Hex 39

39. The Whispering Tree (North Hex):

A huge, twisted yew tree grows here, apart from any other trees in this clearing. When the wind blows, it sounds like a voice whispering indistinct and haunting words from the trunk of the tree.

The trunk is hollow.  High up in the branches (treat as a secret door unless someone climbs the tree searching for an entrance) is a hole in a V in the main trunk that provides access to the hollow trunk.

Inside, the hollow trunk is 3’ in diameter, but nearly smooth, running the full height of the tree (from the V to the ground is 30’, and an additional 22’ below ground beyond that). It is difficult climb inside the tree trunk (nearly impossible for non-thieves, so non-thieves fall through the trunk to the small chamber below, though the slight angle of the trunk slows the fall a bit, damage for a fall is 2d8. Thieves suffer -20% penalty for climb sheer surfaces because of the tight quarters inside the trunk.

Beneath the tree is a chamber, completely encased in the roots of the yew tree. The chamber is a sphere, about 11’ in diameter. Those who fall into the chamber are entangled by the roots (treat as entangle spell, DEX or lower on d20 extricate). Those who climb down into the chamber do not suffer such a fate. Hidden amid the roots of the tree are five Coffer Corpses which will emerge one every two rounds beginning two rounds after the first person enters the chamber. The second Coffer Corpse that emerges has a broadsword, the fourth Coffer Corpse has a magical shortword (Harishar, the Queen’s Blade a shortsword +2 that shines as a Light spell on command and detects evil). Buried among the roots are 343 gp, a silver chalice (with winged horsed engraved on the inside and angels in bas relief on the outside – worth 120 gp) and a leather pouch containing three rubies (worth 100gp, 200 gp, and 500 gp).

TO FINISH: Image