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An adventure for levels 2-4
For decades, the tiny village of Ravenmoor has existed quietly on the upper reaches of the Lampblack River, far from the centers of civilization in Varisia. Linked to the outside world only by an overgrown, mostly forgotten trail, the villagers are comfortable with their isolation. Their ways are humble, quaint, and at times odd, and when travelers come, they find the town awkward and unmemorable. Certainly, the lack of a village inn, the oppressive humidity, and the bug-infested moors and swamps that surround the village do little to encourage visitors. When a clerk in the city of Magnimar discovers that, due to a clerical error, the village of Ravenmoor hasn’t paid taxes in years, a tax collector is sent to the distant community to settle accounts with its mayor. When the tax collector fails to return, however, a group of adventurers must travel to the town during its Founders’ Feast celebration to investigate his disappearance. Did he really make off with the taxes for himself, as the villagers suspect? Or did he never make it out of Ravenmoor at all?
Feast of Ravenmoor is an adventure for 3rd-level characters, written for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and compatible with the 3.5 edition of the world’s oldest RPG. It features a terrifying adventure set in a rural village in the frontier realm of Varisia, and a brand-new monster eager to torment and frighten unsuspecting adventurers.
Written by Brandon Hodge
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While stationed in Magnimar, you receive instructions to meet with a low-ranking bookkeeper in a nondescript, shore district tavern known as the Drunken Dog. You are seated in a corner table, and not long after settling in you are joined by a mousy woman with dull brown hair and busy hands.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, I'm Jeminda Anikee. I'm on my lunch break so I must be brief--I need your help. I've been working with the bank of Abadar to reorganize and streamline our records, and a few months ago I discovered a pretty interesting clerical error. Ever heard of Ravenmoore? I hadn't until I found the error. Why's that? Well, to put it in plain terms, the town hasn't existed for 15 years. Existed on paper, of course. That being said, Ravenmoor owes the bank 15 years of overdue tax payments. These frontier towns don't put up much in annual taxes, but over 15 years it added up to a noticeable sum of 500 gold. My supervisors told me to send a collector out to Ravenmoor, so that's where you come in. I need you to go to Ravenmoor, get the 500 gold in tax payments, and get them delivered to the exchequer's office over in the alabaster district. If you come back without the taxes the exchequer will expect a report on why."
"You're probably guessing why I'm asking adventurers instead of one of my tax collectors..." she lets out a long sigh before continuing. "You see...you're not the first collectors I've sent to Ravenmoor. A few months ago, I sent my brother-in-law, Elias Kyle, out to collect the taxes. The last letter I received from him said that he stopped at an inn in Galduria on his way to Ravenmoor. This was over a month ago. I'm worried something happened to Elias. Even though he volunteered to travel out that far, I still feel guilty for sending him. I fear he's been waylaid by bandits or something worse. Please....please find out what happened to Elias and I'll reward you along with any reward the city or bank gives you for collecting the taxes."
Jeminda provides you a folder of documents, among them are maps to Ravenmoor, a sealed writ authorizing you to collect the taxes from the town of Ravenmoor, and a rough sketch of (what you can guess) Elias.
Adoril feels as though she's holding something back, and takes a 10 on diplomacy to coax some more info out of Jeminda.
"Elias used to be quite the drinker, especially after my sister's passing. It's been a hard road to sobriety for him, but I'm worried he's fallen off the wagon and taken the 500 in taxes off to Riddleport or gods know where. If that's the case and word gets out I could lose my job! Needless to say, if that happens, you won't be getting as good of a reward from me."
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"If we need horses for the last leg anyway... whatever. Boats. Horses. This town sounds like trouble. Tax evaders. Probably murdered Elias. Probably making drugs, or consorting with proteans, or something stupid like that."
Grumbling, Corrin goes to the market and purchases himself a new Headband, learning 5 more languages overnight. He then continues wandering the market, finding things to complain about to anyone who will listen in an angry little montage.
"Or maybe it's a stupid VEGETABLE FESTIVAL and the damn gourds just ATE Elias.""
"Stupid small towns and stupid deaths. People die in regular ways in cities. Not by floating pumpkins but by thugs and thieves that can be properly locked up."
"They're probably so simple that they help slaves escape too, like those stupid small towns do. Ugh. What if the tax money is housing and clothing them?!"
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Your coach travels northward, steering from the road that links Riddleport and southern Varisia onto a small, country road that runs alongside the Lampblack Trail. The terrain turns into a mix of marsh, swamp, and forest. Despite being under constant attack from mosquitoes, the journey to Ravenmoor is uneventful.
It is late in the morning as the coach nears Ravenmoor. About a half mile out of town, the carriage begins to slow down.
As the coach slows to a crawl, a tiny insectoid creature with two pairs of bat wings, a tangle of thin legs, and a needle-sharp proboscis flies into the interior of the coach and lands on Corrin's knee.
Ugly Kidd
Corrin
?????
Adoril
Dejat, Ugly Kidd, and Corrin are up!
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Corrin is able to grab the tiny, bug-like creature. Ugly Kidd cements the grip .
