GM Blake's PFS(2) 1-02: The Mosquito Witch (Inactive)

Game Master Blake's Tiger

Where to now? What did the old lady have to say?

"Seems the witch is haunting her too. She told us where she meet the witch in her youth." Aspero fills in Dave on the old woman shared. [b]"Did you get what you needed from the smith? Learn anything?"

As he swats away the new swarm, "Should we visit the remaining townsfolk or try the hill the old woman mentioned?"

Good with more info gathering or heading into the swamp.

"I believe there was one other that Gallia mentioned. A weird man at the inn. We should see what he has to contribute before we go. Gallia said he seemed nervous. Lets go see about what." says Kale.

I wonder if Witchtop hill was the name of the place before witch was spotted there. Fate finds a way I guess.

"To the weird man!"

I didn't learn a thing. He is more a kitchen smith than a weapon smith.

You make your way to the main road and up the hill to the inn, which is the tallest building in the town. It possesses a clear view over the city walls from its upper story. A wooden signs hands over the front door depicting a white fish and a stag.

"Welcome to the Whitefish and Stag," says a man at the bar, exhausted eyes staring only in the general direction of the door while his hand sweeps a dirty rag in circle after circle over the same spot on the wooden counter. "Plans to stay? Something to eat?" His tone is dull and monotonous.

The only other person in the common room at the moment is a thin man hunched over a table by the entrance and muttering to himself. His dark, messy hair hangs over his face and a few days of stubble cover his gaunt cheeks down to an unkempt goatee.

His sweaty hands are turning a paper doll over and over. The sweat is beginning to melt the paper into a twisted tangle of pointed legs and clotted pulp.

Hamlet nods to the inn keeper, "Happy greetings, my good man. We are here for some information. We aim to assist your fine town in ridding it of the evil that pervades it. We seek any knowledge you have on the local Witch and related sightings. Any information you can give would be most helpful. Also, who might the gentleman over there be?"

Hamlet nods toward the hunched over man. "We have seen the same paper doll throughout the town. Is he the one that makes them?"

Aspero ambles up to the bar, being better at drinking than talking... He does take the closest seat to the fidgety man. He looks over the bar with a curious eye trying to get the barkeeps attention.

Looking to the barkeep, "Maybe a mug of something to help forget the itching and biting? If I could get that with maybe a nice shank of mutton and a side of rumors about what's happening in town?" Aspero keeps a friendly grin and taps out a rythmeless tune on the bar as he waits.

"Happy? Haven't seen happy in half a year," the innkeeper mutters. "I'd be happy to board another group of monster hunters as long as they're paying."

He turns away to draw a mug of ale for Aspero and plops it down on the counter with a plate of cold meat of indeterminate origin. "That'll be two copper for the food and drink."

By the door, the disheveled man, overhearing Hamlet's question, rambles, "Make? No, no no. Cursed. Cursed."

The innkeeper shakes his head in answer. "That's Quintus. He's not from around here. Showed up a little while back after the other monster hunters. But if it's the Mosquito Witch you're after, keep your noses tuned for the sick sweet smell of rot that permeates the air where she's been. Look in the shadows, if you dare. That's where you'll find her glowing red eyes watching you. She's the one leaving dolls all over the place. Warnings that she'll be back."

Lleylo stomps over to Quintus and says "Don't let dolls frighten you! Be brave! Look, yes!"

With a determined smirk, te tries to snatch the paper doll from Quintus and prepares to burn it.

Aspero pokes at the mysterious protein before him, "Aye, at least we're paying monster hunters..." He slides the coins across the bar before messily tackling the meat and mumbling "Mmmm. I taste notes of pork and regret, not bad."

Swallowing back the last of his ale Aspero pass a wistful look between his empty mug and the barkeep, "So, other monster hunters. Any by here recently?" He also glances to Quintus, "Cursed? You? The town? A little bit of both?"

Listening to the innkeeper, Kalester slowly approaches the man named Quintus. Observing him cautiously, Kale takes a knee to look into the man's eyes. "Hello Quintus. My name is Kalester. You can call me Kale. Sorry to bother you but myself and the group I am with are trying to fix this problem with the Mosquito Witch. Is there any chance you have some information on the matter that you would be willing to share."

Can I have a mug of scrumpy and a ploughman's meal? after a moment he remembers himself. Please.

Bladden steps out of Dave's shadow, nose deep in a book, and takes a seat at the table upon hearing "ploughman's meal."

"I'll have that plougman special as well, seeing that we have missed tea this afternoon... oh, and I think we should all go check Witchtop Hill before dark."

"To Witchtop Hill!"

Horatio gives a delightfully cute cat roar.

"Two copper," the innkeeper says monotonously as Dave and Bladden request their own meals. He turns and mechanically fills two more mugs of ale. He chops off more meat from the shank rotating over the fire and drops the plates down with a sigh. "Yeah. Haven't seen them in a while. The Witch probably got them. There was the half-elf in gold armor. Last saw him go off to the northeast. The man in the white robes headed off to the east."

