Tier 2 – The Verdant Wyrm’s Guardian

**Tier 2 play**

In the vibrant city of Eldoria, where magic flows like the rivers and the air is thick with the scent of blooming nightshade, the Hunter's Guild stands as a beacon of hope and adventure. The guild hall, adorned with trophies of past victories and the echoes of laughter and camaraderie, buzzes with excitement. As the newest recruit, you feel a mix of anticipation and anxiety coursing through your veins.

Today, however, is unlike any other. The guildmaster's son, a sprightly lad named Finn, has gone missing. Whispers of a dark presence lurking in the nearby Whispering Woods have reached your ears, and the guild is on high alert. The air crackles with tension as seasoned hunters prepare for a rescue mission, their eyes gleaming with determination.

As you gather with your fellow hunters, a senior member approaches you, a smirk playing on their lips. “Don’t worry too much about Finn,” they chuckle, “That’s just his mum picking him up.” You glance outside to see a massive creature, a hulking beast with shimmering scales and fierce eyes, cradling Finn in its enormous claws. Panic surges through you, but the senior member reassures you that this is no ordinary monster; it is a guardian of the woods, known as the Verdant Wyrm, a creature of both beauty and terror.

Your mission becomes clear: you must venture into the Whispering Woods to uncover the truth behind the Verdant Wyrm and its connection to Finn’s disappearance. The woods are alive with magic, the trees whispering secrets, and the ground pulsating with energy. As you navigate through the dense foliage, you encounter enchanted creatures, each with their own stories and riddles to share.

**Exploration Component:**

– **The Enchanted Glade:** A clearing filled with luminescent flowers that react to your presence. Solving the riddle of the flowers may grant you a boon or reveal hidden paths.

– **The Echoing Caves:** A series of caverns where echoes can mislead or guide you. Here, you may find clues about the Verdant Wyrm’s true nature and its bond with the forest.

**Investigation Component:**

As you delve deeper, you discover remnants of an ancient ritual that once bound the Verdant Wyrm to protect the forest. However, something has disrupted this bond, causing the creature to act out of fear and aggression. You must gather components from the woods to perform a counter-ritual, including:

– A shard of moonstone from the Echoing Caves.

– A petal from the luminescent flowers in the Enchanted Glade.

– A drop of dew collected at dawn from the Elder Tree, the heart of the forest.

**Enemy Encounter:**

As you gather the components, you are ambushed by corrupted forest spirits, twisted by dark magic. They attack with a frenzy, seeking to protect their new master, the Verdant Wyrm.

**Corrupted Forest Spirit Stats:**

– **AC:** 12

– **HP:** 30

– **Attack:** Multiattack (2 attacks)

– **Attack 1:** Thorn Whip (Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 3 piercing damage.)

– **Attack 2:** Ensnaring Roots (Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 2 necrotic damage, target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be restrained.)

Once you defeat the spirits and gather the components, you must perform the counter-ritual at the heart of the forest, where the Verdant Wyrm awaits. As you complete the ritual, the creature’s eyes soften, and it releases Finn, revealing the truth: it was protecting him from a greater threat lurking in the shadows.

Your adventure culminates in a heartwarming reunion, as the bond between the guild and the guardian of the woods is restored. The Verdant Wyrm, now a friend rather than a foe, vows to protect Eldoria, and you return to the guild as heroes, your names forever etched in the annals of the Hunter's Guild.