Brain Hole

Eternal Harvest - DM info

11 min read

Overview:
The Eternal Harvest is a heretical and insidious faith rooted in ancient fertility rites, long buried beneath the dominant religious doctrines of Aurelith. On the surface, it presents itself as a humble agrarian tradition—one that venerates the bounty of the land and honors the sacred cycle of sowing and reaping. In truth, it is a cult devoted to a divine force of rot, rebirth, and sacrificial abundance, one that now seeks to spread its roots through both soil and soul.

Core Beliefs:

  • Life Springs from Death:
    The Eternal Harvest teaches that all growth is born from decay. Death is not an ending, but a transformation—a sacred return to the earth that fuels new life. The cult views traditional burial and cremation as wasteful; bodies should nourish the land.

  • The Rot is Sacred:
    Fungal blooms, putrescence, and compost are revered. Mold is a blessing. The cult’s iconography often includes skulls entangled in vines, sacred mushrooms, and sickles with roots for handles. Devotees wear masks shaped like gourds or carved from bark, often filled with spores.

  • The Verdant Saint:
    Though never named publicly, followers worship a mysterious figure known only as the Verdant Saint—a once-mortal prophet who transcended death and now guides the Eternal Harvest from beyond. Her teachings are spread through sermons, soilbound scripture, and whispered dreams.

  • Communion with the Soil:
    Communion rituals involve burying one’s hands or face into rich, spore-laden earth, allowing “the gifts of the Saint” to enter the body. In later stages, initiates willingly host symbiotic fungi or allow their limbs to slowly “green” with growth.

  • The Harvest Comes for All:
    The cult believes a great reckoning is coming—an age where cities will crumble, the cycle will reclaim all, and only those who embrace the soil will be reborn. This eschatology fuels the cult’s missionary zeal and growing militancy.

Organization:

  • The Rooted Circle:
    The leadership of the Eternal Harvest is formed by a secretive council known as the Rooted Circle, each representing an aspect of the cycle: Seed, Bloom, Decay, Ash, and Fruit. Each member leads a sect devoted to spreading the cult’s dogma within farming villages, monasteries, and even noble courts.

  • Harvesters:
    These robed missionaries travel from village to village, offering blessings, assisting with crops, and preaching a “deeper truth” of the land. They are often charismatic, gentle, and immensely persuasive. In battle, they may become terrifying fungal warpriests or rotmancers.

  • Soilbound:
    These are the cult’s initiates—peasants, wayward clerics, and pilgrims who have accepted the spores of transformation into their bodies. Some are barely changed; others are fungal husks animated by a will not entirely their own.

Symbols and Rituals:

  • The Chalice of Rot:
    A corrupted holy grail said to contain the first sacrificial blood that fertilized the Verdant Saint’s rebirth. It is the most sacred relic of the cult, believed to be hidden deep beneath Aurelith’s soil.

  • The Sickle Rite:
    A ritual sacrifice performed during the harvest moon, where a chosen devotee is ritually slain and buried beneath a sacred field. Crops grown there are considered divine and feed initiates with powerful regenerative properties.

  • The Verdant Wake:
    A twisted funeral rite. Rather than mourning, the cult celebrates the “planted” soul. Mushrooms are placed in the mouth, eyes, and wounds of the dead, and the body is interred to “blossom.”

Role in Aurelith:

The Eternal Harvest spreads in whispers and spores. Once confined to remote villages and hidden druidic enclaves, it has begun to rot the foundations of Aurelith itself. Grain shipments have gone missing, rural temples have been quietly abandoned, and a new breed of holy men walks the land—preaching not salvation through light, but transcendence through rot. The faith grows in secret, entwining with political and religious power structures like creeping ivy.

Unbeknownst to most, the rise of the Eternal Harvest is not random—it is guided by the undead will of a powerful Apotheosis, whose divine ascension threatens to upend Aurelith’s stability and drown the realm in a wave of fertile death.

Symbol of the Eternal Harvest

The Sigil of the Eternal Harvest is a chilling fusion of fertility and decay:

  • Shape: A circle formed by an ouroboros-like vine, thorns outward, coiling around itself.

  • Centerpiece: At its heart is a withered chalice, half-sunken into cracked earth, from which fungal blooms and grain stalks sprout unnaturally.

  • Design: One side of the chalice is verdant and green; the other side is rotting and spore-covered.

  • Top Detail: Suspended above the chalice is a single drop—either blood or dew (interpretations vary)—caught mid-fall.

  • Hidden Message: Within the vine’s coils, five subtle glyphs represent the five members of the Rooted Circle.

