Shadows of the Forest : Questionable Plant Life

 

A great and ancient tree on one of the islands is the subject of many legends, among which is one that claims it has protective powers.  Could this be the source of the strange power that is aiding the two peoples of the Archipelago in their struggle ?  Other stories say that it is a Tree of Life, whose sap can heal almost any ailment or injury.  Even if these are only rumours, the risk of leaving it to the forces of the Deep is too great.

It also seems a good place to start.  The tree is not located on one of the three islands the most affected by the Deep and its savage Hu-Man allies.  The forest whose heart it forms was, however, targetted by the jungle roots, as if they wished to hide something from sight.  The Deep corrupts all. The once fertile and healthy soil of the woodlands has been ground to sterile dust, the once towering trees are new twisted and rotten; the lush green grass turned to yellowed wisps.  The sun has been blotted out and birds and animals have fallen silent with fear. 

Szarzeesi has assigned this mission to the Alladoran Rangers Kiara and Jabir.  The Elain of the Archipelago, Eic and Jeropi, are led by Olivia.  This is a mission in which a thaumaturge is vital to understand the magicks at work, task which has fallen to Scorpen, who as ever, is with his companion Rokii. 

Mission 1 : Questionable Plant Life

The trees weren’t right. Deep in the forests, scarce reports told that corruption had begun to spread unchecked. It was also beginning to affect the lands around, with trees twisting, plants becoming gnarled and decaying and being replaced by tropical bushes bearing horribly over-ripe fruit.  The closer the adventurers came to the Jungle Deep, the bleaker it looked.  It was if the Tree of Life was already becoming one of Death.

 

Scenario 1 - The Great Root

Of all the Archipelagii, Olivia knew the most about the legends of the Tree of Life, and also a fair bit about its reality.  She counselled Kiara to make for the homestead of a botanist, situated at the edge of the forest, who had for long years been studying the effects of various herbs in search of some magical infusion.  His large greenhouse, she recounted, stored a vast collection of the strangest plant life. Before recent events, it was a place of study, and also home to an impressive botanical library.  If any place contained tangible knowledge of the Tree of Life, it would be here. 

The company threaded its way through the dying land.  The homestead was seemingly abandoned, and the greenhouse overrun with alien foliage.  The stench emanating from it stung the adventurer's lungs as soon as they were within range, and set them coughing and retching...

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