The Weeping Wood: An Interactive Campaign
Welcome, brave adventurers, to the heart-wrenching tale of the Weeping Wood! A once vibrant forest now stands corrupted, its very trees weeping an unnatural dew. Whispers fill the air, hinting at a powerful entity imprisoned within.
But the fate of the Weeping Wood rests in your hands!
The Village of Willowbrook
Willowbrook, nestled on the edge of the once-vibrant Weeping Wood, has become a shadow of its former self. The blight has choked off trade routes, poisoned the surrounding land, and cast a pall of fear over the villagers.
Appearance:
- Originally a bustling village with timber-framed houses adorned with flower boxes, Willowbrook is now a collection of weathered buildings.
- Withered crops surround the village, and the once-cheerful hustle and bustle is replaced by a somber silence.
- An oppressive feeling hangs in the air, a mix of fear and despair.
The People:
- Lord Edgar’s Influence: The villagers are deeply loyal to Lord Edgar, but his recent desperation and erratic behavior have caused some unease.
- Fear and Superstition: Many villagers believe the Weeping Wood is cursed, and whispers of vengeful spirits and ancient pacts fuel their anxieties.
- A Few Brave Souls: Despite the fear, a handful of villagers, particularly woodcutters and hunters who know the forest well, might offer the party valuable information or even assistance as guides.
Places of Interest:
- The Weary Traveler: A once-thriving tavern, now a lonely establishment with a single, weary bartender serving watered-down ale. It could be a place to gather rumors and gossip from travelers or locals who have ventured near the Weeping Wood.
- The Elder’s Hut: An unassuming cottage on the outskirts of the village, home to Old Man Barrow, a retired adventurer with a wealth of knowledge about the Weeping Wood and its history. He might offer cryptic warnings or point the party towards hidden lore.
- The Abandoned Shrine: Deep within the village lies a crumbling shrine dedicated to a forgotten nature deity. Perhaps the party can find clues about the corruption’s source or even a way to purify the forest through forgotten rituals.
Plot Hook Integration:
- Lord Edgar’s Bounty: The Weary Traveler is a good place for the party to hear about Lord Edgar’s hefty reward for cleansing the Weeping Wood.
- The Druids’ Plea: Old Man Barrow might be contacted by Elder Elara, sending the party to meet with her and learn about the druid circle’s concerns.
- The Whispering Artifact: The party member with the connection to the artifact could find cryptic clues or fragmented visions pointing them towards Willowbrook as the starting point for their search.
Willowbrook serves as a launchpad for the party’s adventure into the Weeping Wood. The desperate villagers, the unsettling atmosphere, and the potential for information or assistance can all play a role in drawing the party deeper into the mystery of the corrupted forest.
The Weeping Wood
The Weeping Wood, once a vibrant tapestry of emerald hues and lively sounds, has succumbed to a strange and unsettling blight. Gone are the days of sunlight dappling through healthy leaves and the cheerful symphony of birdsong. Now, an oppressive silence hangs heavy in the air, broken only by the mournful sighs escaping the twisted branches above.
A Landscape of Decay:
Drooping Giants: Towering trees, once proud and strong, now stand hunched and skeletal. Their leaves, once lush and vibrant, hang limp and sickly, glistening with an unnatural dew that seems to weep perpetually. This dew, shimmering with an otherworldly light, feels cold to the touch and carries a faint, sickly-sweet scent.
Twisted Beauty: Despite the decay, remnants of the forest’s former glory remain. Patches of vibrant wildflowers push through the dead undergrowth, their colors seeming unnaturally bright against the backdrop of decay. Bioluminescent fungi cast an eerie glow in the perpetual twilight that filters through the diseased canopy. This twisted beauty adds to the unsettling atmosphere, highlighting the forest’s agonizing transformation.
Unnatural Silence: The once vibrant cacophony of forest life has been replaced by an oppressive silence. Birds no longer flit through the branches, and the only sounds are the creaking of diseased boughs and the occasional rustling of unseen creatures in the undergrowth. This silence amplifies the unsettling whispers that fill the air.
Whispers on the Wind:
Ethereal whispers, barely audible yet impossible to ignore, drift through the Weeping Wood. These whispers seem to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once, swirling around the party like wisps of smoke. The whispers carry fragments of a sorrowful tale, a story of betrayal, imprisonment, and a yearning for release.
- Varying Tones: The whispers can shift in tone, sometimes filled with despair and rage, other times laced with seductive promises or pleas for help. This adds to the unsettling nature of the whispers, making it difficult to discern their true meaning or origin.
- Selective Hearing: Not everyone in the party might hear the whispers with the same intensity. Some characters might be more susceptible to their influence, becoming increasingly troubled or even manipulated by the fragments of the story they hear.
- Clues and Mysteries: The whispers, while cryptic, can offer clues about the source of the blight and the entity trapped within the forest. By piecing together the fragments, the party might gain valuable insight into the history of the Weeping Wood and the potential consequences of their actions.
A Realm of Unease:
The Weeping Wood is a place where beauty and decay intertwine, creating an atmosphere of profound disquiet. The unnatural stillness, the weeping dew, and the ever-present whispers conspire to unsettle even the bravest adventurers. It is a place where the veil between the natural world and something darker seems thin, and a sense of foreboding hangs heavy in the air.
