TEXT: In the Heart of the Forest
  A Dark Woodland Adventure
  by Beth Ball
  1-on-1 or Parties
  Level 5 or 6
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
  In the Heart of the Forest     1 
  In the Heart of the Forest 
   
  A Dark Woodland Adventure 
   
  Introduction: A huge thank you to Jeff Stevens for my scholarship to the RPG Writer 
  Workshop that guided me through making this adventure. I appreciate it so much!  
  Additional thanks to Ashley Warren, for heading up the workshop, and to Makenzie 
  DeArmas and Collette Quach for the encouragement and ideas along the way!   
  And finally, to Jonathan, for helping me when I was stuck and for the constant support and 
  belief in my writing J 
  Art Credit: Cover Photo by Marko Blažević on Unsplash 
  Other pictures by: Wizards of the Coast stock art and Design Cuts resources 
  A one-shot adventure for 5th-6th level characters. 
  The adventure contains two possible sidekick characters and leveling 
  tables to aid one-on-one and small-party play. 
   
  by Beth Ball 
   
   
   
   
  	
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other 
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  of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the 
  express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
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  Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
  In the Heart of the Forest     2 
  Synopsis 
  In	this	adventure,	the	characters	gather	information	
  in	the	small	village	of	Redvale	on	the	outskirts	of	the	
  Blackwoods	Forest.	They	go	into	the	forest	in	search	
  of	Adelle,	a	druid	whose	other	eleven	Circle	members	
  have	disappeared	within	the	last	year.		
  	 Inside	the	forest,	they	discover	several	undead	
  beings,	including	a	wood	woad,	who	guides	them	to	
  Adelle.	She	and	her	Circle	learned	a	year	before	of	a	
  sorceress’s	plan	to	extend	her	power	beyond	the	
  forest,	a	death	sentence	for	the	village	of	Redvale	and	
  the	lands	beyond.	Their	only	recourse,	they	decided,	
  was	to	transform	themselves	into	wood	woads,	
  eternal	forest	guardians,	which	would	allow	them	to	
  contain	her	influence.	Adelle	is	the	last	one	left.		
  	 She	is	suspicious	of	the	party	at	first,	but	she	might	
  help	them	get	to	the	center	of	the	forest	to	investigate	
  the	dark	sorceress	and	try	to	put	a	stop	to	her	
  destructive	plans.		
  How to Use this 
  Adventure 
  This	adventure	is	setting	neutral	and	could	be	easily	
  placed	in	the	Forgotten	Realms,	at	the	edge	of	the	
  Moonwood,	for	instance,	or	any	homebrew	location	
  that	has	dark	forests.		
  				This	adventure	assumes	that	you	have	access	to	
  the	Players	Handbook	(PHB),	the	Monster	
  Manual	(MM),	and	the	Dungeon	Master’s	Guide	(DMG).	
  Items	or	creatures	that	are	not	referenced	in	these	
  texts	will	be	referenced	in	the	appendix.	
  Text box example: Text that appears in a box like this 
  may be read aloud, paraphrased, or omitted as you 
  prefer. It is intended to help describe scenarios and 
  environments. 
  Sidebar example 
  Text that appears in sidebars is also optional and intended 
  to provide extra background information or lore that may 
  be helpful as you flesh out the adventure. 
  Creatures	with	stat	blocks,	magic	items,	or	important	
  tables	appear	in	bold	with	reference	information	
  directly	following	in	parentheses:	3x	Goblins	(MM	
  166).	This	means	that	the	party	encounters	three	
  goblins.	The	goblin	stat	block	may	be	found	in	the	
  Monster	Manual	on	page	166.	
  	
  Adventure Hooks 
  The	most	direct	route	to	the	party’s	next	destination	
  is	through	a	dark	part	of	the	forest.	They	stop	in	the	
  nearby	town	for	supplies	before	continuing	their	
  travels	and	hear	strange	rumors	about	the	forest	they	
  need	to	navigate.			
  	
  The	party	reads	a	posting	on	a	job	board	asking	for	a	
  band	of	explorers	willing	to	help	a	small	village	exact	
  justice	on	a	dangerous	individual.		
  	
  If	the	party	has	nature-based	magic	users	present,	
  they	might	sense	a	darkness	or	faultline	in	the	Weave.	
  When	they	pursue	this	feeling,	they	stumble	upon	
  Redvale	to	find	out	what’s	going	on.		
  	
  If	the	party	is	already	in	a	town,	perhaps	they	begin	to	
  hear	rumors	a	druid	woman	in	the	forest	whose	
  entire	Circle	has	disappeared,	including	a	young	local	
  man,	Cyrus.	They’re	all	presumed	dead.	A	few	who	
  have	gone	into	the	forest	recently	haven’t	returned	at	
  all.	It	would	be	best	if	the	party	steered	clear	of	the	
  druid.			
  Adventure 
  Background 
  In	ages	past,	the	village	of	Redvale	made	a	pact	with	a	
  sorceress:	they	would	give	her	control	over	the	heart	
  of	their	forest	in	exchange	for	plentiful	harvests.	The	
  sorceress	has	abided	by	this	pact	until	now.	Her	
  powers	are	growing,	and	she’s	preparing	to	extend	
  her	reach.	
  	 	Nearly	one	year	ago,	the	local	druid	circle	learned	
  of	the	sorceress’s	plans	as	her	power	and	dark	
  influence	began	to	spread.		
  	 Secretly,	one	by	one,	the	druids	have	been	
  transforming	themselves	into	wood	woads	to	spare	
  the	village	and	countryside	from	an	expansion	of	the	
  sorceress’s	control.	The	ritual	requires	a	full	moon,	so	
  they	performed	one	ceremony	each	month.	It	has	
  been	eleven	months	and	a	few	weeks,	and	the	full	
  moon	is	approaching.		
  	 The	village	remained	unaware	of	the	sacrifices	until	
  a	local	man,	Cyrus,	who	left	to	join	the	druids	a	few	
  years	before,	disappeared	entirely	one	month	ago.	
  They	think	the	final	druid,	Adelle,	killed	him,	and	they	
  want	justice.		
  	 They	have	no	memory	of	the	sorceress’s	bargain,	
  and	they	have	a	deep	distrust	of	the	druids	and	their	
  magic.		
  	
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
  In the Heart of the Forest     3 
  Characters 
  Adelle—The	final	druid	of	the	Blackwoods	Circle.	She	
  feels	an	enormous	responsibility	for	the	fate	of	the	
  forest,	the	druids,	and	the	village.	She	keeps	a	close	
  secret:	she	is	the	descendant	of	the	sorceress	within	
  the	forest.	Adelle	could	serve	as	a	sidekick	character	
  for	1-on-1	play.	See	Appendix	D	for	her	stat	block	and	
  instructions	on	how	to	run	a	sidekick.	
  	 Adelle	enters	the	adventure	in	Chapter	Two.	
  Information	about	her	personality	and	characteristics	
  is	detailed	at	the	beginning	of	that	chapter.	
  	
