Mark's Campaign
This website is a place where friends and strangers can browse the ancient and current RPG campaigns that I have created over the past 40 years. Rather than simply shredding my creations from past decades, I will hopefully engrave them in the dubious permanence of the internet. Enjoy the gallery!
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The party decided to visit a druid conclave on the Isle of Arenway to get some more information and to possibly get directions to find Harwyn. The druids, however, do not just let anyone approach without proving their worth.
The Isle of Arenway – This large island at the fork of the Sellen river is about 5 miles by 2 miles in size. On the southern face of the island is a navy garrison for the Taldor River Guard, which is patrolled vigilantly (by magic and otherwise) and no one is allowed to dock there without consent of the dockmaster or the government of Taldor, and only for official business. The garrison leader is Captain Yoranth Ureys, a stern man in his late 40’s who grew up on the ocean and rivers and has extensive knowledge of the area, its politics and dangers.
On the northern side of the island is a thick stand of trees surrounding a large 300’ wide amphitheater that hosts the annual Moot of Ages. On the southern side of the bowl stands the impressive Wildwood Lodge, a 3-story stone and wood building (250’x120’), fashioned to look like a bear’s head and one end and an eagle’s head at the other. In the center, a maw-like opening contains a pair of massive wooden doors which currently stand open. A veritable menagerie of plants and animals grow and frolic around the building on all of its sides, with many of the creatures shape shifted from their humanoid druidic form.
There is a small dock on the north side of the island with a sign written in common, gnome and elfish that reads: “Wildwood Lodge, please sound horn when arriving and wait” Below the sign hangs a long curving horn about 3 feet in length total (yeti?) with a smooth mouthpiece at one end. If someone blows the horn, in about 2 minutes a pair of birds (usually ravens) will land on the sign and ask the business of the visitors. If they are inclined, the visitors are directed up a path that leads around the bowl and to the Lodge. If not, the visitors are turned back or given directions to one of the shore towns.
If someone ignores the sign or the warning to stay away, when they arrive at the Lodge doors, they will be closed and no animals will be seen on the grounds. Only in the case of stubborn guests or outright belligerence will the druids come out to speak or intervene.
Order of the Wildwood Lodge:
Consists of 3 Archdruids, 6 Druids (Harwyn and Lyana are two of them), 9 Initiate Druids and 12 Aspirant Druids. The Grand Druid and Great Druid are located elsewhere.
At any one time, the Lodge will have at least 1 Archdruid, 2 Druids and 4 Initiates in residence. A new Aspirant druid must first make an appointment to meet a current member of the Lodge and gain a personal recommendation. Once the recommendation has been made, the aspirant is invited to formally meet the ‘small council’ of druids (those in current residence) where he/she is invited to dine and visit for a week or more and perform mundane duties around the Lodge and the surroundings. After a certain period, the Aspirant will be either given their leave invited to become a true Aspirant of the Lodge.
Archdruid Isabella Whitehorn (H/F/D15)
Druids: Cho-lu Feng, H/M/D9 and Nyrantheym Evenstar, E/F/D10
Initiate Druids: Ahnkor, ½ Orc/M/D4, Thelmi Riven, H/F/D6, Pustalf, Dw/M/D5, Oppala Bree, G/F/D5
Arrival at Wildwood:
The two ravens will ask the visitor’s business and as long as they are not belligerent, will be directed to follow the path that will lead them to the doors of the Lodge and to ‘stay on the path, do not deviate’. The two ravens fly off.
The Trial of the Elements
What the ravens did not mention is that the druids use a simple series of ‘trials’ to better judge the resourcefulness, abilities and attitudes of their uninvited visitors. When the group begins their trek to to the Lodge they will encounter 4 different challenges based on the druid concepts of elemental control.
Earth – should be shaped to its proper use
Air – should be sensed in its entirety to gain valuable information about the surroundings
Water – should be diverted to flow where it is needed
Fire – should be tightly contained to judiciously use its power to heal and destroy
First Trial: Earth
The trail you are following leads to the edge of a narrow ravine. You can see the other side of the ravine about 50’ across from you but no bridge or structure. The trial continues on the other side. Looking down, you see the sheer walls drop at least 200 feet to a narrow canyon. The walls look like they would be difficult to climb as they have very few prominent natural hand holds or cracks. The ravine stretches indefinitely to either side with no visible way around. Standing near the edge of the ravine is a stone table four feet across. On it are 6 pairs of leather gloves.
