As our group continued onwards they saw a large boulder with roots wrapped around it. Some of the roots seemed to be rotting. Approaching slowly, with Zuko and Zonku in the lead. As they did, a green skeleton like creature flew down and attacked our group. Its eyes were glowing red and it seemed animalistic in nature.
Although it tried it couldn’t seem to hit Zuko or Zonku. Sparky identified it as a specter, as well as informing our group of how resistant this creature could be. As Fang cast a spell something went wrong, and the creature seemed to duplicate somehow. Zuko thought he had a perfect hit, however it hit one of the duplicates, showing them to be naught but illusions. The specter rushes towards Fang and Sparky, unable to hit Fang, but dealing severe damage to Sparky. Its eyes stopped glowing red and it seemed to regain some sort of sentience.
It continued to attack Sparky, knocking him out, before kitting the remainder of our group of warriors. Sparky was healed by Zuko and stood back but, but was quickly attacked again, as his senses were overwhelmed by the specter, he fell under its control. Sparky began attacking his comrades, and as Zonku started to fight back, Sparky fell once more.
Eventually the specter managed to take control of Zonku, having him attack Fang, before taking control of Fang. With 2 thralls under his command the tides seem to turn, however Fang with one last attack under the Specter’s command killed Sparky, as Zonku broke free from the specter’s control. Angered by his companion’s death, Zuko killed the specter, freeing Fang from its control.
Zonku then tried to take out the stone sword, upon grabbing he saw a vision of a creature that looked like branches or vines shaking his head at him. Fang picked up Sparky and had him touch the blade, bringing him back to life. It took him a few tries, but Sparky eventually took the sword out. As he did he saw a vision of himself as the the vine creature, who gave up his life into the boulder, and told a human there that he would now be known as Rickwell Willowblade. In addition to this druid were some others, although the one that stood out was a silver dragon. Sparky then saw the vine creature tell him he was now the protector and from now on would be known as Sparky Willowblade.
As Sparky snapped out of the vision, he felt a new power within him. He also felt the knowledge of a ritual, Plant Growth, and a ritual to open the gates to this tree. He and Fang cast it, as the boulder resonated and a white, warm light flooded our group. Sparky spoke some more with the leshies, who now bowed to him as the new Willowblade. Our heroes then took a well earned rest to take care of their wounds.