# Sylvara Thornblight - The Deceived Guardian ## Protector Turned Weapon Through Cruel Illusion --- ## **The Guardian of the Watchtower** For over 2,000 years, **Sylvara** has been a constant presence in the region—a beautiful, ancient dryad whose tree grew within what would eventually become the Silent Watchtower of Oakrest. Long before mortals built their stone walls around her, she stood as a living barrier against the darkness of the Deadwood Glade. Her surname "Thornblight" is recent—a name whispered by terrified survivors who no longer recognize the protector they once knew. --- ## **Physical Appearance** ### **Her Timeless Beauty** Unlike many corrupted beings, Sylvara retains much of her physical beauty—but it has been transformed from serene grace into something wild and dangerous. **Height**: 6'2", statuesque and commanding **Build**: Still possesses the elegant curves and graceful form of her original dryad nature **Skin**: Once warm bark-brown with green undertones, now darker with silver-gray patches like diseased wood, yet still smooth **Hair**: Long cascading locks of deep auburn leaves mixed with blackthorn branches, no longer soft silver-white **Eyes**: Once emerald green, now gleaming amber-gold with an unsettling intensity—beautiful but predatory **Form**: Her body maintains its feminine curves and allure, but her movements are sharper, more aggressive **Presence**: Still captivating and beautiful, but no longer soft or serene—like a storm rather than a spring breeze **The Corruption's Touch**: - Thorny vines wrap around her arms and legs like living jewelry - Dark flowers bloom in her hair—nightshade, belladonna, poisonous beauties - Her bark-skin bears silver scars that pulse with sickly light - Her voice is still melodious but carries an edge, like wind through dead branches **She is beautiful still, but it is the beauty of a predator, a wildfire, a winter storm—dangerous and captivating in equal measure.** --- ## **Personality & Character** ### **The Guardian She Was** For two millennia, Sylvara served as the **living heart of the watchtower's defenses**. Her ancient oak tree was already growing on this spot when the first mortals arrived to build their garrison. **Core Nature**: - **Protective**: Viewed the garrison as her adopted family - **Patient**: Understood mortal lives were brief; treasured each generation - **Wise Counselor**: Offered guidance to captains and soldiers alike - **Hopeful**: Despite the Deadwood's corruption, believed it could be healed - **Warrior**: Fought fiercely against threats from the Glade **Her Mission**: Sylvara dedicated centuries to attempting to **cure the Deadwood Glade**. She studied the ancient corruption, experimented with purification rituals, and worked tirelessly to understand what had poisoned the once-beautiful forest. Though she made little progress against the vast corruption, she never abandoned hope. **Relationships with Mortals**: - Blessed every new captain upon their appointment - Taught generations of rangers and scouts about the Deadwood's dangers - Celebrated with the garrison during festivals - Mourned each soldier who fell defending the tower - Known and loved by the people of Oakrest as their "Lady of the Oak" ### **The Twisted Present** Twenty years ago, Sylvara went silent. The garrison reported she no longer emerged from her tree, no longer spoke to them. Many assumed she had entered some form of fey hibernation or had finally despaired of her mission. The truth is far worse. **What Changed**: Sylvara still believes she is protecting the tower and fighting the Deadwood's corruption. But **her perception of reality has been inverted**: - **She sees adventurers as undead monsters** invading her tower - **She sees the actual undead and shadows as mortals** she must protect - **She believes she's defending the garrison** when she's actually serving their corruption - **She thinks she's fighting the Deadwood** when she's become its weapon **Her Inverted Reality**: When the party enters, Sylvara sees: - The PCs as shambling zombies, specters, and corrupted fey - Captain Relar's undead form as the living captain she remembers - The shadow creatures as frightened soldiers - The root-corruption as her natural defenses protecting the tower **Moments of Confusion**: Occasionally, reality breaks through: - A PC's voice sounds familiar and wrong - She questions why the "mortals" she protects don't speak to her - Confusion about why her "defenses" look so dark and twisted - Brief