Runes in good hands.

The hero didn't have the money, that's why he didn't give it. But the quest also mentions an alternative way to find the priests: either through the portal or through the forest.

That's right. You have to agree that if the quest clearly states that there is no way through the forest, then no one will go there... That's the first thing. Secondly, the level is full of such challenges – it's not for mercenary players; sometimes you need to use alternative paths. Once we figure this out, we'll be sure that it's neither a lag nor a bug, but a deliberate design choice.