Difference between revisions of "Session 59"

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==Recap==
 
==Recap==
 +
Ceremony
  
−
*Having dealt with the corruption of the forest you began your journey back to Leth'Taelar
+
Leaving the forest, the strange gnome
−
*The forest was indeed healing
 
−
*You found yourself in a clearing, a small grove with a wide stone slab, half-covered in moss, this stone slab was inviting
 
−
*As each of you placed your hand upon the stone, you had a flashback, a vision? a memory perhaps?
 
−
*You all continued to Leth'Taelar and were invited to stay for a feast, after which you all rested and you found yourself waking up this morning.
 
  
−
==Vision Recap==
+
An evening of rest
  
  
−
Zannotah
+
=='''Session Goals'''==
  
 +
*Investigate the growing instability in Willowshade
 +
*Discover what the red-amulet stranger did
 +
*Face a twisted manifestation of corruption tied to Djinn
 +
*Introduce a deeper mystery rooted in ancient, pre-temporal forces
  
−
As Zannotah places his hand on the stone, the forest vanishes like smoke on the wind.
+
----
  
−
You're standing high above a cloudline. Cold air bites at your skin. The stone beneath your feet hums faintly — familiar, structured, laced with arcane currents. ''Home?'' No… not anymore.
+
==🧱 SESSION STRUCTURE==
 +
----
  
−
There’s a voice. Raised. Familiar. '''Your brother.'''
+
===🌅 ACT 1: '''Return to Willowshade'''===
 +
'''Scene:''' The party crests the familiar hill. The windmill turns gently. The glass dome gleams. The air is warm — ''too warm'', as if '''the seasons are confused'''.
  
−
You can’t make out all the words — just fragments:
+
*The villagers welcome the party warmly.
 +
*Djinn's mother, '''Calira''', greets them with open arms but concern in her eyes.
  
 +
<br />
  
−
“…you ''never'' understood…”
+
=='''Key Conversations with Djinn & the Party'''==
 +
----
  
−
“…the timeline ''needs'' control…”
+
===🎙️ '''1. First Reunion – "The Air is Wrong"'''===
 +
''Setting: Calira greets Djinn warmly at the village gates. Her smile fades as she draws them into a quiet moment away from others.''
 +
----
  
−
“…chaos if we don’t…”
+
===🎙️ '''2. After Investigation of the Grove – "Memory Without Witness"'''===
 +
''Setting: In the glass-domed grove, standing by the sacred tree.''
 +
----
  
 +
===🎙️ '''3. After the Combat – “The Grove Has Chosen”'''===
 +
''Setting: The smoldering aftermath of the Rootwound Boar battle. The grove is quiet again, almost too quiet.''
 +
----
  
−
A flash of movement — the glint of a time-scepter in his hand, runes flaring like pulsebeats. You remember arguing — about fate, about choice — but the exact words slip away, like water between fingers.
+
==🔍 '''Concerns Villagers Would Have Raised to Calira'''==
 +
You can sprinkle these into Calira’s conversations or have her mention them during party investigations:
 +
----
  
−
You stepped forward. Or maybe he did. The edge was closer than you realized. Someone reached out — too late.
+
===🔸 “The Sleepwalkers”===
 +
----
  
−
A push? No… a ''shove''? Or did you just lose your footing?
+
===🔸 “The False Djinn”===
 +
----<br />
  
−
Then: ''weightlessness''. The sound of rushing wind. His voice, distant, calling your name — sharp, ''afraid'', but already fading.
+
===NPC Dialogue (Villager)===
 +
'''Initial Claim:'''
  
−
You never hit the ground. The memory ends there — torn, frayed at the edges.
+
*“Djinn? No, no, I saw you just the other day! Thought you were back early from wherever you all ran off to.”
 +
*“Aye, right outside the mill. You even gave me that funny wave of yours. Don’t tell me you forgot already?”
  
−
And then you’re back in the grove. Still. Breathing. The stone cool beneath your fingers.
+
'''Details & Description:'''
  
 +
*“You were wearing that same old coat—though it did look a bit cleaner, now that I think on it.”
 +
*“Didn’t say much, but you nodded when I asked if everything was alright.”
 +
*“Come to think of it, you seemed… off. Quiet. Didn’t even stop to chat, which ain’t like you.”
  
−
Keph
+
'''When Pressed:'''
  
−
The stone beneath your hand is warm. Then, for a moment, it feels like old, familiar wood — a cabin floor, sun-warmed and worn smooth by generations.
+
*“You walked down toward the creek, then just… disappeared 'round the bend. I didn’t follow.”
 +
*“You ''were'' alone. Least, I didn’t see anyone else.”
 +
*“Now you’re telling me that wasn’t you? Then what in the gods’ names did I see?”
  
−
You're small again. A child, no taller than a bow, with twig-thin arms and a tangle of leaves in your hair. Outside, forest light filters through green canvas, dappling the walls of the small lodge where you grew up. It smells like pine sap, baking bread, and dried herbs.
+
----
  
−
In front of you, a bow — far too big for you — rests across your knees. Your last shot had gone wide. Again. You can still hear the distant laughter of the others. Older cousins, quicker hands.
+
===🧩 Possible Clues or Leads to Offer (if you want this to build into a larger mystery)===
  
−
You look up — and there she is: '''Granny Bear'''.
+
*'''Tracks''': Someone might find recent bootprints near where Djinn was "seen."
 +
*'''Witnesses''': Another villager (child or elderly) may back up the story with their own odd detail (e.g., “He didn’t cast a shadow.”)
 +
*'''Strange Object''': A trinket or scrap of clothing near the sighting location that resembles Djinn’s belongings—but subtly wrong.
 +
*'''Memory Fog''': The villager can’t recall details like eye color or voice clearly, as if something tampered with their memory.
  
−
A mountain of a wood elf, her hair gone silver but her eyes sharp as a hawk's. She kneels in front of you, creaking as she lowers herself. Her hand, broad and calloused, settles over yours.
+
----
  
−
From across the room, you glimpse your parents. Silent. Their faces are kind, but tired. Your mother’s hand is on your father’s arm. Neither speaks.
+
===🧠 Suggested Player Reactions to Encourage===
  
−
You’re too young to name it, but you know what that look means. Not anger. Not shame. Just… '''doubt'''. Quiet, buried deep — and maybe that’s worse.
+
*Have Djinn roll Insight: ''“Did the villager seem convinced or coached?”''
 +
*Encourage Arcana checks: ''“Could it be a doppelgänger? An illusion?”''
 +
*Offer leads to track the doppelgänger or investigate magical interference.
 +
*Let the party interrogate other villagers: “Has anyone else seen Djinn recently?”
  