The creature sits there, surrounded by hands. It nuzzles your fingers with its proboscis, but does not try to drain blood.
Adoril delays.
After the carriage comes to a stop, a child jumps up outside and peeps inside the carriage.
"Applesauce! You found my Applesauce! Don't hurt her, she's friendly!"
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The child has a ragged mop of black hair, filthy home-spun clothes, and mud caking his hands and feet from his frantic searching for his pet. He gladly accepts the creature from Corrin. The creature crawls up the kid's arm and onto his shoulder.
"She's a stirge and she don't needs a leash! She got a scairt, that's all."
He nervously drags one foot in a semicircle before adding "My pa says I'm not 'sposed to talk to strangers. Pa knows everything, he told me himself."
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The carriage rumbles along the muddy, country road before rolling to a stop. Both the drivers can be heard jumping off the front of the carriage. One opens a carriage door and gestures for you to step out before going about to gather your other belongings for you. The other can be seen wrapping up a simple conversation with the crooked-backed, thin-haired ferryman (probably about stabling, cards, booze, or some myriad combination of the three).
Two ramshackle shacks flank the Lampblack here, sheds to house a flat-bottom ferry. Tightly drawn ropes cross the river, part of a cranked pulley system that draws the barge across the black water. The mud on the ground is thick. Were it not for the signs along the road, the large preponderance of Ravens in the village's hinterlands give it away.
The wiry ferryman trudges through the mud over to the PC. He speaks in a haggard, heavily accented voice"I take ye mean t' cross t' riv' t' Ravenm'? Ohhhhh ye' wan' t' b' taken' t' ferr'. There b' a wolf in t' wat'. Ain' safe less ye b' taken' t' ferr'"
He pauses.
"Ye b' taken' t' ferr'? Copper per passengerrrr."
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"Ayyyy yich, I b' reckon' ye take t' ferr'. That themthar wat' wolf done robb'd many a man's limb in these parrrrts."
He points a gnarled finger at a strange, deformed looking animal skull nailed to a post.
"Them wat' wolfs done hunt f' weeks at a tim'. Me and m' Da foun' tha' skull o' one o' thems when I was a wee boi!"
The skull comes from an animal, but none of you can tell what it is. You get the feeling the 'water wolf' is something you wouldn't want to tangle with.
"Whas ye bidness in Ravenm'? Outsiders be naye a comm'n sigh'."
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You all take the ferry, old man Cardzi continues to ramble about some wolf in the water. He also offers you several theories on what happened to Elias, the only common thread (besides the cause of death being a water wolf attack) is that Elias went into town but never left via ferry. He remembers that the rains were strong at the time and that swimming the river--especially at night--would have been suicidal for anyone other than a strong swimmer.
Ugly Kidd doesn't think a water wolf has anything to do with Elias's disappearance. HOWEVER, you can ALL surmise that Elias would have had to have taken the ferry to get back over the river. This rules out Jeminda's theory that Elias made off to Riddleport with the taxes.
Old man Carzi also informs you that the town's monthly festival is taking place later in the afternoon, and that most everyone in town will be there. The festival is expected to run into the evening.
After ferried across the Lampblack River, you have arrived in Ravenmoor. Old man Cardzi says something completely intelligible after disembarking, and gestures towards a bell on a nearby post. A sign reads 'ring for ferry'. He then begins cranking the ferry back across the river, excited to drink and gamble with the carriage drivers.
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Adoril shakes his head.
"I don't think he made off with the taxes on his own. What do you all think of heading to the trading post first? It seems our friend was close friends with the bottle for some time, so there or an inn would be the first place I would go for a drink. Maybe someone there has more information on him?"
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While this building bears a sign that proclaims it to be the town trading post, the lack of business and activity certainly sets expectations of a poorly stocked store at best. Two wisps of smoke rise from the building--one from the shop's chimney, the other from an attached forge, where a bald, muscular middle-aged man toils at fixing a damaged plow.
On the steps of the shop sits a beautiful young woman, sewing a dress. A slight smile graces her lips as she works with the thread.
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The man looks up from his work, "I remember him. Bought some provisions from the missus over in the store. Stayed at the manor. No inn in town, n that's the place t' have the most space beds."
The man's daughter eyes up Adoril. Her dreamy stare is broken when her eyes fall on her father, who is completely aware of what she's looking at. "Shel! Go inside and help your mother." he barks.
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Most of the available space is otherwise taken up with tables and the building’s long counter, and the hearth always hosts a large cauldron in which a thick, creamy stew of diced eel and river clams simmers. The woman behind the counter introduces herself as Anya, and after given a description of Elias, she says, "Ah that's that tax collector fellow, eh? Came in here to buy some breads n cheeses, didn't say where'n he was off to next."
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Adoril will thank the lady after jotting down the notes from her and the smith.
Adoril will suggest splitting up to cover more ground. He and Corrin can check with the weaver while Dejat and Ugly Kidd visit the psychic.
"We should also make an effort to check in at the manor before the festival. Anyone have a different idea, or does this sound good?"
