Hemlen Ruins
Forest retreats were popular with Karathyl’s wealthy citizens and when the troubles began, some fled the city for these retreats. But this only brought the troubles into the woods—once amiable neighbors found themselves engaged in savage conflict.
In one awful incident among far too many, the wizard Trenol decided to settle an old dispute by attacking the Hemlen family. He slew their guards and took the family prisoner. After constructing a magical barrier around the retreat, Trenol murdered the children and transformed the adult family members into The Hemlen Wisps. He then departed, declaring the dispute between the families settled to his satisfaction. Trenol was himself later slain in the last battle of the war.
The Hemlens’ retreat has succumbed to the ravages of time and the elements. There are four fifteen feet high necromantic warding stones containing the will-o-wisps. These stones generate a barrier box. Each stone is carved with necromantic runes and has a skull (which belonged to the wisp when it was alive) fused on the top. Destroying one or more of the stones destroys the barrier. Trenol grounded the stones so that they are immune to lightning damage.
A stone can be moved up to ten feet farther apart from the others without destroying the magic of the barrier. Moving them closer together does not destroy the barrier, so the stones could be pushed together and transported elsewhere.
The barrier works by causing the wisps inconceivable suffering. A wisp must make a DC 22 Constitution check to willingly cross the barrier. A wisp can be moved through the barrier (such as via the effects of a spell like thorn whip or eldritch blast) or the barrier could be moved across the wisp. A wisp that crosses the barrier must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
Resting on the northwest barrier is +1 longsword. "For bravery in the service of Merak" is engraved on the blade. The weapon was given to Errena Hemlen for her exceptional service to the Republic of Merak, which included defeating one of Trenol’s ancestors, a traitor to the Republic. Trenol placed the sword there after telling the wisps why he did what he did: revenge for what happened long ago.
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