A Thorny Situation

You had always known this day would come. The day when the Bristian Bough finally called in their service and asked you to complete their task as some kind of payment for the years of schooling and training you were provided. It was not that you were opposed to giving back something for such a privilege, but the mysterious nature of the request and the few scraps of information you were provided did not instill confidence in the value of your task.   They had sent another Druid to collect you in the southern forests of Brist, having just finished an escort mission for a member of the Phesunlay Mage Circle. The Druid approached you early in the morning, at the edge of your site, being sure to be conspicuous. They delivered a sealed missive, with your full name inscribed upon it, calling you to accompany the Druid to Phesunlay and to the Gnarled Wall. You were confused by the missive as you were no Wallshaper, but you had little recourse but to follow.   The Druid, who hardly spoke, revealed no name and would provide no details of why you were accompanying them. They paid for all expenses along the journey and did not push a rigorous pace, but the secrecy of the missive seemed to fly in the face of this relatively laidback journey. It took nearly three weeks to reach the Living Wall, though you could have easily made it in a week if you had purchased horses, and the two of you travelled together on foot at what seemed to be a meandering pace.   When you reached the Gnarled Wall, the Druid told you that you were to assist with marking prisoners for entry into the Bandit Lands. Giving specific instructions, the Druid told you just how to hold the wrist of each prisoner and press their palm against the tree until it imprinted in the bark, letting just enough of your magic flow to create the mark, but not enough to imprint yourself on the tree. You were weary, but the Druid assured you the prisoners would be well bound and your task would be over in a matter of minutes, and then you could be back on your way without cause to be called by the Bough again.   You did not wait long for the convoy to arrive, their carriages cresting the hill beyond mere hours after you arrived. As the convoy approached, the Druid took you to begin the process of opening the tree, keeping you nearby to ensure they had assistance if anything happened, though you were unsure what help you could be without knowing the specific magics of the Oak Gate. As the tree began to shift and hollow and open, you heard shouts and the drawing of weapons behind you, but the Druid told you to stand your ground.   Before you could react, the Druid pulled an ivy strand from the wall before you and had in entwine your feet, pinning you to the spot. Your magic was not strong enough to overcome the Druid’s power, and they apologized as they manacled your hands before they released the ivy. Walking you over to the tree, they imprinted you just as you had been told to do, marking you as a criminal in the magics of the Oak Gate. Then, without warning, you were shoved from behind through the tree and into the Bandit Lands.   Before you could turn to rush back through the tree, three carriages were barrelling in behind you, the horses frenzied and the carriages threatening to tip. As you rolled out of the way, the carriages collided and smashed, sending other bound people sprawling. Thanks to earlier forethought, when you had seen a pair of manacles in the satchel of the Druid who brought you here, you had switched theirs out and you knew you were now bound in fake manacles, which you could escape. You threw off the manacles and managed to pull a few dazed prisoners upright against trees nearby. Many were dead, but you tried to take stock of the situation, and of what was left of the carriages, as they began to come to.