Session 2: The Bark, the Dryad, and the Riddle that Wasn't a Tree

Session 2 of the campaign was the first recorded session, opening with a player-delivered recap of the unrecorded session 1 (Cholmondeley’s player Chris receiving a Ring of Swimming as the DM’s reward for a complete recap, ^[1]. The party gathered six bark samples from the corrupted Redwood Grove outside Wyrmbough Grove for the elven alchemist Gwen Homora, met the new player character Harvo at the tree line, and survived a string of encounters: zombie bandits, a hostile Dryad with a contested riddle, a giant centipede and insect swarm, and three “mud mosquitoes”. The session ended with the party sleeping in Fergus’s cottages and Nancy storming off after Cholmondeley left her with the cart all night ^[8].

Session 2: The Bark, the Dryad, and the Riddle that Wasn’t a Tree

Metadata

• In-game date: unknown; covers approximately one full day plus the following morning
• Locations visited: Wyrmbough Grove (city), Corrupted Redwood Grove, Fergus’s Grill, Sunny’s travelling stall, the Wyrmbough cottages
• Major NPCs present: Gwen Homora, Fergus, Sunny, Nancy, the Corrupted Dryad (deceased)
• Factions involved: Wyrmbough Grove elven council; Aurelia (referenced via Cholmondeley’s regalia)
• Sessions referenced (callbacks): session 1 (unrecorded)

Recap heard at start of session

Cholmondeley’s player Chris delivered an extemporaneous recap of session 1 ^[9]. The recap covered: the Hollow Hall Tavern meeting in Gloamhearth one hour past sunset, the silver dragonborn Sevryn revealing himself as a chronurgy wizard and presenting the egg, the explanation that magic is failing across Eldurae and the egg can absorb chromatic dragon essence to repair it, the assignment to find the hoard of the ancient green dragon Death-at-Sunset near Wyrmbough Grove, the meeting with elves Amara and Gwen Homora outside town, the warnings about the missing hunter Whisperwind and four others, and Fergus’s aggressive meat hospitality. The DM judged the recap perfect and awarded a d100 magic item roll; Chris rolled a 90 and received a Ring of Swimming ^[10].

Executive Summary

The party collected the six bark samples Gwen Homora needed, met the artificer Harvo at the treeline, and were forced into four sequential combats in the corrupted grove. They answered the Dryad’s riddle as “tree” only to be told the correct answer was “bark”; in the ensuing fight Cholmondeley was reduced to zero HP by a natural-twenty critical vine whip. He stabilised on his first death save. Returning to town, the party received five poison-resistance potions from Gwen, traded looted weapons with the merchant Sunny, dined again at Fergus’s, and rested. The next morning Nancy discovered she had been left with the cart in the rain all night and stormed off, which the party took as her departure from the group.

Narrative

The session opened with Cholmondeley delivering a complete recap of the unrecorded session 1, for which Chris was awarded a Ring of Swimming on a d100 of 90 ^[10]. The party stood in Wyrmbough Grove in possession of six empty vials supplied by Gwen Homora for collecting samples from the corrupted redwoods. After Cholmondeley failed to talk Nancy out of accompanying them and instead persuaded her to mind the cart in the village square, the group set out east to the Corrupted Redwood Grove.

At the treeline they encountered a half-elf in reinforced leather standing beside a humming brass-glass contraption: this was Harvo (full name “Harvalent Irsaron”), who said Sevryn had sent him by letter to assist the egg quest. He presented his contraption as a more secure carrier for the egg than Cholmondeley’s backpack; Caelumn accepted the device and stowed the egg inside. Cholmondeley introduced himself as “Chumley Fenshaw” ^[3]. Harvo gave his origin as Arcanthes, Howville.

The party divided the six vials and approached the trees. Hugo dove into a bush with a natural-one stealth roll. As Caelumn cut into the first redwood, three corpses around a burnt-out campfire reanimated as zombies. The party defeated all three (Vazquez landed two critical hits including one decapitation; Hugo took out the final zombie). Vazquez looted the bandit camp, retrieving 11gp, 240sp, 400cp, three light crossbows, three scimitars, 30 crossbow bolts, a healer’s kit, a hooded lantern, two flasks of oil, and a shovel. Investigation determined the bandits had died drinking from the poisoned stream. Harvo’s passive perception noticed two-toed humanoid prints and large canine paw prints circling the camp.

