Timothius asks the lich, "Dangerous like we should deal with her now? Or deal with her when we're done with Irfelujhar?"

May says, "Dangerous like we should deal with her now. If she's notable enough to be mentioned as dangerous, we probably don't want her following us and adding to the chaos of the fight with Irfelujhar."

Raichel says, "We could always just knock her out and then hopefully help heal her later."

  "Given the circumstances, simply disabling them would result in what little willpower they have left fending off the necrotic forces of this place taking hold.  At which point, more zombie trees."

"Like, 'able to destroy the minions of a lich who is out to stop an exarch' dangerous," the lich answers.

"I was once a peaceful spirit of nature.  Kill!  But the terrible change that swept over the forest warped me and my bonded tree.  Crush!  My only desire is to escape from this unnatural place.   Destroy!"

Mits ohs.  "Well she hasn't gotten hostile in any more than random verbal outbursts yet.  That's pretty tame compared to what we're used to."

May glances at the lich, then to Mittens. "You know... she diiid destroy this guy's teammates. And we are flying... sooo... might still be dangerous to us. Be careful."

Timothius nods to Kyle. A good point.

Timothius asks simply, "Then how can we help you?"

  "True, the lack of immediate violence is just as likely because we are out of arms reach."

  He calls down to the Dryad, "Yes, what assistance can be provided that does not involve harm to us or arbitrarily betraying those we are traveling with?"

"Take a single bough from my tree, phalactary! and plant it in untainted soil.  Impale yourselves with it!  Do this and I will be laid to rest.  Or refuse and be destroyed!"

Mits rubs her chin.  "Two options.  Hmm.  Hard choice."

The lich looks fascinated.  "Did Irfelujhar...?"

May goes for it! She figures if the tree-girl attacks, at least this kobold can handle it. May goes to take the bough! Then offers it for arcane examination.

Raichel asks, "Is there anywhere in this entire place that has untainted soil?"

  "Nowhere in this realm, I would expect.  The obvious intention is to take at least some part of her out of this literally cursed place.  Though speaking in more cliche lich terms half the time is a bit suspect"

  He asks their temporary skeleton companion as he starts examining to the best of his often at the mercy of module quirks ability.  "So, what do you suspect Irfelujhar accomplished?  I have my own thoughts, but you've had more personal experience in the matter."

naiethar’s Tree: This vast oak tree is the largest
tree in the forest. The tree has resisted the necrotic
onslaught marginally better than its fellows. No soul
is trapped within.

Speak with Nature Fragment (Nature): A cloud of
green and brown smoke accompanied by the faint smell
of honeysuckle and lavender wafts through the trees.
A barbarian, druid, shaman, or warden gains a +2
bonus to checks made to activate this ritual fragment.
This bonus stacks with that detailed in the “Primal
Characters” sidebar (page 67).
A character activating this fragment can ask one
question of a nearby tree. Refer to page 58 for notes
on how to handle this fragment in regard to “normal”
trees within the forest.

There is no mention in the module of any untainted soil in this demi-plane.

Naiethar does not attack May.  "You will do as I asked?!  You are true heroes!  The only reward I can offer is the rituals I have carved into my tree."

Treasure: To relieve her pain at the forest’s transformation, Naiethar has carved the formulas for the
Reverse Portal (PHB 2) and Forbiddance rituals into
the trunk of her oak tree. If the characters take up her
quest, she lets them make copies.

The lich examines the bough May brings back to the group.  "It is a fragment of a phalactary.  Meaning that that huge tree is her phalactary.  Destroying it is the only means of destroying her completely.  I assume you know that detail about liches?"

He looks to Kyle.  "I suspect Irfelujhar forced this creature to become a lich.  Whether deliberately or inadvertently, I cannot say."

Mits clarifies, "So all we do is plant this tainted branch in untainted soil.  No special ritual or anything?"

Naiethar nods.

Seeing May not get attacked, Timothius flies down to give Naiethar a hug. "It will be done."

Raichel says, "I will give Irfelujhar an extra punch for you."

May nods. She waits for Kyle and/or Tim to copy down the rituals. Then says, "Let's get going then. Earfull of jars knows we're here, so he is probably picking up the pace on getting his ritual done."

  "Hmm, that sounds more like trying to take credit and advantage of the already existing nature of Dryads.  Their trees already function in a similar manner while living." Trying to turn a Dryad undead and screaming 'I made a lich!' is a necromancer running out of ideas and hoping nobody notices.

  So now it's terrible for moral, AND academic reasons.

"This awesome rescue has been brought to you by: The Heroes of the Mortal World!"

Mits leaves a calling card and waves bye as she continues the carpet ride.

The lich likes Kyle's point and nods.  "Good point."

Ahead, a pathway begins to spiral up the rocky crag upon
which stands the Mantled Citadel. The trees cluster closely
together about the crag; many cling precariously to the
steep cliffs. Thick branches arch over the pathway shrouding
it into darkness. The surrounding forest is totally silent—not
even the wind manages to penetrate the mass of twisted
wood above your heads.

