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To Woodshire Defender Command
The situation at the druid grove has been resolved. It remains unclear if the cause was purely accidental on the part of the druids, or whether there was deliberate external sabotage from a void entity which we encountered within the grove.
Druid Nikon briefed us on how the ceremony had gone awry and a black sphere had spread out from the previously corrupted heartwood (though it wasn’t clear if this was the primary issue or was somehow keeping the corruption contained). We were told there were three druids known to have been caught within this sphere as it initially expanded and five others unaccounted for since the ceremony.
We fought our way through undead (mainly skeletons and zombies) being created by corrupted spring and winter elementals. They were joined by wood ghouls and at least one shadow in the darkest part of the woods. There were also many corrupted shambling mounds, which produced necromantic effects in additional to their usual abilities.
We soon learned that casting seasonal miracles had negative effects either on the casters or in an aura around them, including those resembling the powers of death, darkness, and even necromancy. On at least one occasion, an undead was observed to rise with no other source but, without attempting resurrection we couldn’t prove this was necromancy and not powers of death). Certainly Humact Cecil was unimpressed and has insisted on placing Druid Mohsar under arrest for further investigation upon completion of our mission.
Over the course of the day we experienced visions of pasts and futures of Woodshire, which seemed to increase in frequency as we approached the grove. Similarities were noted in some patrolees prior experience with the mirror found last year. If this is true, the druids’ ceremony may have been deliberately sabotaged to this end. Whether the visions were sent to guide or taunt us is unclear.
Hammer Devět fell in battle but regretfully I am uncertain exactly how it happened. We were fighting side by side when one of the shambling mounds struck such fear into me I was unable to move. Then I was struck again by a mound and found myself able to run but urgently trying to find someone to staunch my bleeding wound. By the time I had been healed and the fear-inducing mound destroyed, allowing me to return to the combat, Hammer was not only dead but had had the flesh rotted from him, making it impossible to determine his cause of death. Some of the patrol took his back to the Summer Grove where they were able to restore him to life.
When we reached the sphere around the grove, Forester Bryce and Corporal Kregg identified the tracks of the remaining wight, Don, leading up to the barrier but not crossing it. Druid Talia observed markings warning us this was a crossroads with a potential dangerous outcome and of fae origin. It is unclear if or how Don was connected to this event directly.
Inside it was noted that priests and mages alike felt distant from their powers, as though we had planar travelled. We found three druids – two living, one dead – who Talia recognised as having taken part in the ceremony but who apparently didn’t recognise her: this became relevant later.
We were attacked by more undead and elementals so I didn’t see what event triggered fighting between the druids of the patrol and those we found in the area. As I reached them, I watched Forester Iona attempting to heal the heartwood, which struck out at them, severing their chest. Having seen that response to healing, I instead attempted to consecrate the tree, which held back the corruption long enough for Humact Cecil to intervene.
Once the fighting druids had been separated, it was determined that they needed to re-attempt the spring ceremony. As this was decided, energy came out from the heart-tree, knitting Forester Iona’s wounds back together and they stood up, apparently fully restored. Although there was clearly something unusual happening – their eyes were white, as those of the druids found – they were not undead and there was no time to question the source of their restoration.
I went to reinforce those defending the area when I suddenly heard the voice of Abadar clear in my mind, warning me that the ceremony would fail if the corrupted were allowed to take part. This was found to mean the druids who we had found as well as Forester Iona, who were possessed / influenced by the void. Fortunately we were able to remove them from the ceremony without violence.
The lessons from the visions became clear and we realised that all people of Woodshire needed to be involved for it to be a complete success. Unfortunately, we also needed to defend ourselves from the undead, elementals while prevented the corrupted from rejoining. Abadar offered a deal – to protect the ceremony in return for a year’s service – and I accepted. The ceremony was completed successfully but the druids and Forester Iona collapsed as the unnatural energy which had restored them to life was banished.
I commend all patrolees for their efforts in a difficult situation.
