GM Silbeg PFS2 1-02 Mosquito Witch GD9 (Inactive)

Game Master Silbeg

Who is carrying the doll?
Shimmerford is a forested town located near the East Sellen River’s first fork, just east of Riverton. You travel to Shimmerford without any incident, though as they approach, thick clouds of mosquitoes hanging over the shoreline become more prominent, until the earth seems covered with writhing black masses of flying insects.

You arrive to find not the festive village that once was, but a suspicious settlement with empty streets and clusters of mosquitoes hovering over each puddle of water. When you disembark from their boat, a gnome with blueberry-blue hair and copper skin emerges from a tiny house that has been mosquito-proofed with cloth and wax crammed into every crack and seam. You assume that this Galia Farrsmith, the contact that Venture-Captain Smine suggested you seek out in Shimmerford. When she sees you, she hurries over to greet them, wringing her hands and swatting away any mosquitoes that come near her.

"Oh, thank goodness! Oh, thank goodness! You actually came! Smine actually sent someone! You must be them, right? No one comes here a-anymore unless they’re planning to help! Do you want to talk inside? My house is mostly mosquito- free! Can I get you anything? My beet juice is also mostly mosquito-free! Would you like to sit down? A fresh haircut, maybe? Oh, thank goodness you’re here!"

Toadlicker's eyes go wide at the sight of all the bugs, and the drool starts spilling over his lips. "We here for 'squitos. Leave all 'squitos in juice. Adds flavor! You tell us where bug witch?"

I presume toadlicker does not have the doll?

Nah. He has no interest in the doll. I was under the impression that Arra took it.

Dorian looks with a scowl on his face at the hordes of the bloodsucking insects. he says to the gnome. Yes lets be goin into yur dwellin. quickly. he starts forward.

Dorian would not be carrying the fetish

Arra will absolutely take the doll. I'm sure this won't end badly. :)

"Yes," Arra pronounces, "we will speak inside."

So, basically we're in New England. Or possibly my back yard.

Naw... its Minnesota.
The sounds of buzzing can be heard constantly.

"Oh, certainly! I can understand why you wouldn't want to stay outside longer than needed."

She hurries the team into her house (labeled A1 on the map), which is definitely built to gnomish scale. "Please, find a seat" she says, as she pours each of you a small glass of a dark red liquid... presumably beet juice.

Grisaia takes a moment to ensure she won't break any chair available, opting to take the floor if necessary. "Seems difficult to stay bug-free around here." she observes, rubbing at a few bites ruefully. "Thank you for the hospitality."

Autumn hurries with the others into Galia's home, having a hard time taking her eyes away from the nearest cluster of mosquitoes. She scrapes her boots off on a small rug inside before finding a seat.

"Yes, thank you," she says with visible relief. "Smine said you would have more current information for us? Has anything changed since you sent the letter?"

"You are welcome, Pathfinder. By the way, I am sorry... my name is Galia Farrsmith, and I was the one that sent for help from your Venture-Captain Smine. Would it be bold of me to ask your names?"

Assuming intros happen
Replying to Autumn, she says "W-well, you probably noticed the mosquitoes. There’ve been a lot of bloodseekers, too. Those are mosquitoes that are as big as your heads! The little ones are bad enough, but the big ones have been driving people out of the town. One even carried off poor Mrs. McClairby’s cat, and some of them killed all of Mr. Rujat’s prize cattle. It’s been really, really, really awful around here!"

Names Dorian! Bloodseekers you say? Can you describe them? or draw a picture of one? Is there somethin you be knowin works to keep skeeters away?

"There is definitely something strange here," Arra agrees. "This representation of the mosquito witch has a mind -- or magic -- of its own."

She casts detect magic, trying to find out more about what's happening.

Toadlicker absently introduces himself when asked, looking a little disappointed at the lack of bugs in his beet juice, but drinks it with little complaint. At the description of the bloodseekers, Toadlicker's ears perkup (for a goblin). "'Squitos the size of my head?! Sounds like dinner!"

"Toadlicker is the hungriest goblin you'll ever meet," Zandu says, then quickly introduces himself. He waits to hear answers to the questions Dorian asked before adding, "I'm curious to know what you do about the Mosquito Witch. Not that I think there's anything to that in this case, but we're Pathfinders and collecting lore is sort of our game."

