Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 8: Circle of Seasons

 Into the Woods 8: Circle of Seasons

South of a main forest road, the Circle of Seasons is a strange, magical construction powered by local ambient magics. Four trees are subjected to the endless march of seasons at 10 times normal speed, with a year passing for the trees but only a month passing for humans. One can camp and watch the trees bloom, fruit, color, and decay in the eternal cycle of life. Anything placed in the circle will go through the eternal cycle of life, which can be both handy and dangerous.

 

Bryhana Elderheart, 358, a Firbolg druid who has come to study the Circle of Seasons. She is tall and sturdy. Her face is kind, and her long, blond hair is always worn braided. Her sky-blue eyes are large, and she winks when trying to make a point. Bryhana is passionate about learning and curious about a wide range of things. She wears soft leather pants and colorful tunics. Her belt has many small bags for holding the odd nut or herb. Bryhana uses a staff for walking and spellcasting. She keeps a group of daggers on a bandolier that she is skilled in from her time before becoming a druid. Her favorite items are a series of love letters that her parents wrote to each other.

 

Bryhana has made quite a long journey to the Circle of Seasons. She first heard about the unusual phenomenon from an acquaintance, Celina Lionsinger, 29, a Human who thought she might be interested in a vacation to see it. Once Bryhana saw the Circle, she decided to spend some time studying it. Her first trip idea was to visit the local Elves to see if they had any information. The Elves had been studying it for a long time, but weren’t interested in helping her with any information. Bryhana then journeyed to the local magician’s guild and even the tavern in the nearest town. Discovering that most people wrote it off as just a magical phenomenon, she decided to stay awhile and conduct some tests. 

 

Bryhana has set up a camp near the Circle of Seasons. She has already been here a month and has become more interested in it every day. She keeps daily records of her studies and hopes to publish a paper when she returns to her home forest. Bryhana has become friends with a local Elven ranger, Nerira Oakenwalker, 273, an Elf. The two of them talk about many things, including forests, spells, and life in the forest. A local Human boy, Dirk Dreamflower, 15, helps Bryhana run errands so she can spend more time on her studies. 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 7: Under Ground and Cover

 Into the Woods 7: Under Ground and Cover

In the eastern woods, the paths run between narrow tree-topped ridges. Cunning Kobolds have hollowed the interior of one ridge, their spell casters concealing hidden sally ports with illusion and regrown vegetation. Unwary travelers are at a loss when their path fills, front and back, with a small horde of thieving foes.

 

Nux, 37, Kobold, is a mage involved with the Green Skull Gang. He is approximately two feet tall and has an athletic build. He is cunning and greedy. Nux has black straight hair and burnt orange eyes. He wears a gray robe with a green skull featuring blood dripping from it. He carries a wand of illusion, which he uses to hide himself right before the trap is sprung. Nux’s favorite item is a set of small darts he won in a bet at the Elite Rats Tavern several years ago.

 

Nux was one of the founders of the Green Skull Gang. The leader is his best friend, Snatt, 42, a Kobold. Snatt discovered this area along the road and decided it would be a perfect spot to rob caravans or wealthy travelers coming from nearby Pesa. Snatt found a few ex-soldier Kobolds and had them dig out the ridge. They have successfully robbed three groups already. Nux knows that they will be able to use this setup one or two more times before they should move. He knows that the local guards will come and chase them out. Unfortunately, Snatt doesn’t want to stop. 

 

Nux lives in a small ring of tents set up near the trap. He is dating Uggu, 36, a Kobold. The two of them share a tent, and when this job ends, he will ask Uggu to marry him. Nux enjoys the evenings after a successful raid. He enjoys singing and telling stories about his relatives, who were successful warriors. He gets along with the rest of the gang, but the younger members of the gang call him the “Old Coot.”

 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 6: The Tallest Abodes

 Into the Woods 6: The Tallest Abodes

Concealed from the few who traverse the leaf-covered hunting paths and game trails of the deep woods, the Sylvan Elves hide their great libraries in crowns of the thick trees far above prying eyes. Guardians and other sentinels keep watch from nests and boughs midway between the ground and the locations they protect.

