What is west of the Goblin Wood?

I am nominally working on two campaigns, Fighting Suit Kang a 5th ed giant robot thing, and Lead and Steel  a WW1 infantry game. Despite this, I find myself writing about a pet project The Alfenwood. It’s a problem, and I blame this:

This book is too damn inspiring. I hate it.

I started running a game for my kids, and my DM impulses could not keep it a simple diversion. I dreamt of setting not quite the Voivodja of Zak’s masterpiece, but an adjacent realm west of the lands of the Slow War. What lies to the west of the Goblin Wood?

I literally just drew this forgive me. 

The Alfenwood.

The Alfenwood is an ancient spruce and fir forest with a mild, wet climate. Grey mist fill the space between the great trees, cold springs feed streams and ponds that cross the moss covered forest floor winding down to feed the Sweet-Tail River. The forest is home to Elk, Bear, Badger, Hare, Porcupine, Squirrel, Marmot, Snake, and many kinds of Bird. In the center of the forest is The Glade, a clear dell where the Faerie Queen holds court from a moving mushroom tower. The river forms the eastern edge of the forest, forking at a black rock island where the Elven fortress of Highhold guards the western bank from the darkness of the Goblin Wood on the eastern bank. The land between the rivers south of Highhold is a bog known as the Maze-Marsh. In the North large boulders and small crags dot the landscape, the Gnome city of Flint-Barrow is built into the largest crag. In the west, the forest ends in cliffs facing the pounding sea. Here in caves facing the sea is the secret Elven city of Seahome.  Long ago the Alfenwood was the domain of the King of Clubs, and the ruins of the fallen kingdom lie scattered among the trees.

Movement in the Alfenwood

Natives know the many paths that cross the forest and may quickly get to where they need to go, as long as the destination is on a path…

A Native of Alfenwood knows as many paths as half their Intelligence score rounded down plus one per level. Be sure to record the paths as they are used.

Movement off of a path is trickier; the forest is not entirely natural and can behave in a frustratingly confusing manner.

When travelling off a path, roll 1d6, on a 1-3 travelers are lost. Add one to this roll if a native of the Alfenwood is in the party.

Encounters in the Alfenwood

Roll 1d6, a random encounter occurs on a 1 when on a path.

Random Encounters happen on 1-2 on a d6 when off the path.

Alfenwood Encounters	Roll 1d6,encounter on the path: 1, off 1-2
1	Hungry animal
2	Wounded animal
3	1d4+1 quarreling animals
4	1d6 elves on their way to Highhold or Seahome
5	A fairy
6	2d6 goblins
7	1d6 wargs or giant spiders
8	Wandering Undead Club. Roll 1d6 this is the creatures level

The River

The river Sweet-Tail runs from the northern mountains to the southern swamps. It splits into two forks at the Knaves Tower, an ancient Club fortress built on an island of black rock. Here the elves have established a garrison called Highhold to patrol the river and keep its western bank safe. The eastern fork is called the Bitter-Tail and has been despoiled by the Jabberwock, and teems with crocodiles of nasty temperament.

Crossing the River

The river is wide, swift, and cold. It is also full of giant trout and crocodiles, this makes swimming extremely difficult. The elves use spruce canoes light enough to be carried around the many rapids. They are skilled at using a short bow from these nimble boats.

River encounters occur when travelling the river or its banks.

River Encounters	West Side 1 on d6, East Side 1-2 on a d6
1	1d6 Otters (roll 1d3, 1-mischevious, 2-friendly,3-hostile)
2	1d4 Giant Trout (giant trout are voracious)
3	1d4 Evil Crocodiles
4	Nyad
5	Elvish patrol
6	2d6 Goblins crossing the river
7	1d4 angry snapping turtles
8	The scurrilous River Wyrm

The Goblin Wood

Once part of the Alfenwood, the areas east of the river have now been corrupted by the darkness of the Jabberwock.  The Elves and Faerie fled the eastern woods once the Jabberwock arrived; the elves re-inhabited the Knaves Tower in the middle of the Sweet-Tail raising the fortress of Highhold to defend the western wood from corruption. There are no paths in the Goblin Wood. The shadows of the trees are long and full of lurking monsters. The ancient ruins of the King of Clubs are now inhabited by sulking beasts.  The Jabberwock lives in, on top of, or around the Wabe, a bare hill with a sacred sundial near the center of the wood. The Wabe was once the winter home of the Faerie Queen.  No one knows why the Jabberwock chose to nest in the Goblin Wood; some suspect it fled the degradation of the Slow War in Voivodja to the East.

