An Audience with Melandru

Template:Tocright At the heart of Melandru's Grove, there is a statue of Melandru that is rarely visited. One night, as the party is in the guildhall, a wicked flare is seen above the lake. The next morning, they see that the stream from the lake has turned from its normal crystal clear water to dark green. Upon reaching the lake, they see the statue has been corrupted by some force, as the trees nearest the lake have turned from their regular verdant green to a pale gray... with the wood turned... white?

A nature check reveals where they've seen these kinds of trees before... The Grove of Bones.

"Sad isn't it..." a humanoid figure steps out from the trees. A [being] stands before them, with pale blue skin and features almost elven. A elf, ranger, or druid recognize, or at least rationalize that before them stands a Druid.

"Melandru.... the mother weeps. Brave adventurers, I beseech thee, wouldst thou help free this place from the wicked grasp that drags it to ruin?"

"Then come now, adventurers, I shall open a portal to the Feywild, that we may cleanse the evil there."

She prays to the statue, beseeching the goddess to open the way for them. As she does so, a green light begins to swirl around the party, after a few seconds, they find themselves standing in another forest, this one much more corrupted than the grove. As they come to, undead creatures rush them. Once the dust has settled from the fight, Autumn calls out "Mother, where art thou. What being has caused this?" The wind rushes past, a whisper "above." As they see a pale dragon-like figure, its wings without web, its bones without flesh. In its mouth is a large humanoid, Brown skin, with leaf-like hair and tattered branches for wings.

If any of them know anything of Tyria, they know this to be Rotscale, Khilbron's Dragon. And in his mouth, is the goddess, Melandru.

NOTE: BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT NUKE THE PARTY WITH THE DRACOLICH!!! (unless they ask for it)

"oh no.... no no no no no..."

The dragon passes by, seemingly without noticing you.

Autumn tells the party that they cannot hope to fight him, but they need to cast him out.

If the party does not have any banishment spells of their own, Autumn calls out to Melandru for aid once more. "I can cast out the beast, child, but I am yet weak. I ask thee, wilt thou lend thy aid? Then seek the Dream Flowers. By nourishing them, my strength I will receive."

The Dream Flowers

At 4 corners of the woods lie great flower buds. Spring to the west, Summer to the north, Autumn to the east, and Winter to the south. As they open each of the flowers, a druid emerges, save the Autumn one, for obvious reasons.

Fall

The party begins in the autumn woods. Autumn leads them deeper a short way, finding a large flower, riddled with holes and beginning to wilt. Autumn jumps into the middle of the flower, and begins an aria. The party watches as the flower mends and heals, and Autumn's pale skin begins to turn orange.

Spring

The trees to the west appear budding anew, though some appear singed, as though a small fire had caught hold, but extinguished before too much damage was done. The Spring Flower is yet a pale bud, still growing to bloom. Autumn begins to sing to the bud, as its growth accelerates. But as she begins singing, the dracolich swoops overhead, and from his claws drops a small army of undead. The party must defend her, lest the ritual be interrupted and the flower lost. After 4 rounds, the ritual completes, and the flower begins to bloom. Autumn then joins the fight against the undead. Once the fight is over, Autumn turns back to the flower, as the petals part, releasing a being similar to Autumn, though green instead of Autumn's pale. This is verdant druid, Viren.

Summer

The trees in the north are sparse and frail, the soil under them a marsh. As the party trudges through the swamp, they find another bud, appearing to be beginning to wither. Autumn and Viren begin their chorus, as demons (see:Random Events, Abaddon's forces) rise from the swamp to fight them. After 4 rounds, the flower grows whole once more. Once the remaining demons are dealt with, a pale figure steps out of the flower. As his gaze levels at the sorry trees around him, a light bursts forth from him, as his pale is replaced vibrant orange, and the trees spring up with strength anew. This is Aidan, druid of Godslost Swamp.