Fallen Leaves

Into the Glade

Getting Started
The first part of the adventure involves the characters travelling to Goro'imri -- either
to investigate rumours of blood windlings living in Blood Wood or elves being born
without undergoing the ritual of thorns. If the characters have played any of the
adventures in the Chronicles of Barsaive series involving Nybik then this is easily
achieved. Nybik receives a request from Emil (p. 83) -- the leader of the blood
windlings living in Goro'imri -- to relocate new born windlings who haven't under
gone the ritual. Nybik agrees but is curious of the existence of these "corrupted"
windlings. Thus he asks the characters to accompany him more for his protection and
companionship than anything else. Alternatively, if there is a windling in the group
who is well known enough (legend status of one or higher), Emil could ask the
character directly. you could have the characters investigate the uncorrupted blood
elves rumour using the characters' existing contacts -- Takaris if the characters
played Blood Wood (part seven of the Chronicles of Barsaive) or Ceren if they
played any other part.

Northern Reaches
There are two major "insertion into Blood Wood" sections in this adventure, one at
the start and one towards the end. At no time should the characters feel that getting
into Blood Wood is easy. The first of entry into Blood Wood is to get the characters
into the adventure and should be the easier of the two as they aren't travelling very
deeply into the wood. Goro'imri (p. 82 -- 83) is located on the edge of the northern
reaches (p. 73 -- 87) of Blood Wood. The village was founded by Rommanarel
Oakforest (p. 83), an unprotected elven troubadour. In truth Rommanarel settled on
the outskirts of Blood Wood and the village grew around her.
Typically Talshara outposts are locate seventy miles apart. Due to the difficulty in
patrolling the vast northern reaches and to dissuade adventurers that this is an easy
way to enter the forest they are located forty miles apart. Each outpost is guarded by
sixteen defenders, eight of which stay at the outpost and the other eight which patrol.
Each outpost sends out two patrols of four guards in opposite directions: one west and

one west. When two patrols meet up at an outpost they stay and the eight who had
been lounging around have to get off their butts. Of the sixteen defenders, I would
make four of them fifth circle wardens (p. 124 -- 125 for warden statistics) -- two to
stay, the other two to lead the patrols. The rest of the group could be made up of eight
second circle wardens (p. 124 -- 125) and four second circle archers (same statistics,
just change the weapons). Thus every patrol gets a fifth circle warden, two second
circle wardens and an archer. This is typically what the characters will meet as they
are not attempting a frontal assault on one of the outposts. Beef up the patrols if you
have a higher level group.
The other danger the characters are going to face are the various flora and fauna (p.
131 -- 147) that inhabit Blood Wood. My suggestion for encounter would be a patrol,
one animal and one plant. The characters aren't travelling deeply into the forest so do
tack them so much this time round. Though the sourcebook doesn't give an exact
distance to Goro'imri I would suggest a days walk (20 miles).

Goro'imri
No matter how the characters where lead into Blood Wood, when they arrive in
Goro'imri they will be created by Rommanarel Oakforest (p. 83), who has become the
village's defacto leader. She will offer the characters the fullest hospitality that the
village can offer and will be eager to discus the village's situation. During the course
of their conversation with the troubadour the characters should learn two things.
Firstly, that there are elves in the village who do not undergo the ritual of thorns (p.
14). However, when the unprotected elf reaches maturity they experience intense
feelings of restlessness which can only be cured by leaving Blood Wood. They feel at
ease when they are two or three days away from the forest. Secondly, there were a
group of windlings who underwent the ritual of thorns. Their children have suffered
the same restlessness and is why Emil (p. 83), their leader, asked for Nybik's help. If
Nybik came with the characters, he will agree at once to take the children (three, two
girls and a boy) and find good homes for them. He will also swear not to reveal what
he has found. The characters have another fate in store for them.

Queen Alachia
The next part of the adventure relies on the characters meeting with Queen Alachia.
There are two ways that I thought this could be accomplished (though there are
obviously more). The first is to have the characters caught by the wardens. Orlando
Escalanas (p. 93) -- a good friend of his ranelle's leader, Kethos (p. 93) -- had spies
watching the characters enter the forest and allowed them to reach Goro'imri. He is
under orders from Kethos, who has been exiled for a year and a day, to get the

characters to meet with Alachia and divulge what they know. Alternatively,
Rommanarel can ask the characters to escort her to the palace and tell the Queen of
the news herself. The characters will quickly pump into a patrol and can formally ask
for an escort. The choice is yours.
Alachia will readily see Rommanarel (who will accompany them either way) and the
characters who has been aware of Goro'imri for some time and will see this as being
the perfect opportunity to size of the village's charismatic leader. She will be shocked
at the news of the elves leaving the forest but will hide it well. In the end she will send
Rommanarel back and assure her that she will keep the matter under consideration.
More than likely she will destroy the village but she won't really get the chance.
The characters are another matter. She will offer the characters an assignment in
exchange for their lives -- for trespassing through Blood Wood. She tells the
characters they must go on a fact finding mission to Shosara to determine as much as
they can about the city. Though she has sent many of her blood warders there to
estimate the city's defences, she was a fresh perspective that only outsiders can give.
She sends Rhisiart Talashara (p. 80) along with the characters to keep and eye on
them. It is a chance for him to redeem himself after his social blunders during one of
the Queen's private dinners (p. 34 -- 37). She doesn't expect him to be able to beat off
all the characters is they try and run off somewhere else, but she is more interested in
how she deals with them diplomatically.

