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The Gnome shakes her head.
"Nope. Haven't heard anything about 'dopplegangers'. I spend my time focusing on new ways to bake bread! It's a lot safer than going outside!"
As soon as Beltch touches the paper doll, it sinks beneath the water, and begins to fall apart; the best he is able to recover is a soggy mess of paper-pulp.
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JR mentions the little he knows of Hanspur, and as he's doing so Beltch sinks the doll "Maybe this plague of insects is punishment from Hanspur? Maybe someone built a dam or something. I'm starting to think we're going to need to do some exploring out and about in this bug infested mess before we find the real answers."
He pulls out a pair of copper pieces and drops them into the water with the others.
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The copper pieces sink to the bottom of the bowl.
At one of the abandoned farmsteads, the party finds a calf lying on the ground and breathing shallowly as if waiting to die.
Beltch and Junior realise that it has had most of its blood drained by Bloodseekers .
The calf is covered with the bloated bodies of a mundane mob of mosquitoes that are draining the calf’s remaining blood...
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JR rushes up to the dying calf and swats away the pile of mosquitoes "Who would just abandon their livestock like this? Quick help me get these bugs off it while I try to save it." Hold on little buddy, you've got more life yet to live.
The Elf rushes around trying to gather some useful herbs in restoring the dying calf's vigor as best he can.
You can apply natural cures to heal your allies. You can use Nature instead of Medicine to Treat Wounds. If you’re in the wilderness, you might have easier access to fresh ingredients, allowing you to gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to Treat Wounds using Nature, subject to the GM’s determination.
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Junior rushes forward and scares away the regular mosquitoes, but they don't go far - forming a cloud in the air above him.
He is then able to apply his knowledge of herbs to keep the calf from immediately dying - although it is obvious that it will still have a long road to recovery, if it manages to survive at all...
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JR urges the others to help him get it inside the house or barn, whichever seems to offer the best protection against the insects. He gathers up food and water for the beast and suggests the others help or at least looks around while they're there. "Maybe some warm mash will help this fella out. Let's search this place and see what we can't find that's useful."
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There is suddenly a loud commotion just outside town on the Shimmerford Road!
A carriage, drawn by six horses, tears down the road at dangerous speeds. The horses, ears flat against their skulls, are bleeding profusely from numerous small wounds, almost as if they had been attacked with giant-sized needles...
There is no sign of the driver, but from the carriage itself, numerous arms flail wildly, and voices scream for help.
Up ahead of the carriage, you see a sharp turn in the road, where it makes a hard left at the base of a cliff. You only have moments to act!
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"You may be right Emilio, but sounds like we've got something else to deal with first!" Shouts JR as he runs towards the carriage, doing what he hopes will calm and slow the horses. Its too bad he doesn't work with horses all that often, he would have come up with a better plan.
"Woah! I said Woah!"
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Emilio tries to rescue another passenger, but gets shaken off the wagon...
Inspired by Emilio's prior success, Cottar tries to do the same!
Unfortunately, he loses his grip, and is shaken free before he can do anything.
At this point, The wagon outpaces you all; for a split second, you think it is going to make the turn, but then it slams head-on into the cliff, hitting with a wet 'smack', before exploding into a cloud of kindling.
Sorting through the aftermath, you find that there were another three passengers, as well as six horses, and the 'prophecy' of the troubled young man from the tavern comes back to you...
Six and four on the Shimmerford Road...
The one that you did pull free is practically catatonic with shock, but when they come round, they explain that their carriage was attacked by what seemed like a swarm of bloodseekers (stirges) - their driver was thrown off, and probably killed, and the horses were driven into a panicked frenzy.
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JR rushes towards the wreckage, devastated he wasn't able to slow the horses and help with the rescue efforts. At least Emilio was able to get one person to safety. "Quickly, help me sort through the wreckage, maybe there are some survivors!" This enthusiasm quickly wanes as all he finds is blood and corpses.
"That crazy drunk was right. This isn't good. Let's get this survivor into town, then get to the Hill." He leads the survivor to the Whitefish and Stag, drops them off with the inn keep then gets back to the road.
