Magical Sacred Groves
Not all sacred groves have magical powers, but many of them do. A grove may have been innately magical since the creation of the world or have gained its magic through an unusual event, such as a visit by a deity, the birth of a unicorn, or a dryad or nymph's long-time residence in the grove. Lesser Magical Groves
An enchanted lesser sacred grove always radiates magic, although never good or evil. It has the following properties:
· Druids entering the grove feel a watching presence and a sense of power. For every three rounds they spend within its boundaries they learn one power of the sacred grove, through a vision or intuition.
· All druids receive a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. spell, death magic, and wands while within a lesser magical grove. The grove's steward receives a +2 bonus.
· All in the grove are rendered immune to magical fear while within it.
· Dig spells never work within a grove.
· Natural (nonmagical) lightning never strikes trees or beings in the grove.
· Evil enchanted creatures cannot enter the grove unless it has been defiled. (See "Defiled and Cursed Groves" in this chapter.)
In addition to these abilities, lesser magical sacred groves may possess other powers. To quickly create a grove the PCs might stumble upon while adventuring, the DM first decides how many lesser powers the grove has (chooses or rolls 2d4-2). Then, the DM selects the powers from Table 3 or rolls 1d10 to pick from the table randomly. (Descriptions of the powers follow.)
|
d10 |
Power |
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1 |
Awakened plants |
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2 |
Bountiful |
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3 |
Control temperature |
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4 |
Faerie fire |
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5 |
Healing |
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6 |
Prophecy |
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7 |
Protective aura |
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8 |
Still winds |
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9 |
Sweet water |
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10 |
Special |
Awakened Plants. The grove's magic has "awakened" 1d3 10-foot-square patches of weeds, creepers, or bushes with semi-intelligence, 4 Hit Dice, AC 10, and the ability to attack as an entangle spell. They will act to protect themselves and defend the grove.
Bountiful. If the sacred grove contains plants that produce edible fruit, nuts, or berries, 3d6+20 enchanted examples sprout each spring along with the usual crop. The magic fruit, nuts, or berries--the largest and most healthy of their species--confer the benefits of a goodberry spell's products on the characters who eat them. Once picked, no more will grow until the following year.
Control Temperature. Any Nature worshiper in the grove may make a grove's temperature rise or fall within 30 degrees. This ability, possible once per day, affects the entire grove. Arctic or desert groves commonly feature this power, which enables those in the grove to survive brief climatic extremes, especially combined with the power to still winds (below).
Faerie Fire. A Nature worshiper (even a nonpriest) may cause a faerie fire luminance to appear, centered on the character or upon any of the trees, rocks, or standing stones in the grove. The faerie fire, which lasts one turn per level of the caller, can be summoned once per person in a given day. Faerie fire that druids call endures for two turns per level of the druid and can flicker about the grove at will. When a druid casts a faerie fire spell within the grove, its duration triples.
Healing. Beings of neutral alignment or those allied to the druid may heal wounds at twice the rate of natural healing while in the magical sacred grove. Healing-related spells produce the maximum benefits; for instance, cure light wounds restores 8 points of damage.
Prophecy. A druid who spends the night sleeping in the grove may receive a magical portent in a dream concerning the past, present, or future. The nature of the prophecy remains the DM's decision, but it should never contain more information than would come to light using a properly cast commune with nature spell. The portent usually warns of danger or hints at a task Nature wishes the druid to perform.
Protective Aura. Any creature but a druid, dryad, or nymph who sees the grove must save vs. spell. Those who fail perceive the grove as nothing other than a normal clearing (or the like) until they are led into it. The sacred grove also generates a continual protective field similar to protection from evil, 10' radius, except it covers the entire grove and has the powers of both protection from evil and protection from good spells.
Still Winds. Worshipers of Nature in the sacred grove (even nonpriests) can cause winds to calm for up to one turn per level, as long as they concentrate on maintaining this power. Triple the duration when a druid invokes it. This power, possible once per day, is quite common in desert, mountain, and arctic groves, as it protects the sacred grove and those in it from sandstorms, tornadoes, or snowstorms, and the like.
Sweet Water. Water from a source within the grove or dew gathered from the grass in the area has the properties of sweet water, but loses these special properties as soon as it is removed from the site.
Special. The DM can create a power associated with the branch or kit of the druid that sanctified this grove. For instance, the grove of a Hivemaster might contain a wasp's nest or beehive from which a druid could call an insect plague once per day, while a swamp druid's grove could feature a patch of firm ground that turns suddenly to quicksandlike mud (as in a rock to mud spell).
Greater Magical Groves
A greater magical sacred grove possesses exceptional enchantments. Each domain includes fewer than a score of such groves, most of which fall under the control of druids of 12th or higher level.
A greater grove has all the basic powers of the lesser grove, mentioned earlier. In addition, druids who sleep overnight in the grove before praying for spells receive an extra spell. Thus, a druid who chooses two 1st- and one 2nd-level spell receives another 1st- or 2nd-level spell of the DM's choice.
A greater magical sacred grove has 2d4 lesser grove powers (rolled on Table 3) and 1d4 greater grove powers (rolled on Table 4). Descriptions of the greater powers follow.
|
d12 |
Power |
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1 |
Awakened tree |
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2 |
Beast speech |
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3 |
Concealment |
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4 |
Earthpower |
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5 |
Know alignment |
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6 |
Peaceful |
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7 |
Reincarnation |
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8 |
Waters of life |
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9 |
Scrying pool |
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10 |
Magic fruit |
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11 |
Forbiddance |
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12 |
Special |
Awakened Tree. A large, ancient tree living in the grove gains Intelligence and Wisdom (2d6+6), the spellcasting ability of a 3rd-level druid, and the power of speech. It can use any two of its branches at once like arms. It speaks--in a deep, slow voice--in the secret language of the druids. In combat, treat it as a treant created by the liveoak spell. Roots bind it to the earth like a normal tree.
Beast Speech. Any normal or giant animal with an Intelligence score between animal and low can speak and understand the secret language of the druids for as long as it remains within the sacred grove. The animal's Intelligence does not increase. Also, casting animal summoning calls a 50% greater number (or Hit Dice) of animals than usual.
Concealment. All mobile beings (not normal plants) within the grove when this power is invoked become invisible for three turns per level of the druid or until they leave the grove. This power, possible once a day, ceases to conceal anyone who attacks.
Earthpower. When druids in the sacred grove cast a Plant or Earth Elemental sphere spell within its boundaries, they double the spell's duration, area of effect, and range.
Know Alignment. A druid may know the alignment of others in the sacred grove by concentrating one round. (The druid and subject must remain in the grove during this time.) This spell-like power can be used any number of times. Nonpriest worshipers of Nature can use this power after two rounds of concentration (and two successful Wisdom checks), but can make only one attempt.
Peaceful. Anyone entering this grove may notice odd sights, like predators and prey playing together. Those who make a successful attack against another within this grove must make a saving throw vs. wands. Attackers who fail suffer all the damage themselves; the wounds they meant to inflict appear on their own bodies. If they save, they suffer only half damage.
Reincarnation. If a druid's ashes or remains are buried in the sacred grove, the character becomes reincarnated (per the priest spell). The new incarnation appears within a mile of the grove in 1d6 days.
Waters of Life. Any source of water within the grove has unusual healing properties. Anyone bathing in the water (maximum of once per day per person) gains the benefit of simultaneous neutralize poison, cure disease, and cure serious wounds spells. The water loses all special properties outside the grove's boundaries, however, so characters cannot use it as a healing potion.
Scrying Pool. A source of still water within the grove, such as a pool or well, may be used for divination. Once per day a druid can command the pool or well to act as a reflecting pool cast at the druid's level.
Magic Fruit. The grove has a tree whose fruit or berries have a magical effect when eaten. In a given year, 1d6 fruits ripen, each with a distinct appearance to set it apart from common fruit--lustrous golden apples, for example. The magic fruit's effects are equivalent to one of the following:
· Potion of animal control
· Potion of heroism
· Potion of longevity
· Potion of treasure finding
· Philter of love
· Philter of glibness.
Forbiddance. A druid can invoke the forbiddance power (per the spell) to cover the boundaries of the grove. The effects can be called up only once per day and, once called, last one hour per level of the druid.
Special. The DM should devise a power associated with the branch or kit of the first steward of the greater magical sacred grove.