−
But Granny Bear? She just squeezes your hand.
+
----
  
 +
===🎭 If You Want to Add Flavor or Tension===
  
−
“You’re going to do something that ''matters'', Keph,” she says. “The trees already know it. You will too, someday.”
+
*A child runs up: “Djinn! You promised you'd teach me that fire trick again today!” (Djinn made no such promise.)
 +
*An animal in the village (dog, cat, horse) reacts with fear or confusion toward the real Djinn.
 +
*A mirror or reflective surface briefly shows Djinn’s reflection ''smiling independently'' of their face.
 +
*
  
 +
==NPC 1: Edrin Molt — The Villager Who Saw Djinn==
 +
'''Race:''' Human
  
−
Her words linger as the memory fades — not gone, just distant.
+
'''Age:''' Late 40s
  
−
You’re back in the grove. Older now. Wiser, maybe. And still walking that long path between doubt… and belief.
+
'''Occupation:''' Carpenter
  
 +
'''Appearance:'''
  
−
Elswyth
+
*Tall and lean, with calloused hands and a faint limp from an old accident.
 +
*Weathered face with crow’s feet and sun-darkened skin.
 +
*Wears a linen shirt stained with sawdust, and a leather apron still holding a few woodworking tools.
 +
*Has a smudge of charcoal on one cheek and a habit of scratching his beard when thinking.
  
 +
'''Personality:'''
  
−
As Elswyth's fingers brush the stone, her breath catches — not from pain, but from a sudden stillness, as if the world itself holds its breath.
+
*Friendly, practical, and respected around the village.
 +
*Known for his sharp memory and storytelling—never exaggerates, which makes his claim unnerving.
 +
*Speaks with quiet confidence and is clearly unsettled about the incident with Djinn.
  
−
She is no longer standing in the forest, but floating behind memory. Not hers — ''not quite'' — and yet, familiar.
+
'''Voice/Mannerisms:'''
  
−
A winter night. The stars hang low over silver hills, and a pale moon casts its light on the snow-covered steps of a quiet monastery. Built of white stone and old devotion, it glows gently in the moonlight, like it was born from it.
+
*Measured, grounded tone.
 +
*Rests his hand on his hip when trying to recall something.
 +
*Often squints, as if trying to remember the fine details exactly.
  
−
A woman stands at the gates — tall, cloaked, her features hidden by a hood trimmed with starlight. In her arms: a baby swaddled in midnight blue.
+
'''Notable Quote:'''
  
−
The child doesn’t cry. She stares, wide-eyed, at the moon above — silent, aware.
 
  
−
The woman leans close to the bundled infant, her voice barely more than breath:
+
===🔸 “The Time-Shifted Farm”===
 +
<br />
  
−
“You’ll be safe here. Watched. Prepared. The goddess sees you. She always has.”
+
==Farmer Witness: Two Sunsets in One Day==
  
−
A soft knock. A pause. Then the heavy doors open with a low creak, revealing robed figures lit by lanterns.
+
===🎙️ Initial Revelation (Confused or Offhand)===
  
−
One of them reaches out to take the child. Hesitation. Then the woman nods — and lets go.
+
*“Now I don’t know what tricks the gods are playing, but I swear on my ox’s grave — the sun set, and then not a half-hour later, it set again.”
 +
*“Thought my eyes were going, or maybe the cider was stronger than I thought. But my son saw it too.”
 +
*“It dipped behind the hills — just like normal — and the sky went all dusky. Then... it rose again, only a little ways, and dropped a second time.”
  
−
As she turns to leave, her final words hang in the cold air, though no one seems to hear them but you:
+
----
  
−
“When the time comes… you’ll remember who you are.”
+
===🔍 Descriptive Details (Odd Atmosphere)===
  
−
Then it all fades — the moonlight, the snow, the memory.
+
*“The light was strange. Warmer than usual. Felt like summer even though the air was turning cool.”
 +
*“The shadows twisted funny the second time. Like they didn’t know which way to fall.”
 +
*“The animals got confused — birds started singing again, and the cows all turned back toward the barn like they’d forgotten they were just in there.”
  
−
You’re back in the grove. The stone beneath your hand cool, solid, real.
+
----
  
−
But something inside you lingers — like a chord still ringing, somewhere just out of hearing.
+
===😧 Emotional Reactions===
  
 +
*“Scared the hell outta me, truth be told. I lit every lantern in the house just in case it happened again.”
 +
*“My wife said it was a blessing, but I’m not so sure. Ain’t natural, two sunsets in a day. Feels like something’s gone crooked in the world.”
 +
*“Old Maery says it’s a sign of the end. She ain’t left her root cellar since.”
  
−
Elswyth alternate
+
----
  
 +
===🧩 Possible Explanations (In-Universe Theories)===
  
−
As Elswyth’s hand touches the stone, the grove fades — replaced by a vast silence, deep and timeless. Then, slowly, a memory stirs. Not from the mind… but from something older.
+
*“Could be them mirror mages up in the hills again. Saw the sky bend once when they were experimenting.”
 +
*“Maybe the gods are wrestling again. Last time they fought, we had frogs rainin’ from the sky.”
 +
*“Might be that starfallen nonsense—those stones that hum at night. There’s one buried near the old quarry.”
  
−
A snow-covered hill beneath a pregnant moon. Silver light drapes everything in hush and shadow. Before the great stone gates of the Moon Temple, a cloaked woman stands, her breath misting in the night air.
+
----
  
−
She carries a child swaddled in midnight cloth, marked only by a soft glow beneath the wrappings — faint, pulsing, like a heartbeat made of starlight.
+
===🧠 Encouraging Investigation (Leads)===
  
−
“She’ll be safe here,” the woman murmurs. “Watched. Taught. Trained.”
+
*“I kept a sketch of the hills when the first sun dipped. Come take a look if you like.”
 +
*“Talk to the boy — he was out near the orchard and swears he saw the sun ‘shimmer’ before it rose again.”
 +
*“If you head up the ridge, you’ll see the hollow I was standing in. Still smells a bit... warm, somehow.”
  
−
A faint shimmer dances across the snow, barely visible — a ripple in the air, like heat over summer stone, though the night is bitter cold. The monastery doors open. Gentle, hooded figures step out, their eyes soft, their movements reverent.
+
----
  
−
One of them hesitates as they see the infant’s glow. Not from fear — from awe.
+
===🌀 If You Want to Add Weirdness or Horror===
  
−
The cloaked woman kneels, brushing her lips to the child’s brow. Then, almost to herself:
+
*“Didn’t notice it ‘til later, but my shadow… it stayed behind after the first sunset. Didn't catch up to me until nightfall.”
 +
*“The rooster crowed at the second sunset. Like it knew something was wrong.”
 +
*“I swear I saw someone standing out in the field… looked just like me. Watching the sky.”
  