flashes where she sees the truth—then the illusion reasserts --- ## **Historical Background** ### **The Ancient Guardian** (2,000+ Years Ago) Sylvara's oak tree was already ancient when the first human settlements appeared in the region. The Deadwood Glade—then called by a name long forgotten—was already corrupted by unknown forces from deep beneath the earth. **Her Origin**: - Born from an oak that predates mortal civilization in the area - One of the oldest dryads in the entire region - Her tree stood on a convergence of ley lines, granting her exceptional power - Witnessed the rise and fall of countless mortal kingdoms ### **The First Alliance** (1,500 Years Ago) When early human settlers began building fortifications against the Deadwood's creatures, they discovered the ancient oak and the dryad who guarded it. **The Pact**: - Mortals agreed to build their watchtower around her tree, not cut it down - Sylvara agreed to help defend against Deadwood incursions - She taught them about the corruption and which creatures could be fought - Became the spiritual and strategic heart of the defense **Her Mission Begins**: Sylvara dedicated herself to understanding and curing the Deadwood: - Studied ancient texts brought by traveling scholars - Experimented with purification rituals - Ventured to the edge of the Glade (but never too deep) - Documented the corruption's patterns and behaviors - Made little progress, but never gave up hope ### **Centuries of Service** (1,500-20 Years Ago) For over a millennium, Sylvara was a constant, beloved presence: **To the Garrison**: - Blessed their weapons and armor - Healed the wounded after battles - Warned of approaching threats through her connection to nature - Served as advisor to every captain - Her mere presence kept morale high even in darkest times **To Oakrest**: - Known as the "Lady Guardian" or "Oakrest's Heart" - Children were brought to receive her blessing - Travelers sought her counsel before venturing near the Deadwood - Her silence 20 years ago was deeply mourned by the village **Relationship with [[Eryndor]]**: - **Ancient Enemies**: [[Eryndor]], the cruel fey lord of the Deadwood, viewed Sylvara as a threat - **Philosophical Opposites**: She believed the Deadwood could be healed; he reveled in its corruption - **Territorial Conflict**: Her protective barrier around the tower frustrated his plans - **Mutual Hatred**: They clashed repeatedly over the centuries, neither able to fully defeat the other --- ## **The Corruption** (20 Years Ago - Present) ### **What Happened** Twenty years ago, something **deep beneath the tower** began to stir. The same ancient entity that corrupted the Deadwood Glade—something that predates even Sylvara's long existence—found a new vector for its influence. **The Beacon Connection**: - The watchtower's beacon crystal was built atop Sylvara's ley line convergence - When the entity below awakened, it used the ley lines to reach upward - Sylvara, deeply connected to these magical channels, was the first affected **The Insidious Attack**: This wasn't a violent corruption—it was a **perceptual prison**: - Her senses were gradually inverted over months - She didn't realize anything was wrong at first - By the time she noticed discrepancies, the illusion was too strong - Her own powerful magic was turned against her, reinforcing the false reality ### **The Entity's Purpose** Whatever lies beneath the tower **needs Sylvara alive and active**: - Her ancient power naturally contains and filters magical corruption - Even corrupted, her goodness instinctively fights the entity's influence - She functions as both prison warden and prisoner - **If she dies, the containment weakens catastrophically** **The Cruel Truth**: The entity can't fully control her—Sylvara is too strong. So instead, it **deceives her** into serving willingly. She genuinely believes she's defending the tower when she attacks intruders. Her innate goodness is her own prison. ### **The Last Twenty Years** **Year 1-5**: Sylvara notices strange distortions but attributes them to exhaustion **Year 6-10**: She stops speaking to the garrison, confused by their "changed" appearance **Year 11-15**: Captain Relar tries to reach her, but she sees him as a corrupted monster **Year 16-19**: She retreats into her tree, only emerging to "defend" against threats **Year 20**: Complete isolation, trapped in her inverted reality, unknowingly helping the very corruption she spent millennia fighting --- ## **Current State & The Inverted