Singing Island

From House of Khilat

Location: In the outer mountains surrounding Evereska, just west of the Vale.

Land: A small island of about 1.5 square miles, near the north shore of a mountain lake of approximately 6 square miles.

Buildings: Chiliad's Crag Castle, NorthTower, West Tower, East Tower, Island Tower

East Tower

The East Tower guards the pass down the mountain which is a source of occasional raids from evil humanoids. The tower includes a signal system at the top that is visible from North Tower and Melodious Meadow.

Rangers and expert archers monitor the pass from the tower on a rotational basis.

West Tower

The West Tower is built on the mountain side downstream from the lake. The tower includes a signal system at the top that is visible from North Tower.

Several rangers are stationed at the tower on a regular basis, but they spend more time patrolling the lower pass.

North Tower

The north tower is built on the Rocky Mountain side overlooking the lake shore across from the island. The top has a clear view of the lake shore and island shore, as well as the Island Tower on the opposite side. It also has a clear view to the East and West Tower signals.

Aliatris Wyvernjack routinely stays at the tower and tests potential visitors for signs of evil. The tower is typically manned by a ranger and an expert archer on a rotating basis.

Sirine's Lake

The lake has been known to be home to Sirenes and has been avoided by humanoids for ages. Evil humanoids are typically drawn to the water and drowned. Neutral and good humanoids often disappear for years. The Sirenes are aware of the hamadryad and dryads of the island and have had arrangements to share humanoids for years. Since the dryads live in the forest, while the Sirenes keep to the shore, particularly the craggy east side, they don't often conflict.

While Chiliad has no real authority over the Sirenes, he has arranged an agreement that the Sirenes will only charm willing visitors, typically with a set time frame pre-arranged so that they can be rescued if the need arises. Such visitors are not typically allowed to return for at least a year from their last visit.

  • The Sirenes maintain an alter at the base of the cliffs on the north side if the island. The alter has been enchanted to protect the lake and island from earthquakes.

Island Sanctuary

The entire island serves as a Druid sanctuary and is imbued with a number of magical properties.

  • The island is defended by an awakened tree, named Shanta'Evaliir. The tree is rooted in the grove, but watches over the entire island. The tree has spell casting powers of a third level Druid and has combat ability similar to a Liveoak spell. The tree can mobilize and direct the animal defenders, animate and direct trees, animate the stone guardian, activate awakened plants and control the island tempurature.
  • The entire island is defended by animal defenders. Up to 12HD of normal or giant natural animals reside in the grove and meadow, but will defend the island against unwanted intruders.
  • Once per day, worshippers of nature can animate 2d6 normal trees within the grove with powers similar to a changstaff spell. The trees attack as if they were 12 hit dice Treants with 40 hit points each, with two attacks per round. The Treants remain animated for 1 turn per the level of the highest follower, or until they fall to 0 hit points, afterwhich they root back into the ground as normal trees. The trees can be directed by the worshippers, with the orders of the highest ranking priests taking precedence over others. If an awakened tree is in the grove, it can use the animated trees to defend the grove.
  • 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.

Island Tower

The Island Tower is built on a rocky hill overlooking the north shore of the island with a view of the north lake shore and North Tower.

The tower is typically manned by a ranger and expert archer on a rotational basis.

A path from the shore leads to the Melodious Meadow.

  • A quickwood tree grows 75' from the tower. The roots of the tree can attack creatures within a 90' radius. The quickwood tree can animate 2d4 normal oaks on the island to monitor activity and protect the island. When guests arrive at the tower, the tree will drum a quick double beat using trees across the island to alert the Druids of new arrivals. Should a threat come across the shallow ford, the quickwood will drum the double beat repeatedly and loudly.

Melodious Meadow

The south west side of the island opens into a grassy meadow. The soil is shallow over a foundation of hard bed rock, so few trees can take hold. The meadow slopes down to the sandy shoreline and cold mountain lake water.

Musical concerts are held in the meadow on a daily basis and can be heard across the lake. Adoneiros Dawnsinger maintains permanent residence on the island and holds authority over the meadow when Chiliad is absent. Adoneiros shares singing duties with Elorin Tarmikos, but many guest singers are encouraged to lead worship services, including Eariyl Irithyl and Graward Gentleharp.

