# A touch of Blight

##### A cursed land and a lost guardian. Will you save the land or add yourselves to the decay of the woods?

\page # Introduction A Touch of Blight is a oneshot module intended to be run for 4-5 10th level characters. As the DM, you'll find everything you need to run this story within. Monster and item stats can be found in the appendixes. While this is inteded to run only one session, it can be expanded upon to fill more and the location is generic with the intent of portability within any existing campaign world. ## Backstory Throughout time, a horrid being known as Rekliar has tried to travel to this world but is largely barred from this plane. The few that do know of Rekliar's exitance are unsure of where they're from or what they are. What is known is their motive, Rekliar always possesses individuals in order to explore and examine the world through mortal eyes. While Rekliarr's intentions have mostly been benign, this amoral being has no regard for the lives of the ones they possesses or of individuals that get in their way. This often means that Rekliar tears through the minds of their host to learn everything they know. Most of the possessions end with banishment or the host dying, but there have been accounts where Rekliar left willingly when offered valuable knowledge. A month ago Rekliar took possession of a druid in order to perform a ritual that will create a material body of their own. If successful, the new body will be highly resiliant unlike previous hosts. The ritual itself is draining life and magic from the land around it, which has been causing food shortages in the nearby settlement of Illumor. Desperate to end the curse on their land, the people of Illumor reach out to whomever they can for aid. ### The Missive

##### This letter is received by the characters We urgently request aid from any experienced individuals, there has been a plague upon our land coming from the forests. Many of our own hunters have sought to investigate the cause this past fortnight, but haven't returned. Illumor is in desperate need of individuals with experience. With regards, Escanor Tills, Lord of Illumor

The letter above was received by the characters that prompted them to travel to Illumor. If you wish to tie this into an existing campaign, they can receive the letter from a guild officer or a notice board. ``` ``` ### The Drain Upon entering the affected lands, most characters will notice things aren't right. The air tastes stale and the ground becomes hard. Anyone proficient in survival will notice the drastic reduction of wildlife and health of the flora and any with magical ties to nature (druids, rangers, oath of the ancients paladins, etc) additionally will feel uneasy. All spellcasters will feel a drain on their magic and know instinctively that they shouldn't spend too much time here. The mechanical effects are listed below

##### The Drain's Effects There are 3 effects caused by the drain on the land.

Due to the drain on the land, a DC 20 check to forage only yields 1 pound of food and 1 gallon of water and going too long without food can lead to exhaustion (see players handbook page 185).
After a long rest, spellcasters must make a DC 15 Charisma save or lose one of their highest spell slots for the day and each day spent in the afflicted land increases the DC by 1 to a maximum DC of 20 (this effect doesn't stack, so a character can't lose more than one spell slot).
Whenever a spell with a duration greater than one round is cast, the caster must make a DC 17 Charisma save or the duration is halved (including concentration spells).

1

PART 1 | Introduction

\page # Illumor The journey to Illumor is nothing special, just rather quiet. The closer you draw to the destination, the quieter it becomes. The air becomes stagnant with little to no wind, the earth dry and loose, and even the nights are without the familiar calls of the wild. Upon arriving to the settlement, the group is met by the anxious lord pacing in the road. ### Escanor, Lord of Illumor ##### Description: Escanor is a balding, mid 40s human who seems a bit too thin to be considered healthy. His hair may have been brown at one point, but is very nearly gray and he almost always looks nervous. His clothing is marginally more elaborate than one would expect of a merchant, with wear that one wouldn't expect of someone in his position. ##### Personality: When speaking to the players, Escanor talks erratically fast, sometimes stammering over words. His anxiety is a symptom of his caring nature, as his people are suffering from the plague of the land. ##### Dialog: Escanor informs the party that several weeks ago, the land became less hospitable; crops began to die without warning, game became more scarce, and plants began to rot. Within the forest is a grove that is tended to by an elven druid, they thought that he may be able to help so most of the hunters sought his aide but never returned. The last of the hunters have been too afraid to go back into the woods. The food stores are running low and so are medicinal supplies. Please find the source of the plague in the land and cure it. The remaining local hunters may have some information and the druid may still be able to help if he is still alive. If they can do this, the Lord's family owns several keeps across the kingdom and will reward the party with the deed to one of their choice, the service of the attendants there, and each member being granted 10,000 gold. > ##### Alternative reward > If after investigating the party tells Escanor that the curse can't be lifted, he'll still reward them with 5,000 gold to split for their trouble, the rest he'll use for helping the evacution of the settlement. > ``` ``` ### Sheldrin Darkscale, Huntress A black dragonborn huntress, she's tall and fairly irritable. She doesn't like wasting words and thus isn't very verbose. She occupies a small home in the northern part of the settlement. When questioned, she'll informs the party that the druid's name is Lothir Evel'thar and he has been tending to the grove for a few decades now. She believes that the people should cut their losses and abandon the land, as she's already packed and leaving in the morning. She's willing to give the party a place to stay if they wish to rest. Should the character's stay over, before leaving in the morning, Sheldrin will tell the characters that the settlement as a whole only has enough food to last another week, but some individuals will have stored enough to feed their own families for months, if the characters were to help find and spread those food stores the the lord would surely compensate them.

