DA R K WO O D H E A R T

Darkwood Heart
The Staff of Mourning
By Keith Baker

passed, and Kashyra went slowly mad. The dryad was a

The Tale of spirit of pure nature, and the staff was a prison for her,

the Darkwood Heart cutting her off from the natural world. Existence became
agony, and she fluctuated between a desperate desire to
In an age before the rise of civilization, a vast primeval end her pain and the wish to share it with others. There
forest stretched across the land. The tribal humans of was no justice in the world, and if her home was to be
the region called this the Darkwood, and their druids destroyed, let all nature fall with it.
paid homage to the fey powers and forces of nature that
In time, the Darkwood Heart was discovered, and over
governed it. This was a time of peace between human
the years it has passed through the hands of a host of druids
and nature — a time that would not last. Some say it
and rangers. A strong-willed bearer may be able to fight
was humans who brought the devastation to the land,
Kashyra’s crushing despair, and to turn the powers of the
while others say it was purely the work of fiends. Today,
Staff to a noble cause. But the Darkwood Heart is bitter
all that is known for certain is that a terrible blight was
and cold, and it leaves death in its wake.
unleashed upon the land, a wave of corruption that killed
plant and beast alike, leaving monsters and aberrations
in its wake.
As the shadows fell upon the Darkwood, the druids came
together, searching for a weapon to battle the encroach-
ing terror. They called upon a strong-willed
dryad named Kashyra, and combining their
powers they transformed Kashyra’s tree into
a staff. A thousand trees fell at that moment,
and their strength was bound together in the
weapon. The great druid Hurrlak became the
bearer of the staff, joining his soul to
Kashyra. Acting as one and wielding
the power of nature itself, the took the
battle to the abominable hordes…
and were defeated.
A century later, the Dark-
wood had been reduced a
barren wasteland. Hurrlak
and his brethren had fought
to the last, and the order
was utterly eradicated. Only
one trace of the druids re-
mained: the weapon they
had created, the Darkwood
Heart. Shunned by the
aberrations that rose in
the land, Kashyra was
abandoned on a forgotten
battlefield, trapped next to
the rotting remnants of her
druid companions. Centuries

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Researching the Darkwood Heart

The tale of the Darkwood Heart is one that is most likely to be known to druid circles with ancient roots.
A character with at least some connection to a druidic order can use Knowledge (nature) to see if he has
heard of the Staff. The connection is just as important as the skill; a woodsman could have a Knowledge
(nature) modifier of +20, but without some tie to the druidic mysteries, he’ll know nothing of the Staff.

DC Knowledge Available
10 During an ancient war between nature and aberrations, the druids bound the soul of a dryad
into a magical staff.
20 The Staff is an artifact known as the Darkwood Heart. Legends say that the Staff was carved
from a dryad’s tree, and that the power of an entire forest was bound to her spirit as a
weapon against aberrations and the unnatural. According to the tales, a druid can bond
with the Staff, much like forming a connection with an animal companion; it is this bond
that unlocks the secrets of the Staff.
25 The Staff was created to destroy aberrations; its touch is anathema to such creatures. It can
also call on the offensive power of wind and weather. But the legends say that those who
made the Staff lost their struggle, and a few of the stories suggest that the Staff was corrupted
in the battle.
30 The Staff holds the spirit of the dryad Kashyra. According to account of the druid Ulan Dantir,
the last known wielder of the Darkwood Heart, “The spirit within the Staff has been corrupted
by failure and a thousand years of isolation; she now seeks to destroy nature as well as the
unnatural, spreading disease and blight. I can feel her through the link that we share, and
I fear that her rage and despair may overwhelm me, drawing me into her darkness.”

In addition, a bard or loremaster may have heard tales of the Staff or its owners. Such a character may
make a Bardic Knowledge or lore check with the following results.