  • A quickwood tree grows at the edge of the meadow. This tree has since been enchanted with the desire to sing, but will only do so when Druids or nature priests are around, and nobody is performing a singing service. The quickwood tree can animate 2d4 normal oaks on the island to monitor activity and protect the island. The tree can also be convinced to provide drum beats, most often using animated trees around the meadow to hide the quickwoods location.
  • The meadow and grove are covered with an aura of peace. Predators and prey may be seen playing together within the meadow. Those who make a successful attack against another within the meadow 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.
  • While within the meadow and grove, normal and giant animals will befriend worshippers of nature as if an animal friendship spell had been cast, following them around the grove, playing, entertaining or performing simple tasks. The animals will not leave the grove, often befriending another just as quickly as their current friend departs the grove. Casting animal friendship within the grove will attract more animals to the caster, but they will not leave the grove. Animals under the influence of an animal friendship spell brought into the grove will be friendly with others, but remain loyal to their friend unless his actions warrant otherwise. Animal summoning magic cast within the grove can call twice the number or HD of animals.
  • Magical song is amplified in the meadow so that its magical powers are doubled in area and duration. Trees and plants wiith musical qualities grow around the perimeter of the meadow. Song birds, especially nightingales are attracted to the meadow.
  • A Nature worshiper (even a nonpriest) may cause 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 flickers around the grove at will. When a Druid casts faerie fire within the grove, its duration triples.
  • Chiliad Khilat has sanctified a weir tree by investing a small portion of his spirit into it. The tree sits at the north east side of the meadow. As a sacred tree, members of the Circle of the Ancients who know Chiliad can use plant door to transport an unlimited distance to the tree. This particular tree resonates with musical tones and glows a golden radiant faerie fire in the presence of music. Chiliad occasionally uses the tree as part of his singing performance, stepping forth from the trunk while singing. Dead wood carefully trimmed from the tree is used to craft exceptional musical instruments, the best of which glow golden radiance when played.

Milil’s Alter

An alter of 5 semi-precious stones (Blue Quartz, Carnelian, Jade, Obsidian, Rock Crystal) have been erected as an alter to Milil. The Singing Stone spell has been cast upon them and other preservative magic to ensure they do not weather poorly.

Barracks

Kelvin Morn requested that a small stone barracks be built hidden among the trees out of sight of the meadow. Bunks and lockers for the cavalry are found within. A series of cottages have been built nearby for the wives and children of the men. All of the buildings have carefully tended vines making them nearly invisible.

The Sacred Grove of Song

The east side of the island is raised rocky terrain with ancient forest growth, including a tall Weir tree. The Weir tree has the spirit of a hamadryad living within it. Several old oaks and many mountain pine trees cover this portion of the island with thick growth. Several pathways have been cleared near the edges of the old forest near the Melodious Meadow, allowing common worshipers access to the sacred ground.

While Chiliad has no real authority over the hamadryad and dryads, he has arranged an agreement that they will only charm willing visitors, typically with a set time frame pre-arranged so that they can be rescued if the need arises. Such visitors are not typically allowed to return for at least a year from their last visit.

Chiliad as a Druid of the Circle of the Ancients, with the help of Keilian Lunette and Elorin Tarmikos, hallowed the grove as Sacred to all Druids. Elorin Tarmikos maintains permanent residence in the grove and is considered the authority on all that happens within its boundaries, though he will readily defer to Chiliad or Keilian when they are in the grove.

  • The island is defended by an awaken a tree, named Shanta'Evaliir. The tree is rooted in the grove, but watches over the entire island. The tree has spell casting powers of a third level Druid and has combat ability similar to a Liveoak spell. The tree can mobilize and direct the animal defenders, animate and direct trees, and control the island tempurature.
  • The meadow, grove, grotto and standing stones are covered with an aura of peace. Predators and prey may be seen playing together within the grove. 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.
  • Within the grove, all normal and giant animals of animal to low intelligence can speak in the language of Druids.
  • While within the meadow and grove, normal and giant animals will befriend worshippers of nature as if an animal friendship spell had been cast, following them around the grove, playing, entertaining or performing simple tasks. The animals will not leave the grove, often befriending another just as quickly as their current friend departs the grove. Casting animal friendship within the grove will attract more animals to the caster, but they will not leave the grove. Animals under the influence of an animal friendship spell brought into the grove will be friendly with others, but remain loyal to their friend unless his actions warrant otherwise. Animal summoning magic cast within the grove can call twice the number or HD of animals.
  • The grove produces an abundance of fruit, nuts and berries, and 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.
  • A 20' radius patch of plants have been awakened around Shanta'Evaliir and will defend the guardian as if an Entangle spell was cast.

Moonwell

Located in the forest on the south east end of the island, the grotto looks like a sink hole 40' in diameter with smooth granite walls. The north wall has a staircase carved into the rock to provide access to the large deep blue pool of pure clean water at the bottom. The waters of the pool glow a silvery radiance.

  • 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. Hallowed Elders gain the additional benefit that scars can be healed so well that they are only visible upon close examination. Bathers with less than 19 charisma are treated as if their charisma was one point higher for three days after bathing, making the pool popular with bards planning important performances.
  • The Moonwell is protected from lycanthropes up to 300 feet radius around the pool. Neutral and good lycanthropes can control their shape shifting, even under a full moon. Evil lycanthropes are forced into human or demihuman form within the grove. These groves often become sanctuaries to lycanthropes recently turned or those who dispise what they have become.
  • A druid who spends the night meditating in the grotto 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.
  • A 10'x30' patch of plants have been awakened to defend the top of the stairs of the Moonwell as if an Entangle spell was cast.

