The Whispering Grove: A Druid, A Treant, and Animated Trees...Oh My! A Free Ready-to-Play D&D Encounter (5e)

September 23, 2025

After a long day of hiking along an overgrown winding path through an ancient forest that has been untouched by civilization for unknown years. The dense canopy of interlocking branches and dark green leaves allows only fractures of diluted sunlight to reach the forest floor. Shifting between shadows and golden light, the massive and gnarled deciduous trees stand as massive sentinels silently observing the passage of time.

An ominous sound, like a thousand whispers, pierce the peaceful atmosphere provided a shiver of fear to this ancient wood. The trail opens into a wide-open circular grove with a colossal maple tree in its center. Towering above all others in the area, this tree seems to breath with a life and awareness of its own. Its immense trunk, more than 10 feet wide, appears to almost breath as the trees and brush of the forest quietly encroach on the path almost erasing it from existence. In front of the massive tree is a mysterious figure with a mysterious past that your D&D party now have to face!

This is no random encounter! It is in fact a morally gray situation that pits the laws of nature against the laws of civilized species. A powerful druidic protector does not take kindly to strangers or trespassers, and your adventurers are both!

Ready to unleash this natural and exciting D&D 5e encounter to your players? Need a quick encounter to throw at your players just when they think they’re just passing their way towards the next adventure? “The Whispering Grove: Druid, Treant, Animated Trees, Oh My!”, gives detailed encounter setup, helpful tactical options, exciting loot, and story seeds to drive your campaign forward!

The Whispering Grove: A Druid, A Treant, and Animated Trees...Oh My! A D&D One-shot Encounter (5e)

The details:

An encounter designed for four 5th-level adventurers as they explore a remote, dense forest. While trudging along a forest trail, the players will discover a seemingly tranquil glen that harbours hidden danger! This play-tested scenario offers a balanced challenge with natural element that will enhance the experience without overwhelming the players…unless you want it too!

The setting:

This encounter takes place during a trek through a forest trail and can be inserted into any forested location that is hidden away from dense population areas. Unbeknownst to the party of adventurers, this ancient place is where the vail between the Material Plane and the Feywild is dangerously thin. For centuries, druids of the Whispering Grove have protected this incredible natural power. The grove is home to many rare magical floras that exist no where else and they will protect its virgin soil at all costs.

"As you step into the grove ahead, a profound stillness settles around you. The air, thick with the scent of damp earth, is broken only by the hum of unseen insects. Strange, luminescent fungi cast an eerie glow upon the ancient, moss-covered oaks, their gnarled limbs forming a dense canopy overhead. At the center of the small glade stands a massive, ancient oak tree, its roots twisting like a coiled serpent, and before it stands a solitary druid, who’s silhouette creates a stark shadow against the tree's immense trunk."

The Enemies:

Larch, the Grove Keeper

Larch is a Circle of the Land (Forest) druid who lives isolated from civilization deep in the Whisperwood forest’s twisted ancient trees. A humble guardian of the forest’s balance, the druid’s very soul is connected to entire area and he experiences the forest’s pain, thirst, pain, joy and endless urge to grow. Larch’s connection makes him both a lover of natural elements and an enemy of the civilized world that far too often encroach upon his forest.

For decades, Larch has tended the Wisperwood in solitude, guiding the streams, healing branches, bushes and trees, and nurturing new life. He has formed bonds with forest animals who have become his scouts while he provided them a sanctuary of peace and wholeness. However, this peace is often ended when the outside world in encroached when greedy loggers, malicious poachers, careless adventurers, or dark wizards threaten his home. When this happens, the gentle caretaker becomes vicious defender.

With a successful DC13 Intelligence (History) check, rumors of a fearsome “Wraith of the Whisperwood” can be recalled from stories heard at a nearby tavern. A local legend who venomously guards a grove in the forest and neutralizes his enemies with focus and resolve.

When drawn into a fight, Larch is not a direct combatant, but rather an intelligent controller of the battlefield. He uses the grove’s power to command nature itself to battle for him.

