How not to investigate a haunted village...

So, while our campaign has been moving a-pace, the blog has been neglected due to my busy (I use the term loosely) schedule.

The party, having recovered from their minor debacle against the flying beasties. Our intrepid, cool-headed fighter, Lysimakos has decided to return to the main road and search for sign's of the kidnapped maiden's passage while the rest of the group forge ahead into the village of Vue.

Over the space of half an hour the party emerge from the forest, their sense of unease deepening, while the party Druid (Shoohey, played by the ever-inquisitive Tamara) feels dark magic and tastes death in the air.
The village itself is relatively small, the buildings are lined along one street, with a large manor at the head of it, a windmill crudely built onto the side of its eastward wall. Only a faint glow emanates from the windows of the houses, given off by small votive candles sat on the sills. Some have only one lit, while others have up to 3 or 4. Only glimpses of the villagers can be seen before curtains are pulled too and shutters closed over. Night has fallen, and the residents seem reluctant to emerge out of their homes.

While Tez seeks out a platform from which to announce the groups arrival in stunning and charismatic fashion, the rest notice 2 figures outside the manor arguing over something. One is a prtly fellow with a moustache and wearing fine clothes, the other bedecked in the manner of a ranger or woodsman. After a few moments the two stop talking, share angry looks and the woodsman wanders off into the forest. The village Marshall (or militant Mayor) finally notices the party, smooths his clothes and approaches them giving them a very warm, but obviously fake smile. Before he reaches them though, Tez breaks into his speech:

"Behold, people of Vue! Listen to my words! My name is Tezlastazex, and these are my friends! We're Heroes, so everyone stop being scared right now! We'll sort out your problems, because that's what we do!"

Stirring, as I'm sure you'll agree.

Silence is the only response. After a few moments, Ethanuel (the devious and thieving warlock played by Jory) resolves to find the nearest inn, The Green Man, and finds the place empty but for a barman cleaning glasses. Looking surprised he leaps up before scampering into the kitchen behind him. As Ethanuel approaches the door, the innkeeper returns, smoothing back his hair and is closely followed by his daughter, Kira.

Meanwhile outside, the Marshall has finally reached the party, only to be greeted by a very blunt Tez (played by the word-gifted Rob):

"Hey, you! What's going on in this village? This placwe has a bad feel to it!"

Startled for a moment (by both Tez's greeting, and the fact that Shoohey has begun sniffing him [out of habit]), the Marshall goes on to explain how a witch has been plaguing the small hamlet for some months, stealing citizens in the dead of night and taking them away, though he is unsure as to where. When the local guard move to explore the forest proper, they are chased out by undead creatures.
The woman the Marshall describes fits the description of the noblewoman Elena that they've been sent to look for, and the Marshall confirms her by name. Before he goes any further though, he casts about him with worried looks.

"Out here is no place to talk. Quickly, inside the inn. We can speak further there."

With that, he quickly ushers the party into the Green Man. Inside the inn, Ethanuel has already been trying to question the innkeeper and his daughter to no avail. The innkeeper seems reluctant to say anything except "D'you want a drink?" while his daughter keeps silent, though her eyes call out to Ethanuel. As soon as the Marshall enters, the innkeeper shrinks back against the wall as if afraid of the man, or possibly the huge Dragonkin behind him.

"Terol, some privacy please. Shut up the doors. We may have the help we've needed in these folks."

Quickly the innkeeper moves to the door, dropping a large beam across the brackets on the frame, and closes all the shutters. , all except for one with a small votive candle sitting on the sill.
Terol, the innkeeper then takes his daughter by the arm and leads her upstairs but not before she glances back at Ethanuel, pleading silently with her eyes.

"What's with all the candles?" blurts out Ethanuel.

"Those are a...personal thing. The families here believe that their loved ones may return if they see the light in the darkness, guiding them back like a beacon of sorts."

The party continue to press the Marshall for information which he all-too freely gives up. He explains how Elena came to the village around 4 months ago, trying to escape her court life.

She befriended a local miller boy called Simin. The two were constantly together before Elena returned to her city life, leaving the poor lad heart-broken. She returned some weeks later, though something had changed in her. The two had an argument and Simin disappeared shortly afterward. She seemed much colder, harsher, even assaulting a guard when he asked her about Simin's whereabouts. Slowly more folk disappeared, whether it was the guard she assaulted or women in the street who gave her funny looks. Indeed anyone who displeased her mysteriously vanished into the forest. While they had no proof that she was taking these poor townfolk away, they all felt it. Except for the Sheriff - the man the Marshall had been arguing with. The only reason he hadn't been locked away was because he was popular with the people. He thought that Elena was innocent, that some other force was driving these people to wander into the forest.
With that, Tez stood up and proclaimed (in true cheesy, paladin fashion*):

"We must find the source of this evil, and end it, no matter what form it has taken! I smell mystery here, and nothing is what it seems! No fear! The light of justice will illuminate the truth!"