The situation at the druid grove has been resolved. It remains unclear if the cause was purely accidental on the part of the druids, or whether there was deliberate external sabotage from a void entity which we encountered within the grove.
Druid Nikon briefed us on how the ceremony had gone awry and a black sphere had spread out from the previously corrupted heartwood (though it wasn’t clear if this was the primary issue or was somehow keeping the corruption contained). We were told there were three druids known to have been caught within this sphere as it initially expanded and five others unaccounted for since the ceremony.
We fought our way through undead (mainly skeletons and zombies) being created by corrupted spring and winter elementals. They were joined by wood ghouls and at least one shadow in the darkest part of the woods. There were also many corrupted shambling mounds, which produced necromantic effects in additional to their usual abilities.
We soon learned that casting seasonal miracles had negative effects either on the casters or in an aura around them, including those resembling the powers of death, darkness, and even necromancy. On at least one occasion, an undead was observed to rise with no other source but, without attempting resurrection we couldn’t prove this was necromancy and not powers of death). Certainly Humact Cecil was unimpressed and has insisted on placing Druid Mohsar under arrest for further investigation upon completion of our mission.
Over the course of the day we experienced visions of pasts and futures of Woodshire, which seemed to increase in frequency as we approached the grove. Similarities were noted in some patrolees prior experience with the mirror found last year. If this is true, the druids’ ceremony may have been deliberately sabotaged to this end. Whether the visions were sent to guide or taunt us is unclear.
Hammer Devět fell in battle but regretfully I am uncertain exactly how it happened. We were fighting side by side when one of the shambling mounds struck such fear into me I was unable to move. Then I was struck again by a mound and found myself able to run but urgently trying to find someone to staunch my bleeding wound. By the time I had been healed and the fear-inducing mound destroyed, allowing me to return to the combat, Hammer was not only dead but had had the flesh rotted from him, making it impossible to determine his cause of death. Some of the patrol took his back to the Summer Grove where they were able to restore him to life.
When we reached the sphere around the grove, Forester Bryce and Corporal Kregg identified the tracks of the remaining wight, Don, leading up to the barrier but not crossing it. Druid Talia observed markings warning us this was a crossroads with a potential dangerous outcome and of fae origin. It is unclear if or how Don was connected to this event directly.
Inside it was noted that priests and mages alike felt distant from their powers, as though we had planar travelled. We found three druids – two living, one dead – who Talia recognised as having taken part in the ceremony but who apparently didn’t recognise her: this became relevant later.
We were attacked by more undead and elementals so I didn’t see what event triggered fighting between the druids of the patrol and those we found in the area. As I reached them, I watched Forester Iona attempting to heal the heartwood, which struck out at them, severing their chest. Having seen that response to healing, I instead attempted to consecrate the tree, which held back the corruption long enough for Humact Cecil to intervene.
Once the fighting druids had been separated, it was determined that they needed to re-attempt the spring ceremony. As this was decided, energy came out from the heart-tree, knitting Forester Iona’s wounds back together and they stood up, apparently fully restored. Although there was clearly something unusual happening – their eyes were white, as those of the druids found – they were not undead and there was no time to question the source of their restoration.
I went to reinforce those defending the area when I suddenly heard the voice of Abadar clear in my mind, warning me that the ceremony would fail if the corrupted were allowed to take part. This was found to mean the druids who we had found as well as Forester Iona, who were possessed / influenced by the void. Fortunately we were able to remove them from the ceremony without violence.
The lessons from the visions became clear and we realised that all people of Woodshire needed to be involved for it to be a complete success. Unfortunately, we also needed to defend ourselves from the undead, elementals while prevented the corrupted from rejoining. Abadar offered a deal – to protect the ceremony in return for a year’s service – and I accepted. The ceremony was completed successfully but the druids and Forester Iona collapsed as the unnatural energy which had restored them to life was banished.
I commend all patrolees for their efforts in a difficult situation.
