With the fate that has befallen Artshall recently and the efforts of reconstruction, many visit the city in order to land a hand to the Laurents in their endeavor. The lands encompassing Artshall, whether it belongs to Laurent directly or to those who call them liege - is vast. There's forest, a lot of forest. Particularly in the Shadow-woods, there are also a lot of soldiers there, particularly with recent events, there are merchants passing through, moving their wares.

Those who stayed in Artshall during recent times and visit a tavern or two, might encounter some drunken ramblings and tales told when the mead is pouring freely. There are even rumors that the Laurents actually found that the tale is true and they are heavily guarding the location. Tales and tales. Who can tell when the bees keep all their secrets in their hive?

The tale tells of a place deep in the woods that has never been discovered before, with no path old or new to guide, some poor souls who attempted it left some markings behind for future groups, which is how our group who are traversing on horseback through thick scrub and fairly dense forest, find their way. A few days camping overnight has brought them to where they think, or so the scout indicates, that the bramble and meadow are to be.

Not that anyone sees brambles. Or meadows. Just trees. A lot of trees. Sun barely filters through it's so dense and the closer you get, it's evident that going on horseback will be impossible and one will have to lead the horses through. But the weather has held, cool but held and the day is young. The end is in sight.

Pasquale has been very quiet the last few days (verbally that is. The coughing is never quiet.). His attention turned almost entirely to the riding. The closer they get to their destination the more he starts paying attention to their surroundings. Yep, thats a tree.. and that is.. and that is too. "I wonder how we'll know which is the right tree."

Ian hasn't been around helping with the reconstruction, which makes his presence at Artshall (and on this trip) undeniably something that he's doing for Pasquale, not just because he's in the neighborhood. Although it almost certainly helps that Artshall isn't Arx. Ian has lately been ready and willing to volunteer for pretty much any kind of trip, just to have a "good reason" to get out of Arx.

He might have reason to second-guess his decision to go on this trip, though. Like many lifelong sailors, he's very clearly uncomfortable on horseback. Someone has found him a very, very patient old horse, a horse smart enough to have come to the reasonable conclusion that he's an absolute idiot and should be ignored. He's content to let this horse follow the others; this gives him the ability to focus all of his attention on the surrounding countryside. Life and painful experience have taught Ian to be paranoid of ambush in forestland, and he's forever scanning the surrounding trees, also very quiet. He doesn't offer an opinion on how to tell when the right tree has been found. Trees are also not really his specialty.

Eirene has volunteered to do some exploration this time around, and get away from her kids for a few days. She rides with the uneasy saddle of someone more used to a ship than a horse. Much like Ian. "Didn't someone say they marked a tree? Carving, or a shred of cloth?"

Titania:was glad she took at least some riding when she was younger, it was not much but enough to get by. Her eyes look around at the tree's as they move past them as they get thicker into the woods, much like her cousin she wanted out of the city even if she just got back not long about. She takes a breath in of fresh air and follows the others.

Mikani rides a very large horse. Some might say the largest draft horse you've ever seen. She pats the neck of the stallion as she seems to sit more comfortably than her other naval companions. "If not marked ... does it look different in some respect? Like a coloring of moss or has a face in it?" She asks as she looks about as they make it into the thicker woods. Her time in Crovane making her much more comfortable riding through dense forest. Mikani herself was happy to be out on an adventure even if she was a late addition.

Pasquale checks perception and investigation at normal. Pasquale is successful.

Mikani checks perception and investigation at normal. Mikani is successful.

Eirene checks perception and investigation at normal. Eirene marginally fails.

Ian checks perception and survival at normal. Ian is successful.

Look, a cool bird, thinks Eirene. Partially distracted.

Titania checks perception and investigation at normal. Botch! Titania fails completely.

Despite being in the midst of the Shadowood, gladly, our travelers do not need to worry about Shavs or other unpleasantries reserved for the natives. But the scrub is dense, it takes effort to go through and as they start to wade forward it's evident that the horses can't come with them and guards may have to remain behind with them, if there are guards. And within all that dense scrub, it is seen by Pasquale, Ian and Mikani: Brambles, Just like the scout had said. And they only get thicker, the thorns more vicious and poking at armor or any bare skin.

Titania spots the same bird that Eirene does and just kind of watches it, her head tilting to the side.

Pasquale has a beautiful horse. A fine rose grey warhorse that is clearly hating all these brambles. "We will know it when we see it." Pasquale says after he finally decides that this is all to much on the horses and dismounts. He spends a few moments securing his overcoat against the bramble hazard. "One of us should keep marking our trail."

Mikani pulls some chalk out of her holster at her hip. "I can mark the trail." This was after she dismounted and secured her own armored jacket to keep her skin safe from the brambles glad for leathers to not attract much more than that.

