This message was deleted by the player at 01:12, Thu 12 May 2016.

Kahan continues forward, attacking any creatures in the way.

Tahldar rushes right after Kahan, not bothering to attack and simply looks to push through to the cavern beyond.

Leo follows Tahldar and Kahan and attacks as creatures get close.

Running through the gap that has opened Vuzyl turns to cover Borimer's withdrawal.

Shae follows the others through to the other side, coming up last to make sure her spell holds up.

You move through the hole in the tentacle wall that opens up to Shae's spell.  The briar and thorny bushes also give way to an old rock path that goes forward about fifty feet before opening into a larger cavern.

The large cavern deep in the mountain is at least 300 feet in a roughly circular or oval shape.  Plenty of briar and thorns rim the walls to your right and left, possibly concealing more of the bushy creatures that just attacked you.  The overhead ceiling is lined with rock stalactites, and the ceiling itself is at least a hundred feet high.

But what catches your attention is the large tree at the far side of you.  It is huge, with a stump at least 8 feet in diameter and rising 50 feet to the sky.  Its bark is jet black, with a twisting, gnarled wood that spirals up.  The branches reach at least 20 feet from its trunk, with darkened fruit, pointy thorns, and a few scattered leaves of an umber red color.

Near the base of the tree, a humanoid figure is within the curls of the branches itself.  He appears to be Drow, with an ancient robe now nearly completely in tatters.  His eyes are closed as if in sleep.  Whether he is alive or dead, you cannot tell.  His chest does not move.  Whether he is captive or creature, you also cannot tell.

Around his neck is a gold chain, and at the end of the chain is a gem--a silvery gem.  You can guess what that gem is used for because just 40 feet to the right of the tree is another of those dragon altars.  This one is empty, just waiting for a gem to be placed.

Between and somewhat behind the ominous tree and the dragon altar is the statue of a man.  The sculpting seems to have caught him in the act of shielding his eyes while lifting a gem.  The gem itself is not made of stone, but is instead a milky white.

To the diagonal right going behind you (if you are traveling south, it would be northwest), a large chamber 40 feet wide leads away.  Unfortunately, as with the chamber you just entered through, it is blocked by the thorny briar, and doubtless, it is filled with more tree blights.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:11, Tue 31 May 2016.

"Be wary of whatever turned him into stone when searching for traps..." Borimer offers helpfully to whichever brave companion clears the way.

"It was likely a perception based effect, like a gorgon. See? He was trying to cover his eyes," Kahan points out, looking around the brush. It was a shame that they couldn't just burn it down, but it would likely cause a chain reaction...

Have we lost most of our players?  End of the school year usually slows things down a bit, but to have only two people post in over three weeks is a bit scary, especially right before a really big scene.

I'm still here, I don't normally log into a game unless I am at the point of posting or I see something unread. I would guess others do the same.

Still here. I was just getting ready to ask if everything was okay.

"I'll try to remove the silver gem from the drow's neck with a spell, but I will wait till everyone is ready before I cast.  I expect something will happen once I try so everyone should be ready for battle."

OOC:  Tahldar will cast mage hand at a range of 45' on the gem on the drow's neck.  But he will also wait until everyone else is ready.

Leo readies his weapon and tries to cover Tahldar and be generally ready for anything.  "Well, we have managed so far so hopefully we get past this too."

Tahldar gets within distance of the tree and casts a spell.  As soon as the gem comes free, the Drow opens his eyes suddenly, scanning the dark while his body is still held tightly against the tree as though melded with it.

The tree also comes alive, its branches twisting an moving as though through to and fro by an unseen tornado.  As it starts to calm, the Drow lifts his arm and points toward you.  He opens his mouth and his words are hoarse and scratchy as he says, "Tree blights, attack."

His lifted hand lights up in a silver glow and he sends bolts of ice directly at Tahldar.  They hit him hard, interrupting his spell.  (Tahldar hit by ice shard missiles (modified magic missile), 16 hp dmg.)

The gem falls to the ground 10 feet from the tree and into the hard dirt.

