Forest Locations
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Easarin, Hot Springs and Waterfall
Main Location
A small and old public-use hut slouches among a half-a-dozen steaming hot springs. The grassy rocky outcroppings that hold the spring pools are split in two by a short but wide waterfall and the East Einfelst river that flows after it.
There is a natural trail to the right (Northeast, NE) that follows the river. Another trail to the left (Northwest, NW) leads to the Lone Goldwood.
Inside the river is a 5 foot wide slowly flowing current of dark purple ooze that creeps down the river south. It will reach the town of Modaig in 4 days. Tell the players this freely. Choose a PC who would be able to calculate its rate of flow and ask the player what that PC has experienced in the past that helps them know it will take roughly 4 days.
The river water is somewhat displaced by the current of ooze inside it. It continues all the way up the river to its source.
The ooze wobbles and splits off into sub streams in reaction to being poked or otherwise altered. Ooze can be found in a few of the hot spring pools. PCs who touch the ooze are subject to Corruption.
Loiza’s travel bag and outerwear sit unattended near the hut. The bag contains travel supplies, a book (“Where Have All The Flowers Gone?”), and an ornate woodcarving knife, but nothing out of the ordinary. If the players ask if an item is in the bag, lean towards answering “yes”.
Within sight over the hill is a solitary giant Goldwood tree, the orange-gold bark standing out in contrast to all the green of the forest.
This is the first introduction of Goldwood trees to the PCs. Tell the party that they would've heard about the lumber camp from the northern town Blackbraes who fell the mighty Goldwoods in search of those that contain "dawn" cores: A cream-colored lightweight wood that is as strong and flexible as steel.
Ask the party which one of them (only one PC, it's new and rare) have seen the dawn wood in action, and how it was being used.
Clues
See Presenting Information and Clues.
- It rained recently, and a set of fresh medium-sized human footprints are obvious. Near the hot springs there is only one set of footprints.
- Footprints start near Loiza’s bag and lead NW on the trail to the Lone Goldwood.
- More footprints lead to the trail above the waterfall on the right (east side of the river) as the river snakes toward the NE. The footsteps eventually end, looking like they go into the river.
Non-vital clues: - In addition to human footprints, wolf and deer prints are on the trail that goes towards the river.
Lone Goldwood Tree
At the base of the Goldwood tree, there are signs of a struggle.
Dirt and mud have been pushed around haphazardly in a rough circle. There is a messy pool of blood in it.
Clues
- A large section of bark has been removed at the bottom of the Goldwood tree. The more saturated orange-gold bare wood is exposed.
- The bare wood has been scraped and a deep hole has been drilled into it. Shavings are everywhere.
- There is an abandoned scraping tool and hand drill among the shavings. (They are both free of blood.)
- Starting at the rough circle, there are a set of large human footprints, a track of something large being dragged, and splashes of blood that all go off the trail in the same direction. They lead Northwest into the dense forest.
Non-vital clues: - Thrown a ways just off the trail is a thick stick with a sharp, jagged end that is covered in blood.
Obstacle - Skin Dancers
Before the PCs can learn every clue at the Lone Goldwood, two purple-stained and ooze-dripping creatures appear.
A deer and a wolf walk synchronously together side-by-side, steadily approaching the party. In addition to dripping ooze, their fur is wet with water, as though they had just walked through the river.
See Creature Lore Blocks for how to run them.
After the encounter, if the party continues following the tracks, they will reach a small clearing and see two bodies lying near an oak tree.
Dense Forest
Main Location
If the party is approaching from Easarin: The tracks of large footprints, something being dragged, and splashes of blood go deep into the woods.
If the party is approaching from elsewhere, they eventually stumble upon Steffan and Loiza (see next section) or the blood trail, whichever makes most sense.
The forest becomes marshy and covered in moss that dampens sound. Birdsong becomes absent. An elk skeleton rests in a pool of stagnant water.
Obstacle - Waterlogged Terrain
Before the party reaches Steffan and Loiza, they must trek through the thick and wet forest. Ask each of the players in turn how their PCs handle the difficult terrain.
