The Witch Hunt or Night of the Talking Trees (4/29/2023)

We rejoin our heroes as they trek along the river beyond Arbor Haven. The Town Elder, Lachlan, was convinced they have been sent as a reprieve from the unexplained phenomena plaguing their town of late and have been inadvertently chosen as the Champions of Arbor Haven to lead their hunting party and root out the source.

**The Witch-Hunt**

They stride alongside the river accompanied by twelve lightly-armed villagers and their hunting dogs.  The movement is slow going; the inexperience of the villagers left them looking to the party for leadership and guidance. Butterstuff summon’s Winston, her direcorgi, tapping the magic tattoo on her arm then mounts him for the journey.

After hours of travel through the dense forest, nerves begin to take hold. The longer they spend in the forest, the more visibly fear grips them. They fall behind their leaders, giving them wide berth.

The early evening approaches with no sign of this witch or clues to its whereabouts. An owl’s hoot rings out into the night, and something odd catches Leaf and Fen’s attention. They pause to study their surroundings, but nothing worthy of note can be found.

Leaf and Alluin sense a hunger that can’t be satiated and a tangible feeling of being watched – the hairs on back of their necks stand up.

“Something’s watching us.” Leaf calls out to his companions, “I can feel it.”

Hadrian falls back to encourage the villagers, whose fear response borders paralysis. Caius is walking separate from the group and appears unshaken by the darkness and eeriness of night. He catches up to walk beside Talek.

Talek takes the opportunity to share more of his personal trials of life after being a Knife of the Pact. He speaks of Jolen – the monk from the secret Monastery of Avandra – the man who saved him and nursed him back to health. Of the pain of his Breaking and the relief he felt when Avandra gave him his second chance; the opportunity to become Her vessel of Change.

“You might know this peace too, Caius. Avandra’s luck will bring it where the Thirteen only brought death. All may change through her light and luck. I need to believe that you can too.”

“Your Avandra sounds weak. Where is your strength? Where is *her* strength? We were once peerless warriors through Asmodeus. I doubt either of us could stand against the might of his Knives now.”

“You’re wrong, Caius. First you need to heal, then change will come and with it *Her* *power.* I’ve felt it, and I’m learning to wield it, just as you may.”

Caius nods apprehensively and looks down. Gripping the medallion around his neck. Talek recognizes his skeptical, conflicted look.

*Enough of this for now, we will revisit later,* He thought. “Have you sensed anything… odd about these woods?”

“I feel something strong targeting these people, it grows stronger still. Something trying to frighten them into leaving.”

Talek is reminded of a popular story told throughout the realm about a werewolf detective, Scoobus Doobus. He chuckles at the thought of closing the case by unmasking some land-grabber without need for bloodshed.

The hunting party comes to a clearing at dusk and finds themselves at the base of a mountain where two streams converge. A glint of red illuminated by their lamplight; more of the red moss they found back by Arbor Haven.

“Let’s spread out and search,” Hadrian suggests. “We can cover more ground.”

They break into smaller groups and fan out as they stalk forward. Leaf, Ryafrie and Alluin pause at the notice of two eyes which open and close in the darkness before them. Leaf walks cautiously towards them and Alluin sends Darwin up above to investigate. Talek beckons Caius to see what’s gotten Leaf’s attention.

Leaf draws his sword in one hand and raises his lantern in the other, noticing movement in the light; one of the trees seemed to have moved slightly. Upon further inspection, it looks ordinary. He stalks on. As he turns away, Leaf hears something that sounds like wood thumping against the ground – he looks back to find the tree *running*!

Leaf, Talek and Caius are first to follow as Darwin trails them from above. Fen follows close behind while Hadrian pops out from behind a tree – he had apparently been keeping an eye on Caius from a distance. The rest of the hunting party continues their search, unaware.

While it’s running, Leaf takes note of its description. It appears humanoid, almost like a person wearing a tree-suit. It is sure footed in this terrain and quickly builds distance between them despite his active pursuit.