  Cyrus—The	last	druid,	besides	Adelle,	to	undergo	the	
  transformation	and	become	a	wood	woad.	However,	
  in	an	unusual	twist	to	the	ceremony,	Cyrus	has	
  retained	some	of	his	own	personality.	This	is	perhaps	
  caused	by	his	birth	outside	the	forest,	unlike	the	other	
  druids,	or	maybe	his	care	for	Adelle.	He	finds	and	
  helps	the	party	on	their	journey	and	aims	to	assist	
  them	in	bringing	an	end	to	the	sorceress.		
  	
  Lorelei—The	village	trapper	and	one	of	the	few	still	
  willing	to	go	into	the	forest.	Lorelei	could	also	serve	as	
  a	sidekick	character	for	1-on-1	play,	especially	as	the	
  party	navigates	Chapter	One	and	before	they	meet	
  Adelle.	See	Appendix	D	for	her	stat	block	and	
  instructions	on	how	to	run	a	sidekick.	
  	
  Erayna—The	shadow	sorceress	whose	sights	have	
  expanded	beyond	the	borders	of	the	Blackwoods	
  Forest.	She	has	faced	others	who	tried	to	remove	her	
  from	power	before,	and	she	is	not	afraid	to	do	so	
  again.	
  	 Erayna	enters	the	adventure	in	Chapter	Three.	
  Information	about	her	personality	and	characteristics	
  is	detailed	at	the	beginning	of	that	chapter.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Prologue: Redvale 
  The	following	tables	are	meant	to	make	the	party’s	
  information-gathering	in	Redvale	easier.	Below,	you	
  will	find	some	possible	location	names,	townsfolk,	
  and	rumors.	The	preceding	adventure	hooks	will	also	
  help	with	information	for	the	villagers	to	
  communicate.		
  Villagers 
  Quincey— outgoing innkeeper of the Scarlet Leaf Inn 
  and Tavern, he has lots of free-wheeling stories and 
  his own fair share of forest lore. 
  Lorelei—village trapper, she knows about the three who 
  went into the forest before: Cyrus’s brother Delric and 
  his close friend Neil disappeared a week ago. Her 
  former assistant Julien was the first to investigate and 
  has been gone for a month. She will go with the party 
  to find him if they need a guide. 
  Eloise—capable village mayor, she’s relieved the 
  adventurers have arrived when they did. It’s high time 
  for law and order to be restored, even inside the 
  borders of the forest.  
  William—Cyrus’s cousin, one of the few willing to say 
  that the three who went into the forest weren’t 
  necessarily the most capable. It never sat right with 
  the village, Cyrus leaving town to settle in the depths 
  of the Blackwoods with a bunch of hermits. 
  Buildings and Locations 
  Scarlet Leaf Inn and Tavern 
  Vale Market 
  Blackwoods General Store 
  Fireside Bookshop 
  Rumors 
  Lucia, one of the oldest women in the village: Legends 
  tell of a fountain of youth in the heart of the forest, 
  said to be surrounded by beautiful red flowers. It’s for 
  them that the town was named.  
  Martin, a middle-aged farmer: Most people won’t say 
  so, and some don’t remember, but there was a time, 
  several decades ago, when people disappeared into 
  the forest and didn’t come out again.  
  Evie, a dark-haired woman with symbolic tattoos on her 
  hands and across her collarbones: She doesn’t want 
  to tell her fellow townsfolk as it would arouse 
  suspicion, but the harvest moon bade ill for this 
  season, warning of death. And, if they’re looking for 
  Adelle, she can be found in the eastern reaches of the 
  forest, among the scarlet blossoms.  
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
  In the Heart of the Forest     4 
  Chapter One: 
  Through the Fog 
  Careful of step, those yet living must be. Unimagined 
  treasure, the discerning may see. 
    
   
  —Karylenn, Evie’s mother 
  Against	the	advice	of	the	townsfolk	of	Redvale,	the	
  adventurers	make	their	way	into	the	forest	in	search	
  of	the	druid	woman	they’ve	been	warned	about.	
  Three	other	villagers	have	disappeared	within	the	
  last	month	and	may	still	be	alive	somewhere	in	the	
  forest.		
  The Blackwood is an old forest. Almost from first entry, 
  the dense fog that hangs about the tree roots obscures 
  the light and sounds from the vale beyond. 
  It’s quiet here. Aside from your own footfalls, you hear 
  nothing but the dark branches of foliage caressing one 
  another or a raven’s occasional cry.  
  Movement in the Mist 
  After	an	hour	of	travel,	a	successful	DC	15	Wisdom	
  (Perception)	check	alerts	the	party	to	something	
  moving	towards	them	in	the	woods.		
  After	a	few	tense	moments,	a	wraith	(Appendix	B,	
  MM	302)	appears.	It	screams	at	the	party	members	
  and	flies	forward	with	its	hands	outstretched.			
  	
  DM	Encounter	Tactics	Notes:	
  If	the	fight	starts	to	go	very	poorly	and	Lorelei	isn’t	
  already	with	the	party,	she	can	emerge	from	the	
  woods	after	a	few	rounds	and	help.	Lorelei	uses	the	
  Archer	stat	block	(Appendix	B).		
  	 It	might	be	difficult	for	the	party	to	flee	as	the	
  wraith	is	fast,	but	it	could	be	scared	away	by	the	
  dryad	(MM	121),	dire	wolves	(MM	321),	or	giant	
  elk	(MM	325)	from	the	random	encounters	table	in	
  the	next	section.			
  	 You	may	wish	to	negate	the	“create	specter”	action	
  to	help	the	party	if	things	turn	more	quickly	than	
  expected	and/or	to	allow	the	party	to	roll	death	saves	
  rather	than	having	their	character	die	if	their	hit	point	
  maximum	is	reduced	to	0.		
  Curse of the Blackwoods 
  As the adventurers travel deeper into the forest, the mist 
  thickens. All creatures whose passive Perception is below 
  13 must make vision-based skill checks at disadvantage.  
  Other Forest Forces 
  After	the	wraith	encounter,	the	party	continues	on	
  through	the	forest,	unsure	of	what	else	might	lie	in	
  wait	in	the	dense	fog.	
  As the horrible screams of the wraith fade away, the 
  mist around you thickens. The swirling smoke has risen 
  to waist-high, and a heavy silence presses in.  
  The	following	random	encounter	table	serves	to	
  further	set	the	mood	of	the	forest	and	what	watches	
  them	from	behind	the	trees.		
  	 See	“A	Wood	Woad	in	Waiting”	in	the	next	section	if	
  the	party	turns	violent	toward	the	forest	or	its	
  peaceful	inhabitants.	
  Possible Forest Denizens 
  d6 
  Creature or Effect 
  1 
  A dryad (MM 121) emerges from a nearby 
  tree. She silently observes the party. While 
  she does not speak to them, she does point 
  the way to Adelle’s glade if asked 
  respectfully.  
  2 
  A dire wolf (MM 321) steps out of the the 
  mist on a rise a stone’s throw away from the 
  party. As they watch, it howls, and its pack 
  comes to stand beside it. They fade back into 
  the forest away from the adventurers.  
  3 
  Haunting giggles echo through the tree 
  branches overhead. The party cannot find 
  the culprits but eventually can conclude that 
  pixies (MM 253) might be responsible for the 
  sounds.  
  4 
  Everyone in the party needs to succeed on a 
  DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Those who fail 
  are tripped up by tree roots and come 
  crashing to the forest floor.  
  5 
  Two beautiful glowing lights blink into 
  existence ahead of the party but in a 
  different direction from where they’ve been 
  heading. The lights are will-o’-wisps (MM 
  301) and they attack the party if they draw 
  near enough.  
  6 
  A giant elk (MM 325) with pale, pearlescent 
  horns crosses in front of the party, appearing 
  almost out of nowhere. Seeing such a rare 
  creature, said to foreshadow a great event, 
  heightens the gravity of the adventurers’ 
  quest.  
   
