Hidden an hour’s hike west of Hemlock Falls through thistle-thick trails and moss-choked woods, Hawthorn’s Retreat appears at first like a ruin swallowed by the forest. A wooden gate set into a hill, veiled by tangled ivy and druidic illusions, conceals a fortified hollow of timber lodges and watch platforms camouflaged among tall pines.
Above the entrance is a sigil carved into petrified bark—a stag entwined with thorns, the personal seal of House Hawthorn in exile.
To enter unseen, players must:
Dardick Hawk (Half-Elf Ranger 6 – Gloom Stalker Archetype, CR 5)
AC: 16 | HP: 58 | Speed: 35 ft.
STR 13 | DEX 18 | CON 14 | INT 10 | WIS 15 | CHA 9
Skills: Stealth +8, Perception +5, Survival +6
Tools: Poisoner’s kit, Woodcarver’s tools
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Favored Terrain: Forest
Abilities:
Once a loyal ranger of the Crown, Dardick led a doomed expedition into Hemlock Caverns and returned as the sole survivor. He made a pact with a forgotten archon to save his men—but failed. Now marked by shadow and bound by guilt, he serves Princess Hawthorn in silence, hoping to redeem himself or fall before the corruption consumes him. Dardick avoids mirrors, sleeps little, and carves small wooden animals which he burns during full moons.
"Ashes of the Lost Oath"
Quest Giver: Dardick Hawk
Objective:
Thorn-Spined Ravager (CR 4 Plant Aberration)
AC: 14 | HP: 68 | Speed: 30 ft.