Difference between revisions of "Session 54"

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==Abnoba Forest==
 
==Abnoba Forest==
−
At first glance, the '''Abnoba Forest''' appears lush — an ancient expanse of towering trees, tangled undergrowth, and silver mist that coils lazily through sun-dappled clearings. The forest is alive with the sounds of birdsong and the rustle of unseen creatures, as if nature itself still clings desperately to its former beauty. But as you venture deeper, that illusion begins to unravel.
+
As you follow the narrow, winding trail deeper into the '''Abnoba Forest''', the canopy thickens overhead, blotting out much of the sun. The air grows cool and damp, laced with the scent of wet earth and distant flowers—but something underneath it carries rot, like fruit left too long in the shadows.
  
−
A creeping '''blight''' has taken root.
+
Eventually, your guide halts and gestures upward.
  
−
The once-pristine heart of Abnoba now bears scars — veins of black rot curling up tree trunks like cruel tattoos, patches of withered underbrush crunching underfoot, and a sickly, metallic scent in the air that no breeze can dispel. In the worst places, the trees themselves appear to '''bleed''', thick sap oozing like tears from deep fissures in bark twisted and warped by unnatural forces. '''The forest groans at night.'''
+
High above, nearly lost among the treetops, you catch glimpses of '''Leth’Taelar'''—a village suspended between ancient trees of impossible size. Bridges of braided silverleaf vine connect platforms and structures that spiral around colossal trunks. Homes shaped from living wood shimmer faintly with natural enchantment, their forms both elegant and organic. It's like the forest itself chose to grow a village here, long before any tools were ever raised.
  
−
Nestled among the highest boughs and oldest trees lies '''Leth'Taelar''', the treetop village of the '''WildEyes''', a proud and ancient tribe of wood elves known for their sharp senses and deeper bond with nature than most of their kin. Their homes blend seamlessly into the canopy — woven branches, hanging lanterns of glowing fungus, and walkways grown rather than built. But even here, the blight has begun to take hold. The vines are brittle, the air carries a weight of despair, and the once-joyful rituals of the WildEyes have grown sombre.
+
But then you notice it—'''the southern edge''' of the village is different. The trees there sag and lean, their bark splitting open in blackened cracks. Leaves droop, twisted and veined with sickly crimson. What should be birdsong is instead silence, broken only by the occasional creak—like something breathing just out of sight.
  
−
For most of you, these are your first steps into a forgotten realm where the trees once whispered secrets older than empires.
+
As you're led across one of the rope bridges, a low fog coils through the lower boughs. Below, the forest floor churns with unnatural growths—fungus that pulses faintly, vines that twitch at the edges of your vision, and strange, skeletal creatures moving just beneath the underbrush.
  
−
But for one of you, it is '''a home returned to in ruin'''.
+
Your guide’s voice is hushed. ''“The blight reached us two moons ago,”'' they say, not meeting your eyes. ''“We’ve held it here, barely. But it learns... and it waits.”''
  
−
Gone only a few months, you remember Abnoba as troubled, but resilient. Now, your people are thinner, quieter. The forest's wounds have deepened, and the corruption festers dangerously close to the Spirit Tree at the village's center — a tree whose life has always been tied to that of the WildEyes themselves. Where once there was cautious hope, now there is silence, and you hear whisper of something '''awakening in the roots'''.
+
Welcome to '''Leth’Taelar'''—a village suspended above a forest turning against itself.
  
−
Abnoba is dying. And it may not die quietly.
 
  
−
<br />
+
===📜 '''Narrative Description (GM Read-Aloud):'''===
 +
The southern edge of '''Leth’Taelar''' groans under the weight of unnatural silence.
  
−
==Arrival at the Forest==
+
You are led across a narrow rope bridge toward a half-abandoned platform. Houses here sag and twist, their living wood architecture decaying in places like open sores. The trees no longer sing with birdsong. Instead, there’s a faint, ''wet clicking''—like something chewing just out of sight.
−
As you approach the shadowed border of the '''Abnoba Forest''', the air grows cooler, heavy with the scent of damp earth and distant rot. Just beyond a thicket of twisted hawthorn, a group of cloaked figures steps into view — '''wood elves''', young but hardened by something more than training.
 
  
−
Their cloaks blend with the forest floor — greens, browns, and greys woven with living leaves and bark-like textures. Each of them wears a carved wooden talisman strung around their neck: strange symbols etched deep, like runes of warning or warding. One carries a staff tipped with antler and vine; another holds a blackbird that watches you with unsettling intelligence.
+
Your guide pauses, hand raised. “Something’s—”
  
−
They do not draw weapons, but their presence halts you all the same. Their eyes are sharp, their expressions grave.
+
A sudden cry cuts through the air—not of a beast, but of a '''person'''. A figure lurches from the shadows—a former elf, judging by the tattered remnants of ceremonial garb. But their body is '''wrong'''. The flesh is pallid and veined with black rot. Mushrooms bloom along their jawline and neck. One arm is bloated, bark-like and gnarled, fused into a crude bludgeon. Their eyes are clouded, unfocused… until they lock onto you.
  
−
One steps forward — taller than the rest, with a streak of silver in his dark hair and a staff carved with crescent moons.
+
A second shape drops from the trees above with inhuman agility—another villager, this one with a spine bent backwards, walking like a feral beast on all fours.
  
−
The others remain still, watching not only you, but the woods beyond, as if expecting the trees themselves to move. Behind them, you notice faint markings carved into nearby trunks — symbols that pulse faintly, like old wounds or quiet wards.
+
Then the screaming starts—from '''you''', or '''them''', it’s hard to say.
  
−
You get the sense that these druids are not here to guide you in — they’re here to keep you out. And they won’t follow if you choose to ignore them.
+
The blight has taken these people.
  
