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<blockquote data-quote="Rae ArdGaoth" data-source="post: 3842265" data-attributes="member: 21064"><p><strong>Tests and Trials, addt'l notes by the DM</strong></p><p></p><p>The many aggressive, semi-intelligent animals of the forest are descendants of animals <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/awaken.htm" target="_blank">awoken</a> a long time ago by the Master. They've been had it driven into their heads since birth that they must protect the forest from the destructive, consumptive "Two-Footers" at all costs.</p><p></p><p>The Master is an ancient and powerful druid. Little is known about him. He is able to cast at least 5th level spells. He had lost some power over time, but during the course of this adventure he was empowered again and made young, through a reincarnation.</p><p></p><p>[sblock=Mechanics Notes: ]The Master is actually constantly spending XP to keep up various protection spells and to <em>awaken</em> creatures of the forest. Though the <em>awaken</em> spell doesn't say anything about children, I assumed that children of two awakened animals would also be awakened. But family lines die out and new creatures take up residence. At the beginning of Tests and Trials, he was very old (ancient age group) and low level (he could only cast L1 and L2 spells. He was unable to cast <em>awaken</em> at this point.</p><p></p><p>Every few hundred years, the Master uses a druidic artifact to reincarnate himself, making him young again and restoring his lost power. The stone can only be used once every few hundred years and requires a complicated ritual to activate. The ritual involves speaking in druidic and the participation of awakened animals. The stone itself is massive and buried under the earth. The stone was recently activated (at the end of Tests and Trials, actually) so it is useless for another few hundred years.[/sblock]</p><p>The "wizard" and his "apprentice" in this adventure were actually simple peasants who obtained the deed to this land for a pittance, because it was useless thanks to all the crazed creatures. Only the tower clearing was protected from the creatures, for reasons made clear later. The peasants planned on hiring the adventurers to clear the land "as a test of their ability" and then send them on "the real quest", giving the peasants time to sell the land at a greatly increased price and then disappear. Their plan failed, and the party, under orders from the Master, ended up killing the "wizard".</p><p></p><p>The party did successfully expel the loggers from the woods. They returned to the tower clearing, where the Master explained that every 500 years (I think... can't remember the exact number) a ritual took place at the center of the clearing, powered by an artifact stone underneath the tower. The Master was very weak by now and could not gain access to the clearing for some reason (I can't recall why...), so he had the party do it.</p><p></p><p>At the end, they were witness to the reincarnation of the Master. He arose at full power and told the party he would protect these woods from the corruption of man for many years to come. The party was spared their lives because they fulfilled the Master's tasks, but they are not any more welcome in the forest today than any other "Two-Footer".</p><p></p><p>-----------------</p><p></p><p>There is a small problem with this adventure, in that it takes place a mere hour north of Orussus. Maybe 5 miles, max. Such an ancient and powerful force is rather close to that populated area, and yet it's relatively unknown and unexploited. The obvious reason might be the aggressive wild creatures scaring off potential development, though it seems unlikely that some adventurers wouldn't get suspicious and go digging for treasure. Really, though, the only treasure to be found is the artifact rock, and that's only of use to a druid. So adventurers may have ventured in, hacked and slashed a while, found nothing and left, only serving to fuel the creatures' hatred for "Two-Footers". Commoners and developers have no shortage of area nearby to settle in otherwise, so they simply avoid settling in the "haunted forest". Also, I think the protected patch of woods is relatively small.</p><p></p><p>Dungannon's Devlin was PC in this adventure. He may have something to add. Also, a disclaimer: I can't remember exactly what happened, so the above summarization may not be entirely accurate... But it's something.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rae ArdGaoth, post: 3842265, member: 21064"] [b]Tests and Trials, addt'l notes by the DM[/b] The many aggressive, semi-intelligent animals of the forest are descendants of animals [url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/awaken.htm]awoken[/url] a long time ago by the Master. They've been had it driven into their heads since birth that they must protect the forest from the destructive, consumptive "Two-Footers" at all costs. The Master is an ancient and powerful druid. Little is known about him. He is able to cast at least 5th level spells. He had lost some power over time, but during the course of this adventure he was empowered again and made young, through a reincarnation. [sblock=Mechanics Notes: ]The Master is actually constantly spending XP to keep up various protection spells and to [I]awaken[/I] creatures of the forest. Though the [i]awaken[/i] spell doesn't say anything about children, I assumed that children of two awakened animals would also be awakened. But family lines die out and new creatures take up residence. At the beginning of Tests and Trials, he was very old (ancient age group) and low level (he could only cast L1 and L2 spells. He was unable to cast [i]awaken[/i] at this point. Every few hundred years, the Master uses a druidic artifact to reincarnate himself, making him young again and restoring his lost power. The stone can only be used once every few hundred years and requires a complicated ritual to activate. The ritual involves speaking in druidic and the participation of awakened animals. The stone itself is massive and buried under the earth. The stone was recently activated (at the end of Tests and Trials, actually) so it is useless for another few hundred years.[/sblock] The "wizard" and his "apprentice" in this adventure were actually simple peasants who obtained the deed to this land for a pittance, because it was useless thanks to all the crazed creatures. Only the tower clearing was protected from the creatures, for reasons made clear later. The peasants planned on hiring the adventurers to clear the land "as a test of their ability" and then send them on "the real quest", giving the peasants time to sell the land at a greatly increased price and then disappear. Their plan failed, and the party, under orders from the Master, ended up killing the "wizard". The party did successfully expel the loggers from the woods. They returned to the tower clearing, where the Master explained that every 500 years (I think... can't remember the exact number) a ritual took place at the center of the clearing, powered by an artifact stone underneath the tower. The Master was very weak by now and could not gain access to the clearing for some reason (I can't recall why...), so he had the party do it. At the end, they were witness to the reincarnation of the Master. He arose at full power and told the party he would protect these woods from the corruption of man for many years to come. The party was spared their lives because they fulfilled the Master's tasks, but they are not any more welcome in the forest today than any other "Two-Footer". ----------------- There is a small problem with this adventure, in that it takes place a mere hour north of Orussus. Maybe 5 miles, max. Such an ancient and powerful force is rather close to that populated area, and yet it's relatively unknown and unexploited. The obvious reason might be the aggressive wild creatures scaring off potential development, though it seems unlikely that some adventurers wouldn't get suspicious and go digging for treasure. Really, though, the only treasure to be found is the artifact rock, and that's only of use to a druid. So adventurers may have ventured in, hacked and slashed a while, found nothing and left, only serving to fuel the creatures' hatred for "Two-Footers". Commoners and developers have no shortage of area nearby to settle in otherwise, so they simply avoid settling in the "haunted forest". Also, I think the protected patch of woods is relatively small. Dungannon's Devlin was PC in this adventure. He may have something to add. Also, a disclaimer: I can't remember exactly what happened, so the above summarization may not be entirely accurate... But it's something. [/QUOTE]
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