##### Side Quest: Relief Efforts If the group decides to inquire the locals about the food hoarding, a DC 15 Charisma (Investigation) reveals that three farmer families are rumored to be hoarding food: the Glerihks, the Felbrawns, and the Eklershins. + The Glerihks are a large family of halfling farmers on the western edge of the settlement, the head of the household a middle aged name Tumb. When approached about the subject, Tumb will lie stating that the family is having just as hard of a time as everyone else and doesn't have extra food. A DC 15 Widom (Insight) check reveals the lie and when confronted about it Tumb will succumb and agree to share the food he's been hoarding. + The Felbrawns are a family of half-orcs in the southern section of the settlement, the matriarch being the elder Veeldra. When approached on the subject, she admits to hoarding the food but refuses to share as she must look after her family first. A DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or 17 (Intimidation) will convince her to share her stockpile. + The Eklershins have locked themselves in their home and do not answer to anyone. The doors can be broken down with a DC 15 Strength check or have their locks picked with a DC 15 Dexterity (thieves tools) check. upon entering, the find the frightened Gnome family that is willing to part with their amassed food. Should the party get all three families' stockpiles to be shared, the town will have enough for for a month and Escanor will give the group a family heirloom Jade Ring of Resistance. This is a rare ring that requires attunement and grants the wearer resistance to psychic damage

2

PART 2 | Illumor

\page ### Bulin Cragsmer, Hunter A young adult, red haired dwarf that carries himself with great pride. Bulin is all bark and no bite, always exaggerating his bravery and making up excuses to avoid danger. Bulin doesn't offer any information that the party didn't already know, not even knowing the druid's name. He can be persuaded into helping guide them to the druid's grove with a DC 10 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) roll. Should this happen, he will avoid every conflict and make up an excuse as to why he wasn't involved. Bulin will often say that the druid probably dislikes the settlement and is trying to drive them out with his elven witchcraft. ### Melfor Erikson, Hunter The shack the group is directed to is quietand locked up. Melfor has locked himself within his home for the last few days. This young adult human has unnatural white hair and, unlike many of the residents, he doesn't look malnourished. He is extremely fearful and must be persuaded to open the doors and talk with a DC 15 Charisma (Persuason). Melfor is constantly twitching and looking over his shoulder while speaking. He had been an apprentice to the druid for awhile and about a month ago, was headed to the grove for a lesson, this isn't a secret, but he is introverted and no one really asks. Before he reached the grove however, he felt his body lock up and felt something ripping through his mind. He could tell it was looking for some knowledge, but he was able to get control back and fled the forest. Since then he has been haunted by horrid dreams that he's unable to remember, waking screaming the word Rekliar. He is disappointed that his courage failed him and continues to. He requests the party make sure Lothir is ok and gives the party 5 Goodberries (they expire after 6 hours, unlike the typical spell) before they leave. When hearing of Melfor's condition, characters can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to determine that Melfor has some intermittent residual link with the entity that can be disrupted with abjuration magic the next time he sleeps. > ##### Divination >At this point, the characters may have gathered several important names that they could chooose to attempt to find more information on through magical means. > >divination spells can reveal that the druid and the missing hunters are alive. They can also reveal that the druid both is and isn't the cause of the drain on the land. Legend lore won't reveal anything about the druid, but it can reveal that Rekliar is a being that posesses mortals in order to examine the world. Commune with nature will reveal that the land is weak, most animals are dead, and there is outside planar being present. ``` ```

