D20 SYSTEM✦ Normal

The Rampant White Stag and the Poisoned Crown

# Investigation# Wilderness# Intrigue# Fey

The Royal Hunting Grounds, once a symbol of the kingdom's majesty, are now a death trap. A magnificent White Stag, revered as a sacred protector, has mutated into a rampaging beast, its antlers wreathed in unnatural fire. Caravans attempting to traverse the grounds are slaughtered. The Crown blames the Stag's Keepers, a circle of ancient druids, claiming their forbidden potions drove the beast mad. The Keepers accuse the Crown's own Attendants, royal alchemists, of corrupting their sacred rituals. Both sides hold critical truths. The players are sent to quell the rampage, but will discover the Stag's fury is a symptom of a poisoned land and a desperate, hidden conflict.

Chronicle Prelude

The fortified town of Mirehaven, built on the edge of the Hunting Grounds. Refugees clog the streets, whispering of fire and screaming antlers. The tavern, 'The Wary Stag,' is a hub of information, fear, and competing factions. The local Guard Captain represents the Crown's authority, while a shadowy figure in the back alley represents the Keepers.

Environmental Traits

The Royal Hunting Grounds themselves are a vast, fey-touched forest now corrupted by alchemical runoff. The ultimate goal is not just to kill the Stag, but to discover and stop the source of the corruption before it spreads beyond the woods, poisoning the kingdom's heartland. Success requires navigating the claims of both the Crown and the Keepers.

Legendary Archetypes

Rayan

HP:45

STR:16

WIS: 12

CHA:11

Key Factions & Autonomous Nodes (8)

Captain Gryff
A stern, scarred man in polished but worn half-plate bearing the crest of Mirehaven. His eyes are tired but sharp, and he carries himself with the rigid posture of a career soldier.
Alchemist Ashwick
A nervous, bird-like man in a stained lab coat over fine clothes. His fingers are perpetually stained with chemical dyes, and he smells of ozone and burned herbs. He flinches at sudden noises.
Sylara
A young woman with bark-brown hair braided with leaves and feathers. She wears supple leathers dyed in forest greens and moves with a silent, cautious grace. Her eyes are wide with a mixture of fear and hope.
Elder Eldath
An ancient figure with skin like weathered oak and hair like spun moonlight. They move with a slow, deliberate weight, and their eyes hold the deep, quiet sorrow of someone who has outlived their world. Their robes are woven from living vines that shift gently.
Iron Jack
A burly, grizzled man with a prosthetic iron hook replacing his left hand. His face is a map of old scars, and his good eye is hard as flint. He smells of horse, sweat, and cheap ale.
The Vine Blight Guardian
A massive, animate treant choked and warped by pulsing, purple-veined vines. Its bark is split, oozing a thick, alchemical sap. Where its eyes might be, two clusters of bioluminescent fungi glow with malevolent intent. It blocks the entrance to the Heart-Grove with a wall of writhing roots.
Corrupted Feystag Alpha
A large, monstrous deer-like creature with a rack of twisted, blighted antlers. Its fur is matted with alchemical residue, and its eyes glow with a feral, purple light. It moves with unnatural speed and aggression.
Spirit of a Captive Keeper
A shimmering, translucent figure of a robed elf, bound in place by semi-corporeal purple vines that glow with alchemical energy. The spirit's form flickers, and its expression is one of profound sadness and urgency.

Chronicle Prelude

Environmental Traits

Legendary Archetypes

✦ Related Cases ✦

The Guiding Fog & The Luminous Gate

The Silent Symphony