Session XXXI Report: Taking Action

Zaki and Horxim delivered the body of the assassin to Ymeisna Grashni at the Trees' Teeth, after which they both returned to The Bearded Mare for a much-needed -- and now, carefully guarded -- rest. Meanwhile, Retired Captain Calico Jack went straight to The Bethellan to determine if Vance Pickerin had escaped.   Calico was greeted by Sheriam, mistress of novices, whom he informed of the situation. She immediately initiated lockdown procedures for the temple and school, leaving Calico Jack with approximately 30 minutes during which time he summoned U-G-L-Y You Ain't Got No Alibi , a fae owl familiar called UG for short. Calico directed UG to explore the Bethellan and keep an eye out for anything untoward, but he saw only routine procedures and the expected behavior of people fearing an attack.   He sent UG back to the inn with a message for Wiinken, summoning her to the Bethellan, where they discovered that Vance had indeed escaped. They met with Pandu Sharma, who had been assigned to guard the prisoner. In a moment of inspired brilliance, Wiinken asked Pandu if treesinging could be used to determine how Vance had escaped, prompting Pandu to lead them to the Treesinger's Amphitheater.   Once there, he instructed Wiinken and Calico to kneel down with their backs to a tree at the center of the stage and to close their eyes. They complied, but Calico watched the goings-on from the eyes of UG, who watched as two dryad women emerged from the tree. One spoke to Pandu softly, while the other padded over to inspect Wiinken and Calico. Wiinken opened her eyes to sneak a look, at which point the dryad pressed a finger to the center of Wiinken's forehead, and her eyes glowed a yellow-green. Just as quickly as it happened, it was over, and the dryad retreated to the tree and disappeared, leaving Wiinken with the distinct feeling that she'd forgotten something.   Pandu told them they could open their eyes, and they met Cordata, the first dryad who had spoken to Pandu. She explained to the party that dryads live within their trees, existing in a symbiotic relationship, and that they can travel from tree to tree through what we essentially know as the mycelial network. Druids replicate this practice through the spell known as Tree Stride, but because of the sanctity of the Great Tree of Mandir, it's been agreed that no one can use the tree to stride. However, Cordata and the other dryads sensed someone do just that just a little bit before Zenora and Zaki were attacked at the inn.   Cordata and the dryads could not say how many people entered or how many left or if any left at all, but presumably, the assassins arrived in Mandir and sent Vance back wherever they had come from. The trick to tree striding, though, is that the caster has to be familiar with the destination tree, raising the possibility that whoever cast the spell, freed Vance, and delivered the assassins could very well be a Prehnite citizen.   The party is now faced with a choice: they can remain in Prehn and continue to work the leads they have here, including finding Wiinken's uncle Ignatius, tracking down the remaining members of the Arborwatch, finding Horxim's parents, and many other miscellaneous tasks, or following Vance back to Chalcedon via the Sister Grove in Grimvale, where the dryads say their sisters may be in distress.   It is the morning of Mondas, 3rd of Rain's Hand, and Zenora has awoken with strange mycelial visions in her mind, disadvantage on Intelligence checks, and small spores growing from her body.