 

Quixina Fallgift, 420, Sylvan Elf, who specializes in cataloging scrolls and books into the library for the Falcon In The Sky gathering of Elves in this area of the world. She is stately and dignified. Quixina has an angular face with silver hair, dyed gold on the ends. Her violet eyes are strikingly colorful, and most people take a second look at her to confirm their color. She wears a pale blue robe that has ancient Elven embroidery on the collar. It says, “The pursuit of knowledge is worth the journey.” Quixina uses a cane made of oak with a silver handle. She has an old injury from when she fell down some steps in the library. 

 

Quixina enjoys her job and delights in all the unique items she gets to read. Sylvan Elves from all over journey to the library to turn in their relatives' journals, spells, recipes, thoughts, and ideas. When she receives an item, she casts a preservation spell on it and then records the name of the donor and their relationship to the person who wrote the item neatly. She also records the date the item arrived at the library and a brief description of it. Quixina only reads the interesting journals and scans the rest of the items. The Elves treat Quixina with respect because of the vast amount of information she has accumulated over the years. 

 
Quixina is married to fellow librarian Dorquen Fallgift, a 400-year-old Sylvan Elf. They are great-grandparents to three children, Olanala, 15, Lukian, 10, and Bryra, 4. Quixina and Dorquen enjoy visiting their family for long holidays during the winter months. Every Spring, they take a vacation at a nearby lake and spend days walking among the trees and fishing in the water. Quixina’s best friend is Falee Springmane, 386, a Sylvan Elf who enjoys solving puzzles and excels at archery. Falee and Quixina enjoy doing these activities together.

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 5: Perch Over Ruin

 Into the Woods 5: Perch Over Ruin

A path winds through danger-filled, dense, and cold woods of the far north to end at a circular excavation against the base of a tall cliff. Here, now and in the past, various tribes of ogres and trolls gather to throw sacrifices into the bone-walled pit as offerings to their sky dragon god, who watches from the heights above.

 

Irob, 34, Ogre Mage, leads a small troop of a dozen ogres, trolls, and other worshipers of the dragon god. He is tall and has a commanding presence. His bald head has a tattoo of a streak of lightning. Irob has misty gray eyes that show surprising intelligence. He wears a tattered purple robe and carries a large staff made of an oak tree trunk. His favorite item is a necklace made of the bones of his family that perished. 

 

Irob’s tribe has made a temporary camp here to say some prayers, show some devotion, and prepare for an upcoming battle against several groups of orcs. Each day for the past week, the group has visited local fields and killed livestock, and a few farmers to eat and then send them into the pit. Irob plans to spend a few more days before they make their surprise attack on the Orcs. The dragon god showed her pleasure by blessing Irob’s staff, and she would cast a protection spell on the group before they left.

 

Irob is best friends with his second-in-command, Euk, a 30-year-old Ogre. The two of them drink ale and gnaw on bones till the wee hours of the night. Irob has chosen Xewog, 24, as his mate, and they camp in an area apart from the rest of the tribe. Xewog is only involved with Irob because she wants pretty trinkets from him. The tribe is impressed by Irob’s spells and fears his temper.

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 4: Evil’s Lasting Mark

 Into the Woods 4: Evil’s Lasting Mark

A path ends at a stone platform above a tall rune-covered obelisk that taps the magicks of a ley line below. The site has been used for both good and evil deeds and is contested by the eternal foes. In recent years, when the Holy Light destroyed the Necromancer at the obelisk, his fleeing soul vaporized a swath of the woods and left a permanent, long, shadowy scar across the forest floor. Years later, the soil remains lifeless and avoided by local flora and fauna.

 

Rozura, 42, a Half-Orc who is the leader of the Red Sword Horde. She is slim, muscular, and very strong. Her skin is the color of granite, and she wears her short black hair in a buzz cut. Every member of her tribe has a tattoo of a red sword on the left arm. Rozura’s tattoo is a circle of swords with a larger, red sword at its center. She has black eyes and a crooked smile. Her right arm has a scar near the elbow from when a Human nearly killed her. Rozura’s weapon of choice is a long sword dyed red. Her favorite item is a small statue of the god of evil. Every day, she prays for guidance with her band.