The World outside the Woods

The Alfenwood is West of the Goblin Wood. The Goblin wood is the western border of Voivodja.

To the South and West of the Alfenwood is the Wine Dark Sea, realm of the Colorless Queen.

To the North is the realm of the Pale king.

Factions

The Faerie Court

The Faerie court is a loose confederation of sylvan spirits who owe allegiance to the Faerie Queen Monalee. They are fractious, vain, and often impossible to understand. Monalee herself is a frighteningly good looking fay spirit, who is genuinely concerned for the good of the Alfenwood. Her ability to actually address these concerns is limited by the insular, often narrow minded pursuits of her subjects. The most effective instrument of her power is the Order of the Ancient Fir, a chivalrous body of mostly non faery agents loyal to the crown. The Queen has a large family, with several hundred princes and princesses either living in her roaming mushroom tower, or wandering the forest. Her True King was slain defending the Wabe from the Jabberwock but she has taken many lovers since, both fay, and non-fay.

The Elves

The Elves are short and lithe, with long lives and shining eyes.  They came to the Alfenwood from the moon after its atmosphere was dissipated.  Elves delight in cheese, games of skill, and rhymes.  They are also fiercely territorial capably defending their secret homes with sword, bow, and magic. The elves dwelt in the east wood before the Jabberwock came, scattered in small houses built in the trees. After the wood fell under darkness, they fled to the west, building the Seahome in caves facing the ocean. They also rebuilt the Knaves Tower at Highhold to defend the Alfenwood at the river. The Lord of Elves is Ullr, an ancient Moon Wizard who dwells in Seahome. The elves send their young out into the world in order to test themselves against foes, and find a mate.

The Druids

The Children of Men and Elves, or Faeries and Elves, or Faeries and Men that dwell in the Alfenwood are known as Druids. These half breed offspring are considered to be the children of Queen Monalee, and babies brought to The Glade are welcomed into the court of the Queen.  They are raised by a hierarchical order of fellow Druids and taught to protect the wood and give allegiance to their Mother-Queen.  The Druids dwell in sacred Holly-Houses throughout the western wood and travel the forest as protectors and defenders of all natural life. Shimrood the Treant is the Arch-Druid and head of the order; it is he who grows the Holly Houses.

Half breed babies who are not given to the care of the Queen are considered outcast and enemies of the Alfenwood. They are almost all eventually brought under the influence of the Jabberwock and serve an Anti-Druid order known as the Wickerlings.

The Gnomes

Small bearded folk obsessed with raising increasingly ornate and intelligent cats. They live in the northern reaches of the Alfenwood, inside a rock outcropping called Flint-Barrow. They elect the most ornate cat amongst them to be their Mayor, and thus have a smoothly functioning government that does nothing. Gnomes tend to keep to themselves, seldom venturing out from Flint-Barrow. A Gnome encountered wandering the woods is probably insane, diseased, or both.

Men

Humans may be found in small villages on the northern fringes of the Alfenwood, and living in the Maze-Marsh. They are led by a Chief in the Northern downs, and a Witch in the southern swamps. The humans respect the Faire Court, leaving offerings for those fey that dwell near their settlements. Humans and Elves are suspicious of each other but not openly hostile. The suspicion comes from an undeniable fascination that human men and elven women share for each other.

The Animals

Many of the animals of the Alfenwood are intelligent and capable of speech. Each species has its own agenda and ruler, but all owe allegiance to the Faerie Queen.  For example, Rogorthanaxus is the King of Brown Rabbits, all other brown rabbits are loyal to him. He may make an alliances with Blorbag the Duke of Chipmunks , may make war against Gunnalrandor the Sultan of Boars , but all three monarchs will accept the edict of Queen Monalee.

The Kingdom of Clubs

Long Ago the King of Clubs ruled over what is now the Alfenwood. The King of Clubs fought the Queen of Hearts and lost his head. The ruins of the kingdom dot the woods on either side of the river. Many of the Clubs remained in the kingdom rather than travel to servitude in the Heart Queens castle. These vampires have withered to shells in the shadow of the lost kingdom, and still haunt the crumbling ruins.