"Ok let's see if we can't find the way."
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The surviving passenger, still in shock, offers no resistance as they are led to the inn.
Interestingly, you note that the 'prophet' has disappeared...
Junior then easily leads the others to Witchtop Hill!
Witchtop Hill is a dimly lit grove of uncanny, bare-branched trees, with thousands of the townsfolks’ Mosquito Witch dolls nailed to the bark.
Investigating the dolls reveals contradictory information as to who could have placed them or when they were placed, for a patina of grime suggests they have been there for a long time, but the dolls should not have survived in such pristine conditions if exposed to the elements.
Attempting to pull out the nails results in a sticky, foul, blood-red sap oozing from the tree bark, accompanied by a sickly-sweet smell...
Searching the area who, everyone *except* Junior notices a tiny discarded sword suitable for a Small humanoid.
Checking the ground near it, Cottar finds the tracks of a Small, humanoid-like creature that approaches the tree and then fled to the northeast into the woods, before disappearing entirely.
Beltch and Junior determines that the tracks are not those of a gnome, goblin, or halfling, but Cottar thinks that the footprints are those of a fey creature known as a mitflit, or mite.
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While Junior is good at navigation, apparently he misses lots of the details at the final destination "Good thing you guys are on top of things, I'd never had noticed those details." He says as he takes some notes on what the others find.
"Since I still think we NEED to find out where these mines are, but don't know, let's go check out the next closest area on the list... how about the old Cultist's shack or maybe the stagnant pool? I'll see if I can't figure the way, I AM pretty good in the woods."
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Junior recalls that Mites are small Fey, which are Vulnerable to Cold Iron, and have a close connection with vermin.
Junior also thinks that there is something... odd.. about the sap, but can't quite put his finger on it.
Following Galia's directions, the party finds its way to the Cultist's former residence...
...but all you find is blackened patch of ground, covered in charred wood, salty ash, and chunks of blackened human bone.
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After a thorough and frustrating search filled with bug bites and itching, JR throws his hands up in the air "I can't find anything here that helps us. If anyone is particularly pious and wants to offer up a prayer for the man then go for it. I say we just start making our way to the stagnant pool before the daylight disappears." He gets his bearings and heads off to where he hopes the pool is.
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Unfortunately, Junior has a difficult time finding his way through the largely trackless forest...
...four hours later, you arrive, much to your surprise, at your destination, but Cottar is worse for wear; the poor halfling is becoming quite tired.
This large muddy pond looks nearly identical to many such ponds in the Shimmerford woods, except that it seems to be teeming with unseasonable life—the water is squirming with mosquito larvae.
At the edge of the pond, you spot a man with fine brown hair and white clothing lying supine on the ground. The man is on the shore of the pond with his head and torso floating in the water, and his clothes are inexplicably pristine despite the mud.
Moving closer, you see mosquitoes crawling out of his mouth and from underneath his eyelids onto his blankly staring eyes.
As you come closer, he coughs up a wet lungful of drowned insects and
stirs.
Cottar recognizes that Andor has a bizarre and potentially magical lung
disease, which is likely to kill him sooner rather than later.
Cottar puts the man on his side, and applies some chest physiotherapy, helping him to (temporarily) cough up the worst of the gunk.
In a ragged voice barely above a whisper, he speaks:
"T-thank-you. My name is Andor Oronce, and after hearing about the Witch, I thought it would be fun to come and explode yet another country-yokel myth; but the Witch is real! *cough* I remember terrifying red eyes staring out at me from the darkness, and a sickly-sweet smell. I fled, but it seemed to be herding me - I ended-up in an area filled with yew tress, about three miles north east of the main fork in the side river past Shimmerford, where my compass ceased to work, *cough* which I think was a hunting ground, because I found... pieces... of others' equipment scattered through the forest, and strips of clothing... but, oh Gods! there was no blood... *cough* I kept fleeing, and found myself here, but the darkness did not leave me; instead, it enfolded me into its embrace, as punishment for my arrogance... *cough* You must flee! If you stay, it will come for you, too! *cough* It has been awoken by our pitiful games, like a great beast disturbed by fleas, and it is not amused... there will be carnage, but no blood... there is never blood..."