Fen sees the gap widening and casts Haste on Leaf to quicken his pace as he sprints into the perilous void. He gains on the tree but the party loses direct sight of him; cracking twigs, pulsed thumping and the clank of armor is all that can be heard in the distance ahead, followed by a loud *crash*.

Moments before, the tree-man looked back at Leaf and a green flash of light blinded him just before he slammed directly into a large tree. Stunned, Leaf slumped to the ground. Fen, Talek, Caius, Hadrian and Xophren arrive to investigate, finding Leaf staring at the tree, fuming and mildly concussed.

Leaf explains how the tree-man appears to have disappeared into the tree, and Xophren studies it for anomalies.

“I recognize this, it acts as a kind of magic portal, similar to Alluin’s Misty Step. He could be nearby, but it would have transported him away from us in any direction. Impossible to trace.”

“You sure he isn’t *in* the tree?” Asked Leaf.

“He isn’t, I am certain, and this is a power I don’t yet understand how to use, so I cannot follow.”

Leaf, still fuming, attempts to chop the tree down, chipping at the sides bit by bit. Fen calmly convinces him to sit down a moment and cool off. The villagers catch up and Xophren brings them up to speed on Leaf’s encounter. Instantly convinced their target is, in fact, hiding in the tree, they start a group effort to chop the tree down. Fen shrugs and leaves them to it.

The remaining members of the party arrive on scene. They find Leaf and Fen leaning against a nearby tree watching the villagers wear themselves out in amusement. Xophren informs Alluin of the tree-portal. Alluin intervenes.

“*Stop this nonsense*! You’re won’t make progress by chopping it down, you’re more likely to end up angering these tree-folk that could otherwise help us find this witch. It’s a form of Druidic magic – there’s nothing *inside it*. Keep searching the area, you fools!”

The villagers regain their composure and bashfully look around the immediate area. Alluin, annoyed and frustrated, rapidly fills his pipe and draws hard. He calmly redirects the group.

“Fan out, it couldn’t have gone far and I still get a sense that we’re being watched. Look for any trees that may look… off.”

As the group fans out in a circle, Alluin calls out into the dead of the woods, “We mean no harm, but we do feel *threatened!* *Reveal yourselves or we will bring fire to your forest!”*

Leaf scans the forest and something catches his eye in the distance – another tree – not the exact tree from before, but of similar dimensions. A low growl from Winston fills the air. Leaf briskly stalks toward it as it catches Alluin’s eye. He flies up below the tree line and speeds toward it. The rest of the hunting party, sensing nothing, follows Leaf’s lead.

**The Tree-Folk**

Leaf’s careful approach ends anticlimactically, nothing happens. He pokes the motionless tree with his sword and considers it may just be nothing more. Xophren reaches Leaf and casts Speak With Plants after observing it.

A moment passes as Xophren attempts to commune with it, and stops with a look of confusion. “It… isn’t speaking back.” He informs, “I can tell it’s alive, but they *usually* talk back!”

The sound of wood creaking emanates from the tree. Fen knocks on it.

“It feels like wood to me. Hey, tree! We’re looking for the witch and we’re going to kill it! You seen her?”

The villagers catch up to the party to find Fen talking to a tree to their surprise. One of the villagers mutter something about a “drunk halfling”.

At that, the bark of the tree opens up to reveal a man inside. He has an exceptional beard and appears middle aged, with green-tinted blonde hair, his eyes filled with worry.

“You’d be best to leave this place, the family is watching you closely.” He whispers, “I’m not supposed to be talking to you – yes, it’s best you leave.”

“Are *you* in the family?” Xophren inquires.

“I am.” His eyes dart nervously, as if looking for someone.

“Any chance there’s a *witch* in your family?”

“We’re hunting one, you know.” Adds Fen

The man frowns and replies, “We don’t.”

