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In the spirit-bound world of Etheria, the balance between the material and spiritual realms is maintained by the Spirit Kings and Queens. But a creeping corruption has begun to seep into the land, twisting spirits and poisoning the bonds between humans and their companions. The heroes, newly bonded to their own spirits, are drawn into a mystery that begins in the quiet village of Alder's Rest and leads to the discovery of a forgotten power that threatens to unravel the very fabric of Etheria.
You are a resident of Alder's Rest, a village that has lived in harmony with the spirits of the Verdant Reach for generations. Your spirit companion is your constant friend and ally, a manifestation of the elemental forces that sustain the world. But lately, something is wrong. The spirits are restless. The forest whispers with a voice that is not your own. And in the heart of the woods, a darkness is growing. The village elder has called upon you to investigate, for you are among the few who can hear the spirits' call. Your journey will take you into the Whispering Hollow, where the truth of Etheria's fading light awaits.
Act I: The Whispering Hollow is the opening chapter of a larger campaign. The player characters are residents of or travelers to the village of Alder's Rest, a peaceful community nestled at the edge of the Verdant Reach forest. Strange events—crops failing, animals acting erratically, and a mysterious blight spreading through the woods—have unsettled the villagers. The heroes are called upon to investigate, leading them to the Whispering Hollow, a place of ancient power where a corrupted spirit has taken root. They must uncover the source of the corruption, confront the twisted guardian of the hollow, and discover the first hints of a much larger threat: the awakening of a forgotten entity that seeks to consume the spirits of Etheria.
The village elder, a wise woman named Mira, approaches the party with a desperate request. The spirit of the forest, a dryad named Thistle, has not been seen in weeks, and the trees are beginning to wither. She asks the party to venture into the Verdant Reach and find out what has happened.
A local hunter named Bram has not returned from his last expedition into the forest. His family is worried, and the village is short on food. The party is asked to track him down, following his trail into the Whispering Hollow.
The party is called to investigate strange occurrences in the village of Alder's Rest. They discover that the source of the corruption is a dark shard in the Whispering Hollow, guarded by a corrupted treant. They must defeat the guardian, retrieve the shard, and return it to the village elder, learning of a greater threat that looms over Etheria.
The village of Alder's Rest is a peaceful community, nestled at the edge of the Verdant Reach. The houses are built of timber and stone, and the air is filled with the scent of woodsmoke and wildflowers. But today, there is a tension in the air. The villagers are gathered in the town square, speaking in hushed tones. The crops have been failing, and the animals have been acting strangely. The village elder, a wise woman named Mira, stands at the center of the crowd, her face etched with worry.
The party can speak with the villagers to gather information. A successful DC 12 Persuasion check reveals that the strange events began about a month ago, around the time a meteor was seen falling into the forest. The elder will ask the party to investigate.
The Verdant Reach is a vast forest, ancient and full of life. But as you enter, you notice that the trees are sickly, their leaves brown and withered. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and the usual sounds of birds and insects are absent. The forest is silent, save for the rustling of leaves and the occasional distant howl.
The party must navigate the forest to reach the Whispering Hollow. A successful Survival check (DC 12) allows them to find the trail left by the missing hunter. The trail leads to the hollow, but it is not a direct path. The party may encounter the wolf ambush along the way.
The Whispering Hollow is a clearing in the heart of the forest, dominated by a massive, ancient tree. The tree is withered and black, and a faint, malevolent energy radiates from it. As you approach, you hear a low, mournful sound, like the whispering of a thousand lost voices. The tree itself seems to be watching you.
This is the climactic scene of Act I. The party must confront the corrupted treant and retrieve the Eclipse Shard. The treant is a powerful foe, but the party can use the environment to their advantage. Once the treant is defeated, the party can retrieve the shard and the hidden cache of magic items.
Milestone: The party reaches level 2 after completing the first scene, and level 3 after defeating the corrupted guardian.
Kaelen the Corrupted
Kaelen the Corrupted is the quiet wound at the center of Act I, a villain who never needs to shout because he believes the world itself is …
Free campaign generations include one villain sheet. Additional villain, NPC, and player-facing module character sheets are available in premium campaigns.
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Subscribe NowKaelen was once a powerful spirit guardian of the Verdant Reach, but he was corrupted by the Eclipse Shard. He now seeks to spread the corruption throughout Etheria, believing that the only way to save the world is to consume all spirits and return to a state of pure, undivided essence.
