The Green Maiden

Background

remote village of Woodend. Terrible nightmares of a dark and shadowed forest have been haunting the slumber of every man, woman, and child. These night visions are of the neighboring forest of Aldenweald, a vast and thick wood that has been the livelihood of the village since time immemorial, but is home to Creatures of Twilight, strange and terrifying. So long as the Enders respected the Aldenweald, these Creatures left them alone, but now an offering at their mysterious shrine has gone awry, and the only way to make amends is to venture deep into the haunted forest and treat with its mistress, the Green Maiden, who is not known for being a welcoming host… Nightmares trouble the village of Woodend (page 100) – dark dreams and darker tidings from the perplexing Aldenweald (page 36). Haunting Forest Dreams Woodend, “The Last Dale”, sits at the edge of the Aldenweald, a vast forest verdant with natural life and otherworldly beings. Until recently, the people of Woodend have enjoyed a prosperous relationship with the Aldenweald, harvesting timber from the forest and leaving offerings in gratitude. But now, the forest has invaded the dreams of people on Millside, the part of Woodend that is closest to the forest (and some would say, not in the Dales proper). It is said this is the work of the Vila, Twilight “people of the woods” – but no one knows what angered them. A Botched Offering? A Botched Offering? Secretly, the cooper, Jarko, fears he might be the cause. For years, every moon, he has left an offering at a strange altar in the woods depicting a green, leafy woman, to maintain the goodwill of the Vila. Once he even saw her, this green lady. This summer, by mistake, he included food foraged from the Aldenweald itself in his offering. He fears that this is the reason the strange truce between the village and the forest has been broken. The Green Maiden The Green Maiden But the offering was not truly the cause for the nightmares. As the Lady's Hem wanes (page 193), there are growing voices within the Burnt Branch who believe humanity must begin to prepare for the coming adversity and that the best chance for human Heroes lies in the Dales, thanks to the Lady's foresight. One such Star is indeed the Green Maiden, who causes all seeds in the forest to sprout. She fashioned a Twilight Emissary, SeedWaker, to forge a relationship with the people of Woodend and to begin to influence them through the fraying Hem. But SeedWaker's sense of urgency has taken a darker streak: she uses the nightmares to see who among the Dalish will be sent as heroes to save the day, and she intends to push those “heroes” to rise up to the task, even violently if need be. Adamant that the Branch should not be tempted to meddle in human affairs again, AshenEpitaph, another Incarnation created by a different Star to curb the bold interventions of the Green Maiden, prowls the forest and sabotages the Heroes making their way to her. The two Incarnations do not directly clash, but rather play a game of chess where the Heroes are their pawns, promoting competing agendas within the celestial machinations of the Burnt Branch. The miasma from the Marshes also plays a part, as it weathers and rots the Aldenweald's eastern reaches, infecting its creatures. Synopsis Synopsis The Fellowship arrives at Woodend and learns about A Backwoods Haunting, dreams sent by the forest to trouble the locals. They discover Jarko botched offerings, pointing to the Altar of the Green Maiden. The Fellowship makes their way Into the Aldenweald to the altar, encountering the strange manifestations of this primeval forest and crossing paths with the deep-wood hermit Riva Skall and AshenEpitaph. They also possibly come across the Corruption from the Marshes. At the altar, the Heroes try to appease the Green Maiden with The Second Offering but only seem to make things worse, forcing them to try to find her in the forest as the nightmares in Woodend intensify. Creeping This Adventure's Theme This is a woodland horror adventure that pits the Heroes against the phantasmagorical forest of Aldenweald and its seemingly all-powerful, manipulative, and capricious spirits. Though the Narrator may be aware of the true magnitude and motives of the forces at play, for the Heroes, the Aldenweald and its dwellers should be mysterious and haunting, concealing more than they reveal (see You Are the Veil, page 178). Jarko's Altar The altar Jarko found was once an open-air meeting point where the Green Maiden met petitioners from Gwyrdolin. SeedWaker's Nature SeedWaker is more accurately an Incarnation, as she never leaves the Aldenweald, but her dreams do, making them Emissaries. Therefore, outside the Aldenweald they can be banished and staved off using Oldways magic. At your option, SeedWaker's urgency may verge on obsession, walking a thin line that could lead to her Falling from the Tree of Stars if she doesn't heed the Green Maiden.