DC Knowledge Available
20 There is an ancient story of a wood-nymph named Kashyra, who lived in a placed called
the Darkwood. When unnatural monsters and plague assaulted the forest, the druids called
on Kashyra and asked her to serve as a focus for the power of the woods. Kashyra’s tree
was made into a staff, and the staff had the strength of a thousand trees and power over the
wind and weather. But the forest could not be saved. The battle was lost, the woods were
destroyed, and all that remained was the staff, weeping over the bodies of the fallen druids
and the stumps of her beloved trees.
25 The druid Ulan Dantir was a great champion of nature, who battled monster and bandit
alike. In his later days, he was known to wield a long staff of dark wood, which could strike
with the force of a thunderbolt. As time went on, Ulan became dark and grim, and many
blamed the staff; they said that it bore a woman’s face and would cry at night, and that this
sorrow ate away at Ulan’s spirit. Eventually he disappeared, but some say that they can still
hear his voice on the wind, sobbing in harmony with his “Staff of Mourning.”
30 The bard Jolas Cayne was wandering through the forests of the east when he heard a woman
weeping. Following the sound, he found a clearing — a blighted circle in an otherwise lush
forest. A staff was stretched out on a bower, and it bore the face of a woman; tears ran from
darkwood eyes. Jolas asked why the staff cried, and a beautiful voice said “All I wish is death,
but I cannot die.” Jolas believed that the spirit could be lifted from its despair, and promised to
show it life; he took the Staff with him, and passed from city to city, singing songs and spread-
ing laughter. The Staff sang with him, and he seemed to have shattered its sorrow. When he
finally returned to a village he’d visited earlier, he found that the people had been slain by a
terrible disease… a plague spread by the Staff, which he’d left in his wake. “You sought to
cheer me with life,” the Staff explained, “But I only take comfort in death.”

seems to increase the bearer swings it, adding to the force

Studying the Darkwood Heart of its blows. One end has been sculpted to resemble the
The Darkwood Heart is a quarterstaff carved from dark-
face of a beautiful woman, with high cheekbones and elven
wood, just under six feet in length. It is unusually slender
features. The face is about six inches in length, and her
for a quarterstaff, but surprisingly heavy, and its weight
hair winds down around the shaft of the staff for another

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foot. The face is twisted into a mask of sorrow; the tip of
the staff is covered with condensation, and it seems as if
tears are running down the woman’s cheeks.
While the central shaft is polished and dry, allowing
for a good grip, both ends are strangely damp; even if
wiped away, this condensation quickly returns. Despite
this moisture, the wood appears solid, but smells faintly
of rotting vegetation and mildew. Anyone touching the
Staff feels a terrible sense of loneliness and despair, and
for just a moment hears a young woman sobbing.
The Darkwood Heart radiates an overwhelming aura of evil
and magic; it is impossible to pin it down to a specific sphere
of magic. A spellcaster who is stunned as a result of studying
these auras is filled with a warring sense of rage and despair, so
powerful that it breaks concentration and shatters the spell.
If legend lore is used on the Staff, the caster receives the
following message: “Kashyra is bound within herself, forest
to tree to a single limb. Champion and destroyer, twisted by
time and doomed by despair. Only one who can reach within
can touch her true power, bonding to spirit as if to beast; but
this bond will prove a threat to both.”
Powers of the Darkwood Heart
The Darkwood Heart holds great power over nature,
and is particularly dangerous to aberrations. It resonates
with the grief and pain of Kashyra, however, and all life
eventually suffers at its touch.
Using the Darkwood Heart
The Darkwood Heart is a magic weapon, and has a few
constant abilities that can be used by any character who
takes possession of it. To gain access to the full powers of the
Staff, however, a character must form a spiritual bond with it.
Only a character capable of taking an animal companion can
form such a link, and to maintain the link he must release any
animal companion that he possesses. This process is described
in more detail below. All of the abilities of the item are listed
below, but with the exception of the base powers, these abili-
ties must be unlocked through the bond.
In addition to the need to bond with the Staff, the
powers of the Darkwood Heart vary with its mood. Every
day, the character must engage in a personality conflict
with the Staff, making a Will save against the Staff’s ego
of 30. The wielder gains a +1 circumstance bonus to this
check for every living creature with at least 1 HD that
the Staff killed the previous day. If the check is success-
ful, the Staff is calm for the next day: it is less mournful
and aggressive. If the check is failed, the Staff is upset; it
swings between rage and despair, often crying aloud or
sobbing telepathically in the wielder’s mind. During these
times, it is only interesting in lashing out and harming
other things. The owner of the Staff may always choose
to fail this check if he wants Kashyra to be upset.
Constant Powers
Base Powers: Regardless of whether a character has
bonded to the Staff, it is a +2 aberration bane/+2 aberration
bane quarterstaff. Kashyra is an intelligent item (Int 14,
Wis 18, Cha 20, Ego 30; AL NE) capable of telepathic
communication and speech; she speaks Common, Dru-
idic, Elven, and Sylvan. She possesses the following
skills: Knowledge (nature) +16, Listen +12, Perform
(song) +16, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12, Survival +12.
However, she never uses these skills on behalf of an
unbonded wielder.
Enhancement Bonus: The enhancement bonus of the Staff
increases as the bearer’s connection to it grows stronger, as

