GM Rinaldo |
Showing you to the door, the priest says to Dob, "Just that you came here asking to speak to Ms. Lyons. It's a bit fuzzy now, as if maybe I only dreamed it, but so vividly I recalled it as real ..." His former anger seems gone now, replaced by confusion. "Thank you for being patient with me."
As you take your leave, he suddenly calls out. "Oh, friend gnome! You dropped this!" He hurries after you, and holds out a very familiar, very creepy doll to Dob.
-------------------
So there's talk of the Inn, and of going out to Witch Top. Which will it be?
Kamil Durus |
The Inn! (after, I think the party is undecided)
What with these dolls?!
Entering the inn, Kamil bow flourishly and with a booming voice says Greetings! I'm Kamil Durus we are here to resolve all your problems! Lets talk about them all together.
Performance: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Ezekiel Graystone |
I vote for the inn as well. We can decide where after that. While I'm not opposed to going to Witchtop Hill after the inn, we could learn additional information that might open up other options for investigation prior to going to Witchtop Hill.
Lissi "Sparknozzle" du Galt |
That's my hope as well.
Lissi purchases a room for the night, as well as some ale, and tries to be as unassuming as possible, taking a fly-on-the-wall approach to information gathering. She's surprisingly easy to overlook, despite her odd appearance.
I'm guessing the Diplomacy check to gather info is a secret check? Also what do I owe for room and board?
GM Rinaldo |
The Whitefish and Stag inn is the tallest building in Shimmerford and one of the few with a view over the town gates. As you enter, you see a man stand up behind the bar to greet you. Before he can, however ...
Entering the inn, Kamil bow flourishly and with a booming voice says Greetings! I'm Kamil Durus we are here to resolve all your problems! Lets talk about them all together.
The man is somewhat taken aback, and just blinks at you for a moment, before regaining his wits.
"Er, well, alright then ... welcome to Shimmerford ... Can I get you drinks? Food? Will you be needing rooms? You have the look of monster hunters and adventurers about you."
Looking around, the only other person in the common area at the moment is a haggard human with dark messy hair, stubble sparsely forming a goatee, and gaunt cheeks. He sits in a corner, turning a paper doll over and over in his hands, and muttering to himself.
Bhadrim Thunderhammer |
Bhadrim scowls at the appearance of yet another stuffed doll but keeps his mouth shut. He follows the group to the Inn.
Bhadrim rolls his eyes at Kamil's theatrics, having no truck with such over the top behaviour. Instead, he scans the room and notices the man turning a paper doll over in his hands. Ignoring everyone else, Bhadrim bustles over to the man and extends his hand in greetings.
"Greetings friend, I am Bhadrim Thunderhammer, a Pathfinder sent here to investigate the goings on here in Shimmer Ford of late. I notice you have a paper doll. We just spoke with Ms. Lyons who mentioned that the Mosquito Witch left behind paper dolls. How about we have a chat about that doll?" Bhadrim says by way of introduction.
Ezekiel Graystone |
I know we're not exactly in "Adventuring" mode right now, but I'm going to keep an eye out and not engage in social checks, since I have a decent perception. Someone has to be placing the dolls in our packs when we're not looking and I want to see if I can spot anything suspicious related to that.
Dob Frilko |
Dob thanks the young man for the "return" of the doll, "hugging" it as they leave. Once they are out of sight of the Lyon place, he tosses the doll on the ground, draws a weapon and hacks it to pieces. "Either we have an invisible stalker, or this damn thing's animated by some spirit. Making sure it's not the second."
Provided that doesn't make us roll initiative, Dob will scatter the pieces, keeping the head looped onto his belt. At the inn, he'll look into the possibility of a secure room.
GM Rinaldo |
Bhadrim scowls at the appearance of yet another stuffed doll but keeps his mouth shut.
On inspection, this appears not to be another doll, but the same one as before.
