THE WORLD

CHAPTER: The Depths of the Great Tree

Following a group of saprobes carrying a corpse to Darkdepths, the PCs venture among the giant roots of a titanic tree, completely covered with fungi. Its trunk, surrounded by glowing spores, merges with the cave’s ceiling and the surface ground.

Marshille: Sitting among the depths of the roots is a giant woman with harsh, sharp features. She wears a cobweb tunic and a large fungal cap. Her pale fingers end in extremely long nails, with which she traces occult symbols in the air with fine precision. The giantess speaks many languages and introduces herself as “guest and sister” of the saprobes. Is she a descendant of the people that lived here in the past?
Life in Death: Marshille has no problem explaining her role in Darkdepth: every creature that dies in the area is brought to her, so that her magic might breathe new life into the tree and the entire forest, not to mention the saprobes themselves. How do the PCs react to this revelation? Do they think that it is legitimate to deny the mourning families a final farewell for the good of the forest, considering those same families draw sustenance from its fruits?

CHAPTER: The Drake Expedition

Seraphina Drake, a young and enterprising magician from the Central Academy, is organizing an expedition to locate Darkdepth and research the mysterious power that, according to her, controls life and death in the entire forest. She is offering a generous salary to those who escort her and ensure her safety.

Mercenaries: Anxious for results, Seraphina hired some ex-military. Which of the PCs has dealt with them in the past? What burning defeat still torments these soldiers? Who is their leader and how long do they actually plan on following the magician’s orders?
Henrietta Drake: Seraphina’s younger sister accompanies the expedition and handles logistics and upkeep, but she is concerned about her sister’s impatience and the mercenaries’ methods. Her blood ties with Seraphina make her an ideal hostage.
Temptation: After reaching Darkdepth and discovering its ties with the life of the forest, the expedition breaks apart: Henrietta and the mercenaries have very different priorities and this will no doubt lead to a Villain emerging (maybe two, depending on the circumstances). Which side, if any, do the PCs take? Do the villagers have any chance to fight back? How will the forest react to this threat?

“We do not feel joy in delivering your corpses to the roots of this old tree, but we do so with pride and respect, yes.”