“Who is responsible for the curse plaguing the people of Arbor Haven?” Asks Alluin.

“Cragthorn is responsible! The red tide was his idea… *lower your voices*,” he pleads in an curt whisper, “I’m not supposed to be speaking with you! Cragthorn is very angry and *will* attack soon!”

Xophren tries to speak to him, druid to… tree-folk, but he’s interrupted with a green flash of light all around them. They are instantly surrounding by several tree-folk, each similar in look to the whispering man before them. Each man and woman molded into various forms of tree armor – they appear ready to fight.

The bark peels back from one who appears to be in charge, revealing a tall, red haired woman behind it. Her eyes are fierce with fury.

“YOU MUST LEAVE THIS FOREST NOW!” She screams, jarring after the whispers of the first man, “CRAGTHORN DEMANDS IT!”

Butterstuff responds by casting One with Shadows; she and Winston disappear from sight.

“Be gone by tomorrow or we will root you out.” She continues.

Hadrian defiantly replies, “Attack us and we will burn your forest and salt the earth! Nothing will grow here again.”

“We have dealt with salt before.” She dismisses him with a wave of her hand. “Be gone.”

Xophren replies in Drueidan in a clear attempt to reason with her, but she recoils in disgust.

“You *dare* speak our language, tiefling heretic? Speak it no more or you *will* die.”

“How can we help?” Hadrian asks, altering his approach. “Maybe we can come to an agreement?”

“The only way you can help *yourselves* is to leave the so-called Arbor Haven. Cragthorn is angry – his wife calls him home. You have until sundown tomorrow.”

At that, the tree-folk vanish and the party, unsure of what to make of it, decides to regroup back at Arbor Haven and report on their findings to Lachlan. This witch hunt has become a bigger threat than they realized.

On the trek back, the feeling of being watched is ever present. As they pass in the distance, tree-folk can be seen healing the tree Leaf and villagers had defaced on their way in. Everyone is quiet, villagers spooked by what they’ve witnessed. Fen approaches one of the villagers to find some context.

“So… any idea what that was about?”

A worn hunter in the group replies, “Them tree-folk. We’ve never seen them before, but me nan told of them in her stories when I was a lad... Ancient tales. I never thought they were *real.”*

“Seems they would claim this land is theirs.” Mused Xophren. “When was Arbor Haven established? How long has that realm shard been in that tree?”

“Been damn near a century on both counts, so far as I reckon.”

As Xophren and Fen continue to prod, the villagers remain tight-lipped about their village’s past, and no further insight is offered to our heroes.

Ryafrie and Butterstuff exchange notes – it’s clear to them that this wife of Cragthorn’s must be the tree at the heart of the village. If they remove the realm shard, they may avoid a war between Arbor Haven and these fabled tree-folk. They share their plan with the rest of the group, who refuse to commit until Lachlan has given his blessing.

Talek is conflicted – he struggles to understand who may be the aggressors and who may need defending. Did the villagers really steal the land from Cragthorn or is this all a misunderstanding? He prays to Avandra for guidance, and she lights his way.

**Whose Side are You On?**

The band of would-be-witch-hunters return to Arbor Haven after dark, greeted at the gate by Lachlan the elder and his entourage bearing torches. They read the worried expressions on the villagers as they pass through the gate, and anxiously speak over each other seeking answers.

Ryafrie begins to play her lute and calms the din of the crowd. She sings a song to explain what happened and the plan to avoid a war:

*In a realm of legends, where tales abound,*

*We met the tree-folk on enchanted ground.*

*Cragthorn seeks his wife, their love profound,*

*But a dire ultimatum, the nightfall to resound.*

*A plan takes shape, whispered in the night,*

*To save our village; avoid gruesome fight.*

*Within the ancient tree, a shard so bright,*

*Removing it may guide us to the light.*

*Through trials and battles, our spirit won't fade,*

*In this enchanted realm, where legends are made.*

*With lute and song, our courage won't sway,*

*We'll triumph together, come what may.*

“Well sung, my colossal bard, but I’m afraid I have concerns with your proposed ‘solution.’ That realm shard maintains our way of life. To remove it would be the doom of Arbor Haven more surely than an impending attack. If what you say is true, we have no choice to stand and fight. Back in my day, I was an accomplished fighter-“

Hadrian interrupts, stalking right up to Lachlan and swinging a gauntlet-clad fist. To Hadrian’s surprise, Lachlan catches it and throttles Hadrian’s throat effortlessly.