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     5 
  A Wood Woad in Waiting 
  Shortly	after	the	party’s	forest	encounters,	a	wood	
  woad	(Appendix	B)	appears.	It	watches	them	from	a	
  distance	unless	they	attempt	violence	against	any	of	
  the	peaceful	creatures	in	the	Possible	Forest	Denizens	
  chart.		
  	 The	wood	woad	cannot	speak,	and	it	approaches	
  slowly,	trying	to	judge	if	they	mean	it	harm	or	not.	So	
  long	as	the	party	is	calm	and	is	not	utilizing	fire,	it	
  walks	up	to	them	and	communicate,	through	simple	
  gestures,	that	it	can	guide	them	to	the	place	they’re	
  looking	for.		
  Wood Woad Lore 
  Those in the party who are proficient in Intelligence 
  (Nature) must succeed on a DC 15 check to try to recall 
  how wood woads are created.  
  • A wood woad is a powerful plant in humanoid form 
  invested with the soul of someone who gave up life to 
  become an eternal guardian. 
  Born of Sacrifice. The ritual to create a wood woad is a 
  primeval secret passed down through generations of 
  savage societies and dark druid circles. Performing the 
  ritual isn’t necessarily an act of evil, if the victim-to-be has 
  entered into a bargain that requires it to be a willing 
  sacrifice. 
   In the ritual a living person’s chest is pierced and the 
  heart removed. A seed is then pushed into the heart, and it 
  is placed in a tree. Any hollow or crook will do, but often a 
  special cavity is carved out of the trunk. The tree is then 
  bathed and watered with the blood of the sacrificed victim, 
  and the body is buried among the tree’s roots. After three 
  days, a sprout emerges from the ground at the base of the 
  tree and swiftly grows into humanoid form.  
   This new body, armored in tough bark and bearing a 
  gnarled club and shield, is at once ready to perform its 
  duty. The one who performed the ritual sets the wood 
  woad to its task, and the creature follows those orders 
  unceasingly.  
  It	is	unusual	for	a	wood	woad	to	have	retained	a	
  sense	of	self	as	this	wood	woad	has.	While	it	cannot	
  directly	disobey	Adelle’s	commands,	it	desires	to	save	
  her	from	its	own	fate	and	to	find	a	new	way	of	
  protecting	the	forest.		
  	
  	
   
   
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     6 
  Chapter Two: The 
  Druid Grove 
  I’m not afraid. You’re right. It’s just another way of 
  living. We’ll all be closer, even than before.  
    
   
  —Cryus’s final words 
  Adelle 
  Chaotic	Neutral	Female	Elf	
  Long	black	hair,	piercing	hazel	eyes,	coppery	skin	
  Ideal:	Nearly	anything	is	possible	if	one	only	has	the	
  courage	to	attempt	it.	The	natural	world	provides,	
  though	not	always	in	the	way	one	expects.	
  Flaw:	I	can	only	rely	on	myself,	and	I	owe	my	Circle	a	
  great	debt	for	the	sacrifices	they	made.	It’s	up	to	me	
  to	ensure	that	their	lives	weren’t	wasted.		
  Secret:	I	know	who	lurks	in	the	center	of	the	forest:	
  Erayna,	the	shadow	sorceress.	The	secret	I	would	
  like	to	take	to	my	grave	is	that	she	is	my	ancestor,	
  and	we	possess	the	same	form	of	druidic	magic.		
  Motivation:	I	want	to	prevent	the	spread	of	Erayna’s	
  power	beyond	the	heart	of	the	forest.	I	don’t	plan	
  on	the	lives	of	her	Circle	being	wasted.		
  Characteristics:	I	am	confident	and	quick	to	answer	
  questions,	but	I	am	suspicious	of	outsiders	and	
  cagey,	especially	about	topics	related	to	the	
  sacrifices	we’ve	made	and	my	ancestry.		
  Adelle’s	stat	block	and	the	druid	grove’s	can	be	found	
  in	Appendix	B.	
  	
  After hours of traveling through the forest, you finally 
  draw near to the glade you’ve been seeking. The trees 
  open up ahead of you to show, at the bottom of the hill, 
  a circle of pale silver trees surrounded by gorgeous 
  scarlet blossoms.    
  A	successful	DC	16	Wisdom	(Perception)	check	
  reveals	a	small	tent	and	fire	pit	in	the	clearing	ahead.		
  	 As	the	party	walks	down	the	hill	and	comes	upon	
  the	glade,	a	successful	DC	18	Wisdom	(Perception)	
  check	alerts	them	to	a	growing	darkness:	the	forest	is	
  encroaching	behind	them	as	they	walk	forward.	By	
  the	time	they	make	it	to	the	ring	of	trees,	the	area	
  behind	them	is	surrounded	by	ten	feet	of	vines.		
  	
  The	clearing	inside	the	trees	begins	to	fill	with	fog,	
  obscuring	their	sight	into	the	grove.	Adelle	calls	out	to	
  the	party	and	questions	who’s	trying	to	come	into	her	
  grove.	If	the	party	can	persuade	her	that	they	don’t	
  mean	her	any	harm,	she	lets	them	enter.		
  	 Adelle	receives	the	wood	woad	well	and	tells	him,	
  in	Druidic,	to	continue	his	watch.	Though	she	tries	to	
  hide	it,	Adelle	is	impressed	that	the	adventurers	
  caught	the	wood	woad’s	attention	and	favor.		
  	