Each of the gloves will give the user the ability to use a limited version of stone shape, enough to create a 10’ section of a bridge which can be used to span the gap. Or they can be used to make hand holds in the walls which would allow climbing at an easier check. If the group uses all 6 pairs of gloves, they can make a complete span of stone. If the group decides to climb down with hand holds, the first person down will notice an assortment of humanoid-looking bones on the canyon floor and a tall cave on their side. The cave contains a nasty hungry troll that will attack anyone who makes it to the floor and within its reach.
Second Trial: Air
The trial beyond the chasm bends gradually to the left around a small hill where it diverges into two identical trails. One leads around the hill to the left, the other to the right. As you are standing at the crossing a strong breeze begin blowing from the south (your right). Then, after about 30 seconds, the breeze changes and starts blowing from the north.
Neither of the trails has footprints or shows more signs of wear than the other (magically removed). Each character will get to make a DC24 Per or Surv check (whichever is higher) to sense the faint presence of poisonous gas from the right. If the group goes left, they will not have any ill effects, but if they go right, they will need to make a DC20 Fort save.
Nightmare vapor
Inhaled
20
—
1/rd. for 6 rds.
1 Wis and confused 1 rd
Third Trial: Water
Past the hill, the trail continues in a generally eastern direction where you can see a small pond on your left, about 100’ across. It looks like your trail simply skirts the south end of it and continues. At the point closest to the trail, an old stone dam with a thick coating of dark green moss almost reaches your path. As you admire the idyllic scene, one of the ancient stones in the center of the dam falls free and a stream of water begins to flow out on the path in front of you. About 10 seconds later another stone falls free, more water spilling freely and back down the trail you just followed.
The group can either ignore the water and move on (bad idea) or find a way to shore up the dam (the gloves would work best).
Fourth Trial: Fire
After a short walk, the trail begins to head down a slight hill, switching back to the right and bending southwest. From your vantage point you can see a sprawling valley below you filled with trees and a large clearing near the center. To your left, you can see a large field of tall grass with evenly spaced haystacks lined in rows. As you get nearer, you notice small creatures frolicking about the haystacks, play some sort of game of hide-and-seek. One of the creatures sees your group and begins giggling loudly, causing the rest to also begin giggling. With a snap of their fingers, suddenly all of the haystacks, about 40 total, immolate into tall pillars of flame and begin spreading quickly through the grass field.
The easiest way to contain the fire is to release the water from the damn above and channel it to the field using their gloves’ abilities. If the water is properly diverted, the field can be contained and the fire will not spread further. Otherwise the group will have come up with a different way to put out a massive fire.
Arrival at the Wildwood Lodge
As you continue to wind your way along the path, the trees thin out slightly and then suddenly open into a huge clearing, about 400 feet in diameter. In the center of the opening is an oval shaped depression in the ground with concentric rings of steps that gradually lead down to a flat floor. The amphitheater is about 300 feet at its widest point and about 100 feet deep. You estimate that if filled, no less than 2000 people could fill it. In the center of the bowl is a raised pillar of stone, 50 feet tall with a small stone spiral ramp leading up around its edge. Your path skirts the bowl on its right side and following the path with your eyes, you see another impressive sight. Perched directly opposite of where you entered the clearing is a huge building of stone and wood. There are tiers and corners along its three story structure giving it the look of something wild and random, but the most obvious features are the right and left ends of the building which are shaped into the likeness of a bear’s head and an eagle’s head respectively.
All around the Lodge is a collection of gardens and small groves of trees. Many of the plants and even some of the animals look very foreign to you, some you have only seen in pictures in books. Two large wooden doors stand open in the center of the Lodge, placed inside what has been designer to look like a huge toothed maw.
