The Silver-Tusked Guardian
CombatThree Ways to Resolve
1. Combat — Defeat the Guardian: The guardian is powerful (Level 3 elite). This ends the act with the guardian defeated, but the party loses an ally.
2. Healing — Restore the Guardian: Using the items found throughout Act 1, the party can heal the guardian's wound and restore its sight. This earns a powerful ally.
3. Negotiation — Appease the Guardian: The party must explain the covenant's three principles and offer to restore the missing stones.
The Guardian's Revelation:
"The covenant is broken. Three powers were bound: the Boarwood Root, the Fog Peaks Sky, and the Tandak Bloodline. But a fourth oath was erased — the seat of those not yet born. The Gray Gardeners seek to fill that seat with their own judgment. You must restore the faces before the harvest moon, or the covenant will be lost forever."
Silver-Tusked Guardian (Level 3 Elite)
Traits: Beast, Primal, Spirit
Resistances: Precision damage 5 while standing in undergrowth
Reaction: Oathbreaker's Reprisal — when a creature violates a boundary stone, the guardian Shoves them away.
Damage: Gore +9 (2d6+4 piercing)
Reward for Healing/Appeasement:
- The Guardian's Boon: A one-time +2 bonus to any check made to restore the covenant in Act 4.
- The Oath Ring Awakens: The ring now glows faintly — it can detect broken oaths within 30 feet.
- Allies Gained: The guardian and the dryad become allies for the remainder of the campaign.