 +
And now, '''it uses them'''.
 +
----
  
−
==='''1. Thalen Moondrift''' – ''The Spokesman''===
+
===⚔️ '''Encounter: Blighted Villager Assault'''===
−
'''Role''': De facto leader of the group; calm, commanding presence.
+
'''Encounter Level:''' Medium-Hard for 4 Level 5 Players (Approx. 6,500 XP adjusted)
 +
----
  
−
'''Appearance''': Tall for a wood elf, with lean muscle and an elegant stillness in his posture. His long, ash-brown hair is pulled into a single braid streaked with silver — a mark of spiritual initiation. Pale green eyes, quiet but intense. He wears a deep green cloak lined with moth wings and carries a staff made from black alder, carved with phases of the moon.
+
===='''Enemies:'''====
 +
 
 +
*'''1x Blightborn Juggernaut''' ''(CR 3)''
 +
**Former village guardian; twisted and armored with fungal plating. Slow, strong, relentless.
 +
**Use '''“Ogre”''' stat block, reskinned, with fungal traits (see below).
 +
*'''2x Corrupted Elven Skirmishers''' ''(CR 2 each)''
 +
**Nimble, predatory villagers with unnatural speed and reflexes.
 +
**Use '''“Bandit Captain”''' or '''“Veteran”''' stat block with reduced AC and hit dice, add a '''Blighted Rush''' ability.
 +
*'''2x Blightthrall Crawlers''' ''(CR 1 each)''
 +
**Villagers reduced to crawling husks, fused with tree roots and fungus.
 +
**Use '''“Ghoul”''' stats with lower HP and a variant: instead of paralysis, their claws infect on hit (DC 13 Con save or be poisoned for 1 minute).
  
−
'''Personality''': Measured, thoughtful, and diplomatic. Speaks slowly and carefully, often letting silence do half the talking. Carries the weight of responsibility heavily but hides it well.
 
 
----
 
----
  
−
==='''2. Elari Quickbranch''' – ''The Scout''===
+
===='''Corruption Traits (Blight Template, Apply as Needed):'''====
−
'''Role''': Swiftest of the group; often ranges ahead in pine marten form.
 
  
−
'''Appearance''': Short and wiry, with a narrow face and freckles across her nose. Hair the color of red pine bark, cropped short for practicality. She wears a cloak stitched with the feathers of local birds and carries a curved dagger of obsidian tucked into her belt. Her familiar, a weasel named ''Titch'', is usually curled around her shoulders.
+
*'''Death Spores:''' Upon death, a creature explodes in a 10-foot cloud of spores. DC 13 Con save or take 2d6 poison damage and be poisoned for 1 minute.
 +
*'''Blighted Awareness:''' Immune to charm, fear, and mind-reading effects.
 +
*'''Fungal Regrowth (Juggernaut only):''' At the start of its turn, regains 5 HP unless it took radiant or fire damage the previous turn.
  
−
'''Personality''': Wry, observant, and occasionally sarcastic. Keeps things light to mask her worry. Fiercely loyal to Thalen and trusts her instincts more than any plan.
 
 
----
 
----
  
−
==='''3. Braen Hollowroot''' – ''The Silent Watcher''===
+
===='''Tactical Terrain:'''====
−
'''Role''': Ritualist and healer; reads omens in rot and fungus.
 
  
−
'''Appearance''': Broad-shouldered and quiet, Braen has deep-set hazel eyes and skin the color of sun-dappled bark. His dark hair is bound into thick knots with bits of lichen and bone. His cloak smells faintly of peat and myrrh. Around his neck hangs a pouch of damp, alchemical ingredients.
+
*'''Narrow Platforms and Rope Bridges:''' 10 ft wide, some sections unstable (DC 12 Dex save or fall prone).
 +
*'''Spores on the Wind:''' At initiative 10 each round, a gust of wind spreads dormant spores: all non-blighted creatures make a DC 12 Con save or have disadvantage on attacks until the end of their next turn.
  
−
'''Personality''': Doesn’t speak often, but when he does, his words are usually unsettling or deeply wise. Practices older druidic rites and is rumored to have “spoken with the blight” once — and survived.
 
 
----
 
----
  
−
==='''4. Siraeth Windgleam''' – ''The Empath''===
+
===🧠 '''Optional Emotional Hook:'''===
−
'''Role''': Beast-talker and weather-reader; senses the mood of the forest.
+
A character from Leth’Taelar (perhaps the party’s guide) recognizes one of the blightthralls—'''a friend, family member, or mentor'''. If the party tries to subdue instead of kill, a '''DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion or Performance)''' check while adjacent can momentarily snap the victim out of the blight’s grip, causing them to hesitate, weep, or beg for death.
 +
----
  
−
'''Appearance''': Lithe and graceful, with pale green skin and flowing hair like riverweed. Her eyes are unusually large and opalescent, reflecting light like a deer’s. She wears a sleeveless cloak with strips of flowing fabric that ripple like falling leaves. A small owl familiar named ''Mirth'' roosts on her arm.
+
===🧾 Post-Battle:===
 +
A successful '''DC 15 Arcana or Nature check''' reveals that the blight spreads through '''spores that bind to memory and emotion''', not just biology. The villagers weren’t just infected—they were '''emotionally consumed''', their strongest attachments used as anchors for the corruption.
  
−
'''Personality''': Dreamy and perceptive, often speaks in metaphors or riddles. Has an eerie connection with forest spirits and can sometimes sense the emotions of those around her. Gentle but not naive.
+
There may still be time to save others… but that time is running out.
  
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
----
  
 +
==🛡️ '''Blightborn Juggernaut'''==
 +
''Large aberration, unaligned''
  
−
<br />
+
''(Reskinned Ogre with blight traits)''
  
−
==='''Thalen Moondrift''' – ''The Spokesman''===
+
'''Armor Class''' 12 (Fungal Plating)
−
''Medium humanoid (elf), neutral good''
 
−
----'''Armor Class''' 15 (leather armor)
 
  
−
'''Hit Points''' 27 (5d8 + 5)
+
'''Hit Points''' 71 (6d10 + 36)
  
−
'''Speed''' 35 ft.
+
'''Speed''' 30 ft.
  