A Backwoods

To reach the Green Maiden, the Heroes must travel deeper into the Aldenweald, into the Forest

Haunting

of Dreams where things become strange and phantasmagorical. At The Grotto, the Heroes discover the relationship between forest and humanity is more complicated than a simple altar offering. They confront the Maiden in a bid to save Woodend's sleep while becoming aware of the bigger peril looming over all of the Dales. Hooks • NPCs from Woodend affected by the dreams invite an Oldways practitioner, Red Marshal, or forest-savvy Hero to Woodend, begging for help with “a mysterious affair”. • Jarko the cooper writes to one of the Heroes, or to Walric from An Important Letter, about “a terrible offense” he made, asking for help. • If the Fellowship is keeping their ears to the ground about Creatures of Twilight, they hear rumors of the Vila of Aldenweald and their recent falling out with Woodend villagers, which can bring them to investigate. • The Fellowship learned in previous adventures that the Dales are being threatened from the outside by dark forces, such as the miasma. They then learn that some in Woodend have been having unnatural dreams, which spurs them to visit. Across Weilyn Dam's mist-slick stones, an impressive lumbermill looms out of the fog, laboring like a grumbling beast. Workmen and loggers scurry around the muddy yards, toiling to feed its industrious saws. Beyond it, a stone's throw from the swaying edges of the forest of Aldenweald, await the cozy cabins and lodges of Millside. The hazy air is thick with charcoal and loam. Yet the hamlet lacks the vibrancy it is known for across the Dales. Traders and travelers hunker around their fires, blinking emptily into smoky flames. Local Woodenders shuffle about, as if lost, dropping items, apologizing, struggling with their daily lives and labors. Many cling to embroidered sashes and woolen poppets, muttering quiet appeals to the slate-grey sky. It seems that gone are the village's hearty hails and warm welcomes. All that remain are hollow eyes and wearied frowns. In this scene, the Heroes arrive at the unusually morose and yawning Millside, a part of Woodend that is famously vibrant and industrious, teeming with woodcutters, hunters, and foragers, but is now cursed with nightmares. They meet with their acquaintances or inquire about the situation, quickly learning about the plaguing nightmares – and even experience them for themselves – while locating the alleged culprit, Jarko. A good place to start is the sawmill or the Driftwood Inn, run by Nessie Tarnfolk (page 101). A Trading Post Astir The people of Millside are tired, cranky, and curt, and all of them desperately wish for someone to find out the cause of the nightmares and make them stop. Some are also tight-lipped-2, for fear of angering the Vila by talking about the nightmares. Taking action to discover more should sooner or later lead to Jarko, the cooper. • In the last week, many who sleep in Millside have haunting nightmares where they wander endlessly through the foliage, lost, alone, and surrounded by watchful eyes. Some see terrible disasters that befall their village. They wake up tired, and the dark images linger long past sunrise, spoiling their peace of mind. • Most Millside folk think it is the work of the Vila, the Creatures of Twilight who dwell in the Aldenweald, but they don't understand what made them curse Millside so suddenly and terribly. Typically, the Vila are silent, or at worst, mischievous or playful. • The local Wise One, the middle-aged Fablo Roots, has been inundated with requests for charms and poppets of protection against nightmares (he has none left to sell, but can trade for the design). Luckily, they seem to work for a time, but equipping the entire village is a task too great, and he is already exhausted. He's had no time to investigate the matter himself. Jarko the cooper is an unhappy man, and many say he has been behaving suspiciously for a while hearing a strange wail from the woods. As the moaning and scratching grows, some invisible presence from the woods assails them wherever they are; use the Backwoods Haunting Challenge Profile, without the appease Limit (CBII 123). The Hero can call for the help of other Heroes in their dream; their actions will happen within the dream of the first Hero to fall asleep. There is a hidden Limit to this scene, awaken 3 , which should be revealed only if a Hero checks if they are dreaming, such as by pinching themselves. Once the nightmare reaches a tense crescendo, the Hero wakes up, covered in cold sweat. Remove all statuses gained and restore all tags scratched during the dream, and give the dreaming Hero harrowed-3. SOLO: If you fell asleep someplace where other characters are nearby, such as an inn, you can still call for help. A traveling companion, acquaintance, or kind stranger can help stir you from the nightmare with gentle prodding.