Bonding With the Darkwood Heart

Many of the artifact’s powers depend on the level of the bonded character, as shown on the following
table.

Class Enhancement Spell Insight

Level Bonus Modifier Bonus Special
1st–2nd +2/+2 0 +0 Dryad’s Tears, Skill use, Telepathic Bond
3rd–5th +2/+2 +1 +3 Bearer of Blight (1/day), Darkwood Defense,
Inner Turmoil (–1), Soul Bond
6th–8th +2/+2 +1 +3 Kashyra’s Anger, Stormcalling I
9th–11th +3/+2 +2 +4 Bearer of Blight (3/day), Inner Turmoil (–3)
12th–14th +3/+3 +2 +4 Bloodwood, Dryad’s Charms, Stormcalling
II
15th–17th +4/+3 +3 +5 Bearer of Blight (5/day), Fury of the Forest,
Inner Turmoil (–5)
18th–20th +4/+4 +3 +5 Dark Bond, Stormcalling III

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shown on the table. The first number is the sculpted head of
the Staff, while the second is the plain end.
Skill Use: When Kashyra is calm she may use her skills
on behalf of her bonded wielder. She can use her Perform
skill to aid any performer within vocal distance; because
of her inhuman skill, she provides her partner with a +4
bonus to his Perform check.
Telepathic Bond: The telepathic connection between
the Darkwood Heart and its bonded owner allows com-
munication at any distance, provided that the two are
on the same plane.
Darkwood Defense: The Darkwood Heart was designed
to battle aberrations, and it provides an insight bonus to
a bonded user. This bonus is applied to defense in vari-
ous ways, based on the user’s level. (Note that several of
the following powers refer to “natural” magic or spells.
This indicates any divine magic based on a connection
to nature, and includes spells cast by druids, rangers, or
clerics accessing the air, animal, earth, fire, plant, or
water domains.)
At 3rd level, a bonded user adds the insight bonus to
saving throws against attacks made by aberrations (includ-
ing spells, spell-like abilities, extraordinary abilities, and
any other offensive action that allows a saving throw).
At 6th level, a bonded user adds the insight bonus to
his armor class when attacked by an aberration.
At 9th level, a bonded user adds the insight bonus to
his armor class when attacked by an animal or plant. This
only applies when Kashyra is upset.
At 12th level, a bonded user adds the insight bonus to
saving throws against natural magic and any attack made
by an animal, fey, elemental, or plant. This only applies
when Kashyra is upset.
At 15th level, a bonded user adds the insight bonus to his
armor class when defending against attacks made by a fey or
elemental. This only applies when Kashyra is upset.
The character only receives these bonuses if he is hold-
ing the Darkwood Heart.
Soul Bond: At 3rd level, the wielder begins to feel a
stronger Kashyra’s despair and anger at the natural world.
This affects the wielder’s ability to use certain types of
natural magic.
When the caster uses a natural spell designed to harm, physi-
cally bind, or repel (such as flame blade, entangle, contagion,
or antilife shell), he may add the spell modifier value to the
caster level and saving throw DC of the spell.
If Kashyra is upset, the user must subtract the spell
modifier value from caster level and saving throw DC
any time he uses a natural spell designed to calm, charm,
heal, or encourage growth.
The DM must make the final call as to whether a spell is
benevolent or aggressive; many spells (such as bull’s strength
or detect snares and pits) are neutral and unaffected.
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These bonuses and penalties are based on the character’s
bond and apply even when the character is not holding
the Darkwood Heart.
Kashyra’s Anger: The Staff was designed to fight aberrations,
but Kashyra’s hatred extends to the natural world. Beginning
at 6th level, the sculpted end of the Staff is treated as a bane
weapon against aberrations, animals, elementals, fey, plants,
and any creature with the ability to use natural magic (such
as a ranger or druid). These do not stack, so a druid in animal
form does not suffer double damage. When Kashyra is upset,
the sculpted end gains the vicious quality; the Staff strikes with
tremendous force but leeches energy from the wielder.
Bloodwood: As of 12th level, the Staff begins to draw
blood from its victims, absorbing it into itself. The sculpted
end gains the wounding quality, in addition to the abilities
granted by Kashyra’s Anger.