##### Side Quest: Curing Melfor If the group decides to try to fix Melfor' ailment, they must cast one of the following spells while he's sleeping: protection from good and evil, dispel good and evil, magic ciircle, remove curse, or any similar effects will work. After casting an appropriate spell, Melfor's terrors manifest for the surrounding characters, targeting them as per the Weird spell with a DC 17 for up to 2 turns. The characters see horrific images of their worst nightmares flying around Melfor. Afterwards, the phantasms recede into a nearby hand-mirror, darkening it. Upon waking, Melfor will thank the group and give them the mirror.

> ##### Horror's Reflection. > *Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)* > > This hand mirror has 3 charges. You can use an action and expend 1 charge to cast the Phantasmal Killer spell with a DC of 17. The mirror regains 1 charge daily at dawn.

3

PART 2 | Ilumor

\page # The Blighted Forest This was once a beautiful, vibrant forest but is now filled with the stench of rot and death. The plants are all dead or dying and decay has become the norm here. The sounds of nature one would expect are replaced with the cracking of wooden limbs falling from once great trees. As the group journies therough the forest, there are several notworthy locations. Should they choose, the group can always backtrack to a previous or missed site. ## Grave Markers #### Description Only half a mile into the forest, the group finds 5 planks of wood stuck in the earth. There are inscriptions carved, but the wood is too rotted to decipher them. in front of each is a small trinket; a doll, a bone necklace, a heavily worn knife, a steel bracelet, and a wooden whistle. ##### Challenge The party must make a Wisdom (Survival) check DC 15 to move to find their way, proceeding to the *Molding Traps* location if successful, otherwise their bearing is too far north and they proceed to the *Off Track* location. *If the group has Bulin with them then they will not need to make this roll* > ##### DM note: >These are the memorials to the missing hunters, keep note if the characters take these trinkets as they can be used in the encounter outside the grove. ## Off Track #### Description The group has been walking for 4 hours with nothing noteworthy. Eventually they notice less rotting animal carcasses, but the plants are still in bad shape. The land becomes more rocky and difficult, the plants more sparse when they come across a thicket of berry bushes. Once the party decides to proceed, they realize they've gone too far north and head to the *Molding Traps* location. ##### Challenge Should the party try to interact with the bushes, they are revealed to be 5 mimics that attack the party. ``` ``` ## Molding Traps #### Description After 2 hours of walking (or 3 if the party got off track) the group will notice that there is a increase in rot, the ground has become completely covered in fungi and mold. The air is heavier and filled with spores. From here, the group sees an unusual hill in the distance to the east and a small valley to the south. The group can proceed south to the *Putrid Waters* or continue east to the *Curious Hill*. *Bulin will inform them of a spring that's supposed to be to the south, but it's been a long will since he last been this deep in the woods.* ##### Challenge There's an old hidden spiked pit trap here that can be triggered (treat as a hidden, poisoned, spiked pit trap except the Perception DC is 20 and there is no falling damage). If the trap isn't found, choose a random player to trigger the pit. > ##### Fungal Pit Trap > DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) will cause notice of the uneven ground level and a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) Roll reveals the pit trap's presence. Falling into the pit deals 2d10 (11) piercing damage and the victim must make a constitution saving throw, taking 4d10 (22) poison damage from the fungal rot on a failed save, or half as much on a successful save. > ## Putrid Waters #### Description A few minutes to the south, the group comes across what was perhaps once a pristine pool but is now an arid bog. The dirty water seems to seethe at the character's presence. From the morass emerges an Enraged Bog spirit. #### Challenge The bog spirit is treated as a water elemental with 220 hp and 3 slam attacks that attacks the party, yelling (in primordial) to stay away from its waters. The spirit will not follow the characters away from the area and killing the spirit causes the waters to dry up.