Dialogue:
Villager 1: “Have you heard? The Weeping Wood…it’s cursed! They say the very trees cry tears of sorrow.”
Elder: “The blight came slowly at first. Strange growths, whispers in the wind…now the forest itself seems to weep.”
Mysterious Stranger (Night): “Seek the heart of the corruption, for within lies the key…and a terrible choice.”
Encounters:
Lost Travelers: A group of travelers, lost and disoriented, stumbles upon the party. They speak of a strange, shimmering light they saw deep within the woods, just before losing their way. (Investigation check to discern the direction from their panicked descriptions)
- Investigation (DC 13): Discern the direction the travelers came from based on their panicked descriptions and physical clues (broken twigs, footprints, etc.)
- Survival (DC 10): Track the travelers’ path deeper into the Weeping Wood, potentially leading the party closer to the corruption’s source.
Corrupted Twig Blights: Twisted versions of Twig Blights lurk amongst the trees, their once vibrant forms now sickly and warped. They attack anyone who enters their territory. (Combat Encounter – Use Twig Blight stat block with additional necrotic damage on attacks)
- Perception (Passive): Spot the corrupted Twig Blights hiding amongst the trees before they attack. (Adjust DC based on lighting and distance)
- Nature (DC 14): Identify the corrupted nature of the Twig Blights and their connection to the Weeping Wood’s blight.
Whispering Winds: As the party ventures deeper, the wind carries fragments of voices, weaving a tale of a powerful entity imprisoned within the heart of the forest. (Passive Perception check to hear the whispers. History check to understand the snippets of the story)
- Passive Perception: Hear the faint whispers on the wind. (DC varies based on wind intensity and distance from the source)
- History (DC 16): Understand the snippets of the story carried by the wind, piecing together the tale of the imprisoned entity and the potential consequences of its release.
Plot Hooks:
The Desperate Lord’s Reward:
- Lord Edgar: A once jovial man, Lord Edgar has become increasingly haggard and desperate. The blight on the Weeping Wood has choked off vital trade routes and poisoned the land surrounding his castle. He offers a hefty reward in gold and a parcel of fertile land to any adventurers who can permanently cleanse the forest.
- Hidden Motive (Optional): Lord Edgar might have a secret connection to the corruption. Perhaps his ancestors made a pact with the imprisoned entity, and he fears the consequences of the entity’s release. He might be hoping the adventurers will find a way to cleanse the forest without freeing the entity.
The Druids’ Urgent Plea:
- Elder Elara: The leader of a reclusive druid circle bordering the Weeping Wood, Elder Elara has witnessed the corruption spreading outwards. Twisted vines strangle nearby streams, and once-healthy animals bear strange mutations. Filled with dread, she pleads with the adventurers to help.
- Nature’s Fury (Optional): If the corruption isn’t stopped, Elder Elara warns of a potential ecological disaster. The twisted magic of the Weeping Wood could warp the surrounding lands, creating monstrous creatures and unleashing deadly storms.
The Whispering Artifact:
- Unearthed Legacy: One of the party members has a connection to a powerful artifact rumored to be hidden within the Weeping Wood. Perhaps it’s a family heirloom mentioned in forgotten scrolls, or a fragment of a legendary weapon that calls to the character’s lineage.
- Twisted Power: As the character gets closer to the artifact, they experience strange dreams and visions. The artifact itself might be corrupted by the Weeping Wood’s blight, offering immense power at a terrible cost. This creates a personal dilemma for the character – claim the artifact and potentially unleash further corruption, or leave it behind and potentially lose a powerful tool.
Stat Block:
- Corrupted Wisp (New Creature):
- Medium monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 8)
- Speed 30 ft.
- Skills Stealth +4
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages –
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
- Actions
- Touch of Corruption. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 2) necrotic damage. The target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
DM Notes:
The corruption in the Weeping Wood is caused by a trapped entity – a powerful fey creature or a corrupted nature spirit.
The shimmering light mentioned by the Lost Travelers leads to a hidden grove, the heart of the corruption.
The Whispering Winds reveal the entity’s imprisonment and the terrible choice: free it to cleanse the forest, risking its unpredictable nature, or find another way to purify the land.
Layer Interaction Notes:
The Weeping Wood can be part of a larger campaign, with the corruption spilling over from another plane of existence (Feywild or Shadowfell).
The freed entity could become a recurring ally or antagonist, depending on the party’s choice.
The source of the corruption could be linked to a villain’s plot, adding another layer of complexity to the story.
This is just a starting point, feel free to add your own creative twists and encounters to make The Weeping Wood a memorable part of your D&D campaign!
Here are some additional ideas:
- Deception (DC 12): The Lost Travelers could be bandits in disguise. A successful check allows the party to see through their pleas and gain the upper hand.
- Persuasion (DC 15): The party might convince the Corrupted Twig Blights to stand down by appealing to their former nature spirits or offering them a way to be free of the corruption.
- Arcana (DC 18): By understanding the nature of the corruption, a character might be able to find a way to purify the Weeping Wood without freeing the entity.