Aldenweald

nightmares; SOLO: read A Botched Offering? (page 363). Jarko explains to the Heroes how to arrive at the shrine and begs them to appease the spirit of the woods with a second offering, as he now lacks the courage. Jarko and others can point to Riva Skall (“The Three Skulkers”, page 101) who lives deep in the woods as the one to go for further answers about the Aldenweald. Merrick the wayguide or Fontell the huntress could be persuaded to help find her. A Troubling Dream Before the Heroes set out to their next destination, be it the Altar of the Green Maiden or the fabled cabin of Riva Skall, one of them experiences one of the haunting dreams. This could occur when the Heroes turn to sleep at night or as a Consequence to one of their investigative actions, as one of them briefly nods off to sleep during the day. This nightmare is not dangerous, but it is unnerving, and shows the Heroes what plagues Woodend already. It begins with one Hero waking up – without knowing they are still dreaming – Many logging and hunting trails lead from Millside into the Aldenweald – the pastoral meadows turn into a picturesque forest all at once. Enough daylight filters through the canopy to paint the dense undergrowth in bright colors, but the shadows remain deep and inscrutable. As you walk by, the wind whispers in the treetops, and small animals chirp and flutter. Sometimes it seems as if these sounds join together to form a coherent voice, like a distant sigh, or perhaps even a word, almost loud enough to be discernible, but not quite. In this series of scenes, the Heroes journey through the Aldenweald either with a task to make a new offering at the altar, or looking for Riva Skall, a hermit who may be able to help. As they travel through the woods, they encounter the forest's mysteries and begin to sense that the forest itself is watching them, represented by a status, forest's-attention. Ever-Watchful Eyes If the Heroes want to reduce forest's-attention, they need tags that directly conceal them from Twilight attention from an unknown source – a rare ability. There are three possible stopping points on the way: an encounter with Riva, the corrupting influence of the Marshes, and an encounter with the AshenEpitaph. The Aldenweald Journey Before the Heroes arrive at each stopping point, play through two or three Vignettes from the Aldenweald Outskirts Journey (page 298). The forest's-attention status is initially harmless and is meant to emphasize the ominous feeling, hinting at an approaching danger. It hinders sneaking and avoiding the forest's Creatures and Unseen forces. It may also make the Heroes more vulnerable in The Second Offering. Riva Skall, The Hermit As you walk down the winding path, you notice a stirring above you – birds flutter and chirp on the tree branches. It takes a little while longer to see the center of the commotion: a thin, stooped figure, sitting on a smooth rock and tending a small fire that produces almost no smoke at all. Her clothes are layers of village garb long past repair, patched with twine and bits of bark and leaves. She is stirring a pot that smells faintly of roots and apples. Birds on her shoulders, arms, and on the ground around her look on, as if waiting to share in the meal. She notices you before you notice her. Her eyes widen not in fear, but in annoyance, and she snatches up her pot and scatters the fire with a bare foot, sending the birds fluttering up noisily. Under the cover of the noise, she then slips between the trees with surprising speed and vanishes into the undergrowth. In this scene, the Heroes encounter a hermit deep in the Aldenweald who may be able to help them on their quest. The hermit, a former Woodender named Riva Skall, has been living here for many years. She never ventures deep into the Aldenweald, knowing the danger it holds, instead having become accustomed to the forest's outskirts, where she still meets villagers sometimes. Use the Lone Tracker Challenge profile (CBII 126) with the Reclusive add-on (page 305) to represent tracking Riva and convincing her to help. If the Fellowship decides to avoid her, they can simply do so and move on to the next scene. If convinced to help, Riva can share some valuable details: • Forest's Attention: Riva notices immediately if any of the Heroes have the forest's-attention on them, which Riva calls “her attention” (pertaining to the Green Maiden). She knows it gets worse the deeper into the forest you go, and that it draws supernatural