Overview

A mixed party of humans and elves answers a dying village's call to venture into Hollowwood, a deep, sentient forest. A legendary elk Wendigo has begun to stalk the winter trails, stealing warmth, tearing down fences, and corrupting wildlife. The quest is to end its terror by slaying the creature or by lifting the curse at its source.

Setting

Hollowwood is a living woodland where ancient trees whisper, and the land grows colder the deeper you go. Ruined shrines, talking trees, will-o’-wisps, frost-veined rivers, and shifting trails mark the journey. The party must learn to cooperate across old racial grievances, for the forest tests teamwork as ruthlessly as goblins test courage.

The Main Quest

Find the Wendigo’s lair in the Heart of Hollowwood. Clues point to a relic known as the Heart of Winter, cursed by a long-forgotten pact between mortals and fey. To end the blight, the party can choose to kill the Wendigo or to restore balance by breaking or renegotiating the pact with forest guardians, rebalancing hunger and warmth.

Side Quests

• The missing lumberjacks: rescue or recover their stories and uncover the relic’s location.


• A warded druid rite: help stabilize a ritual that keeps the Wendigo under control; success yields a ward and a temporary ally.

Encounters and Challenges

Treacherous terrain (ice bridges, hidden chasms), dwindling supplies, and a looming blizzard that threatens retreat. Illusions, hunger-driven paranoia, and feasting dreams test resolve. A faction of sprites or a treant guardian may offer counsel—or betrayal.

Rewards and Hooks

Artifacts tied to Hollowwood: Antlered Bow of the Northwind, Cloak of Silent Pines, and the Frostward Amulet. The forest grants advantage on Nature and Stealth checks, temporary allies, and a springboard into a future arc where the forest itself remembers the party’s deeds.