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Visiting the manor will eat up more time, as its hilltop position leads to a bit of a walk. If you want to talk about the taxes, most of the villagers will suggest talking to the mayor there. He takes care of the "government stuff".
long with a large cage containing Mushfen silkworms. A stooped crone hums as she works at a loom. "I'll be with you in just a moment!" She hollers, finishing a segment of a simple shirt. She walks over to the counter and flashes a quick smile. "Don't see much in the way of travelers. Do you need some of your clothing replaced?"
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The physic has nothing to say, other than that if you need a good shave or a broken bone set, he's your guy.
The weaver doesn't remember Elias "Oh I just spend most of my time in front of my loom. He never came into my shop. I'd speak with Ana and Saul over at the trading post--they tend to do more business with traveler's than I."
Manor
Cairns
Mill
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"Ugly Kidd knew psychic would be no good. Always psychics at every port, predicting next big storm. Blehk!"
"Maybe the Mill next? Mills make money, making money gets taxed. Let's head there, Dejat!"
Ugly Kidd will take Dejat to the mill. If it becomes relevant he will wish that we could find the information we're looking for.
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Built of darkly stained river rock and soggy timber, this old structure leans precariously toward the Lampblack, its wooden wheel rotating in the slow-moving waters. The mill quietly throbs a repetitive cadence from within, and the heel mechanism powers a pulper, a wiredrawer, a sack lift, and the grindstone vital to processing Ravenmoor’s crops.
Inside is the town miller, Doriv Carmiscu. When given Elias's description, she remembers the red-headed man. She loads a cart with sacks of flour as she gives you what little she can offer.
"Came in here askin me about taxes. Told him to go to the mayor, he handles the government stuff in these parts."
"No. I process ingredients for the local farmers for a fixed fee. I sell a service, not goods. If you're looking to buy or sell goods, go to the general store."
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The ceiling of this abandoned church has mostly caved in, and while the church’s two-story steeple still stands, the bell that once hung within appears to be missing. An investigation of the ruined interior finds a single crude idol of Desna, more akin to a gourd-faced and straw-stuffed scarecrow than a proper statue, sagging against the pulpit wall.
Adoril detects no evil, but he does attract some concerned looks from the villagers--it's likely the people of Ravenmoor see magic only a few times a year.
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This large ring of black river stones and tall, stacked rock columns encompasses an open-air amphitheater built against a steeply sloped sandstone outcropping. Stone benches sit nearby, while a misshapen wicker and corn-husk figure with mossy canvas wings looms over an altar stone at the far side.
Adoril can tell that this is another representation of Desna. However, he can't shake an unnerving feeling that this representation of Desna seems strangely crude and untended, almost as if it were more of an effigy than a proper object of love and veneration.
As Ugly Kidd and Dejat approach the man he takes off his hat and smiles, extending a hand in greeting. Compared to the other villagers, he doesn't shy away from strangers and appears to be a generally friendly person.
"How d'ya do? Name's Viorec. Viorec Korzha. My son, Ornigaard, told me you n your lot helped him catch his pet stirge. That was awful kind of you, and I just wanted to thank you myself. Anyways, what brings you to these parts? Don't see adventurers, half orcs, or..." he gestures to Dejat, "...planar things--no offense--'round here."
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The smith is too busy to reply, but inside the shopkeep seems puzzled by your question.
"The stones be a sight better place fer worship than a building, sinct’ ye can see the stars."
Her holy symbol is the swallowtail butterfly.
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"Funny lookin' red headed fella? Yea he was in town several weeks ago, round the time of last month's festival. Didn't mix much with the locals, spent most of his time with the mayor." he looks around a bit before continuing, "I heard a rumor that he got the taxes and headed off to Riddleport, not back to Magnimar."
"My guess is if'n you're askin about the tax collector, some folks just see you as another tax collector. The idea of paying taxes twice just don't sit well with people. I can invite ye to the festival and put in a good word for you and your friends, folks should warm up to you quick enough."
"If'n you're lookin to set up a camp, there's plenty of farmland out in the hinterlands. Weather's been awful clear lately. On the other hand, if'n you're the types lookin to sleep indoors you'll probably have to talk with the mayor. Ain't no inn in town, but his house has enough guest rooms to accommodate ye."
"Sure! Not as excited as Ornigaard, though. He loves all the games and goes crazy on the sweets at the Founder's Feast. I'm more excited for a chance to dance with this year's harvest queen."
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Ugly Kidd will thank the man, and indicate that spreading a good word around would be appreciated.
Then head to find the everyone else.
"Ugly Kidd think we should check out mayor and his house before the party. He might know about tax man. He also might have rooms for us, but Ugly Kidd would rather camp outside."
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This clapboard, saltbox-style house is the largest home in town. Built on a barren hill, the building has a two-story facade that slopes down to a single-story rear with the large, protruding chimney of a centrally placed hearth. The house seems inviting, and much better maintained than Ravenmoor’s other buildings.
As you come up the hillside you can see a sturdily built man on a step ladder, trimming a nearby hedge. He says you approach and yells loudly before hastily climbing down the ladder. In a huff, he storms over to you, chastising you as he approaches
At this point he's pretty much right in front of you, and although he hasn't touched you, he has his arms out to the side as if trying to usher you away. He is very rude.