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Rumors of strange occurrences brought you to the Hillsfar region. The vague and bizarre rumors ranged from leprechauns showering travelers with gold to undead armies terrorizing the many farmsteads.
The one rumor that turned out to be true was perhaps the wildest of all. All the non-human citizens within the walls of the city-state of Hillsfar were evicted. The only non-humans left in the city are the slaves who fight at the Arena. Fights to the death. Anyone not obviously human is turned away at the Hillsfar Gate, the only way into and out of the walled city.
You travel north on the Moonsea Ride, the often-used merchant road south of Hillsfar, which also navigates through expansive Cormanthor Forest. Others travel with or near you.
A muffled shout bursts from a copse of trees off the road, and an old human man wearing torn and bloody clothes staggers into view. The blood on his clothes comes from small cuts and scratches rather than any large wound. His charge toward you is slow, ponderous, and shaky. Before you can even draw weapons or ready spells, he collapses in the grass. He still shouts, however, although the words grow fainter and fainter with each passing moment.
Dot
I head over to him to see if I can help. Or if I can hear what he's saying.
to assess his condition.
Adyl will move forward alongside Eledia, unable to provide aid but concerned nonetheless.
Rolen moves forward warily, drawing his short bow and peering around to determine
If any threat exists.
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Anyone approaching the man can see he is old but not elderly, injured but not fatally, and appears to be suffering but for no apparent reason. He keeps shouting the same words, like a mantra, over and over. His sentences are long and rambling. For some reason, the words burn themselves into the players' memories.
Neither Medicine checks nor magical healing assuages the man's pain or madness, and he dies at the feet of the characters after repeating his message several times.
There is a message from this land's new master, but it is hidden five-fold.
New Master?
The first is at the place where dandelions rise above and cover the people. The virile and the virulent can be one and the same. The hell-tinged one is lost, and then several are found.
Farbough Farms. It must be!
The second runs red with the blood of roots, where an heiress lies and hides her pain in long wooden boxes. She hides more than that though, but only to keep what is hers.
Beets? Goodroot, perhaps?
The third is at the spring of blessed life, where the haunters protect and the protectors haunt. The water runs on, of course, and must be freed for all.
The Spring of Blessed Life. Rumored to be haunted.
The fourth holds the great thundering beasts, but the beasts are gone, to give way to a greater thundering beast with death in its eyes. They await at a place of ancient elven evil.
Rothés? Undead?
The fifth lies where the ancients lie beneath night's marble, forgotten but not gone. The lost wealth of a forgotten time pays terrible dividends now.
A temple of Waukeen? Definitely not Tymora…
Thorgrund lumbers up as the ramblings of the old man seem to linger like an echo in his mind.
"Old fool ain't makin' no sense..." he says as the man's death rattles cease.
Svala kneels beside the man, as he repeats his message.
Do any of the places mentioned mean anything to any of us? Svala is proficient in History, Arcana & Religion, if they are of any help? Does anything else lie in the direction he came from?
Svala readies her crossbow as the man expires, and peers over towards the copse of trees.
"Something over there wounded this man, and p'raps drove him mad besides, we should at the least take a look"
Rolen begins to move stealthily towards the trees from whence the man emerged. He has an arrow drawn on his bow, as he moves slowly in a squatted posture.
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There is nothing to be seen in the woods from whence the man emerged.
Svala you can sense the lingering effect of possible infernal magic on the man.
The madman's words spoke of Farbough Farms. The farmhouse, sheds, and barns on the road ahead match the description in the madman's prophecy. Their green-painted walls and yellow roofs make the buildings look like huge dandelions sprouting in the fields.
A pair of short figures carries sloshing buckets from a nearby stream toward one of the barns. A significant amount of noise emanates from inside the farmhouse itself, as if a crowd of angry people are all shouting at once.
Tightening the grip on his battleaxe, Thorgrund follows Eledia, keeping a sharp eye on the other buildings of the farmstead.
"Careful, lass...keep those elf eyes peeled..." he whispers to Eledia.
Adyl sets his jaw against sorrow at watching the poor man die. He continues to follow along with the group as they near the barn.
"The farmhouse...something is happening inside!"
Rolen also approaches the farmhouse from where the screams are coming. He stays to the flank of the group and hides in foliage or tall grass as close as he can to the front entrance.
Kelend nods and heads to the farm.
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As you get closer you realize the figures carrying the buckets are a young half-orc and a young female dwarf.
The farmhouse door is propped open with a hay fork, revealing a tumultuous scene. More than 20 people mill about a bustling kitchen. At least 10 are children of various races--none human. The adults, on the other hand, are all human.
A woman of middle years shouts above the din. In one arm she cradles an infant human, while second rests in a sling at her waist. Three other adult humans and a young non-human hold other human newborns. Between the woman and those helping her, there are a total of six human infants.
"Hello friends, my name is Kelend Ventrue. Does anyone have a few minutes to discuss the happenings in this area?"