−
'''STR''' 10 (+0)
+
'''STR''' 19 (+4) '''DEX''' 8 (–1) '''CON''' 20 (+5)
  
−
'''DEX''' 14 (+2)
+
'''INT''' 5 (–3) '''WIS''' 10 (+0) '''CHA''' 6 (–2)
  
−
'''CON''' 12 (+1)
+
'''Saving Throws''' Con +7
  
−
'''INT''' 13 (+1)
+
'''Damage Resistances''' Bludgeoning, Piercing (non-magical)
  
−
'''WIS''' 16 (+3)
+
'''Condition Immunities''' Charmed, Frightened
  
−
'''CHA''' 14 (+2)
+
'''Senses''' Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
  
−
'''Saving Throws''' Wis +5, Cha +4
+
'''Languages''' Understands Elvish, cannot speak
 +
----
  
−
'''Skills''' Animal Handling +5, Insight +5, Medicine +5, Nature +3, Perception +5, Persuasion +4, Stealth +4
+
===Traits===
 +
'''Fungal Regrowth.''' Regains 5 HP at the start of its turn unless it took radiant or fire damage since its last turn.
  
−
'''Senses''' darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
+
'''Death Spores.''' Upon death, the Juggernaut explodes in a cloud of spores in a 10-ft radius. Each creature must make a DC 13 Con save or take 2d6 poison damage and be '''poisoned''' for 1 minute.
 +
----
  
−
'''Languages''' Common, Elvish, Sylvan
+
===Actions===
 +
'''Rotting Slam.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  
−
'''Challenge''' 2 (450 XP)
+
''Hit:'' 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
−
----'''Proficiency Bonus''' +2
 
  
−
'''Spellcasting.''' Thalen is a 5th-level druid. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following druid spells prepared:
+
'''Infectious Roar (Recharge 5–6).''' Emits a horrific, gurgling cry. Each creature within 20 feet that can hear must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom save or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
 +
----
  
−
*Cantrips (at will): ''Druidcraft, Guidance, Shillelagh''
+
==🏹 '''Corrupted Elven Skirmisher''' (x2)==
−
*1st level (4 slots): ''Entangle, Goodberry, Healing Word, Faerie Fire''
+
''Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic evil''
−
*2nd level (3 slots): ''Barkskin, Lesser Restoration''
 
−
*3rd level (2 slots): ''Call Lightning, Plant Growth''
 
  
−
'''Wild Shape.''' Thalen can use his Wild Shape to transform into a beast he has seen before twice per short or long rest. He can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1 (no flying or swimming speed).
+
''(Modified Veteran with blight traits)''
  
−
'''Mask of the Wild.''' Thalen can attempt to hide even when he is only lightly obscured by natural phenomena.
+
'''Armor Class''' 14 (studded leather)
−
----
 
  
−
===🌿 '''Elari Quickbranch''' – ''The Scout''===
+
'''Hit Points''' 45 (6d8 + 18)
−
''Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic good''
 
−
----'''Armor Class''' 14 (leather armor)
 
  
−
'''Hit Points''' 22 (5d8)
+
'''Speed''' 40 ft.
  
−
'''Speed''' 35 ft.
+
'''STR''' 12 (+1) '''DEX''' 16 (+3) '''CON''' 16 (+3)
  
−
'''STR''' 10 (+0)
+
'''INT''' 10 (+0) '''WIS''' 11 (+0) '''CHA''' 8 (–1)
  
−
'''DEX''' 16 (+3)
+
'''Saving Throws''' Dex +5
  
−
'''CON''' 12 (+1)
+
'''Skills''' Acrobatics +5, Stealth +5
  
−
'''INT''' 12 (+1)
+
'''Senses''' Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
  
−
'''WIS''' 14 (+2)
+
'''Languages''' Elvish
 +
----
  
−
'''CHA''' 11 (+0)
+
===Traits===
 +
'''Blighted Awareness.''' Immune to charm, fear, and mind-reading.
  
−
'''Saving Throws''' Dex +5, Wis +4
+
'''Blighted Rush.''' Once per turn, the Skirmisher can move up to 10 feet as a bonus action without provoking opportunity attacks.
 +
----
  
−
'''Skills''' Animal Handling +4, Perception +4, Stealth +7, Survival +4
+
===Actions===
 +
'''Multiattack.''' Makes two melee or ranged attacks.
  
−
'''Senses''' darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
+
'''Rot Blade.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  
−
'''Languages''' Common, Elvish, Sylvan
+
''Hit:'' 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
  
−
'''Challenge''' 1 (200 XP)
+
'''Thrown Spore Dagger.''' ''Ranged Weapon Attack:'' +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target.
−
----'''Proficiency Bonus''' +2
 
  
−
'''Spellcasting.''' Elari is a 3rd-level druid. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following druid spells prepared:
+
''Hit:'' 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing + 4 (1d8) poison damage. Target must succeed on a DC 12 Con save or be poisoned for 1 minute.
 +
----
  
−
*Cantrips (at will): ''Druidcraft, Guidance, Shillelagh''
+
==🐾 '''Blightthrall Crawler''' (x2)==
−
*1st level (3 slots): ''Entangle, Goodberry, Healing Word''
+
''Medium humanoid (elf), unaligned''
−
*2nd level (2 slots): ''Barkskin, Lesser Restoration''
 
  
−
'''Wild Shape.''' Elari can use her Wild Shape to transform into a beast she has seen before once per short or long rest. She can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1/4 (no flying or swimming speed).
+
''(Ghoul variant)''
  
−
'''Mask of the Wild.''' Elari can attempt to hide even when she is only lightly obscured by natural phenomena.
+
'''Armor Class''' 12
−
----
 
  
−
===🌿 '''Braen Hollowroot''' – ''The Silent Watcher''===
+
'''Hit Points''' 22 (5d8)
−
''Medium humanoid (elf), neutral''
 
−
----'''Armor Class''' 13 (leather armor)
 
  
−
'''Hit Points''' 18 (4d8)
+
'''Speed''' 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
  
−
'''Speed''' 35 ft.
+
'''STR''' 13 (+1) '''DEX''' 14 (+2) '''CON''' 10 (+0)
  
−
'''STR''' 10 (+0)
+
'''INT''' 5 (–3) '''WIS''' 10 (+0) '''CHA''' 6 (–2)
  
−
'''DEX''' 12 (+1)
+
'''Skills''' Stealth +4
  
−
'''CON''' 14 (+2)
+
'''Senses''' Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
  
−
'''INT''' 14 (+2)
+
'''Languages''' None
 +
----
  
−
'''WIS''' 16 (+3)
+
===Traits===
 +
'''Cling to Life.''' When reduced to 0 HP, the Crawler may immediately make a DC 15 Con save. On a success, it drops to 1 HP instead.
  