dangers, as well as making you more vulnerable to them. • Jarko's Offering: She's seen “Jarko, that big soft fool” “kissing up” to the Vila at the old altar and can point the Heroes there. If the Heroes mention the nightmares (of which she's unaware), she blurts, “I told them – never treat with the Vila. It's bad luck.” • Protection: She makes mud of gray ash from bark; when applied to all exposed skin, like the hands or face, it reduces forest's-attention (or waking-dreams in later scenes). She has enough for two pinches (two separate tags) for the Fellowship and may also share the recipe. • Source: Riva knows that the attention – and probably the nightmares – come from a being deeper in the forest, one from old tales: the Green Maiden, who loves to toy with mortals. Riva used to dream of going to see her, but gave up on that wish when she decided to avoid the Vila. She's sure the Green Maiden lives there, somewhere hidden. AshenEpitaph The winding path before you leads deeper into the woods. The trees are taller and seem more imposing here; less of the sunlight escapes through the canopy, and the undergrowth is sparser. The cool air smells like upturned earth. In front of you, a large earthy mound looms, as tall as a man and twice as wide. On top of it, a figure is standing tall, eyeing you with sorrow on his face. It looks like an old man, although his skin is pale and ashen, lined with cracks that glow faintly from within, like flickering embers. When he moves, the left side of his body moves fluidly and elegantly, carrying the remaining tatters of a regal cloak with dignity. The other side is warped and darkened, like molten iron left to cool in the wrong shape. He looks down at you. Though his lips remain still, his voice echoes in the air with the cadence of a wise teacher. “Rest,” he says. “There is no shame in accepting what cannot be restored.” In this scene, the Fellowship stumbles across AshenEpitaph, a Creature who tries to make them turn back, or lie down and die at his feet, like many of those who tried to venture into the deep woods in search of its secrets. Despite the danger, the Heroes can get a vague sense of the Aldenweald's conflicted stance toward humanity. AshenEpitaph does not move, and he projects his words one-sidedly rather than engaging in a conversation. As the Heroes attempt to slog-through, he undermines their will and self-justification with a combination of poignant rhetorical questions (in any order) and disturbing visions of his experiences in the War, shown from his perspective (in the order given below). Forest's-attention hinders sneaking past him, as do his Potent spirit and mystical-awareness-2. SOLO: Roll a die to determine what questions AshenEpitaph challenges you with. UNDERMINING QUESTIONS • “Do you know where you are?” • “Do you know who you are?” • “Do you truly know your companions?” • “Do you know what you seek?” • “What do you know of this forest?” • “What do you know of the past?” • “What truly brings you here?” • “What would you do if you had all the power in the world?” • “What would your companions do if they had all the power in the world?” • “What makes you think you will prevail where so many have failed?” HAUNTING VISIONS • On a wide, stony platform in the forest, a small group of students – perhaps of the Oldways? – try to conjure a mote of light; some succeed, looking proudly at you. • You lecture two promising young students who were caught fighting, making it clear that they are given power in order to uplift others, not to subdue. • Students whisper between them about violence and fighting “back home”. They lower their voices as they walk past you, embarrassed. • The two students talk about going to fight in the war; one wishes to fight and destroy their enemies, while the other hesitates, looking at you for guidance. You stay silent, not knowing what to say. • Battle rages on the outskirts of the Aldenweald. Invaders wearing uniforms fall before your magic, while behind them, the forest burns. • The student who was eager for battle, now a formidable magician, returns from the war limping and battle-scarred. The other died in battle, he says. • The river reeks of death. Bodies float on it, dead, yet still writhing. • The stone platform stands empty and forgotten. You and other instructors leave without looking back, deep bitterness in your hearts. Lore Revelation I The celestial beings of the Emerald Branch taught humanity Thaumaturgy, indirectly causing the War of Thaumaturges.

