THE WITHERWILD
When an invading nation attacks an ancient forest deity, a virulent overgrowth spreads throughout the land.
Designed by Carlos Cisco, Rowan Hall, & Spenser Starke
THE PITCH
Read this section to your players to introduce them to the campaign.
Fanewick was once a place of great abundance and peace—dangerous to those unfamiliar with the land, but a cornucopia to those who respected its ways. When Haven invaded the wilds and forced the land into eternal spring, a dangerous bloom known as the Witherwild took hold and now threatens the lives of all who live there. In a Witherwild campaign, you’ll play unlikely heroes from humble beginnings who are reckoning with their newfound duty to save Fanewick’s people from dangerous corruption.
TONE & FEEL
Adventurous, Dynamic, Epic, Heroic, Thrilling, Uncanny, Whimsical
THEMES
Cultural Clash, Ends Justify Means, Grief, People vs. Nature, Transformation and Change, Survival
TOUCHSTONES
Princess Mononoke, The Legend of Zelda, The Dark Crystal, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
OVERVIEW
If your group decides to play this campaign, give your players the following information before character creation.
Fanewick is a wild and untamed land, long avoided by outside forces. The woods are dark and twisting, filled with Faint Divinities who perform small miracles and services for its inhabitants, but are just as likely to lure travelers off narrow paths to their ruin. Seemingly harmless expanses of field hide bogs that engulf entire armies, consuming heavy artillery as quickly as it can cross the border. This wilderness fosters hardy people who are bold enough to raise families where others have not and strictly follow the unique rules that keep them safe. These Wicklings remained insulated from their neighbors’ wars until plague forced the people of Haven to desperate acts.
Haven was once the most powerful force in the region; for centuries, the high stone walls into the capital bore the phrase “The Godless Gate.” While the original meaning has been lost to common knowledge, some dusty tomes and ancient records state that the founders of Haven wished to be free of the influence of the Faint Divinities that dominated the surrounding regions. They hatched a plan to kill one of the mightiest of these deities, known as Shun’Aush the Granite Ophid. While their exact method of deicide is forgotten, their victory ensured Haven’s dominance in the region for centuries to come. They made their home behind his remains, which became the mighty walls that Haven is known for.
But Shun’Aush would have his revenge. As the Haventies carved his stone body, the fine dust left behind settled into the surrounding earth. There was a time of prosperity over many centuries while the scales of the god remained undisturbed. But progress is its own pressure. The growing population demanded increased productivity, and as farmers tilled deeper soil and miners hacked into hidden stone, the ancient stone dust rose to the surface. The same walls that brought the city security became the crucible that incubated a virulent plague.
Over the last two years, over half of Haven’s populace fell to a disease known as the Serpent’s Sickness. First, victims cough up dust. Soon after, their skin breaks out in a scaling rash. Finally, their body hardens—first the flesh, bones, and soft tissue, spreading until, finally, their organs ossify. Once within the organs, “the serpent” moves so quickly that sufferers petrify where they stand, filling Haven with statues of victims in their last moments of agony.
When High Magus of Haven, Archmage Phylax, discovered a rare red flower called the Crimson Bud is the only well that could cure the Serpent’s Sickness. These buds grow prolifically across Fanewick in the spring—but for every ten thousand of the common white-petaled blossoms, only one red flower blooms.
Desperate to save their people from the plague, Haven invaded Fanewick to amass the scarce red buds. Their forces plunged into the deep wood and, under the guidance of Archmage Phylax, plucked out the Reaping Eye from the most powerful Faint Divinity that protected the land: The Great Owl Nikta, the Shepherd of the Seasons. The Shepherd kept Fanewick in balance by turning her eyes upon the land, first for ripening, then ruination. Thus Nikta maintained the cycle of seasons—of growth and decay, of death and rebirth. With her Reaping Eye removed, Nikta can only watch over Fanewick with the Sowing Eye, forcing the land into everlasting spring.