−
'''CHA''' 10 (+0)
+
'''Infection Claws.''' A creature hit by the crawler’s claws must make a DC 13 Constitution save or be '''poisoned''' for 1 minute.
 +
----
  
−
'''Saving Throws''' Wis +5, Int +4
+
===Actions===
 +
'''Claw Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  
−
'''Skills''' Medicine +5, Nature +4, Perception +5, Survival +5
+
''Hit:'' 6 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage and a potential poison effect (see Infection Claws).
  
−
'''Senses''' darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
+
'''Fungal Leap (Recharge 5–6).''' The crawler leaps up to 20 feet in a straight line and makes a claw attack. On a hit, the target must also succeed a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
  
−
'''Languages''' Common, Elvish, Sylvan
 
  
−
'''Challenge''' 1 (200 XP)
 
−
----'''Proficiency Bonus''' +2
 
  
−
'''Spellcasting.''' Braen is a 3rd-level druid. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following druid spells prepared:
+
<br />
  
−
*Cantrips (at will): ''Druidcraft, Guidance, Shillelagh''
+
==='''Journey into the Heart of the Blight'''===
−
*1st level (3 slots): ''Entangle, Goodberry, Healing Word''
+
The clash fades into an uneasy silence. The corrupted bodies lie motionless, but even in death, they seem less like corpses and more like twisted echoes, their fungal growths creeping steadily into the wood beneath them—as though the forest itself is swallowing their memories whole.
−
*2nd level (2 slots): ''Barkskin, Lesser Restoration''
 
  
−
'''Wild Shape.''' Braen can use his Wild Shape to transform into a beast he has seen before once per short or long rest. He can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1/4 (no flying or swimming speed).
+
Your guide’s face tightens with fear and resolve. ''“Beyond this point,”'' they whisper, voice barely audible, ''“the blight doesn’t just spread—it watches. It remembers everything that passes through.”'' Without another word, they turn away, retreating hastily across the rickety rope bridge, leaving you alone to face what lies beyond.
  
−
'''Mask of the Wild.''' Braen can attempt to hide even when he is only lightly obscured by natural phenomena.
+
The path narrows and darkens, the forest closing in around you like a living tomb.
−
----
 
  
−
===🌿 '''Siraeth Windgleam''' – ''The Empath''===
+
The air grows thick and suffocating, heavy with the stench of rot and damp earth that clings to your skin and fills your lungs with every breath. The light above is extinguished entirely now, smothered beneath a grotesque tangle of branches that writhe and twist in impossible knots, forming a tangled lattice that blocks out the sky. Here, the trees are no longer majestic sentinels of life—they are twisted, nightmarish sculptures of decay.
−
''Medium humanoid (elf), neutral good''
 
−
----'''Armor Class''' 13 (leather armor)
 
  
−
'''Hit Points''' 20 (5d8)
+
Their bark cracks open in gaping wounds that pulse faintly with sickly red light, oozing a viscous sap that drips like blood onto the forest floor. The wood itself seems swollen, bloated with unnatural growths—tumorous knots bursting with spore-filled sacs that pulse and throb as if alive, ready to rupture at the slightest disturbance.
  
−
'''Speed''' 35 ft.
+
Around your feet, the soil is slick with dampness, covered in a thick carpet of black mold and writhing tendrils of creeping fungus that seem to inch forward of their own will. Each step sinks slightly as if the ground beneath is softening, rotting away from something beneath the surface.
  
−
'''STR''' 10 (+0)
+
The silence is profound, but it is not empty.
  
−
'''DEX''' 14 (+2)
+
A low, almost imperceptible vibration hums through the roots and trunks—like the slow, dreadful pulse of a living heart buried deep beneath the earth. The forest breathes in rhythm with that terrible beat, exhaling spores that float lazily through the stale air, glittering faintly in the dark.
  
−
'''CON''' 12 (+1)
+
As you press onward, the shadows grow deeper, thickening until they feel almost solid—pressing in on you from every side. The twisted shapes of the trees loom like silent watchers, their gnarled branches clawing toward you as if to grasp and drag you into the rot.
  
−
'''INT''' 12 (+1)
+
There is no warmth here. No light. Only the slow, inexorable advance of corruption, consuming everything, reshaping the forest into a realm of horror beyond natural law.
  
−
'''WIS''' 16 (+3)
+
You feel it before you see it: the blight is not just a disease or a force of nature. It is an ancient, malevolent presence—alive, aware, and waiting for you in the darkness ahead.
  
−
'''CHA''' 14 (+2)
 
  
−
'''Saving Throws''' Wis +5, Cha +4
 
  
−
'''Skills''' Animal Handling +5, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +4, Stealth +4
+
<br />
  
−
'''Senses''' darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
+
== '''The Heart of the Blight''' ==
 +
After what feels like hours of wading through suffocating rot and choking spores, the forest finally opens into a grotesque clearing. The canopy here has torn itself apart, revealing a sickly, gray sky mottled with swirling black clouds that pulse like bruises.
  
−
'''Languages''' Common, Elvish, Sylvan
+
At the center stands a '''towering, ancient tree''', larger than any you have ever seen. Its bark is cracked and blistered, with thick veins of black sap coursing beneath the surface like poison through a wound. The tree’s roots spread wide, sinking deep into the earth and twisting unnaturally, breaking the soil into jagged shards.
  