−
“The blood of the higher realms… hidden in flesh. But not for long.”
+
<br />
  
−
She stands, turning without another word. As she walks back into the darkness, the wind catches her cloak — and for the briefest moment, you see it: wings. Not feathered, not fully formed — a shimmer, a suggestion of radiant limbs folded close, vanishing as quickly as they appeared.
+
==PC 2: Ranna Feld — The Tailor Who Saw Two Sunsets==
 +
'''Race:''' Halfling
  
−
“When the time comes,” her voice echoes faintly, “she will remember who she is.”
+
'''Age:''' Early 60s
  
−
And then it’s gone.
+
'''Occupation:''' Tailor
  
−
You return to the grove. The moss is cool beneath your fingertips, and your heartbeat is steady… but something deep within you stirs. A warmth. A memory not fully yours, but carved into your soul. Not just ''watched''… but ''meant''.
+
'''Appearance:'''
  
 +
*'''Ranna Feld''' is a cheerful, silver-haired halfling with clever hands and a perpetual smudge of chalk or thread clinging to her skirts. Barely three feet tall, she has warm hazel eyes that crinkle when she smiles—something she does often—and a voice like soft wool: warm, comforting, and threaded with quiet mischief. Her fingers are calloused from years of stitching, and she always wears a pin-cushion bracelet on her wrist like a badge of honour.<br />
  
−
Djinn
+
----
  
−
As Djinn’s hand meets the stone, there is a sudden stillness — and then, the flicker of heat. Not external, not from the stone… but ''within''. A familiar warmth surges in their chest, and the grove melts away.
+
===🔸 “Effigy Warping”===
 +
----
  
−
Darkness surrounds you — vast, quiet, and cold.
+
===🔸 “The Dream Bell”===
 +
----
  
−
You remember this. Not a place, but a moment. A pause between life and death. Between ''was'' and ''will be''.
+
==🪻 '''Calira’s Role Going Forward'''==
  
−
Then, faintly at first, you hear it:
+
*She is '''not just Djinn’s mother''', but now a '''potential lorekeeper''' and '''ritual guide''' to what lies beneath the sacred tree.
 +
*She may '''begin gathering components''' for an ancient rite to '''bind or cleanse the roots''' — but fears the rite may need '''Djinn's blood''' to succeed.
 +
*Calira will '''remain in Willowshade''' to protect it, even as it warps — her presence is stabilizing, and the grove ''listens'' to her.
  
−
'''“Kheyuton vey… kheyuton vey…”'''
 
−
 
−
The words drift like smoke — sacred, ancient. They pull you from the dark, word by word, syllable by syllable.
 
−
 
−
You see flashes — a ring of robed figures beneath a pale desert moon, their arms raised, fire circling around you. You lie still at the center, small and broken, eight years old. Your flame — once wild, chaotic — had gone out.
 
−
 
−
Until it didn’t.
 
−
 
−
The chant intensifies. One voice rises above the others — not pleading, but ''commanding''. With reverence. With authority. A calling not to what you were… but to what you ''could become''.
 
−
 
−
 
−
'''“Kheyuton vey.”'''
 
−
 
−
'''''Return, child of flame.'''''
 
−
 
−
 
−
You gasp.
 
−
 
−
Heat floods your lungs. Fire erupts along your arms. But it isn’t the wild red-orange fire of your childhood. This flame is '''blue''' — precise, unnatural, controlled. It licks your skin like silk and lightning.
 
−
 
−
You awaken — changed.
 
−
 
−
The robed figures recoil, not in fear… but awe. Something has answered their call. Something old, something ''beyond'' them — and it chose ''you''.
 
−
 
−
In that moment, you don’t understand. But in the years to come, the power within you will surge with each breath. Not learned, not gifted… ''inherited''. Born in death. Made in fire.
 
−
 
−
The blue flame is not just a mark.
 
−
 
−
It is your origin.
 
−
 
−
And now, back in the grove, it stirs again — quietly — as if remembering too.
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
 +
----
  
 +
===🧭 ACT 2: '''The Grove’s Whispers'''===
 +
'''Scene:''' Djinn and the party are summoned to the '''glass-domed grove''' by Calira.
  
−
Afterward, they feel lighter, as if a burden has been subtly eased. Mechanically, you may reward them with:
+
*The sacred tree is behaving strangely: humming with energy, blooming irregularly, and growing roots in impossible patterns — some '''looping back into themselves'''.
 +
*Calira reveals: she found a '''sliver of red crystal''' embedded in the soil — humming like a heart, leaking faint whispers of languages too old to name.
  
−
<br />
+
----
  
−
==Ceremony==
+
===⚠️ ACT 3: '''The Effigy Breaks'''===
−
As the first golden light of dawn begins to filter through the towering trees of the Abnoba Forest, a soft knock rouses you from your rest. A young druid of Leth’Taelar stands at your door, bowing gently.
+
'''Scene:''' During the evening feast, a sudden silence falls.
  
−
“The Heartbough awakens. Tantha calls for you.”
+
*The '''boar effigy''', the oldest in the village, '''groans and twists'''. Its vines ripple unnaturally. A red glow shines from within.
 +
*A deep, echoing voice emerges:
 +
*The boar '''explodes into motion''', now a warped, '''half-living, half-woven monster''', twisted by forces older than time — and it's '''coming for Djinn'''.
  
−
You're led through mist-veiled bridges and platforms to the center of the village, where the Heartbough — an impossibly massive, ancient tree — rises toward the heavens. Its trunk glows faintly with a golden sheen as the sun touches its uppermost branches.
+
----
  
−
A circle of druids and clerics waits in silence beneath the tree. Birds chirp gently, and the air carries the scent of fresh dew, blooming flowers, and something older — sacred. Tantha , draped in robes of pale green and soft gold, steps forward, leaning gently on a gnarled staff woven with living vines.
+
==⚔️ COMBAT ENCOUNTER:==
  
−
===🌞 1. Dawn Invocation – “The First Light”===
+
==='''“The Rootwound Boar”'''===
−
Tantha raises her staff. As sunlight spills across the clearing, a hush falls over the grove.
+
'''Creature Type''': Plant/Construct Hybrid
  
−
“As light returns, so does life.
+
'''HP''': High
  
−
As roots hold fast, so does memory.
+
'''AC''': Moderate (vines and bark armor)
  
−
The Abnoba awakens because of you.”
+
'''Abilities:'''
  
−
Druids begin to hum, a low, melodic chant that seems to resonate with the rustling leaves above. The light grows warmer, enveloping each of you in a soft radiance. For a moment, it feels as though the entire forest is watching… and approving.
+
*'''Targeted Malfunction (Djinn-specific)''': Each round, it lashes at Djinn, forcing a '''WIS save''' or Djinn sees flashes of '''alternate versions''' of their life — paralyzing them with emotional dissonance.
 +
*'''Seasonal Bloom''': Battlefield shifts with false seasons. Each round, one of the following occurs:
 +
**'''Winter''' – Icy patches (DEX save or fall prone)
 +
**'''Spring''' – Pollen cloud (CON save or blinded)
 +
**'''Autumn''' – Shadows stretch and whisper (WIS save or frightened)
 +
*'''Split Path (Legendary Action)''': Creates a mirrored illusion of Djinn that fights the party for 1 round, whispering distorted truths.
 +
*'''Red Echo (Final Phase)''': At half HP, reveals the '''red amulet buried in its chest''', pulsing. Timeline tears ripple outward, causing one PC to '''see a possible future where Djinn never returned'''.
  