“Are we going to fight, spectral knight?”

Hadrian pulls back in shock – he has never met his peer in speed nor agility; he yields. Lachlan composes himself and continues.

“Good. Then my friends, I ask this of you – stand and fight with us. We must protect Arbor Haven from the tree-folk. I cannot defend it alone.”

Xophren, insulted the criticism of his Druidic devotion, steps forward and addresses the crowd. “By my talon, fang or claw, you have my protection.”

Talek, standing aloof and gripping a talisman in prayer, opens his eyes and simply states, “Arbor Haven has Avandra’s protection.”

Ryafrie, Leaf, Fen and Butterstuff each step forward in agreement, while Alluin and Hadrian are not so easily convinced. Alluin grabs Xophren by the shoulder and beckons him along with Hadrian.

“This can’t be – there must be a peaceful strategy I haven’t considered... I will *not* risk life and limb unless I am certain it is the only way – this is not our fight and we *need* to find Eldrin!”

Alluin drags Xophren to the tree at the heart of the village. The rest of the party follows save for Talek.

“Druid, see if you can remove the realm shard from the tree – talk to it or something!

At that, Xophren considers for a moment and transforms into an owl. He flies up into the lower branches and changes form to that of a squirrel. He climbs up and to the realm shard buried within and resumes his tiefling form. Summoning his staff, his eyes and staff glow green while the guttural Druidic incantations fill the air. Large sections of wood surrounding the realm shard light up at his command and begin to split away from the tree.

As soon as it started, his magic fizzles away and the realm shard returns to place, unchanged. He tries again with the same result. Alluin flies up to join him by the realm shard to inspect the results himself.

“My magic seems blocked.” Xophren informs. “It cannot be moved.”

Alluin retrieves a staff from the Bag of Holding and wields it – the red realm shard at its top begins to glow red. Down on the ground, Hadrian, Leaf and Ryafrie feel a tug and notice the realm shards in their packs are drawn toward the realm shard in the tree, and then nothing.

When Alluin and Xophren return to the base of the tree to regroup, Lachlan is seen approaching.

“I told you – the realm shard cannot be removed. Besides, it is integral to our way of life! Please, join us in protecting our township.”

Alluin and Hadrian stand firm.

“We side with the tree-folk,” Declares Hadrian. “This was their sacred land you have taken from them.”

“We took nothing from these so-called tree-folk, not in my lifetime. They have been but a rumor in our eyes. Yet they have no sense of diplomacy. Surely you can see they are aggressors?”

The group continues to deliberate and argue their position – Xophren, Talek, Leaf, Fen, Butterstuff, Ryafrie (and Kizzik by proxy) each pledge to fight for Arbor Haven to Lachlan’s delight. Hadrian and Alluin depart to gather more insight, journeying out into the woods.

After some time, they return, position changed.

“Bahamut has sided with the people of this village,” Concludes Hadrian, “The Arcana Purim is with you.”

“We will fight for Arbor Haven.” adds Alluin.

“Finally, you’re all on board.” says Lachlan, delighted, “You have the gratitude of the people of Arbor Haven. When this is all over, I will aid you in your search. We will meet and strategize in the common area at dawn – tonight you rest.”

The townspeople tend to their heroes, providing food, snacks, blankets and support. Some clean armor and sharpen blades while others draw baths or make bread to sustain them in the fight to come. The party retires back at Mauve’s house to settles in, anticipating the day to come.