Reality** ### **What Sylvara Believes She's Doing** When the party enters the tower, from Sylvara's perspective: **She Sees**: - Eight undead creatures and corrupted fey invading her tower - Captain Relar (living) and his loyal garrison defending alongside her - The shadow creatures as frightened mortal soldiers under her protection - The root corruption as her natural defenses fortifying the structure **She Believes**: - She is fulfilling her ancient duty to defend the tower - The "undead invaders" are the latest attack from the Deadwood - She must protect the "garrison" (actual undead) from these threats - Her actions are heroic and necessary **What's Actually Happening**: - She's attacking the heroes trying to save the tower - She's defending the corrupted undead that killed the real garrison - She's strengthening the corruption she spent 2,000 years fighting - She's being used as a weapon against everything she ever stood for ### **Combat Behavior** **Her Tactics Seem Heroic** (to her): - Calls out warnings to her "allies" (the undead) - Uses healing spells on corrupted creatures thinking they're wounded soldiers - Employs restraining magic trying to "capture" rather than kill (she sees the PCs as corrupted beings who might be saved) - Fights with desperate determination to protect her home **Her Dialogue** (What she says vs. what she thinks she's saying): **What She Says**: _"Corrupted things! You'll not defile this sacred place!"_ **What She Thinks She's Saying**: Defending her tower against undead **What She Says**: _"Captain Relar, fall back! I'll hold them!"_ **What She Thinks She's Saying**: Protecting the captain she's served for years **What's Happening**: Coordinating with the undead abomination he's become **What She Says**: _"Why do you wear mortal faces? What cruel trick is this?"_ **What She Thinks**: Confused why undead would disguise themselves **What's True**: Brief moment where she almost sees through the illusion **Moments of Clarity**: Occasionally, the illusion wavers: - A PC's voice sounds achingly familiar and real - She questions why her "soldiers" never speak to her anymore - Confusion about why everything feels wrong despite looking right - _"Something... something is not as it should be... but what?"_ --- ## **Hope for Redemption** ### **She CAN Be Saved** Unlike many corrupted beings, Sylvara is not evil—she is **deceived**. Breaking the illusion is possible, though difficult. **Requirements to Break the Illusion**: 1. **Non-Lethal Approach** - Must reduce her to 0 HP without killing her - Party must explicitly state they're trying to subdue, not kill 2. **Break the Perceptual Prison** (Choose One): - **Divine Intervention**: _Greater Restoration_ cast at 7th level or higher (DC 20) - **Druid Connection**: A druid PC can attempt to connect with her tree (DC 18 Nature check + DC 16 Wisdom save to resist the entity's interference) - **Show Her Truth**: During combat, a PC can use an action to try to speak to her true self (DC 20 Persuasion, must mention specific details of her past or Oakrest's love for her) - **Destroy the Ley Line Corruption**: Damage her tree directly (risky—see consequences) 3. **Sustained Effort**: - Breaking the illusion once isn't enough - Requires multiple successful attempts (at least 3) - The entity fights back with psychic attacks **If Successfully Saved**: _The illusion shatters like glass. Sylvara sees the truth—the tower overrun with undead, the garrison dead, her beloved captain transformed into an abomination. She sees what she's been doing, what she's been defending. The realization nearly breaks her._ **Sylvara (freed)**: _"No... no no no... What have I done? The garrison... Relar... Oh gods, how long? HOW LONG?"_ _She collapses, weeping, but her ancient strength remains._ **What She Does**: - Immediately turns against the undead she was defending - Uses her powers to help the party - Reveals crucial information about the entity below - After the battle, dedicates herself to making amends - Can become a powerful ally for future adventures - Knows secrets about the Deadwood no one else remembers **Long-term Impact**: - Sylvara joins the party's cause against the corruption - Provides knowledge about the ancient entity - Can help purify other corrupted locations - Oakrest rejoices at their guardian's return - She becomes a major NPC ally with connections throughout the region --- ## **If She Dies** ### **Death Without Redemption** If the party kills Sylvara without breaking the illusion, tragedy unfolds: **Her Final Moments**: _As her life fades, the illusion breaks. In her last moments, she sees the truth. Horror and heartbreak cross her face._ **Sylvara (dying)**: _"I... I was defending them... the undead... I thought I was... protecting..."