His voice trails off into a spluttering cough, as he vomits up a great gout of mosquito-laden water, then he claws at his throat as his eyes roll back into his head, and he collapses to the ground, dead.
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There isn't much he can do but listen. Listen to the doomed man and hope it helps solve this.. whatever THIS is. "We'll do what we can Andor. Rest easy, we'll take it from here." He helps drag the man from the water and lays him in a restful position under a tree, closing his eyes. This place is cursed, if we can't figure it out the least we can do is help the survivors move. He thinks to himself.
"We should get back to town, get a restful night sleep and find this place in the morning. I've got zero interest in facing what we need to face in the darkness." He smacks his 179th mosquito of the day, noticing so many more here.
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Heading back to town for the night, the party is able to acquire rooms at the Inn without any trouble.
However, in the morning, each member of the party makes a rather sobering discovery: A delicately-crafted paper Mosquito Witch doll, exuding a faint sickly-sweet aroma, is positioned on each of your bedside tables, *watching* you.
When asked, none of the Inn staff know anything about how they got there, specifically, but mutter something about the 'Witch taking an interest', and make a gesture to ward off the Evil Eye.
----------------
Following Andor's directions, the party is, after a bit of bush-bashing, able to find a location where compass needles stop working, and the trees are inscribed with creep runes.
The party ends up discovering pieces of equipment, and scraps of clothing, scattered over a wide area, bit in a broad line... almost as if it was being peeled off, as something moved along.
Cottar, Emilio, and Junior all notice old, pointed tracks in the ground and scraps of cloth in nearby branches that suggest *someone* was dragged off and up into a tree. What’s more, they notice that while the tracks resemble those that would be left by the Mosquito Witch’s pointy
feet, a creature of its reported size would be unlikely to take such close footsteps.
Cottar and Emilio both realise that the symbols symbols carved into the trees aren’t actually occult runes or a real language, just scribbles intended to look frightening.
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JR moves along, picking up useful and potentially valuable clues and equipment as he goes "Gather up this stuff. It may help identify who passed away, and at the very least be helpful to the town when we get back." He pockets the antidote but avoids picking up the half plate. "Maybe we'll grab that for the trip back." He says to no one in particular.
He waves the others along as he tries to follow the tracks that lead up a tree? "This way."
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Junior, with Beltch's assistance, is easily able to follow the tracks.
As the party wends its way through the forest, you start hearing a frenzied, terrified howling!
Shortly thereafter, your path takes you out into a clearing in the forest, where you find Haru's dog, Peaches, being harried by three flying beasts that appear to be kin to giant mosquitoes!
Two of the giant mosquito-like creatures dart in, drawing off blood from the frantic dog, which gets noticeably weaker, even as the mosquito-beasts buzz contentedly.
BS (+4, -, +6)
Peaches (-10, Drained 4)
Beltch
Cottar
Emilio
Junior
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"Giant blood suckers! Quick before they drain that dog... and us!" JR hustles up to get within range before sending an arcing jolt of electricity between the yellow and aqua bugs.
Electric ArcCantrip 1
CantripElectricityEvocation
Source Core Rulebook pg. 335
Traditions arcane, primal
Cast Two Actions somatic, verbal
Range 30 feet; Targets 1 or 2 creatures
Saving Throw basic Reflex
An arc of lightning leaps from one target to another. You deal electricity damage equal to 1d4 plus your spellcasting ability modifier.
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Beltch moves to get a clear view and casts a Gust of Wind spell, hoping to blow a couple of the beasts out of the sky.
Air, Evocation, Primal
Traditions: Primal
Cast: [2] somatic, verbal
Area: 60-foot line
Duration: until the start of your next turn
DC: 17
Target's Saving Throw Result:
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature can’t move against the wind.
Failure The creature is knocked prone. If it was flying, it suffers the effects of critical failure instead.
