This environment is something I put together for a Forgotten Realms campaign when the party were traveling through the Neverwinter Wood but can be dropped into any campaign setting featuring a magical forest. This is the first environment I’ve written from scratch and I hope you find it useful. Feel free to take it and make it your own!
The Fae-Touched Forest
Tier 2 Exploration
A dense forest of shifting trails, gateways to the strange realm of the fae, and fantastical creatures.
Impulses: Confuse intruders, keep secrets, reclaim that which as been left behind.
Difficulty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Deeproot Defender, Dryad, Flickerfly, Sylvan Soldier, Treant…
FEATURES
Whispers of the Forest – Passive: Unintelligible whispers occasionally come from random directions. A character with abilities in the Sage domain can attempt to understand them with a Knowledge Roll (14). On a success, they learn one secret of the forest, then the voices stop.
Dizzying Spores – Action: Spend a Fear and describe a large mushroom near the path suddenly shuddering and releasing a cloud of spores into the air. All creatures within Close range of the mushroom must succeed on an Instinct Reaction roll to avoid the spores. Characters with fungril ancestry make the roll with Advantage.
Shifting Light – Action: Spend a Fear and describe the shifting light that makes the trail seem to vanish and change. Characters must make a Group Instinct Reaction Roll (14) to stay on the path.
Fae Crossing – Action: Spend a Fear to cause the path ahead to loop or vanish into a pocket of the Faerealm. The party must succeed on a Group Instinct Roll (14) to find their way back to the mortal realm. On a failure, each PC marks a Stress as the forest’s magic drains their resolve.
Encroaching Gloom – Action: Spend a Fear to summon a thick, magical fog. Until the end of the scene, all range increments are reduced by one (e.g., Far becomes Close) for the purposes of visibility and targeting.
Territorial Flora – Reaction: When a character damages any natural creatures of the forest, spend a Fear and describe how thorny vines spread across the ground toward them. Each character must make an Agility Reaction Roll (14) to avoid the vines. On a failure, they take 2d8 physical damage and are Restrained and Vulnerable until they pass a Strength Roll (14) or do 10 physical damage to the vines. Failing the strength roll with Hope results in 1d8 physical damage, and 2d6 physical damage if failing with Fear.
