Skye, still on edge about the necromantic magic, wordlessly starts searching the area.

<OOC: Skye Keenshadow rolled 12 using 1d20+2- Perception check >

Cela looks (ans sniffs) around for signs of another one of the dolls.

09:18, Today: Cela rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  perception.

Lenelle Toreth rolled 19 using 1d20+3.  inspirtation.

Sundos asked Marigold, "Has anybody tried to cast a Restoration spell on the archdruid?"

After receiving his answer, he will attempt to locate any other sources of evil using his detect evil spell that has already been cast.

OOC The spell lasts for 10 minutes.

When she stepped outside, Tara cast her spell for detecting Magic. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she saw the world in terms of “Natural” and “Magical”. Typically, the “Magical” flowed with an Amethyst aura, while the “Natural” looked ordinary. In a Druid’s Grove, though, the Magical permeated the Natural. Tara saw a subtle—yet still vibrant—Emerald energy that wove through everything around them.

Lenelle’s innate magic helped her recognize the Weave of it in her surroundings. She knew the area held it in dirt, tree, and flower. She understood that this enabled Blackthorn to call for help from the Land, and here, the Land answered. However, Lenelle also felt another Magic at work. Unlike a glow, she sensed it as a stench that polluted this sacred place. Perhaps it was her own unexplained connection with the Divine, but Lenelle sensed a familiar Evil at work nearby.

Skye noticed a few ceremonial masks placed on trees. Cela smelled the elder Druid’s scent all around, but noticed another familiar scent coming from the direction of the masks. At once, Lenelle and Tara felt the pull of malevolent power from those trees.  Lenelle pointed at the center mask. Azatch strode over and mumbled a half-assed apology for tampering with their ceremonial masks. When he removed the identified mask, Azatch noticed that the tree bearing the mask was in early stages of disease. He saw a small hole made from the rote in the center.

With a grimace, Azatch stuck his hand in the hole. He felt it. Another poppet. Like the first, henbane and monkshood were attached, but in greater amounts. Strands of long grey hair encircled the cursed doll.

Azatch grimaced when he pulled the thing out, his face wrinkled in disgust.

"Tara, get your knife out again. This one looks worse. Maybe they needed more power to fight an archdruid's spirit. I'll help how I can." he said as he set the thing down on the ground and wiped his hand, trying to get the gross off in some way.

Lenelle saw two unfamiliar plants woven among the mundane poisons.

"...this had to be done by someone very, very close here," said Tara.  "A doll placed in the hills is one thing, but this close?  Someone just snuck into the middle of everything...

...or was here the entire time, making trouble in secret."

Again, she carefully cut the hairs loose from the doll to disrupt the spell.  And now, she worried about watching her back while she did so.  Could the enemy still be here?  Unseen?  Or unsuspected...?

"Remember," said Lenelle, "someone was able to assume Jason's outward appearance.  It would stand to reason that they can take on the likeness of others, as well.  So it could be a matter of a changeling, rather than a turncoat." She shrugged. "Or both."

She was relieved that the second doll had been found, at least.   She considered the two unfamiliar plants.  "What are those there, woven in with the poisons? One of them has thorns - careful with that!"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:43, Tue 27 July 2021.

Luckily, Lenelle’s warning stopped Tara from her pricking her finger on one of the thorns. Upon a closer look, anyone examining the doll noticed two exotic plants woven in with the henbane and monkshood. The first was a black weed that looked like a strand of root from a larger clump. Of particular interest was the slender garland of tiny magenta-colored flowers attached to dark thorns. Azatch, Cela, Lenelle, & Tara saw these first, and realized that whoever crafted the sinister poppet took extra care with the one intended for the Archdruid. The exotic plants were threaded around the middle so the creator could carry the doll by one of the limbs.

OOC:

DC 20 to identify these two plants. Skills such as Arcana, Medicine, or Nature are allowed. I’ll also allow Survival for anyone focused on Wilderness Survival.

Lenelle gets Inspiration.

Alas, a mere 16.  Does anyone have Guidance?

Assuming it isn't too late to add it in now.

But only a meager +1, I'm afraid...

Lenelle Toreth rolled 1 using 1d4.  Guidance.

Sundos looked at the dolls too. "May I see those plants?" However, Sundos can' ID them.

OOC:
21:50, Today: Sundos Brightblood rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Medicine, to ID plants.

As the others were outside the archdruid's tent, Grog found himself with the druid, Oaktree, and two protective women at his side. The two women stared at the minotaur. Grog looked over his shoulders and saw that he was alone. "Ah, hello. My name is Grog. We are were from the town... We... How is the archdruid? Will he get better?" He towered over the old man resting on his bed.