Caelumn and Cholmondeley collected two further bark samples; on the third, Vazquez was splashed by a popping pustule for 3 necrotic damage. Approaching the fourth tree across a poisoned stream, Cholmondeley attempted to cut into the bark, at which point vines erupted from the ground and restrained Caelumn, Vazquez, Hugo and Harvo. A male Dryad descended from the canopy via vines and accused the party of harming his home. After persuasion (Cholmondeley DM-flagged the Persuasion as good), the Dryad agreed to permit one sample if the party answered a riddle:

“I am a wall grown from within. Storm writes scars across my skin. Take my circle and the heart goes still. Take a single scale and I live. What am I?” — Dryad, ^[11]

The party debated tree versus bark. Caelumn initially proposed “tree bark” and explicitly suggested the answer might be “bark”; Cholmondeley argued the “circle” and “heart goes still” lines pointed to “tree” and was more confident. The party committed to “tree”. The Dryad revealed the answer was “bark” and the vines began to drag the party underground, initiating combat ^[12].

In the dryad fight, Cholmondeley cast Bless on Caelumn, Vazquez, Harvo and Hugo before learning the escape rolls were Strength athletics checks not saves; the buff was wasted on the breakout attempts. The dryad inflicted the charmed condition on Cholmondeley via a vine lash, then on the next round delivered a natural-twenty critical with maximum-rolled damage (20 damage), dropping Cholmondeley. Cholmondeley succeeded his first death save and self-stabilised. Caelumn was later reduced to 0 HP by a vine to the throat and entered death saves. Hugo broke free with a 24 athletics, jumped the river, and decapitated the dryad while it had its back turned. Cholmondeley used Lay on Hands to bring Caelumn back to 1 HP and good berries to top himself up; Caelumn later cast Cure Wounds on himself.

A short rest followed. Caelumn used Control Flames repeatedly to put out the burning tree he had ignited. Vazquez looted the Dryad’s body for a small pouch containing a healing potion, identified by Harvo using alchemist’s supplies; the potion was given to Caelumn over Vazquez’s preference to wear it around his neck “for ease of looting”. The party harvested the fifth sample from the centipede tree after Cholmondeley’s Mind Sliver demolished an insect swarm and Vazquez one-shot the giant centipede with a critical (15 damage). At the sixth tree, three winged “mud mosquitoes” sprang from the bog and slammed Vazquez; Hugo killed one with a thrown handaxe (each death triggered a death-burst the party narrowly saved against), and Caelumn obliterated another with a perfect-crit firebolt for 15 damage. The party levelled up to level 2 (benefits to be applied after long rest).

Returning to Wyrmbough Grove, Gwen Homora received the samples, agreed to brew protection potions, and arranged to deliver them at supper at Fergus’s Grill. Sunny the halfling merchant traded three light crossbows and three scimitars for one hand crossbow and a free healing potion, on a +17 persuasion from Vazquez for an alchemist’s fire (15gp + scimitar). Cholmondeley floated the idea of leaving Nancy with Sunny; Sunny declined (“you can’t sell a child”). At Fergus’s, Gwen Homora delivered five vials of poison-resistance potions (duration unknown by RAW; she gave none). The party slept in a Fergus-rented cottage for 5gp and benefited from the level-up after long rest.

In the morning, Cholmondeley discovered he had forgotten about Nancy, who had slept beside the cart in the rain. His Deception check to claim the party had been gone all night fighting failed, Caelumn cheerfully contradicted him, and Nancy told Cholmondeley “fuck you, fuck your horses, fuck your face and your stupid ass moustache” before walking off ^[13]. The session ended on this note.

Dialogue Highlights

1. Sevryn (paraphrased in Cholmondeley’s recap), on the egg quest: “magic is falling apart in the world… us as adventurers have a chance to change this fate using the egg — it feeds off chromatic dragons and their hoards.” ^[9]
2. Cholmondeley, self-introduction: “Chumley. Chumley Fenshaw at your service.” ^[3]
3. Harvo, declining to claim official ties: “I assure you I am very much not part of anything official that is involved in Arcanthus.” ^[14]
4. Dryad, the riddle: “I am a wall grown from within. Storm writes scars across my skin. Take my circle and the heart goes still. Take a single scale and I live. What am I?” ^[11]
5. Dryad, on the verdict: “you have been proven wanting and your friends shall die because of it.” ^[15]
6. Dryad, on the answer: “It was bark. Tree bark.” ^[16]
7. Cholmondeley, on the merchant prospect: “I have this — I suppose like a ward with me — who well, I was looking for something…” Sunny: “You can’t sell a child.” ^[17]
8. Nancy, on parting: “in fact you know what fuck you fuck your horses fuck your face and your stupid ass moustache I’m out peace.” ^[13]