Standing Stones

At the end of a well hidden path of the grove near the meadow, in a small rocky clearing, Chiliad called up elemental magics to raise a set of standing stones. Eight stones surround a huge granite Trilithon gate. Each of the surrounding stones are made of different materials.

  • Three stones form an archway to serves as a Trilithon gate. When activated, it will automatically connect to the Trilithon gate at the Chiliad Estate, but can be connected to gates all across Faerun at the will of the gate activator. Other standard locations include a grove in Deepingdale near Highmoon, Oaksong Tower of the Forgotten Forest, and a sacred grove in Myth Drannor.
  1. The north stone is made Drannor.
  2. The north east stone is made from white marble carved with scenes of elves frolicking in the forest and the image of a quarter moon surrounded by Drannor.
  3. The east stone is made from jade stone with the image of a wingless dragon carved into the stone holding new Drannor.
  4. The south east stone is made from black lava stone in the shape of a large head and has an image of a quarter Drannor.
  5. The south stone is made Drannor.
  6. The south west stone is made from carved red coral with a new moon carved from gray brain Drannor.
  7. The west stone is made of a hard clear crystal material and has the following images engraved into the stone: Sun, Full Moon and Stars. When the sun sets, the light strikes the stone and shines images of the sun, moon and stars onto the Drannor.
  8. The north west stone is made from
  • A 10'x10' patch of plants have been awakened to defend the standing stones as if an Entangle spell was cast. The patch is carefully tended and looks like a hedge and flower garden surrounding the Trilithon gate. It defends the gate against unwelcome guests coming and going.

Garden Terrace

Relatively flat ground on the south side of the craggy hill near the castle forms a multileveled set of natural terraces. The Druids have carefully tended this area to create gardens of food producing plants that appear like a wild garden.

  • The open terrace grows crops of leafy vegetable and plants with nutritious roots.
  • Vines with squash and melons are grown up the sides of rocky crags.
  • Shrubs with fruits and berries are distributed in various nooks and crannies.
  • An orchard of fruit trees grow on the higher north slopes, including apple and pear.
  • Trees that bare nuts are intermixed with the near by forest growth.
  • Several maple trees are used to harvest maple syrup.

Acorns are readily available for harvest from the numerous oak trees all around the island. Pine nuts can also be collected from the numerous pine cones dropped all over the island.

Chiliad's Crag Castle

The east side of the island has a tall rocky hill of huge granite boulders covered in mountain pines and oaks. The eastern shore is a 25 foot rugged cliff.

Using elven techniques of moulding the landscape to create living spaces, with the help of Dwarven and Gnome engineers, Chiliad had the heart of the crag opened to create a small fort of natural caverns. Most of the island residents have rooms within the stone fortress.

Chiliad had an elven spire built from the top of the crag overlooking the pristine lake and the island. The spire can see signals from the West Tower and North Tower.

  • A quickwood tree grows 75' from the castle entrance. The roots of the tree can attack creatures within a 90' radius. The quickwood tree can animate 2d4 normal oaks on the island to monitor activity and protect the island. The tree will use its roots to sound a gong to announce visitors, and will drum a warning should the castle be attacked.
  • A 10'x20' patch of plants have been awakened to defend the castle entrance as if an Entangle spell was cast.
  • A large standing stone sits in front of the castle, near the entrance. It is made of heavy basalt rock, and carved into the figure of a giant. The stone guardian can be animated by the island stewards, including the animated tree, to defend the island as a 16HD earth elemental once a day.
  • Keilian Lunette has sanctified a weir tree by investing a small portion of her spirit into it. The tree grows just to the west of the castle. As a sacred tree, members of the Circle of the Ancients who know Keilian can use plant door to transport an unlimited distance to the tree.

Chiliad's Harper Refuge

Behind the fortifications of Crag Castle, natural walls of granite conceal a protected courtyard about 30' in diameter. The courtyard has been blessed by Milil and Meiliki as a Harper Refuge with all the associated magical protections. Large trees surround and hide the refuge. A harp hangs from a tree branch over the courtyard.

Water seeps from an overhang, creating a small waterfall that fills a small pond. The water is used throughout Crag Castle.

The courtyard serves as a meeting place for the Harpers and the last bastion of defense on the island.

Three rooms are carved from the rocks walls of the courtyard to serve as guest rooms. Supplies are stored in the rooms to endure a siege.

A hall passes from the entrance of Crag Castle to the courtyard. Elorin Tarmikos will meet and escort Harpers into the refuge after verifying their identities.

Residents

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