Dob thanks the young man for the "return" of the doll, "hugging" it as they leave. Once they are out of sight of the Lyon place, he tosses the doll on the ground, draws a weapon and hacks it to pieces. "Either we have an invisible stalker, or this damn thing's animated by some spirit. Making sure it's not the second."
Provided that doesn't make us roll initiative, Dob will scatter the pieces, keeping the head looped onto his belt. At the inn, he'll look into the possibility of a secure room.
Dob destroys the body of the doll, scattering the straw around. He keeps the head on his belt, where he can keep an eye on it.
-----------
I know we're not exactly in "Adventuring" mode right now, but I'm going to keep an eye out and not engage in social checks, since I have a decent perception. Someone has to be placing the dolls in our packs when we're not looking and I want to see if I can spot anything suspicious related to that.
Understood.
-----------
"Greetings friend, I am Bhadrim Thunderhammer, a Pathfinder sent here to investigate the goings on here in Shimmer Ford of late. I notice you have a paper doll. We just spoke with Ms. Lyons who mentioned that the Mosquito Witch left behind paper dolls. How about we have a chat about that doll?" Bhadrim says by way of introduction.
The man looks up at Bhadrim with slightly unfocused eyes. “The doll - it’s following me. Ha...hah hahaha! Of course its following me. I’m being stalked by a doll!” The man crushes the paper in his hands. “’The iron cave will fall’... what is that supposed to mean? What do you want from me?!”
His last words are loud, not quite a scream. He looks around at the group, and notices the doll's head on Dob's belt. "You have one, too! Don't let it get into your head!"
Lissi "Sparknozzle" du Galt |
Lissi watches the loud man with morbid fascination. How very strange. She wonders if the dolls aren't a manifestation of some sort. Maybe they're not even real? She ponders that for a moment before turning to the barkeep. "Room and board, please. One night, for now."
Vengis Mountebank |
Vengis looks on with some alarm as the barkeep or innkeeper discusses the doll.
"What do you mean, 'the iron cave will fall'? What is that supposed to mean?" he asks.
diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
GM Rinaldo |
Vengis looks on with some alarm as the barkeep or innkeeper discusses the doll.
To be clear, the innkeeper is not discussing the doll. He is near the front of the room. The manic man in the corner has the paper doll.
"What do you mean, 'the iron cave will fall'? What is that supposed to mean?" he asks.
"I DON'T KNOW! IT WON'T TELL ME!"
He bats the crumpled paper doll across the table. As it moves, you realize that there are words written on the inside of the folds.
GM Rinaldo |
As an aside, going forward please don't roll skill checks unless I ask for them. Many times those checks are ones I will need to do secretly. If you want to attempt a check for a specific purpose, give me your modifier so I can roll if appropriate.
Kamil Durus |
Now an iron cave, better and better... but it could be an clue. Lets not dismiss it too fast.
Kamil moves toward the innkeeper and adds to Lissi’s words For all of us please.
Then he asks We hope to be of help here, what can you say to us about what’s going on here?
GM Rinaldo |
"Him? I think his name's Quintus ... he got here a few days back. Seemed pretty normal at the time, but he's clearly disturbed. Not sure what's got into him. If you leave him alone, he'll just go back to quietly babbling. He hasn't been violent or anything, beyond a few screams."
Kamil Durus |
And except for this particular customer, anything worth knowing? Except of course for the resurgence of numerous bloodsucker, paper dolls and mosquitos in the area.
Asks Kamil
Bhadrim Thunderhammer |
Bhadrim indicates to the crushed up paper doll.
"Mind if I take that?" he asks of Quintus. Assuming that the man doesn't care, he picks it up and looks to some of his more magically inclined compatriots and waggles his fingers at it.
"Any of you able to see if there's something... special about this piece of paper?" Bhadrim quickly turns it over in his hands to see if there is anything on it aside from the writing.
"Oh, and some ale," he says to the barkeep as an aside.
