Danger Zone — Undead Presence
Thornhaven is completely overrun with undead creatures. The village is no longer a safe place for the living. Approach only with a well-armed and prepared party. The corruption is spreading.
Overview
Thornhaven was once a peaceful Caledrian village nestled in the verdant hills of the Whisperwood. For generations, its people lived in harmony with the forest, farming the rich soil and trading with the surrounding settlements. The village was known for its skilled craftspeople, its harvest festivals, and the warmth of its community.
Deep beneath Thornhaven's picturesque meadows lay a secret that should never have been disturbed: Rootreaver, the ancient corrupted ent known by its true name Hrothmog Uth-Verdant. For centuries, powerful seals bound this blight entity to the earth, sealed by Caledrian druids of old. The seals held firm.
Then came Malachai Thornweaver, a Circle of Blight Druid corrupted by the power of Nekrosyl. Working with the Sporesworn Cult, Malachai performed a dark ritual within Heartwood Hall, deliberately breaking the ancient seals. The binding magic shattered. Within hours, Rootreaver erupted from the earth, its corrupted form spreading the Dragoblom plague across the village.
The village fell in a single night. Every man, woman, and child who did not flee was transformed into a mindless Dragoblom zombie. More than 100 of these wretched creatures now shamble through the ruins—grotesque amalgamations of flesh, bark, fungal growths, and thorny protrusions. They retain no consciousness, no memory of who they were. They are merely extensions of the Blight.
Though Rootreaver itself has moved on to the Wyrmshadow Forest, seeking to merge with the ley lines and achieve its ultimate goal of awakening Nekrosyl, its corruption lingers in every shadow of Thornhaven. The soil itself is poisoned. Crops will not grow. The air carries whispers—faint voices of the damned, crying out for salvation that will never come.
Key Locations
Fort Thornburn
Once Thornhaven's militia garrison and safest refuge. Now completely overrun with vines and undead. The wooden palisade has rotted and collapsed. Inside, Dragoblom zombies nest among the barracks, and corrupted treants have taken root in the courtyard. The armory may still hold valuable supplies, though any attempt to retrieve them will draw significant attention.
The Whispering Willow Inn
The village's gathering place, where merchants and travelers once shared meals and stories. The great willow tree outside still stands, but its bark has blackened, and its roots have burst through the inn's foundation. Blighted creatures now use it as a lair. Human remains are scattered throughout the common room. The inn's cellar may contain supplies or clues about the ritual.
Heartwood Hall
The ceremonial center of Thornhaven's druidic community and the site of Malachai's ritual. A massive stone circle still stands here, carved with ancient protective runes—now defaced with symbols of the Blight. The ground is scorched and cracked. Nekrosyl's corruption is strongest here. This location likely contains evidence of the ritual and clues about the Sporesworn Cult's true intentions.
The Desecrated Shrine
A small shrine dedicated to the forest spirits that protected Thornhaven for centuries. The delicate wooden structure has been deliberately desecrated. Statues are broken. Wooden offerings have been burned. Nekrosyl's unholy symbols—spiraling fungi marks and corrupted runes—are carved into the remaining wood. This shrine may have mystical significance to the cult or Rootreaver itself.
The Rootreaver
Hrothmog Uth-Verdant
Type: Ancient Corrupted Ent | Alignment: Chaotic Evil | CR: 16 (Deadly)
Hrothmog Uth-Verdant is an abomination born from the corruption of an ancient treant by Nekrosyl's blight. Once a noble forest guardian, it has been twisted into a creature of pure malice and decay. The Rootreaver towers over the tallest trees of the Whisperwood, standing 50 feet tall, with a frame of gnarled black wood and withered, desiccated bark.
Its eyes glow with a sickly luminescent fungi, casting an eerie green light. Luminescent fungi grow like a disease across its bark, pulsing with otherworldly light. The very ground corrupts beneath its roots—soil turns black, plants wither, and the air fills with spores.
The Curse of Touch: Any creature that touches the Rootreaver or is struck by its corrupting attacks must make a Constitution saving throw or be infected with the Dragoblom plague. Within 1d4 hours, they transform into a mindless Dragoblom zombie under the Rootreaver's control.
Rootreaver has abandoned Thornhaven to seek the ley line nexus in the heart of the Wyrmshadow Forest. Its goal is to complete a dark ritual that will awaken Nekrosyl itself from eternal slumber, bringing about an age of blight and corruption across all the realms.
