A silence, no sound of gnoll war cries, no screams of frightened rooks, a quiet lay ahead, respite from ensuing violence?

A clearing around start of forest vastness, inside it looked dark, trees of oak with massive brooding bark, to this they ran with hoping swiftness.

Spear set with skulls and bones they ran past in a blur, crashing through tangled, fragrant brush, to save their lives in a rush, to avoid chasing enemy crush, for the gnolls were a pack of cannibal curs.

Dodging the brushes and trees, 'twas half a mile before they slowed, and through the woods Sun dimly glowed, and now gnolls' screams were just buzzing of distant, angry bees.

What joys, the foe no longer at their heels, scared to follow, perhaps this place was where elves danced their reels? Or was it some lethal ploy? Oh so still was this place, save for the buzz of dragon flies, on the nerves this hush slowly tries, but tired limbs and injuries slowed their pace.

Clearing amidst the oaks, gathering bushes thick with thorns, to make a wall invaders sure be torn, and made a camp, parched throats did soak.

Fizz his picollo did not play, this place did not "fit", it had the feel of stealthy things that throats would slit! He urged them all here not long to stay.

But here they must attempt to sleep, the farmer was all a fear and flutter, but Silverblade his magic cast and no more did fellow stutter, and Rhino on watch foes would eager greet.

Moving with wriggling, sinous life, a vine into the camp did eerily glide, and the plant around Rhino did suddenly wind, and against its wicked strength, the giff struggled with furious strife!

The beast the others did try to snare, for it was huge, spread vast, but for it some moved too fast, and the cleric earlier a protective ward had cast, and this was triggered, and the plant was stricken rigid, fixed as if by basilisk's gaze.

Tearing free of mobile root. Rhino his friends that had been caught, he tore free as his strength to bare he brought, and for vials of fire his hands eager sought, and blazing flames shrieking into the air did shoot.

By hurling incendiary load, the comrades the giant living vine did braze, and with horror and disgust upon the flesh eating plant did gaze, but the farmer, in his terror into the woods ran screaming, with no chosen road....

Rebuilding barricade of spikes, they chose dry wood that a fire could make, lest more vines did come and their necks break, while Fizz with elven caution did try to find the farmer, but proved futile hike.

The beast in the forest

With roaring terror some foul thing into the brambles tore and rent, hurled from sleep into nightmare real, the comrades saw eyes blazing red, an unearthly boar, but blows upon it they panicked did deal, and then it hurtled from them, and into the vast it went.

Night filled with empty hollow, no stars to see through embracing trees, even the insects hardly stirred and not even a breeze, and sleep did them in unease swallow...

Damp with dew, off they quickly set a march, and then the forest changed, here and there holy rowan and larch, then unto a clearing the party drew.

Cabin old and roofed with living sod, walls of trees a dozen feet thick, against the door rested a rested walking stick two men high, and beside it a mighty spear for a tip with a knight's sword it was shod!

"Mornin' folks! Why be ye here?" A voice low as rumbling thunder from a shady corner asked, a giant cunning in greens masked, and for their lives knew fear!

Standing tree top tall, giant of the forest, red of hair on head and breast, not long woken from his rest, beside him, even Rhino felt small.

The forest giant

"Gracious morn', how are you, large sir?" The mage with courtesy asked, though his nerves were tasked, but in good speech and in friendship the lonely giant basked, soon in his home they were invited and from it in the evening for safety he would not let them stir.

A restful sleep with kindly host, a pleasant change and no mistake! In the morning some treasures them he did beg to take, if from his lands some pests they could shake, they had some time before their task and did agree with a toast!

For some time, insects of monstrous size had plagued the surrounds, burrowing up from below the ground, and now many of the giant's animal friends lay dead in mounds, it seemed the beetles came from an abandoned mine.

So the band to the entrance were escorted by the giant named Burghle, but what mine had stairs leading down? Into the darkness they curious wound, and entered basement round, and over ancient door, of bones their was a jumble.

From hole in ceiling corner, a mighty beetle, horned and hungry, scuttled forth to eat but it was quite clumsy, narrow passage blocked by a fall to small for its stocky form, but it sought flesh soft and warmer.

The men at arms, armed with short pikes, into the foul smelling brute's face did strike. Rhino under strode, then up to his toes with mighty hike, and lengthy blade tiny brains split and spiked, and silenced the beetle's eerie, unhuman alarms.

The door was old of engraven oak, but couldn't budge it though with oil rusty hinges they did soak, so Rhino a block of stone used as a ram until portal broke, then cloud of ancient wraith-like dust made them choke.

Narrow stairway descending into heart still underworld, graven runes and painted scene, frescos from which murder gleamed, the barrow of an ancient, wicked king it seemed, and disgust, horror and greed in their hearts chaotic unfurled......

The entrance to the crypt...