Critical Failure The creature is pushed 30 feet in the wind’s direction, knocked prone, and takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
A violent wind issues forth from your palm, blowing from the point where you are when you cast the spell to the line’s opposite end. The wind extinguishes small non-magical fires, disperses fog and mist, blows objects of light Bulk or less around, and pushes larger objects. Large or smaller creatures in the area must attempt a Fortitude save. Large or smaller creatures that later move into the gust must attempt the save on entering.
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Flapping madly, both mosquito-beasts are blown away - but despite their best efforts, they can't avoid slamming into trees, in explosions of haemolymph...
...unfortunately, Peaches is now bleeding from where one of the beasts' proboscises was ripped free by the wind.
BS (+4)
Peaches (-10, Drained 4, Persistent Bleed 1)
Beltch
Cottar
Emilio
Junior
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Emilio delivers a solid blow to the remaining mosquito, causing it to vomit blood, and leaving it slightly injured.
Cottar then draws, loads, and fires his crossbow...
...dealing a glancing blow.
The mosquito-beast responds by bleeding Peaches some more...
...then, when the poor dog falls unconscious, detaching and flying closer to the party!
[ooc].
Meanwhile, the pool of blood around Peaches grows larger.
BS (+3)
Peaches (-16, Drained 1, bleeding out)
Beltch
Cottar
Emilio
Junior
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JR swears under his breath as Peaches lay dying and the overgrown blood sucker flies over with a belly full. "I'll take care of the dog, you guys finish off that bug."
He calls upon the powers of nature and heals the dying dog's wounds. Then out of anger he flicks his wrist and a wad of rock and mud flies at the fat and happy skeeter.
Focus 1: Cast Single Action somatic
Range 30 feet; Targets 1 creature.
With a flick of your wrist, you fling a chunk of your elemental matter at your foe. Make a spell attack roll, dealing 1d8 bludgeoning damage (or fire damage if your element is fire) on a success, and double damage on a critical success. This spell has your element's trait.
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Cottar and Beltch continue to harry the increasingly frustrated Mosquito!
Buzzing furiously, the mosquito tries to latch onto Emilio...
...but it just can't breach his defenses!
Peaches then bound forward, and tries to bite it...
...crunching the injured creature to death within his jaws!
Peaches then comes over to Junior, grabs his sleeve, and starts to gently tug him to the north-west...
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Following Peaches, the party quickly discovers Haru nearby, standing and staring blankly, not responding, as a gigantic mosquito sucks blood from her neck. Simply attacking it is enough to pop the bloated insect and snap Haru out of her trance.
Haru recall little from after she entered the woods, much less how she got into her current circumstances, but she is able to point you to where she found a secret door that leads into what appear to be underground tunnels...
"Perhaps in there, you will find more. I think I will just head back to town," she says, still seeming a little dazed.
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"Maybe you should just lie down. Or come with us to avoid more danger."
Either way, Beltch waits for the others to check out the secret door. Even though he has darkvision, the goblin pops a few candies in his mouth. He burps four times, each producing a small dancing light that he seems to be able to control and lead the way, providing some light for the others.
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The caves are cramped, barely tall enough for a human-sized creature to stand up straight in.
Practically as soon as you enter, however, you are confronted by a group of small, ugly, blue humanoids, who react with surprise that quickly turns to anger, as they draw sharp blades, and shout for "Gwibble". At that, a slightly bigger, and somehow uglier, blue humanoid rounds the corner.
As he does so, he whistles, and you hear the familiar buzz of a giant mosquito - but the one that flies down the tunnel looks a bit tougher than the last batch you encountered!
Reacting with brutal efficiency, Blue and Yellow Stride forward, and try to stab!
Emilio easily bats aside Blue's blows, but Yellow scores a pair of savage strikes against Junior.
The slightly bigger ugly blue humanoid then strides and strides towards Beltch, before stabbing with his own shortsword...
...but Beltch manages to roll with the blow, only taking a small bruise.
The big mosquito then flutters forward, and tries to attach to Emilio...
...and starts to feed.
G (-)
M (-, -)
BB (+1)
Emilio (-1)
Junior (-10)
Cottar ()
Beltch (-3)