|
You find yourselves in the gladiator city of Tymon, at Smine’s Weaponworks, famed smithy and clandestine Pathfinder lodge run by the friendly dwarven Venture-Captain Holgarin Smine
The din of ringing steel and the simmering heat of the forge makes Smine’s Weaponworks easy to find, beyond even its sterling reputation and its well painted sign. An open sliding door leads into a work area filled with apprentices, each toiling to fuel the ceaseless demands for weapons to feed the city’s famed Arena of Aroden. One of the workers, a grim-faced halfling woman barely taller than her own anvil, flashes a smile and points to a narrow staircase at the back of the smithy. Climbing the stairs provides a small respite from the din and the heat, with hanging bowls of cloves and aromatic bark making a heroic, if futile, effort to cover the smell of coal and sweat.
You wait with your fellow novice agents as Smine finishes up some paper work.
|
A Taldan woman in her early fourties dressed in fine but unadorned clothes enters the forge and sighs — it was absolutely titillating to see the Society’s standards on what constituted a lodge sinking to ever new lows. She brings her perfumed black lace shawl over her mouth and nose, revealing a strange bracelet coiled around her left wrist and climbs the stairs indicated by the halfling woman. When she enters the room occupied by the dwarf, she bows her head and politely smiles.
“Lady Mafalda Delacerda. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Venture-Captain Smine,” she says.
Mafalda takes a chair on the corner of the room where she can barely be seen by any new arrivals and places her decorated cane on the back of the rickety old chair. This is the moment when she and Beatriu would have shared a tea, had they been somewhere slightly more appropriate. Alas.
|
A medium height gnome was wandering around the Tymon. The small figure showed up in a few of the inss and spoke with a number of shady characters. After exchanging few packages he got on his way to find Smin'e Weaponworks. Besides a backpack, his clothing consists of a coat under which he hides a sap his commonly used weapon within the cities. His bit messy hair was of bright red color.
He begins to speak to himself holding a small crate under one arm
"After exchanging those potions from Absalom to this finest spirit my profit should be around 5 silver coins! It was a good day." His face showed a bit of nervousness as he would be new in this town.
Ulrich kept on going straight when he spotted what he believed was a tail. Maybe they discovered that potions were a bit shady quality, done by some mad goblin alchemist called Hopper. A good craftsman but lacking in terms of focus.
Ulrich took a quick turn left into a dark alley and reached into one of his pocket for a razor. He quickly hides behind a pile of crates, as he waited for whoever was tailing him to show up in the alley. No one came.
"Ulrich you must be paranoid!" says to himself as he continues to find the Weaponworks
At weaponworks
Ulrich walked in through the doors. After few minutes of walking, he found for himself a bowler hat that looked a bit too big for his head. After failed flirt with the halfling lady Ulrich found his way to the same room where Mafalda was in.
"Venture-Captain Holgarin Smine? I am Ulrich Makaisson at your service. I am a skilled investigator uncovering hidden secrets, no job is too hard, no crime too awful, and no suspects too shady for me to work with."
Turnign around and spotting Mafalda
"Oh, hi. I am not the first. That is fine, I have the finest spirit that we could drink to that occasion. Let me find some glasses." After leaving the room Ulrich quickly comes back with a set of 5 glasses. He takes out one of the bottles that look like a fine spirit and pours them to every glass. He passes the glasses and says
"For the Quests!"
It is the alcohol of very poor quality. A strong alcoholic smell is accompanied by an unbearable aftertaste.
If you look at the bottle more closely you can spot that the label on the bottle is fake and falls off fairly easily.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Mafalda gently nods at the gnome and presents herself. When he produces the alcohol she brings her palms together and speaks with a modicum of joy.
“How very thoughtful, master Makaisson. You are too kind,” she says as she picks up one of the glasses.
She first takes a small sip and, after a few seconds of judgement, chugs everything in one movement, bringing a glove hand to her chest but seeming otherwise undaunted. Alcohol is alcohol, after all.
“My, it is a tad potent, no?”
She suddenly frowns.
“Beatriu, no. You know perfectly well you do not like hard liquor.” She stops, sighs with some exasperation and turns to the gnome. “I am terribly sorry, but would you be so kind as to pour another sip? You have my thanks.”
When Mafalda receives the glass once again, the bracelet uncoils itself from around her arm and dips its head on the liquid. The obsidian black centipede turns away almost immediately.
“There, happy now? Frankly, you can be so stubborn.”
|
|
Ulrich takes his drink and almost spits it to the floor
"This can't be right. That was supposed to be a fine spirit that fell off the cart. It was supposed to be distributed along with the Goldenoak ale. But it tastes like rat's piss." The gnome turns around and you can spot that his eyes are of a different color, one is blue while the other is green.