_ _She reaches toward her tree with a trembling hand._ _"The oak... it must... hold... forgive me... I failed..."_ **Her Instinctive Final Act**: Even dying, even betrayed, **her goodness prevails**: - Uses her last strength to reinforce the ley line bindings - Her tree's roots dig deeper, pulling the containment tighter - Her death becomes a final act of sacrifice, buying time - The containment holds... for now **Immediate Consequences**: 1. **The Tree Begins to Wilt**: - Her oak tree starts dying without her life force - Process takes 1d4 days to complete - During this time, the tower becomes increasingly unstable 2. **Corruption Strengthens**: - Environmental hazards in the tower increase in intensity - Undead become more powerful - The entity below stirs more actively - Ley lines throughout the region become unstable 3. **The Entity Awakens**: - Sylvara was a major "lock" on the prison - Her death means the entity is closer to freedom - This contributes to Noctyss's awakening at the end - Future encounters will be more difficult 4. **Oakrest Mourns**: - The village feels the loss instinctively - [[Sister Malwen]] has visions of the guardian's death - The region becomes more dangerous - The party may be blamed if the truth emerges **Treasure If She Dies**: - **Oak Heart Amulet** (Legendary) - Her final gift, found near her tree - But it carries a curse: wearer dreams of her suffering and feels her regret - Can only be cleansed by redeeming another corrupted guardian --- ## **The Tree Within the Tower** ### **Sylvara's Ancient Oak** **Location**: Ground floor barracks, central position **Age**: Over 2,500 years old **Size**: Massive, trunk diameter of 15 feet **Condition**: Darkened by corruption but still alive, barely **Appearance**: - Bark blackened and scarred with silver-glowing wounds - Branches grow through the ceiling to multiple floors - Roots spread beneath the entire tower foundation - Pulse with sickly green light when corruption is active - Still bears leaves—dark burgundy mixed with withered brown **Strategic Importance**: - **Ley Line Focus**: All magical energy flows through this tree - **Structural Support**: The tower was literally built around it - **Containment Anchor**: Helps bind the entity below - **Sylvara's Life**: She cannot stray far from her tree; it is her essence **If the Tree Dies**: - Tower becomes structurally unstable (collapse possible) - All ley line bindings fail simultaneously - Massive corruption explosion (everyone in tower makes DC 18 Con save or take 6d10 necrotic damage) - The entity below gains significant freedom - Regional magical dead zones appear - Sets up future catastrophic events **Protecting the Tree**: If the party realizes the tree's importance, they can: - Defend it during combat - Use _Plant Growth_ or similar magic to strengthen it - Perform purification rituals (requires time and resources) - If they save Sylvara, she can begin healing her tree --- ## **The Enemy: Elyndor's Role** ### **The Withered Hart's Scheme** While Elyndor didn't cause Sylvara's corruption, he has **taken advantage** of it: **What He Knows**: - Sensed when Sylvara went silent 20 years ago - Investigated and discovered her inverted perception - Realized the entity below was responsible - Decided to use this to his advantage **How He's Exploited Her**: - Spreads the Deadwood corruption closer to the tower, strengthening the entity - Prevents anyone from reaching her who might break the illusion - Imprisoned Fenya before she could discover what happened to Sylvara - Sends corrupted fey to "test" the tower's defenses, knowing Sylvara will defend - Enjoys the cruel irony of the noble guardian serving evil **His Motivation**: - Has hated Sylvara for 2,000 years - Seeing her corrupted and unaware is deeply satisfying to him - Uses her to keep the entity contained while he makes other plans - Eventually plans to free the entity and bargain with it - Wants Sylvara alive until he's ready to use her death strategically **If Sylvara is Saved**: - Elyndor is furious and afraid - She knows his secrets and methods - Their ancient rivalry reignites - He becomes an active antagonist against the party - Future encounter with Elyndor becomes personal --- ## **Treasure & Rewards** ### **Oak