Dead Tree Vale (5e) (2015)

From the introduction:

Dead Tree Vale is a small valley that lies along a road between Kelerak and Daven. Over two decades ago, a Zelandic Druid of questionable morality established a modest residence in a cave at the base of the Vale’s eastern ridgeline. The Druid, Calistin by name, befriended the local animals, encouraged the local plant life to grow and conceal his home, and conducted his research free of interference from other Druids, or anyone else for that matter. He experimented in human-animal hybrids, among other twisted past-times. His crowning achievement was a spell that would transform humans into a unique species of tree, while allowing the transformed subjects to retain full cognizance. Unfortunately, he was unable to perfect the spell, despite repeated attempts. Invariably, every human-turned-tree withered and died shortly after transformation, some lasting as much as a tenday and others less than twenty-four hours. It is possible that the spell itself was not flawed, and that the subjects simply succumbed to the shock of the event. (Calistin did not use volunteers interested in experiencing a tree’s life, preferring instead to prey on small parties of travelers foolish enough to camp for the night within the Vale’s confines.) He still inhabits the veil and preys on travelers, seeking to perfect his twisted experiments.

User summary:

A short adventure for four players of 7th level