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(IMMEDIATELY Following: The Haunting of Montarthas Manor)
The Druid
From Willow’s pocket, the chipmunk leaps forth, landing with a most striking superhero pose on the mossy floor of the forest, to stand, and then morph into the druid Reidoth, who proudly proclaims "What a victorious adventure! We were amazing!" to six blank stares and open jaws - with Ujio finally breaking the stunned silence asking, "WE????", his eyebrows forming a frown of pure consternation. The entire party then joins in with a chorus of challenges to the old man, "what the heck did YOU do?" But Reidoth plays the old doddering fool, and dismisses the objections. |
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Desperate to change the subject, the ancient druid shares that the cursed emerald that dropped from the chest of the man imprisoned on the ceiling is most likely to have come from an ancient tomb, even older than the haunted house. This burial site, in fact, is now being desecrated by (secret priests) Anchorites of Talos at a site that has become known as the Circle of Thunder.
In fact, he can show you the way there (it is in part of the forest even thicker and deeper than here!) if you can restore it to its resting place, which would do the world some good! Currently the Talos anchorite priests are using the imbalance and a tear in the planes at the site to summon an evil minion of Talos called Gorthok the Thunder Boar.
The anchorites make sacrifices and Gorthok appears and they send it off into the forest to destroy their enemies, the homes of animals, the fey, and wreak havoc on us druids caretaking of these lands.
Gorthok is a menace, and this terrible cycle of evil at the Circle of Thunder must be stopped - each time they call the monstrosity forth, the anchorites learn to make its form in our world even stronger when called from The Abyss, or wherever it is reborn each time it has been defeated.
“So shall we set off, then?” suggests the ancient druid Reidoth.
But this is not why the party braved the dangers of Neverwinter Wood, or the Montarthas Manor, no this was a quest to find and rescue their good and helpful friend Reidoth - an ancient druid who should have the healing power to repair Ujio’s disfigurement from the Flameskull’s burns. And the druid is the only person the party knows outside of the great temples in the cities with such power. And also the friend, more generous to offer such healing, for who knows what the priests in the city temples might ask for in payment?
Directly asked to repair these most serious burns on Ujio, Reidoth becomes a bit embarrassed, and confesses,
“such power is beyond my abilities”
In the lovely morning glade of the forest, in the presence of the destruction of the haunted house, with sunbeams crisp through the canopy of the tree branches and vines, the hearts of the party sink in disappointment while the distant flow of the rushing stream, the chirps of birds and buzzing of insects accompany awkward silence.
With a sigh so heavy each of the party seems to feel it within their own chest, Reidoth then adds, with ominous reluctance,
“but I can take you to someone else not far from here who can.”
Unicorn
The party brightens with hope, and a half day’s journey leads to a small clearing in the shadow-casting trees of the Neverwinter Wood, where a beautiful glade of thick sumptuous grasses, brilliantly colored flowers, and a flowing crystal clear stream captures the glory of the midday sunlight. A haze above the waters of the cool stream catches a rainbow pattern hovering above this impossibly perfect place. Willow is awestruck and kneels as she enters this bright warm area, but no less impressed, each of the party peers around in wonder.
Reidoth is the only one unimpressed, and once more his heavy sigh is almost tangible within the chests of the party, while he brings a small bone tube to his mouth and blows a trumpeting call. All are content to merely sit in this place quietly, and the passage of time is difficult to measure.
| After waiting what seems both an eternity and yet brief, a shining white form enters the glade, as much out of thin air as from the surrounding forest. It is the most beautiful creature by far any of the party has ever seen or imagined. It makes no sound and barely disturbs the ground with its hoofs. The forest’s sounds pause as if all living things nearby are holding their breath. |
The Unknown briefly peers at each in the party: Belcoria, Willow, Tallon, Yeet, then Mon-Kei, finally Ujio, as it slowly and confidently approaches Reidoth, who is the last to receive its attention.
Reidoth straightens his spectacles, and shifts from a hunched posture to shoulders back as he speaks, "Thank you for coming."
The unicorn allows a moment to pass before it too speaks, though not with mouth and tongue and lips - nor with the intrusive thought-projection as did some of the monsters the party has faced, but creating sound before itself, facing the druid:
"I respect the pact of the Emerald Enclave, as, I trust, do you."
