Two: The Approach

'I'm seeing bones and skin under that tree. I doubt the kid went over there...'

As they decide their next move the sound seems to modulate into waves, the wind picks up and the heroes horses slowly begin to walk towards the tree.

'Not thatta way, Surly! This horse is nothin' but trouble.' Rook tries to steer the horse away from the tree back towards where they came from.

Surly seems unconvinced by Rook's plea and continues its amble towards the tree.

"Now that's anout enough of that." Xur'Tual pulls back on the reins and presses his left heel into the horses ribs to make him turn.

"Damn buzzing is drawing the horses." Fenhari continues to pull the reins. "Whoa! Whoa, I said. Stop. Halt." He repeats the terms in Trenash and Xchiqua.

"Blasted animal!" Xur'Tual pulls some wool out of his bedroll and stuffs it in his horse's ears.

With an assertive amount of force Rook is able to turn Surly's head hard and away from the tree, Surly responds by doing a 180 with their body turning away from the tree and back towards the distant road.

Fenhari, Sophia and Xur'Tual continue to ride towards the gnarled tree. As they approach, the vultures ascend from the branches and begin making wide circles above it. You are now 440' away and moving towards the tree. From this distance you can tell that the bones beneath and around the tree come from multiple creatures. The majority seem to be directly beneath the canopy of the tree but many are spread out wide around it. It is apparent to Fenhari that they must have been dragged and scattered by scavengers. The tree stands at the center of a 300' clearing dotted with small and medium rocky protrusions. The clearing is encircled by a grove of junipers and tufts of shrubs and grass. The branches of the vulture tree appear to shimmer. Fenhari is the first to notice the shimmering turning into tiny black floating shapes bumbling around the leaves and branches. The sounds gets louder as you approach and you notice a swaying sensation as it moves through you.

Rook looks over his shoulder, puzzled as to why his companions haven't turned by now.'Talk to me, fellers. What's happening?!' he calls out loudly.

During his previous excursions in the desert, the ranger has withstood thirst, hunger, delusions, and other dangers. This time, Fenhari's head is aching with a speed he's never experienced.

Xur'Tual jumps down off of his horse and, grabbing the reins of both horses, pulls with all his might to turn them around while shouting "Come on you dumb animals!

Rook ties his horse to a sturdy tree outside the 500' radius of sound. Xur'Tual's bedroll tumbles free as he attempts to rip it open behind him. As the horses reach the 320' mark, Fenhari begins to feel a swaying sensation take over his body. He may use his regular action as he wishes, but he is COMPELLED to use his movement to move towards the tree. At the end of his turn, he may attempt a DC 15 save to resist the overwhelming sound. From this distance he can see more clearly the tiny shapes in the branches and likely source of the sound is some sort of swarm of insects. Sophia, behind him appears to be in a trance as if her driving force has completely evaporated.

Xur-Tual's horse puts up more of a fight, but he is able with great strength to turn both of them around and now must make another Con Save.

Fenhari pulls out and lights a torch. He loudly repeats the chorus of a folk song from his youth to try to block the incessant buzzing in his head.
"Grolf the magic dragon
Lived in the dunes
And frolicked in the desert sand
Beneath the two-tooth moon"

Rook curses under his breath. With his horse secure he begins to move towards the tree with the intention of helping his companions. As he approaches he will cut some wads of cloth from his cloak and stuff them in his ears.

Xur'Tual 's eyes flash gold-white for a split second as he heaves onward with the horses, dragging them towards Rook.

Rook feels confident that he has effectively plugged his ears to the point that he won't fall under the spell. Xur'Tual's resolve is strong as he resists the call of the swarm and he leads both horses against their will away from the tree and back in the direction from which they've come. He drags them back 350' from the tree. As they are drawn back, Fenhari, feels a sick as he is pulled back. He uses his movement to dismount from his horse.