A Discussion With Dryads
A party of six unlikely diplomats trek into the Great Althean Forest, on behalf of the guild. They seek an audience with the dryad queen, Rimu, and a bargain for safe passage for the guild's members. But not everything is quite as peaceful as it seems.
Welcome to Azurhia, a world where fae magic abounds. We start in the town of Circle Creek, in the Kingdom of Althea. Circle Creek is a midway point between many different paths. Queen Titania has entrusted the new iteration of the Gallant Horde to Andaline Smith, the proprietor of the local tavern. Andaline, knowing it'll make her quite a bit of money and help stimulate the local economy has agreed to the Queen's request.
The first mission is to meet with the dryads of the local forest and strike a deal with Queen Rimu to allow safe passage for the Horde's members as they trek out to complete their missions. Herein we meet our first party.
First up are the Hexe siblings, Loralai and Nix. Loralai is a tiefling cleric of Kifa, goddess of death, who wears bird skulls to commune with her goddess. Nix is a full automaton. He’s not quite sure why he's here, but is making sure his sister stays out of trouble.
Next, we have a tiefling - a guy named Pete. All red skin, two sets of horns and hooved feet, but incredibly chill, man. Steeve is a human sorcerer who, well, let's just say he's not the brightest bulb in the bunch.
Dalia Bonnechance is a human witch who believes Steeve is on his way to greatness and has read the cards to follow him to join the Horde. Rounding out the party is Jackson Cairn, a former sea chef with an automaton arm and a penchant for guns.
As the party sets out, Pete leads them through the woods, but with a two on the die takes a very wrong turn, getting the party lost, until Dalia is able to follow the path along the river.
On their journey, they discover a shrubbery covered in the most delicious looking berries. Loralai and Nix, however, call out that there is something not quite right about them, but Dalia fails her saves and is enticed to eat the berries. As she rushes from shrub to shrub, she's caught in a muddy pit trap and a swarm of bug sprites called melixies rush in, rejoicing over the capture of their prey.
Loralai, in quick thinking, confronts them about what they want to do with their captive, and they say they want to play. So Loralai strikes a deal with them that Steeve and Pete will play with them until lunchtime and provide the melixies with treats, if they can have Dalia back. All parties except for Loralai, who must give up all of her treats, are amenable to this deal, and great fun is had. While playing Pete gets a successful lead on the direction of the Dryads and he and Steeve leave the party to their grove.
As the party enters the grove, Queen Rimu steps out and Dalia speaks first instead of waiting to be spoken to, offending the queen. Dalia then apologises, and tries to smooth over the situation, offering the help of the Horde. Queen Rimu advised that she sees all and knows all that happens in the forest. If the party had not been respectful, they would be dead. But she has something they can do for her.
An ill Dryad is presented to the party: Nakakeli. Her tree resides over an underground pool which is poisoning her roots. The party goes to investigate the tree, which they do find to be diseased, producing a gross stagnant water smell coming from the cave underneath.
As the party investigates, a creature from the roots springs out and attacks Jackson, starting the battle. It's a pretty short battle; Loralai finds using positive healing spells are able to damage this creature who is undead. And to finish it out, Dalia gets the killing blow.
The party discovers that the monster was feasting on hunters and humanoid creatures, dragging them under the cave to devour them. The beast had been oozing a corrosive ick that was affecting the tree of Nakakeli.
The party returned to the Queen with the information. The Dryads are a little concerned because, despite usually being able to see all in the Woods, this creature was somehow hidden from them. It was not of this realm. However, the Horde had completed their side of the bargain, and so the Dryads agreed to let the party and the Gallant Horde forage in the forest for what they may need for food, not seeming to care much about how they treated anything that wasn't the plant life.
The party returns successfully to Andaline, and that ends our first episode.
What happened with this undead creature? Are there more secrets in the woods? Only time will tell.