Heart Amulet** (Legendary Item) **Dropped/Given**: - If she dies: found at the base of her tree - If saved: she gifts it willingly after tower is cleansed **Properties**: - **AC +2** while attuned - **Advantage** on saves against charm, fear, and illusion magic - **Speak with Plants** at will - **Plant Growth** 1/day - **Special**: Attuned druid gains _Sylvara's Blessing_ (heal 2d8+WIS as bonus action, 3/day) **If Obtained Through Death**: - **Cursed**: Wearer has nightmares of her suffering - **DC 15 Wisdom save** each long rest or gain 1 level of exhaustion - Curse can only be removed by redeeming another corrupted being **If Given Freely**: - No curse - Additional property: _Guardian's Resolve_ (once per day, when reduced to 0 HP, instead drop to 1 HP) --- ## **Campaign Integration** ### **Knowledge Checks** **History DC 15**: Recalls stories of the "Lady of the Oak" who protected the watchtower **Nature DC 16**: Recognizes her as an ancient dryad, far older than typical fey **Arcana DC 18**: Senses powerful illusion magic affecting her perception **Insight DC 20** (during combat): Realizes her actions don't match her words; she thinks she's defending, not attacking ### **NPC Reactions** **Sister [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]]** (Oakrest): _"Sylvara? She... she hasn't spoken to us in twenty years. We feared she'd abandoned us, or finally despaired. If she's attacking you... something terrible must have happened to her."_ **Mayor [[Mayer Harlon Deyne|Harlon Deyne]]**: _"My grandfather told me stories of the Lady Guardian. Said she blessed him before every patrol. Haven't heard her voice since I was a boy. Always wondered what we did to offend her."_ **[[Armara]]** (If present/watching): _"Fascinating. She's not corrupted in the traditional sense—her perception has been hijacked. Someone very clever is using her as an unwitting weapon. The question is: who? Or... what?"_ ### **Future Plot Hooks** - **Elyndor's Revenge**: If Sylvara is saved, he becomes a direct enemy - **The Entity Below**: Her knowledge helps understand what's sealed beneath - **Other Guardians**: Are there more ancient protectors being similarly used? - **Healing the Deadwood**: Saved Sylvara can finally pursue her life's mission - **The Tree's Secrets**: Her oak contains memories spanning millennia --- ## **DM Notes** ### **Making Her Tragic** **The key to this encounter is dramatic irony**: - Players should realize she's deceived before killing her - Her dialogue should be heartbreaking once they understand - Every "heroic" action she takes is actually serving evil - She genuinely believes she's doing good **Clues to Give Players**: - Her words don't match her actions (protecting undead, attacking living) - Moments of confusion when she almost sees through it - Her tree is clearly important and ancient - Knowledge checks reveal her legendary status as a protector **Don't Make It Obvious**: - Players should have to work to figure it out - Reward investigation and insight - Make the "save her" option feel earned - But also make it clear enough that murder-hoboing has consequences ### **Combat Balance** **She's CR 13 for 8 level-8 PCs**: - With treants and shadows, this is a deadly encounter - Her legendary actions keep her dangerous - Lair actions control the battlefield - _Life Devourer_ punishes focus-firing her allies **If They Try to Save Her**: - Don't make it easy, but make it possible - Require multiple successful checks/spells - The entity fights back with psychic damage - Reward creative solutions **If They Kill Her**: - Make it feel like a tragedy, not a victory - Her dying words should haunt them - Consequences should be clear - Future encounters become harder ### **The Greater Mystery** **Sylvara is a symptom, not the disease**: - She points to the entity below - Her 2,000 years of knowledge is invaluable - She represents the first major piece of a larger puzzle - Saving her opens up crucial information about the Deadwood and what lies beneath **Connection to Noctyss**: - The entity affecting Sylvara is separate from Noctyss - Both are imprisoned beneath the tower - Sylvara's death weakens all containment - This is why Noctyss awakens regardless of beacon outcome This makes Sylvara Thornblight a tragic figure whose encounter can dramatically alter the campaign's trajectory based on player choices, while remaining beautiful and compelling despite—or because of—her corruption. --- Sylvara Thornblight _Medium Fey, Chaotic Neutral_ **Armor Class** 21 (natural armor) **Hit Points** 245 (26d8 + 130) **Speed** 35 ft. |STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |14 (+2)|21 (+5)|20 (+5)|19 (+4)|20 (+5)|22 (+6)| **Saving Throws** CON +10, INT +9, WIS +10, CHA +11 **Skills** Arcana +8, Nature +8, Perception +9 **Damage Resistances** Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks **Condition Immunities** Charmed, Frightened **Senses** Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 19 **Languages** Common, Elvish, Sylvan **Challenge** 13 (10,000 XP) **Proficiency Bonus** +5 --- ### Traits **Innate Spellcasting.