−
'''Challenge''' 1 (200 XP)
+
Around the base, the forest floor is a tangled mass of fungal growths, thick mats of pulsating spores, and thorny vines that coil and twitch as if alive. The air here vibrates with an oppressive energy—a dark, living sickness that presses down on your mind and soul.
−
----'''Proficiency Bonus''' +2
 
  
−
'''Spellcasting.''' Siraeth is a 3rd-level druid. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following druid spells prepared:
+
This is the '''source of the blight'''.
  
−
*Cantrips (at will): ''Druidcraft, Guidance, Shillelagh''
+
You see that embedded deep in the heartwood of the tree is a '''black crystalline core''', pulsing with a faint, malevolent light. It hums with corrupt power—an alien force twisting the forest from the inside out.
−
*1st level (3 slots): ''Entangle, Goodberry, Healing Word''
 
−
*2nd level (2 slots): ''Barkskin, Lesser Restoration''
 
  
−
'''Wild Shape.''' Siraeth can use her Wild Shape to transform into a beast she has seen before once per short
+
Your guide’s voice trembles as they remind you: ''“The salve you carry—this is the only hope. You must reach the heart and apply it directly to that core. If you delay, the blight will consume all.”''
  
 +
But the forest does not intend to let you pass unchallenged.
 +
----
  
−
== COMBAT - RISEN FROGS ==
+
== ⚔️ '''Encounter: The Blight’s Guardian''' ==
 +
'''Encounter Level:''' Challenging for 4 Level 5 Players
 +
----
  
 +
=== Enemies: ===
  
−
As you wade through thick underbrush and misty light filtering through dying branches, the terrain shifts into a sunken glade. Waterlogged roots twist from the ground, and a stagnant pond festers at its center, choked with black algae.
+
* '''1x Blightheart Guardian''' (CR 6)  A massive corrupted treant-like monstrosity fused with fungal growths and black crystalline shards.
 +
* '''2x Blightspawn Tendrils''' (CR 2 each)  Animated tendrils of thorny vines and fungal masses that lash and grapple intruders.
  
−
Suddenly, a piercing ''chorus of croaks'' rises around you — but it’s wrong. The sound is ''wet'', ''guttural'', and strangely hollow. From the muck and bramble, dozens of '''rotting frogs''' emerge — some bloated with fungal spores, others dragging half-decayed limbs. Their eyes glow faintly green. Then, something larger stirs beneath the pond.
 
 
----
 
----
  
−
== 🧟‍♂️ '''Combatants''' ==
+
=== '''Blightheart Guardian''' ===
 +
''Huge plant, unaligned''
 +
 
 +
'''Armor Class:''' 16 (Natural Armor)
 +
 
 +
'''Hit Points:''' 110 (13d12 + 30)
  
−
=== '''3x Blighted Giant Frogs''' ''(use Giant Frog stats with modifications)'' ===
+
'''Speed:''' 20 ft.
 +
----'''STR''' 21 (+5) | '''DEX''' 8 (–1) | '''CON''' 17 (+3) | '''INT''' 7 (–2) | '''WIS''' 12 (+1) | '''CHA''' 8 (–1)
 +
----'''Saving Throws:''' Con +6, Wis +4
  
−
* '''Use''': ''Giant Frog'' (MM p. 325)
+
'''Damage Resistances:''' Bludgeoning, Piercing (non-magical)
−
* '''Modifications''':
 
−
** '''Type''': Undead
 
−
** '''Damage Immunities''': Poison
 
−
** '''Condition Immunities''': Poisoned
 
−
** '''New Trait''': '''Exploding Corpse''' (When reduced to 0 HP, the frog bursts in a 5 ft. radius cloud of necrotic spores. Each creature in range must succeed on a DC 13 Con save or take 2d6 necrotic damage and be poisoned until the end of their next turn.)
 
−
* '''Tactics''': Leap in to grapple or swallow smaller characters, force party to spread out.
 
  
 +
'''Damage Vulnerabilities:''' Fire, Radiant
 +
 +
'''Condition Immunities:''' Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
 +
 +
'''Senses:''' Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
 +
 +
'''Languages:''' —
 
----
 
----
  
−
=== '''10x Undead Swamp Frogs (Minions)''' ===
+
=== Traits ===
 +
'''Rooted Regeneration.''' While rooted in place, regains 10 HP at the start of its turn unless it takes fire or radiant damage.
  
−
* '''Use''': ''Custom stat block below''
+
'''Corrupting Aura.''' At the start of each creature’s turn within 15 feet, they must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage and have disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of their next turn.
−
* Swarm-like nuisance enemies, designed to harass and overwhelm
 
  
 +
'''Blight’s Grasp.''' Can’t be moved against its will or knocked prone unless it fails a DC 15 Strength saving throw.
 
----
 
----
  
−
=== **1x '''Blighttoad, Spawn of Decay''' ''(Unique miniboss)'' ===
+
=== Actions ===
 +
'''Multiattack.''' The Guardian makes two slam attacks.
  
−
* '''CR''': 4 (1,100 XP)
+
'''Slam.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
−
* '''Type''': Large Undead Beast
 
−
* '''HP''': 85
 
−
* '''AC''': 13 (rotting hide)
 
−
* '''Speed''': 30 ft., Swim 30 ft.
 
−
* '''STR 18 / DEX 10 / CON 16 / INT 3 / WIS 12 / CHA 5'''
 
  
−
'''Abilities''':
+
''Hit:'' 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
  
−
* '''Swallow''': As per ''Giant Toad'' (MM p. 329)
+
'''Vine Whip.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
−
* '''Rotting Aura''': At the start of each of its turns, all non-undead creatures within 10 ft. take 5 necrotic damage unless they succeed a DC 13 Con save.
 
−
* '''Croak of Corruption (Recharge 5–6)''': The Blighttoad lets out a guttural croak. All creatures within 30 ft. must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn. Creatures that fail by 5 or more are also poisoned for 1 minute.
 