NPCs

1. Harvo (Harvalent Irsaron): half-elf artificer from Arcanthes, Howville, sent by Sevryn via letter; built the egg-carrier contraption. New this session: yes. Disposition: friendly, suspicious of Aurelian crests on Cholmondeley. Last seen: s2.
2. Gwen Homora: elf of the Wyrmbough Grove council; alchemist who brewed the corruption-resistance potions from the harvested bark. New this session: no (referenced from session 1). Disposition: cooperative quest-giver. Last seen: s2.
3. Fergus: butcher and innkeeper at Fergus’s Grill; voiced as a “very camp Russell-Crowe-Greek-accent Zeus”; flirts heavily (“baby”); rents cottages at 5gp/night. New this session: no. Disposition: enthusiastically friendly. Last seen: s2.
4. Sunny: golden-haired halfling travelling merchant with two horses and a stand of player’s-handbook-sub-100gp wares plus four alchemist fires and one antitoxin. New this session: yes. Disposition: warm, drives bargains. Last seen: s2.
5. Nancy: small girl (Cholmondeley’s ward; saved from execution in his backstory). Walks off after being left in the rain overnight. New this session: no (carried over from session 1). Disposition: hostile by session end. Last seen: s2.
6. the Corrupted Dryad: male dryad of the Redwood Grove, descended from a vine canopy; demanded a riddle as price of one sample, ruled the party’s “tree” answer wrong, attacked. Killed by Hugo with hand axes after being knocked prone. New this session: yes. Status: deceased. Last seen: s2.
7. Amara: elf met outside Wyrmbough in s1 per the recap; not present in the session 2 gameplay proper. Last seen: s1 per recap.

Locations

1. Wyrmbough Grove: small elven city; council building; cottages and grill near Fergus’s Grill; horse-and-cart parking in the central square. New this session: no.
2. Corrupted Redwood Grove: corrupted forest east of Wyrmbough Grove with six redwoods to harvest, a poisoned stream, a muddy bog, a burnt bandit camp, and a central uncorrupted dirt mound (~30ft high) ringed by yellow sickly flowers. The mound is the burial mound (revealed s3). New this session: yes.
3. Fergus’s Grill: combination grill, B&B, and small cottages, run by Fergus. New this session: no.

Items & Loot

1. Ring of Swimming: awarded to Cholmondeley for the session 1 recap ^[10]. Properties: walking speed becomes a swim speed of 40ft.
2. Sevryn’s Egg-Carrier: humming brass-glass contraption built by Harvo; carried by Caelumn after the meeting ^[18]. Stabilises the egg’s vibrations.
3. Bark samples (six): collected from the six corrupted redwoods, delivered to Gwen Homora ^[19].
4. Poison-resistance potions (five): brewed by Gwen Homora from the back-engineered samples; duration unknown to the party ^[20]. Distributed at supper.
5. Healing Potion (dryad pouch): looted from the Dryad’s body, identified by Harvo via alchemist’s supplies; given to Caelumn ^[21].
6. Healing Potion (Sunny gift): thrown in free by Sunny on the crossbow trade.
7. Hand crossbow + bolts: traded from Sunny for three light crossbows + three scimitars ^[22].
8. Alchemist’s fire: bought by Vazquez from Sunny for 15gp + a scimitar after a +17 Persuasion ^[23].
9. Hooded lantern + 2 oil flasks + shovel: carried by Cholmondeley and Vazquez respectively.

Currency split (bandit haul, divided between the five party members; one extra gold added in silver):

• Each: 1gp + 50sp + 80cp.

