Challenges for a Druid Farmer

[Tonguez]

SO assuming the farmer currently has a patch of Carniverous Corn infiltrating his crops, how would you go about having him notice that something strange is going on?
The local rat infestation has disappeared? Crop circles?

Dire Moles sound like a good option too

 

[MarkB]

SO assuming the farmer currently has a patch of Carniverous Corn infiltrating his crops, how would you go about having him notice that something strange is going on?
The local rat infestation has disappeared? Crop circles?

A close enough inspection accompanied by a good Nature check can discern that they are not a natural crop. Otherwise, disappearance of some smaller farm animals, or maybe his animal companion has a nasty encounter with a part-infested field one night, and thereafter acts wary and defensive around the fields whenever the farmer tends them.

Or he could come at it from the other direction - he has an encounter with the Dark Druid cult who were seeding the infestation, finds out that they had put in motion something to attack his lands, and then has to figure out the nature of the threat.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The giant ants in Empire of the Ants used pheromones to control humans to make them grow and harvest sugar for the mound. Perhaps such a colony has sprung up just upriver...

 

[Stormonu]

I just had a few more thoughts hit me

The Garden of Eden/Hanging Gardens of Babylon/etc. - the druid is given guardianship of magical plants with wondrous abilities. Not only must he tend to their unusual needs, he must guard against the theft of the magical fruits and/or judge who is worthy of their fruits.

Some unusual plant ideas beyond the standard spells-as-fruit:

- Golden Apples of Longevity
- Kingdom Grapes (Though who eat of the vine will be destined to rule a kingdom)
- Dream Cherries (Give insight into the future)
- Pomegranate of Ruin (Name an enemy, eat the fruit - the enemy dies)
- Apricots of Insight (Grant magical insight to build one fantastic or magical item)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I just had a few more thoughts hit me

The Garden of Eden/Hanging Gardens of Babylon/etc. - the druid is given guardianship of magical plants with wondrous abilities. Not only must he tend to their unusual needs, he must guard against the theft of the magical fruits and/or judge who is worthy of their fruits.

Some unusual plant ideas beyond the standard spells-as-fruit:

- Golden Apples of Longevity
- Kingdom Grapes (Though who eat of the vine will be destined to rule a kingdom)
- Dream Cherries (Give insight into the future)
- Pomegranate of Ruin (Name an enemy, eat the fruit - the enemy dies)
- Apricots of Insight (Grant magical insight to build one fantastic or magical item)

DC's Swamp Thing grew hallucinogenic tubers in his body...the shambling mounds the character inspired might well do the same.

 

[AeroDm]

How about his fellow party members extol to him the virtues of being an adventurer instead of being a farmer?

...or...

--The druidic magic causes the crops to drink in too much nutrients and a sinkhole forms between the fields and the Underdark.
--A rampaging hobgoblin army recognizes the bounty of the druids crops and plans to raid it for supplies.
--The druids prized pumpkin (likely to break the record of the Verdant Vale) is spotted by a pumpkin loving Roc.

 

[Herobizkit]

There's a variant of the Harvest Moon series of games (or the Harvest Moon series itself is pretty rich) entitled Rune Factory that you might consider "mining" for plot ideas.