  When	the	party	enters,	they	see	that	she’s	preparing	
  to	leave.		
  The druid is stand-offish and suspicious even as she 
  dismisses the gathering fog. Dark symbols and stacks of 
  bones litter the space around her grove. Each of these is 
  surrounded by a cluster of scarlet flowers.  
  Adelle	keeps	the	protective	vines	around	her	grove	
  while	she	and	the	party	discuss	what	happened	to	
  Cyrus	and	her	Circle.	While	she	speaks	with	them,	she	
  plays	with	an	acorn	pendant	on	a	chain	around	her	
  neck.	It	contains	2	Blackwoods	Seeds	(Appendix	C).	
  Adelle’s Information 
  Adelle	isn’t	keen	to	share	very	much	about	herself	or	
  her	Circle,	but	she	explains	her	fears	for	the	
  sorceress’s	expansion	of	power.		
  • If	the	sorceress	isn’t	held	in	check	by	the	wood	
  woads	or	defeated	and	prevented	from	rising	from	
  the	dead	again,	she	will	wipe	out	the	village	and	
  likely	much	of	the	surrounding	area	as	she	expands	
  her	horizons.		
  • Redvale’s	deal	with	her	is	the	only	enchantment	
  preventing	the	forest	from	overtaking	the	town.	
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     7 
  • Erayna	is	virtually	immortal	and	has	the	ability	to	
  rise	from	the	dead.	Life	and	death	mean	nothing	to	
  her,	and	she	uses	their	power	to	wield	over	others.	
  • She	has	a	rough	sketch	of	Erayna’s	courtyard	that	
  she	can	share	with	the	party	so	they	know	what	to	
  expect.	The	courtyard	lies	to	the	northeast,	amidst	a	
  vast	collection	of	the	scarlet	blossoms.	The	map	can	
  be	found	in	Appendix	A.	
  Blackwoods Druid Grove 
  The	stat	block	for	Adelle’s	grove	can	be	found	in	
  Appendix	B.	The	previous	description	includes	the	
  flavor	of	these	effects,	but	if	the	party	finds	
  themselves	in	a	combat	with	Adelle	or	in	possession	
  of	the	Seeds	of	the	Blackwoods	(Appendix	C),	that	
  stat	block	may	be	useful.	
  	
  Alternatively,	if	the	party	needs	to	flee	during	the	
  combat	in	Chapter	3,	Erayna	may	pursue	them	to	
  Adelle’s	grove,	which	would	have	the	protections	she	
  and	the	other	druids	established.	
  A Place to Rest  
  When	the	party	reaches	a	satisfying	conclusion	to	
  their	conversation	with	Adelle,	she	suggests	that	they	
  take	a	rest	for	the	night.			
  As the final rays of light extinguish themselves among 
  the branches, Adelle flicks her wrist and the small piles 
  of stone in front of all but one of the grove’s twelve 
  trees ignites, casting a dim glow over the area. 
  The Druids’ Burial Place 
  Each of Adelle’s druid circle members are buried under 
  one of the grove’s trees. The twelfth tree is for Adelle 
  herself. She snaps at anyone who attempts to disturb the 
  piles of rocks that mark the druids’ bodies’ resting places.  
  Adelle	assures	the	party	that	the	wood	woad	will	
  watch	over	them	as	they	sleep	and	that	the	area	is	
  quite	secure.	She	thickens	the	fog	after	she	calls	for	
  everyone	to	rest	for	the	evening	and	goes	to	sit	in	
  front	of	her	tree	to	meditate.		
  	
  Moonlit Scenarios 
  The	following	scenarios	assume	that	Adelle	grew	to	
  trust	the	party	but	still	believes	she	will	be	more	
  successful	on	her	own.	If	they	are	very	convincing	in	
  winning	her	over	or	express	a	strong	desire	to	go	
  with	her	to	the	heart	of	the	forest,	she	may	decide	not	
  to	leave	on	her	own.		
  • If	no	one	in	the	party	has	been	left	on	watch,	Adelle	
  leaves	to	handle	the	sorceress	on	her	own.		
  • If	the	party	does	stay	on	watch,	she	waits	and	
  shows	them	the	way	the	next	day.	
  • If	Adelle	leaves,	the	wood	woad	tries	to	wake	
  someone	up	to	get	them	to	go	after	her.	If	the	party	
  doesn’t,	they	find	the	sorceress	performing	the	
  wood	woad	ceremony	on	Adelle’s	body	when	they	
  arrive.		
  • If	they	go	after	her,	she	can	be	stopped	and	saved.		
   
   
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     8 
  Chapter Three: 
  The Red Glade 
  Fire is immortal: even in death, it fosters new 
  beginnings. 
    
  —Evelyn, the first phoenix druid 
  There	is	a	glade	deep	within	the	forest	where	the	
  scarlet	flowers	gather.	There,	the	party	finds	the	
  shadow	sorceress.	They	have	an	idea	of	the	glade’s	
  layout	from	Adelle,	and	the	wood	woad	guides	them	
  to	it	if	she	has	gone	ahead.	So	long	as	they	are	with	
  the	wood	woad,	they	won’t	have	to	worry	about	
  anything	attacking	them.		
  Erayna 
  Chaotic	Evil	Female	Elf	
  Ideal:	Immortality	and	rebirth	are	for	the	powerful,	
  and	it	is	they	who	should	hold	sway	across	the	
  world.	
  Flaw:	I	see	little	difference	between	life	and	death.	
  My	powers	are	a	force	to	bend	others	to	my	will.		
  Secret:	I	am	bound,	for	now,	to	the	heart	of	the	forest	
  by	my	own	ancient	vow	unless	my	control	over	the	
  undead	increases	enough	to	allow	me	to	spread	my	
  influence	across	the	land.	Any	allies	of	Adelle	are	
  frightening	as	my	heir	could	take	my	place,	though	I	
  find	it	unlikely.		
  Motivation:	I	want	to	prevent	Adelle	from	
  completing	the	dark	druidic	sacrifice	and	turning	
  herself	into	a	wood	woad.	I	wish	to	retain	the	most	
  powerful	position	in	my	family	line,	and	I	don’t	
  want	a	collection	of	eternal	trees	to	hold	me	back.	
  Characteristics:	I	am	elegant	and	careful	with	what	I	
  say.	I	delight	in	the	little	twists	that	precise	
  language	provides	and	seek	to	use	these	tricks	to	
  my	advantage	whenever	possible.		
  Erayna’s	stat	block	can	be	found	in	Appendix	B.	
  Just as Adelle said, something is amiss in the center of 
  the forest. Everything here is gray, as though it’s been 
  turned into stone or ash. Everything, that is, except the 
  red flowers. They’re lush and plentiful. 
   A cool breeze blows in your direction as you continue 
  forward. Each footstep crunches against the frosty 
  ground. 
  The Heart of the Forest 
  In a past age, Erayna made a deal with the populace of 
  Redvale to provide safety and abundance so long as they 
  left the heart of the forest to her. At the time, her 
  courtyard was part of a grand castle, but the forest has 
  reclaimed all but the central stones.  
   
  For the town’s prosperity to continue, a member of 
  Erayna’s line must hold sway in the center of the forest. 
  Adelle is not the first of Erayna’s descendants to try to 
  seize control from her, and the sorceress doubts she’ll be 
  the last.  
   
  Erayna’s power is druidic in nature and operates between 
  the forces of life and death, smoke and flame. Their family 
  line, among communities of druids, is known as the Circle 
  of the Phoenix, a rare lineage promising near-immortality.  
   