Combat Encounters

• Encounter 1: Zombie bandits at the burnt camp (~5 rounds). Party state at start: full HP. Party state at end: full HP, slightly bruised.
  • Monsters faced: 3 zombies (CR 1/4 each, presumed).
  • To-hit results against party: 1 critical hit on Vazquez (he had taken Dodge action; double-natural-20 on the disadvantaged roll, no damage by chance).
  • Saving throws: none required.
  • Damage types thrown: fire (firebolt), shillelagh-booming-blade bludgeoning, slashing (longsword/handaxe/spear).
  • Party resources spent: Hugo’s rage; Cholmondeley’s Bless; Caelumn’s Mind Sliver; bonus-action Shillelagh.
  • Notable rolls: Vazquez double-nat-20 evade; Vazquez critical decapitation of zombie 1.
• Encounter 2: The Dryad (~7 rounds). Party state at start: full HP. Party state at end: Cholmondeley dropped to 0 HP, stabilised on first death save; Caelumn dropped to 0 HP, stabilised after potion + cure wounds.
  • Monsters faced: 1 male Corrupted Dryad (CR ~3, fey).
  • To-hit results against party: 5 hits including a natural-twenty critical for max-rolled 20 damage on Cholmondeley.
  • Saving throws: 1 Wisdom save vs Charm by Cholmondeley (failed; charmed for one round).
  • Damage types: party threw fire (firebolt), holy bludgeoning (shillelagh + booming blade), slashing (handaxe). Dryad threw slashing and forced charm.
  • Party resources spent: Cholmondeley’s Bless slot, Searing Smite slot, all Lay on Hands; Caelumn’s Cure Wounds slot, Innate Sorcery; Hugo’s rage.
  • Notable rolls: Hugo nat-20 escape (24 athletics); Hugo nat-20 attack of opportunity finisher; the Dryad’s recurring high con saves (17, 18, 20).
• Encounter 3: Giant Centipede + Insect Swarm (~2 rounds). Party state at start: bruised. Party state at end: Hugo poisoned 5 dmg, otherwise stable.
  • Monsters faced: 1 giant centipede (CR 1/4); 1 swarm of insects (CR 1/2).
  • Party resources spent: Cholmondeley’s Mind Sliver.
  • Notable rolls: Vazquez one-shot kill on centipede (15 damage with great-weapon-fighting).
• Encounter 4: Three Mud Mosquitoes (~2 rounds). Party state at start: bruised. Party state at end: Vazquez at 3 HP after 6 bludgeoning + first-round slam.
  • Monsters faced: 3 mosquito-creatures, mud-bodied, winged, with a death-burst dex-save mechanic.
  • To-hit against party: 2 hits on Vazquez (slam).
  • Saving throws: 2 dex saves by Vazquez to avoid death-bursts (both succeeded).
  • Notable rolls: Caelumn perfect-crit firebolt for 15 damage finishing one. Vazquez Second Wind rolled minimum (2 HP).

Clues & Foreshadowing

1. Untouched dirt mound at the centre of the corrupted grove ^[24]. Cholmondeley’s perception fails to identify why it feels safe. (Revealed in s3 by Gwen Homora as the burial mound of 34 elves who fell against Death-at-Sunset.)
2. Two-toed humanoid prints and large canine paw prints circling the bandit camp (Harvo passive investigation, ^[25]. Origin unidentified.
3. The egg vibrates more steadily once placed in Harvo’s contraption ^[26]. Source: DM narration. Implies the contraption is doing something magical to the egg’s emanations.
4. Wyrmbough elves are leaving town (referenced in Cholmondeley’s recap; revisited in s3 narration). Source: NPC behaviour observation. Implies the corruption is escalating beyond the council’s containment.
5. The land is cursed by Death-at-Sunset (per Cholmondeley’s recap of s1, this session L20). Source: town gossip and council briefing.

Open Mysteries & Unanswered Questions

1. What is the dirt mound at the centre of the grove for? Best evidence: it’s untouched by the corruption. Cares: Caelumn (asks repeatedly), Cholmondeley.
2. Who made the canine paw prints around the camp? Best evidence: Harvo’s passive note that these were big-dog-sized; not the bandits. Cares: Harvo.
3. Was the Dryad’s riddle answer (“bark”) fair? The party (and the player out-of-character) dispute that the third line (“Take my circle and the heart goes still”) fits “bark” — they argue it fits “tree”. Cares: Cholmondeley, Caelumn (extensively).
4. How long do Gwen Homora’s poison-resistance potions last? Gwen Homora said: “I have no idea.” ^[27].) Cares: the entire party.
5. Where is Death-at-Sunset’s actual lair? The party has the egg; they don’t yet know which way to go.

Quests

1. [Status: completed] Bark sample collection for Gwen Homora — six samples delivered.
2. [Status: active] Find and absorb Death-at-Sunset’s essence with the egg (The Egg Quest) — giver: Sevryn; objective: deliver the egg to the dragon’s hoard for absorption; reward: prevent the world’s magic from collapsing; current progress: party has the egg in Harvo’s contraption; lair location not yet known.
3. [Status: active] Find a home for Nancy — informal goal of Cholmondeley; effectively closed at session end when Nancy storms off.
4. [Status: dormant] Investigate the missing elven hunters and Whisperwind — referenced from s1 recap; not pursued this session.

