Silence in the Crystal Gardens
Hook
No one has emerged from Rivalis’s Crystal Gardens in weeks, and its plants may have come alive.
Evidence
- Multiple townspeople said the Gardens have been silent for weeks.
- Ewing lost one of his best cooks there.
- Ewing claimed the plants have started moving on their own.
- Littleleaf, who works there, said strange events have always occurred inside.
- The party entered with Von Anbach’s permission and safely emerged from its first expedition.
- The Autumn Garden is sickly, while the Spring and Winter Gardens reportedly contain the densest rot.
- The main Arboretum contained an alien creature linked to a magical network beneath the plants.
- After the creature’s death, workers made visible progress clearing rot and the central tree brightened.
- Several plants with halfling-like faces now grow along the paths.
Open questions
- Who remains trapped or missing inside?
- What caused the plants to awaken?
- Is the problem connected to the gray roots?
- Why is Littleleaf outside if no one has emerged in weeks?
Next steps
- Question Littleleaf in greater detail.
- Learn the identity of Ewing’s missing cook.
- Identify and locate Ewing’s missing cook.
- Explore the Spring and Winter Gardens.
- Determine why only halflings are normally allowed inside.
- Determine the nature of the halfling-faced plants before disturbing them.