Coraesine Field/Vignettes
2013
Return to Coraesine Field
A representative of the merchant consortium, Arkford of Selanthia, grew curious of the plot of land known as Coraesine Field. It had been four long years since diplomats gathered, and the disasters that followed. He decided it was time to return to the field, and see what had become of it. Last he knew, the gnomes caused an explosion and destroyed much of the spire during their visit in 5109. Arkford packed his things and began his journey toward the Elven Nations, to the area near Ta'Illistim known as Coraesine Field.
Upon arrival, he found the field in turmoil. The various buildings were laid to waste, with foliage reclaiming most of the unattended land. Rubble and debris littered the pathways, and the oculus was stripped of any coraesine. Surrounding the former festivities lay a vast open field that remained uncultivated.
Arkford noticed an oddity beyond the field. A bog oak forest that was not logged in any of the happenings of 5109. But the forest was mammoth in size, much larger than anything that could have began growing only four years ago. He explored the vast forest, but the foliage that claimed the land as home made the trails hard to follow. It seemed like the forest was even larger from the time he entered it until he exited it. How could this be? How could a forest grow that much in such a small amount of time? Arkford spent days wandering through the forest's depths, each time he entered, it seemed to be different. Will-o'-wisps fluttered through out the area, like colorful motes. Small hillsides interrupted the greenery, bringing with them narrow brooks and streams. Arkford eventually found a massive sprawling oak tree, and while observing this old guardian of the forest, he saw a beautiful creature off in the distance; a dryad. But she never stayed for long. Even when Arkford would wait for her, her presence was there for a fleeting moment. Was she the cause of the forest?
But the forest didn't stop Arkford from planning a festival. Over the next several days, he began cleaning up the pathways, and tearing down the former remains of pavilions and tents, or well, he did the best he could. He gained the help of local farmers to help clear out debris and rubble, some of them helping with the field and attempting to cut down the overgrowth emerging from the forest.
Arkford began inviting merchants from across the land, in hopes they could represent the dream that once was the Coraesine Field. To rebuild, to rejoice, and to celebrate the rebirth of spring. Familiar faces began arriving, setting up their various wagons and tents, with plenty of wares to offer. Many merchants bringing with them their best wares, and greatest services yet.
They decided to invite adventurers to the festivities, but the attendance needed to be limited. Arkford began sending out special invitations, as well as fliers for the "Return to Coraesine Field." During their delivery, however, bandits ransacked the couriers, and the envelopes were scattered across Elanthia. Hopefully adventurers like you can recover some of these special invitations!
The dryad moved through the forest toward the vast field, now teeming with life with numerous saplings poking through the soil. She grazed her twig-like fingers over the budding leaves, causing them to react to her touch. The forest would grow and take the field, and the satyr fled, stopping his blight. With only a small portion of saplings diseased, tranquility would prosper. The field will be no more, with the help of the senescent tree spirit's mana apex, it would engulf the old farms and festival grounds in due time with the dryad's magic.
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The dryad beat the satyr by a landslide. The numbers are staggering when you look at how many people sided with the dryad. For those wondering, had anyone communed to Kuon on the full run, they would have found that both the dryad and satyr were not positive forces. While from the outside, it was very good vs. evil, the farmer expressed the forest being unnatural. A commune to Oleani would have explained the forest in full bloom and growing like it has been was not proper.
The results have molded the course of the Coraesine Field, and have pushed the satyr into a new setting. Feywrot Mire.
When Sherlise and I were brainstorming the quest, I originally wanted to have another option that would have been the farmer found outside the forest. He was going to task players to cut down the trees and bring acorns/seeds to him. The issue was, the quest item was going to be a farming tool, which wasn't up to the same standards of the wisps. And the wisps were already a massive project, so coding something else similar wasn't in the cards. So only some of the remnants of that option were left behind.
I know the quest ended up being easy, and I know the storyline elements didn't work out too well, I still hope it was enjoyable. It also put forward some consequences for siding with the dryad.
2014
Cessation of Coraesine Field
The forest has taken over the field, forever engulfing the vast openness in greenery.
Several merchants stayed behind to watch the forest grow, magically, through the dryad's power. Or was it something else? It's tough to say. The forest repelled any who tried to enter now. Only the field with the newly planted trees could be entered. Arkford needed the adventurers to see this. But would they come for just the forest? No, likely not. He figured it was time to ask for the brave to come back, because by him returning to Coraesine Field, he ruined it. He would lure them in with the artisans. But this time, he would need their help to stop the forest, or die trying.
The forest grew out of control. Everyone who planted a seed, their sapling became a tree already (which you could view by looking at the forest [replacing the field]). The farmer went missing, and his remains were found by Arkford.
Eventually it came to be, that the tree spirit (found at the Mana Apex during the wisp quest), used your spirit and mana (when you infused your seed) to cause the forest to grow at an alarmingly fast rate. The tree spirit wished revenge on mankind for cutting down the forest that once was there. Arkford was kidnapped by forest bendith.
Players eventually culled the forest denizens that were attacking and dispatched the evil tree spirit. The druid thanked the players for releasing the spirit, as he lost his way and became corrupt with power.
Coraesine Field is no more. It will forever be known as Coraesine Forest.