Cinnamon Grove
The Cinnamon Grove is an ancient, mystical part of the jungle, located deep along the Kerkhof Route, 40 miles east of Port Holkenborg. It consists of six distinct groves, each housing a unique variety of cinnamon trees. These trees, whose fragrant bark is legendary, are prized by herbalists, druids, and scholars. One particular variety of cinnamon is rumored to hold the power to reverse dementia, a secret fiercely protected by the grove’s inhabitants.
The Six Groves of Cinnamon:
- Flamebark Grove: A forest of reddish cinnamon trees, the bark of which is said to ignite the mind with sudden bursts of clarity and creativity.
- Silverleaf Grove: This grove is home to trees with pale, silver-hued leaves. Its cinnamon is known for inducing lucid dreams and deep, restful sleep.
- Stonebark Grove: The trees here are tough and gnarled, producing a variety of cinnamon used for strengthening memory and mental focus.
- Starbark Grove: The rarest grove, where the cinnamon is said to reverse the effects of dementia, coveted by sages and mages alike.
- Amberbark Grove: Warm, golden cinnamon trees fill this grove. The bark here is used for calming frayed nerves and soothing emotional distress.
- Velvetbark Grove: A quiet grove, where the cinnamon has a soft, velvety texture and a scent that is said to relax the mind and body, though excessive use may cause vivid hallucinations.
The Singing Trees:
Interspersed among the cinnamon trees and towering lemongrass, which acts as a natural repellent to pests and even the occasional wandering dinosaur, are the Singing Trees. These deadly, sentient trees are believed to be the wives of the treants that once roamed the nearby jungle. Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Olmoy introduced them to the grove to protect the sacred cinnamon, but over the centuries, the Singing Trees lost their purpose. Now, they attack any who enter, their haunting melodies luring travelers into deadly traps.
The Singing Trees are tall, their bark twisted and dark, with leaves that shimmer faintly in the light. Their song is mesmerizing, harmonizing with the wind and the rustling leaves, but beneath its beauty is a deadly warning. Once a traveler is caught by the song, the Singing Trees strike with vine-like limbs, ensuring no one escapes the grove.
The Shambling Mounds:
Among the cinnamon trees roam the Shambling Mounds, twisted creatures born from the grove’s decaying plant matter. They consume fallen bark from the cinnamon trees, which induces a state of constant hallucination in the mounds. In their frenzied, delirious state, they attack anything that enters the grove, mistaking intruders for invasive threats. The Shambling Mounds have grown particularly large and aggressive due to their long exposure to the potent cinnamon.
The Prophecy of the Bard:
Despite the dangers, an ancient prophecy from the Oracle of the Ivory Goddess lingers in the minds of the few who know of the grove. It speaks of a bard, whose voice can quell the wrath of the Singing Trees and restore peace to the grove. According to legend, the bard must sing a specific song to the trees, one that resonates with their long-forgotten hearts. If sung correctly, the trees will remember their original purpose as protectors and grant the bard access to the grove’s deepest secrets—including the location of the cinnamon that can reverse dementia.
Here is the song said to awaken the Singing Trees:
Song of the Silent Grove
(to be sung in a calm, lilting melody)
O' ancient hearts, now lost to time,
With roots so deep, and branches wide,
Your voices once brought peace and light,
But now you sing of endless night.
Remember days of yore, my friends,
Where skies were clear and winds did bend,
To carry forth your song of grace,
And guard the sacred, holy place.
I sing to you, with humble plea,
Restore the grove, so it may be,
A home of peace, a realm of green,
Where silence reigns, serene, unseen.
Legend says that the bard who sings these words with the right heart and intent will be able to speak directly to the Singing Trees and negotiate safe passage through the grove. However, no one has yet dared to test this prophecy, as few have survived long enough to even reach the heart of the Cinnamon Grove.
The Challenge:
The Cinnamon Grove remains one of the most perilous stops along the Kerkhof Route. No one has returned from the grove in living memory, and those who have attempted to explore its depths speak of the overwhelming power of the Singing Trees and the relentless assault of the hallucinating Shambling Mounds. If the prophecy is true, the bard’s song may hold the key to unlocking the grove’s ancient secrets and discovering the medicinal cinnamon of the Starbark Grove—but only if the grove’s deadly protectors can be soothed.