4

PART 3 | The Blighted Forest

\page ## Curious Hill As the group gets closer to the hill, it's clear that it isn't covered in grass and the dirt is mostly loose and is partially covering a very large boulder. The hill appears to have been made by pilling up loose dirt. Should the characters take an hour to dig into the dirt, they find that it was concealing a small cave in the boulder. The cave interior looks like it was chiseled out of the original boulder and the walls are covered in crude scratches. The scratches look like sequential pictures. The images are as follows: a person and a tree => 5 people => a person with raised arms => a person with large claws and teeth => a person with 5 people on leashes => chains (this last image has been clawed across). From here, the party can continue east to the *Outer Grove*. ## Outer Grove #### Description Where there were once decaying trees there are instead empty bark husks. The earth is nearly sand in consitency and you the creaking of the dead forest starts to sound like whisperings to you. Another hour of travel and the party can see a ring of fully living trees in the distance. ##### Challenge Before they can proceed further, they are confronted by a group of 5 monstrosities, each looking different from the other. The attributes each has seems randomized both in presence and location, having spines, claws, tentacles, extra eyes, or mouths. All of them are bipedal and have two arms and at least one giant eye and look ready to eat the players. Treat these as Nothic with 65 hp and +6 to hit with claws. Afterwards, the characters are able to continue to the druid's grove. >##### DMs note: >These are the missing hunters. Casting a remove curse or dispel evil will revert them to their true forms and release them from Rekliar's control. Killing them won't revert them until Rekliar is banished or finishes their ritual. If the players took the trinkets from memorials they can use an action to present it to one to stun it for one turn (this will only work once per creature).

Not drawn to scale: On the west is Illumor, the druids grove is the bright green in the east

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PART 3 | The Blighted Forest

\page # The Druid's Grove After hours of traveresing these horrid woods, the party finally reaches the grove of the druid. The possessed Lothir can be seen within the grove working a ritual and is aware of the PCs presence from their encounter with the polymorphed hunters. The druid appears to be a middle aged elf with brown hair and green eyes, wearing simpIf approached peacefully, Rekliar will tell the characters their plan to create a body of their own so they don't have to keep possessing mortals. Rekliar will then tell them that they should let the ritual be completed as it only takes life from animals and the wilderness which is no different from what humanoids do. They'll say that the settlement should move out as even if the ritual were to stop now there is no reversing what's been done. The players are given clear options: go back and tell Escanor to abandon the land or stop the ritual. -Should the group let Rekliar complete the ritual, Escanor will not give them the original reward but will give them 5,000 gp to split. The settlement will be fully abandoned, the land will permanently be a wasteland where nothing can grow and is a dead magic zone, Lothir will be freed but will have to leave the dead grove, and Rekliar will form a physical body. If the hunters weren't killed then they return to their original forms and are freed, returning to their families. -The party may attempt to reason with the spirit, any attempt to postpone the ritual requires a Persuasion (Charisma) check of DC 25, convincing to release Lothir DC 30, and convincing to abandon the ritual DC 35. These should only be rolled when a reasonable argument is made, like "why not take a little from different lands to cause less of an impact on the locale" and "the druid may be able to undone some of the damage and you no longer need his body or knowledge to perform the ritual elsewhere". -If the party approaches hostilely, Rekliar will first tell them to calm down and talk. If talks break down or the group attempts to attack, Rekliar will fight them will the intent to kill. The fight can have several phases as Rekliar will first use the aberrant wildshape ability to become a spectator, after that form is exhausted, they'll become a chuul, after that they'll fight as the Lothir, and finally they'll fight as their spiritual form. ``` ``` > ##### Rekliar the Body Snatcher > This being is not of this world and their presence here is more of a footprint than a full manifestation. Possessing individuals allows them to experience the world in ways this partial manifestation doesn't. > >Personality-wise, Rekliar is amoral, curious, and driven. Presently they are quick to anger at any interference to their ritual, but they are also reasonable with if approached peacefully. > >When engaging the heroes, Rekliar's demeanor is one of cold calculation. Even when angry or happy, the only indications of emotion are their choice of words.