**The Battle of Arbor Haven**

Dawn. The party wakes well-rested thanks to the creature comforts provided by the town. They meet Lachlan in the common area to present an idea that came to them in the night.

“Do you have oil reserves?” Asks Alluin, “The more flammable the better.”

“Yes, we have many,” Replies Lachlan, “what have you in mind, wizard?”

“We have until nightfall,” States Alluin, “We need to build a moat around the walls and fill it with water from the river. Then we’ll coat the surface with your oil reserves.”

“When the tree-folk arrive,” Adds Hadrian, “we wait until the last moment and set the moat ablaze, hopefully keeping the tree-folk at bay.”

“Then we do what we wizards do best!” Fen adds with a grin, “*Reduce them to kindling!*”

“We need to fletch as many flaming arrows as we can to arm the archers and defend the walls.” Adds Xophren

“My apprentice and I will inspire the fighters and prepare for battle!” Calls Ryafrie.

“Fen, Talek and I will man the walls,” says Leaf. “Should they attempt to penetrate our defenses, they will be swiftly cut down.”

Lachlan calls the town together and briefs them on the looming threat and the plan to overcome it. He calls all able bodied men to work on the moat while the women and children in town are called to assist with collecting oils or crafting weapons.

As the day passes, a moat is built deep and wide around the wall. A rudimentary canal is dug to fill it with water from the nearby river. Once full, the men of the village filled the canal to seal the water in as oil is layered upon the surface. Twilight approaches and Lachlan calls for the gates to be closed and reinforced with benches. The women and children take shelter while the men take up arms and prepare to defend Arbor Haven.

The Tree-folk are coming.

Talek gives one of his Pyromancer Peppers to Ryafrie, saying “When the tree-folk come, burn them to the ground.” Ryafrie accepts the magical pepper with enthusiasm. Leaf, Talek and Fen man the walls above the gate as an experienced archer joins them with flaming arrows at the ready. Alluin and Hadrian take position upon a roof by the gates. Butterstuff (mounted atop her direcorgi), Xophren, Ryafrie and Kizzik join the defensive positions behind the gate.

Talek spots Caius joining the gate’s defense as well, still wearing his familiar black robe with dark patches where insignias from his past life were torn away. Talek tosses an Amulet of Avandra to him with a smile.

“For luck, from the Changebringer.”

Caius catches it and tucks it into his tunic. Talek catches a brief glimpse of a set of traditional Knife’s armor beneath his robe.

Deafening silence permeates the village. The streets are empty. Night falls.

“Maybe an attack won’t come after all?” Suggests the archer to Leaf, hopefully staring out at the tree line. As soon as he says it, however, the tree line begins moving toward them.

“*The enemy approaches!*” Leaf calls to the men of the village. “Ready your weapons!”

The trees advance, seven massive warriors in all. They are clad in their tree-armor, eyes blazing with malicious indignation. Kizzik climbs atop the roof and atop Hadrian’s shoulders to catch a glimpse of the action. Talek pulls Fen atop his own on top of the gates, who prepares a spell.

The battle begins.

Ryafrie is the first to react, casting Lightning Bolt – it surges away from her, hitting one of the tree-folk on approach, singing the bark of its armor. Talek casts Crusader’s Mantle and the men on the gate feel a surge of power and strength from within. The tree-folk approach the moat, and Lachlan calls to the archer to light it. He nervously looses a flaming arrow, narrowly missing the water. He quickly lights and fires a second arrow which finds its mark.

The moat bursts into flames, surrounding the walls in a protective shell of fire, lighting one unsuspecting tree on fire that was stepping into the moat as it erupted. The rest of the tree-warriors halt in their tracks, unable to pass.

“It’s working!” Lachlan declares, “Give them hell!”

Hadrian casts Guiding Bolt and a flashing light streaks toward the tree-folk. It hits one of the trees in the front line leaving a patch of frost with no effect.