−
===🌿 2. Waters of Renewal (player interaction moment)===
+
----
−
One by one, you’re invited to kneel before a smooth stone basin. Morning dew — gathered from sacred leaves before sunrise — glistens inside. Tantha gestures for you to wash your hands in the water.
 
  
−
(As each character does so, you may narrate a brief vision — unique and personal. You can improvise or use the ones below as inspiration.)
+
===🌘 ACT 4: '''The Core Revealed'''===
 +
After the boar falls, it dissolves into crumbling vines and '''petrified bark'''. At the center lies a '''red rootshard''', inert — and a deep '''impression in the earth''', like '''a man once stood there and was erased'''.<blockquote></blockquote>
 +
----
  
−
🌳 Sample Vision Prompts (brief player narration):
+
==🎁 REWARDS & NARRATIVE CONSEQUENCES==
  
−
Keph: You see a sapling sprouting where no seed was planted — at the foot of the Heartbough, bathed in golden light.
+
*'''Rootshard Amulet (Attunable, 1/long rest):'''
 +
**Rewind a failed roll or force a reroll on an enemy within 30 feet.
 +
**'''Consequence''': Each use risks a personal memory fracturing — causing short-term amnesia or hallucinations of alternate lives.
 +
*Djinn has become a '''"Temporal Tether"''', possibly the key to balancing (or unbalancing) the village’s place in the greater timeline.
 +
*The '''Watchmaker contacts the party again''', this time in person or via projection:
  
−
Elswyth: You see yourself sitting cross-legged on a boulder, meditating as roots slowly rise from the earth to cradle you.
+
----
  
−
Zannotah: A great stag stands in a burnt clearing, unafraid, its antlers tangled with ivy and flame.
+
==➡️ HOOKS FOR NEXT SESSION==
  
−
Djinn: A flame flickers at your palm, then unfolds into a glowing flower. Around you, the forest watches silently.
+
*Who was the cloaked man, and '''what does he remember about Djinn that even Djinn does not'''?
 +
*A hidden grove deep within the forest '''calls to Djinn in dreams''' — something there was left behind, or buried.
 +
*The '''King sends a scholar''' to help investigate Willowshade’s temporal instability — but what they find beneath the roots may threaten more than just one village.
 +
*Djinn begins to hear '''a second heartbeat''' within the sacred grove — one '''older than their own''', but somehow '''familiar'''.
  
−
===🍃 3. Bestowal of the Verdant Gifts===
+
<br />
−
Four bundles wrapped in soft moss and spiralled leaves rest atop a vine-draped pedestal. One by one, Tantha unwraps them and presents them to each of you, speaking in a clear, reverent tone:
 
  
−
“These gifts were not crafted. They were grown — shaped by the forest in the days after the corruption was lifted.
+
=🐗 Rootwound Boar=
 +
''Huge Construct (Effigy), Unaligned''
  
−
They bear your essence, as you now bear ours.”
+
'''Armor Class''' 16 (hardened bark and woven brambles)
  
−
(As each player receives their item, describe it briefly — its appearance, warmth, or magical resonance. The items can pulse, hum softly, or glow as they are attuned to the bearer.)
+
'''Hit Points''' 170 (20d10 + 60)
  
−
===🌳 4. Rite of Binding===
+
'''Speed''' 40 ft.
−
Tantha beckons you forward. She touches the Heartbough’s bark, and it seems to breathe. You are asked to place one hand on the tree.
+
----
  
−
As you do, you feel a warmth travel up your arm. A faint leaf-shaped glow forms on your palm or wrist — not a brand, but a mark of living light. It fades slowly, but you sense it can return when the forest calls.
+
===STR 20 (+5) | DEX 12 (+1) | CON 16 (+3) | INT 5 (−3) | WIS 14 (+2) | CHA 10 (+0)===
 +
----'''Saving Throws''' CON +6, WIS +5
  
−
“You are now bound to the forest — not as outsiders, but as kin.
+
'''Skills''' Perception +5
  
−
Protectors of the balance.
+
'''Damage Resistances''' bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  
−
Guardians of the waking wild.”
+
'''Damage Immunities''' psychic, poison
  
−
===🍞 Closing – Meal of the Morning Grove===
+
'''Condition Immunities''' charmed, frightened, poisoned, stunned
−
The ceremony ends not in fanfare, but in peace. A meal is shared beneath the canopy — fresh fruit, sweet breads, herbal teas. Children bring you woven wreaths of vine and flower. Elders offer carved charms, soft-spoken blessings, or knowing nods.
 
  
−
One wrinkled druid leans close to you and whispers:
+
'''Senses''' darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 15
  
−
“The forest remembers what was healed… but it also remembers what was lost.
+
'''Languages''' understands Druidic and Sylvan but can't speak
  
−
Not all roots grow toward the sun.”
+
'''Challenge''' 7 (2,900 XP) — tuned for a tough boss fight vs. 4 level 6 PCs
  
 +
'''Proficiency Bonus''' +3
 +
----
  
−
=Departing the Forest=
+
==✴️ TRAITS==
  
 +
===🧩 Temporal Tether (Legendary Trait – 1/turn, Djinn-specific)===
 +
Once per round, if '''Djinn''' is within 60 ft., the Boar may force a '''DC 14 Wisdom saving throw'''. On a fail, Djinn glimpses '''alternate versions of their own life''', becoming '''Stunned until the end of their next turn'''. On a success, they gain '''advantage on saving throws vs. this trait''' for 1 minute.
 +
----
  
−
''As you make your way down from the treetop village of Leth’Taelar. The air is fresh and rich with the scent of moss and morning dew. Birds call cheerfully overhead, and the trees — once twisted by corruption — now seem to breathe easier. The forest feels alive again.''
+
===🌿 Rootbound Behemoth===
 +
The Boar counts as '''half cover''' for any creature directly behind it. If reduced to 0 HP, its body collapses and '''difficult terrain''' (20 ft. radius of twisted roots and shattered wood) remains for 1 hour.
 +
----
  