6

PART 4 | The Grove

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### Fighting The Body Snatcher Rekliar's basic stats can be found in the appendix, they have 4 forms they will take during the combat.Initially they battle as the druid form, which can take on chuul and spectator forms with their corrupted wild shape ability. Once the druid is unconscious, the spirit form of Rekliar manifests to continue the combat. Rekliar will initially try to maintain distance in spectator form and will prioritize spell casters. Since Rekliar is possessing the druid, an effect like *dispel evil and good* spell will force them out and into spirit form. ### Conclusion After defeating Rekliar, if Lothir survived the encounter, he will tell the characters that he can fix the damage done and that the land should begin healing in about a week. Upon returning to the settlement, the group is given their reward. Due to the rationing, there is no celebration, but the residents all express their gratitude. ``` ``` ##### Lair Actions Due to the ritual, Rekliar has access to the following lair actions at initiative 20. No action can be repeated until each has been used at least once and no action can occur two rounds in a row. -The grove's terrain sprouts various grasping fleshy appendages, becoming magically difficult terrain for everyone except for Rekliar until the next lair action. -Magic is drained from the area, each spellcaster concentrating on an active spell must make a DC 15 Concentration check (Constitution save) or the spell is ended. For each spell level dispelled this way, Rekliar regains that many hitpoints. -A target is affected by a Confusion spell with a DC 17 Wisdom save for one round.

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PART 4 | The Grove

\page # Appendix: Monsters ___ ___ > ## Lothir Possessed Druid >*Medium humanoid (elf), unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 95 > - **Speed** 30ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|14 (+2)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|20 (+5)|10 (+0)|17 (+3)| >___ > - **Condition Immunities** Charmed, Frightened > - **Senses** Darkvision 60ft, passive perception 14 > - **Languages** Common, Elfish, Deep Speech > - **Challenge** 10 (7510 XP) > ___ > ***Exhausted Host.*** If freed from possession, the druid falls unconscious and has 4 levels of exhaustion > ### Actions > ***Quarterstaff.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d8 + 2) > > ***Aberrant Wild Shape.*** 2/day, Functions as wild shape, but the possessed druid takes on the form of a Chuul (MM pg 40) or a spectator (MM pg 30) as a bonus action instead of a beast. ___ ___ > ## Rekliar's Manifestation >*Large aberration, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 90 > - **Speed** 0, fly 40ft (hover). >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|7 (-2)|17 (+3)|10 (+0)|20 (+5)|10 (+0)|17 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances Immunities** Cold, Acid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** Poison > - **Condition Immunities** Charmed, Frightened, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paraluyyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained > - **Senses** Darkvision 60ft, passive perception 14 > - **Languages** Common, Elfish, Deep Speech > - **Challenge** 10 (7510 XP) > ___ > ***Ethereal Sight.*** The being can see 60 ft. into the Ethereal Plane when it is on The Material Plane, and vice versa. > ***Ethereal Sight.*** The being can move through other creatures and Objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > ***Skills.*** Nature +9, Arcana +9 > ___ > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** Rekliar makesd two psychic lash attacks > > ***Psychic Lash.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 17 (4d6 + 3) Psychic damage > > ***Horrifying Visage.*** Each non-undead creature within 60 ft. of the being that can see it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened for 1 minute. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 _ 10 years. A Frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the Frightened condition on itself on a success. If a target's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to this being's Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours. The aging effect can be reversed with a Greater Restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it occurring. > > ***Possession (Recharge 6).*** One humanoid that the being can see within 5 ft. of it must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the being; the being then disappears, and the target is Incapacitated and loses control of its body. The being now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target of awareness. The being can't be targeted by any Attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn Undead, and it retains its Alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being Charmed and Frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target's Statistics, but doesn't gain access to the target's knowledge, Class Features, or proficiencies. The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 Hit Points, the being ends it as a Bonus Action, or the being is turned or forced out by an effect like the Dispel Evil and Good spell. When the possession ends, the being reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 ft. of the body. The target is immune to this being's Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.

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