GM Rinaldo |
The paper is crumpled and smudged from the man's hands, but unfolding it you can make out the words The iron cave will fall scrawled in an unsteady hand.
The innkeeper shrugs at Kamil and says, "The mosquitoes and bloodsuckers have driven most folks away and the only tourists we have left are the occasional adventurers like yourselves, coming to see if they can figure out what's happening. Hopefully one of you will, and we can get our town back."
Ezekiel Graystone |
Ezekiel writes down "The iron cave" followed by several question marks, circling it a few times for emphasis as he wracks his brain, trying to think of any time he might have heard of the name "the iron cave" in any of the various books he's read over the year, particularly in regards to the surrounding area.
Bhadrim Thunderhammer |
Iron cave, Bhadrim thought to himself. I wonder...
"Barkeep, are there any mines in the area?" Bhadrim asks. He had been a miner in his youth, and the connection seemed simple.
GM Rinaldo |
"Barkeep, are there any mines in the area?" Bhadrim asks. He had been a miner in his youth, and the connection seemed simple.
"Mines? No, can't say I've ever heard of one. The forest's a big place, though."
Bhadrim Thunderhammer |
Bhadrim grumbles as he stashes the paper doll in a belt pouch.
"You said earlier that the only people were occasional adventurers like us. We met a woman earlier who was looking for a friend who had come to Shimmerford around a month ago. She sent a letter to this woman who has come to look for her. Ring any bells?" Bhadrim asks the barkeep.
"Also, what do you know of Witchtop Hill, and this Ghlaunder cultist who was lynched?"
GM Rinaldo |
"Well, there's been a few adventurers. A half-elf woman came through a few days back. Had a fancy set of golden armor. Last I saw she headed northeast into the woods. Then there was a man dressed in white, he went east yesterday. Haven't seen either of them since."
"Witchtop Hill, that's where Mordha Lyons and those other kids say the Mosquito Witch attacked them all those years back. I don't go up there myself."
"That cultist, that was a bad one. Hermit he was, working his mischief out there. Strung him up and burned his place down, we did. Whatever he started didn't end with him, sadly. We're better off without him, though."
Lissi "Sparknozzle" du Galt |
Lissi sips a mug of some weak beverage--she's never had much stomach for alcohol--and tries to wrack her brain for more pertinent questions. She really thought maybe the dwarf had something with the question about the mine. She needs to learn to think outside the box if she's going to--
I will eat your thoughts, It whispers. They will taste like new paper, and sand in an hour glass. I will smother them in your dreams and eat those too.
Lissi squeezes her eyes closed with an almost imperceptible whimper, rocking gently as she waits for the episode to pass.
GM Rinaldo |
Do you know any person in town that has recieved a paper doll?
"Can't say that I have."
Bhadrim Thunderhammer |
Bhadrim scratches his beard as the barkeep mentions the few people who have passed through recently. Without much details to go on, it could be them or it might not be. He nods, taking a mental note if they run into the woman from earlier.
"Any recent gossip about Witchtop Hill? Perhaps before all of...," Bhadrim waves his hand around. "This."
As the barkeep describes what happened with the cultist, Bhadrim says nothing. Once the barkeep finishes, Bhadrim nods.
"I won't judge you. Won't even say I wouldn't do the same. But nothing, no change after you strung him up? Did it get worse?"
GM Rinaldo |
The innkeeper shrugs and apologizes, but he has nothing to add on the topic of Witchtop Hill or the Ghlaunder cultist.
Ezekiel Graystone |
"Do we feel there's any benefit in further investigating the town, or shall we make way to Witchtop Hill now? Ezekiel asks as he begins drawing lines between circled notations in his notebook, the beginnings of a conspiracy diagram rising.
Lissi "Sparknozzle" du Galt |
Lissi takes several deep breaths. Eventually, Its voice fades. She opens her eyes to hear the others speaking of leaving. "Okay. Witchtop Hill." She sees no reason to delay the trip further, either.