 

Rozura built the tribe from the ground up shortly after she came upon the obelisk. Ten years ago, a trapped demon inside the obelisk began to prompt her to bring more people to worship him. She has followed the demon’s advice, and the group has flourished. The demon has guided Rozura to this location and instructed her to use the scarred shadow to build an altar. He also wants the tribe’s wizard, Arad, 65, Half-Orc, to tap into the ley lines to set up a ritual. The ritual will break the demon from the obelisk and bring him to life.

 

Rozura’s tribe has camped just outside a nearby town, Minia, until recently. The town wasn’t friendly to her group. When the demon provided her with a new place to move to, Rozura jumped at the chance. Ruzara has the respect of the tribe, but no one likes her, except Ubari, 30, Half-Orc. On good days, the two of them will spar and then share some grog. Someday, Ruzura hopes to get married and have children. She doesn’t deem any of the current group as worthy of her favor. 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 3: Fearful Encircling

Into the Woods 3: Fearful Encircling

A forest path skirts around the ruins of a recently burned-out hunting lodge. The builders' actions and very presence awakened the dormant Fairy Circle underneath. The ruins and concentric circles of wild growth are now the playground of dark Fae. What is the fate of the hunters once living within? Best left unsaid.

Charpassa Galloavae, 100, Drow is an explorer who felt the call of the Fairy Circle. She is short but mighty. Her natural curiosity has helped her explore the area and send the hunters packing for another location. She has obsidian skin with purple teeth and silver hair. Charpassa wears leather armor dyed a dark brown, allowing her to move through the woods with ease. Her weapons of choice are a pair of intelligent, magical short swords named Bric and Brac. Her favorite item is a book of traps written and illustrated by Keloavid Aleneld, a Drow adventurer.

 

Charpassa usually explores mountains and caves, but when she sensed the Fairy Circle, she exited the cave system she was exploring and moved quickly toward this location. Upon her arrival, the hunters began to throw stones at her and called her names. That very evening, she came with a torch, forced the hunters to leave, and burned the lodge to the ground. That happened several months ago, and she has returned with a few Drow to awaken the circle to its true potential.

 

Charpassa makes camp as she travels. She doesn’t have a home base. Her family is long gone, and she doesn’t care to socialize. Charpassa has one friend, Xuononia Zaufek, 95, Drow. The two of them leave letters that travel from Fairy Town to Fairy Town. In the letters, the two discuss herbs, animals, and interesting plants.

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 2: Treebound Crossroads

 Into the Woods 2: Treebound Crossroads

One unique feature of the land is its location at a crossroads deep in the woods, 

where some forest creatures have made their pathways. Here, where a path winds

through a ravine, a fallen tree has created a game trail above. Foes may lie in wait 

in the shadows underneath or conceal themselves by lying flat on the trunk above.

 

 

Wartarm,37, Goblin, is a crafty fellow who runs a gang of Goblin thieves called  

The Bane. He is tall, has a sloped forehead, and yellowed, pointy teeth. He has 

yellow-orange skin and a broad nose. His red eyes dart around nervously, and 

he has a scar on his left arm. Wartarm has long black hair that he has tied in a 

bun with some thin vines. He wears dark leather armor, but pieces have fallen 

into disrepair. His weapons of choice are a pair of daggers that detect nearby 

Hobgoblins. His favorite item is an old, broken music box. The box no longer plays 

a complete song, but he likes the sounds it makes.

 

The Bane have a run-down campsite just beyond the southeast corner of 

the map. Wartarm has a few of his gang out hunting for food every day. He also 

has a scout set up on either end of the north-south road. The scouts will notify 

him when travelers are coming along that road. He then sets up an ambush with 

himself and one other goblin, who will pounce down on the folk who dare to cross 

into their territory. The rest of his gang emerged from their hiding spot along the 

main road and swarmed their prey. This setup has worked well for the gang the 

last three times. Wartarm is beginning to wonder if they should move before the  

King’s Guard hunts them down.

 

Wartarm has a family back at the campsite. His wife, Gir, 32, a Goblin, takes 

care of their two children, Lousehead, 7, and Quek, 3. They live in the largest

tent and have a variety of spoils from their successful thieving runs. Wartarm 

hangs around with his second-in-command, Oafknuckle, a 30-year-old Goblin.

The two enjoy talking over strategies and drinking ale when they can get it.

 

(c) 2014 and 2025 Heleen and Andrew Durston