bim Bim to the Vine Troll Skeletons throwing boulders at him. Before Xilon was too weak to control his flying broom, Ulfgar took a risk and used Life Transference to take some of Xilon's wounds onto himself but bolster Xilon's fortitude in return. Shepard launched a Fireball into the two Vine Troll Skeletons that had been harrassing Xilon. When they turned towards Shepard, he shouted as many expletives as he could think of at them. John missed his first attempt but got a good acidic thrust with his Dragontooth dagger into the constricted Vine Troll Skeleton. A Vine Troll Skeleton by Shepard clawed him. Bim Bim countered with a swing of his hand axe. The boulder throwing Vine Troll Skeletons choose to ignore the flying "pests," and advanced towards Shepard. Darksteel's Eldritch Blasts disassembled the Vine Troll Skeleton behind Bim Bim. The Wraithroot Tree was now close enough to start throwing boulders, one slammed into Ulfgar. A savage bite from Rarkus-Snake dispatched the constricted Vine Troll Skeleton, he then slithered to intercept the remaining Vine Troll Skeletons. 
As Rarkus-Snake passed, Tyber magically healed the druids wounds. Xilon cast Mind Sliver at the Wraithroot Tree, trying to weaken it to the next attack. Ulfgar reached out and cast Animate Objects on the ground, bringing several rocks to life. He mentally commanded them to attack the closest Vine Troll Skeleton. Shepard grabbed the last Vine Troll Skeleton near him and threw it into the Vine Troll Skeleton closing in via the patch of parted swamp. John swam up behind the Vine Troll Skeleton surrounded by animated rocks and eliminated it. The thrown Vine Troll Skeleton stood up and scratched Shepard. Bim Bim lept over Shepard and brought his hand axe down, splitting the Vine Troll Skeleton in twain. Rolling with the momentum, Bim Bim continued ahead and into the last Vine Troll Skeleton, striking another massive blow. The last Vine Troll Skeleton picked Bim Bim up in it's massive skeletal hands. Darksteel Eldritch Blast'd the last Vine Troll Skeleton. The Wraithroot Tree threw another rock towards the flying mercenaries; but it deflected off Xilon's Shield spell. Rarkus-Snake wrapped around the last Vine Troll Skeleton and constricted it. 
Tyber fired two arrows between openings in the Giant Constrictor Snake's form, killing the last Vine Troll Skeleton. Xilon sent a second spike of psychic energy into the Wraithroot Tree's mind. Ulfgar's Guiding Bolt lit up the Wraithroot Tree (ed note: not like Yule); then tasked his animated rocks to charge the Wraithroot Tree. Shepard paused for a moment to make sure the party was ready to engage the colossal undead tree. With everyone agreed, Shepard gave John a heave to get him closer to the enemy. John threw his Dragontooth dagger hard enough to embed it in the Wraithroot Tree's withered bark. Bim Bim moved to back up John. From way in the back, Darksteel's Eldritch Blasts flew over the party's heads to strike the Wraithroot Tree. A vile magic pulsed from the Wraithroot Tree. The Wraithstorm effect sapped John's strength. He was just barely able to dodge a pummeling of boughs from the monster. Rarkus-Snake winded himself right up in the Wraithroot Tree's "face."
Tyber's arrows punctured the undead bark. Xilon took advantage of the undead's lack of intelligence to hit it with a third Mind Sliver of psychic energy. While Shepard took advantage of the massive size of the monster to hit it with a Fireball across the top branches and not his allies. John quickly drew two flasks of oil and splashed across it's trunk. Bim Bim used the magic of his White Ape Maul to climb the Wraithree and then smash it's body. The Wraithroot Tree's branches swung wildy, battering Bim Bim and John. John's Vest took the brunt of the hit. Ulfgar cast Heat Metal on the dagger John had earlier embedded in the undead tree, but it wasn't enough to ignite the oil. However, a Firebolt from Darksteel exploded the oil causing extra damage to the Wraithroot Tree. Rarkus-Snake saw an exposed pulsing green bulb-like organ inside the undead tree. He bit into it and ripped it out, destroying the Wraithree.
The mercenaries collected themselves and their gear. With the active threat abated, they took a short rest in the ruins.
==Conclusion==
The mercenaries traveled for five days, only stopping briefly to examine the quarry the evil druid had been interested in. At the evil druid's hideout, the party launched a surprise assault on Vine Troll Skeletons and an undead Wraithroot Tree. With the sentries defeated, the party rested and prepared for the next step. To dive underwater to find and fight the evil druid and the green blight dragon he commanded.