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Drek replied, "We met a Brownie earlier by the name of Jorn Thein, who told us that there was an some sort of army camp in the area. We did encounter some Orcs camped a bit off in that direction, " he gestured to the direction they had come from, "I wouldn't be too surprised to find some more. And what are these problems the Druids are having?"

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Marcus tried that, but a little later he fell to the ground and landed on his belly.

"Owwwwwwwww! That's why I don't like fairy things!"

The poor Lizzardman picked himself up and brushed the dirt off his thickly muscled arms. "I'll have no more of that magic stuff, thank you, Mister Michael. Now can I go and fight something?"

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Aurundel the Pixie switched to the common tongue and said: "The druids are beset by an evil that has split their community into two camps. They fight amongst themselves now. When their troubles began, they disgraced Thruendel The Wise and cast him out in shame. We rescued him when he came to our Great Oak, and we were able to give him sanctuary, but the other druids have since descended into madness. We Pixies cannot survive for long when we are away from our Great Oak, but we have been periodically scouting the druid village, and it is safe to say that they have all gone quite mad.
Without the druid's protection, the forest has been easy prey for the ravages of the Ocrish army. The Orcs cut down trees, kill the woodland creatures, and even mine for rocks in the heart of the forest. This activity damages all Faerie Folk, for our kind exist primarily on the harmony in nature. The more the harmony is disturbed, the more we suffer. Please, talk to Thruendel. He can tell you more."

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Prosper spoke up; "Mad? What do they do?" The boy was intrigued. He had seen a few mad sailors in Glenarbor, he wondered if this was the same.

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{ dang. you guys post like fiends when i leave for the weekend. o-o

kind of. }

Taryn and Acedia had remained silent for a while. Acedia had been wandering about through her own mind, trying to figure out how her ability worked and thus find a way to control it. Trying to do so without using the ability (voluntarily or otherwise) was considerably difficult, but she didn't have very much else to do at the moment.

Meanwhile, Taryn had been listening to the conversation between Drek and the elderly pixie. While not at all conversational in the Elven tongue, she had picked up a few simple words in her travels. Unfortunately, none of those words happened to pass the Elf's nor the pixie's lips. They were words more suited to, er, other environments, anyway. Then the pixie started speaking in the common tongue, which startled her slightly, but she quickly composed herself again and listened once more. Mad druids? she thought with a slight smile and a suppressed chuckle. That would be a sight to see! However, the pixie's report on the activities of the Orcs made her listen again. So that was why so many of her kind lurked so near the edges of the forest - they had fled from deeper regions to get away from the Orcs.

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Aurundel the Pixie replied: "At night they go completely mad, and chaos descends upon their minds. They become uncontrollably violent during this time. During the day, they all lie sleeping, exhausted from the previous nights exertions. It seems clear that some evil magic has corrupted them.
Thruendel The Wise will have more answers for you. Come, I will take you to him. Children, get in line. We fly slow so the Big Folk can keep up. That's it. Very good. This way, Prince Drek."

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Auriuel came up alongside Drek. "What's going on? Why have the druids gone mad?"

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The pixies led the party to a giant Oak tree a few yards away. The tree was about ten feet around at the base and seemed to go up forever. An old human man with a long white beard was sitting at it's base. A feeling of peace came over everyone, even Taryn. One of the Pixies said "This is our home, The Great Oak. That's Thruendel The Wise sitting up against it."
Thruendel slowly stood up and said: "Indeed, I am. Peace of the Oakfather to you, stranger. How is it that you find yourself here amongst the Pixies?"

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The young Lizzardman spoke up. "We saw some of these tiny people in a field somewhere, O Big Treeman."

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Drek stepped forward and gave a slight bow. "Greetings, Wise One. I am Drek, Prince of Suldeneselar. We were traveling through this forest, and the Pixies told us of the troubles among the Druids. We have come to help."

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Thruendel replied: "A prince of Suldeneselar? Indeed, we could use your help. Some evil force lurks in this forest, generating fear and anger and mistrust. It has taken control of my former community members, and now it feeds on their energy. I was able to resist it through my skills with The Oakfather's gifts, but I could not remain alone or I would have been overwhelmed. Together, though, we may have a chance to drive it away, back to wherever it came from. There is a glade nearby that is surrounded by a circle of ancient Standing Stones. This was the center of my community before the evil came among us. If we go there, we may be able to discover the evil forces that are at work and to vanquish them. I only ask that we try not to kill the former druids, for they are innocent victims in all this."

