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{{saved-discord-post
| messagelink = [https://discord.com/channels/226045346399256576/1294423512664117320 Undergrowth of Bittermere Woods (a.k.a. Witch's Hut)]
| author = GM Thandiwe
| date = 10/11/2024
}}
'''Undergrowth of Bittermere Woods (a.k.a. The Witch’s Hut)'''

Deep in Bittermere Woods lives a witch who once walked Elanith as a priestess of Niima.  She discovered something so unique and powerful that the forces of Lornon sent assassins after her, ending her life in one swift stroke so that her discovery could not be shared with the world at large.  However, even in death, the Arkati fought over what to do with her soul.  Gosaena recognized that she was removed from Elanith before her time and thus would not ferry her to oblivion.  Lorminstra demanded she be returned to her body, a deed for a deed.  Luukos wanted her for his own designs as payment for her discoveries.

Unable to go to silence, warred over by winter and hiss, Naidem took her.  For years, decades, centuries, she was among the forgotten in the landscape of the land between.  Not really knowing who she was, but merely a fleeting memory with a single burning desire to rediscover what was lost.

And so, she moved away from the others and into the woods.  She tended to a garden, one that was so different from what she knew in life.  And created her trinkets.  These little things, these forgotten things, and slowly, her past life began to inform her hands, and the old, forgotten discoveries returned.

Haunted by the resurgence of how she expired, the witch was uncertain what to do with these things, these bits, this knowledge, and as such she decided to test those that found their way to her garden.  Maybe, if she could trust them with the beginnings of her discovery, have them prove through trial their mettle, then maybe, just maybe, she could trust them with the rest.

'''NEW GAME'''

Venture into the Undergrowth of Bittermere Woods and discover the Witch’s Hut and her garden.  When you meet her, she will provide you with a single task at the cost of 1 cube.  Upon accepting your task, she SHRINKS YOU DOWN to the size of a mouse and sends you through a mousehole into her garden.

The tasks are varied and include things like making candles, mulching mushrooms, harvesting fiddlehead ferns, replacing the gourd guard, etc.  The tasks are designed to take as long as a full run in the Arena of the Abyss and offer the same rewards as a single run with one very big difference.  Instead of finding the Necrotic Ring, you can find the Lightweaver’s Ocarina.

Playable like the ones sold in Nereid’s Voice, this ocarina is special.  It has access to 6-fluff verb traps, can be worn, and has an ability called Aura of the Nereid.  Next year, the ocarina will be expanded to have other features that will require charges to use.  Fortunately for you, if you run the game this year, you can store the charges for later use.

'''BE WARNED!'''

Much like the Arena of the Abyss, the Undergrowth of Bittermere Woods also has its hazards.  An imp, all the larger now that you are small, may find you in the garden and remove you from his precious fiddlehead ferns!  This hazard has the same effect (without killing you) that the lightning strikes do in Arena of the Aybss.

'''Aura of the Nereid'''

This is a toggle-able feature on the Lightweaver’s Ocarina that allows you to cycle through 7 different illusions.  This illusion shows up ABOVE your character’s description and is in monster bold.

'''Prizes – a Clarification'''

So that we are being 100% transparent, the listed prizes are:

* Experience
* 30 shards per run
* Fusion Shaman Tokens
* Shimmering Green Orb
* Breakable Items
* Lightweaver’s Ocarina

Except for the 30 Soul Shards and the experience, all prizes are random.

{{saved-discord-post
| messagelink = [https://discord.com/channels/226045346399256576/832466682291027998/1296984994203435078 Undergrowth of Bittermere Woods Opens]
| author = GM Thandiwe
| date = 10/18/2024
}}
The creaking of a gate announces the opening of the Undergrowth of Bittermere Woods.
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