The Obsidian Fisticators, after dropping some coin at the Stirling Sage and obtaining the Cloaks of the Gloomstalker they had commissioned, began the trek west to complete their contract with Dr. Victor Ripley and to investigate the reasons for Reggie's ejection from the army. Ascending the Brinkslind Mountains on a small trial, they rested for the evening in a small cave near. While attempting to ensure that their animal companions, which would not fit into the cave, were safe from the lightning that was raining down outside, Reggie lost his footing and barely saved himself from a long fall using his newly obtained cloak. Anchor then spent a majority of the night outside the cave, attempting to observe the patterns in the lightning. Throughout the night he was struck several times before realizing that the lightning was attracted to the metal plates that make up most of his body. As the sun rose, the party began their trek down the westward side of the Brinkslind Mountains. Mada, riding Roy, flew ahead to get an idea of the surrounding land. From the sky, he saw an enormous plume of smoke that seemed to be emanating from the end strip of burnt land a few miles long. The party decided to investigate, where they saw several warforged clearing a strip of land. Reggie recognized the leader of the group, Nut, who advised him against making any surprise visits to camp and asked for the party's help in subduing a druid who had been causing his progress to slow. The party agreed and went in search of the druid. While pushing through the forest, heading towards where the vegetation was thickest, they were assaulted by a dexterous halfling woman. The fight was quick and decisive, as they subdued her before attempting to convince her to give in to the army's desires. Quoli, the halfling woman, argued that the destruction the army was wreaking went against the chaotic growth that was natural in the woods. She argued that the fire they wielded was designed to restrain the forest's potential, whereas the fire that she and her tiny salamanders caused encouraged it. Leaving Quoli, the party returned and reported their trails to Nut before beginning the journey towards Thunderbrand 3, Reggie's old campsite.