If it makes sense for your system, use a mechanic that might cost the PCs something. Otherwise, let the players decide how their PCs misstep over the next half-day.
Either way, ask each player what about the dense forest makes them miserable and what unfortunate event happens to them as a result.
Also consider adding an obstacle from the Obstacle Inspirations.
The body of Loiza, Modaig Carpenter
Steffan the woods scout is slumped at the base of a wide and scraggly Yew tree, holding his puncture wound and breathing shallowly. There are blood stains all over. Next to him on the soft ground are his tree-felling axe (covered in dried blood), his pack, and the body of Loiza. Both figures are stained with corruption.
Loiza has a gaping axe wound at the base of her neck and in her chest. Her hands are forced over her head, clumsily tied together with rope and attached to a stick. (This is how Steffan dragged her.) Her back is covered in dried mud.
His pack contains a rough map of the area and basic supplies. Describe or crudely draw the Einfelst Wilds map, and include a circle of the Deadfall area with the written words "Forest Spirit help?". If the players ask if an item is in the pack, lean towards answering “yes”.
An animal trail that Steffan was following leads north to the Ruins. If one of the PCs is woodsy or knows bushcraft, they may be able to navigate straight to the lumber camp.
Roleplaying Steffan
Steffan only has enough energy to have a final conversation with the party before dying.
He will never tell the party:
- that he suspects the lumber camp's actions are the direct cause of the corruption and presence of the Skin Dancers, or
- why he murdered Loiza (to keep others from learning about the corruption).
Steffan will freely tell the PCs part of his job: to scout for new potential lumber camp sites with more Goldwoods.
If the party promises Steffan to tell Morwenna what happened to him, he will tell them exactly what happened to Loiza (see Loiza, Missing) but not why.
If the party flatly refuses to promise to tell Morwenna, Steffan will get angry and desperate.
Regardless of what the party decides, after asking for the promise Steffan will tell them the other part of his job: to look for alternate paths around the corruption that is blocking the lumber camp's path to cutting any more Goldwood trees.
Clues
- Steffan sharing that his job is to look for alternate paths because of the corruption near the Lumber Camp.
- The "Forest Spirit help?" circle on Steffan's map (leads to the Deadfall). It refers to rumors of the Green Knight who roams the area.
- The animal trail north (leads to the Ruins).
Deadfall
Main Location
Following the river or entering from elsewhere, the party will hit upon the Deadfall, a toppled mess of trees that was hit recently by a large storm. The trees are slippery from the rain, sharp, and strewn randomly.
The deadfall is extremely difficult to traverse and it takes the party an extra half day to leave it.
The path of the corruption ooze follows the river and continues all the way up to its source. The water is somewhat displaced by the current of ooze inside it.
Ask the PCs how they get hurt as they travel through the deadfall, and how bad the injury is.
Tie the worst PC injury to the appearance of A Green Knight.
A Green Knight
A knight in dull grey full plate armor covered in small ferns and mushrooms materializes from seemingly nowhere.
The knight is lithe and bouncy, as though he wasn't recently traveling through the deadfall. He speaks in a strong, old accent through his helmet as he immediately offers help with some wound wrappings. He is awkward and well-meaning. He never lifts his visor.
The knight is a spirit of the forest sent to test the party's nerve. After helping with the wound, the knight will draw his sword, point it at the PCs, and say,
"Quit the field. Or I will strike thee down."
He will try to get the PCs to strike first, calling them insults (dolt, pig's ass, knave, dunce, oafish arse) and blocking their way. Have the knight give as much trouble as possible to the PCs without him attacking them directly. If the players think of a creative way of dealing with him, try to make it work.
If the PCs refuse to attack him, he will slash out with his sword but he always misses. If the PCs realize he can't hurt them, he'll give up. If he does, he will see the party as wise and walk with them until their next destination.
If he's attacked by a PC, upon contact his armor immediately crumples and falls to pieces, revealing nothing on the inside. After it all topples to the ground, it will quickly melt into the forest floor. The knight then reappears as he first did, stepping out from behind a tree. If he does, he will see the party as steadfast and give them his sword (ornate, silver, thin, valuable).