In the year since, Haven has conquered the bogs, turning them into fields to harvest red flowers. The endless growth that once seemed like a gift quickly evolved into a scourge known as the Witherwild—Fanewick’s flora and fauna flourished, unchecked and uncontrolled. Animals swell to massive size; trees warp, twist, and begin to hunt people; and vines creep along the forest floor, strangling all they touch. This explosive growth is unconquerable and unrelenting, with no force able to stop the burgeoning verdance for long.
Prior to the Serpent’s Sickness and the Shepherd’s endless growth, your party lived a peaceful life in Fanewick or a life of toil and conquest in Haven. But when the danger demands a response, even the unprepared—and unwilling—must make a stand.
ANCESTRIES
All ancestries are available, but some have unique aspects within a Witherwild campaign. As needed, provide the following information to your players.
CLANKS
Clanks from Haven are commonly made from iron and steel, while clanks from Fanewick are typically constructed from wood and stone.
DRAKONA, FAUNS, FIRBOLGS, AND INFERNIS
After the Witherwild corrupted Fanewick, some drakona, fauns, firbolgs, and infernis have noticed their horns growing faster and longer.
Haventies and the Serpent’s Sickness
Anyone, but especially those from Haven, may carry the Serpent’s Sickness, which stiffens their movements and gives them limited time to survive without a cure.
CLASSES
All classes are available, but some have unique aspects within a Witherwild campaign. As needed, provide the following information to your players.
DRUIDS, RANGERS, AND SORCERERS
Druids, rangers, and sorcerers are commonly found throughout Fanewick. If players choose one of these classes, they should consider how their character’s connection to the natural world might be impacted by the Witherwild.
WARRIORS AND WIZARDS
Warriors and wizards are prevalent in Haven. A large wizarding school in Haven teaches fighters and healers, and the Haven Army is largely composed of warriors and School of War wizards. If a PC is either of these classes, consider their personal relationship to the Haven Army.
PLAYER PRINCIPLES
If your group decides to play this campaign, give your players the following information before character creation.
MAKE THE INVASION PERSONAL
Consider how Haven’s invasion of Fanewick deeply impacts your character. Let these details inform what they want and what they’re willing to do to get it. Everyone has lost a loved one to the Witherwild or the Serpent’s Sickness, and more are dying by the day. Consider how the growing conflict caused your character to act in ways they aren’t proud of, or transformed personal truths they once believed were unshakable.
TREAT DEATH WITH IMPORTANCE
Taking a life should not be done without consideration, desperation, and consequences. As your character journeys, they should remember those they’ve lost and those they’ve slain, allowing each death to affect their choices in the future.
EMBRACE VULNERABILITY
Find your character’s humanity and showcase it whenever you can. They should be as vulnerable during quiet moments as they are vicious during violent ones, opening up to their allies even if they close themselves off to everyone else.
IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
Use this information to prepare your campaign. You can also share it with your players as needed.
THE WEEKS OF DAY AND NIGHT
The day and night cycle occurs weekly, meaning the sun rises for an entire week before setting into a nighttime of the same length. This has an impact on everything from agriculture to trade, as many merchants refuse to travel through the night.
But this cycle doesn’t just affect Wicklings; it’s dictated how Fanewick’s wondrous ecology has evolved. Days and nights are accompanied by entirely different natural soundscapes as Fanewick’s nocturnal denizens sleep through the long days and stalk the woods in times of darkness while their diurnal counterparts sleep. The plants similarly live on this strange day-night loop, and many live out their entire life cycles in a week. Sun rose vines make a thorny ascent to the top of the tree canopy over the course of the week, only to wilt under the light of the moon. Conversely, night bloom, a bioluminescent flower that emits the smell of burnt sugar and decay, only blossoms when evening falls, illuminating patches of forest—a godsend to anyone forced to travel in the dark.
THE SERPENT’S SICKNESS
The plague sweeping across Haven spares no one. Since the initial outbreak, Haven officials have worked tirelessly to quarantine those in the early stages of the disease, but the effort has done little to stop its spread. Due to the rarity of the crimson lady’s veil, many citizens began to carry or consume all manner of flowers and snake sheddings in an attempt to protect or cure themselves.