Quintus barely registers Lleylo's theft of the paper dolls. “An idiot. An absolute idiot...” The man laughs sadly to himself, before jerking himself upright.

Bloodshot eyes look toward Kalester from under the greasy curtain of dark hair. “It’s in my nightmares. Go on, laugh!” Quintus snaps. “Laugh at the paranoid madman! Ever since I came too close to this damned town, I can’t get rid of it. It shows up and doesn’t say anything but when I wake up, I know things. Six and four dead on the Shimmerford road. But how? But why? Is the witch causing it? What does that have to do with the mosquitoes? And why is someone stealing shovels? I don’t even know how I know it... Maybe I’m supposed to cause it.”

"Shovels? Has there been any digging around? That would be the most logical reason."

Hamlet looks over to Horatio who has decided to fall asleep, curled up very cute on the floor.

"Yeah, me too, friend." Bored, Hamlet turns to his fellow travelers. "Witchtop Hill?"

"Yes, to the hill! Let's teach this witch a lesson, yes!"

His red eyes glow defiantly, giving him a frightening look.

Aspero stares down Quintus, trying to determine where he falls between absolute nutter and haunted vessel of witch-demon...

asks the bartender, "Is there a Shimmerford road in or near town? Would it be on the way to Witchtop?" He pauses for the barkeep to answer, following up with "Any die there recently, or maybe legends about 'six and four dead' on the road?" He waits politely again, "Monster hunters to the east and northeast..."

Did we get which direction Witchtop was? Northeast-y hopefully?

He slides an extra silver across the bar, "Good ale, good times."

The directions you received to Witchtop Hill.

Quintus seems sincere in his beliefs, exhausted, and sleep deprived.

Hamlet's question about shovels ignites another rant from the man. “They’ve all gone missing. And picks. Hammers. Rope. Lanterns too. Maybe it’s a thief? But maybe that’s what it wants me to think. There must be some significance... it’s probably staring me right in the face and I just. Can’t. Think of it!”

The innkeeper just shrugs. "No digs that I know about. Plenty dead. And the Shimmerford Road is that big main thoroughfare you walked up to get here."

Kalester stands up from his kneeling position and places his fingers to his chin, thinking calmly and carefully about what Quintus has said. After a moment he says "Prophecy is usually someone trying to enforce there will on you. I'll keep an eye out for all you have said and connect the dots where I can. Thank you for talking with us. Please be safe in your journeys."

Kale walks outside of the Inn to meet with the rest of the group. "Off to Witchtop Hill then I guess. I feel the prophecies Quintus mentioned are mostly ramblings of a mad man but we should keep our minds open to interpreting what he said."

You finish your drinks and food and leave Quintus to his misery. On the road down from the inn, you hear the high-pitched screaming of horses. Nearer the cross street in town, the screaming gets louder and is accompanied by the thunder of hoof beats.

A carriage pulled by six horses--each of them with several bleeding wounds on their sides--careens wildly down the street toward the intersection. The horses seem blind with pain, and their lips are pulled back and froth covered as they cry out. The carriage wobbles precariously from one side to the other with each bump and hole in the road. Inside the carriage, you see four people holding on for dear life, knuckles white and eyes wide. Their luggage is largely scattered across the road behind them.

There is little time to act.

Each PC gets the opportunity for 1 action.

Leap on to the Carriage: A successful Acrobatics or Athletics (DC 17) check allows you to leap onto the carriage and pull 1 passenger free. You can continue to make checks until you either pull all passengers free or fail.
Calm the Horses: A Nature check to calm the horses long enough for 1 of the passengers to leap to safety.
Create a Barrier: An Athletics or Crafting to build a makeshift barrier to slow the horses long enough for 1 passenger to leap to safety.

Lleylo, being the goblin that he is, is absolutely terrified of horses in general, let alone these six frantic ones. He lets out a yelp, and tries to get as far from the carriage as possible..

Hamlet and Horatio leap away from the carriage.

Hamlet Athletics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Horatio Athletics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 (if needed)

Bladden disengages an apple cart's brakes with a swift kick. The cart rolls to the middle of the intersection.

Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Kalester attempts to leaps onto the carriage.

Athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Dave reaches a hand out and starts making calming sounds, trying to slow the horses.

Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Lleylo flees the maddened horses in terror, and Hamlet leaps out of their path. Desperate faces stare out of the carriage windows, hope draining from their eyes as they pass. The horses whinny and slow as they turn around the apple cart that rolls into the road. The carriage leans onto two wheels precariously, but the pause in momentum gives one man enough time to pull himself through a window and leap. He tumbles to a stop as the carriage continues on without him.

Kalester makes a valiant leap, but fails to maintain his grip on the carriage, slipping from the side as the remaining three passengers reach toward him with pleading hands. A moment later, Dave tries to sooth the horses. While it fails to stop them, their pulling and bucking becomes less erratic. A man pushes a woman out of the carriage to the relative safety of the road where all she suffers is a series of abrasions and torn clothes.

Aspero takes a serious demeanor, then rushes the cart and tries to leap aboard.