  Erayna’s shadowy cloak and black antlers symbolize her 
  power in the forest, a physical manifestation of her 
  influence. If she is killed and another wears the cloak and 
  red-flowered crown, Erayna cannot regenerate and return. 
   
  If the two articles are destroyed and no one controls the 
  courtyard, the town of Redvale slowly dwindles and dies as 
  the Darkwood reclaims its former domain.    
  Stepping into the Glade 
  A courtyard emerges from the mist in the clearing 
  ahead. The red flowers drape like spilled blood over 
  every vertical surface.  
  If Adelle went ahead of the party 
  The sound of muffled screaming reaches you just as the 
  courtyard comes into view. 
  In	the	courtyard,	a	cloaked	figure	bends	over	Adelle’s	
  body,	carving	her	heart	out	of	her	chest.	The	figure	
  pauses	when	the	party	enters	the	clearing	or	if	they	
  shout	or	attack.	
  If Adelle is still with the party 
  In the center of the courtyard, a raised dais waits. 
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     9 
  A	smoky	being	walks	out	of	the	mist,	body	wreathed	
  in	shadow,	and	takes	its	place	in	the	middle	of	the	
  raised	platform.			
  Erayna Addresses the Party 
  “Why	is	it	you’ve	come?”	the	figure	asks.	“This	is	not	a	
  place	for	mortals.	We	told	Julien	as	much,	but	he	
  refused	to	understand.	We	sensed	when	you	
  dispatched	him	yesterday.	That	is	very	good.”		
  	
  At	this	point,	Erayna	drops	her	shadowy	cloak	and	
  allow	it	to	fall	to	the	ground.	A	fire	pit	on	each	of	the	
  four	corners	of	the	dais	roars	to	life.		
  	 Standing	before	the	party,	they	see	an	ageless,	
  beautiful	elven	woman	with	dark	auburn	hair	clad	in	
  gray	armor,	wearing	a	crown	woven	from	the	red	
  flowers	and	bearing	a	set	of	black	antlers.		
  Erayna’s Offer 
  Erayna	is	a	reasonable	ruler	and	doesn’t	desire	a	
  great	deal	of	fuss.	If	the	party	would	be	willing	to	turn	
  Adelle	over	to	her,	or	simply	to	walk	away,	she	can	
  offer	them	great	riches	and	a	powerful	magical	
  reward.	She	extends	a	ring	carved	from	black	antlers,	
  bearing	a	ruby	in	the	center.		
  	 The	ring,	called	the	Phoenix	Heart	(Appendix	C),	
  has	the	ability	to	prevent	its	wearer	from	dying	and	to	
  bring	someone	of	their	choice	back	from	the	dead.		
  	 They’ve	chosen	a	noble	but	dangerous	path.	They	
  should	make	sure	to	protect	themselves.			
  Accepting Erayna’s Offer 
  If Adelle is not incapacitated and believes Erayna’s offer 
  may be tempting to the party, she tries to persuade them 
  not to accept it and warns them that it may be a trick.  
   If the party accepts the offer regardless, Adelle focuses 
  her ire on Erayna and attacks her. The wood woad comes 
  to her aid. After two rounds, Adelle and the wood woad 
  attempt to flee and return to the Blackwoods Druid Grove 
  to complete the final sacrifice and make Adelle the final 
  wood woad.  
   
  DM Flexibility: This can be an interesting moment to 
  challenge and test your players. As written, there is 
  nothing wrong with the ring, but the party has no reason 
  to trust Erayna, so a healthy doubt as to the ring’s magical 
  qualities could increase the stakes in this instance.   
  The Encounter 
  Erayna	is	a	powerful	foe,	and	the	balance	of	the	
  encounter	shifts	significantly	depending	on	whether	
  or	not	Adelle	is	present.	The	wood	woad	helps	the	
  party,	but	it	struggles	against	Erayna’s	fire	damage.	
  	 If	you	need	to	make	adjustments,	consider	negating	
  Erayna’s	Fire	Storm	ability.	
  Possible Solutions 
  This	is	a	breakdown	of	several	possible	outcomes	of	
  the	party’s	conflict,	assuming	they	don’t	accept	
  Erayna’s	offer.	However,	this	list	is	not	all-inclusive,	
  and	is	meant	as	a	guide.	The	party’s	creative	problem	
  solving	and	unique	solutions	should	take	precedence	
  over	any	of	the	listed	outcomes.	
  • If	the	party	is	unable	to	save	Adelle	or	to	stop	the	
  sorceress,	they	can	return	her	heart	to	the	tree	in	
  Adelle’s	grove	and	try	to	perform	the	ritual.	A	
  successful	DC	15	Intelligence	(Nature)	check	allows	
  them	to	complete	the	ritual,	and	Adelle	arises	as	a	
  wood	woad	three	days	later.	The	druids	are	then	
  powerful	enough	to	contain	Erayna.		
  • If	the	party	is	unable	to	save	Adelle,	they	can	help	
  her	to	become	the	glade’s	sorceress	by	wrapping	
  her	in	Erayna’s	shadow	cloak.	Since	she	is	part	of	
  Erayna’s	lineage,	she	can	bear	the	mantle	and	wrest	
  control	of	the	forest’s	heart	from	the	sorceress.	
  Adelle	attunes	to	the	cloak	and	flower	crown	and	
  reemerge	as	a	force	of	life	within	the	forest.		
  • If	Adelle	and	all	of	the	party	members	survive,	
  someone	stills	need	to	take	Erayna’s	place	at	the	
  heart	of	the	forest.	Adelle	is	reluctant	at	first	but	
  does	so.	She	can	take	on	the	cloak	and	crown	as	in	
  the	previous	scenario.	
  Rewards 
  If	Erayna	dies,	her	body	transforms	into	a	ruby	worth	
  1000	gp.	She	also	leaves	behind	the	Phoenix	Heart	
  ring.	The	town	awards	the	party	200	gp	for	news	of	
  the	three	missing	villagers.	Adelle	helps	them	
  understand	that	the	wraith	and	two	will-o’-wisps	they	
  saw	were	the	men	they	were	looking	for.	
  	