  
 +
''Hit:'' 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15).
 
----
 
----
  
−
=== '''Undead Swamp Frog (Minion)''' ===
+
=== '''Blightspawn Tendrils''' (x2) ===
−
''Small undead beast, unaligned''
+
''Medium plant, unaligned''
  
−
'''AC''' 12 | '''HP''' 5 | '''Speed''' 20 ft., Swim 20 ft.
+
'''Armor Class:''' 14
  
−
'''STR 8 / DEX 14 / CON 10 / INT 1 / WIS 8 / CHA 3'''
+
'''Hit Points:''' 45 (6d8 + 18)
  
−
'''Senses''' Darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 9
+
'''Speed:''' 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
 +
----'''STR''' 16 (+3) | '''DEX''' 14 (+2) | '''CON''' 16 (+3) | '''INT''' 3 (–4) | '''WIS''' 10 (+0) | '''CHA''' 1 (–5)
 +
----
  
−
'''Languages''' —
+
=== Traits ===
 +
'''Entangling Growth.''' When the tendril hits with a melee attack, the target is grappled (escape DC 13). While grappled, the target takes 4 (1d8) piercing damage at the start of each of its turns.
 +
----
  
−
'''CR''' 1/8 (25 XP)
+
=== Actions ===
 +
'''Whip Lash.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
  
−
'''Actions:'''
+
''Hit:'' 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus grapple.
−
 
+
----
−
* '''Bite'''. ''Melee Weapon Attack:'' +4 to hit, 5 ft., one target. ''Hit:'' 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage.
 
  
−
----
+
== 🧪 '''Using the Salve''' ==
 +
The '''salve''' is a thick, shimmering ointment infused with rare herbs and blessed with radiant energy. It must be applied '''directly to the black crystalline core''' at the heart of the tree.
  
−
== 📍 '''Terrain Features''' ==
+
'''Application Rules:'''
  
−
* '''Boggy Ground''': Counts as difficult terrain unless the creature has a swim speed.
+
* The party must '''reach the core''', which is exposed on the tree’s trunk but protected by the Guardian’s attacks and tendrils.
−
* '''Slick Roots''': Areas of exposed root require a DC 12 Acrobatics check to cross without slipping and falling prone.
+
* Applying the salve requires an '''action''' and a '''successful DC 15 Arcana or Nature check''' to correctly activate its cleansing power.
−
* '''Rotting Logs''': Light cover; can collapse and release '''toxic spores''' if struck (DC 13 Con save or be poisoned for 1 minute).
+
* The salve’s magic neutralizes the blight’s corruption in a '''burst of radiant energy''' upon successful application, dealing '''30 radiant damage''' to all corrupted creatures within 30 feet and '''stunning them for 1 round'''.
 +
* The cleansing ends the encounter by beginning a rapid decay of the blight’s influence, visibly restoring the forest’s health around the clearing.
  
 +
If the party fails to apply the salve within '''5 rounds''', the blight intensifies, and the Guardian gains a '''rage''', doubling its damage output until defeated or the salve is applied.
 
----
 
----
  
−
== 🧩 '''Tactical Goals''' ==
+
== 🎭 '''Narrative and Roleplay Notes''' ==
  
−
* '''Keep pressure''' on the party with minions and terrain obstacles.
+
* Encourage the party to balance offense and defense: they must protect whoever approaches the core to apply the salve.
−
* Use the '''Blighttoad’s aura''' to force movement.
+
* The blight’s aura weakens their resolve—consider imposing occasional Wisdom saving throws (DC 13) to resist despair or madness during the fight.
−
* Use '''frightened and poisoned conditions''' to challenge action economy.
+
* Upon success, describe the cleansing light flooding the clearing, the twisted trees sighing as their wounds close, and the heavy darkness lifting, at least for now.

Latest revision as of 17:14, 5 June 2025


Recap

  • Defeated the creature in the well
  • Received a reward for dealing with this
  • Continued with your travel
  • Arrived at Rosemount, noticed that the statues were broken
  • Brief chat in the tavern and rested

Plot Points

  • Waking up in Rosemount
  • Reaching the Abnoba Forest - an hour or so by cart
  • Necromancer + frogs


Abnoba Forest

As you follow the narrow, winding trail deeper into the Abnoba Forest, the canopy thickens overhead, blotting out much of the sun. The air grows cool and damp, laced with the scent of wet earth and distant flowers—but something underneath it carries rot, like fruit left too long in the shadows.

Eventually, your guide halts and gestures upward.

High above, nearly lost among the treetops, you catch glimpses of Leth’Taelar—a village suspended between ancient trees of impossible size. Bridges of braided silverleaf vine connect platforms and structures that spiral around colossal trunks. Homes shaped from living wood shimmer faintly with natural enchantment, their forms both elegant and organic. It's like the forest itself chose to grow a village here, long before any tools were ever raised.

But then you notice it—the southern edge of the village is different. The trees there sag and lean, their bark splitting open in blackened cracks. Leaves droop, twisted and veined with sickly crimson. What should be birdsong is instead silence, broken only by the occasional creak—like something breathing just out of sight.

As you're led across one of the rope bridges, a low fog coils through the lower boughs. Below, the forest floor churns with unnatural growths—fungus that pulses faintly, vines that twitch at the edges of your vision, and strange, skeletal creatures moving just beneath the underbrush.

Your guide’s voice is hushed. “The blight reached us two moons ago,” they say, not meeting your eyes. “We’ve held it here, barely. But it learns... and it waits.”

Welcome to Leth’Taelar—a village suspended above a forest turning against itself.


📜 Narrative Description (GM Read-Aloud):

The southern edge of Leth’Taelar groans under the weight of unnatural silence.

You are led across a narrow rope bridge toward a half-abandoned platform. Houses here sag and twist, their living wood architecture decaying in places like open sores. The trees no longer sing with birdsong. Instead, there’s a faint, wet clicking—like something chewing just out of sight.