Alluin unleashes a mighty fireball. It passes over the flaming moat to land devastating burns on one of the tree-folk. Still alive but gravely wounded, the tree-clad warrior presses on.

The red-haired woman they met earlier is spotted moving to the front of the line by the gate. She places a gnarled wooden staff in the flames and carves a path through the flames. She raises her staff and calls for a charge, a battle cry erupts from the tree-folk as the villagers’ confidence wavers.

Xophren casts Entangle on the channel in the flames – vines erupt from underneath the tree-folk, ensnaring two of them where they stand. The rest muster the strength to break free and move forth.

Another bolt of lightning erupts from Ryafrie, singing the bark off another tree-warrior. Leaf, perched atop the wall, fires his crossbow into the fray. Fen casts Slow on the group of warriors at the gates, impeding their speed.

The red-headed warrior presses to the front and touches the gate with her staff. It bends and moves, folding away, leaving nothing between the villagers manning the gate and the tree-folk marauders. She utters something in Drueidan and Vine-like tentacles erupt from the ground around a villager, constricting and strangling him.

Talek summons his spiritual weapon; a blue spectral Warhammer materializes before him. It soars into motion and slams into the vines below. They appear undamaged, but loosen their grip freeing the villager. He points to one of the tree-warriors below the gates and the sound of calamitous bells fill the air. A black and green energy erupts from its chest, wounding his foe. As the energy fades, dead, grey wood is left in its wake.

Hadrian leaps down from the rooftop to the battle below as a massive fireball erupts from Alluin, gravely wounding another tree-warrior.

Despite their defensive efforts, the gate’s defense breaks and the raiding party spills through. They slaughter villagers as they spread out, targeting the weak.

Butterstuff casts Hunger of Hadar and a cube of utter blackness opens up in the fabric of space and time itself amid the enemy. Milky tentacles stretch out of the blackness to grasp one of the tree-warriors. It breaks free and the cube collapses, but severe acid burns are left behind where the tentacles had gripped him.

Xophren transforms into a giant eagle and soars high into the air then nosedives in an attempt to grab one of the tree-folk, with a narrow miss. Ryafrie eats Talek’s Pyromantic Pepper and breathes deep, expelling a devastating mixture of napalm-lightning in a cone, engulfing all seven of the enemy fighters. The leader nimbly leaps out of the line of fire at the last moment, but the rest are notably burned. Three have visibly serious wounds and burns from the battle thus far, their armor beginning to fail. They press on.

Leaf leaps from tower and strikes at one of the wounded enemies. His axe carves deep into the wooden armor, exposing a face beneath. Hanging on his axe for leverage, he strikes with Talon, running his sword through the tree-folk’s exposed eye. He slumps back in a heap, dead as Leaf stands over him in triumph.

Fen casts a fireball from atop the gates, engulfing two nearby warriors. When the flames clear, one is visibly damaged; branches burned away but alive, the other simply gone – obliterated in a cloud of fire and smoke.

A tree-folk attacks leaf, swinging a massive branch-arm at him, but leaf times his defense well. He dodges the branch and throws his shoulder into its side, knocking him to the ground.

The other trees break away from the crowd, spreading throughout the village, rooting out and slaughtering any villagers they find.

Hadrian turns to make his way into town to defend the villagers and feels the ground shaking and he sprints inward, as if something massive is moving in the distance. Talek feels it next. He gazes toward the tree line.

“A gargantuan entity is moving through the forest and it’s headed this way!” He calls out to his fellow defenders.

The trees of the forest are noticeably shaking above the tree line, even from this distance. He shares a look of acknowledgement with Hadrian who nods as if to agree – this battle needs to end fast.

Talek’s spiritual weapon hurls in a blur of blue energy into the back of one of the tree-warriors, stunning it. He leaps from the wall, aiming his Warhammer at the closest marauder with a direct hit to the tree-folk’s head. The momentum of Talek’s fall leaves them both in a heap on the ground.

