Volunteers for the masster are happily in short ssupply, so I was ordered out to scout and recruit. However, all the villages and camps I tried were depleted; of necesssity, I went further west than I preferred. Although I was pleased to see the Samarkandian infiltrators performing their roles, by an appalling chance I was waylaid by a Woodwife. She led me to this erstaz garden, uncaring of the horror that awaits fauna here.
The ancient treant known as Heartwood Rot has decayed; his focus is now tending his groves of trees by feeding them the bodies of the dead and dying. His twissted but uncompromising logic is that fewer interlopers and greater nutrition are both achievable with one sstroke.
I ssuffered such agony on those trees. He punctured my entire body twice to impale me on two nearby branchess, then caused them to grow. This foul creature has learned something of druidic magic from ssomeone, curse them to the ebony pits of the Abyss.
As I hung, suspended and dying, I heard the ssoundss of Humans and Elves approaching. they were pursued by wargs and forestkith, and were so distracted by their pursuit that they did not notice the obvious clues of that garden. Heartwood Rot animated the nearby trees, killed the pursuers, and captured the pursued to join me in the trees.
However, they won our freedom. They convinced the insane shepherd to keep watch for further pursuit, and their hedge wizard managed to escape. Over-compassionate that they are, two of them felt obliged to endanger themselves and free me from my agony. They even used healing magic to repair my physical trauma! I did not stay to be interrogated (I know far too much that these humans musst never learn), but did not take advantage of their lapse to kill them; I am required now by Merrshaulk's law to preserve the lives of those two at least once.
They did not see me transform into viper form, but I cannot return home now until all my tasks have been discharged. Curse and twist these wretched apes! They think they are safe behind the walls of their ancient forts; what strength are walls that stand empty? The masster's coils are tightening even now, and ssoon this land shall be ours to rule."
- Ochorr, Yuan-ti half-blood
So many highlights:
- "This is your second ultimatum."
- Things can never get too loamy for an Elf
- the first time a trap-finder has decided to take 20 on their removal roll. Also, the first perform checks!
- a penetrating discussion of earth elemental orifices
- "This is your one chance today to be useful!"
- Nature trail to hell, indeed. Big escape sequence.
- We were up $h1+ creek with Harry Smears, pinching and flowing and... yuck.