−
''Villagers gathered on high walkways call soft farewells and blessings, tossing down woven garlands and charms that catch in your gear and hair. Tantha watches silently, her expression unreadable, but she places a hand over her heart in a gesture of deep respect as you pass below.''
+
===🌱 Seasonal Bloom (Recharge 5–6)===
 +
The Boar pulses with unnatural life. Roll a d4 to determine which '''false season''' dominates the battlefield until the end of its next turn:
  
−
''As your boots touch the forest floor once more, it’s as though the forest exhales with you. Your path ahead is dappled in sunlight, flanked by lush undergrowth and the soft murmur of waking wildlife. You follow the winding trail eastward, the road gently sloping out of the ancient heart of Abnoba.''
+
#'''Winter''' – Frost spreads. Each creature within 30 ft. must make a '''DC 15 DEX save''' or fall prone on icy patches.
 +
#'''Spring''' – Pollen clouds erupt. All creatures in 20 ft. must succeed on a '''DC 14 CON save''' or be '''Blinded''' until the end of their next turn.
 +
#'''Summer''' – Heat shimmer. Ranged attacks against the Boar are made at '''disadvantage''' until the end of its next turn.
 +
#'''Autumn''' – Whispering shadows. Affected area becomes '''heavily obscured''' (20 ft. radius), and all Wisdom (Perception) checks suffer '''disadvantage'''.
  
−
 
−
''As you round a bend in the trail, you hear a soft grunt, followed by the clatter of tumbling packages and a high-pitched voice cursing in a language that sounds like squirrel-chitter mixed with Common.''
 
−
 
−
''You see a tiny cart — barely larger than a wheelbarrow — stuck in a rut between two tree roots. Behind it stands a red-cheeked '''forest gnome''' with wild tufts of mossy green hair, a pointy satchel hat, and a badge shaped like an acorn with wings.''
 
−
 
−
<br />
 
−
 
−
===Tibbin===
 
−
<br />
 
−
 
−
==🧝‍♂️ NPC Description: Tibbin Fizzwhistle==
 
−
'''Title''': Courier of the Forest Gnome Postal Guild
 
−
 
−
'''Race''': Forest Gnome
 
−
 
−
'''Alignment''': Chaotic Good
 
−
 
−
'''Occupation''': Magical parcel runner, scroll wrangler, chaos enabler
 
−
 
−
'''Voice''': High-pitched and fast-talking, like a squirrel who had too much coffee
 
 
----
 
----
  
−
===🎭 General Demeanor===
+
==🛠️ ACTIONS==
−
Tibbin is a whirlwind of energy in a body barely three feet tall. He moves like he's constantly late for something and talks like he’s narrating his own life in fast-forward. Despite the mild chaos surrounding him, he’s extremely competent — or at least very lucky — and sincerely proud of his job.
 
  
−
He's covered in '''ink smudges, twigs, and moss''', and wears a '''crumpled red-and-blue acorn-shaped hat''' with a tiny silver mail badge on the brim. His satchel is visibly overstuffed and hums ominously. One of his boots squeaks when he walks. He doesn't seem to notice.
+
===🐗 Tangleburst Charge (Recharge 4–6)===
 +
The Boar charges in a straight line up to 40 feet and '''must move through at least one creature'''. Each creature in its path must make a '''DC 15 Strength saving throw''' or take '''21 (4d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage''', be '''knocked prone''', and become '''restrained''' in coils of animated vine. Restrained targets may repeat the save at the end of each of their turns.
 
----
 
----
  
−
===🧾 Appearance (at a glance)===
+
===🌿 Multiattack===
 +
The Boar makes '''2 attacks''': one '''Gore''' and one '''Trample'''.
  
−
*'''Height''': 3'1"
+
*'''Gore''': +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.  '''Hit''': 18 (2d12 + 5) piercing damage.
−
*'''Hair''': Wild and mossy green, like wind-blown grass
+
*'''Trample''': +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.  '''Hit''': 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.  Target must succeed on a '''DC 15 DEX saving throw''' or fall prone.
−
*'''Eyes''': Bright hazel with gold flecks, always darting around
 
−
*'''Clothing''': Patchy leather vest, a forest-green scarf covered in wax stamps, acorn hat
 
−
*'''Gear''': Miniature handcart full of enchanted mail, scroll tubes, twitching packages, and an emergency acorn-shaped horn labeled “For Fey Interference Only”
 
  
 
----
 
----
  
−
===🗣️ Personality & Roleplaying Notes===
+
==🌀 LEGENDARY ACTIONS (3 per round)==
 +
The Rootwound Boar can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn.
  
−
*'''Talks Quickly''', often forgetting to pause. Interrupts himself. Easily distracted by things like mushrooms, sparkles, or misbehaving letters.
+
*'''Twisting Ground''': Roots surge. A 10 ft. radius area within 30 feet becomes '''difficult terrain''' until the start of the Boar’s next turn. Any creature entering or starting their turn there must succeed on a '''DC 13 STR save''' or be '''restrained until the end of their turn'''.
−
*'''Unflappable in chaos''', but deeply annoyed by anything ''boring''.
+
*'''Echo Pulse''' ''(Costs 2 Actions)'': A ripple of broken time distorts the battlefield. One creature the Boar can see must succeed on a '''DC 14 CON saving throw''' or '''repeat their last action involuntarily''' (targeting the same creature, if possible).
−
*Has memorized dozens of postal laws, most of which are oddly specific (e.g., ''“Clause 17B: No teleporting a letter after tea unless the envelope is oiled.”'')
+
*'''Split Path Illusion''' ''(1/encounter, Costs 3 Actions)'':  A distorted, mirrored '''illusion of Djinn''' appears, acting independently on the Boar’s next initiative (AC 16, HP 30, duplicates Djinn’s last visible action or spell). It vanishes after 1 round or if destroyed.
−
*Speaks '''Common''', '''Gnomish''', and some '''Fey''', and peppers his speech with postal jargon like "scrollburst" or "classified druidic priority."
 
−
*Thinks your party are "heroes ''and'' eligible for first-class enchantment upgrades."
 
  
 
----
 
----
  
−
===🧠 Motivation===
+
==📉 LAIR EFFECT (OPTIONAL, if battle occurs in the sacred grove)==
−
Tibbin’s life goal is to deliver every parcel ''on time'', no matter how weird, cursed, or misaddressed. He believes the postal system is the backbone of civilization — even in forests with no towns.
+
Once per round, on initiative 20 (losing initiative ties), the '''sacred grove pulses''' with wild energy. Roll a d6:
  
 +
1–2: Roots entangle. Each creature not adjacent to the Boar must succeed on a '''DC 14 Dex save''' or be '''restrained'''.
  
 +
3–4: The windmill outside spins backwards. '''All reaction-based abilities are disabled''' until initiative 20 next round.
  