The Jabberwock

See: A Red and Pleasant Land. The Jabberwock attacked the Faire Court in their winter home at Wabe. It now sometimes dwells around the sundial. It is always corrupting the woods east of the river, and has attracted tribes of vile Goblins who serve it with fear and awe.

The Goblins

Goblin is a name for a loose collection of evil humanoids who serve the Jabberwock.  They range from tiny Kobolds to beastly Gnolls, and brutish Ogres. Separate species form tribes with a warlord who acts as an intermediary with the Jabberwock, sometimes even receiving direct orders from the Dragon.

The Wickerlings

The children of men and elves or faeries and elves or faeries and men who are not given to the court of the Faerie Queen are rejected by the natural forces of the Alfenwood. They may spend their youth hidden by their parents from the contesting powers of Queen Monalee and the Jabberwock but by adulthood the call of darkness becomes too much to withstand. Deep in the Goblin wood stands a grove of twisted black holly and into the thorny shadows these lost druids descend. They emerge as Wickerlings, evil sorcerers who serve the same darkness that moves the Jabberwock.

Adventures

Adventure in the Alfenwood involves dealing with the problems of the intelligent animals and fey that dwell there. Sometimes they have petty squabbles; sometimes they face deadly incursions from the sinister forces across the river.

The Jabberwock lairs on the east side of the river, and its evil has corrupted the forest so that it is now known as the Goblin Wood.  The corruption is also awakening the spirits of the Kingdom of Clubs, whose domain once included the Alfenwood. This is causing all manner of worry for the insular animal, elf, and fairy communities who live in the idyllic forest.

Goblins of various sorts sneak across the river to capture fey and animals and bring them back to be corrupted in the pits. They also carry branches of twisted-wood, when placed in Club ruins; the dark branches will awake the ancient Club-Men who lie sleeping.

Playing D&D in the Alfenwood

Races

Human

Northern Tribe humans are doughty warriors who favor axes and polearms. They wear chain hauberks and horned helmets. They serve a Chief, and may be called to defend their homes.

Southern Tribe Humans are at home in the marshes and fens. They wear leather armors, and are skilled with the boomerang and spear. The serve a witch and may be under the influence of her magical charms.  

Humans may be Fighters, Thieves, Magic Users, or Rangers with no level restrictions.  

Elves

The Elves are both magic users and fighters, the wear elven chain and wield the bow and sword. They owe fealty to Ullr the Moon King.

Elves are a class. See Rules Cyclopedia

Druids

Druids are half breeds they are part of the hierarchy of druids and serve the Faerie Queen through the Arch Druid Shimrood.

In addition to being a race  most choose the Druid class as well, but they may also be Fighters, Thieves, or Rangers.

Half-Elves are outlined in Rules Cyclopedia

Elf-Fay gain the racial abilities of elves and in addition they may turn invisible once a day. However they have a % chance equal to half their level of never re-appearing, instead they just slip into the pure realm of spirit never to return.

Human-Fay gain one faerie feature but lose 1 point to a random ability scores for each day that they are out of the Alfenwood/Goblin Wood.

Faerie Features : Roll 1d6
1	Gossamer wings that allow flight of 10 ft per round per level.
2	Purple eyes that allow lowlight vision and true sight once per day
3	Androgyny and the ability to teleport as dimension door once per day.
4	Animal like feature (such as a tail or a cat nose) allows charm animal once per day.
5	Diminutive, +2 AC -1 HD (don’t roll HP at 2nd level).
6	Skin and hair glow faintly , minor illusion once per day.

Gnomes

It is rare for a gnome to leave Flint-Barrow. A gnome that does is special, roll on the following table

Why did the Gnome leave the Burrow? Roll 1d8
1	Criminal	Must be a Thief, you are a pariah to other Gnomes
2	Diseased	You have Burrow-Rot, at the end of every adventure Save vs Poison or lose 1 CON. Immune to other disease
3	Allergic	Allergic to animals and Cats in particular. -1 to all rolls when around anima
4	Pyscho	Must be a Fighter, each session resolve a # of actions equal to level with a random die roll. (Including whom to attack)
5	Artist	Must be a magic user, you must spend 90% of wealth creating or promoting your art
6	Drunk	-1 WIS, you must get drunk every day or lose 1d6 HP. When drunk gain 1d6 temp HP
7	Wonder	Must be a Ranger, cannot sleep in the same location for more than 1 night.
8	Diplomat	+1 CHA, you have been chosen to venture out and bring back new breeds of cats.

