Mechanics for an enchanting/maddening fey forest encounter location.

[Abraxus]

Hello,
My party are about to enter a fey controlled region of ancient forest, which they will have to cross through to reach a Druid enclave. The party are 4th level and comprise of a human druid, a human warlock, a whisper gnome beguiller and a drow ranger. If they coordinate their abilities well, they are quite capable of navigating through wilderness and understanding magical effects and traps.

I effectively wish them to travel through a dreamscape without actually being asleep, but subject to subtle subconscious magical manipulation at all turns. Constantly they will suffer mood changes, hallucinations, and actual illusionary terrain etc. Their conventional navigation abilities will be severely hampered by atmospheric illusions and enchantments. I am considering using the sanity mechanic from Unearthed Arcana here. Most of the effects stem from a malfunctioning Druid menhir in the area, through more primal and less focused spiritual forces permeate the region too.

Does anyone have any suggestions for appropriate save DCs, skill checks required, appropriate area based spells to use, time constraints etc. that I can use here without just fudging it and falling back on role-playing to achieve what I want? I want this to be an appropriate challenge for a reasonably well balanced 4 member 4th level party; neither a walk in the park nor grossly beyond their abilities, that will test their teamwork and non-combat abilities.

Ideally I want the Druid to rely on wild empathy, knowledge nature, her animal companion and subtler spells than she is used to using. The ranger is trained in knowledge religion, so will perhaps be able to assist in working out the what is going on, but I expect he will mostly be attempting to track and search using conventional means. The beguiller and warlock will use spellcraft, the former is also quite a competent scout. Their will saves vs enchantment/fey and RAW sanity are druid (+11, sanity 80), gnome (+6, sanity 70), warlock (+5, sanity 65), drow (+3, sanity 40).
The Drow is a new character, and the other characters have only just met him, so I don't want to set up an impossible challenge for him, because if he goes crazy too quickly the other players might just abandon him or kill him.

Any suggestions welcome

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

This sounds more like a fey grove than a druid grove. In any event, I think that's just one long encounter with a "magical field", so if it takes a long time in real life players will get bored.

Perhaps the effects are being caused by malevolent or mischievous fey, and combative PCs have a chance to "seek, locate, eradicate" their tormentors. Naturally they'll keep shooting at illusions if they keep failing Will saves.

 

[pemerton]

What happens if the players fail their checks?

 

[gamerprinter]

Though designed for Pathfinder, Rite Publishing has a product called 101 Mystical Site Properties that offer unique magical conditions to specific areas like a magical hazard. Locations can feature multiple mystical site properties, with an example location at the end of the product with several. I think this might work well to meet your goal, and easily fit into a 3x game.

Be sure to read Endzeitgeist's review of this product which really gives you an insight in what this product can do for your campaign!

 

[Abraxus]

Oh great, thanks a lot. I will check that out.

@(Psi)SeveredHead

For sure. The Druid enclave is highly elusive and secretive, and has no wish to advertise its specific base of operations to the large powerful human cities around. They are also low in numbers and lack very clear organizational structures. Their predominant focus is in warding and maintaining a vast circle of monoliths in the forest that were built by their much more powerful and knowledgeable forebears centuries ago.
This stone circle focusses and condenses the diffusive natural powers of the land, which initially served to weaken the link between a pantheon of Primordial powers with the Prime Material Plane. This accordingly weakened their Material servants allowing the mortal races to overthrow them.
The peal of natural power that permeates the area around the stone ring has the secondary effect of warping natural senses and interrupting time and space. It creates a kind of phantasmagoric illlusionary boundary that Fey are attracted to and feel very comfortable within.
This has the added benefit of providing a defensive buffer zone for the druids, as most folks are too superstitious to want to delve into this place. Druids and Shamans are much better suited to traversing this region, though even they need to keep their wits about them and are severely disadvantaged by lacking knowledge about the area. This specific region is particularly unstable as the nearby monolith has not been correctly realigned for a long time.
[MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION]
Effects will vary depending on the character in question, and how many saves have been failed, but the following are likely
1. Feeling more childlike and prone to emotional extremes
2. Difficulty in focusing on the task/ tendency to want to play and explore the woods/ time dilation
3. Inability to travel in a straight line, walking in circles
4. Seeing visions, hysteria

The Drow has very low wisdom, so will be quite vulnerable - yet still warded by spell resistance so should be able to hold his own.
The Warlock is likely to lose control of her personality, giving way to the dark urges of the Power that has blessed her and perhaps acting possessed. She is hiding a great deal about herself from the other characters so will need to Concentrate hard if the chips go down, in order not to let clues about her true nature slip.


So I am thinking about using the Sanity Mechanic here. Heroes of Horror's depravity rules seem a bit too severe and long term to be very viable - and this isn't really about corruption anyway.