GM Rinaldo |
You take your leave of the inn and set out to find Witchtop Hill. Ms. Lyons' directions weren't the best, but you are nonetheless able to identify the place once you get out there.
Witchtop Hill is a dimly lit grove of uncanny, bare-branched trees, with thousands of Mosquito Witch dolls nailed to the bark. 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.
Let me know what specifically you want to do, and what skills you want to attempt. Give me your modifiers and let me roll secretly, as some skills come with a penalty for failure.
Lissi "Sparknozzle" du Galt |
Lissi approaches cautiously, keeping to shadows when she can, moving around to the side so she's still at least somewhat in the shadows of other trees as she goes. This place feels... dangerous, and she wants to be prepared.
I would like to get Lissi as close as she can get to the tree without breaking from enough cover to use Stealth. In Exploration terms, I would like to attempt to Avoid Notice. She will get as close as she can and do a Perception check on the dolls.
Vengis Mountebank |
Vengis isn't sure what to make of the thousands of creepy dolls.
Speaking quietly with his cat, he tries to determine what he knows about them, if anything.
I'd like to try Perception +3, Lore (Underworld) +4, Occultism +4, and Religion +3
GM Rinaldo |
Lissi, sorry if it wasn't clear ... there is not one tree, there is a whole wooded hill. The dolls are nailed to every tree.
Vengis, these dolls are nearly identical to the one the Venture-Captain gave you at the start of the mission. They are clearly handmade, so they have normal variance in size, shape, color, etc., but they all follow the same basic pattern.
Ezekiel Graystone |
For the first time since arriving, Ezekiel broke his eye line from his notebook and took in the disturbing sight of Witchtop Hill. Each and every tree having a doll nailed to it was beyond his original assumption of what the visage would be here, and it took a few moments for Ezekiel to compose himself once again.
"Obviously someone with an agenda. But there has to be a pattern or a purposes here..."
I'll be using Perception +6, Occultism +7, Religion +6, and Lore (Underworld) +7 as part of my investigation into the area.
GM Rinaldo |
Ezekiel, I need you to be more specific about what you are doing, where you searching, what you are looking for.
Dob Frilko |
Dob pulls out his longbow and knocks an arrow. He moves to the highest point on the hill he can find, slings the bow, and climbs the highest tree he can find there, looking around to see the area and see if anything leaps out. He finds a sturdy branch to get a good 360 view.
Athletics +7 Perception +6/Scouting Lore +5
Ezekiel Graystone |
Since I'm not fully convinced that these are the workings of a mystical entity just yet, I'm going to be checking for any indication of activity of a non-supernatural origin, such as tracks or campfires. Anything that would indicate the involvement of a very physical and very mortal creature.
GM Rinaldo |
Dob takes to a tree to get a better view. He notices something on the ground a bit away, and when he points it out to the others, you find that it is a sword suitable for a small humanoid, such as a gnome or halfling.
Other than that, he sees nothing out of the ordinary from his vantage.
GM Rinaldo |
Kamil detects no magical auras in the area. (Unless any PCs happen to have any, that is.)
GM Rinaldo |
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Bhadrim looks in the direction Dob points, and near the small sword he finds small humanoid tracks that approach the tree and then flee northeast into the woods. He points them out, and Ezekiel realizes that he has seen pictures like this before - they are a type of fey creature known as a "mitflit", or sometimes a "mite". The tracks go a short distance into the woods before being obscured (likely by the creature intentionally hiding its tracks).
More well timed critical successes there!
Lissi "Sparknozzle" du Galt |
Sorry, I misunderstood. I was picturing a huge tree at the top of the hill with thousands of tiny dolls on it. Honestly, I can't decide which image is creepier.
Lissi studies one of the dolls nailed to a tree, then moves to look at the tracks. She frowns at the mention of mitflits.
Would Lissi's First World Lore work here to learn more about the mites? It's +5.