Tell Me About
the Forest You
Once Called Home

A Quest for "Everway"
or other Fantasy RPGs

Scenario © by Jon Rowe
Artwork © by Wayne Chisnall


Riddles: The Mother of Timberholme

This encounter may help the heroes: it occurs in the Forest, ideally to a hero has has become "lost". Heroes may escape from the encroaching trees by following a distant singing, arriving in a glade where a heavily pregnant woman, dressed in rags, boils a small pot over a little fire. The Woman smiles in welcome and offers frightened and footsore heroes rest and a meal.

This is Alruna, a manifestation of the positive, life-giving aspect of the Forest which the villagers have demonised and rejected. She exists in peace here and around her the woods pose no threat. Alruna will not reveal she is a spirit, but will chatter to heroes about the realm and the Forest:

  • Asked how she can survive here in the Forest, she replies: "I do not fear the Forest because I do not hate it. Why should I hate it? It takes nothing from me except my toils and gives me only what I can earn."

  • Asked if she fears for her baby, she answers: "The future is uncertain, but that doesn't frighten me. I may not give my child wealth or prosperity, but I can give her love and that is enough."

  • Asked about the villagers, she replies: "They cannot live with themselves. How, then, can they expect to live with the Forest?"

  • Asked about Ash, she will say: "He has tried to make men live like gods, but that cannot be. No man can stand before the Forest and look into its secrets. Men need gods, and if they cannot have gods they will have demons instead."

Alruna will only be encountered once. If the villagers are asked about her, they will speak of the witch-woman or cannibal-hag who lives in the Forest and (they believe) devours the children who stray from the paths. Heroes should realise how this perception of an ogress differs from their encounter with the Mother, and draw their own conclusions.

Climax: The Heart of Darkness

The heroes might end up here because they've all been captured by the Forest or brought here by Ash for sacrifice; alternatively, they might have hacked their way through the Forest with villager allies or been "invited" here by the Forest following the death or expulsion of Ash.

In the heart of the Forest is a grassy clearing dominated by a single ancient oak, gnarled and warped and many yards in circumference. The Black Oak exudes an aura of evil and houses the Spirit of the Forest itself. All around the clearing are similarly warped trees, ash and oak, twisted into grotesque shapes. Bodies hang from the trees or are seen to be entombed within them - limp hands, rotting faces or gleaming skulls projecting out of the cracked wood - the Forest's victims. The miasma is choking and the air buzzes with flies while the earth squirms with maggots and bugs feeding on the dropping flesh.

Previously-captured heroes will be entombed within trees but still alive, as will Holly, and Rowan if Ash took her. If the heroes came looking for other vanished-Spherewalkers, they'll be here too.

Once the heroes arrive, the glade animates. The trees shudder and shake, tearing up their roots and animating their branches. The bodies also animate, clutching for freedom, screaming for release, cursing the Forest in cracked voices: the bodies are dead but their spirits are trapped in the trees, festering with hatred and fear. The Black Oak takes on the semblance of life, a great rent spliting its sides like a mouth, uttering roars and groans. It bellows for fresh victims: "Feed the Trees, that death may beget new life - fulfil your Pact with Us!" As it roars, the dead spirits curse it, shrieking to the heroes to attack the Forest and destroy the Oak..

Heroes can resolve this quest in several ways:-

    Kill the Black Oak

      This involves a massive fight, with the heroes (and possible allies) on one side and an army of animated trees on the other. If the heroes can get to the Black Oak and destroy it, the spirits are all released: the trees explode, releasing their prisoners and the spirits rush screaming into the woods.

    Heroic Self-Sacrifice

      The Black Oak itself desires the end of the Pact, which has corrupted the villagers and the Forest. If a single hero comes as a willing sacrifice, wishing to put an end to the Pact, the Oak will enfold her and the spirits quietly sigh, sinking back into the woods forever.

    Reconciliation

      Heroes may realise how the darkness originates in the hearts of the villagers and may try to reconcile them with the Black Oak, and the Forest. Magic or Powers of persuasion may help, but if the villagers can be led into embracing the Oak and renouncing their Pact peacefully, the trees will release their prisoners, living and dead.

    Appendix: Other RPGs

    AD&D (contributed by Mark Johnson)

    Timberholme could be located in the Timberway Forest in the Barony of Ratik, or the Gnarley Forest on the Wild Coast (World of Greyhawk); or Ashenwood in Rashemen or the Yuirwood in Aglarond (Forgotten Realms). PCs may come here to investigate the disappearance of previous adventurers in the area. The woods radiate evil dimily, in the Heart of Darkness the evil is very strong. Similarly. most of the villagers are NE or LE in alignment (except Rowan and Dale). Ash is True Neutral: the evil here is not his doing, but has been projected onto the Forest by the villagers.

    N hm D7; Str 13; Dex 14; Con 18; Int 10; Wis 16; Cha 16

    Armour Class: 5 (barkskin) Move: 12 Hit Points: 49

    Number of Attacks: 1 Damage: 1-6+1 (staff of the woodlands +1) THAC0 15

    Weapon Proficiencies: Staff

    Non-weapon Proficiencies: Herbalism, Healing, Survival, Tracking

    Languages: Common, Treantish, Druidic

    Magical Items: Staff of the Woodlands +1

    Spells: (1st Level) Entangle, Shillelagh, (2nd Level) Warp Wood, Trip, (3rd Level) Spike Growth, Plant Growth, (4th Level) Plant Door, (Bonus 5th Level) Commune with Nature

    ARS MAGICA

    Timberholme may be set in pagan Scandinavia or some other place far from the Dominion. Magi may come here to investigate the strong aura or locate a magus who vanished hunting for rare herbs. The area has a Magic aura of 5 and the Heart of Darkness is located within a regio with an aura of 8 - all this will vanish when the Pact is destroyed. Ash is a non-Hermitic wizard who can use certain formulaic spells with a +30 modifier and has +30 magic resistance.