Once the knight has been dealt with, he will sheath his sword and say "Well, I had to test your mettle, didn't I?". Then the knight tells the PCs he knows they are in search of answers.
Clues
- The knight will point them towards the most direct path to where they need to go next (determined by you). (The PCs are welcome to ignore or distrust the knight, but he speaks the truth.)
- The knight will share unprompted the nature of the Skin Dancers. The knight knows everything in the What's Obscured section of the Skin Dancers Lore Block.
Obstacle - Skin Dancers
When the party is leaving the area and gets to the edge of the deadfall, they will encounter a massive purple-stained and ooze-dripping bear.
The bear is loud and charges in blind rage at the party. The party has a moment to react or prepare before the bear is upon them.
See Creature Lore Blocks for how to run it.
Ruins
Main Location
A broken tower, the remnants of old worn walls, and patched cobblestone make up the ruins. The former building rests in a sparse part of the forest with the East Einfelst river nearby.
The path of the corruption ooze follows the river and continues all the way up to its source. The water is somewhat displaced by the current of ooze inside it.
A handful of towering Goldwood trees stand in this area.
The loggers of the lumber camp regularly pass the ruins as they float the logs down river. At the biggest river bend, they transfer the lumber to ox-driven carts. None of them have bothered to inspect the ruins up close.
When the party approaches the ruins, they get the feeling that they are being watched. There are no footprints (animal or human) in the ruins area.
Ask each player what their PC loses forever from their pack or pockets without noticing.
If the PCs search among the ruins, they might find:
An ice-cold dagger, a brand new maroon cloak (enchanted to stay pristine), a few gold pieces, a silver goblet, and a cat with bright blue markings that can't be caught.
One of the moss-covered speckled boulders amongst the ruins unfurls to stand at over 10 feet tall when the PCs approach.
Forgotten Stone Golem
See Creature Lore Blocks.
Roleplaying the Stone Golem
When the golem looks at the PCs and realizes they are not his master, his granite face turns towards one of the nearby Goldwood trees to make sure they still stand in place. He won't look back at the PCs unless provoked, but he will switch which Goldwood he's looking at.
After the first time the PCs speak, he says with relief in a millstone grinding sound: "They still stand."
The golem knows the history of the Goldwood trees and why they were planted. He will talk about it unprompted before the PCs leave the area, and will answer questions about it if the PCs agree to look for his master.
The golem will want the PCs to leave as quickly as possible, but is also lonely. He may escort (gently or forcefully) the PCs away, but he should be conflicted about it.
Clues
- The history of the Goldwood trees, shared by Corazón the stone golem.
- The river points the way.
Obstacle
There is no full obstacle for this location (unless the PCs are antagonistic to the Stone Golem). The ruins are meant to act as a respite, but you can add your own obstacle if that suits the pacing better.
Lumber Camp
Main Location
A too-quiet lumber camp stands proudly in a man-made clearing. Barracks, work houses, and wood processing shelters sit on either side of the East Einfelst river, which is flooded in the center of the camp to help manage logs.
The ooze corruption flows straight through the center of the river and flooded area, wrapping around abandoned lumber and logging equipment. The trees, grass, and ground are stained dark purple all along the north side of the camp.
If the party reaches the camp during the day, there are fewer workers out than expected. Smoke rises from inside some cabins and one campfire is lit outside. The signs of industry contrast sharply against the surrounding nature.
As the party approaches, Owen glances nervously between them and Morwenna. (He is uncorrupted.) He sits on a stump by the barracks with two other loggers as he carves a hunk of wood. No matter the time of day, the group is drinking whiskey or smoking pipes.
Morwenna stands at a thick table near the shelters speaking in hushed tones to two other hard-looking women. They are pointing and reading a map of the area. She looks up at the party momentarily but doesn't address them until they get close. Her purple-stained hands and forearms are unmistakable.
Paths in the Area
There is a trail south towards the dense forest and a well-trodden path alongside the river flowing southeast towards the ruins and log offloading site.
There are a few trails north towards various logging sites. Most are stained dark purple. The most trampled path goes along the west side of the river, and leads to the Oathtree site.