 +
5–6: A shimmering afterimage of Djinn (or another PC) appears and '''absorbs 10 damage''' dealt to them before vanishing.
 +
----
  
 +
==🎁 TREASURE (On Defeat)==
  
−
He throws up his hands in frustration.
+
*'''Red Rootshard (Wondrous Item – Rare, attunement by spellcaster):'''  Once per long rest, '''rewind''' a single event that occurred within the last round (your own roll, an enemy’s hit, etc.). Using the shard causes a '''visible time fracture''', leading to narrative consequences at DM discretion.
  
−
''“Oh for the love of root and berry, I’m gonna miss the morning post window again! Are any of you big folk capable of basic leverage physics? Or have at least one good kick in your boots?”''
+
----
  
 +
==💡 TACTICS==
  
−
You’ve encountered '''Tibbin Fizzwhistle''', a courier for the '''Forest Gnome Postal Guild''' — an ancient and chaotic organization responsible for delivering enchanted mail across remote druidic and fey territories. His cart is overloaded with scroll tubes, mossbound parcels, and letters that try to flap away on their own.
+
*'''Start aggressively''' with '''Tangleburst Charge''', hitting multiple PCs.
 +
*Use '''Seasonal Bloom''' early to set terrain conditions in the Boar’s favor.
 +
*Focus '''Temporal Tether''' on Djinn each round for narrative tension.
 +
*Use '''Echo Pulse''' to disorient martial PCs, potentially forcing wasted turns.
 +
*Use '''Split Path Illusion''' mid-fight as a powerful psychological and mechanical threat.
  
−
The cart is stuck, some of the packages are '''enchanted''', and one of the letters is actively '''flirting with your sorcerer'''.
+
==Recap==
−
<br />
 
  
−
===Player Opportunities (no combat)===
+
*Having dealt with the corruption of the forest you began your journey back to Leth'Taelar
−
 
+
*The forest was indeed healing
−
*'''Help Tibbin Free the Cart''':
+
*You found yourself in a clearing, a small grove with a wide stone slab, half-covered in moss, this stone slab was inviting
−
**''Strength check'' (DC 20) to lift the cart
+
*As each of you placed your hand upon the stone, you had a flashback, a vision? a memory perhaps?
−
**''Nature or Survival'' (DC 15) to guide it safely around the roots
+
*You all continued to Leth'Taelar and were invited to stay for a feast, after which you all rested and you found yourself waking up this morning.
−
**''Arcana'' to identify which packages are misbehaving
 
−
**Creative use of ''cantrips'' or ''Wild Shape'' encouraged
 
−
*'''Chaotic Parcel Antics''':  While helping:
 
−
**One parcel opens and releases a bunch of magically flying mushrooms that bonk the party harmlessly.
 
−
**A scroll unrolls and reads a dramatic romantic poem ''very'' loudly.
 
−
**A bundle marked “Do Not Open – To the Fey Courts Only” starts shaking and playing fey fiddle music.
 
−
 
 
−
Once the cart is freed, Tibbin thanks the party profusely and insists they take one of the “extra parcels” accidentally routed to the wrong dimension. He rummages through the cart and tosses you a small gift:
 
  
−
====🎁 Random Boon – roll or choose:====
 
−
 
−
*A '''feather quill''' that translates any written language (once per day)
 
−
*A bag of '''ginger-root taffy''' that grants 1 temp HP when eaten (5 pieces)
 
−
*A stone that tells the weather for the next 24 hours… in riddles
 
−
 
−
Before he leaves, Tibbin waves a hand and says: “If you ever need a letter sent to someone in a dream, look for a squirrel with a little blue cap. And don’t open any parcels that whistle. Trust me.”
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
−
 
−
===Poem===
 
−
'''“O Whispered Vow Beneath the Bough”'''
 
−
 
−
''O whispered vow beneath the bough,''
 
−
 
−
''Where moonlight touched her furrowed brow,''
 
−
 
−
''She said: ‘Return, when spring is near—''
 
−
 
−
''With thistle’s bloom and owl’s tear.’''
 
−
 
−
''I wandered far, through storm and flame,''
 
−
 
−
''Through riddled woods that sang my name,''
 
−
 
−
''But still I kept her words in hand,''
 
−
 
−
''Like bark-bound runes upon the land.''
 
−
 
−
''O heart of thorn! O kiss of vine!''
 
−
 
−
''The sylvan oath is still divine,''
 
−
 
−
''Though time may twist the trail I tread,''
 
−
 
−
''I’ll find her where the forest bled.''
 
−
 
−
''So mark me well, ye stars above,''
 
−
 
−
''I carry root, and leaf, and love.''
 
−
 
−
''My vow remains, though roads grow wild,''
 
−
 
−
''To her — the forest’s wayward child.''
 
−
 
−
''(Pause)''
 
−
 
−
''If undelivered, please return to: Lord Thistledown of the Weeping Glade.''
 
−
 
−
''Do not fold, bend, or enchant with bees.'' 🐝
 

Latest revision as of 18:34, 21 August 2025

Contents

Recap

Ceremony

Leaving the forest, the strange gnome

An evening of rest


Session Goals

  • Investigate the growing instability in Willowshade
  • Discover what the red-amulet stranger did
  • Face a twisted manifestation of corruption tied to Djinn
  • Introduce a deeper mystery rooted in ancient, pre-temporal forces

🧱 SESSION STRUCTURE

🌅 ACT 1: Return to Willowshade

Scene: The party crests the familiar hill. The windmill turns gently. The glass dome gleams. The air is warm — too warm, as if the seasons are confused.

  • The villagers welcome the party warmly.
  • Djinn's mother, Calira, greets them with open arms but concern in her eyes.


Key Conversations with Djinn & the Party

🎙️ 1. First Reunion – "The Air is Wrong"

Setting: Calira greets Djinn warmly at the village gates. Her smile fades as she draws them into a quiet moment away from others.

🎙️ 2. After Investigation of the Grove – "Memory Without Witness"

Setting: In the glass-domed grove, standing by the sacred tree.

🎙️ 3. After the Combat – “The Grove Has Chosen”

Setting: The smoldering aftermath of the Rootwound Boar battle. The grove is quiet again, almost too quiet.

🔍 Concerns Villagers Would Have Raised to Calira

You can sprinkle these into Calira’s conversations or have her mention them during party investigations:

🔸 “The Sleepwalkers”

🔸 “The False Djinn”


NPC Dialogue (Villager)

Initial Claim:

  • “Djinn? No, no, I saw you just the other day! Thought you were back early from wherever you all ran off to.”
  • “Aye, right outside the mill. You even gave me that funny wave of yours. Don’t tell me you forgot already?”

Details & Description:

  • “You were wearing that same old coat—though it did look a bit cleaner, now that I think on it.”
  • “Didn’t say much, but you nodded when I asked if everything was alright.”
  • “Come to think of it, you seemed… off. Quiet. Didn’t even stop to chat, which ain’t like you.”

