Corrupted Redwood Grove

Start-class article · First seen: s2 · Last seen: s3
Corrupted Redwood Grove
the corrupted forest · the redwoods · the Grove
Corrupted Redwood Grove — portrait.
Location
StatusActive
First seens2
Last seens3

The Corrupted Redwood Grove is the forest east of Wyrmbough Grove that the party cleared in sessions 2 and 3. Its corruption was the lingering residue of the ancient green dragon Death-at-Sunset, whose burial mound of 34 fallen elves stands at the centre — the only patch untouched by the rot. Six redwoods, a poisoned stream, a muddy bog, a burnt bandit camp, and the cave-entrance to Sunset is Nigh’s Lair are the documented features. The grove began to recover after the absorption of the dragon hoard’s essence in s3 [5].

Overview

The Corrupted Redwood Grove is a fading-forest tract east of Wyrmbough Grove, rotted through by the residual poison of Death-at-Sunset’s long burial. The party harvested six bark samples from its redwoods in session 2, fought four sequential combats clearing it (zombie bandits, a hostile Dryad, a giant centipede with insect swarm, and three “mud mosquitoes” with death-burst dex saves), and crossed the poisoned stream in session 3 to enter Sunset is Nigh’s Lair.

Geography and appearance

Six harvestable redwoods, all corrupted, with bark that pops poisoned pustules on contact (Vazquez took 3 necrotic damage from one in [1]. A poisoned stream cuts the grove east-west; leeches infest the water. A muddy bog houses the mud mosquitoes encountered in s2. A burnt bandit camp — three corpses around a dead fire, killed drinking from the stream — yielded the party’s first significant cash haul. Two-toed humanoid prints and large canine paw prints circle the camp (Harvo’s passive perception, [6]; their source has not been identified.

At the centre of the grove rises a dirt mound, ~30ft high, ringed by yellow sickly flowers and feathery grass — uncorrupted, untouched. This is Edvan’s burial mound, the memorial to the 34 elves who died defeating Death-at-Sunset in the Grove Wars. Standing on it grants visions: Caelumn dream-saw the dragon’s tunnel-suffocation of the elves and the location of her cave [4]; Harvo saw Edvan’s ghostly echo on a loop and recognised his empty scabbard as the home of the Dragonslayer Longsword [7].

Notable features

  • The six redwoods — bark samples taken (one each by the party); the source of Gwen Homora’s poison-resistance potions.
  • The burnt bandit camp — origin of 11gp + 240sp + 400cp + crossbows, scimitars, healer’s kit, hooded lantern, oil flasks, and a shovel.
  • The burial mound — central, uncorrupted, vision-granting.
  • The poisoned stream — leech-infested, requires Gwen Homora’s poison-resistance potions to cross safely.
  • The cave-mouth across the stream — entrance to Sunset is Nigh’s Lair.

History in the campaign

  • Session 2: Bark sample collection. The Dryad descends from the canopy and offers the party a riddle (“I am a wall grown from within. Storm writes scars across my skin. Take my circle and the heart goes still. Take a single scale and I live. What am I?”, [8]. The party answers “tree”; the correct answer is “bark”; combat ensues. Cholmondeley is dropped to 0 HP by a critical vine whip and stabilises on his first death save. Hugo decapitates the dryad with a 24-Athletics escape and a nat-20 attack of opportunity.
  • Session 3: Crossing the stream. Caelumn’s visions on the mound. The rescue of Armin Whisperwind at the cave mouth.
  • Session 3 (post-cave): The egg absorbs Death-at-Sunset’s hoard essence. The corruption begins to recede (Gwen Homora’s perception, [5].

Inhabitants

  • The Dryad (deceased, s2)
  • Three zombie bandits (deceased, s2)
  • A giant centipede + insect swarm (deceased, s2)
  • Three mud mosquitoes (deceased, s2)
  • Three small plant creatures in a side passage of the cave system (deceased, s3)
  • Edvan’s ghostly echo (the burial mound, nightly, non-interactive)

Status as of session 16

Cleansed of the worst of the corruption. The party has not returned. Edvan’s burial mound remains.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 2, line 1044 — Central dirt mound is untouched by corruption.
  2. ^ Session 2, line 1168-1276 — Dryad's riddle; combat.
  3. ^ Session 3, line 176-178 — Burial mound contains 34 elves and their leader Edvan.
  4. ^ Session 3, line 296-312 — Caelumn's vision on the burial mound shows Death-at-Sunset's tunnel-suffocation of the elves.
  5. ^ Session 3, line 1928 — Corruption recedes after the egg absorbs the hoard's essence.
  6. ^ Session 2, line 962 — Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 3, line 2144 — Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 2, line 1168 — Inline citation.