"I am glad that it suits you Ma'am. "
The gnome pour another glass but when the bracelet begins to move and turns out to be centipede Ulrich spits the alcohol to the floor and yells
"It is a centipede! Toss it to the floor it is venomous!" as he reaches to his pocket and takes out a Razor.
|
As the alcohol is being passed back and forth, a dark feathered tengu with very elegant clothing enters the backroom. The gems on the cuffs on the arms and luxurious silks brilliantly shine in the light of the otherwise drab location. A long cape drapes over the left side of his body, with a small portion of a blade protruding from the hem.
"Well, well. What have we here? Interesting lot, for sure." He says mostly under his breathe, but not attempting to whisper in the slightest. He turns to the Venture Captain, "Venture Captain Smine, I must say that the weaponry I have seen thus far does not disappoint. Your reputation is sure to stay intact. I am Suzzavyan Sosur. No doubt you have heard of my skill with a blade."
He turns to the other two gathered, "Charmed, I'm sure."
|
|
The Pathfinder Lodge above the smithy resembles an adventurer’s boarding house, providing an excellent cover for the comings and goings of the Society’s agents. A door to a kitchen opens, and a soot-smudged dwarf dressed in a leather apron steps out: Venture-Captain Holgarin Smine. The dwarf’s gestures brusquely to a table within the kitchen, his hands wiped passably clean of the ash and grease of his trade. An assortment of bread, cheese, and cider has been set out on the table for refreshments, as is a bizarre doll made of dried wheat stalks.
“Hope the journey went well.” Smine greets. “Dangerous these days. More dangerous further west, so suppose I shouldn’t complain.” His short sentences almost matching the staccato cadence of the forges below. “Won’t waste your time. Ever heard of the Mosquito Witch?”
Smine grins and leans across the table, picking up the grotesque doll.
Beady, painted red eyes and a needle-like snout is barely visible through shaggy wheat-stalk hair, and six handless arms are clutched to the doll’s chest. “Local legend. Ugly thing. People claim it lives near a town out here called Shimmerford. Hunters have been trying to catch it for over fifty years. No one has managed to. Villagers sell the failed hunters dolls and souvenirs instead. Fun for all.” He frowns and sets the doll down. “Not now, though. Mosquitoes and bloodseekers started plaguing the villagers. Killing livestock. Swarming people outside. Getting into food. Been happening for a year or so. People are starting to leave the town entirely. They blame the Mosquito Witch. I don’t. Doesn’t matter. It’s a problem either way. You’re going to stop it.”
|
|
When Mafalda explains the situation with the centipede Ulrich smiles sheepishly and hides his blade just before Suzzavyan entered.
When listening to the story about Mosquito Witch with amusement. But when Smine leaves it as their task Ulrich can't believe it.
"Wait a moment, people are leaving the town due to Mosquitoes? They are killing stocks? That story does not add up to me."
He looks at the doll and observes it for a moment.
"If local environment changed ane people decided to leave it is up to the right? Don't get me wrong my favorite kind of physical activity is jumping to conclusions but there is nothing to grab to here."
He begins to walk around the room and snatches a glass of cider before turning back
"Any murders happening, extortion, local landlord buying of the land?" begins fishing Ulrich sipping the cider to remove the horrible aftertaste of his alcohol.
|
|
Mafalda was about to explain in very polite and unambiguous terms exactly how much pain the gnome would be in if his razor did not return to his pocket immediately when the flamboyant tengu and the venture-captain interrupted them.
“You needn’t worry,” is all she says, smiling once again.
She hears the venture-captain with attention whilst petting Beatriu, considering the situation carefully.
“Master Makaisson, you must be aware that magic can always turn the most trifling of annoyances into much more sinister problems. What manner of mosquitoes and bloodseekers are you referring to, Venture-Captain?”
|
|
Nodding to Mafalda. “Bloodseekers? Pests. Look like a giant mosquito. Some people call them stirges. Can usually smash them with a good whack from a hammer. Don’t get careless, though. They’re big enough to drain someone dry.”
Responding to Ulrich "Nothing like that. It's a small town. Cheery place. Tourist attraction. Sells Mosquito Witch dolls, masks, bread. See them in the markets here sometimes. Hold a big festival for the witch once a year. I’ve never gotten to go. Too busy.”
“Been fifty years since people spotted the witch. Plenty of time to do something like this. It hasn’t. Just sticks to the forest, scares people, gives omens. Doesn’t send things into the town. Maybe something riled it up. More likely it’s a Ghlaunder worshipper. Something similar, anyway. Probably heard stories about the witch. Took advantage of them to cause trouble.”
|
|
“Ghlaundre. God of parasites and disease. Likes mosquitoes. Likes bloodseekers. Cultists summon them a lot. Not a popular god. From time to time. They like the River Kingdoms. Lots of water. Lots of places to hide. Don’t know about Shimmerford specifically.”
