To reach our next destination, the Misty Forest where we assumed the green mask would be, we had around eight days of travel ahead. The trip went by uneventfully, although unpleasant, with heavy rainfalls and through swampy terrain. On the last day, we saw smoke rising up in the distance, accompanied by screams. Eventually, we saw a green dragon flying away.
Getting closer, we found a burning encampment, tree houses on fire, elves wounded, dead or trying to put out fires everywhere! While Shan and Thoredim delivered healing, Posmet found his way to the leader, prince Alagarthas. We learned that this was not only a dragon attack, but dragon cultists immediately followed to kill and loot. It also wasn’t the first attack of this kind. In the evening, the elves invited us up to the tree houses for shelter. Here we heard them tell stories that the dragon was ridden by a human in purple robes. The prince dismisses this as rumor, but the things we have seen cultists do, I wouldn’t put it past them. Maybe the dragon mask enables one to do this?
We piece together that our liberation of Skyreach Castle drove the cultists here, to search for new sources of loot. Not a good feeling to be indirectly responsible for what happened here.
The prince agreed to first bring us to his father, the king of this realm, and then point us to where we can find the dragon. Turned out the prince’s brother is actually Neronvain, the cultist leader who is the wearer of the green mask! Alagarthas is unhappy to hear that his brother, whose whereabouts he didn’t know, had turned to this path. But ultimately he said, his father has to decide how to proceed.
The next day, we went on our way through the forest. After a while, we encountered spider webs growing thicker and thicker - until we were suddenly attacked by creatures of this forest: Giant spiders and other monsters (?). As we rest that night, Shan tries out another one of his beans, creating a campfire with blue flames. The next morning, we see the trees moving, one sitting right outside of our instant fortress and complimenting Shan on his fire. This forest is full of surprises.
Next stop: Alagarthas father!