Reidoth, in what seems practiced awkwardness now, quickly shifts the topic to the matter at hand, "one of these fine adventurers who have been friends to these lands and the purpose of the Emerald Enclave, who have defeated King Grol and the Night Hag Gertrude, has come to me seeking the deep healing needed from injuries incurred in battle against an undead."
The unicorn’s eyes flick a moment upon Ujio, then return to Reidoth, "of course I will aid such allies to the struggle against evil," (a pause - is that a glare?)
"I sense these lords and ladies have been of honourable assistance to you, and indeed you owe them for their courage, duty, and commitment - now and perhaps into the future."
Now slightly irritated, Reidoth nods, "yes, as you say."
The unicorn continues, "and I would not allow your ruse to continue should you seek their continued support." The druid’s shoulders sag, and his white beard shakes with his nod of agreement.
"Show them," it commands.
Dragon
Reidoth turns to face the party, requesting they keep a secret, while also suggesting both a threat and an offer, "you may freely swear you shall not reveal this to anyone else, or you do not and choose to betray my secret, know that you will suffer the consequences from myself or by what you sow in that betrayal to what may be a valuable association between us in our futures."
As he is speaking, he walks to the edge of the clearing, where shadows from the trees dim the bright light above. There his form begins to shift and change and standing upright before you is the daunting figure last confronted as Heroes of Thundertree - the green dragon Venomfang.
Your minds take in flashes of realizations, reconstructing discussions and actions taken, trusts and … manipulations. And though you know you should feel awe and more likely fear, the presence of the unicorn in its glade, drives those away and your justified anger is given the air it needs to fully blossom in your heart and mind.
All along Venomfang is Reidoth???
The two were never seen together, Reidoth has always been peculiar. Since children, you have heard among the tales of dragons that the green variety are masters of trickery, deception and manipulation. The party fumes with anger, searching for words.
Ujio feels a warm touch upon his neck and his wounds vanish. The unicorn is nowhere to be seen, yet everyone - including the dragon, knows for certain that it is not far, and most certainly aware of what may transpire next in its sacred glade.
The dragon Venomfang seems far more comfortable in the forest than the clearing, and remains in this form as the conversation proceeds.
(More detail on this story in the note "Venomfang is Reidoth")
SHE is an offspring of the ancient dragon of Kryptgarden Forest, called Old Gnawbone, but properly Claugiyliamatar, pronounced (CLOG-ee-lee-uh-MAT-arr), and she is in the process of the changes from a young to an adult dragon. Venomfang, whose proper name is "Djeniyliarax" was kicked out of her mother’s forest soon after the death of the actual druid Reidoth, who called her "DJennie" (a name which, strangely enough, she’s not particularly offended by as a more easily-spoken form of her inconvenient full name).
Venomfang has no love for her mother, who had almost instantly turned over her upbringing to the little circle of druids loyal to Claugiyliamatar that tend her lair and facilitate her strange obsessions. The real Reidoth was himself ancient - nowhere near as old as Old Gnawbone, but deeply accomplished in his life, turned bitter toward his last 40 years by endless encroachment into the forests and forming the group of druids in service to the ancient dragon in hopes of creating more fear of the forests.
As with those other druids, he was DJennie’s tutor until he passed away, some 40 years ago, tired of life - even realizing the dragon he served had more interest in what was happening in the city kingdoms than in the forests. Perhaps Reidoth was all that let Djennie stay in the Kryptgarden in the first place, but with his passing, Old Gnawbone forced DJennie to leave, never to return there unless she wished to challenge for dominance.
Becoming Reidoth
Having more experience with humans - through Reidoth and her mother’s constant surveillance of their goings-on through her scrying devices, Djennie chose to take on the guise of her teacher Reidoth as she left the forest to enter into the world. She had learned the power of Polymorphing herself, and has since mastered this effect. Other spell powers and ability to speak Druidic have been sufficient for her to fake being the druid - to engage with the Emerald Enclave of Neverwinter Wood - and to take residence in the ruins of Thundertree, even once or twice visit small towns like Leilon, Triboar and Phandalin, while never daring to expose herself to the cities of Neverwinter or Waterdeep.
In Thundertree, she had found something of a safely-close to the forest place to lean toward the human city of Neverwinter, but it was close enough to get the attention of the Cult of the Dragon, who approached her with a rather transparent plan of flattery and worship, while seeking to pull her into their dark schemes. She was sufficiently curious to learn more that she tolerated their activities and ceremony, while living the dual life of Venomfang and Reidoth.
(Continues in: You can call me Djennie)