When Pressed:

  • “You walked down toward the creek, then just… disappeared 'round the bend. I didn’t follow.”
  • “You were alone. Least, I didn’t see anyone else.”
  • “Now you’re telling me that wasn’t you? Then what in the gods’ names did I see?”

🧩 Possible Clues or Leads to Offer (if you want this to build into a larger mystery)

  • Tracks: Someone might find recent bootprints near where Djinn was "seen."
  • Witnesses: Another villager (child or elderly) may back up the story with their own odd detail (e.g., “He didn’t cast a shadow.”)
  • Strange Object: A trinket or scrap of clothing near the sighting location that resembles Djinn’s belongings—but subtly wrong.
  • Memory Fog: The villager can’t recall details like eye color or voice clearly, as if something tampered with their memory.

🧠 Suggested Player Reactions to Encourage

  • Have Djinn roll Insight: “Did the villager seem convinced or coached?”
  • Encourage Arcana checks: “Could it be a doppelgänger? An illusion?”
  • Offer leads to track the doppelgänger or investigate magical interference.
  • Let the party interrogate other villagers: “Has anyone else seen Djinn recently?”

🎭 If You Want to Add Flavor or Tension

  • A child runs up: “Djinn! You promised you'd teach me that fire trick again today!” (Djinn made no such promise.)
  • An animal in the village (dog, cat, horse) reacts with fear or confusion toward the real Djinn.
  • A mirror or reflective surface briefly shows Djinn’s reflection smiling independently of their face.

NPC 1: Edrin Molt — The Villager Who Saw Djinn

Race: Human

Age: Late 40s

Occupation: Carpenter

Appearance:

  • Tall and lean, with calloused hands and a faint limp from an old accident.
  • Weathered face with crow’s feet and sun-darkened skin.
  • Wears a linen shirt stained with sawdust, and a leather apron still holding a few woodworking tools.
  • Has a smudge of charcoal on one cheek and a habit of scratching his beard when thinking.

Personality:

  • Friendly, practical, and respected around the village.
  • Known for his sharp memory and storytelling—never exaggerates, which makes his claim unnerving.
  • Speaks with quiet confidence and is clearly unsettled about the incident with Djinn.

Voice/Mannerisms:

  • Measured, grounded tone.
  • Rests his hand on his hip when trying to recall something.
  • Often squints, as if trying to remember the fine details exactly.

Notable Quote:


🔸 “The Time-Shifted Farm”


Farmer Witness: Two Sunsets in One Day

🎙️ Initial Revelation (Confused or Offhand)

  • “Now I don’t know what tricks the gods are playing, but I swear on my ox’s grave — the sun set, and then not a half-hour later, it set again.”
  • “Thought my eyes were going, or maybe the cider was stronger than I thought. But my son saw it too.”
  • “It dipped behind the hills — just like normal — and the sky went all dusky. Then... it rose again, only a little ways, and dropped a second time.”

🔍 Descriptive Details (Odd Atmosphere)

  • “The light was strange. Warmer than usual. Felt like summer even though the air was turning cool.”
  • “The shadows twisted funny the second time. Like they didn’t know which way to fall.”
  • “The animals got confused — birds started singing again, and the cows all turned back toward the barn like they’d forgotten they were just in there.”

😧 Emotional Reactions

  • “Scared the hell outta me, truth be told. I lit every lantern in the house just in case it happened again.”
  • “My wife said it was a blessing, but I’m not so sure. Ain’t natural, two sunsets in a day. Feels like something’s gone crooked in the world.”
  • “Old Maery says it’s a sign of the end. She ain’t left her root cellar since.”

🧩 Possible Explanations (In-Universe Theories)

  • “Could be them mirror mages up in the hills again. Saw the sky bend once when they were experimenting.”
  • “Maybe the gods are wrestling again. Last time they fought, we had frogs rainin’ from the sky.”
  • “Might be that starfallen nonsense—those stones that hum at night. There’s one buried near the old quarry.”

🧠 Encouraging Investigation (Leads)

  • “I kept a sketch of the hills when the first sun dipped. Come take a look if you like.”
  • “Talk to the boy — he was out near the orchard and swears he saw the sun ‘shimmer’ before it rose again.”
  • “If you head up the ridge, you’ll see the hollow I was standing in. Still smells a bit... warm, somehow.”

🌀 If You Want to Add Weirdness or Horror

  • “Didn’t notice it ‘til later, but my shadow… it stayed behind after the first sunset. Didn't catch up to me until nightfall.”
  • “The rooster crowed at the second sunset. Like it knew something was wrong.”
  • “I swear I saw someone standing out in the field… looked just like me. Watching the sky.”


PC 2: Ranna Feld — The Tailor Who Saw Two Sunsets

Race: Halfling

Age: Early 60s

Occupation: Tailor

Appearance:

  • Ranna Feld is a cheerful, silver-haired halfling with clever hands and a perpetual smudge of chalk or thread clinging to her skirts. Barely three feet tall, she has warm hazel eyes that crinkle when she smiles—something she does often—and a voice like soft wool: warm, comforting, and threaded with quiet mischief. Her fingers are calloused from years of stitching, and she always wears a pin-cushion bracelet on her wrist like a badge of honour.

🔸 “Effigy Warping”

🔸 “The Dream Bell”

🪻 Calira’s Role Going Forward

  • She is not just Djinn’s mother, but now a potential lorekeeper and ritual guide to what lies beneath the sacred tree.
  • She may begin gathering components for an ancient rite to bind or cleanse the roots — but fears the rite may need Djinn's blood to succeed.
  • Calira will remain in Willowshade to protect it, even as it warps — her presence is stabilizing, and the grove listens to her.


🧭 ACT 2: The Grove’s Whispers

Scene: Djinn and the party are summoned to the glass-domed grove by Calira.

  • The sacred tree is behaving strangely: humming with energy, blooming irregularly, and growing roots in impossible patterns — some looping back into themselves.
  • Calira reveals: she found a sliver of red crystal embedded in the soil — humming like a heart, leaking faint whispers of languages too old to name.

⚠️ ACT 3: The Effigy Breaks

Scene: During the evening feast, a sudden silence falls.

  • The boar effigy, the oldest in the village, groans and twists. Its vines ripple unnaturally. A red glow shines from within.
  • A deep, echoing voice emerges:
  • The boar explodes into motion, now a warped, half-living, half-woven monster, twisted by forces older than time — and it's coming for Djinn.