  	
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     10 
  Appendix A: Maps 
  Erayna’s Glade 
  	
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     11 
  Appendix B: Stat 
  Blocks 
  Adelle 
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral 
  Armor Class 15 (leather armor, wooden shield) 
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  Saving Throws Intelligence +3, Wisdom +6 
  Skills Insight +6, Medicine +6, Nature +3, Perception +6 
  Damage Resistances fire 
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, Ignan, Sylvan 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
  Spellcasting. Adelle is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14; +6 to 
  hit with spell attacks). She has the following druid 
  spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): control flames, create bonfire, 
  druidcraft, produce flame 
  1st Level (four slots): detect magic, entangle, faerie fire 
  2nd Level (three slots): animal messenger, flame blade, 
  warding wind 
  3rd Level (three slots): conjure animals, daylight, fire 
  arrows 
  4th Level (three slots): wall of fire, wrath of nature 
  5th Level (two slots): reincarnate 
  Blessing of the Phoenix (1/Day). Adelle can call forth 
  the spirit of the phoenix to influence the world around 
  her. As a bonus action, she can magically summon an 
  incorporeal spirit to a point she can see within 60 feet. 
  The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around 
  that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an 
  object, though it has the spectral appearance of a giant 
  phoenix. 
  The phoenix represents rebirth and renewal. When 
  Adelle casts a spell that restores hit points to any 
  creature inside or outside the aura, each of her allies in 
  the aura also regains 9 hit points. 
  ACTIONS 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 
  (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands, plus 
  4 (1d8) fire damage. 
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Blackwoods Druid Grove 
  90 foot cube of forest, neutral 
  Solid Fog. Any number of 5-foot squares on the ground 
  fill with thick fog, making them heavily obscured. The 
  fog reaches 10 feet high. In addition, every foot of 
  movement through the fog costs 2 extra feet. To a 
  creature immune to this effect, the fog obscures 
  nothing and looks like soft mist, with motes of green 
  light floating in the air. 
  Grasping Undergrowth. Any number of 5-foot squares 
  on the ground that aren’t filled with fog fill with 
  grasping weeds and vines, as if they were affected by 
  an entangle spell. To a creature immune to this effect, 
  the weeds and vines feel soft and reshape themselves 
  to serve as temporary seats or beds. 
  Grove Guardians. You can animate up to four trees in 
  the area, causing them to uproot themselves from the 
  ground. These trees have the same statistics as an 
  awakened tree (MM 317) except they can’t speak, and 
  their bark is covered with druidic symbols. If any 
  creature not immune to this effect enters the warded 
  area, the grove guardian fight until they have driven off 
  or slain the intruders. The grove guardians also obey 
  the druid’s spoken commands (no action required by 
  the druid) that the druid issues while in the area. If the 
  druid doesn’t give them any commands and no 
  intruders are present, the grove guardians do nothing. 
  The grove guardians can’t leave the warded area. 
  When the spell ends, the magic animating them 
  disappears, and the trees take root again if possible. 
  Additional Spell Effect. The druid can place their choice 
  of one of the following magical effects within the 
  warded area: 
  • A constant gust of wind in two locations of their
  choice 
  • Spike growth in one location of their choice
  • Wind wall in two locations of their choice
  To a creature immune to this effect, the winds are a 
  fragrant, gentle breeze, and the area of spike growth is 
  harmless. 
  
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  In the Heart of the Forest     12 
  Archer 
  Medium humanoid, lawful good 
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather) 
  Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages Common, Elvish 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
   
  Archer’s Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the archer can 
  add 1d10 to its next attack or damage roll with a 
  longbow or shortbow.  
  ACTIONS 
  Multiattack. The archer makes two attacks with its 
  longbow.   
   
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.   
   