Fury of the Forest: Beginning at 15th level, when Kashyra
is upset, both ends of the Staff gain the vicious quality.
Dark Bond: At 18th level, the caster may spontaneously
cast the following spells by dropping a prepared ranger
or druid spell of equal or higher level: contagion (3rd),
diminish plants (3rd), poison (3rd), blight (4th). However,
when he casts spells of the healing subschool he suffers a
–5 penalty to caster level (this supercedes the soul bond
penalty). These bonuses and penalties apply even when
the character is not holding the Darkwood Heart.
Activated Powers
Access to the activated powers of the Darkwood Heart
must be earned through the bonding process. All activated
powers have a caster level of 25.
Dryad’s Tears: As a standard action, the wielder of the
Darkwood Heart can wilt all plant life that comes near it.
When Kashyra is upset, she can extend this effect at will.
This is identical to the prune growth effect of diminish
plants, except that instead of appearing neat and well-
trimmed, the affected plants are wilted and dying.
Bearer of Blight: While upset, the Darkwood Heart possesses
the ability to use the following abilities: blight (15d6, DC 20), con-
tagion (DC 21), poison (DC 19), sleet storm. With the exception of
sleet storm, these require the wielder of the Staff to either make a
successful melee attack or a melee touch attack with the Staff (in
which case, the spell effect is the only effect that occurs). However,
use of these abilities is entirely under Kashyra’s control; she decides
when to trigger an effect and which to use. This cannot be control,
prevented, or compelled by the wielder.
While Kashyra is in control of these powers, her ability
to manifest them is based on the strength of her bonded
companion. If her companion is at least 3rd level, she can
use one of these abilities once per day. Once her companion
reaches 9th level, she can use any combination of these
powers a total of 3 times per day. And at 15th level, she
can use these powers 5 times per day.
 DA R K WO O D H E A R T
Stormcalling I: While holding the Darkwood Heart, the
bonded character can use the Staff to cast the following
spells: 1/week — control wind (DC 19), call lightning storm
(5d6, DC 19, 25 minute duration or 15 bolts); 3/day — call
lightning (3d6, DC 17, 25 minute duration or 25 bolts).
Using one of these spells is a spell trigger action on the
part of the wielder. If Kashyra wants to prevent the effect,
the staffbearer must engage in personality conflict.
Dryad’s Charms: At her core, Kashyra is still a dryad,
and possesses the dryad’s ability to charm others. How-
ever, her disdain for life is so strong that she can rarely
be convinced to use these powers. Before she will use
these abilities, she must have been calm for at least two
consecutive days, and even then she must be forced with a
successful personality conflict. Provided these conditions
are met, she may use the following powers: 3/day — charm
person (DC 15), deep slumber (DC 17).
Stormcalling II: The character can use the Staff to cast
the following spells (Caster level 25th): 1/week — control
weather; 1/day — control wind (DC 21), call lightning storm
(5d6, DC 21, 25 minute duration or 15 bolts); 5/day — call
lightning (3d6, DC 19, 25 minute duration or 25 bolts).
This supersedes (does not stack with) the daily casting
ability provided by the first stormcalling ability.
Stormcalling III: The character can use the Staff
to cast the following spells (Caster level 25th): 1/day
— control weather; 2/day — control wind (DC 23), call
lightning storm (5d6, DC 23, 25 minute duration or 15
bolts); 7/day — call lightning (3d6, DC 21, 25 minute
duration or 25 bolts). This supersedes (does not stack
with) the daily casting ability provided by the first and
second stormcalling abilities.
Consequences
The Darkwood Heart is filled with despair. While
Kashyra has an evil alignment, she is not so much ma-
levolent as she is insane. In her calmer moods she is still
with pessimism, believing that she is doomed to eternal
torment. When she is upset, she seeks solace by lashing
out at others: death and destruction are the only things
that soothe her wounded soul. Nonetheless, she is a tragic
being, not a villain. She knows that her actions are wrong,
and this simply increases her desire for death.
Just touching the Darkwood Heart is sufficient to fill a
character with a sense of sorrow. Bonding with Kashyra