Borimer charges the Drow and slashes twice with the Godslayer.

Following Borimer Vuzyl goes for the gem plucking it from the floor and placing it in his pocket before turning to face the blights.

Leo tries to cover Thaldar from the blights assuming that he will try and cast another spell.

Taldar takes the brunt of the creatures attack, but stands firmly.  Though he is but a willow of a man, his elven blood is made of some stern stuff and he can take a punch.

But he's also a prudent wizard and he begins to cast a protective spell.

OOC:  Tahldar will cast armor as his current armor was wiped out with the damage from the ice spell.

Kahan will begin casting.

Shae also begins casting as she spreads away from the others to draw fire or otherwise prevent an area of effect spell or attack from getting them all at once.  She will move toward the statue of the man holding the gem.

(I'll try to get back to regular posting on Monday.)

Since it's been awhile, here is a recap:

You traversed strange spiked weeds and living weed creatures called "tree blights" to come to this open area 300 feet in diameter.  The last 20 feet of the perimeter is covered in the spiked weeds and stalactites line the ceiling 100 feet above you.

In the center area of the circle is an incredibly large tree (8 foot diameter stump and 50 feet high).  It is totally black with twisting wood spiraling up and branches at least 20 feet long.  It has dark fruit, pointy thorns, and a few leaves here and there that are a dark red.

Encased in the intertwined trunk of the tree is a Drow, with a  gold chain and a silvery gem attached to it.  Tahldar took the gem and woke up the Drow, which ordered the tree blights behind you to attack.  He sent magic bolts of ice at Tahldar which hit him and sent the gem flying about 10 feet away.

About 40 feet to your right (about center between the large tree and the perimeter of dangerous thorny weeds, is another of those dragon altars.  This one is empty, just waiting for a gem to be placed.

Between the altar and the tree is the statue of a man who looks like he was shielding his eyes while lifting a gem.  The gem is a milky white.

 Between and somewhat behind the ominous tree and the dragon altar is the statue of a man.  The sculpting seems to have caught him in the act of shielding his eyes while lifting a gem.  The gem itself is not made of stone, but is instead a milky white.

There is apparently another cavern to your far right, but it is blocked by the thorny briar like the one you just created a hole in to get to this cavern.  You cannot see what lays beyond it.

Borimer goes straight at the tree to hurt it with his sword.

Shae begins casting...and a wall of ice explodes up behind you, blocking out the approaching tree blights for the moment.

Tahldar casts a spell, and his body glows a moment as magical armor covers him.

Kahan also casts, and a fire sprouts up around the Drow in the tree.  He screams in pain...

A tree branch 20 feet long strikes out at Tahldar.  Leo tries to protect Tahldar and deflects the branch just as it gets close.

The Drow begins casting, and water falls as if from the sky, putting out the flame on him and creating a deluge of rain.  As he looks toward you, you can see his eyes glowing red.  His teeth part, and you see they are vampiric--spiked at the canines.

The tree also strikes at Borimer, just as Borimer swings his sword.  Borimer is hit and sent flying into the ice wall made by Shae, but not before getting two strong strokes that actually sever that branch.  (Borimer takes 18 damage.)  With Borimer's blow, the entire tree shakes and trembles in pain, and its leaves begin shedding and falling to the earth.

The tree blights begin trying to move around the ice wall created by Shae.

Through this, Vuzyl dives for the floor, barely missing being struck by yet a third swinging branch.  He grabs the silvery gem from the ground.  He now stands near the statue of the man covering his eyes.

Borimer tries to shake off the fog in his head after it met the ice wall. By the time he rises to his feet the Godslayer is vibrant in his grip, hungering for the undead drow in the dark tree. Borimer presses the attack...
This message was last edited by the player at 03:27, Thu 22 Sept 2016.

Tahldar does not like combat.  He backs up a bit to see if he can get out of the trees range, and casts a spell as he does so.

OOC: Back out range of the tree and cast a 9D lightning bolt at the drow.  Rolled 30pts for damage.  Save vs spell -3 (Tahldar's bracers) for 1/2.