Faction & Relationship Changes

• Harvo joins the party (referred by Sevryn’s letter).
• Nancy departs the party in anger.
• Sunny earns party rapport via the generous trade and the free healing potion.
• Wyrmbough Grove elves now associate the party with progress on the corruption (samples returned).

Table Rulings

1. Running jump RAW: Strict reading — “If a running jump, you can move as far as your strength modifier is. you should be able to make that with 10 strength.” ^[28], DM Nick.) Sets precedent: Strength score 10+ enables a normal-distance running jump without a check; below 10 requires an athletics check.
2. Tool proficiency check formula: utilise-action + relevant ability check + proficiency bonus, with advantage if the character is also proficient in a relevant skill ^[29], DM ruling on alchemist’s-supplies identification of a potion).
3. Restrained condition (5e 2024): speed 0; attacks against you have advantage; your attacks have disadvantage; you have disadvantage on dex saves. (DM clarification ^[30].)
4. Death save protocol: rolled in private to the DM during dryad fight ^[31].
5. Perfect crits homebrew: the table uses the “max damage dice + roll dice” homebrew rather than RAW double-roll; configured in the VTT.
6. Searing Smite stack: Cholmondeley applies Searing Smite as a bonus action concurrent with Booming Blade; takes effect on the hit ^[32].

Callbacks

• Session 1 (unrecorded): the Hollow Hall Tavern meeting; Sevryn’s briefing; Cholmondeley’s rescue of Nancy from execution that drove him onto the run from Aurelia; introductions of Gwen Homora, Fergus, the missing-hunters subplot.

Next Steps

• Find Death-at-Sunset’s lair and bring the egg to absorb the dragon’s essence.
• Possibly investigate the untouched dirt mound at the grove’s centre.
• Continue progress through the egg quest before the corruption fully overruns Wyrmbough Grove.

References

1. ^ Session 2, line 20-48 — Cholmondeley's session 1 recap; Chris awarded Ring of Swimming on a d100 of 90.
2. ^ Session 2, line 178-298 — Harvo introduces himself as Harvalent Irsaron of Arcanthes; gifts the egg-carrier contraption.
3. ^ Session 2, line 298 — Cholmondeley self-introduction as "Chumley Fenshaw".
4. ^ Session 2, line 1126-1276 — Dryad encounter, riddle, and combat; party answers tree, correct answer was bark.
5. ^ Session 2, line 1564-1632 — Cholmondeley taken to 0 HP by a critical vine attack; stabilises on first death save.
6. ^ Session 2, line 3140-3148 — Gwen Homora delivers five poison-resistance potions.
7. ^ Session 2, line 2820-2882 — Sunny trades 3 light crossbows + 3 scimitars for 1 hand crossbow + 1 healing potion.
8. ^ Session 2, line 3290-3334 — Nancy abandons Cholmondeley after being left with the cart overnight.
9. ^ Session 2, line 20 — Inline citation.
10. ^ Session 2, line 48 — Inline citation.
11. ^ Session 2, line 1168 — Inline citation.
12. ^ Session 2, line 1244-1276 — Inline citation.
13. ^ Session 2, line 3326 — Inline citation.
14. ^ Session 2, line 286 — Inline citation.
15. ^ Session 2, line 1244 — Inline citation.
16. ^ Session 2, line 1250 — Inline citation.
17. ^ Session 2, line 2910-2912 — Inline citation.
18. ^ Session 2, line 254-280 — Inline citation.
19. ^ Session 2, line 2700-2706 — Inline citation.
20. ^ Session 2, line 3142-3146 — Inline citation.
21. ^ Session 2, line 2018-2050 — Inline citation.
22. ^ Session 2, line 2820-2826 — Inline citation.
23. ^ Session 2, line 2862-2884 — Inline citation.
24. ^ Session 2, line 1044 — Inline citation.
25. ^ Session 2, line 962 — Inline citation.
26. ^ Session 2, line 280 — Inline citation.
27. ^ Session 2, line 3148 — Inline citation.
28. ^ Session 2, line 1078 — Inline citation.
29. ^ Session 2, line 1986-2014 — Inline citation.
30. ^ Session 2, line 1368 — Inline citation.
31. ^ Session 2, line 1626 — Inline citation.
32. ^ Session 2, line 1470-1480 — Inline citation.