Into The

now. When confronted he offers no resistance, immediately confessing to being the cause of the

Offering

into the Aldenweald than the Evermire usually gets. Here, they encounter a large bear corrupted by the miasma from the Shiverwash Marshes, driven to aggression and violence, who recognizes the Fellowship only as intruders into the Aldenweald – and as prey. For the Bear's Challenge Profile, use Protective Bear (CBII 142) with Miasmic (page 280). The bear's “protectee” is the ancient corpse it has dug up. If the Fellowship manages to closely examine it, its equipment is similar to that of the waken sentry from A Shadow in the Barley. CLEANSING THE MIASMA The miasma is likely stronger here than in any other place the Heroes have visited, and they might find other miasmic beasts or writhing corpses if they linger. Forest's-attention does not grow here and feels more distant, as if the watchful presence cannot penetrate this area of the forest. However, this patch of miasma, being deeper inside the Aldenweald than most, bothers the Green Maiden greatly. If the Fellowship manages to cleanse the bear (SOLO: Read Who Is the Bear?), they will gain Green-Maiden's-favor-2 when they eventually meet her. Lore Revelation G Recently, strange Creatures are created by a cursed miasma from the Marshes, touched with some ancient hunger. Who is the Bear? This is no ordinary bear. Before its infection, it was Svall, a speaking bear and the companion of the Green Maiden. If cleansed, he will regain his ability to speak, but his knowledge or understanding of the Green Maiden is limited, seeing her simply as a benevolent “spirit” and “friend”. Speaking Animal Svall is one of the Karhu (Bear Kin), the new sentient species uplifted by the Aldenweald (page 187). As you near the site of Jarko's offerings, the tree trunks seem to close in on you, swaying gently, watchful and whispering, and the thicket brushes against your clothes. This is as far as the Woodenders have ever dared to come into the Aldenweald. Soon a small clearing, full of soft, damp earth and dominated by an expansive yew tree, opens before you. A shallow hollow yawns between the yew tree's roots; within it, smaller roots tangle into a wooden altar, decorated with fresh buds and shoots. You blink as you see them all writhe and slither, as if growing before your eyes, knotting into the shape of a green woman. The Aldenweald's presence is still just barely felt, a gentle breeze just strong enough to remind you that this is a living place. Other than that, the forest is holding its breath, observing your actions and waiting to see what you will do. Jarko's instructions were clear: Perform the rites. Leave the offering there. Do not linger. Do not look for signs. In this scene, the Heroes place the second offering only to discover that this is not enough to placate the presence in the forest. The Green Maiden awakens and threatens both the Fellowship and Woodend directly while testing the Heroes and rewarding those worthy with an invitation to find her deeper in the forest. The Aldenweald is unnaturally still here, which makes it harder to investigate or predict. If the Fellowship still has forest's-attention, they feel the attention clearly now. Something is watching them from all directions at once. A Ritual in the Woods If you wish to add more suspense to this scene, have the Heroes play through a few vignettes of the Ritual Journey (CBII 198) as they perform the necessary rites for bringing their new offering before the forest. The Forest's Response

The Second

In this scene, the Fellowship stumbles into a spill of the Evermire (page 200), a tendril reaching deeper