In the initial stages, victims are afflicted with a hacking cough laden with dust that resembles powdered bone. Then a scaled rash erupts across their skin, cracking their flesh in a unique and painful pattern that resembles a snake’s skin. Not long after, the victims’ bodies harden until their organs solidify and cease to function. The final stages of the Serpent’s Sickness is so quick that many transform into statues where they stand, leaving all of Haven a cenotaph to a once-great power.
LADY’S VEIL
These small flowers grow in patches of sun throughout Fanewick. For every ten thousand blossoms of white-petaled flowers, one blooms a unique and vibrant red. These flowers have long been used in herbal teas across the region, with the crimson flowers holding a place in specific ceremonies. Even so, they were only foraged until the Haventies discovered crimson lady’s veil—the only known cure for Serpent’s Sickness.
Thus, the Haven Army invaded Fanewick and began cultivating the flowers on massive farms that have overtaken the region’s bogs. Though the theft of the Reaping Eye has created an indefinite growing season, the red flowers remain just as rare, and Fanewick is permeated by a sickly sweet smell as the Haven Army races to mass-produce a cure for the Serpent’s Sickness.
THE WITHERWILD
This corruption, empowered by the endless spring, is spreading throughout Fanewick. Some believe the overgrowth began in the forest, while others claim it sprang from the bogs. But no matter its origins, this flourishing malignancy induces horrific changes and massive growth on anything it touches, transforming them into Withered beings. Plants spring to life with a desire to consume all around them. Animals grow to immense proportions, with onerous dispositions to match their exaggerated teeth, tusks, and claws. Even harmless creatures that were once hunted for food have become dangerous and formidable adversaries.
When a person is corrupted by the Witherwild, either from a purposeful attack or accidental harm (see the upcoming “Corruption from the Witherwild” section), they are transformed. They become a nightmarish hybrid—their body warped and intertwined with plant or beast. The Witherwild slowly replaces the personality of its victims with the same drive to consume exhibited by the rest of the corrupted Fanewick. Though the Withered may retain a semblance of who they are for a time, they eventually face the final loss of their personhood. Some Wicklings believe the Withered are gifted this power by Nikta’s wrath to drive the forces of Haven from Fanewick and return the Shepherd’s Reaping Eye.
THE GODS OF FANEWICK
Gods in this land aren’t ethereal concepts that exist in another realm; instead, they are tangible and as inescapable as the seasons. Many communities, and some larger families, even have their own small god or tutelary spirit who watches over them.
Belief and worship take on a different meaning in Fanewick—there is a constant push and pull between the goals of people and their deific neighbors. The gods must curry worship from mortals, often by performing small miracles, acts of service, or by testing their resolve with tricks and curses. Mortals rely on the small blessings from the gods to keep them safe when traveling and working in Fanewick. The most powerful and widely acknowledged Faint Divinity is the Shepherd of Seasons, Nikta, as the loss of her eye had the most recent and visible impact on everyone in Fanewick.
Fanewick’s various divinities each have their own opinion concerning the Witherwild corruption. While some enjoy nature’s newfound dominance, many of the lesser deities are wary of how out of balance Fanewick has become. While their behavior and motives may be inscrutable, these deities are more accessible than gods who watch from on high.
What Faint Divinities do the PCs acknowledge and pay tribute to, if any?
CAMPAIGN MECHANICS
The following mechanics are unique to this campaign.
CORRUPTION FROM THE WITHERWILD
Adversaries and environments in this campaign can gain Wither tokens. When a PC takes damage from a Withered adversary or environment, describe how the Witherwild changed or impacted how they would normally appear or operate. You also gain about 20 Wither tokens (these can be the same as the tokens you use for Fear).
Any time a PC takes Severe damage from a Withered adversary or environment, gain a Wither token and place it on that PC’s character sheet. When you do, the PC must roll their Fear Die. If they roll equal to or below the number of Wither tokens on their sheet, they immediately gain a scar and clear all tokens, describing how the Witherwild changes them permanently.
At the end of each session, clear all Wither tokens from the PCs’ sheets and gain an equal amount of Fear. If a character ever dies with Wither tokens on their sheet, their body is permanently taken over by the Witherwild.