Grandmother Willow
MystaransKeeper of the Seer's Grove
"The trees remember futures that humans have forgotten. Listen, and they will teach you patience.""
Identity
- Residence
- The Ancient Seer's Grove at Mystara's heart
- Civilization
- Mystarans
Appearance
• Physical: Grandmother Willow has become almost plant-like over her long life—her skin has a bark-like texture, her hair flows like willow branches, and flowers bloom in her presence. She moves slowly and deliberately, in harmony with natural cycles. • Clothing: She wears living garments grown from the grove itself—leaves, vines, and flowers that change with the seasons. Her jewelry is made from seeds and nuts. • Distinguishing Marks: Her eyes are the color of deep forest pools and seem to contain entire ecosystems. She smells of earth and growing things.
Relationships
- Family - The grove is her family; she considers all who serve it her children
- Allies - The Order of the Green Seers; nature spirits that inhabit the grove; animals that make their home there
- Rivals - Those who want to harvest the grove for its prophecy-wood; developers who want to clear land
Personality
- Traits: Ancient wisdom without arrogance, deeply connected to nature, patient to a fault, surprisingly playful with children
- Mannerisms: Speaks in metaphors about growth and seasons, touches plants while talking, moves in rhythm with natural sounds
- Voice: Rustling like wind through leaves, with a quality that makes people feel peaceful
Backstory
Willow was a young seer who sought deeper connection with the natural world and discovered the Seer's Grove—a place where trees themselves receive and store prophecies. She dedicated her life to tending the grove and learning to interpret arboreal visions. Over centuries, she became so connected to the grove that she and it are now nearly indistinguishable.
Daily Life
She tends the grove, interpreting prophecies received by the ancient trees, training new grove-keepers, and providing counsel to those who seek the grove's wisdom. She spends her evenings in meditation, communing with the grove's collective consciousness. She hasn't left the grove in over a century.
Secret
Willow has discovered that the grove is slowly dying from a blight that exists outside normal time, and she's been hiding this while desperately searching for a cure that may not exist.
Story Hooks
- 1 The grove has received a prophecy about the party and Willow summons them to hear it
- 2 The blight has accelerated and Willow needs help from outside the grove to find a cure
Narrative Value
Willow provides nature-based prophecy and wisdom, serving as a mentor figure connected to the natural world. Her connection to the dying grove creates urgency and emotional stakes while exploring themes of nature, time, and change. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════