A very beautiful female elf is standing in the doorway and smiles as you approach. “Good highsun to you all. A lovely day, is it not?”
She will introduce herself as Nyrantheym Evenstar, one of the druids of the Wildwood Lodge. She will offer refreshment and rest for the group before she asks for the reason of their visit. She will lead them over to a small shady grove, instructing two initiates, Ahnkor (M/½O) and Thelmi (F/H) to attend them. The group will be allowed to explore anywhere on the grounds, or in the Lodge’s first floor foyer, but no further into the building. If Ramos wishes to discuss joining the Lodge, she will lead him to her office and spell out the requirements.
When the group is ready to leave, Nyrantheym will offer to use a Plant Door to transport them to the lake town of their choice and will notify the boat master of their decision. She can also make arrangements to have their horses moved to wherever they need.
The Wildwood Lodge will be a major location in a future adventure for the party, so this is just a vague detailed outline of the structure and island.
Eventually the party will find the Evening Glade and meet the druid called Harwyn.
The Evening Glade – Just off of a trade road between Nymar and Wispil is a secret path leading through a dense stand of trees, a sharp switchback trail down a seemingly treacherous crag and finally into a small sheltered vale. The Evening Glade is so named because of the dense, high canopy of trees that mostly block the direct sun from the forest floor, creating a twilight effect even in the middle of the day. In the center of the glade is a thatch-roofed pavilion that serves as the home to the druid Harwyn and his friends. When a stranger first enters the Glade, Harwyn has shape shifted into the form of a game animal; usually a deer, hare or pheasant. He will follow their progress, taking note of conversations, attitude toward him, etc. Once they reach the pavilion, if he deems it safe, he will change back to human form to greet them.
Harwyn is a human male, about 60 years old, although he looks older due to his leathery skin and straw-like hair. He is well built and fit, however and speaks with the voice of a younger man. He has blonde/brown hair, a full beard (unkempt), bright green eyes and a strange multi-colored tattoo on one bare shoulder in the shape of a green, red and brown tree grasping blue stars from a sky above.
Harwyn (N/Human/Dr15) – see separate sheet for details.
Harwyn explains:
“Greetings my guests, I am Harwyn and I want to personally thank you for trusting my friend Rory and traveling a long way to meet in person. I was not sure who would answer my distress call, but I know that if Rory is impressed, then I am as well. Please make yourselves comfortable and I will have food and drink brought to us immediately.”
Food and drink are fetched by a gnome dressed in wood (ironwood) armor (Ellimen) and a bark-skinned dryad (Ori). Once the group is settled and ready to listen, Harwyn will begin. He uses a Ring of Silent Image to illustrate his story:
“I know that you have been wondering why I am so desperate as to seek assistance from outside of my normal territory. And what danger could possibly threaten myself or the druidic forces who I count as my allies. I must explain a little about this particular forest and its complex nature. <you notice that he smiles at his little pun> I assume that you are aware that Darkwood forests are very rare and that they are also highly prized for the resilience, strength and usefulness of the darkwood they can produce. But these forests will not last forever unless we are careful. Near the heart of each of the few darkwood forests in Avistan, there exists an Eldest Tree from which the rest of the forest began. You see, the eldest tree’s roots are interconnected with all of its children and thus each one of these rare giants can spawn many more darkwood trees within a certain limit. In older days, this limit was vast, as these trees covered thousands of square miles, yet now only a few isolated forests remain. However, once every 1000 years, the Eldest Tree of a darkwood forest produces a viable seed which can be harvested and planted anywhere hospitable, growing into its own Eldest Tree and beginning a new darkwood forest from its own roots. The fey creatures and most local druids guard the Eldest Tree at all times, and when the time for seeding comes, these guardians are extra vigilant.”
“It just happens that the Eldest Tree in the Verduran forest nears the time of its millennial seed formation. The current strife within the forest has been greatly concerning to the druids and fey; the latter are contemplating the outright destruction of all loggers and trespassers in the forest. We druids are taking a more pragmatic approach and are encouraging the fey to carefully monitor, guard and keep the new seed to start a new darkwood forest in a more neutral, possibly secret location away from the loggers’ interests.”