is a difficult act that places a tremendous strain on the
bearer. The penalties of the Soul Bond and Dark Bond
are described above; an additional penalty occurs as the
character grows closer to the Staff.
Inner Turmoil: As Kashyra’s despair and hatred of life
sink into the bearer’s soul, it becomes increasingly difficult
for him to relate to others. At 3rd level he suffers a –1
circumstance penalty any time he a Diplomacy, Handle
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Animal, Heal, Sense Motive, or Wild Empathy check.
This penalty increases to –3 at 9th level, and to –5 at
15th level. The effect occurs regardless of whether the
character is carrying the Staff. However, when Kashyra is
calm, the penalty is reduced by two (minimum 1).
While Inner Turmoil affects the bearer of the Staff, other forms of
misfortune can target those around him. The Darkwood Heart wilts
plants and spoils milk, but this is just the tip of its powers. At the
DM’s discretion, when Kashyra is upset she can affect the weather
— not as dramatically as control weather or control wind, but enough
to make a journey unpleasant or to impact ocean travel. Worse
still, occasionally she can target a nearby creature with contagion
without touching it; this has a range of thirty feet and the target
may make a DC 22 Fortitude save to resist. There are no outward
signs of this effect, and unless a character is actively using arcane
sight or a similar effect, there is no way to trace the action to the
Staff. Kashyra can only attempt this once per day, and only when
she has been upset for at least a week; it is the pent-up anger that
gives her the strength to exceed her normal limitations.
Ambient Effects
The weather often reflects the current mood of the
Darkwood Heart, but there are more noticeable effects
of the Staff’s power. Any small plant that comes within
two feet of the Staff wilts, and any plant creature or fine
or diminutive animal that comes within this distance suf-
fers one point of damage each round until it moves away.
Milk spoils and wine turns to vinegar. When the Staff is
upset, all plants that come within a half-mile radius suffer
the stunt growth effect of diminish plants; while it takes
time for the full impact of this to come to light, affected
plants are clearly suffering and unhealthy.
Beyond these general effects, there is the voice of the
Staff itself. Kashyra rarely talks, preferring to communicate
telepathically with her bonded wielder. But she sings
occasionally — haunting songs in Sylvan, describing
the beauty of the Darkwood and the loss the world has
suffered, and the terrible hopelessness that is life. And
on occasion she cries, her sobs carrying on the wind. Her
voice is beautiful and ethereal, and even her misery sounds
like music. But it can attract unwanted attention, should
she choose to start crying when the party is engaged in
covert action. In such situations, a bonded wielder can
engage in personality conflict to silence her.
Using the Darkwood Heart
in a Campaign
While designed to battle aberrations, the Darkwood
Heart is an equally potent weapon against druids, fey, or
other natural creatures, and its power over storms can
be an effective tool on any battlefield. It takes time for a
character to fully master the Staff, and it is intended to
be a long term addition to a campaign.
 TO M E O F A R T I FA C T S : E L D R I TC H R E L I C S A N D W O N D E R S
Adventure Seeds
The Rising Horror
A local forest has begun to decay and collapse, and
strange and terrible creatures are rising in the darkness.
The druids cannot explain it, but they believe that this
is the same force that destroyed the Darkwood thousands
of years ago, returned to threaten this new land. Legends
speak of a weapon crafted to fight this horror. Can the
party find the Darkwood Heart? And if so, can they
convince the spirit to fight the evil once more? Kashyra
may possess critical insights into the nature of the foe,
if the party can work through her despair. Can the evil
be defeated before in claims another land? And what if
the Darkwood Heart chooses to side with the corrupting
horror against the natural world?
The Fallen Druid
Explorers find the cairn of a mighty druid. Beating back
the aberrations and undead that have laid claim to this
place, they find the sobbing Staff resting atop the druid’s
body. This is a treasure fit for a king, but do any of the
