The Tree of Life

The tunnels went on a great deal further than just what they had witnessed so far. So they, hoping to find more clearly exonerating evidence, had to push through. The first thing the encountered when further exploring the system was some sort of membrame leading to a more humid and warm set of chambers. Oh and some pods filled with humanoids with squidfaces. That were passively reading our thoughts. Nothing fishy there. Squids are cephalopods.

Since most of the group weren’t willing to execute sleeping creatures without proof of their evilness. Later on they found a chamber with the same icon that has plagued their journey so often thus far, the stylised shield, though unadorned with a sun this time. With it a note was found, granting this community the right to live here, and spelling the doom of those that would do them harm, signed by the Order of the Shining Light.

At this point, Tara finally recalled where she knew it from, they’re known to have left their mark on countless magic items, which dates them from before the War.

Amongst the base of these weird creatures similar aperture was found as the research aperture of the Listrids, though covered in the same weird mucus that made up the membrame leading here. At this point the group had several points of conjecture, with Meicoril and Arthur leading the discussion on how those creatures might have influenced Meicoril parents and whether that Galahads insanity was similarly arranged for. (Though Tara disagreed with the possibility, her arguments were severely flawed. It is technically possible, even though perhaps a little too coincidental.)

Somewhere along the way, Tara, trying to call upon knowledge from the beyond for a simple task as making sure she remained within DDoor Escape range was struck blind for her arrogance, and within her blindness saw only a safe retreat: an active teleportation circle.

Whilst it looked comforting and warm for her, the rest saw it as a sickly yellow, and acted accordingly. Meicori literally jumped on Tara, Arthur tied the girl up, and Alruna led the blinded girl by what was basically a leash. At least they now had a sigil sequence, even though testing it would be, not directly endangering, but at the very least uncertain in outcome.

The rest of the group marched on though, finally finding a waterfall that ran upwards. With some clever tricks and brute power the group managed to reach a beautiful cave, with a grand and magical tree rising from the waters and beautiful flowers spread along the shore.

Tara decided to do something clearly logical and not at all risky and started wading through the water, and with some effort she managed to reach the tree. The tree did not agree to having a branch cut of as component for Tara’s staff. So Tara just sat down and allowed the magical energies to flow through her.

Meanwhile the rest of the group discovered some inscriptions, which by a combination of their skills could be taken to refer to an ancient spirit or fey, Zoroastra who would wake up when the cycle of Life reached it’s zenith again. As they repeated the name, the tree seemed to slowly awaken further, and over the course of an hour it’s branches opened and the great spirit of the tree became more active. Tara, by now more or less attuned to the tree, had her heart and breath slow down to an almost comatose state as the great tree spirit and Tara’s soul melded into each other. They communed silently, in images and impressions. Impressing on Tara the enormity of it’s reach, and that the source, though it might change based on who wields it will always spring to a new life, which Tara was willing to follow into. In the end, when Tara awoke from the dreamy slumbering of Zoroaster the great tree offered her the branch she had started cutting.

After regrouping the Great Tree gave the group a little pointer, where to go next, shaping it’s branches and leaves in the right direction. Following it’s direction the group managed to find a way to the outside, only to be greeted by Perdix. With some haggling, Arthur and Alruna managed to convince Perdix to take them to Ael’Tas and become a witness at the Valyrian trial, in exchange for a written report of their own findings. Mounting the blue dragon, the group took of for Ael’Tas, a flight leaving them cold and weary but in time for the trial.