Of Dreams

Aldenweald responds immediately. First, all Heroes gain forest's-attention-1 (can be lessened if it is within their power). Second, all forest's-attention is replaced by waking-dreams of equal tier, as the Aldenweald begins to actively haunt the Heroes' minds with vivid visions, hindering any action that requires attention to one's surroundings (this merely changes the tag of the status and cannot be lessened). Those who are affected by waking-dreams then receive two visions in succession: MILLSIDE, DREAM-PLAGUED The first alarming vision is of Millside in the present moment: the Enders are also beset with the waking dreams, which puts the village in turmoil. People grasp at invisible figments, stumbling over tools and falling into ditches; animals escape enclosures and run through the village; and children wander, unattended, far afield. THE GREEN MAIDEN'S INVITATION The next vision shows an unfamiliar hidden spot in the forest, lush with emerald-green growth and surrounded by three mighty trees: oak, maple, and beech. A stream of pure water flows between the trees and disappears into a barely-seen crevasse in the rocks. “Come to me,” they hear a whispering voice, and they know the Green Maiden is inviting them to come visit her, not with malevolence but with curiosity and bemusement. Where Next? If the Heroes answer the call and make their way deeper into the Aldenweald to find the Green Maiden, the next scene is The Forest of Dreams, or if you skip it, The Grotto (page 372). If they return to Millside, the waking-dreams continue to increase (replace any time-passes with waking-dreams of the same tier). Visions of Millside continue, revealing that the situation is getting worse there, as well. In Millside, the Heroes will likely be unable to help the entire village – waking-dreams will keep growing for everyone there, and soon enough, the villagers will come to the conclusion that there are two choices left: either the Heroes venture into the forest again to parley with the Green Maiden, or everyone leaves Millside, and probably all of Woodend, for good. The Aldenweald's true face unfolds around you, in all its mercurial, dreamy texture. Trees groan and move, animals take on human appearances, the earth curves away from your feet, and even the air itself oddly pushes against you. Things change shape here – one tree looks like an old crone from a certain angle, but turns back to a gnarled trunk when you look again. Whenever the canopy parts to reveal a glimpse of the sky, it is a different color than the last time. Your own words sound mocking, fearful, or sleepy when you do not intend them to. There is beauty here still: verdant growth, birdsong, the smell of living earth. However inviting, it still feels dangerous. Whatever invisible, spiraling eye has been watching you passingly from afar is now fixated on you. In this scene, the Fellowship searches for the Maiden's grotto, the source of the trouble at Millside and the locus of the Maiden's power in the forest. Traveling through the deep reaches of the Aldenweald, they experience its true nature firsthand. Play a few Vignettes from the Deep Aldenweald Journey (below) in order of appearance. Waking-dreams intensifies, both hindering the Heroes and threatening to unmoor them completely from the waking world. In some Vignettes, you could replace the default description with one based on the Hero's Quest. At the end of the Journey, the Heroes arrive at The Grotto of the Green Maiden (page 372). A Dreamer's Land Waking-dreams hinders most practical actions, but a clever Hero can use it to shape the forest into figments of their own imagination. Deep Aldenweald Journey This part of the forest is thick with magical air, which empowers any kind of magic, even the simplest Oldways practices. GENERAL CONSEQUENCES Your very presence offends the Aldenweald (waking-dreams-1). You slowly lose touch with your real self (scratch a power tag). PLAYFUL PATH The forest path curves and curls ahead, differently for each companion: straight for one, turning right for another, left for a third, and so on. You become separated from the others (Complication or lost-2). Your sense of direction is impaired (disoriented-2). Your confidence in your path is shaken (doubting-2). You split up and meet again, but you're not the same (emotional distance or scratch relationship tags). UNEXPECTED MEETING Jarko, or another figure from your past, appears on the path, urging and begging you to turn back and help the folk in Millside as their dreams intensify. You are wracked with guilt (guilty-2). The figure continues to stalk you through the forest (waking-dreams-1). The figure attacks in desperation (New Challenge: Brutal Outlaw, CBII 131, Commoner militia, CBII 113, or their Challenge Profile). PARTING SHADOWS Under your feet, your shadow detaches from your body and starts walking away in another direction. You feel as if it's leaving with a part of you, but you can't tell which. Your shadow leaves with your sadness (light-hearted-2), your mirth (saddened-2), your responsibility (carefree-2), etc. Your shadow leaves with a skill you know or your knowledge (scratch tag). The shadow begrudges you, pulling pranks (distracted-2). A shadow that belongs to you or your companions takes its owners' form (New Challenge: Changeling, CBII 157). CONSTRICTING PASSAGE The trees arching overhead grow lower and lower, constricting the path while their branches grow sharp thorns. You are bleeding-3 by the time you crawl out of the narrow path. The thorns snag on equipment or valuables, pulling them into the thicket (scratch two tags). You begin to feel claustrophobic (panicked-2 or paralyzed-2). WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE At a familiar crossroads, you see phantoms of yourselves in a previous moment in the Aldenweald, arguing about where to turn. The argument heats up, and bitter words are said (scratch a Fellowship relationship tag per Hero). Looking at yourself from the outside, you become weirdly self-conscious-2. As you leave the crossroad, you feel as if you've become your past self (Blocked; return to a previously played Vignette and proceed this Journey from there, eventually reaching this Vignette once again).