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 
  160/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing 
  damage.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     13 
  Erayna 
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 93 (17d8 + 17) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  11 (+0) 
  Saving Throws Int. +5, Wis. +9 
  Skills Nature +5, Persuasion +4, Stealth +6 
  Damage Immunities fire 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +9 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, Ignan, Sylvan 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
  Fiery Death and Rebirth. When Erayna (a Circle of the 
  Phoenix druid) dies, she explodes. Each creature within 
  60 feet of her must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving 
  throw, taking 11 (2d10) fire damage on a failed save, or 
  half as much damage on a successful one. The fire 
  ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t worn 
  or carried. 
  The explosion destroys Erayna’s body and leaves 
  behind a large egg-shaped ruby worth 1000 gp. The 
  ruby is immune to all damage, and after 1d6 days, 
  Erayna’s new form emerges so long as she controls the 
  Blackwoods Shadow Cloak and the Scarlet Mantle. If 
  Erayna is killed and the items are under the control of 
  someone else, her spirit leaves the ruby, and it 
  becomes a lifeless, valuable gemstone. 
  Spellcasting. Erayna is an 11th-level spellcaster. Her 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to 
  hit with spell attacks). She has the following druid 
  spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): control flames, create bonfire, 
  druidcraft, produce flame 
  1st level (4 slots): charm person, entangle, faerie fire, 
  fog cloud 
  2nd level (3 slots): flame blade, flaming sphere, heat 
  metal, hold person 
  3rd level (3 slots): call lightning, flame arrows, sleet 
  storm 
  4th level (3 slots): blight, confusion, wall of fire 
  5th level (2 slots): antilife shell, conjure elemental (fire), 
  contagion 
  6th level (1 slot): investiture of flame 
  ACTIONS 
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage plus 9 
  (2d8) fire damage. 
  Phoenix Shape (1/Day). Erayna magically polymorphs 
  into a minor phoenix (Appendix B) and can remain in 
  this form for up to 5 hours. Erayna’s equipment melds 
  into her new form. Erayna reverts to her true form if 
  she dies or falls unconscious. Erayna can revert to her 
  true form using a bonus action on her turn. 
  While in a new form, Erayna regains her game 
  statistics and ability to understand languages, but her 
  AC, movement modes, Strength, and Dexterity are 
  replaced by those of the minor phoenix, and she gains 
  any special senses, proficiencies, traits, actions, and 
  reactions that the minor phoenix has but that she 
  lacks. 
  The minor phoenix’s attacks count as magical for the 
  purpose of overcoming resistances and immunity to 
  nonmagical attacks. 
  LAIR ACTIONS 
  When fighting inside her lair (the Red Glade), Erayna 
  can use lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing 
  initiative ties), Erayna can take one lair action to cause 
  one of the following effects: Erayna can’t use the same 
  lair action two rounds in a row: 
  Fire Storm. A storm made up of sheets of roaring flame 
  appears inside the lair. The fire erupts from the scarlet 
  flowers within a 40 foot radius of Erayna’s choosing. 
  Each creature in the area and within 5 feet of one of 
  the flowers must make a Dexterity saving throw. It 
  takes 11 (2d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as 
  much on a successful one. 
  The fire damages objects in the area and ignites 
  flammable objects that aren’t being worn or carried. 
  The scarlet flowers are unaffected by this spell. 
  Scarlet Entangling. Red-flowered weeds and vines 
  sprout in an additional 20 foot-radius square from 
  existing patches of flowers in a 10-foot radius sphere. 
  For the duration, these plants turn the ground in the 
  area into difficult terrain. 
  A creature in the area when the vines erupt (50-foot 
  square maximum assuming a solid 10-foot radius 
  sphere) must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving 
  throw or be restrained by the entangling plants until 
  the end of the lair’s turn the next round. A creature 
  restrained by the plants can use its action to make a DC 
  17 Strength check. On a success, it frees itself. 
  After a fire storm, the additional growth wilts away. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     14 
  Minor Phoenix 
  Large elemental, neutral 
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24) 
  Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  Damage Immunities fire, poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages Ignan, Sylvan 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
  Fire Form. The phoenix can move through a space as 
  narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Any creature 
  that touches the phoenix or hits it with a melee attack 
  while with 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. In 
  addition, the phoenix can enter a hostile creature’s 
  space and stop there. The first time it enters a 
  creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 5 (1d10) 
  fire damage. With a touch, the phoenix can also ignite 
  flammable objects that aren’t worn or carried (no 
  action required). 
  Flyby. The phoenix doesn’t provoke opportunity 
  attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach. 
  Illumination. The phoenix sheds bright light in a 60-
  foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. 
  ACTIONS 
  Multiattack. The phoenix makes two attacks: one with 
  its beak and one with its fiery talons. 
  Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) fire damage. 
  Fiery Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) fire damage. 
  Wood Woad 
  Medium plant, lawful neutral 
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor, shield) 
  Hit Points 73 (10d8 + 30) 
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (-1) 
  Skills Athletics +7, Perception +4, Stealth +4 
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poisoned 
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Sylvan 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
  Magic Club. In the wood woad’s hand, its club is 
  magical and deals 7 (3d4) extra damage (included in its 
  attacks). 
  Plant Camouflage. The wood woad has advantage on 
  Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain with 
  ample obscuring plant life. 
  Regeneration. The wood woad regains 10 hit points at 
  the start of its turn if it is in contact with the ground. If 
  the wood woad takes fire damage, this trait doesn’t 
  function at the start of the wood woad’s next turn. The 
  wood woad dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit 
  points and doesn’t regenerate. 
  Tree Stride. Once on each of its turns, the wood woad 
  can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into 
  one living tree within 5 feet of it and emerge from a 
  second living tree within 60 feet of it that it can see, 
  appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the 
  second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger. 
  ACTIONS 
  Multiattack. The wood woad makes two attacks with 
  its club.  
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 14 (4d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     15 
  Wraith 
  Medium undead, neutral evil 
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  6 (-2) 
  16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical 
  attacks not made with silvered weapons 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poisoned 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages the languages it knew in life (Common) 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
  Incorporeal Movement. The wraith can move through 
  other creatures and objects as if they were difficult 
  terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn 
  inside an object. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wraith has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  ACTIONS 
  Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) necrotic damage. The 
  target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving 
  throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an 
  amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction 
  lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies 
  if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. 
  Create Specter. The wraith targets a humanoid within 
  10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 
  minute and died violently. The target’s spirit rises as a 
  specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest 
  unoccupied space. The specter is under the wraith’s 
  control. The wraith can have no more than seven 
  specters under its control at one time. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     16 
  Appendix C: 
  Magic Items 
  Blackwoods Seeds 
  Wondrous	item,	very	rare	
  Held	on	a	small	golden	chain,	these	two	seeds	are	
  kept	inside	a	magical	acorn	pendant.	Possession	of	a	
  seed	allows	its	bearer	to	create	a	wood	woad	if	the	
  subject	is	a	willing	sacrifice	who	will	serve	the	
  Darkwood	Forest.	So	long	as	one	seed	is	within	the	
  necklace,	the	wearer	can	control	the	Blackwoods	
  druid	grove	(Appendix	B).		
  Phoenix Heart Ring 
  Wondrous	item,	very	rare	(requires	attunement)	
  While	wearing	this	ring,	you	gain	the	effects	of	the	
  death	ward	spell.	The	first	time	you	would	drop	to	0	
  hit	points	as	a	result	of	taking	damage,	you	instead	
  drop	to	1	hit	point.	The	ring	cannot	be	used	again	in	
  this	way	until	two	dawns	have	passed.	
  	 The	ring’s	true	life-giving	powers	can	only	be	used	
  once	per	year.	The	wearer	can	cast	raise	dead	on	one	
  creature.	After	the	spell	has	been	cast,	a	year	must	
  pass	before	the	ring	is	used	in	this	way	again.	
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     17 
  Appendix D: 
  Sidekicks 
  Sidekick Mechanics 
  The	Essentials	Kit	from	Wizards	of	the	Coast	briefly	
  outlines	sidekick	mechanics	for	adding	an	extra	
  character	to	a	one-on-one	or	small	party	game.	You	
  can	also	visit	dndduet.com/sidekick	for	more	
  information	about	including	a	sidekick	in	your	party.	
  	 To	add	a	sidekick,	you’ll	want	to	decide	if	the	DM	
  or	player	will	run	the	character,	both	in	combat	and	
  in	RP.	For	example,	you	may	choose	for	the	DM	to	do	
  the	role-play	for	the	sidekick	and	the	player	to	
  control	them	during	combat.		
  	 For	running	the	character	during	combat,	choose	
  if	you	would	rather	have	them	go	on	the	PC’s	turn	or	
  if	you	would	prefer	they	make	their	own	initiative	
  roll.	If	they	go	on	their	own	turn,	add	their	Dexterity	
  modifier	to	your	roll	for	their	initiative.	
  	 Stat	blocks	function	as	a	simplified	character	
  sheet,	and	everything	you	need	for	the	sidekick’s	
  turn	can	be	found	under	Actions.		
  Sidekick NPCs 
  Lorelei Mavrey 
  Neutral Good Female Half-Elf 
  Short	brown	hair,	olive	complexion,	warm	brown	eyes	
  Ideal:	Preparation	and	curiosity,	in	balance,	provide	
  enough	excitement	to	make	life	interesting	and	
  enough	wisdom	to	make	it	long.	
  Flaw:	I	become	sulky	when	I	miss	a	shot	or	feel	that	
  I’m	not	useful.	I	prefer	to	be	active	and	on	the	
  move.	
  Secret:	I	am	not	as	fearless	actually	inside	the	
  Darkwood	Forest	as	I	would	like	to	be.	
  Motivation:	I	want	to	find	my	assistant,	Julien,	even	
  though	he	was	acting	strangely	before	he	left.	
  Characteristics:	I	am	quiet	when	first	meeting	
  others.	I	like	to	observe	them	and	understand	
  them	before	making	myself	emotionally	
  vulnerable.			
  Archer 
  Medium humanoid, lawful good 
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather) 
  Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages Common, Elvish 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
  Archer’s Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the archer can 
  add 1d10 to its next attack or damage roll with a 
  longbow or shortbow. 
  ACTIONS 
  Multiattack. The archer makes two attacks with its 
  longbow.  
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.  
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 
  160/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing 
  damage. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
  In the Heart of the Forest     18 
  Adelle 
  Chaotic neutral female elf 
  Long	black	hair,	piercing	hazel	eyes,	coppery	skin	
  Ideal:	Nearly	anything	is	possible	if	one	only	has	the	
  courage	to	attempt	it.	The	natural	world	provides,	
  though	not	always	in	the	way	one	expects.	
  Flaw:	I	can	only	rely	on	myself,	and	I	owe	my	Circle	a	
  great	debt	for	the	sacrifices	they	made.	It’s	up	to	
  me	to	ensure	that	their	lives	weren’t	wasted.		
  Motivation:	I	want	to	prevent	the	spread	of	Erayna’s	
  power	beyond	the	heart	of	the	forest.	I	don’t	plan	
  on	the	lives	of	her	Circle	being	wasted.		
  Characteristics:	I	am	confident	and	quick	to	answer	
  questions,	but	I	am	suspicious	of	outsiders	and	
  cagey,	especially	about	topics	related	to	myself	
  and	my	Circle.		
  Circle of the Phoenix druid 
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral 
  Armor Class 15 (leather armor, wooden shield) 
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
   
