The Treefolk hide in the deep bush, sending forth tests to try the hearts of interlopers. Will you be found wanting?
You’ll notice them as soon as you enter the woods: leafskin faces peering curiously from the foliage. Their barklike eyes squint at the strange aliens invading their realm. What are you adventurers? Friend or foe?
To answer this question, the Treefolk set a series of tests before your PCs. Once they’ve interacted with a few of these scenarios, the Treefolk will hold a trial, calling for the forest to bear witness for (or against) the heroes. The adventurers may be shown the path out, exiled, or imprisoned within forever!
Test of Neutrality
A ravenous she-wolf bolts after a limping doe! The wounded deer bounds atop a wide tree stump, but the wolf circles the bottom, waiting for a chance to strike.
The wolf will not bother the party unless they approach the deer. If they choose to save the doe, the wolf will fight them to the death.
Helping the doe will cost you at your Treefolk trial. This is the Test of Neutrality; interference is seen as unnatural and sinful. If you save the doe and kill the wolf, eight starving wolfcubs will come to testify against you. You can buy them off in exchange for a horse’s worth of meat every week, but obviously that could be expensive.
Warning: breaking promises made in Treefolk Court can have magical consequences!
Test of Gifts
Within the forest is a fruit tree, extremely ripe. The fruit is as delicious and filling as it is plentiful.
Parties that aren’t interested in the fruit won’t be overly penalized. The fruit tree called to their trial might be offended, but it can’t claim you did anything wrong. If they do eat the fruit, get the details. Did they take the fruit for a walk? Did they eat under the tree? What did they do with the seeds?
Leaving the seeds under the tree is a faux pas of the highest order. At your trial, the tree will go ballistic. “I fed these thieves, and they didn’t even carry my children down the road! Now they’ll grow up, strangled in my roots, competing for my sun! I demand justice!”
The tree can be pacified by undertaking a quest to carry its seeds to far or exotic places; other dimensions may be particularly enticing. Again, don’t break these promises; the Treefolk can polymorph oathbreakers at any distance!
Test of Axes
There is a rift in the forest, a chasm some 60′ deep. It is roughly 20′ across; too far for most to jump. Next to the chasm is a 35-foot-tall tree.
Parties that fell the tree to make a bridge will have to answer to the stump at their trial. “They killed me! Pulled me apart with axes and ropes, and then didn’t even eat me! They walked all over my shattered body!”
The One Unforgivable Crime
Apart from the intentional Tests of the Treefolk, there is one crime that will trump all others at your trial: fire-lighting. Bringing a naked flame into the forest or striking one up strikes true terror into the hearts of the Treefolk. In Summer, especially, this is a truly unforgivable crime.
Make sure you give your PCs a chance to camp overnight in the forest so they really have a chance to piss off the locals.
Those are the Tests of the Treefolk! The common people refuse to enter these woods. Now you know why! Expect trouble, and don’t forget to give your Treefolk double damage from fire!
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