Roleplaying Owen
Owen is quite happy that the logging has been halted by the corruption. The profession is very dangerous, and he worries for the safety of his friends and his sister Morwenna (but not for himself). He thinks the corruption is too dangerous to deal with. He's uncertain about Morwenna's choice to plow forward.
Owen is judgmental. He is prejudiced against anyone who is not like him (or his fellow loggers). However, he will stay charming and try to get the party to like him. Owen knows how to play a political game and has a decent influence over camp morale.
If the party has not earned Owen's trust or if they publicly befriend Morwenna, Owen will secretly follow the party to the Oathtree site with the intent to stop them.
Roleplaying Morwenna
Morwenna is focused on maintaining the lumber camp operation, and will try to use the PCs towards her ends. She he will be friendly, authoritative, empathetic, or demanding to get what she wants. However, she will not directly threaten the party nor attack them first.
Morwenna will try to find out as much as possible about what the party knows before sharing too much information, but she won't lie about the situation if confronted.
She accepts the consequences of the camp's actions. Her people's deaths weigh heavy on her mind, and because of that she's even more determined to continue logging to make a big profit for all of the workers.
Obstacle - Camp Tensions
Every NPC the party talks to at the camp will have a different opinion on what the lumber camp should do next. Some support Morwenna unquestioningly. Most will at least defer to her wishes regardless, for now.
When making NPCs, give them two contrasting or conflicting character aspects, and decide their personal reasons for working at such a dangerous job. You can also give them a personal priority: community, self-preservation, or 1-on-1 connection.
Masculine names:
Abelard, Antonin, Bastien, Calev, Djenge, Eskel, Griff, Havart, Ivar, Merwyn, Penvro, Rohsyn, Seith, Volund
Feminine names:
Amrynn, Anisse, Braith, Carthia, Glynis, Elena, Klara, Margred, Meredin, Nanwen, Priscilla, Reina, Saeriel, Teodora
If the party has been to every other location before reaching the camp (Easarin, Dense Forest, Deadfall, and Ruins), tensions boil over unprompted at least once and a fight breaks out.
If the party stays the night in the camp or leaves and comes back later before the ticking clock is resolved, telegraph to the players that someone from the camp (besides Morwenna) is going to try to lethally ambush one of the PCs. The party's appearance in the camp represents somewhat of a threat: They could leave and report the failed operation. Many loggers in the camp don't want to lose their jobs and feel that they must take drastic measures to prevent that.
Stump of the Oathtree
Main Location
The trail north along the river ends in the heart of the forest at the gigantic stump of the biggest Goldwood tree seen yet. Long saws, chopped wood stacks, and an oxen yoke scatter the ground, abandoned underneath a sea of thick translucent dark purple ooze.
Above the carelessly cut flat top of the stump is a tear in the fabric of reality. The air hangs with torn curtains that should not be. Beyond the fissure is darkness.
More Goldwood trees can be seen in the distance.
The body of Ivor, First Possessed
Ivor lays elevated from the trail on a relatively flat rock nearby the Oathtree stump. The sludge gurgles out continuously and unnaturally from his pale and bloated form, and is most transparent when it first appears. His misshapen wound holes and swollen form make him barely recognizable as human.
The area is mostly but not completely covered in the seeping bile of corruption. A very skilled and lucky person may be able to hop from spot to spot without being touched by it. The ooze flows downhill and into the East Einfelst river.
Obstacle - Owen Follows
If the party has not earned Owen's trust or if they publicly befriend Morwenna, Owen will secretly follow the party to the Oathtree site with the intent to stop them from clearing the corruption or closing the veil. See Roleplaying Owen.
He will shoot his war bow at the party from a hidden place in the woods if they make any attempt to solve the problems.
Whether or not Owen follows the PCs, the commotion of the party attracts the attention of the Skin Dancers.
Obstacle - Skin Dancers
Three purple-stained and ooze-dripping humans walk out of the veil and into the woods.
The human Skin Dancers make percussive clicks and shrill moans that insist on answers that cannot be given. They move with horrible grace. They look uncanny and familiar.
See Creature Lore Blocks for how to run them.
