If you go too deep into the Grafarvidur, you risk crossing into the Dark Wood. In the dark, twisted paths, rumor tells of meeting mysterious creatures not seen elsewhere on this world. The wood here is a between-place, a crossover from the mortal realm to the realm of the Shadow Fey. Within the wood lie plants bathed in Chaotic energy capable of serving as reagents for improved alchemy. An alchemist of Grafarvad, a plantfolk named Vimala, regularly sends adventurers into the Dark Wood to collect ingredients so that she can make potions to support them. The truth is, she’s a fey from Ilthamara, the dark fey crossing at the center of Grafarvidur. She escaped and fears to go anywhere near that realm.
Random Encounters in the Dark Wood
- Treant: either a light or dark treant.
- 1d8+1 Ettercaps and 2d4 Vine Blights
- 4 Shadowbears (CR 4, Use Forge of Foes Specialists with few hitpoints but improvise some shadow nonsense)
- Shadow Grick Alpha + 2 Shadow Gricks
- 2x Yuan-Ti Abominations
- Banshee
What these encounters tell me:
The presence of Light Treants represent a druidic order trying to halt the growth of the Dark Wood.
Dark Treants are agents and spies of Ilthamara, watching the wood and pushing away the unworthy.
The Ettercaps are at war with the Druidic Order and the Yuan-Ti both. They control the best paths through the Dark Wood. (Might need to upregulate them on the encounter table)
Shadowbears are aggressive hunters sent out from Ilthamara, they hunt down targets touched by shadow.
The Shadowgricks are servants of a Guardian Naga who has fallen to the shadow of Ilthamara. Saving the Naga would be a big boon to the region.
The Yuan-Ti abominations indicate a major Yuan-Ti temple in the area, and the presence through the Lightless Tunnel that can serve as a shortcut…if you can barter passage. The presence of a Lightless Tunnel connection also means that typical Abominations (gibbering mouthers, etc) should crop up somewhere.
The Banshee has hints to Vimala’s past. Perhaps a scorned lover.