” No one knows anything for sure about the Mosquito Witch! It's a thing that shows up outside of town sometimes, b-but I've never heard of it causing this much harm! I even think the little dolls people make of it are k-kind of cute. We used to throw a festival every year for it. Anna always made the best witchbread for the festival…”

Area detects no magic.

”Bloodseekers are the really, really big mosquitos. As big as a cat, they are! Drain you dry in no time! And nothing seems to keep the swarms or bloodseekers away. Mostly we just rely on closed windows and doors, and good mosquito netting.”

Arra, having not bothered to introduce herself, sips at the beet juice.

"Did anything unusual happen before the mosquitoes became unbearable?" she asks. "Even the smallest of words may attract fell attention, so any detail can help us find out what happened here."

The strange goblin seems to be nearly dancing in place in anticipation, his tongue darting out now and then, almost as if with a will of it's own. "Where we find witch? What best place for looking?"

"The name's Autumn! the half-elf introduces herself.

"The Bloodsuckers sound terrible," she acknowledges with a shiver. "Smine told us he wasn't aware of any people who had died, only livestock. Have they actively tried to kill people at all? Or is it still only animals?"

"Did anything unusual happen before the mosquitoes became unbearable?"

"I don’t think so? Um, let me see. Mr. Albi’s daughter ran off with the traveling postman, and there was a big fuss about Mr. Vernon’s rooster getting out to harass Mrs. Favam’s ducks. I don’t think any of that would have caused this, though. Even Ms. Lyons d-didn’t seem to think anything was wrong, until the mosquitoes showed up."

"Where we find witch? What best place for looking?"

"I really wouldn't know, dear. However, Ms. Mordha Lyons may know more. She actually saw the Mosquito Witch, back in the day! One of the first! She doesn’t much like strangers, though. I don’t think she much likes a-anyone, truth to be told."

Have they actively tried to kill people at all? Or is it still only animals?

"I think it is more of they are trying to such all the blood out of everyone and everything. The townsfolk are just better at getting themselves out of harm's way than the animals. That said, I think it is just a matter of time."

Toad Licker wrote:

"Where we find witch? What best place for looking?"

"I really wouldn't know, dear. However, Ms. Mordha Lyons may know more. She actually saw the Mosquito Witch, back in the day! One of the first! She doesn’t much like strangers, though. I don’t think she much likes a-anyone, truth to be told."

Toadlicker nods. "We go talk to Lion lady. Not sure why lion scared of bugs, but I am strong like toad. Will protect!"

Arra nods.

"And if she can't help us, this rooster, or perhaps the postman. Sometimes even an unwitting jest in the wrong place can attract some dark patron's attention," she notes.

Galia lets you know where Ms. Lyons lives. Now on the map legend as A4

"Can I do anything else for you?" she asks.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Toadlicker shakes his head, wanting to get on the road, but then his eyes are drawn to the bare pantry. While the concept of a pantry is relatively new to him, he understood what it was for.

"You need more food to survive. Toadlicker bring food for Galia. Help survive. You like bugs?"

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

"The lack of tourism must be having a terrible impact on your day. But we'd like to help. Take this," Zandu digs through his backpack and retrieves a week worth of rations. "It's nothing fancy, but it will feed you."

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

"You've given us plenty to work with. As well as your hospitality." Grisaia observes. "Is there anything more we can do to help you before we head out?"

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Autumn notes the bare pantry, but doesn't think too much of it before Toadlicker and Zandu's comments.

"Oh! Or maybe something other than bugs?" She offers Galia a smile. "We'd be happy to help you, especially after all of the help you've offered us."

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Arra watches as the others observe and then adds a little helpful advice of her own.

"Leaving out a small tribute might help propitiate the Mosquito Witch, letting you be in peace," she suggests. "Perhaps that might be a good use for one of your beets if you need room for this other food."

"Oh, thank you. This is totally not necessary." she says, looking quite embarrassed. "Yes, the tourist trade is n-non-existent right now, and I appreciate your generosity! Thank you!