Your guide pauses, hand raised. “Something’s—”

A sudden cry cuts through the air—not of a beast, but of a person. A figure lurches from the shadows—a former elf, judging by the tattered remnants of ceremonial garb. But their body is wrong. The flesh is pallid and veined with black rot. Mushrooms bloom along their jawline and neck. One arm is bloated, bark-like and gnarled, fused into a crude bludgeon. Their eyes are clouded, unfocused… until they lock onto you.

A second shape drops from the trees above with inhuman agility—another villager, this one with a spine bent backwards, walking like a feral beast on all fours.

Then the screaming starts—from you, or them, it’s hard to say.

The blight has taken these people.

And now, it uses them.

⚔️ Encounter: Blighted Villager Assault

Encounter Level: Medium-Hard for 4 Level 5 Players (Approx. 6,500 XP adjusted)

Enemies:

  • 1x Blightborn Juggernaut (CR 3)
    • Former village guardian; twisted and armored with fungal plating. Slow, strong, relentless.
    • Use “Ogre” stat block, reskinned, with fungal traits (see below).
  • 2x Corrupted Elven Skirmishers (CR 2 each)
    • Nimble, predatory villagers with unnatural speed and reflexes.
    • Use “Bandit Captain” or “Veteran” stat block with reduced AC and hit dice, add a Blighted Rush ability.
  • 2x Blightthrall Crawlers (CR 1 each)
    • Villagers reduced to crawling husks, fused with tree roots and fungus.
    • Use “Ghoul” stats with lower HP and a variant: instead of paralysis, their claws infect on hit (DC 13 Con save or be poisoned for 1 minute).

Corruption Traits (Blight Template, Apply as Needed):

  • Death Spores: Upon death, a creature explodes in a 10-foot cloud of spores. DC 13 Con save or take 2d6 poison damage and be poisoned for 1 minute.
  • Blighted Awareness: Immune to charm, fear, and mind-reading effects.
  • Fungal Regrowth (Juggernaut only): At the start of its turn, regains 5 HP unless it took radiant or fire damage the previous turn.

Tactical Terrain:

  • Narrow Platforms and Rope Bridges: 10 ft wide, some sections unstable (DC 12 Dex save or fall prone).
  • Spores on the Wind: At initiative 10 each round, a gust of wind spreads dormant spores: all non-blighted creatures make a DC 12 Con save or have disadvantage on attacks until the end of their next turn.

🧠 Optional Emotional Hook:

A character from Leth’Taelar (perhaps the party’s guide) recognizes one of the blightthralls—a friend, family member, or mentor. If the party tries to subdue instead of kill, a DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion or Performance) check while adjacent can momentarily snap the victim out of the blight’s grip, causing them to hesitate, weep, or beg for death.

🧾 Post-Battle:

A successful DC 15 Arcana or Nature check reveals that the blight spreads through spores that bind to memory and emotion, not just biology. The villagers weren’t just infected—they were emotionally consumed, their strongest attachments used as anchors for the corruption.

There may still be time to save others… but that time is running out.



🛡️ Blightborn Juggernaut

Large aberration, unaligned

(Reskinned Ogre with blight traits)

Armor Class 12 (Fungal Plating)

Hit Points 71 (6d10 + 36)

Speed 30 ft.

STR 19 (+4) DEX 8 (–1) CON 20 (+5)

INT 5 (–3) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 6 (–2)

Saving Throws Con +7

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing (non-magical)

Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10

Languages Understands Elvish, cannot speak

Traits

Fungal Regrowth. Regains 5 HP at the start of its turn unless it took radiant or fire damage since its last turn.

Death Spores. Upon death, the Juggernaut explodes in a cloud of spores in a 10-ft radius. Each creature must make a DC 13 Con save or take 2d6 poison damage and be poisoned for 1 minute.

Actions

Rotting Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Infectious Roar (Recharge 5–6). Emits a horrific, gurgling cry. Each creature within 20 feet that can hear must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom save or be frightened until the end of their next turn.

🏹 Corrupted Elven Skirmisher (x2)

Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic evil

(Modified Veteran with blight traits)

Armor Class 14 (studded leather)

Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 12 (+1) DEX 16 (+3) CON 16 (+3)

INT 10 (+0) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 8 (–1)

Saving Throws Dex +5

Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +5

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10

Languages Elvish

Traits

Blighted Awareness. Immune to charm, fear, and mind-reading.

Blighted Rush. Once per turn, the Skirmisher can move up to 10 feet as a bonus action without provoking opportunity attacks.

Actions

Multiattack. Makes two melee or ranged attacks.

Rot Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.

Thrown Spore Dagger. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target.

Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing + 4 (1d8) poison damage. Target must succeed on a DC 12 Con save or be poisoned for 1 minute.

🐾 Blightthrall Crawler (x2)

Medium humanoid (elf), unaligned

(Ghoul variant)

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 22 (5d8)

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR 13 (+1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 10 (+0)

INT 5 (–3) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 6 (–2)

Skills Stealth +4

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10

Languages None

Traits

Cling to Life. When reduced to 0 HP, the Crawler may immediately make a DC 15 Con save. On a success, it drops to 1 HP instead.

Infection Claws. A creature hit by the crawler’s claws must make a DC 13 Constitution save or be poisoned for 1 minute.

Actions

Claw Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage and a potential poison effect (see Infection Claws).

Fungal Leap (Recharge 5–6). The crawler leaps up to 20 feet in a straight line and makes a claw attack. On a hit, the target must also succeed a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.



Journey into the Heart of the Blight

The clash fades into an uneasy silence. The corrupted bodies lie motionless, but even in death, they seem less like corpses and more like twisted echoes, their fungal growths creeping steadily into the wood beneath them—as though the forest itself is swallowing their memories whole.

Your guide’s face tightens with fear and resolve. “Beyond this point,” they whisper, voice barely audible, “the blight doesn’t just spread—it watches. It remembers everything that passes through.” Without another word, they turn away, retreating hastily across the rickety rope bridge, leaving you alone to face what lies beyond.

