News of some disturbance in the Forest of Thorns reached us and we quickly assembled a team to investigate.
We met Oakmesh, leader of the Fey who dwell there and quickly learned what this was all about. A hag named Glacia stole an orb from the group and used it to draw power from the Abyss. The whole mechanic of this arcane method is lost on me but when we followed the tracks, the evidence of Abyssal interference was obvious. The hag had the company of some fiends and a blight druid that I had the opportunity to interrogate. Among the information we learned, the most important seemed to be that the Tum Tum Forest is being used a base of operations by the leader of the Gilgori Enclave, a individual named Gahzel, themselves a lieutenant of sorts to the Demon Lord Baphomet that the Enclave is trying to summon.
We disrupted the whole operation with little difficulty and brought the orb back to its rightful owners. We decided to keep working together keeping watch on the Enclave. They Fey are to send word immediately if they learn where exactly Gahzel dwells. I for one cannot wait to strike down this Evil once and for all.
On the way back, we encountered, Billiam, a bard who needed some inspiration with a poetry exercise he set upon himself. I welcomed the opportunity to occupy my mind with something else for a change and was able to inspire a few verses. He was happy enough to reward us with a token of gratitude, a parchment indicating a secret way through the Briarwall. In Elvish, the script reads as such :
“Follow a trail to the west of the main road. Find a rectangular stone pillar that has the word “ally” inscribed on it. Tap each face of the pillar twice. Follow the tunnel. Bring light.“
According to Billiam, this passage is a shortcut through into the forest, more secure if only because of its secrecy. He did warn about a Drow lurking within.
Others things of note : we met Voromis shortly after leaving Ruined Oak and again on our way back, where we learned he would be happy to work as a healer for the AFK. We also met a Redcap and his troupe of brutes. They made no secret of their activity, murder and theft as it is. I gave him the opportunity to repent after a short and bloody fight but he chose death. I executed him with a heavy heart.