Athletics/DC 17: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

He grabs a passenger and rolls off the carriage, landing by far more gracefully then one would expect of a dwarf. Once the passenger is clear, prepares to rush the carriage again.

Go ahead and roll again, Aspero. The check is to see if you can hold on long enough.

Athletics/Hold on: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Aspero tries to cling to the carriage...

Aspero leaps onto the carriage, holding on tightly. He grabs hold of one of the passengers' hands and pulls him from the carriage, tossing him onto the ground. The stout dwarven warrior continues to hold on despite the bouncing and wobbling of the carriage. He grabs hold of the last passenger and leaps to safety.

A moment later, the horses make a sharp turn and the carriage topples. It pulls the horses down and the tangle careens off of the steep bank beside the road. The crash kills the horses, leaving six dead on the road. However, you managed to save the four passengers.

Once the passengers have pulled themselves together, they approach with grateful eyes. The thrill of the moment is swiftly dampened by the on rush of mosquitoes and the annoying buzzes in your ears as well as the itchy wheals rising on your skin.

"Thank you," the woman says. "It's not much, but please take this as a reward." She hands you a silver ring and two silver bracelets.

One of the men nods and says, "Yes, thank you. You saved our lives. I was saving this for an emergency, but you folks were willing to risk your lives for us, and I suspect you've more danger before you." He hands you a minor potion of healing.

Seeing that the horses are safely dead, Lleylo pulls himself together, dusts off his clothes, and approaches the passengers.

"What happened? Why your horses so wild, yes?"

Kalester rushes forward, deeply winded from trying to keep up with the cart. "That was quite an amazing feat of strength Aspero." manages Kale once he catches his breath.

After checking on the passengers and thanking them for their gifts, he dusts himself off.

Aspero turns to Kalester, "Aye, even surprised myself there!" He grins and looks a little puzzled, "Six and four dead on the Shimmerford? Maybe Quintus isn't mad... Should we be more worried about missing shovels?"

"Perhaps so my friend." says Kale.

As things settle, Kale turns to his fellow adventurers and says "So, shall we escort this group back to town or trust they can make it on their own and continue to Witchtop Hill?"

You are at the crossroads before the gate leading out of town, for reference. They are unlikely to get lost.

"A swarm of bloodseekers fell upon us just as we finished packing," the man says. "We hid inside the carriage, but they attacks the horses. Next thing we knew, we were rushing down the road."

They graciously accept whatever help you offer them as they collect their scattered belongings and make their way back to their homes. "We will need to figure out another way out of town," one of them laments.

Believing yourselves ready to head into the woods in search of the Mosquito Witch, you depart Shimmerford under a chorus of droning pests in your ears. The woods themselves are filled with a heavy layer of mist. Between the mist and the canopy overhead, the forest itself is quite dim. It is difficult to see the mosquitoes, but you can feel them as they crawl on your body, occasionally fly up your nose, and buzz in your ears.

Survival Check, please.

Speaking to the man and woman, "Thank goodness you are safe now. That could have been tragic."

Hamlet nods to Aspero's suggestion that there might be more at play here than meets the eye.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Kalester attempts to assist where he can as the group venture forth into the woods.

Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Aspero continues to swat at the ever-present mosquitos. "Blast, they weren't kidding... These wee-beasties are EVERYWHERE..." He mutters dwarven cusses under his breath as the groups moves forward.

Lleylo looks around, scanning the underbrush carefully, while absent-mindedly scratching his welts.

Dave scans the area, trying to determine which way to go.

After a short hike through the woods, you come to a dimly lit clearing at the top of a hill. The fog is slightly less thick here and the canopy absent as the trees that ring the clearing are bare. Their thin, skeletal arms and fingers stretching high toward the sky. Nailed each of the surrounding trees are dozens of rope dolls and wheat-sheath dolls similar to the Mosquito Witch doll that you were first shown.

Lying in the center of the clearing is a folded paper Mosquito Witch doll like those you've found in the town.

Perception Check to examine the clearing.
If you want to examine the trees and dolls, just tell me what you're doing to examine them.
Secret Survival Check (Trained Only) to examine the clearing for tracks or other signs of passage.

Upon reaching the clearing and looking around, Kalester starts to cast Detect Magic. He cautiously walks around the area, keeping his party in sight to the best that he can. "I believe we have arrived at Witchtop Hill. Quite the scene..."

Dave looks down at the ground looking for any sign of who could have put the doll in the middle of the clearing and where they may have gone.

"Cheery scene..." Aspero moves around the clearing looking for anything out of the norm. "My bet is the town's folk left the dolls on the trees," he motions to the folded paper doll in the center, "But that is suspicious."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Lleylo mutters when he sees more dolls, and proceeds to inspect them.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

One everyone is finished with the dolls, he plans to burn them again in defiance.

He also carefully checks the surroundings for any signs of recent tracks.

"Oh look. More dolls... Riveting..." Hamlet yawns as Horatio gives a classic cat stretch, then curls up for a quick nap. "I'll wake you buddy if anything exciting happens. Like if someone warns us about a 'witch' that apparently is really into origami."

Hamlet looks toward the clearing.