Ian slides ponderously off his horse; his knees give way when he hits the ground, and he has to hang onto the saddle to keep from collapsing. The horse gives him a Look, and then looks away. No rolling of eyes is even necessary; the meaning is conveyed perfectly. Seemingly immune to this silent equine judgement, Ian removes a couple of things from his saddlebags. A couple of basic supplies in a bag that he can wear hanging from a long strap across his body. His cane. And... yes, that's his scarf. He loops it and secures it at his belt like a horrible, horrible whip. "Those aren't going to be fun to wade through," he remarks. "But I can get us back. I've got a compass."

Ian gets ugly, singed, stained, multicolor scarf from Oiled leather bag.

Eirene also tightens her leather coat and adjusts her gloves to keep her hands good and covered. Leather is good for this kind of thing, especially the Cardian variety. "We can tie spare bandages as trail markers," she offers as an additional suggestion to Mikani and Ian. Her nose wrinkles at the sight/smell of the Scarf (tm).

Ian checks strength and medium wpn at normal. Ian is successful.

Mikani checks strength and small wpn at normal. Mikani is successful.

Eirene checks wits and artwork at easy. Eirene is successful.

Pasquale checks wits and artwork at easy. Pasquale is successful.

Titania slips off her horse securing the animal, she watches her cousin for a moment then turns to pull her closk tighter and gloves on snug. "This is going to be fun."

Mikani checks wits and artwork at easy. Mikani is successful.

Titania checks strength and medium wpn at normal. Critical Success! Titania is spectacularly successful.

Pasquale was prepared enough that he has a handaxe amongst his things. He takes it down, hands it off to Ian, and then starts carefully making his way forward, pausing every so often to carve a symbol into a tree with his knife. "When was the last time someone came this way do you think?"

Some people, are better suited to chunk through the brambles. Some poeple are better suited to walk through it too. As Ian and Titania manage to cleave through brambles with thier weapons, it falls with some effort. Eirene, Mikani and Pasquale are busy turning the forest into a possibly morbid scene of leftover bandages. Maybe they should add some blood, that would be entertaining to those who come later, all those little girls picking up mushrooms. Trauma is character building.

By the time the group manages to get through the bramble, by the time that dark almost black gnarled branches give and the group spills out into the meadow and the sunlight that spills and envelopes them all, those not wearing armor are bleeding from small punctures and long scratches. Those in armor have a few very small ones. But they're through the brambles and into knee high grasses and wildflowers and beyond, beyond and scattered are immense pale brown twisted and gnarled trees with low hanging branches and green leaves. Flowers, birds, butterflies, nature thrives in here.

Ian looks at the ax for a moment, and then hands it back. He draws the wickedly sharp alaricite blade from within his cane and takes point; the sword that has felled so many foes is easily a match for this one. He leaves Titania to follow him and very ably turn his thin carved path into something that can be easily traversed, like a boss. As they emerge suddenly into the meadow, he takes a moment to sheathe his sword and takes off his gloves so he can dig out brambles that managed to wedge themselves in the seam either under his gloves or up his jacket sleeves.

"Ain't this picturesque," Eirene drawls in her Lycene accent. "Those oak trees look positively ancient. And look, more of those neat looking birds." She points up above.

Mikani says a silent prayer to the spirits as they enter the area of the tree. Mikani softly moves forward as she takes in the tree more. "Gods and spirits." She whispers under her breath as she reaches out to touch the trunk of the tree. "You can feel the world in this place. Like Aion's dream is somewhat more vibrant here." Her dark eyes look up into the branches.

Titania pulls her sword out its not fancy like her cousins but if it could it tell some pretty nifty stories. She moves to follow Ian cutting the brambles down not finding it to hard to go along. "Prickly little...." she been hanging around Jan to much.

Pasquale pauses besides Ian to enjoy the look of the meadow before them. At a glance he seems to have escaped all but a scratch on his jaw. "Maybe it is one of those special places." he agrees after Mikani speaks. "I knew it would be something special." a smile curves his lips before he takes a step forward. "We should collect any interesting plants and maybe a few butterflies." he looks back to Ian. "You look as if you expect a monster to jump out from behind the daisies at any moment Ian."

Ian looks up from putting his gloves back on, and over at Pasquale. "We're in the middle of the forest," he points out, like this perfectly explains why he might be operating under that assumption.

Those are certainly ancient trees. Almost as ancient as Laurent who are clearly not guarding this place. Maybe. Maybe they are here. At the side of the clearing is a very very large tree, from which one can notice a glistening sap drips upon the side of the trunk. The sap from where one presumes a bug bored in or some other damage has made it produce it to protect itself. Thick, glossy, it looks almost like blood. The blue and black butterflies that gather around it flutter wins slowly back and forth as they seem to suck from the liquid. The tree otherwise looks healthy and fine. All of them do. Birds flit in branches and there's even the sight of a few rabbits far off.