The Blighted Shrine of Wood

investigation and site-clearing quest with a moral choice at the climax

The Blighted Shrine of Wood

Lvl 8-124 to 6 characters3 to 4 sessions, depending on whether the party pursues the ritual path, the destruction path, or both before choosing.· Medium

“A sacred grove rots from the roots up, and only a hard choice can save what remains.”

— Hook · investigation and site-clearing quest with a moral choice at the climax

QuestgiverDandamara Shilden

Investigation and site-clearing quest with a moral choice at the climax

D&D 5E

Medium

Lvl 8-12

4 to 6 characters

3 to 4 sessions, depending on whether the party pursues the ritual path, the destruction path, or both before choosing.

4 NPCs

3 encounters

The Opening

“When druids of the Evergreen Court report trees turning black at the roots and forest creatures gone mad, your party is summoned to Halcyon Glade to confront a spreading blight before the sylvan heart of Arcanterra is lost forever.”
— Hook · investigation and site-clearing quest with a moral choice at the climax

Set the Scene

The party arrives at Halcyon Glade to find lanterns hung in silence, druidic wards guttering like dying embers, and the air heavy with the scent of wet bark and rot. Elenara Sylvanbark greets them beneath a ring of bent willows and asks them to enter the blighted grove before the Eldertree’s corruption spreads beyond recovery.

Patron

Questgiver

Dandamara Shilden

Elenara does not beg. She offers the party a solemn partnership, supplies a moon-silver ward token, and asks them to treat the grove as a living patient rather than a battlefield.

On the Streets · In the Books

Rumours

d4 · table

01
The roots started blackening after a moonless vigil at the shrine.
02
One druid claims the Eldertree whispered in a voice that was not its own.
03
Animals avoid the lower hollow beneath the shrine, even when food is placed there.
04
A hooded pilgrim was seen near the ward stones before the corruption worsened.

Stakes

If the party fails, the blight spreads into the Evergreen Court’s broader territory, the grove’s guardians weaken, and the region loses a sacred source of renewal. If they succeed, they preserve or transform a powerful place of living magic and determine whether mercy, duty, or sacrifice defines the grove’s future.

Ticking Clock·Each long rest taken within the blighted ring deepens the corruption. After three full days, the outer wards fail entirely and the blight begins moving into neighboring groves and settlements.

Background Lore

At the center of the Evergreen Court’s sacred grove stands an ancient Eldertree known as Sylvros, a living pillar of memory, shelter, and seasonal renewal. A shadow blight has sunk into its roots, blackening bark, twisting beasts, and making the surrounding woods feel as if they are holding their breath. The druids of the Evergreen Court believe the corruption is anchored to the Sigil of Wood hidden within the shrine beneath the tree. They need outsiders who can move where the grove’s own defenders hesitate, uncover the source of the blight, and choose the fate of the Eldertree before the corruption spreads to every root in the valley.

What the World Knows

An ancient Eldertree at the heart of the Evergreen Court’s sacred grove has been poisoned by shadow energy. Twisted roots crawl outward, corrupting flora and wildlife. The druids plead for heroes to enter the blighted ring, confront the corruption’s source, and reclaim the Sigil of Wood that will restore the grove’s life force. They must decide whether to purify the tree through an elaborate druidic ritual or fell its trunk and honor the freed spirits in a new guardian’s creation.