I'm wary about getting enveloped by the crowd of strangers, so I hang back a bit. I'm clearly with Kelend, Adyl, and the rest, and I'm not trying to hide, but I don't like crowds. Especially crowds of strangers. They seem harmless enough from here, though.
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The matriarch waving a wooden spoon at your intrepid bunch says, "If you're here for a meal, grab some taters from the bin and peel them and we'll cook them up for you. You'll have to catch and dress your own chicken though.”
“But before we eat, make yourselves useful. Someone needs to go and fetch Pynroth: ask the two girls outside where that boy has got off to. If any of you have any skill in husbandry, run out to the goat barn and see if Jovee's kids are ready to pop yet. Verner, take these folks out and introduce them to Jovee. When you're done, come back for a meal."
I'll go looking for Pynroth. I first look for the two girls - presumably the two we saw carrying the water. When I find them, I ask, rather awkwardly, where I might find Pynroth.
Kelend gives a weak smile before approaching Verner and whispering such that only Verner and the rest of the party can hear.
"Hello Verner, my name is Kelend. We ran across an older man that had been killed, he mentioned Farbough Farms. We didn't get his name before he perished. Perhaps you could help us notify his next of kin or any of his friends?"
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Eledia and whoever going with her
The girls look at each other wide-eyed and then give you a blank stare, looking past you, Uh, we don't know where he went.
Kelend and whomever is going with him.
Verner will try to be pleasant enough, leading you to the goat barn, he assures you that he has no idea who you are talking about. High-pitched shrieks of fear and panic greet you as you enter the barn. A couple dozen goats fill the barn, but most huddle in the corners, shying away from a single goat in the center. The hideously distended belly of that goat shows the nanny is pregnant, but she is quite large. Even those of you who have dealt with animal births in the past have likely never seen anything like this.
I shrug and tell them that the lady in charge at the house thought they might know something. But if they don't, I can always just pick a direction and start searching.
Svala accompanies Eledia
"Come on now girls, we are just trying to be helpful here - is there are reason you don't want us to find Pynroth?
to see if I can get any information from their nonverbal cues.
Adyl goes along with Kelend
Rolen follows the others to the barn and begins to search the area in the barn, including any hayloft.
Kelend notices the animals and shrugs. He pulls out his lyre and begins to play a soothing melody to calm the animals.
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The girls are apprehensive, and reveal the truth that he went to the far pasture for no other reason than he was told not to. The farmhands have run across strange and terrible creatures there. Beasts that look like normal creature but with unusual features and eyes that glow red in the dark of night.
Verner starts crying and runs over to the suffering goat but stops in horror before reaching her. He quickly pleads for your help as he was tending her this morning but she was bit but not like this. Please help Jovee.
Medicine or Nature check, animal handling checks will grant advantage on the rolls.
Adyl is trying his absolute best to help this poor animal
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The firstborn goat comes out, and it is instantly clear what the problem was. The kid is much larger than a normal newborn goat, with bright red fur, and two heads that stare at you with a mix of curiosity and scorn. It immediately stands and wobbles away with a dismissive "baaaaah" that is deep and long and more than a little unsettling.
Before you can react, another red-furred kid emerges from Jovee. You know it is not uncommon for goats to have twins. Then another kid slides out. Then another. Before you know it, five more kids lie on the ground near their mother; for a total of six--a peculiar feat.
"This has got to be some sort of omen..." comments Adyl as he assists the birthing.
I thank the girls and turn in the direction they indicated. I take a few steps, then turn back to see if anyone is following.
Svala follows Eledia as closely as she can
I head out, Svala in tow, to look for Pynroth in the direction the girls indicated. I'm hoping there's nothing wrong, but I prepare for the worst just in case.
Rolen joins Eledia, but before heading out, he cautions.
Maybe it would be wise if we went out there together, as a group.
He yells back to the others, and to the house.
Co'Mon out here, we have a lead, all!
Thorgrund joins the others, trying to figure out what it all means. Unfortunately it starts to give him a headache.
"Verner, has there been a lot of multi-births lately to animals and people alike?"
Hearing his allies, he gives a quick nod and bow before jogging to meet up with them.
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Have you seen misses Bea's sextuplets? Verner answers...
Moving the group on to the Rescuing of Pynoth
Rounding a thicket of large willows, you see the pasture. The normally bucolic setting is marred by a pack of wild dogs surrounding two figures, huddling together in fear. The larger figure is half-elven, wearing leather armor and clumsily brandishing a sickle to keep the yipping, growling dogs at bay. The half-elf has his other arm around a tiefling boy, presumably Pynroth. Tears in the half-elf's cloak and blood on his arm show that the wild dogs mean business.
There are a total of 9 Dogs, one of which is larger than the rest. please roll initiative.
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog
Wild Dog Alpha
I draw one of my daggers as soon as I see/hear/notice the commotion.