Fallen Leaves
Heart of the Forest
Shosara and the Seekers of the Heart
Shosara is located directly north of Blood Wood (refer to the map at the back of The
Theran Empire if you have a copy), x miles away. The journey is a long one and the
characters should have a few encounters along the way. I'd suggest about three, two
wildebeests and a group of trouble makers.
Shosara is located on the Gwyn Sea, and is a white, shining city. The buildings are
made out of white sandstone, and though generally single story, the occasional tower
breaks up the monotony. Due to its isolation, the entire city is walled with guard
towers along the entire length. It has a large harbour because most of its trade is
conducted by sea (which caused Shosara's troubles in the first place). The characters
should be aloud to enter easily enough, but Rhisiart doesn't dare enter the city as this
might blow the characters' cover. He says he'll wait a week, and if the characters do
not meet up with him by then he'll assume they're dead or have disappeared like rats.
The characters won't get a lot of time to do any sight seeing as the first evening they
are there they are approached by Kethos Escalanas (p. 93). He has been working with
members of the Seekers of the Heart, a group dedicated to healing Blood Wood (p. 71
- 72). Kethos is the leader of the Escalanas ranelle, who was exiled for a year and a
day when he spoke against Alachia's decision to continue performing the ritual of
thorns. He says that he and Monus Byre (p.72) -- leader of the Seekers of the Heart -have discovered a way to heal the wood but believes that Alachia will reject the idea.
The characters can either continue with the mission and report back to Alachia
(ending the adventure) or agree to this daring plan (which most unprotected elves
should quickly agree to). If the characters agree, Kethos will want to leave the
following morning. His only companions are Monus Byre and a blood elf who calls
himself Judas (who is a member of the Seekers of the Heart, or so the characters are
told). He will not participate in any fights nor will he being a very talkative
companion.

Southern Fringe and into Trenevar

Kethos suggests that they try and enter Blood Wood through the southern fringe as
they have to get to the Forest's Heart to perform the healing magic. From Shosara the
group make their way to Kaer Eidolon, bastion of the House Syrtis. Once again I'd
suggest going lightly on the encounters, probably the same as the journey to Shosara.
Kethos has some t'skrang contacts who have agreed to smuggle the characters and the
two seekers of the heart all the way to Trenevar, major trading outpost of the
Carithasca ranelle (p. 104 -- 111). Make sure to play out the scenes where the
characters are stowed in the cargo of the t'skrang boats, making their way up the
Mothingale river. Stretch out the tension and anxiety the characters feel as they lie
idly in the cramped cargo hold. Note that Rhisiart has been tailing the group the entire
way. He suspects the group is up to something and is hoping that this will be his
chance at redemption. In fact the queen suspected Kethos might be up to something,
and was altered by Vistrosh (p42) -- the leader of her spy network, the Songbirds. She
sent Rhisiart along as she knows he is completely loyal, and is hoping to draw out
traitors.
When the characters arrive, they and their companions are taken to a south house
where they meet up with Preystia Tales (p. 52 -- 53) -- the most powerful blood
warder -- and Themrast Scourheart (p. 85), an ork liberator who has sworn to free the
blood elves from Alachia's slavery (as he sees it). Their group, now five plus the
characters, will brave the Forest's heart.

The Forest's Heart

The Forest's Heart is regularly patrolled by groups of wardens. If the characters meet
any such groups (and they should be meet at least one), I'd make it consist of a
seventh circle exolasher, a fifth circle exolasher and three third circle wardens. Kethos
nor Preystia want their plan to be know so will not use their standing to turn patrols
away. Instead they will draw into the shadows, and help only from a distance. They'd
prefer their men to be subdued rather than killed, but will use deadly force if
necessary. The group should be attacked by all manner of beast and plant (p. 131 -147) and you should throw as many creatures as the characters can handle. They
should be taxed to their limits even with the extraordinary help they are receiving. If
they reach the Forest's heart, the end is near.

Conclusion
Once the group reaches the centre you are all ready for a final confrontation. How you
decide to end this all is up to you, but there are a number of threads that suggest
themselves. The group should be met by a final group of exolashers lead by either
Rhisiart or Alachia herself. The endings I can think of are as follows:

1. Judas is Lysarin Greenbrach (p. 69 -- 70), the elementalist who invented the
fire branches. Kethos has come to the conclusion that the wood cannot be saved
so has decided to destroy it and end his people's suffering. You could have
Lysarin unleashed on the Forest Heart, consuming it and fire and effectively
killing off Blood Wood (and all the blood elves who can't survive without the
forest) or have the characters stop Kethos' scheme in time.
2. The Seekers of the Heart have discovered all the acorns from the first oak (p.
72) and using Kethos' and Preystia's magic heal the forest. Preystia somehow
stole Alachia's acorns. You may either decide that the blood elves are healed by
this process, they must suffer until they die or die a few days later because the
blood wood is gone. Alternatively, healing the first oak might heal the elves as
well.
3. Alachia/ Rhisiart fight the group to a stand still. The status quo is preserved and
the characters and their companions escape (but they are now exiles).
If you want to extend this adventure, use the suggestion in Blood Wood to have the
characters find all the acorns first. You could create many adventures before all of
them are found.