As the party continues onwards to the forested area where Fort Palco is located the weather becomes steadily more windy although the temperature remains constant.
Within another day or two of travelling, the group camps out on one of the last foothills just before the forest begins.
During the night; Romero spots an odd greenish glow rising from the Forest. He wakes up the other, but quickly they determine that whatever is happening it doesnt seem to diminish as time goes by.
The following morning after another hour so of travelling, the reach the green mist hovering around the forest. They run several mystical “tests” on the green fog but are unable to determine anything conclusive – other than a prevalent conjuration affect seems to permeate the entire forested area.
After another hour of travel into the forest they stumble upon another interesting phenomena – about 10 stone statues covered in vines. When Romero attempts to cut some of the vines away from one of the statues the vines come to life. The group finds itself suddenly in a battle for their lives with ten Vine Blights
By the skin of their teeth the group is able to defeat the blights, and upon careful examination see that the statues are of petrified humans. The petrification process is dissimilar to that of the Gorgon they faced earlier on their journey.
During their first night camping in the forest, two of the group are assailed by nightmares and are unable to gain any rest or recuperate any of their spent spells the following day. With grim determination the group continues further into the forest. The path they follow is clearly delineated – on either side of the path the shrubbery is dense and close to impassable. But the path still heads in the general direction they think is where they need to be.
At some point during that day, Es (Esk’s bird?) comes racing out its vanguard position in the sky telepathically yelling to Esk to “RUN! RUN NOW!” The group confused and disoriented by this abruptness is caught flat-footed by the blast of fire that hits them from the sky. Shortly there after a lionesk roar and a bleat of goat can be heard. The party realising they have caught the attention of a Chimera make haste to escape… Some ten minutes later the Chimera crosses their path again, but the group forewarned attempt to hide in the dense shrubbery. Esk somehow gets her gear caught on the shrubbery and is stuck as the only one on the path. The swift thinking of Romero allows her to turn invisible. The groups hiding skill saves them from being spotted.