Jason, I think you are doing a wonderful job as leader. I'll try to offer more Input when decisions need to be made. No need for you to feel any pressure being our leader. If you would rather someone else take the leadership role I'm not a skilled leader. There are several people in our group that would make good leaders as well.
With Rachel and Jason being the two senior people in this world (Not including the NPCs) either one of you could be leader if you wanted it.
As far as herbs they grow in other places as well. The spots they grew in are clues as to where you may find more of them. This includes dreamberries and as you have seen Dream berries are very potent.
As far as scribing scrolls you can scribe a scroll with a spell you know and understand. As the book says you can scribe a scroll of any spell you know. I believe that prevents Travis from scribing Arcane spells. Do you have any reference that contradicts this ruling Jason as I can not find any.
I'm not saying I'm itching to drop the reins anytime soon, just a little concerned that people seem to be just going along with whatever without question. Anywho, moving on
Kntoran, DMG page 282, "Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator. Although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed."
Generally, this is interpreted such that even if the crafter does not know the prerequisite spell, if it can be cast during the process via scroll, wand, or another mage, the requirement is satisfied.
You can create a scroll of any spell that you know. Scribing a scroll takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. The base price of a scroll is its spell level × its caster level × 25 gp. To scribe a scroll, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of this base price.
Any scroll that stores a spell with a costly material component or an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must expend the material component or pay the XP when scribing the scroll.
Plus for crafting scrolls I will say the quiet comfortable well lit place is a must so scribing will need to be done at the new work shop being built or in the library of the stronghold.
Kn, is there some nearby terrain feature we can make for? Something defensible with a good view of the surroundings. I don't want to retreat just yet, but I think we need a better idea of what the heck is going on before we go in as we'd been planning.
Yes this happened before Ghost and Rachel departed. As far as defensible area you would find some by the two mountains you just went past. Climbing up them to observe more area will be a bit harder.