Grog lowered himself and got on one knee. "We came here for help, answers. But we, I, also carried Blackthorn back. He was hurt with bad magic. But he seems better now. After. After my friends found and destroyed a doll." Grog realized that he was rambling and probably not making sense. "Maybe the archdruid is just getting old." He offered a short reason on his druid's ailment.

Azatch looked over the plants in the doll with curiosity. The names of them were right on the edge of his tongue...

OOC: 08:51, Today: Azatch rolled 19 using 1d20+3.  Survival - DC20
Maybe Azatch can have that Guidance from Lenelle?

Cela looks at the plants Azatch is holding.

11:55, Today: Cela rolled 20 using 1d20+2.  medicine.

Tara & Sundos didn’t recognize the plants, and felt certain that at least one of them originated someplace far from Deadwater. The more Azatch stared at the plant, the more he pondered the wild possibility that the black weed come from someplace further away than mere miles…or even continents. Perhaps another world? Cela’s eyes rose when she remembered the esoteric herbs that the Monks catalogued back at her temple.

The brightly colored flower could reasonably thrive in a swamp like Deadwater’s, but likely came the even lusher jungles further south. The thorns gave it away as Lichbriar, a deadly plant that grew up to 50 feet in its natural habitat. Unlike most plants, Lichbriar subsisted by rooting in living organisms. It literally sucked the life from its host!

Cela winced and drew back when she identified the black weed. Abyssal Blackgrass. Culled from the Lower Planes, the Blackgrass grew in an enormous root system. Even standing over the roots hindered natural healing, and the weed reduced the efficacy of healing magic! She knew that Abyssal Blackgrass was extremely difficult to destroy, with a Blight spell offering the best guarantee.

"You shouldn't touch those with your skin."  Cela says.  "Lichbriar and Abyssal Blackgrass.  That one is worse, can't even destroy it easily.  Don't take it near the sick."

Azatch was quick to make sure he wasn't touching the plants Cela noted.

"So... can we help the archdruid without destroying these plants? if we just remove the hair again?"

Tara knew that removing the Archdruid’s heir would indeed remove the sympathetic link to the poppet. It also occurred to Azatch that one of the Druids might know the Blight spell to destroy the Abyssal Blackgrass. By then, a few of them gathered in a half-circle, watching curiously.

Back in the tent, one of the women tending Oakleaf answered Grog’s questions. “Oakleaf has indeed lived a long time, but until the illness, he was still vital and keen of mind. This is no ordinary illness; none of our herbal medicines or healing spells worked. If the source of his malady is a curse, then you will have the Grove’s gratitude for your help.”

Azatch looked at the gathered druids, "oi! Which of you lot can blight this weed from the abyss?"

"It'll help your arch-whatever get better."

"Get this hair cut so the archdruid can get better Tara," he added to his companion.

"Doing that," said Tara, moving carefully... after a moment's thought, she conjured a Mage Hand to hold the doll so she could touch it only with her blade.

"And this 'illness' is a curse, pure and simple," she added.  "A murder attempt.  From someone who got in very close among you."

“Yes. The Archdruid could cast that spell without trying…if he wasn’t afflicted by that accursed thing. However, a few of us know a ritual to inflict Blight. Harming plants normally violates our oath, but that oath doesn’t extend to invasive species from the Abyss.” He looked at the Blackgrass with open disgust. His eyes lingered briefly on the plant. Then, he and three Druids broke away for the necessary preparations.

The few who remained murmured nervously when Tara raised concerns about a saboteur in their Grove. Simon, who’d remained oddly quiet, rubbed his chin, preoccupied in deep thought. A stout male Druid answered Tara. “One of us…? But no one here possesses the knowledge nor the magic capable of traversing the Abyssal plane!”
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:54, Tue 27 July 2021.

"Well, it's someone who got in somehow," said Tara.  "You know your own defenses better than I do.  There's ways-- disguises, invisibility, shapeshifting, whatever.  But it doesn't take the person who planted the doll to be the person who went to the Abyss.  They could have been given it, or traded for it.  Stands to reason that someone like this might be in contact with demons."

"Again -- I mention it for the second time -- someone back at Deadwater mimiced Jason's -- Blackthorn's --  appearance well enough to pass as him, in the eyes of those who had known him for years.   That there is a changeling about isn't in question.   And, there was a Deathlock who plainly wasn't the leader of the undead we faced, but must've followed someone -- something - more powerful.  Connections with the Abyss don't seem out of line, when you consider all of that."