Foresters sets off alarm – we all come running – claims saw large flying bug

Many trees have thick vines with very large (dinner plate sized) flowers – pollen floats freely

Tell woodsmen to be careful of the flowers as the pollen may be attracting the bugs

We set snares in the evening and wait to see what shows up in the morning

Watch and wait for the snares next day

Bee the size of a chicken shows up, finds snare and gets entrapped

Dwarf cleric ‘friends’ the bee and then tells the bee to head home

We have to pretty much run to keep up with it – heads away from River towards the foothills – west by northwest about ¼-1/2 miles

We observe we are now in the foothills

Come upon 15 foot high, 12 foot wide cliff face that has an opening about 4×2.5 feet at the base – bee goes into it

Mage catches flash of pure white no larger than the size of a hunting hound and not moving – to the left (east)

Dwarf cleric ‘talks’ with bee to come out – it does – that we’re here and not leaving – we know they’re here and will be careful of them – etc

Mage tells group of the white object – we proceed to look for it

Takes 5-10 minutes to locate – it appears to be a bush with white wood and white leaves

Take closer look – it’s not a bush, but a branch of a tree coming out of a cleft in rock fall

Tree is not local to the area – unsure of where it comes from

Look around area – find cleft covered in vine – cleft is about 7 feet tall and 5 feet at base comes to point at top

Tree formed something like a lean-to when a dirt/rock slide from hills above came down

Human fighter lights lantern and leads way in – about 20’ later the space opens up

Tree obvious damaged from landslide – branches form lean-to/roof are now dead, but still supporting ‘ceiling’

Depression in ground – is deep enough lantern doesn’t reach end

Trunk of tree is at least 60’ diameter

Facing due west – just to north of true west near trunk is a golden pool about 10’ wide

We find carved steps in ‘side’ of depression to base of tree and pool (pool color is solid opalescent kinda opaque)

Human sized bipedal shadowy form seen in depth of pool

Determine pool is solid amber

From trapped within the amber – posed as though guarding the tree (there is 2-3 feet of amber above the figure)

Figure dressed in light colored bulky clothing – may be some type of metallic armor

Tree determined to be 170’ diameter all bone white

Pool is 20’ wide, 15’ deep, and 10’ high

Runes found in risers of steps – possibly a dwarfish language

Stairs contain spell of protection from evil

Dwarf does ‘detect magic’ and gets # of sources
Amber – no
Tree – yes (creation, elemental, guarding, healing)
Stairs – yes (guarding, protection, neumonic)
Figure in amber – 4 points yes (hand closest to tree, body, hand shielding self, neck/head/face)

Dwarf, mage, and cleric/ranger (Janis) take samples of tree

Go back to group – tell workers where the bee hive is and to work away from that area

Head back to Jeronkar (town being built by Duke) – takes couple of days to reach

Have audience with Duke – tell everything up to date of events

Duke has heard no stories about the tree

Duke has Dwarf and Mage plan/create hive for giant bees – try talking them into the hive and about protection for them and collecting honey for the Duke as income

Go back to tree with specialist engineers to investigate tree, runes, and area

Determine figure and amber was last ditch effort to protect something

Crew slowly harvests amber – get to figure, it has been dead for long period of time

Figure was field plate armored Orc
Determine that the item held in hand by tree is a straw like blade that if the tree was damaged, it would start an excessive flow of sap – then basically drowning himself in the amber

Left hand of orc has an high elf ear ripped from the elf – ear has gold stud with a crest – crest is of a ruling class elf among the first to leave for Evermeet.

Behind orc is a ‘cover’ stone with runes in multiple languages – spiral to center – 6 languages

Necklace – primitive style – claws, wood beads, and feathers – worn outside of armor (strength given to wearer)

Stud has charms and enhancement / neumonic (remember and recast a learned daily spell – or able to cast more spells during a day)

Mage uses comprehend languages to determine the 6 monstrous traits listed on ‘cover’ stone (cunning, savagery, greed, strength, hatred, dishonesty)

‘Cover’ stone has locked something/someone that revels in these traits

Complete tasks around tree and go back to Duke

Determine that for around 25 miles from settlement there are no natural predators, except the bees – extensively pacified area

Duke is more worried about what might be in the foothills and mountains – sends group to investigate

Group finds valley rimmed on N and W by actual mountains

Find at least 3 herds of herbivores in valley (elk, sheep, bison) and no predator signs

Size of herds appear to be managed by someone/thing for such a large valley

The valley is very large S shaped bowl – just over 70 miles long – wooded with conifer and deciduous trees – the vine is not present here – no predators larger than a fox and some scavenger birds

There is evidence on all but eastern rim of organized patrols – which consists of bears, but the bears do not enter valley floor

There is evidence of shod hooves along the rim

Things to figure out:

Share value of amber (magic items in lieu of share)
Who gets armor
Who gets necklace
Who gets earring stud

Cleric/Ranger asks for certain wood to be purchased with a portion of her share
Mage asks for 1 100gp pearl for identify spell on earring stud – cost to be incurred by whomever gets the earring.