⚔️ COMBAT ENCOUNTER:

“The Rootwound Boar”

Creature Type: Plant/Construct Hybrid

HP: High

AC: Moderate (vines and bark armor)

Abilities:

  • Targeted Malfunction (Djinn-specific): Each round, it lashes at Djinn, forcing a WIS save or Djinn sees flashes of alternate versions of their life — paralyzing them with emotional dissonance.
  • Seasonal Bloom: Battlefield shifts with false seasons. Each round, one of the following occurs:
    • Winter – Icy patches (DEX save or fall prone)
    • Spring – Pollen cloud (CON save or blinded)
    • Autumn – Shadows stretch and whisper (WIS save or frightened)
  • Split Path (Legendary Action): Creates a mirrored illusion of Djinn that fights the party for 1 round, whispering distorted truths.
  • Red Echo (Final Phase): At half HP, reveals the red amulet buried in its chest, pulsing. Timeline tears ripple outward, causing one PC to see a possible future where Djinn never returned.

🌘 ACT 4: The Core Revealed

After the boar falls, it dissolves into crumbling vines and petrified bark. At the center lies a red rootshard, inert — and a deep impression in the earth, like a man once stood there and was erased.

🎁 REWARDS & NARRATIVE CONSEQUENCES

  • Rootshard Amulet (Attunable, 1/long rest):
    • Rewind a failed roll or force a reroll on an enemy within 30 feet.
    • Consequence: Each use risks a personal memory fracturing — causing short-term amnesia or hallucinations of alternate lives.
  • Djinn has become a "Temporal Tether", possibly the key to balancing (or unbalancing) the village’s place in the greater timeline.
  • The Watchmaker contacts the party again, this time in person or via projection:

➡️ HOOKS FOR NEXT SESSION

  • Who was the cloaked man, and what does he remember about Djinn that even Djinn does not?
  • A hidden grove deep within the forest calls to Djinn in dreams — something there was left behind, or buried.
  • The King sends a scholar to help investigate Willowshade’s temporal instability — but what they find beneath the roots may threaten more than just one village.
  • Djinn begins to hear a second heartbeat within the sacred grove — one older than their own, but somehow familiar.


🐗 Rootwound Boar

Huge Construct (Effigy), Unaligned

Armor Class 16 (hardened bark and woven brambles)

Hit Points 170 (20d10 + 60)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 20 (+5) | DEX 12 (+1) | CON 16 (+3) | INT 5 (−3) | WIS 14 (+2) | CHA 10 (+0)

Saving Throws CON +6, WIS +5

Skills Perception +5

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities psychic, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned, stunned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages understands Druidic and Sylvan but can't speak

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) — tuned for a tough boss fight vs. 4 level 6 PCs

Proficiency Bonus +3

✴️ TRAITS

🧩 Temporal Tether (Legendary Trait – 1/turn, Djinn-specific)

Once per round, if Djinn is within 60 ft., the Boar may force a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, Djinn glimpses alternate versions of their own life, becoming Stunned until the end of their next turn. On a success, they gain advantage on saving throws vs. this trait for 1 minute.

🌿 Rootbound Behemoth

The Boar counts as half cover for any creature directly behind it. If reduced to 0 HP, its body collapses and difficult terrain (20 ft. radius of twisted roots and shattered wood) remains for 1 hour.

🌱 Seasonal Bloom (Recharge 5–6)

The Boar pulses with unnatural life. Roll a d4 to determine which false season dominates the battlefield until the end of its next turn:

  1. Winter – Frost spreads. Each creature within 30 ft. must make a DC 15 DEX save or fall prone on icy patches.
  2. Spring – Pollen clouds erupt. All creatures in 20 ft. must succeed on a DC 14 CON save or be Blinded until the end of their next turn.
  3. Summer – Heat shimmer. Ranged attacks against the Boar are made at disadvantage until the end of its next turn.
  4. Autumn – Whispering shadows. Affected area becomes heavily obscured (20 ft. radius), and all Wisdom (Perception) checks suffer disadvantage.

🛠️ ACTIONS

🐗 Tangleburst Charge (Recharge 4–6)

The Boar charges in a straight line up to 40 feet and must move through at least one creature. Each creature in its path must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 21 (4d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, be knocked prone, and become restrained in coils of animated vine. Restrained targets may repeat the save at the end of each of their turns.

🌿 Multiattack

The Boar makes 2 attacks: one Gore and one Trample.

  • Gore: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) piercing damage.
  • Trample: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Target must succeed on a DC 15 DEX saving throw or fall prone.

🌀 LEGENDARY ACTIONS (3 per round)

The Rootwound Boar can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn.

  • Twisting Ground: Roots surge. A 10 ft. radius area within 30 feet becomes difficult terrain until the start of the Boar’s next turn. Any creature entering or starting their turn there must succeed on a DC 13 STR save or be restrained until the end of their turn.
  • Echo Pulse (Costs 2 Actions): A ripple of broken time distorts the battlefield. One creature the Boar can see must succeed on a DC 14 CON saving throw or repeat their last action involuntarily (targeting the same creature, if possible).
  • Split Path Illusion (1/encounter, Costs 3 Actions): A distorted, mirrored illusion of Djinn appears, acting independently on the Boar’s next initiative (AC 16, HP 30, duplicates Djinn’s last visible action or spell). It vanishes after 1 round or if destroyed.

📉 LAIR EFFECT (OPTIONAL, if battle occurs in the sacred grove)

Once per round, on initiative 20 (losing initiative ties), the sacred grove pulses with wild energy. Roll a d6:

1–2: Roots entangle. Each creature not adjacent to the Boar must succeed on a DC 14 Dex save or be restrained.

3–4: The windmill outside spins backwards. All reaction-based abilities are disabled until initiative 20 next round.

5–6: A shimmering afterimage of Djinn (or another PC) appears and absorbs 10 damage dealt to them before vanishing.

🎁 TREASURE (On Defeat)

  • Red Rootshard (Wondrous Item – Rare, attunement by spellcaster): Once per long rest, rewind a single event that occurred within the last round (your own roll, an enemy’s hit, etc.). Using the shard causes a visible time fracture, leading to narrative consequences at DM discretion.

💡 TACTICS

  • Start aggressively with Tangleburst Charge, hitting multiple PCs.
  • Use Seasonal Bloom early to set terrain conditions in the Boar’s favor.
  • Focus Temporal Tether on Djinn each round for narrative tension.
  • Use Echo Pulse to disorient martial PCs, potentially forcing wasted turns.
  • Use Split Path Illusion mid-fight as a powerful psychological and mechanical threat.

Recap

  • Having dealt with the corruption of the forest you began your journey back to Leth'Taelar
  • The forest was indeed healing
  • You found yourself in a clearing, a small grove with a wide stone slab, half-covered in moss, this stone slab was inviting
  • As each of you placed your hand upon the stone, you had a flashback, a vision? a memory perhaps?
  • You all continued to Leth'Taelar and were invited to stay for a feast, after which you all rested and you found yourself waking up this morning.


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