characters have the strength to wield it?
The Gray Scourge
A terrible, highly contagious plague has gripped the
nation. Investigating its spread, the heroes discover
than a young bard with a dark staff has passed through
each region that has suffered from the disease. The bard
is dead when they find him, and all that remains is the
keening Staff. Can the adventurers unlock the mystery
and convince the Darkwood Heart to stop spreading the
disease? Can Kashyra actually cure the horror she has
spread — can she heal as well as destroy?
Destroying the Darkwood Heart
Kashyra wants to be destroyed, and implores her owner
to find a way to bring her existence to an end. Meanwhile,
once a bond has been formed, a character cannot choose
to end it. As such, the druid who regrets the decision to
form a link to the miserable Staff may become desperate to
find a way to get rid of it. Here are a few possibilities.
• The Staff has the strength of a thousand trees. It is
impervious to damage. But Kashyra believes that some-
where exists a flame strong enough to burn her to ash
and free her spirit. Perhaps it is the breath of a dragon
king. Perhaps the explosion that accompanies the death
and rebirth of a phoenix. Kashyra is always interested in
stories of magical flame and constantly urges her bearer
to find new sources of fire.
• The Darkwood Heart is formed from the remnants of
Kashyra’s own tree. It is being severed from nature that has
driven the dryad mad. But perhaps there is a force that could
restore that bond — some power that could transform the
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Staff into a tree once more, forming the core of what could
spread out to become the new Darkwood. This would take
the power of an artifact or even a god: waters of pure life, or
the blessing of a powerful nature deity. But it may be possible
to restore Kashyra to the life she once had instead of destroy-
ing her. Such an action would free the linked character from
the bond, allowing him to take an animal companion again;
however, at the DM’s discretion the dryad might still have a
connection to her former companion, allowing her to send
him telepathic messages in times of trouble.
• At the DM’s discretion, a character that makes an
active effort to fight the spirit’s anguish may be able to
redeem Kashyra without losing the Staff. This should
require considerable long-term effort, talking with the
Staff and finding ways to prove to her that there is still
hope and that she should fight for life instead of destroying
it. If Kashyra is redeemed, she is restored to her role as a
weapon against aberrations. This causes her to lose the
following abilities and penalties: Bearer of Blight, Dark
Bond, Dryad’s Tears, Kashyra’s Anger, Inner Turmoil, and
Soul Bond. Furthermore, Darkwood Defense would only
apply to attacks made by aberrations.
Inanimate Companion
To gain access to the full powers of the Darkwood
Heart, a character must form a deep spiritual bond with
the Staff. Only an individual with a strong connection to
the natural world can forge such a connection. Over time,
the character gains access to a wide range of powers… but
Kashyra’s deep despair slowly takes a toll on his soul.
Any character with the capability to bond with an
animal companion can choose to forsake this bond and
form a connection with the Darkwood Heart. This allows
him to unlock powers based on his level, as shown on the
table above. It takes time to form the initial bond, and
the power increases by one effective level each day: so if a
15th level druid connects to the Staff, he begins with the
powers listed for 1st level. Two days later he reaches the
3rd-level tier. And after fifteen days have passed, he has
access to the full suite of abilities available at his level.
Unlike an animal companion, both rangers and druids
have equal access to the powers of the Darkwood Heart.
As long as a class has the ability to possess an animal com-
panion, its full levels count towards forming the bond.
Once a character forms a connection to the Darkwood
Heart, he cannot simply break it and choose to return to
an animal companion: the lonely dryad never releases
a soulmate. The only way to break the connection is
through the destruction of the Staff or the death of the
character. Even if the character is later restored to life,
the connection is broken; if he wants to keep the Staff
he must form the connection anew.