Malachai Thornweaver
The Architect of Thornhaven's Fall
Malachai is a Wood Elf of terrible beauty and dark power. Her form is lithe and graceful, but her presence radiates malice. Her eyes glow an unsettling emerald green, a sign of her attunement to the Blight. Her forest-green hair writhes with living vines that move of their own accord. She wears garments woven from living bark and thorns.
Class & Level
Circle of Blight Druid, Level 12
Armor Class
16
Hit Points
78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed
30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR
10
DEX
16
CON
14
INT
14
WIS
20
CHA
12
Malachai is the primary architect of Thornhaven's destruction. A gifted druid corrupted by Nekrosyl's influence, she orchestrated every detail of the ritual that broke the seals binding Rootreaver. Her mastery over blighted nature, her command of corrupting magic, and her connection to the Sporesworn Cult make her one of the most dangerous foes the parties may face. She is currently planning the ritual that will awaken Nekrosyl and bring about an age of blight.
The Sporesworn Cult
Behind the destruction of Thornhaven lies a vast conspiracy. The Sporesworn Cult is a network of corrupted druids, blighted creatures, and fanatics who worship the blight as a divine blessing. They view Nekrosyl not as a dead god, but as a sleeping one—and they are determined to awaken it.
The cult is led by a council known as the Immortal Seven—ancient entities of unclear origin and godlike power. Little is known about them except that they have been working toward this moment for centuries. Malachai Thornweaver answers to them. Rootreaver answers to them. Every corrupted ent, every Dragoblom plague victim, serves their singular goal: the resurrection of Nekrosyl.
The cult believes that by spreading the Blight, by converting entire villages and regions into corrupted wastelands, they will gather enough power to awaken the Dead God. Thornhaven is merely the first step. Fort Valiance itself is in their sights. If they succeed, the corruption will spread unchecked across the realm.
Adventure Hooks
The Lost Village of Thornhaven
The parties receive word of a village that has gone silent. Dispatches sent from Fort Valiance do not return. Eventually, scouts bring back horrific reports of Dragoblom zombies and blight corruption. The parties must investigate what happened to Thornhaven, uncover evidence of Malachai's ritual, and determine if the threat is contained or spreading.
Elowen's Revelation
A survivor of Thornhaven—a priestess named Elowen—has made her way to the Cathedral of Radiance with a dire warning. She carries fragments of knowledge about the ritual, the cult, and the threat to Fort Valiance itself. She seeks heroes willing to stop what is coming. Her testimony could be crucial to understanding the conspiracy.
The Heart of the Dragoblom
The Dragoblom plague is not natural—it originates from a dark artifact hidden beneath Thornhaven. If the parties can find and destroy this artifact, they may be able to cure the transformation and free the village's victims from their undead curse. The artifact lies deep within Heartwood Hall, guarded by Rootreaver's most corrupted creations.
The Siege of Fort Valiance
Malachai and the Sporesworn Cult are preparing for a larger assault. They plan to unleash a wave of blight corruption that will transform Fort Valiance into a blighted wasteland, using it as a fortress for their resurrection ritual. The parties must travel to Thornhaven to gather intelligence, disrupt the cult's operations, and stop Malachai before she can reach the city.
Track the Rootweaver
Following clues from Thornhaven, the parties learn that Rootreaver is heading deeper into the Wyrmshadow Forest, seeking a ley line nexus where it plans to complete a dark ritual. The parties must catch it before it reaches its destination. The journey through the Wyrmshadow Forest is treacherous, filled with corrupted creatures and blighted terrain, but stopping Rootreaver is essential.
Recover the Caledrian Relics
Thornhaven was home to powerful Caledrian artifacts and relics—ancient items of protection, healing, and druidic power. Before the village fell, these artifacts were hidden by the local druids. Now, with the village corrupted, these relics are at risk of being claimed by the Sporesworn Cult. The parties must search Thornhaven's ruins to recover them before the cult does.
Unique Monsters
| Creature | CR | Key Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Dragoblom Zombie | 1/4 | Mindless, infectious bite, resistance to necrotic damage |
| Corrupted Treant | 5 | Blight aura, entangling roots, regeneration (if rooted), vulnerability to fire |
| Malachai Thornweaver | 8 | Circle of Blight spellcasting, blighted nature magic, vine entanglement, wildshape into corrupted forms |
| Rootreaver (Hrothmog Uth-Verdant) | 16 | Dragoblom plague touch, blight aura, massive reach attacks, spore clouds, legendary actions, lair actions |