This symbol is carved into ceremonial tools, painted on barn doors in secret rites, or burned into the flesh of high-ranking initiates.

The Rooted Circle

The Rooted Circle is the spiritual heart of the Eternal Harvest—a council of five figures who each embody a fundamental stage of the cycle and lead one of the major sects within the cult. While many followers worship the Verdant Saint as a divine guide, it is the Rooted Circle that executes her will in the world.

1. Brother Ashen (Decay)

  • Domain: Rot, entropy, spiritual death.

  • Appearance: A gaunt, blindfolded man whose flesh is grey with mildew; mushrooms grow from his robes and skin.

  • Role: Oversees the transformation of bodies and the desecration of old holy sites. He preaches that all glory must crumble so true life may grow.

  • Location: Wanders the ruins of fallen shrines, preparing them for rebirth.

    Medium Humanoid (Human Undead), Neutral Evil
    CR: 13 | AC: 17 (barkskin + boneplate) | HP: 195 (23d8 + 92) | Speed: 30 ft.

    STR 18 (+4) | DEX 12 (+1) | CON 18 (+4) | INT 14 (+2) | WIS 20 (+5) | CHA 16 (+3)
    Saving Throws: Wis +9, Con +8
    Skills: Religion +8, Nature +8, Insight +9
    Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Poison
    Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
    Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
    Languages: Common, Druidic, Sylvan

    Spellcasting. Brother Ashen is a 12th-level spellcaster (Wisdom DC 17, +9 to hit). He prepares spells as a druid.
    Spells Prepared:

    • Cantrips (at will): Druidcraft, Thorn Whip, Guidance

    • 1st (4): Entangle, Cure Wounds, Detect Magic

    • 2nd (3): Lesser Restoration, Barkskin

    • 3rd (3): Animate Dead, Plant Growth

    • 4th (3): Blight, Grasping Vine

    • 5th (2): Insect Plague, Mass Cure Wounds

    • 6th (1): Heroes’ Feast

    Rotting Bloom (Recharge 5–6). All plants in a 30-ft radius erupt in twisted, necrotic blossoms. Creatures in the area must make a DC 17 Con save or take 6d8 necrotic damage and be poisoned for 1 minute. Half damage on a success.

    Legendary Actions (3/day)

    • Entropic Roots. Cause roots to erupt under a creature within 60 ft. DC 15 Dex save or be restrained.

    • Sporeburst. Release a cloud of spores; creatures in 10 ft. must make DC 15 Con save or be blinded until end of next turn.

    • Command Undergrowth (Costs 2). Animate vines and branches to attack a creature. +9 to hit, 2d12 slashing damage.

2. Sister Thaleia (Seed)

  • Domain: Faith initiation, planting doctrine.

  • Appearance: A soft-spoken woman always masked in braided roots, her voice carries warmth and menace.

  • Role: The cult’s most skilled recruiter. She travels under many names, often posing as a herbalist, midwife, or village elder.

  • Location: Frequently seen near village festivals and planting rituals.

    Medium Fey (Undead-Touched), Chaotic Evil
    CR: 12 | AC: 16 | HP: 170 (20d8 + 80) | Speed: 35 ft., climb 20 ft.

    STR 10 | DEX 18 (+4) | CON 18 (+4) | INT 14 | WIS 12 | CHA 20 (+5)
    Saving Throws: Dex +9, Cha +10
    Skills: Deception +10, Performance +9, Stealth +9
    Damage Resistances: Psychic, Necrotic
    Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
    Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Truesight 30 ft., Passive Perception 13
    Languages: Common, Elvish, Sylvan

    Spellcasting. Sister Thaleia is a 12th-level spellcaster (Charisma DC 18, +10 to hit).
    Spells Prepared:

    • Cantrips: Minor Illusion, Vicious Mockery, Thaumaturgy

    • 1st: Charm Person, Disguise Self

    • 2nd: Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force

    • 3rd: Major Image, Counterspell

    • 4th: Greater Invisibility, Confusion

    • 5th: Dominate Person, Mislead

    • 6th: Mass Suggestion

    Twisted Masque. Once per long rest, Sister Thaleia can assume the identity of any humanoid she has touched (DC 18 Insight to see through illusion).

    Kiss of the Verdant Veil. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. On hit: 3d10 psychic damage, and target must make DC 18 Wisdom save or become charmed for 1 minute.

3. Elder Barvek (Bloom)

  • Domain: Expansion, miracles, false blessings.

  • Appearance: Tall and florid, Barvek wears robes embroidered with golden wheat and sickles. His staff blooms with unnatural flowers.

  • Role: The face of the cult’s benevolence. He blesses crops and cures sicknesses—but always with a price.

