Act 1, Scene 6: Up into the Sparklewaith Valley

This section is largely panoramic, for a sense of setting. A 20 mile journey up into the valley, or along the high road above it.
"The valley may have once been a green and verdant swath of hill and glen, but now the panorama is largely grey and black, and with a sheen of dark scum covering both rock and tree. The trail up into the higher land is in many places smeared with dark slime. The smell of the place is stale with mildew, and the light from the sky is a kind of lavender orange, as if from a winter sunset.
"Here and there the sides of the valley climb up to great heights, with dark purplish crags of rock jutting up over the landscape. There are both mushrooms and giant fir trees, but all are marred by the blight.
"And so the trail leads up the river, further and further towards whatever pass might await at the top.
"There is the sound of voices and the movements of some creatures ahead.
"Ahead now you see figures dotting the dark landsape. They are people, with skin decidedly grey. They wear little clothing, and they appear inactive, scuffling idly in the dirt or lying lazily beneath the poisoned trees. They lack energy, as if depressed.
[They gather around a spring. To the party: HOW MUCH FOOD DID YOU BRING IN?"]
"When they see you, they rise to their feet and stand on the defensive... They ask fofr mercy, and food begging: 'Take care of us! Have mercy on us! We are suffering in this land!"

W

Our heroes meet the skulk "tribe", far up into the valley.
The skulks carrying the coffin box--hiding this from the PC's--with the Fairie Queen's husk of a body, with gemstone eyes.

[A precious discovery, but all the more reason to get out of this land as quickly as possible, to exchange the stones for gold and riches.]

Looking in the box, a vaguely humanoid-shaped husk, a completely dried and dehydrated body of some kind, with diamond eyes staring straight into oblivion. ["Found it in the swamp..."]

Skulks tell their story:


"We found a beautiful pink curtain at the base of the road. We entered, only to be chased by a stuntedf porcupine fairy..."

The land was lush and florid, but it got sicker and sicker: We are victims! We have no food, and the springs are hard to find, and they Trickle...
Skulks will fight if they feel their lives are in danger. They also however need help and badly. Perhaps killing the party and looting them, stealing their food? That might appeal. We'll see what happens. There will be at least 15 adult skulks that can fight.
The Skulks will appeal to the party's sense of pity, telling them all of the story but leaving out the fact that the Skulks are the cause of all the rot, or not knowing? The skulks seek to avoid combat if possible, and they agree to help the party (with whatever the party claims to be doing).
The skulks will hide the story of the Fairie Queen at all costs. They will deny playing any role in the degeneration of the valley, although they are glad to tell of how they are trapped here and desperately need to escape. Glad to beg for help!
@final