The lich points at the path.  "Ah.  Almost there.  I'm surprised there aren't any of his soldiers in this area.  I suppose he figures you foolish enough to let down your guard and has prepared an ambush of some kind."

Mits chuckles.  "Nope.  Despite our relaxed appearance, our guard is not down.  This is soooo not our first rodeo."

May says, "....yeeeeah. You don't just wake up one morning and decide to slay three of Tiamat's exarchs. First you have to avert three wars."

Raichel says, "Which isn't to say anything of dethroning the emperor of the githyanki empire. I swear; the things evil forces us to do by leaving us literally no choice but to do or die."

Timothius shrugs. "Looks like flight won't keep us from danger at this point, then. All the same; I'm keeping this form in case of ambush." It takes a minor action to sprout those wings, after all.

  Pacing yourself means not granting combat advantage due to running.  "Even wings of limited use are better than no wings at all, yes."

  He looks over to Steve Lichman, "I expect he will make a broad appeal to bone bros before hos or somesuch.  You'll still reform if we have to break your legs along the way to finishing the job you were sent here for in the first place, right?"

http://imgur.com/a/VFoRa

Berblah!  Several spectra forms attack!

1 tormenting ghost (g)
1 famine spirit (F)
2 voidsoul specters (V)
1 sentient forest trap

Mittens comments, "An undead ambush.  I'm shocked.  SHOCKED!"

One of the specter approaches, vanishing halfway through the movement!

Stealth check: 34

May says, "Oh no! He went invisible! Now I can't keep him from harming you guys! PSYCH!"

The specter manages to move aside, but May is looking right at it, grinning and locking eyes with a daring expression!

---

Move: To Specter.
Minor: Martial Supremacy! Can reroll basic attacks.
Standard: Weapon Mayster's Strike v Specter 1. Miss(33)

"Welcome to the Mantled Citadel," a Voidsoul Specter says, vanishing.

Suddenly there's a burst of necrotic energy near the heroes!

Then the Tormenting Ghost approaches.  "Eternal suffering awaits beyond!"

A terrifying burst of necrotic energy hits Kyle and May, forcing them to flee.  Kyle manages to stop himself from falling off the cliff, but May disappears over the edge!  It sounds like she falls for quite a while before the THUD of her hitting bottom is heard!

Raichel goes feral and fires a lightning bolt that tears through ALL the enemies, even the one hiding in the back that hadn't attacked yet! "Thanks for the assurance that Irfelujhar is going to suffer eternally!"

---

Minor: Bloodfury Scythe
Minor: Razorclaw Shifting
Standard: Furious Bolts v Famine, Spec1, 2, Ghost. Hit(34)! Hit(34)! Hit(42)! Hit(45)!
 dmg to Famine: 37/2 = 18
 dmg to others: 36/2 = 18 (+13 v Specters = 31)

Famine HP: 167 - 18 = 149
Spec1 HP: 115 - 31 = 84
Spec2 HP: 115 - 31 = 84
Ghost HP: 152 - 18 = 134

"You jerks!" Mits shouts.

She floats forward and raises her staff.  She then puts on sunglasses and KERFLOOOM!  A massive explosion lights the entire area on fire!  ( From May's perspective, it would look like the sun decided to rise beyond the rim of the cliff. )  The ghost shriek and recoil from the light!

"I'm hoping May still has a flight potion or something.  I'll be very cross if she's robbed of some fun!"

Timothius walks over to Kyle and touches him. Kyle feels the daze vanish.

Timothius then gives a stern look to the enemy. He shoots laserbeams from his eyes directly into the eyes of the ghost who shoved May and Kyle! The ghost is able to see not only his own imminent defeat, but the shameful defeat of Irfelujhar!

"I'm expecting you to be cross then." Timothius comments. "It's a VERY far drop."

---

Move: To Kyle
Minor: Virtue's Touch (Kyle is no longer dazed)
Standard: Break the Spirit v Ghost. Hit(39)!
 dmg: 38/2 = 19
 Ghost takes -6 to his attacks.

Ghost HP: 63 - 19 = 44 and -6 attacks

"So... hungry!" the famine spirit says, rushing Mits and grabbing her!

"I don't like the sound of that..." Mits grumbles.

"Thanks Tim, I get the feeling this will be over before I get up."

A three teams up with a one, to ensure that Kyle's turn consists of buffing May and nothing else.

Kyle does make his save throw at least, but TIMING means he's still prone despite that.

The trees awaken and attack!  Mits and Timothius are wrapped in twisted tree branches and squeezed!

"Wood you cut that out?!" Mits hollers.

There's another sudden wave of necrotic energy that attacks, Timothius, Raichel, and Kyle!  But the heroes resist the effect!  The invisible spectre floats to the edge of the cliff to see what became of May.