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The feeling of calm that had come over Taryn had resulted in quite a disorienting battle between unease at being so calm and the calm itself, explaining her rather unusual silence and lack of movement for the past few minutes. "Fear and anger and mistrust definitely sounds like the work of a spectre," she piped up. "However, my sources tell me that those of my kind who call this forest home are not behind this 'evil force' of which you speak." A pause. "Really, the fear and anger and mistrust part is the only part that sounds like it may have ties to the spectral community. Feeding on energy and such sounds decidedly more...necromantic in nature." She likely only knew this because she herself had dabbled in necromancy before. "Hasn't necromancy been outlawed in these lands?"

Acedia remained silent. This calm feeling did wonders to bring her back to relative normality after the discovering of her new ability, as she was still a little off-kilter before the pixies had taken them to see Thruendel the Wise. Not like she had anything worthwhile to say at the moment anyway.

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Thruendel said: "Yes, all civilized peoples abhor necromancy, but I fear that the Orcs are anything but civilized. It could very well be a orcish or orgish necromancer, but it might also be a Nosferatu, a Vampire or a Litch. In any case, we would have quite a fight on our hands."

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Prosper was listening intently, and enjoying the calm and peace of the area. "What do we do then?" he asked to no one in particular.

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Drek considered the situation. "I fear it may be something even worse. Lately, the Drow have begun to attack. In fact, we encountered some not long ago in the area. I wouldn't be surprised to find out there is a connection."

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"A fight?" Marcus perked up, drawing his sword and striking swordsman poses. "I'll fight anyone! Let me at 'em! I'll tear 'em limb from limb!" The Lizzardman looked foolish as usual, but he didn't want to be around any more Pixies.

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Horin looked around, wondering what was going on, as he was out of ear shot. He walked over to Prosper and asked: "What's going on, why does everyone except the lizzardman look serious suddenly?"

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Prosper replied; "Apperently the druids in this part of the forest are having troubles. They become mad at night, and sleep in the day. Somethings feeding on their energy. We're not sure what yet, but there most likely will be a fight, so you can see what Marcus is up to." Prosper figured that summed it up, but wanted someone to answer his question.

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Thruendel said: "I am uncertain as to what we will face, but it may be our only chance. I feel certain that I will know what to do when the moment arises. Together we can restore The Balance to this forest and drive out the evil that dwells in it. But, I see that one of your party is ill. Perhaps I can heal him. The one in the back of the wagon, what befell him?"

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Aurieul felt she could finally be of some use. "He was hit by a poisoned Drow arrow when they attacked us earlier. He seems to be reliving things from his childhood."

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Thruendel replied: "Ah, it is a simple matter for me to cure poison. Allow me..."

Chanting some arcane verses, Thruendel cast a spell which caused magical sparkling Oak leaves to appear and shower down all over the wagon, curing Eruntian's poisoning instantly.
To Eruntian he said: "Greetings, and the blessing of The Oakfather to you. How do you feel, my good man?"

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Horin stared where at Eruantian, and then back at Thruendel. He then spoke. "I wish I knew how to do that."

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"Indeed" said Thruendel. "Are you a healer?"

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"Aye, although I can't do that. Wounds are more my area of expertise, poisons are not so much." Horin stroked his beard. "He was quite delusional earlier. Thank you very much for righting him, he might have hurt himself if you hadn't."

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"Some of his delusions were rather funny, though," Acedia remarked, just feeling a slight pang of guilt for finding humor in Eruantian's prior predicament. "Thought I was a cat or something..."

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"No need to thank me, Master Dwarf; I only did as The Ballance demanded. Though, if you like I can teach you some of my healing spells later, when we have time."

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Prosper, not knowing what else to do, went up to the wagon and the newly healed half elf in it. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern.

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"Oh, my head..." Eruantian stated pressing his hands against the sides of his head "Where am I? How did I... My ring!" Everything that happened prior to the arrow began to come back to him. "I'm leaving now. Which way is White Dragon Peak?"

"Aye, I would like that much."

Horin looked over at Eruantian. "You've been delusional for quite a while, you don't need to be going anywhere." He said as more of an excuse than a real reason to keep him with the group.

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Maxwell said: "Relax, Eruntian. We're on our way to White Dragon Peak right now. Just have to deal with some bad guys who are in our way, and then we get back on the trail."

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