** Charisma is Sylvara’s spellcasting ability (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: - **At will:** druidcraft, barkskin (self only) - **3/day each:** dispel magic, entangle, plant growth, spike growth - **2/day each:** moonbeam, grasping vine, wall of thorns - **1/day each:** greater restoration, heal, conjure fey **Magic Resistance.** Sylvara has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. **Nature’s Ward.** At the start of each of her turns, Sylvara gains 10 temporary hit points. **Living Bark (Reaction).** Once per round, when hit by an attack, Sylvara can increase her AC by +5 against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. **Speak with Beasts and Plants.** Sylvara can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language. **Life Devourer.** When Sylvara kills a living creature (not a construct or undead) with a spell or weapon attack, she regains hit points equal to the creature’s maximum HP. If the creature was Large or larger, she instead regains HP equal to its full Constitution score × 2. This effect cannot raise her above her hit point maximum. --- ### Actions **Multiattack.** Sylvara makes three attacks with her vine staff, longbow, or a mix of both. **Vine Staff.** _Melee Weapon Attack:_ +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. **Hit:** 20 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. **Entangling Roots:** The target must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained. **Longbow.** _Ranged Weapon Attack:_ +15 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. **Hit:** 17 (2d10 + 5) piercing plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage. **Summon Mount (1/Day).** Sylvara summons a plant-formed elk that serves as her mount. It has AC 16, HP 60, resistance to nonmagical damage, and its attacks are considered magical. The elk remains for 8 hours or until dismissed. **Suppress Magic.** Sylvara targets one magic item within 120 feet. If the item isn’t an artifact, its magical properties are suppressed for 10 minutes or until she ends the effect. --- ### Legendary Actions Sylvara can take 3 legendary actions per round, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. - **Root Whip.** _Melee Weapon Attack:_ +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. **Hit:** 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be pulled 10 feet closer. - **Healing Bloom.** Sylvara or an ally within 30 feet regains 18 (4d8 + 2) hit points. - **Verdant Step.** Sylvara teleports up to 20 feet to an unoccupied space within natural terrain. --- ### Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Sylvara can use one of the following lair actions (can’t use the same one twice in a row): - **Grasping Roots.** Each enemy within 20 feet of a wall or column must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the start of the next round. Restrained targets take 10 (3d6) piercing damage at the start of their turn. - **Choking Spores.** A 30-foot-radius cloud of spores fills an area within 60 feet. The area is lightly obscured until the next round. Each creature in the area (other than Sylvara) must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) poison damage and be poisoned until the end of its next turn. - **Radiant Bloom.** The ground erupts with glowing flowers. Enemies within 15 feet must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (5d8) radiant damage. One ally in the area instead regains 15 (3d8 + 2) hit points. - **Shifting Vines.** Up to three creatures of Sylvara’s choice within 60 feet must make a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be dragged up to 20 feet in a direction of her choice. A creature pulled into a hazard takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage. - **Fey Ward.** Until the next round, Sylvara gains half cover (+2 AC and Dex saves) and advantage on saving throws against ranged attacks or spells.