The Whispered Path: Shadows of the Forsaken Grove
Setting: The Forsaken Grove
Deep in the heart of an ancient, sprawling forest known as the Forsaken Grove lies an ethereal pathway said to lead to the elusive Whispering Altar—a mystical shrine dedicated to forgotten nature deities. Within this grove, ambient mists swirl around twisted trees that seem to draw in shadows, creating an atmosphere of both eerie beauty and palpable tension.
Due to the malevolent energy that has accumulated in the area, the spirits of those who have lost their lives here whisper warnings and cryptic messages, often luring the unwary into traps. To reach the Whispering Altar and restore balance, the party must traverse the forest, facing not only the natural dangers of the grove but also the cursed spirits that have turned into vengeful shades.
Objective
The party must reach the Whispering Altar at the center of the Forsaken Grove, capture the spirit of a long-lost guardian, and free it from its torment. Doing so will allow the guardian to channel its energy back into the grove, restoring harmony and dispelling the malevolent forces that threaten it.
Characters
The Spirit of the Guardian (Ascalor): Once a protector of the grove, Ascalor has been trapped and twisted by the dark powers surrounding the altar. The players will need to confront Ascalor, who now appears as a haunting wraith, drifting between rage and sorrow.
The Shade of Merith: A former druid who succumbed to despair, Merith guards the path with a malicious intelligence. The players will encounter Merith as an NPC who tries to mislead them with false memories and riddles, testing their resolve to reach the altar.
The Undead Sentinels: Animated by the dark magic saturating the grove, these spectral warriors serve Ascalor, intercepting any who would attempt to breach the altar's sanctum.
Encounter Setup
The players enter the Forsaken Grove, their senses heightened by the unnatural quiet that surrounds them. The pathway ahead is obscured by thick mists, but they can faintly hear whispers mingling with the soft rustling of leaves. Glowing fungi thrive on the forest floor, faintly illuminating their surroundings and illuminating the twisted roots that seem to reach out like skeletal fingers.
Upon entering the grove, the party may roll a Wisdom (Perception) check (DC 15) to pick up on a subtle tremor in the ground—an indication of a hidden sinkhole nearby. Those who fail the check get too close to a thicket, activating a trap that collapses ground beneath them.
Trap: The Sinkhole
- Players falling into the sinkhole must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 13) to grab the edges; those who fail take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and are trapped, requiring a DC 15 Strength check to escape.
The Pathway Challenges
Once around the sinkhole, the party encounters an eerie miasma that whispers, "Find the truth where shadows creep." If players try to commune with the spirits using magic, they receive uncanny riddles hinting that they've come to "unravel sorrow," putting them on the right track to the altar.
Puzzle: The Riddle of Shadows
The players face a series of stones carved with bizarre symbols and riddles, which they must decipher to unlock the path further. A successful Intelligence (Investigation) check (DC 14) grants insight into the symbols representing various emotions—fear, joy, sorrow, and love.
To advance, they must step on the stones in the order of the emotions' intensities related to their purpose—the path will only reveal itself if the emotions are traversed in chronological order (from love, moving towards sorrow).
If the players mess up or step on the wrong stone, spectral heads emerge from the earth, causing psychic damage (1d6 psychic) and hindering their progress until they solve the puzzle correctly.
Confrontation: The Spirit Guards
As the players move closer to the altar, they will be confronted by the Undead Sentinels—ghostly figures clad in rusted armor. The Sentinels have lost their humanity but retain echoes of their past lives, making them formidable foes.
Undead Sentinel Stats
- AC: 14
- Hit Points: 40
- Attacks:
- Spectral Blade (Melee Attack): +6 to hit, 2d8 necrotic damage.
- Screaming Wail (Recharge 5-6): Each creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or take 3d6 psychic damage and be frightened until the end of their next turn.
The Sentinels will unleash their fury upon the players, using their wail to instill terror. As a tactic, they attempt to separate players from the group, targeting those who seem weaker or more focused on the altar to isolate them.
The Guardian's Apparition
Once the players defeat the Sentinels, they reach the Whispering Altar—a beautiful stone structure covered in luminescent foliage but pulsating with dark energy. Here, they encounter Ascalor, the spirit of the guardian. Ascalor appears as a flickering wraith of luminous energy, with sorrowful eyes that pierce through the mists.
Ascalor offers the players a chance of redemption, presenting them with three options—each corresponding to a part of the guardian’s past (wisdom, sacrifice, redemption). Players must convince the spirit that they understand the weight of its choices.
The group can choose to:
- Recite a poem that embodies the spirit's lost wisdom.
- Present a token that reminds them of sacrifice (could be a relic from their own journey).
- Express a memory of redemption that resonates with the spirit’s experiences.
Each choice requires a Charisma (Persuasion) check (DC 16) specific to the method they choose. The result can soothe Ascalor’s rage or further ignite it, altering the encounter’s difficulty. Should they fail, Ascalor will attack, channeling the power of the grove into violent energy.
Resolution: Trust of the Lost
Once they successfully earn Ascalor's trust, the wraith dissipates into motes of light, which encircle the players before merging with the Whispering Altar. The grove erupts with natural vigor, undoing the corruption that has festered for so long. Trees regrow, and the previously ominous atmosphere shifts to one of tranquility.
The whispering spirits that filled the air now fade to harmonious songs of gratitude, revealing hidden pathways leading toward the relics of the druid Merith, promising the players unique rewards such as enchanted items or nature-themed boons.
However, as the mists clear, the party must choose how to handle Merith's spirit, which they may still encounter. They can offer a chance at redemption or face her vengeful wrath, potentially drawing them into another layers of challenges.
The encounter closes with the players emerging from the grove, forever changed by their communion with the spirits; they might reflect on what restoring balance truly means. They return with not just relics but newfound wisdom to share, and perhaps, an ally in the form of the reformed guardian protecting the grove in the days to come.
