Cult of the Forest God

An isolated section of forest is home to a DemiGod.  It is the Forest God The Eater of Sorrows and most enjoys feeding on  the pain and sorrow of those with a tragic story.  Others are sacrifices. The god defends it's forest and followers against trespassers and attack.

Plot points/Scenes

Party in wilderness, finds an area of thick isolated woodlands. People is outlaying villages advise staying to roads and paths and say the forest is haunted or that those who go in, never come out again.

Themes

Fear. Threat. Horror

Structure

Exposition

The party wanders into the forest following prey, running, or seeking shelter in a sudden rain storm.  Once they enter the forest the Eater of Sorrows knows it.  It will place one threat/ warning in the party's path- a freshly killed large animal or monster impaled on a tree and composed in a huddled position.  The body is warm. The blood still drips.
Within the forest the sun can't be seen. The DemiGod will turn direction sense 90 degrees every few hours if the party continues deeper after the warning. This will ensure that they are traveling in circles. Magical direction sense will only last a few minutes before being overcome by the DemiGod.  Periodically 4-pointed spirals, geometric shapes and strange runes will be seen carved or scraped into trees along with a face with tears or spider eyes.

Conflict

The Eater of Sorrows wants anyone with a tragic back story or recent trauma as a worshiper and wants to destroy and sacrifice everyone else.

Rising Action

The Eater of Sorrows will follow and stalk the party.  It will hide and conseal itself in the daylight. If the party camps and has tents it will leave marks painted in blood on the tent.  The 4 point spiral or 4 points drawn in toward a central point.  It may show the part of the head that looks like a hunched humanoid and make sniffling sounds like someone crying.  It will use ventriloquism to make it sound like someone or something is moving in the forest just out of sight.  It may mimic party voices. It will use the accident power to cause a critical fail on a roll while navigating the forest - once per player per day. (fail a jump or climb, tree branch falls on them, nest of wasps encountered, lose a small but important item). It may charge and attempt to grapple and impale an isolated or separated party member. ( impale counts as a spear attack on anyone grappled and held and on successful impale the victim is released but may work free and will fall 10 ft). It will cast a mark of curse on the unfavored and blessing on the favored.

Climax

Eventually survivors will find the torches and trails of the village. Careful investigation reveals 1d6 skeletons and decayed bodies in the trees - large animals, monsters and humanoids. There are large rocks painted with the crying face, the spiral and the 4 point star/ splay. The village is simple wooden huts with thatch branch roof. They have old weapons and tools. Rope and chain. They all have tragic stories - orphan, sole survivor of a village attacked, fire, fled an abusive partner or parent, Loved ones lost to sickness, robbed and beaten until they came here. One or two every few years.
The village is home to the worshipers of the Eater of Sorrow. There are about 20 of them. They do not age. They regenerate each round from wounds. They have water, some berry wine but barely any food.The villagers will ask the party to share food - mostly small birds and squirrel. They may cut off someone's leg for a feast and the freshly bloody stump will be evident as it regrows. " We will have fresh meat for our guests!" The villagers don't find this strange. They will use sleep poison to try to knock out the party.
If unconscious, they will each be individually bound and gagged, and tied with a 5 ft leash in a root cellar with an extra 5 ft between individuals so they can't reach eachother. All equipment is taken and stored in an upstairs room.  Three times daily attendants will come and offer water and a bucket.  Each day one sacrifice will be selected and the worshipper brought to the offering pole.  The sacrifice is tied to the pole and held aloft.  Worship is kneeling or laying with face down and marked with mud. The Eater likes droning chants and cries of lamentation and tears.  The Eater will take the Sacrifice and impale them in a tree.  If they survive it may try again.  If the worshiper tries to flee, they will be chased, captured and brought back by the Eater if possible.  If they can exit the forest, they are free and the Eater will not follow and has no influence beyond the forest.

Sketch of the Eater of Sorrows:

by mutterwolf

The eyes are low between the pedipalp "feet". The upper "eyes" are nostrils, and have a watery discharge of "tears". The "head" is a shaggy hump that resembles a bowed head while the "arms" around the leg pedipalps are actually horn.

The Eater of Sorrows abilities: Move 4x human move (16) While it can be harmed it can't be killed by normal weapons or effects It regenerates 1 wound each round. Toughness 12 (8 ie: 4 points armor = banded). Strength: ••••• ( 5 dice/ 1d12) Dex/ aim: ••••. (4 dice/ 1d10) Int ••• Con/ Health/ Wound levels •••••. (large body size) Spirit •••• Fight •••• Stealth •••• Perception; ••••
Power points ( 20). Each power use costs 1. Ventriloquism Mimicry Change directions Knowledge: knows where anyone is within it's domain as a map point ( not up or down from ground level). Knows when someone enters or leaves. Accident: cause 1 roll related to activity within the domain, not related to combat, to be a critical failure. May cause things to fall, break or collapse as if a trap. Worshipers gain regeneration 1 wound/ round. They don't die of natural causes but can be killed by normal wounds and weapons ( but can regenerate and revive unless the body is destroyed). If worshipers are attacked the Eater will immediately respond to defend them.