The path narrows and darkens, the forest closing in around you like a living tomb.

The air grows thick and suffocating, heavy with the stench of rot and damp earth that clings to your skin and fills your lungs with every breath. The light above is extinguished entirely now, smothered beneath a grotesque tangle of branches that writhe and twist in impossible knots, forming a tangled lattice that blocks out the sky. Here, the trees are no longer majestic sentinels of life—they are twisted, nightmarish sculptures of decay.

Their bark cracks open in gaping wounds that pulse faintly with sickly red light, oozing a viscous sap that drips like blood onto the forest floor. The wood itself seems swollen, bloated with unnatural growths—tumorous knots bursting with spore-filled sacs that pulse and throb as if alive, ready to rupture at the slightest disturbance.

Around your feet, the soil is slick with dampness, covered in a thick carpet of black mold and writhing tendrils of creeping fungus that seem to inch forward of their own will. Each step sinks slightly as if the ground beneath is softening, rotting away from something beneath the surface.

The silence is profound, but it is not empty.

A low, almost imperceptible vibration hums through the roots and trunks—like the slow, dreadful pulse of a living heart buried deep beneath the earth. The forest breathes in rhythm with that terrible beat, exhaling spores that float lazily through the stale air, glittering faintly in the dark.

As you press onward, the shadows grow deeper, thickening until they feel almost solid—pressing in on you from every side. The twisted shapes of the trees loom like silent watchers, their gnarled branches clawing toward you as if to grasp and drag you into the rot.

There is no warmth here. No light. Only the slow, inexorable advance of corruption, consuming everything, reshaping the forest into a realm of horror beyond natural law.

You feel it before you see it: the blight is not just a disease or a force of nature. It is an ancient, malevolent presence—alive, aware, and waiting for you in the darkness ahead.



The Heart of the Blight

After what feels like hours of wading through suffocating rot and choking spores, the forest finally opens into a grotesque clearing. The canopy here has torn itself apart, revealing a sickly, gray sky mottled with swirling black clouds that pulse like bruises.

At the center stands a towering, ancient tree, larger than any you have ever seen. Its bark is cracked and blistered, with thick veins of black sap coursing beneath the surface like poison through a wound. The tree’s roots spread wide, sinking deep into the earth and twisting unnaturally, breaking the soil into jagged shards.

Around the base, the forest floor is a tangled mass of fungal growths, thick mats of pulsating spores, and thorny vines that coil and twitch as if alive. The air here vibrates with an oppressive energy—a dark, living sickness that presses down on your mind and soul.

This is the source of the blight.

You see that embedded deep in the heartwood of the tree is a black crystalline core, pulsing with a faint, malevolent light. It hums with corrupt power—an alien force twisting the forest from the inside out.

Your guide’s voice trembles as they remind you: “The salve you carry—this is the only hope. You must reach the heart and apply it directly to that core. If you delay, the blight will consume all.”

But the forest does not intend to let you pass unchallenged.

⚔️ Encounter: The Blight’s Guardian

Encounter Level: Challenging for 4 Level 5 Players

Enemies:

  • 1x Blightheart Guardian (CR 6) A massive corrupted treant-like monstrosity fused with fungal growths and black crystalline shards.
  • 2x Blightspawn Tendrils (CR 2 each) Animated tendrils of thorny vines and fungal masses that lash and grapple intruders.

Blightheart Guardian

Huge plant, unaligned

Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points: 110 (13d12 + 30)

Speed: 20 ft.

STR 21 (+5) | DEX 8 (–1) | CON 17 (+3) | INT 7 (–2) | WIS 12 (+1) | CHA 8 (–1)

Saving Throws: Con +6, Wis +4

Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing (non-magical)

Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire, Radiant

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11

Languages: —

Traits

Rooted Regeneration. While rooted in place, regains 10 HP at the start of its turn unless it takes fire or radiant damage.

Corrupting Aura. At the start of each creature’s turn within 15 feet, they must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage and have disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of their next turn.

Blight’s Grasp. Can’t be moved against its will or knocked prone unless it fails a DC 15 Strength saving throw.

Actions

Multiattack. The Guardian makes two slam attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.

Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.

Vine Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.

Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15).

Blightspawn Tendrils (x2)

Medium plant, unaligned

Armor Class: 14

Hit Points: 45 (6d8 + 18)

Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR 16 (+3) | DEX 14 (+2) | CON 16 (+3) | INT 3 (–4) | WIS 10 (+0) | CHA 1 (–5)

Traits

Entangling Growth. When the tendril hits with a melee attack, the target is grappled (escape DC 13). While grappled, the target takes 4 (1d8) piercing damage at the start of each of its turns.

Actions

Whip Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.

Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus grapple.

🧪 Using the Salve

The salve is a thick, shimmering ointment infused with rare herbs and blessed with radiant energy. It must be applied directly to the black crystalline core at the heart of the tree.

Application Rules:

  • The party must reach the core, which is exposed on the tree’s trunk but protected by the Guardian’s attacks and tendrils.
  • Applying the salve requires an action and a successful DC 15 Arcana or Nature check to correctly activate its cleansing power.
  • The salve’s magic neutralizes the blight’s corruption in a burst of radiant energy upon successful application, dealing 30 radiant damage to all corrupted creatures within 30 feet and stunning them for 1 round.
  • The cleansing ends the encounter by beginning a rapid decay of the blight’s influence, visibly restoring the forest’s health around the clearing.

If the party fails to apply the salve within 5 rounds, the blight intensifies, and the Guardian gains a rage, doubling its damage output until defeated or the salve is applied.

🎭 Narrative and Roleplay Notes

  • Encourage the party to balance offense and defense: they must protect whoever approaches the core to apply the salve.
  • The blight’s aura weakens their resolve—consider imposing occasional Wisdom saving throws (DC 13) to resist despair or madness during the fight.
  • Upon success, describe the cleansing light flooding the clearing, the twisted trees sighing as their wounds close, and the heavy darkness lifting, at least for now.
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