"Saving our poor town from whatever is causing this, be it the Mosquito Witch, or G-Ghlaunder cultist, or w-whatever. "

She accepts your food, regardless of her embarrassment.

Where to next?

I think Ms. Lyons' is our first stop.

Agreed, Ms. Lyon's makes the most sense.

Also agreed. If that doesn't get us anywhere, we'll go investigate that rooster.

Throw your tokens on the map near Galia's house, please... in a rough marching order.

As there are sites of interest on the way, to expedite things, I'll move you along as soon as you are in that order.

I have Arra on the map. I assume she's toward the rear of the group.

Placed Zandu in the middle. He has Trap Finder, and ideally benefits if he can see 10ft from where he is to the front of the group. But he'll let the others lead while outdoors.

Autumn is also in the back.

Grisaia will follow behind our goblin leader, once we get out of the tight quarters.

Dorian takes point. Shield at the ready and hammer out.

Dorian's nose get's a twitchin' when he notices the sign for Hart’s Brewery to the north. It appears that it is still open for business!

Labeled A2 on the map... there, or continue on?

something you all hear

"Pop in and ask around?" Zandu asks the group, gesturing to the brewery.

Toadlicker gives a puzzling look at the moving pouch on his belt. Reaching in a pulling out the little witch doll causes his gaze to become even more confused. "How you get there, little bug?"

At that moment, the goblin hears the sound, and grins at the doll. "You bring me lunch? That so nice!" He places the doll back into his pouch as he turns towards the direction the sound is coming from.

Needless to say, he's looking for the source of the sound.

The sounds are everywhere. But the skeeters are no where to be seen.

Disappointed at a lack of immediate food, Toadlicker shrugs, and goes into hunter mode, crouching down to make himself smaller and sticking to shadows and areas where he can hide.

He has no particular preference in either choice. He'll stick with the others where ever they go and Avoid Notice as his Exploration action.

Autumn glances around nervously as the buzzing grows louder with not a bug in sight. She reflexively casts Detect Magic now and continuing as the party makes their way through town.

"Might as well," she says. "They might have heard something useful from a customer or two."

You make your way into Hart's Brewery. The product sold here is brandy.

Rosa Hart, the dark-skinned brewer, asks, "Well, ain't it just so. Payin' customers, I presume?"

”Certainly, considering what we’ve heard of the troubles around here, you’re in need of some.” Grisaia answers with a wide smile. ”A friend of mine always says the best place to hear the good word is over a stiff drink. Can you help us with both?” She pulls out a gold coin as assurance the party is actually paying.

Dorian moved into the brewery...Ye still have some stout available? he said as he looked around the establishment.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

"This is not a good use of our time," Arra objects, but she's willing to attend to the others.

Perhaps they can tell us more to unravel this mystery, as long as they don't just wish to get drunk. This does not seem to be one of those mysteries we are more likely to understand if we are not in our proper minds.

She looks around inside, curious despite herself why this business seems to have remained open, wandering away from Grisaia and the others. She'll wander a bit aimlessly around the tavern, looking around.
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

And just to avoid any misunderstandings, I'm perfectly happy to explore the tavern. Arra's more focused than I am on her goals, which is odd for a gnome. :)

"So... What do you know about all the livestock being drained of blood. Seen or heard of anything?"

”Nothing more than any. Swarms of mosquitoes, as well as those damned stirges... you may know ‘me as bloodseekers.” she replies.

She takes Grisaia’s coin, and hands her a bottle of brandy. ”Got two more left. Ain’t my best stuff, but the townsfolk have been hittin’ it pretty hard, as you can imagine. But, I ant got no kinds of beer, friend dwarf. Just the brandy, and only the cheaper stuff. Sure, it’ll get you messed up, but it’s also useful as paint thinner or even incendiaries.”

with a crafting check, you could turn them into improvised lesser alchemists fire, but they will take 2 actions to use... one to light, and one to throw. Basically a Molotov cocktail.

While the others are talking with the Rosa, Toadlicker is off to the side, the witch doll in his hands. He twists it around and shakes it, as if trying to knock something lose from it. "You bring me bugs? I'm hungry Where be bugs?"