    All Ash's spells should be treated as if supported with raw vis. Intelligence 0, Perception +1, Strength 0, Stamina +4, Presence +2, Communication -2. Dexterity 0, Quickness +1

    Virtues & Flaws: Enduring Consitution +1, Strong-Willed +1, Magic Resistance +5 (for 30 points), Exceptional Talent (herbalism) +1, Blatant Gift -1, Hedge Wizard -1, Non-Spontaneity -5, Obligation (serve Forest) -1

    Abilities: Speak Own Language 4, Herbalism 4, Alertness 2, Chirugery 3, Dodge 2, Folk Ken 3, Survival 4, Staff Attack 3, Staff Parry 5

    Personality Traits: Driven +3, Coherent -3, Verbose +1

    Weapons & Armour: Quarterstaff, Fur Cuirass

    Spells: Stance of the Patient Tree (MuCo40), Trap of the Entwining Vines (CrHe15), Intuition of the Forest (InHe10), Converse with Trees (InHe25), Calling the Council of Trees (InHe45), Stir the Slumbering Tree (MuHe25), Tangle of Wood & Thorns (ReHe15), Lord of the Trees (ReHe25)

    Middle Earth Role Plying (Contributed by Chris Nicoll)

    Timberholme can be situated in Mirkwood, Fangorn or the Old Forest. PCs may be here to investigate unpaid tribute or missing travellers passing through these woods. The villagers are Woodmen and Ash is an Animist priest of the Alanakyn ("Cult of Growing").

    LVL 8, HITS 94, AT 8, DB 10, SH no, GR no, MELEE OB 78QS*, MISSILE OB no, MM -15, Notes Woodman Animist

    Spell Lists: Animal Mastery, Calm Spirits, Creations, Direct Channeling, Nature's Lore, Nature's Movement, Plant Mastery, Purifications, Surface Ways

    Special Items: Quarterstaff of Araw +20M (when planted in ground, will increase plant growth within 10' by x100 and allow control of the plant); Circlet of Araw (unlimited casting of Plant Mastery spells to 20th level)

    NB: Use the stats for "Evil Trees" for the animated forest.

    Pendragon

    Timberholme is a Saxon community in the Perdue Forest or Forest Sauvage. The Saxons are bondsmen but their Cymric overlord is far distant. A recent tribute-collector visiting Timberholme has vanished and the PCs are to investigate. The Forest has 5d20 Ambient Life Force throughout and 10d20 at the Heart of Darkness. Ash is a Saxon Godar magician; for him, animating the trees is a 150 point Divine Miracle: he has this spell prepared in his Talisman (his staff). His quarterstaff is a two-handed weapon with no damage bonus, but a +15 modifier when using the Defend tactic.

    Current Insight: 3500

    SIZ: 14, DEX: 11, STR 10, CON 18, APP 7

    Move 2, Damage 4d6, Hit Points 28, Armour 4

    Attacks: Quartertaff 16

    Magical Talents: Divine Miracle 20, Divination 15, Heal 5, Sacred Space 10

    Significant Traits: all Religious Traits at 18 (Life Force 5d20, Magic Limit 180)

    Significant Passions: Love (Forest) 18

    Significant Skills: Awareness 12, Celestial Lore 8, Chirugery 14, Folk Lore 14, Geomantic Lore 16, Hunting 15, Orate 10, Religion 12, Sight 20

    RuneQuest

    Timberholme can be set anywhere in northern Europa or among any Barbarian peoples. The PCs may be sent here by their own shaman, concerned about the corruption in the forest. Ash is a Shaman whose Fetch is the Forest itself: treat as INT 10 and POW 20. Ash can use the Summoning ritual to summon tree-spirits which animate the trees: he can then use spirit-magic to summon and command these creatures.

    STR 13, CON 18, SIZ 14, INT 10, POW 16, DEX 11, APP 7

    Move 3, Hit Points 16, Fatigue 31-6=25, Magic Points 16, DEX SR 3

    R Leg 1/6, L Leg 1/6, Abdomen 2/6, Chest 2/8, R Arm 1/5, L Arm 1/5, Head 0/6

    Spells: (Spirit Magic 74%) Befuddle, Bludgeon 3, Control (Trees), Countermagic 3, Detect Enemies, Endurance 2, Heal 3, Mobility 2, Protection 3, Summon (Trees)

    Skills: Climb 38%, Dodge 28%, Throw 31%, Orate 23%, Sing 40%, Speak Own Language 36%, First Aid 49%, Animal Lore 59%, Human Lore 56%, Plant Lore 95%, Ceremony 68%, Summon 63%, Listen 35%, Track 42%

    Weapon: Staff (SR 6, Attk 33% , Damage 1D6+1D4, Parr 33% , Pts 6 - allows Sweep attack)

    More Timberholme

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