Personnal - Whispers of the Forgotten Grove

Within the heart of the Vohven Jungle, Ash feels an unsettling tug towards a hidden grove, once revered by an ancient sect of druids. This grove is now tainted and, with it, the balance of the jungle is at risk.

Plot points/Scenes

1. Nature's Plea

As the party journeys through the jungle, Ash begins to experience vivid dreams. These dreams show glimpses of a once-sacred grove, shimmering pools, and ancient trees. But a dark shadow seems to be corrupting the land.

2. Echoes of the Past

Ash starts hearing soft whispers when close to certain ancient trees or landmarks in the jungle. These whispers talk about a "betrayal" and the "fall of the protectors."

3. The Tainted Grove

The party stumbles upon a clearing, where the earth is blighted, trees are withering, and the water in a central pool is murky. Ash can sense that this is the grove from the dreams.

4. Spirits of the Druids

As night falls, ghostly apparitions of the ancient druids appear, revealing that they once protected this grove but were betrayed by one of their own, who sought forbidden power. This traitorous druid's actions have cursed the grove.

5. Cleansing Ritual

To restore the grove, Ash must undertake a ritual, but components are required. These are:

1. a. Water from the Purest Spring: Hidden deep within the jungle, guarded by territorial beasts.
2. b. Petal of the Moonlit Orchid: A rare flower that blooms only under a moonlit sky, usually at the peak of treacherous cliffs.
3. c. Heartwood of an Elder Tree: A piece from a willingly given elder tree, ancient and wise. Ash must communicate with the tree and gain its consent.

6. The Betrayer's Remnants

As the party collects these items, they are pursued by twisted creatures, remnants of the betrayer druid's experiments with forbidden magics. These foes try to prevent the cleansing of the grove.

7. Ritual and Redemption

Upon returning to the grove, Ash conducts the ritual. As the ritual progresses, the dark taint fights back, forcing the party to defend Ash while also fending off the remnants of the betrayer's influence. Ash will need to succeed at the Elemental Balancing minigame.

8. Restoration

With the ritual complete, life returns to the grove. The spirits of the ancient druids thank Ash and leave behind a token of their gratitude, perhaps a druidic artifact or charm.

Components

Goals

Elemental Balancing

Setup:

Four elemental pillars of energy (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air) emerge around Ash. Their intensity fluctuates and Ash must use their druidic abilities to keep them in balance.

Mechanic:

Elemental Intensity Track:

Have a track numbered from 1-10 for each element. At the start, each element begins at a value of 5 (balanced). Each round, you roll a d4 for each element. The number determines how much the elemental intensity shifts. Odd numbers pull the element towards 10, even numbers pull it towards 1. The number on the d4 is the intensity of the shift.

Ash's Actions:

On Ash's turn, they can take an action to adjust an elemental pillar's intensity by casting a thematic spell or using a druidic ability. For example, if Ash uses a water-based spell, they can either increase the Water pillar's intensity by a number equal to the spell's level or decrease the Fire pillar's intensity by the same amount. The inverse relationship (Water quenching Fire) helps balance the two. Similar relationships can be established for the other elements (Earth grounding Air, Air feeding Fire, etc.). As a bonus action, Ash can make a Wisdom (Nature) check to predict the next elemental shift, granting them advantage on their next balancing action.

Goal & Consequences:

Ash's goal is to prevent any elemental pillar from reaching its maximum (10) or minimum (1) intensity for the duration of the ritual (a set number of rounds). If any pillar reaches its extreme, a surge of elemental energy is released, causing a detrimental effect (e.g., a fire explosion, a strong gust of wind pushing allies, an earth tremor causing difficult terrain, or a deluge of water making the area slippery). If Ash manages to maintain all elements within a certain range (e.g., between 4-7) for a full round, they gain a momentary respite, which might offer a minor boon to the team or debuff the enemies, symbolizing the ritual's strengthening power. This mini-game involves strategy on Ash's part as they decide which elemental pillar to focus on, when to predict shifts, and which spells or abilities to use. It also adds tension as the party watches the elemental intensities fluctuate and Ash works to maintain balance.

Parent Plot

Campaign: The fallen prince

Related Characters

• Ash

Related Locations

• Vohven Jungle