Forest of the Rubato
This forest is inhabited by Rubato band of wood elves and is located along the northern border of Hallstatt. It remained hidden from human perception for many years until it reappeared suddenly during the Magic of Music adventure.
The forest is located on the northern border of Sir Malachy McKenna's lands.
When the forest was first explored the impression was that of a beautiful wood. The trees were truly majestic, and the damp cool air was fresh with the scents of moss, shrubs, and wildflowers. Birds flying about, singing merrily, and occasionally spotting a chipmunk or squirrel dashing about in the upper branches of the trees. Heading deeper into the forest, the overhead cover becomes thicker, allowing only occasional glimpses of the sun. It feels like being the first people to ever set foot here.
The history of the forest goes back to the time of the Celtic Empire when these lands were rules by Druids. In those older days the men of the land respected and lived in harmony with the elves of the forest. With the collapse of the Empire these lands were vacant for many years, and the wood elves became used to their privacy. Now the elves are feeling pressures as men move further into the wilderness.
Fifty years ago, when the wizard Kamalotus the Bald was young and learning the ways of magic, he was ambushed in a sylvan forest by a gruesome pair of hungry ettercaps. Fortunately, a band of Rubato wood elves heard the commotion and came to his rescue just in time. The elves cured Kamalotus's poisoned wounds and allowed him to recover in their camp before sending him on his way. The young wizard never forgot the favor and swore to repay them somehow.
As he grew older, Kamalotus was disturbed to hear many tales about elves being forced out of their forests by the push of human civilization. He devoted much of his adventuring treasure to developing a device that would conceal his friends' forest. After many years and much experimentation Kamalotus, working with his life long friend and adventuring partner the bard Gangwolf Baseclef, created a magical recorder, a musical instrument that would make the Rubatos' forest look, smell, and sound like a poisonous bog to all but the animals, wood elves, and other sylvan beings that resided there. To initiate and renew the enchantment, one elf must play the recorder during the first and last midnight of the elven renewal festival.
The wizard delivered the recorder to the elves with the promise that, if they should ever need anything else from him, all they had to do was come to his tower, located several days' march to the east. The Rubato elves were surprised at such a magnificent gift but were delighted when they saw how well the instrument worked and heard how wonderfully the soft tones of the recorder complemented their elven instruments.
The enchantment persisted for decades until Octavia McFee chanced along one day. Two young lovers Kentor Broadleaf and Kelleen Waterdrop were having a tryst when interrupted by Octavia enchanted to look like an elf. Kentor was not taken in by Octavia's disguise and quickly raised the alarm. She fled to safety but vowed to return and seek revenge. After a couple of weeks had passed she was able to achieve her goal.
Invisibly, Octavia slipped into the elves encampment and played her lute, singing a spell. The spell worked excellently, and the elves went into a deep sleep. Next, Octavia tied up Kentor Broadleaf and Kelleen Waterdrop and dragged them away from the encampment. She then sang the reverse of her spell; which brought the couple out of their stupor. Octavia then made an offer to the elves: If Kentor and a few of the elves with their instruments would come to the castle and compose a few pieces of music for her, Octavia would gladly awaken all the others and things could go on as before. Kelleen and Kentor saw through the charlatan's lying ways, however, and cursed her roundly.
Octavia got very angry at this second rejection from Kentor, and she decided to take revenge. She collected all the elven instruments she could find (but not Kelleen's own magical lute, which was stared in the hollow of a tree). Then she polymorphed Kentor into a blue griffon and warned him that if he tried to kill her, the counter spell to the elves' deep slumber would be lost forever. She suggested that the two elves reconsider their answer and informed them that she would be back in a month for their reply. By then the concealing enchantment on the forest would have dissipated and their precious solitude would be lost forever. Finally, Octavia informed the horrified Kelleen that Kentor would soon develop a desire for horseflesh -or worse- and warned the elf maiden to keep her lover well fed. Laughing hideously, Octavia mounted her broom and flew away with many of the elves instruments including a pair of silver bells, a set of magical bagpipes, a long fiddle, a harp and the enchanted recorder.
Kentor chewed through Kelleen's bonds, but she found that nothing would bring her tribesmen out of their trance. Distraught she dragged her kinsmen into the tribe's wooden lodges to protect them from the elements and then tried to figure out what to do next. She soon spotted a group of adventurers exploring the forest.