Gnomes may be fighters, magic users, thieves, or rangers. The can only use small weapons.

Classes

No Clerics, No Paladins, No Monks.  Add clerical spells to Magic User Spell list.

Use Labyrinth Lord for b/x style Druids and Rangers

Rules

B/X with the following additions

Shields Shall be splintered! May sacrifice shield to disregard damage against you.

Get your Helmet On! – If wearing helm, the blow that would reduce you to 0 HP or less may be negated by a saving throw. The helm is then broken.

Ammo – When using a missile weapon on an attack roll of 1-2 you are out of ammo.

Equipment

Elf gear

Elven cheese – In the Seahome is a sacred urn that contains the ancient cheese cultures brought by the elves when they fled from the moon. Elf cheese is semi soft white cheese with a tangy bite and heady aroma. When eaten it restores vigor and fortitude. Allowing Elves and half elves to regain all lost HP and magic spells, other races do not regain HP, but the cheese has a restorative effect similar to a night’s sleep removing fatigue and allowing the re-memorization of spells.

Elven-Chain – Made from finely wrought links of a moon metal called Lunarium, the elves carefully horde their shirts of chainmail. At fourth level, an elf of good standing will receive a shirt of elven chain from the Captain of Highhold in a solemn ceremony. It acts as chainmail +1 but weighs almost nothing. While it is rare for it to be given to a human or Druid, non elf magic users can cast spells while wearing elven chain. An elf will not tolerate someone wearing a shirt of elven chainmail that was not awarded by the Captain of Highhold, and they will go to great lengths to recover the armor from fallen allies or take it from those who have no right to wear it.

Riverbow – The elves fashion grey spruce shortbows to use in their boats along the Sweet-Tail river. The bow proved to be more useful in the trees of the Alfenwood than the more cumbersome longbow. A riverbow does not require arrows, it’s wielder takes a scale from a giant river trout or a bird feather in their hand as they draw the string and a magic shaft of moonlight(feathers)  or water(fish scales) appears. Moonlight feather arrows do 1d6 damage, Water fish scale arrows do no damage but the target must save vs paralyzation or be stunned for a round. (No action, AC penalized by 2).

Moon Sword – forged from an alloy of silver and lunarium elven moon swords are precious weapons wielded by esteemed elf warriors and their most trusted allies. A Moon Sword has a +2 to hit and damage, acts a silver weapon, and allows its wielder to Turn Undead as though they were a cleric of the same level.

Druid Gear

Holly Crown – When a Druid reaches 3rd level they must seek out and defeat another Druid of third level or higher before they can advance. The winner of this duel takes a circlet of holly leaves known as the Holly Crown. It allows it’s wearer to ask the Alfenwood to weave a shelter known as a Holly House once per day. The Holly Crown also acts as a ring of protection +1.

Holly House – A hollow shelter inside of a large Holly Bush. It protects it’s occupants from the environment and provides a comfortable and safe space to rest. Once inside a Holly House no checks are made for random encounters. Anyone sleeping in a Holly House wakes up the next day restored with full HP.

Goodberries – Before leaving a Holly House each occupant may roll 1d6 and gain a number of berries equal to the roll. The berries are chewl and taste of cloves, they act as a nutritious and satisfying meal and restore 1d3 HP ea. They only last for a day.

Basket of Burdens – High Level Druids weave these magic baskets from a plant called Lou’s reed that grows only on the east bank of the Sweet Tail. It acts similarly to a bag of holding, the basket has a one foot square opening and will hold anything that can fit through it without the basket itself growing any heavier.  However, the bearer of the basket has magically enhanced empathy and must make a save versus spell or be compelled to assist any good or neutral creature who request help.

Human Gear

Northern Horn – Northern Humans carve horns from the wild Auroch that they use in battle to rally friends and strike fear into foes. A warrior must have slain the Auroch and carved the horn himself for the horn to be effective. Once per encounter the horn may be blown to cause an immediate morale check for the warrior’s foes, or to allow a re-roll of a failed morale check for the warrior’s allies.

Long Axe – A two handed war axe with a “bearded” blade, the Long Axe is the preferred weapon of the Northern Human Tribe. It acts as a polearm.

War Paint –After they hit second level a northern warrior must seek out and slay a worthy foe in single combat.  If successful they may return the hall of their tribe and tell their Chieftain of the deed.  If the chief finds the foe to have been worthy then he will welcome the warrior to his table and grant them the right to wear war paint. Elaborate blue patterns are tattooed on the face and body of the warrior telling the story of their combat and the deeds of their parents and grandparents. The war paint allows the warrior to add CHA bonus to AC (with a minimum of +1 AC)

Boomerang – The southern tribes of humans have perfected the use of the boomerang in the fens and swamps of their homelands. A boomerang has the same range as a short bow and does 1d6 damage. It returns to the thrower if it misses a target. On an attack roll of 20 in addition to doing double damage, the target must make a save versus paralyzation or be knocked unconscious. On an attack roll of 1 the boomerang returns and hits the thrower. Thieves may use a boomerang to perform a sneak attack.

Snare – The southern tribes hunt and wage war with subtlety and surprise, often employing traps to create an advantage. Anyone passing over a snare must roll 1d6. On a 1-2 they are caught and cannot move (penalty of 2 to AC) . A snare can be destroyed by sustaining 7 points of damage (automatic hit if caught).  It takes a southern tribesman 1d20 minus their level turns to make a snare.

Blood of the Fen- The southern tribes fashion daggers from the teeth of the giant crocodiles that haunt the swamps. These daggers are hollowed to administer a deadly poison call the Blood of the Fen. The poison is made from the swamp lotus and the blood of the user. While in the marshes a southern tribesman can find swamp lotus with a roll of 1-4 on a d6. The number rolled also indicates how many hours were spent searching. The swamp lotus is then mixed with the tribesman’s own blood, they sustain 1d10 points of damage in this process and it produces 1 use of poison. A target affected by the Blood of the Fen must save versus poison or die.

Faerie Gear

The Queens Cones – Plucked from an ancient grove of Fir trees near The Glade and blessed by Queen Monalee these pine cones are given to members of the Order of Ancient the Fir. When crushed they teleport the user back to the Queen’s mushroom tower.

Glimmer – Glimmer is what faeries use to make magic. Mundane objects of value such as gold coins and gems can be turned into glimmer by faeries, and non faeries can use Glimmer to gain XP.

Thorn Sword – At the south end of The Glade is a massive sentient shrubbery named Wone. The Queen’s Knights as a rite of passage wrestle with Wone in order to break off a thorn. The thorns become the primary weapon of the Queen’s court. They can grow in size from small, one handed, or two handed weapons and may be used by any character class. They are +1 to hit, and +2 versus vampires.

Pine Cone Armor – the Faerie craftsmen of the Queens court fashion Pine Cone Armor for the knights of the Order of the Ancient Fir. Made from the massive cone scales of the eldest fir trees in the Alfenwood, a suit of Pine Cone Armor does not confer any AC bonus. It can be worn over leather, chain or plate and each suit contains 2d6 scales, each scale can be sacrificed to negate a hit against the wearer.

Goblin Gear

Scorpion Sling – Lesser goblin tribes such as kobolds breed poisonous scorpions, wrap them in spider webs and then fling them at their foes from slings. Targets hit with a scorpion roll 1d6, on a 1 or 2 they must save versus poison or die. Otherwise they take one point of damage.  On an attack roll of 1 the user must save versus poison or die (handling scorpions is dangerous business) on a 20 the target automatically must make a save or die.

Black Nettles – Many twisted herbs are cultivated in the shadows of the Goblin Wood. Among them are the Black Nettles. Large patches of the herbaceous perennial are cultivated by the goblin tribes and used as both a restorative and psychotropic.  Covered in needle like spikes, the stalks of the plant are rubbed on wounds, the target rolls 1d10, on a 1-5 they take damage equal to the roll although damage that reduces the target below 0 will only render them unconscious. On a roll of 6-10 the target is healed for HP equal to the roll. Application of Black Nettles more than once a day results in the target going berserk for a number of rounds equal to the roll, attacking random targets with a +1 to damage.

Twisted-Wood – The Wickerling sorcerer’s fashion these cursed totems from branches of healthy Fir hacked from the sacred glades of the Alfenwood. When planted in the ground a branch of twisted wood will awaken any dead that lay within 100 feet of it. When wielded by a Wickerling, they allow the sorcerer to command undead as an evil cleric of equal level.