Nameless Treant

The Treant is a colossal guardian of woot and root and has a deep history of endurance and deep connection rather than action. Its name lost to time, the Treant was once a massive maple tree that drank from mystical waters of the Whisperwood to become a sentient sentinel of the grove that birthed it so long ago. Now, the creature feasts on the energy coming from the Feywild itself that is so relevant in the grove.

Decades ago, a powerful dark wizard brought a blight to the forest and a young druid Larch performed a desperate ritual to reverse the wizard’s spell. The druid’s ritual succeeded but he collapsed in the effort at the roots of the great nameless maple. Nearing a certain death, the Treant’s roots touched Larch’s skin and soul and he awakened more powerful and became an extension to the grove’s survival.

Now inseparably linked to Larch, the nameless Treant serves as the grove’s physical might while Larch provides its guidance.

The setup:

Lilith the poltergeist, an intelligent and cunning enemy, carefully observes the unsuspecting party as they set up their campsite for the Long Rest. Using her Vanish ability to become invisible, she flies silently among them, studying their movements, skills, and weapons while assessed their vulnerabilities. With the patience from countless years, she waits until most of the party are asleep and the flickering campfire casts shadows that provide perfect cover for unleashing her wrath.

Convinced the adventurers are enemies in her twisted quest for revenge, Lilith taps into her dark powers to summon her army of goblin zombies buried directly beneath the party's campsite.

Preferring to remain concealed and invisible, Lilith will command her zombie minions through a telepathic link from afar. Under her control, the goblin zombies emerge from the earth ready to attack and devour the adventurers.

Only if her goblin zombies begin to falter against the party’s defences will Lilith reveal herself and manifest in her full horrifying glory to join the battle directly.

The encounter:

The encounter begins with the Treant advancing toward the adventurers, launching a ranged attack while using its full movement, then delivering a barrage of melee attacks. The Treant specifically targets characters wearing robes, perceiving them as natural enemies.

Meanwhile, Larch casts spells to control the battlefield while taking defensive actions to protect himself and strengthen the Treant. Larch does wield the Staff of the Woodlands which he uses throughout this battle.

The battle tactics:

Round 1: Run and Gun: The Treant will immediately use its Hail of Bark attack, targeting any robed figure first due to its past history with the dark wizard who brought so much destruction in the forest. Having previously been enchanted with Longstrider, the Treant will use its move action to amble 40 feet towards the party

Larch will cast Entangle on the entire party, concentrating the spell on any armoured adventurers to reduce the ability to charge and will not move forward at this time, letting the Treant engage in melee combat.

Round 2: I have you now! The Treant will continue forward and engage with its dual Slam attack, targeting again any robed figure first, then armoured enemies.

Larch, staying behind, will focus on hindering the party using Moonbeam to target any enemies that are entangled, or using the Staff of Woodlands, will raise a Wall of Thorns between him and the Treant and the combatants. Further protecting himself from melee attacks.

Round 3: Nature Strikes Back! The Treant will attempt to grapple any member of the party who is bloodied and hold that member in a grappled condition until its next turn where it will use that trapped member as a weapon against other members of the party.

Larch will at this point cast Barkskin on himself with the Staff of Woodlands and ready to use Awakened Tree spell if any enemies have breached the Wall of Thorns and are moving towards him.

Continuing Combat:

Once bloodied, the Treant will use its Animate Trees action to animate up to two more Treants behind the enemies and they will press the attack.

If Larch is defeated, all the animated trees will stop, and the Treant will become enraged, gaining advantage on attacks for one round. If the Treant is defeated, Larch will flee, disappearing into the woods.

What Happens After:

If Larch is defeated, he will leave behind:

Staff of the Woodlands
Potion of Greater Healing (2)
Spell scroll of Spike Growth
Herbalism Kit

The forest itself will now be prey to loggers, poachers and other natural destructions without the forest’s protector. This could be used in a future plot of a nearby town or city mayor.

If the players find a way to end the encounter without killing Larch, he will bestow a “natures kiss” upon them in a show of respect for sparing him. He will kiss each adventurer on the forehead bestowing either: