IV - The Forest of Lothenar
The high priest parted company with the adventurers at the cabin, intoning a solemn vow in the name of a Idris that none of the company members would ever encounter him again. He then ventured south, quickly passing out of sight.
It required a two day trek through the northern foothills of the Mengul Mountains to reach the edge of the Lothenar Forest. The company came upon the woods a short time after dawn on their third day of travel.
If the forest appeared welcoming in the days when it was ruled by the elves, that time has been long forgotten. The long limbs of the ancient trees have formed a dense, overarching canopy that virtually blocks all sunlight within the woodland, the narrow route between the gnarled trunks as dim as passages within a cavern. Tall reeds rise in patches from the marshy ground, and the constant drone of flying insects provides the only sound. The air is heavy, humid, and still.
After scouting the edge of the forest, the company locates a northbound trail, once frequently used, now neglected and overgrown; likely a route once traveled by the elves and their allies. Venturing beneath the thick curtain of leaves, the adventurers press forward into the gloom, finding just enough light within the wood to see their pathway clearly, without the need of a torch or lantern.
An hour passes, and the company arrives at a fork in the trail. The route they have been following continues to the north through the dense shadows. The branching pathway appears to be just as old as the northern one. It veers to the northeast winding between a number of towering cypress trees before halting at a structure of some kind, the details of which are difficult to discern in the dimness.
The forest remains quiet. Only the hum of insects keeps the area from total silence. No birds call from the branches above and no animals stir amongst the reeds.