Defenders of the Forest - Liber Fanatica

Chapter VII: The Forest of
Athel Loren
Dominant Winds
Spellcasters in Loren using the Magic Lores indicated for their
location may add the listed Magic bonus to Casting Rolls. Additionally,
the following Casting Roll modifiers apply throughout
the forest:
Lore of Heavens: +1
Lore of Life: +1
Lore of Beasts: +1
Lore of Fire: -1
The Sentinels
Around the forest’s perimeter is a magical boundary created
by arcane Elven standing stones called Sentinels. The magical
boundary contains Loren’s magic, and also invigorates the spirits
and animals guarding its borders.
Spellcasting: -1D to Casting Rolls and -20% to Magical Sense
Tests attempted through the boundary.
Guardians: spirits and animals within several miles of the
boundary are upgraded to Sneaks (WFRP pg. 228).
Be c o m i n g Lo s t in Tim e a n d Sp a c e
The forest of Loren is so heavily saturated with magic that certain
locations exist outside the regular laws of reality. Travellers
stumbling upon these sites may seemingly wander for several
days, before emerging from Loren to discover that a decade
has passed. Others may spend a lifetime lost in Loren, returning
from the woods as grey-haired elders mere hours after their
disappearance. In some places, Loren’s magic is powerful enough
to open rifts into the Warp which can swallow travellers forever.
Ta b l e 7.2: Lo s t in Tim e a n d Sp a c e!
Characters who are Lost in Time and Space must roll 1d10 to
determine their fates. Parties of travellers who are lost together
only roll once for the entire group.
1d10
Result
1 Devoured by the Warp: Lose 1 Fate Point to Escape
Loren immediately, or else disappear forever.
Survivors test against Will Power or gain 2 Insanity
Points.
2-3 A Lifetime Lost: Lose 1 Fate Point to Escape Loren
immediately. Otherwise emerge from the forest
within days of real-time, but add 1d100 years to
the character’s age.
4-7 Time Shift: Lose 1 Fate Point to Escape Loren
immediately, or roll 1d10 to determine how much
real time passes before the characters finally emerge
from the forest:
1-2: 1d10 hours
3-4: 1d10 days
5-6: 1d10 weeks
7-8: 1d10 months
9-10: 1d10 years
9-10 A Lifetime Gained: Lose 1 Fate Point to Escape
Loren immediately. Otherwise emerge from the
forest after 1d100 years of real-time, having not
aged at all.
10 Wrinkle in Time: Characters emerge from the forest
only moments after having entered.
Ad v e n t u r e Se e d s
These plot threads can be expanded into full adventures, or even
combined together for an Athel Loren campaign. Elements
from these plots are incorporated into many of the Athel Loren
Gazetteer entries.
Cy a n a t h a i r t h e Co r r u p t o r
The scourge of Athel Loren is a Beastman shaman of tremendous
power called Cyanathair the Corruptor. Humans know
him as Morghur, Master of Skulls, or simply the Shadow-Gave.
Having been slain by the Asrai on three separate occasions in
centuries past, Cyanathair is now believed to be immortal.
Although sometimes associated with the blood god Khorne,
Cyanathair actually embodies the primal fury of Wild Chaos.
During the recent autumn season of 2523 IC, Cyanathair left
the Forest of Arden and mustered a horde of Beastmen in the
Irrana foothills south of Athel Loren. Cyanathair’s shamans
used powerful rituals to dislodge one of the Sentinels guarding
Loren and create a breach in preparation for a massive assault.
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Fortunately, the Wood Elves learned of Cyanathair’s plan ahead
of time and executed a pre-emptive attack on his position. The
Sentinel was recaptured and replaced before it could be altered
into a Herdstone, and Cyanathair was injured in the battle.
Despite the setback, Cyanathair’s objective has been met. The
blackened earth around the Sentinel stone will require years to
regenerate. Magic from Loren now leaks into the Irrana foothills,
invigorating Cyanathair and providing a gateway to the
Shadow Walk that will enable him to visit his corruption on Loren’s
inner glades. To make matters worse, the Sentinel’s absence
unleashed Orion’s Wild Hunt and diplomatic relations between
Athel Loren’s fay and the Grail Knights are strained.
The next wave of Cyanathair’s corruption is rising, and will soon
break over Loren.
Enter the Heroes
Adventures featuring Cyanathair as an antagonist provide an
ideal setup for Athel Loren’s Wood Elves to ally with outsiders.
Cyanathair’s current campaign employs the Shadow Walk
to conquer Loren. After corrupting the forest’s most powerful
beasts, Cyanathair will follow the Shadow Walk to the Oak of