*GM Note: There seems to be some unwritten rule that, no matter what sort of person you are, you character always reverts (at least at the beginning) to it's basic stereotype as seen here. Paladins are seen as glory-seeking, evil-smiting charming-machines. Rules-wise this works, but every person playing it feels the need to play the daring, glorious Prince Charming acrchetype. In a similar vein fighters are always either foolhardy vets with a deathwish or sensible vets who are very taciturn and suspicious, while bards are often gloryhounds who run to the back at the first sign of trouble.

The Marshall, introduced as Uther Kryp, then asks the players help in ridding the village of this witch, happily compensating them for the rooms they are bound to hire for the night (oh what little did I know what these guys would have in store for me later...). He also introduces the absent Terol (innkeeper) and Kira (daughter to Terol/barmaid), pointing out that the candle is for Kira's mother who disappeared several days ago.

While the Marshall gives the party directions to the Sheriff's abode in the forest (roughly) but explains that man also lives rough, constantly moving round the forest and keeping a weather eye on poachers, adn more recently undead. Ethanuel, for the meantime moves upstairs hoping to speak with Kira in private.

Larisse (the image-obsessed Tiefling warlock played by the equally beauteous Sophie) asks for the nearest bath in predictable fashion, to which the Marshall chuckles and advises it's located in the mansion where he currently resides (*cue porn-jazz*).

While the group enquire about Stefan (the Sheriff) and his dubious loyalties, Ethanuel locates Kira on the 2nd floor of the inn. Stepping into her room, he tries to question her about the goings-on in the village. She confirms her mother has recently gone missing but she seems certain it isn't the accused noble Elena. She had always been a gentle soul and can't see how the woman could have committed any of these kidnappings. She can see how it all fits with Elena's appearances but is sure that the Marshall is somehow involved. He seems too eager to prosecute the woman. her father is also trying to keep her quiet for fear that she may be next. as Kira takes consolation in the arms of Ethanuel, he hears a creak outside the door. Before the two can share a tender moment, Ethanuel moves uickly to the corner of the room as Terol violently opens the door.

"Where is that half-elf, Kira? I know he's in here! You know you shouldn't be speaking to these people, they'll fill your head with dangerous thoughts! How do we know that evil hag hasn't sent them here to finish off?"

Following this is possibly the best line I've heard in this context:

"I was just asking for a towel," says Ethanuel, stepping from behind the door.

The innkeeper spins round, and scolds the young half-elf, wagging an accusatory fingfer at him:

"Uther may have paid for your rooms, but if you come near my daughter again, I'll beat you like a child! I don't rust your friends and you even less so."

He quickly grabs Kira by the arm again and stomps out.


- Meanwhile downstairs, the discussion gets heated as Tez becomes furious at the Marshall's lack of conviction. There have been no clues as to the identity of the witch except the wild accusations of the Marshall, no bodies of the missing have been found and now the village seems content to simply hide away and wait till they are all taken, one by one.

"Look here, dragonchild, you may have led a wide and strange life outside, but here among these forests we have no one! No trade routes bring patrols here, no wandering knights come to our rescue! I have watched families mourn over empty graves, for loved ones they may never see again! I'm doing everything in my power just to keep these last few people alive!"

The group then puzzle over the reasons why Elena (if it is Elena) is snatching people at random - rituals? practice for animating the dead? The lot of them seem at a loss.

At this, Marshall Kryp bids the group goodnight, leaving the inn. Tez lowers the beam over the door again after he leaves.

after both sides recap their stories, there is some discussion as to who should take first watch in the inn that night.

Then this happens:

Tez - "I say we go into the forest and see what is REALLY there!"*

*GM Note - never underestimate the party or indeed individuals in the party. Specifically their nerring ability to run off into areas that as a DM you haven't mapped/written/even considered for role-playing purposes because you thought they may do the sensible thing and not wander into a haunted forest in the dark when a witch is wandering around with undead minions kidnapping people. But there you go...

They decide to leave one member (Larisse) in the inn to keep watch and bar the door behind them. Meanwhile, Shoohey, Tez and Ethanuel make the short journey into the forest, in the direction Sheriff Stefan went. Shoohey quickly shifts into the form of a wolverine and leads the trio into the woods, her animal senses immediately picking up the fact that something is deeply wrong with these trees, something evil is lurking in the soil beneath the peasoup fog that clings to the muddy earth. As the group comes to a stop to get their bearings, Ethanuel decides now is the best time to *ahem* relieve himself against a tree. Oblivious to the rustle of armour and snapping of twigs which both Shoohey and Tez have picked up on. As Ethanuel continues to soil the soil, so to speak, 5 skeletons emerge behind him bearing rusted blades and beaten bucklers.

Tune in next blog to find out what happens!

Will Ethanuel realise the doom headed his way? Will the fighting fit Lysimakos (the ever-dramtic Phill) make glorious entrance? What tomfoolery will Larisse get up to while the rest of her friends are away? Will Tamara roll a successful score for a skill check?