Hadrian takes the opportunity to pin Talek’s target where he lays and strikes, buying Talek time to get to his feet. The tree-warrior swats Hadrian back and crawls to his feet, but not before Talek strikes him in the trunk-like leg with his hammer, splintering it.

Another soldier engages Leaf, the bark armor opens up like a giant mouth and bites down on Leaf’s torso, his armor taking most of the damage but crushing him within. He forcefully strikes in a flurry of hits at the tree until it releases him.

Ryafrie casts Vicious Mockery and insults one of the tree warriors, shouting, *"Your leafy armor may shield your hide, but your fashion sense has surely died."* The warrior, hearing the insult, reels in emotional and physical pain, then turns it’s ire on her. The tree warrior, enraged by her insult, grips Ryafrie in a branch-like hand and squeezes. Leaf comes to her aid, leaping and attacking with axe and sword, trying to free her, but to no effect.

Ryafrie, still in the clutches of the tree-warrior, looks past her target and sees the commotion in the trees beyond the wall, the entire township shakes with the rumble of massive footsteps moving in their direction.

A giant tree man, three times the size of the tree-folk’s armor, bursts through the tree line and bashes his way through the gate - knocking hero and tree-folk out of the way indiscriminately; Ryafrie is knocked free but injured, and is clobbered in the fray.

Fen, still atop the gate, casts Chromatic Orb – a sphere of red energy hums to life in his hand. He hurls it at the red-headed leader, burning her armor and knocking her staff from her grip.

Xophren attempts to intercept Cragthorn, and narrowly misses being flattened by his massive trunk-legs as he stomps forth. Talek points his hammer at him and another bell fills the air, but nothing happens. He commands his spiritual weapon to attack, but it has no effect against his thick wooden skin.

Hadrian attacks Cragthorn with his sword and speaks words of magic; Talek feels himself grow more dexterous.

Cragthorn continues moving toward the center of town, attempting to reach his wife tree that houses the realm shard and powers Arbor Haven. It’s beginning to glow a deep red.

“We *must* stop him!” Hadrian cries out, “If he reaches the realm shard, Arbor Haven will be lost!”

Ryafrie unleashes another napalm-laced Lightning Breath against the enemy, singing him. Leaf valiantly sidesteps the tree-folk and dashes at top speed, ramming himself weapons first into Cragthorn, who ignores him. Fen casts Haste on Hadrian and Talek – they think and move faster than ever.

As Cragthorn continues his trek to the heart tree, he swipes a massive arm at Leaf, knocking him back. Talek speeds toward the gargantuan tree-monster and swings his Warhammer with all his might with Inflict Qounds. As it connects with Cragthorn’s leg, black and green energy permeate the site of the wound, leaving a large spot of dead, almost rotten bark. He dodges a swing from the monster’s arm and misses a follow-up swing with his Warhammer. As he misses his mark, a blur of blue flashes before him as the spiritual weapon slams into Cragthorns face with a massive crack.

Hadrian summons a blade of flame in one hand and his sword in the other – he strikes out with each, missing with his sword but connecting with the flame blade, scorching Cragthorn’s torso.

Alluin, in hopes of stalling Cragthorn, summons a Wall of Flames between him and the shard tree. A deep, other-worldly groan fills their ears are Cragthorn moves directly into the fire.

Hadrian jams his sword through the leg of the beast and anchors it to the ground, holding it in place. Cragthorn responds by *tearing off his own leg*. Talek swings but the flame wall prevents him from connecting.

The party, Lachlan and what townspeople remain watch in horror as Cragthorn reaches his wife and devours the realm shard. Quiet.

“We… failed?” Ryafrie asks in disbelief.

The tree-wife suddenly animates, moving in the same manner as Cragthorn. They turn to retreat to the forest as the remaining tree-folk flee. Devastation, gore and blood are strewn about in their wake. The sun rises on a new Arbor Haven, left in ruin.