The Forest

Once the Fellowship makes the new offering, the

The Grotto

The path that led you down into the cave you now occupy swiftly fades from your memory. A stream of water filters from the ceiling, down over a stony path, and into the pool at your feet. From above, slender roots hang like threads, swaying slightly though there is no wind. The rocks dotting the water and the ground you stand on are covered in moss that glows with a gentle green light. It seems to shy away from you, growing thinner where you step, thicker when you are not looking. The air smells green and fresh, but the scent is elusive, coming and going with every breath, as if it belongs to the place and is not for you to take with you when you leave. Before you, in the water, there is a presence. At first glance she seems like a tall and majestic woman, reclining on a rocky formation in the center of the pool, as if the cave itself were a seat made for her. After a few more heartbeats, you see that the rocks, the vines hanging from the ceiling, and the water itself are not separate from her. Rather than a woman inside the cave, she is part of it, connected to its features as if she was made of them. She stands up, towering over you, and looks at you with eyes full of wonder and amused curiosity. In this scene, the Fellowship enters the Green Maiden's (SeedWaker's) grotto, where she awaits them. Their arrival as expected tells the Green Maiden that they are the Heroes she has been looking for, seeds ready to sprout. With the following speech, she demands a new offering: for the Heroes to leave behind their old selves and take a step towards a greater world. See a list of offerings she accepts in the sidebar. “You stand before the Green Maiden of the Emerald Branch, the silent call all seeds hear when their time has come. You have come so far, toiled so hard. Won't you awaken? Won't you rouse from your sleep and brush the cobwebs from your eyes? The dreams I sent were for you, to find you. They only frighten you because you refuse to see what is before you. You are weak and feeble. You live in a small corner of your world, unaware. You have but one season to grow into a tree before the coming of the Great Frost. Your Lady of the Dales protected you for too long. You are her seeds, but even seeds must sprout in time, or die. You wish for the dreams to cease, yes? Then, awaken. Make me an offering of your comfortable, cozy shell, all that you must leave behind to grow. Only then will you stop hearing my call in your sleep…” Beneath her grand proclamations, the Green Lady shows a hint of playfulness, as if she is only acting offended. She will not get angry, even if attacked, but simply warn the aggressor that the cave is part of her and will protect her, and then, with the same casual friendliness, allow her grotto to retaliate on her behalf. She is quite difficult to strike, being as elusive as the forest of dreams she calls home, but those protected against her nightmares and dreams can also accurately place her. Waking-dreams are no longer dangerous here. Expire the status. SeedWaker won't explain to the Heroes the difference between Stars and Incarnations (page 225). She acts as the Green Maiden, answering to the title and speaking in her name. Offerings: “Something you have outgrown.” “Something you hope not to need anymore.” “The part of you which most scares you.” “The weakest part of you.” “A memento holding you back.” “Proof of your devotion.” “A symbol of what you hope to become.” The Green Maiden accepts no other offerings. Many Revelations In addition to the conflict, you can use this conversation to deliver key series revelations. Cunning Heroes can glean more information from the Green Maiden's words or convince her to divulge more; she is happy to oblige, albeit with a good dose of cryptic mystery, because ultimately she wishes for the Heroes to embark on a quest. She will point them to the root of the Oldways, which they must seek: “The Oldways are your matron's gift to you, a gift she received from us long ago. If you wish to protect your people, you must uncover the past. Find the roots of the Oldways. Awaken them. They were sequestered in the Dales under her enveloping Hem and so I cannot tell you where to look, but follow your hearts and they will lead you there.” She can also complete any missing Revelations that you wish the Hereos to know at this point in the series. Possible Outcomes If the Fellowship appeases the Green Maiden (make-offering) or otherwise overcomes her, the nightmares of Millside cease, and it becomes safe once again. If they leave without the approval of the Green Maiden but without defeating her, the waking-dreams resume, and Millside is practically uninhabitable unless they find another way to stave off the dreams. Traveling back through the Aldenweald depends on how the Heroes left things with the Green Maiden: the Aldenweald can hasten their return, or it can become a hostile, nightmarish forest. Parting Gifts Before they depart, if the Heroes part with the Green Maiden on good terms, she imparts on each of them one of the following boons of their choice: • Boon of the Soft Soil – Helps navigate difficult or wild terrain. • Boon of the Distant Memory – Allows observing a previously visited place through a vision of the same place in the present. • Boon of Deep Roots – Heals physical injuries. Lore Core Revelations 5 – It is the Lady's power that has protected the Dales, but it is failing. 6 – Finding the roots of the Oldways may be a way to restore the protection over the Dales. LIMITS

Aftermath

Upon returning to Woodend, the Heroes discover they were in the forest three times longer than they thought! Their reception depends greatly on the circumstance. Consider the following questions as you summarize the events of this adventure: • What was the fate of Millside and their nightmares or waking dreams? Did the Heroes save the village, or were its people forced to leave or adapt to a strange new reality? • How did the Heroes emerge from the Aldenweald and their encounter with the Green Maiden? Who left what behind, and who held on to which part of themselves? • What have the Heroes learned about the world beyond the Dales and the many mystical Creatures that inhabit it? How did the Maiden, AshenEpitaph, or the corrupted bear affect their view of the world? • What are the Heroes planning to do now with all that they've learned? The Heroes have met and possibly kindled a friendship with a powerful Creature of Twilight, and word of that might spread, making both the Green Maiden and the Fellowship a much spoken-of part of the Dalish rumor mill. If they weren't well-known before, they may very well become local legends in Woodend and the Dales.