You entered the cave to find a beautiful scene – an indoor woods of sorts, filled with trees, birds, and other wildlife. You also found the Druid you sought. The Druid, the former head of the Woodvale council centuries past during the great sickness, was reluctant to speak with you, and had a heavy guilt hanging over him. Bree’s words seemed to sooth him, though, and he eventually opened up to you.
He came to the cave as a recluse, feeling that he failed his people back in 102-103 AW. He created a cure for the sickness, or at least something to keep it at bay, but not before it nearly wiped out the community, and all the healthy elves had left.
His cure involved a magical crystal that imbued a natural pool with magical qualities, and caused that water to flow throughout the forest. The pool, unfortunately, has had its healing properties countered by an evil witch, the Witch of Ackthar, who came to the grove. She removed the magic crystal from the pool.
The druid has senses the return of the dagger, but feels that there must be a secret to activating it, if it is currently on the surface world and not infecting all it comes into contact with. He is sure that the dagger is fatal to elves. He is not sure about other races. He does not want the dagger to enter the forest. The forest, even after all these centuries, hangs by a thread. He worries about what will happen if dagger is brought into the forest.
You thus set off to recover the crystal. On the way, you encountered perverse creatures, including corrupt living trees and the dead, deceased elves, twisted to evil. You also saw the direct effects of the sickness, gashes in the earth spewing green toxins. The entire area smelled of sickness and death.
Eventually, you found the witch’s cave. You fought through her guardians, and eventually defeated the witch herself. There, in her boiling cauldron, you found the gem – the crystal of which the druid spoke. You now stand in her cave, ready to head back to the Druid, whose cave lies to your east.