  • Location: Operates near trade routes and granaries, where his “gifts” can corrupt entire communities.

    Large Monstrosity (Beast-Fused Undead), Neutral Evil
    CR: 14 | AC: 19 (natural armor) | HP: 225 (30d10 + 60) | Speed: 40 ft., burrow 20 ft.

    STR 22 (+6) | DEX 12 | CON 18 (+4) | INT 10 | WIS 14 | CHA 8
    Saving Throws: Str +11, Con +9
    Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing (nonmagical)
    Condition Immunities: Exhaustion, Paralyzed
    Senses: Tremorsense 30 ft., Darkvision 60 ft.
    Languages: Common, Druidic

    Multiattack. Makes 2 slam attacks and 1 bite.

    • Slam. +11 to hit, 2d10 + 6 bludgeoning.

    • Bite. +11 to hit, 2d12 + 6 piercing, target must succeed DC 16 Con save or be infected with Barvek’s Bloom (fungal disease that causes hallucinations, see homebrew notes).

    Fungal Quake (Recharge 5–6). Elder Barvek stomps the ground, creating a 20-ft-radius shockwave. All creatures must make DC 17 Dex save or fall prone and take 4d10 bludgeoning.

    Rotspore Aura. Creatures within 10 ft. must make a DC 14 Con save at the start of their turn or take 2d6 poison damage and suffer disadvantage on Wisdom checks for 1 minute.

4. Mother Gresha (Fruit)

  • Domain: Fungal magic, sustenance, and communion.

  • Appearance: Obese and hunched, her body is riddled with fruiting bodies and bioluminescent molds. Her breath smells of rich soil and rot.

  • Role: Oversees rituals of communion and transformation. Her spores infect initiates and allow her to speak through them.

  • Location: Dwells in a hidden mycelial chamber beneath a rotted orchard.

    Medium Humanoid (Human Undead), Lawful Evil
    CR: 15 | AC: 18 | HP: 240 (32d8 + 96) | Speed: 30 ft.

    STR 14 | DEX 10 | CON 22 (+6) | INT 18 | WIS 20 (+5) | CHA 16
    Saving Throws: Wis +11, Con +11, Int +9
    Skills: Arcana +9, Religion +9, Medicine +10
    Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Radiant
    Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
    Languages: Common, Celestial, Abyssal

    Spellcasting. Mother Gresha is a 14th-level cleric of Death (DC 18, +10 to hit).
    Spells Prepared:

    • Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Thaumaturgy, Spare the Dying

    • 1st–6th: Cleric list with a focus on Inflict Wounds, Animate Dead, Spirit Guardians, Flame Strike, Harm, Contagion

    • 7th: Resurrection

    • 8th: Antilife Shell

    • 9th: Mass Heal

    Channel Divinity (2/rest):

    • Harvest Reaping: All undead allies within 30 ft. regain 3d10 HP and gain resistance to radiant damage for 1 minute.

Unholy Benediction. Gresha touches a creature; it is healed for 30 HP, but the next time it is reduced to 0 HP, it rises as a Vine Wight under her control.

5. The Hollow Reaper (Ash)

  • Domain: Sacrifice, rebirth through fire, the Harvest Moon rites.

  • Appearance: A cloaked and silent figure. No one sees the Reaper’s face, only the long-handled sickle that glows faintly with embers.

  • Role: Enforcer and final judge of the cult. Those who fail to serve are “returned to the ash.” Believed to be the Verdant Saint’s first true martyr.

  • Location: Appears only during sacrificial rites and pivotal moments.

    Large Undead, Neutral Evil
    CR: 17 | AC: 20 (natural armor) | HP: 280 (33d10 + 99) | Speed: 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

    STR 24 (+7) | DEX 14 (+2) | CON 22 (+6) | INT 10 | WIS 14 | CHA 18
    Saving Throws: Str +13, Con +12, Wis +8
    Skills: Intimidation +10, Perception +8
    Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Cold, Psychic
    Damage Immunities: Poison
    Condition Immunities: Poisoned, Frightened, Charmed
    Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 18
    Languages: All it knew in life

    Greatscythe of the Eternal Furrow. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 3d12 + 7 slashing + 2d10 necrotic.

    Wail of the Rooted Dead (Recharge 5–6). All living creatures in a 60-ft cone must make DC 18 Wis saves or be frightened for 1 minute and take 6d10 necrotic damage.

    Legendary Actions (3/day)

    • Harvest Slash. Extra scythe attack.

    • Withering Pulse. Creatures in 10 ft. take 3d8 necrotic.

    • Grasp from Below (Costs 2). Roots burst from the earth to grapple (DC 18 Strength check).

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