# The Awakening of Eldgren

Millennia ago, the great forest of **Eldgren** gracefully welcomed those who proved themselves worthy of its favor. After overcoming the tests imposed by the guardian spirits, worthy mortals received the great tree’s blessings—so that entities dwelling in the earth, the stone, among the branches, and in the streams would heed their words and prayers.

Unfortunately, an ancient civilization, whose erudition was matched only by their fear of the unknown, decided that these superstitions were obsolete and dangerous. They believed such a power had to be grasped and controlled. They started many wars, but left precious few accounts. The forest was reduced to a smoldering waste, but even less remained of those short-sighted people.

## The Lingering Scars

However, the spirits never left their home: over the centuries, they healed the earth and new life blossomed in Eldgren. The superficial wounds were mended, but the rage and the resentment for the mortals’ actions still burned in the depths, like buried embers, slowly poisoning the heart of the forest, and allowing an invisible parasite to make its nest within it.

When young humans, oblivious to what had transpired, set foot among the trees once again, Eldgren remained silent, waiting. When some of them pushed deeper, studying the broken ruins of those ancient people, Eldgren waited. But when the first trees were felled, the spirits decided that these mortals were the same as their ancestors and, if left unchecked, the tragedies of the past would repeat themselves.

## The Reckoning

Ash swept away, embers roar hateful once again: the ancient guardians of the forest are ablaze with a ghostly and vengeful fire, while millennia-old trees entwine their branches and shake the ground to uproot the human threat once and for all… even at the cost of snuffing out hundreds.

Not all is lost: a minuscule fragment of Eldgren’s ancient heart managed to escape desperation and traveled beyond the boundaries of the forest, looking for heroes who can heal its suffering…

> “What do you know about pain? Of suffering?
> Your ancestors committed unforgivable crimes.
> You will be given no chance to repeat them!”