  Saving Throws Intelligence +3, Wisdom +6 
  Skills Insight +6, Medicine +6, Nature +3, Perception +6 
  Damage Resistances fire 
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, Ignan, Sylvan 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
   
  Spellcasting. Adelle is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14; +6 to 
  hit with spell attacks). She has the following druid 
  spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): control flames, create bonfire, 
  druidcraft, produce flame 
  1st Level (four slots): detect magic, entangle, faerie fire 
  2nd Level (three slots): animal messenger, flame blade, 
  warding wind 
  3rd Level (three slots): conjure animals, daylight, fire 
  arrows 
  4th Level (three slots): wall of fire, wrath of nature 
  5th Level (two slots): reincarnate 
   
   
   
   
   
  Blessing of the Phoenix (1/Day). Adelle can call forth 
  the spirit of the phoenix to influence the world around 
  her. As a bonus action, she can magically summon an 
  incorporeal spirit to a point she can see within 60 feet. 
  The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around 
  that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an 
  object, though it has the spectral appearance of a giant 
  phoenix.  
   The phoenix represents rebirth and renewal. When 
  Adelle casts a spell that restores hit points to any 
  creature inside or outside the aura, each of her allies in 
  the aura also regains 9 hit points. 
  ACTIONS 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 
  (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands, plus 
  4 (1d8) fire damage.  
   
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. 
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     19 
  Sidekicks 
  Archer 
  1st-level Medium humanoid 
  Armor Class 14 (studded leather) 
  Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  13 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  Saving Throws Dexterity +4 
  Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +3 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Common, plus one of your choice 
  Eagle Eye. The archer gains a +2 bonus to ranged 
  attack rolls. 
  ACTIONS 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.  
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing 
  damage. 
  Circle of the Phoenix druid 
  1st-level Medium humanoid 
  Armor Class 14 (leather armor, wooden shield) 
  Hit Points 9 (2d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  Saving Throws Wisdom +4 
  Skills Insight +4, Medicine +4, Nature +4 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages Common, Druidic, plus one of your choice 
  Spellcasting. The druid’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom 
  (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The 
  druid has the following spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, produce flame 
  1st Level (2 slots): entangle, faerie fire 
  ACTIONS 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 
  (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands. 
  Sidekick Leveling Table 
  Archer Beyond 1st Level 
  Level 
  Hit Points 
  New Features 
  2nd 
  19 (3d8 + 6) 
  Hunter’s Skill (2/Day). As 
  a bonus action, the archer 
  can add 1d8 to its next 
  damage roll with a 
  longbow. 
  3rd 
  26 (4d8 + 8) 
  Archer’s Awareness 
  (2/Day). As an action, the 
  archer can focus its 
  awareness on the 
  surrounding region. For 1 
  minute, the archer can 
  sense whether the 
  following types of 
  creatures are present 
  within 1 mile: aberrations, 
  celestials, dragons, 
  elementals, fey, fiends, 
  and undead. The archer 
  cannot sense the 
  creatures’ location or 
  number.  
  4th 
  32 (5d8 + 10) 
  Ability Score 
  Improvement. The 
  archer’s Dex. score 
  increases by 2, raising the 
  modifier by 1, so increase 
  the archer’s Dex saving 
  throw and Acrobatics 
  bonus by 1, and increase 
  the bonuses to hit and 
  damage of the archer’s 
  melee and ranged weapon 
  attacks by 1. 
  5th 
  39 (6d8 + 12) 
  Proficiency Bonus. The 
  archer’s proficiency bonus 
  increases by 1, so make 
  the following changes in 
  the stat block: increase 
  the bonuses in the Saving 
  Throws and Skills entries 
  by 1, increase the passive 
  Perception by 1, and 
  increase the bonuses to 
  hit of the weapon attacks 
  by 1. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  In the Heart of the Forest     20 
  6th 
  45 (7d8 + 14) 
  Extra Attack. The archer 
  can attack twice, instead 
  of once, whenever it takes 
  the Attack action on its 
  turn. 
  Phoenix Druid Beyond 1st Level 
  Level 
  Hit Points 
  New Features 
  2nd 
  13 (3d8) 
  Blessing of the Phoenix 
  (2/Day). The druid can call 
  forth the spirit of the 
  phoenix to influence the 
  world around it. As a 
  bonus action, the druid 
  can magically summon an 
  incorporeal spirit to a 
  point the druid can see 
  within 60 feet. The spirit 
  creates an aura in a 30-
  foot radius around that 
  point. It counts as neither 
  a creature nor an object, 
  though it has the spectral 
  appearance of a giant 
  phoenix. 
  The phoenix represents 
  rebirth and renewal. 
  When the druid casts a 
  spell that restores hit 
  points to any creature 
  inside or outside the aura, 
  each of the druid’s allies in 
  the aura gains hit points 
  equal to the druid’s level. 
  Spellcasting. The druid 
  learns another 1st-level 
  spell: healing word. 
  3rd 
  18 (4d8) 
  Spellcasting. The druid 
  gains one 1st-level spell 
  slot. The druid also learns 
  another 1st-level spell: fog 
  cloud. 
  4th 
  22 (5d8) 
  Ability Score 
  Improvement. The druid’s 
  Wis. score increases by 2, 
  raising the modifier by 1, 
  so increase the following 
  numbers by 1: the druid’s 
  spell save DC and the 
  bonus to hit of spell 
  attacks, the bonuses to 
  Insight and Medicine, the 
  Wisdom saving throw 
  bonus, and the passive 
  Perception. 
  Spellcasting. The druid 
  learns another cantrip: 
  shillelagh. 
  5th 
  27 (6d8) 
  Proficiency Bonus. The 
  druid’s proficiency bonus 
  increases by 1, so make 
  the following changes in 
  the stat block: increase 
  the bonuses in the Saving 
  Throws and Skills entries 
  by 1, and increase the 
  bonuses to hit of its spell 
  and weapon attacks by 1.  
  Spellcasting. The druid 
  gains one 1st-level spell 
  slot and two 2nd level 
  spell slots. The druid also 
  learns one 2nd-level spell: 
  flame blade. 
  6th 
  31 (7d8) 
  Fiery Core. The druid adds 
  4 (1d8) fire damage to all 
  melee attacks. The druid 
  also gains resistance to 
  fire damage. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/D&D Duet - In the Heart of the Forest.pdf