Kaelen is cold, calculating, and utterly convinced of his own righteousness. He speaks in a low, resonant voice that echoes with the whispers of the corrupted spirits he has absorbed. He is not overtly hostile, but he views the party as obstacles to be removed.
Kaelen will not directly confront the party in Act I. Instead, he will observe them from the shadows, sending his minions to test their strength. He will only reveal himself if the party threatens to destroy the Eclipse Shard, in which case he will attempt to bargain with them, offering them power in exchange for their allegiance.
Kaelen can be defeated in a future act, but in Act I, the party can only weaken him by destroying the Eclipse Shard. If the shard is destroyed, Kaelen is banished to the spirit realm, but he will return in a later act, more powerful and more desperate.
Recommended party: A party of 3-5 characters of levels 1-3, ideally with a mix of martial and magical capabilities. A character with the ability to communicate with spirits or nature (such as a druid, ranger, or a character with the Acolyte background) will find many opportunities to shine. The campaign assumes a standard fantasy party composition.
Before the campaign begins, the players should create their characters and choose their spirit companions. The spirit companion is a roleplaying element, not a mechanical one, but it can be used to provide advantage on certain checks or to add flavor to the game. The players should also decide how they know each other and why they are in Alder's Rest.
For a party of 3 or fewer characters, reduce the number of enemies in each encounter. For a party of 5 or more, add additional enemies or increase the hit points of the main antagonist. The encounters are designed for a party of 4 characters of the appropriate level.
This Act is designed to be a self-contained adventure that can be completed in 3-4 sessions. The party should be level 1 at the start and level 3 by the end. The encounters are balanced for a party of 4 characters, but can be adjusted for larger or smaller groups. The main goal is to introduce the party to the world of Etheria and to set up the larger campaign against the Void Serpent.
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Kaelen the Corrupted
Kaelen the Corrupted is the quiet wound at the center of Act I, a villain who never needs to shout because he believes the world itself is …
Free campaign generations include one villain sheet. Additional villain, NPC, and player-facing module character sheets are available in premium campaigns.
Subscribe NowFree campaign encounters use official monsters only and do not include generated monster sheets. Subscribe to create custom campaign monsters and enemy stat blocks.
Subscribe NowKaelen was once a powerful spirit guardian of the Verdant Reach, but he was corrupted by the Eclipse Shard. He now seeks to spread the corruption throughout Etheria, believing that the only way to save the world is to consume all spirits and return to a state of pure, undivided essence.
Kaelen is cold, calculating, and utterly convinced of his own righteousness. He speaks in a low, resonant voice that echoes with the whispers of the corrupted spirits he has absorbed. He is not overtly hostile, but he views the party as obstacles to be removed.
Kaelen will not directly confront the party in Act I. Instead, he will observe them from the shadows, sending his minions to test their strength. He will only reveal himself if the party threatens to destroy the Eclipse Shard, in which case he will attempt to bargain with them, offering them power in exchange for their allegiance.
Kaelen can be defeated in a future act, but in Act I, the party can only weaken him by destroying the Eclipse Shard. If the shard is destroyed, Kaelen is banished to the spirit realm, but he will return in a later act, more powerful and more desperate.
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Suggested Level: 1-2
Dense forest, with trees providing cover and difficult terrain. A fallen log can be used as a barricade.
The wolves have no treasure, but a successful Survival check (DC 12) reveals a trail leading to the Whispering Hollow.
This encounter is designed to introduce the party to combat and the theme of corrupted spirits. The wolves are not inherently evil, and a character with the ability to speak with animals (or a successful Animal Handling check DC 13) can calm them and avoid combat.
Suggested Level: 2-3
The hollow is a large clearing with a single ancient tree in the center. The ground is covered in roots and moss, making it difficult terrain. The tree itself can be climbed.
The Eclipse Shard (a plot item) is embedded in the tree's trunk. Once the treant is defeated, the party can retrieve it. Additionally, a hidden cache of items (see magic items) is buried beneath the tree's roots.
This is the climactic encounter of Act I. The treant is a formidable opponent, but the party can use the environment to their advantage. The treant is vulnerable to fire damage, and the party may be able to lure it into a trap.
Spirit Charm
Completed
Found in the hidden cache beneath the Whispering Hollow tree.
No
Bonded Blade
Completed
Found in the hidden cache beneath the Whispering Hollow tree.
Yes
Eclipse Shard
Completed
Embedded in the trunk of the corrupted treant in the Whispering Hollow.
No
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