Ulrich does recall: This Mosquito Witch was originally spotted almost 60 years ago in a forested location now known as Witchtop Hill. Most of the witnesses were teenagers.
|
|
Ulrich listens to the information about Ghlaundre and nods as he walks around the room snatching few pieces of cheese to eat
"Now when we are talking about it I seem to recall hearing a story about that Mosquito Witch. I think it was spotted around 50 maybe 60 years ago in a location known as Witchtop Hill. Most of the witnesses were young, like teenagers. With a bit of luck, some of them could be still alive."
Ulrich throws the remaining parts of cheese into his mouth and looks at Smine
"Were you here at that time? DO you remember any specifics about the first spotting?" asks Gnome assuming that the dwarf is older than that.
|
|
Smine nods and adds: “Find a gnome woman named Galia. Not a Pathfinder. Knows me, though. Knows we fix problems. She’s the one who sent a letter about the situation. Would have a better idea of the situation on the ground. After that, find what’s causing the problem. Stop it. Report back.”
Without any more questions, you take the boat up the river to Shimmerford.
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 you approach, thick clouds of mosquitoes hanging over the shoreline become more prominent, until the earth seems covered with writhing black masses of flying insects. The party arrives 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. As 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. This is Galia Farrsmith, the contact that Venture-Captain Smine suggested to seek out in Shimmerford. When she sees the your group, she hurries over to greet you, 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 mosquitofree! 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!”
|
|
Ulrich looks at the village and comments
"It seems Smine was not exaggerating. Look at the sheer mass of those mosquitos!"
As Ulrich is leaving the boat constantly smacking his uncovered parts of the skin to not let mosquitos eat him alive he responds
"Yes Miss Farrsmith, Let us talk inside. We are not accustomed yet to the local fauna." says Ulrich and you see that slowly his hair changes its color towards blue.
"Mafalda, Suzzavyan have you seen anything like that?"
|
|
Mafalda listened to the rest of the briefing in relative silence, trying to remember what details she could from stirges and Ghlaunder.
As they approach Shimmerford, she watches the vegetation and finds herself surprised at almost being concerned by what she sees.
“As I mentioned, even trifling matters can become terrible and dangerous nuisances,” is all she says about it, however.
Once they are greeted by gnome, she slightly bows her head as a greeting, most of her head covered by her black shawl.
“Lady Mafalda Delacerda. Yes, we were sent by Holgarin Smine. The situation is clearly dire; please, lead us to your house. And, though charming, I must politely decline your offers of refreshment and coiffure.
“And, no, master Makaisson, I cannot say I have. What about the reports you mentioned, regarding a similar case in Witchtop Hill?”
|
|
Gaila quickly takes you to her small home Map of Shimmerford (A1)
The house is definitely gnomes size, but medium creatures don't need to bend down too much. There are a few proper sized seats as she does entertains other guests from time to time. She pours some beat tea for everyone and begins to talk:
“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!”
“Most people think it’s…” Galia lowers her voice to a whisper. “…the witch. I thought that maybe it could have been a c-cultist of Ghlaunder, but that turned out to be wrong, so I don’t know what else it could be.”
|
|
“If I may ask, what made you think it was the work of a cultist? There could be many explanations for this…phenomenon, so surely something made you reach that conclusion?” Mafalda swats a mosquito. “And what happened to make you drop the idea with such certainty?”
She drinks her tea with small sips, once every few minutes holding the cup still whilst Beatriu plunges its head inside the liquid.
“Do not worry, Beatriu is a perfect lady and poses no threat to you,” she says to Gaila if the gnome demonstrates to be ill-at-ease.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
As the group boards the boat to Shimmerford, a second tengu seems to materialize. He shares many similarities with Suzzavyan, but many differences too. Chief among those differences is that he looks as though he was in the middle of a storm. His clothes seemed damp and an odd wind seems to be blowing about him even though it is generally calm. "Sorry to be so late. No real excuse, just got lost. I'm Korakai and I believe that I will be joining you. Hopefully you can fill me in on the ride to Shimmerford."
Upon arriving in Shimmerford, Korakai seems taken aback by the swarms of insects that seem to be covering everything in sight. He is delighted at the idea of taking the meeting inside. "My dear Ms. Farrsmith, why do you say that this did not turn out to be the work of a cultist. What proof do you have of that?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Even though he grew up in a brood of four siblings, Suzzavyan is not used to seeing too many tengus on his journeys. He greets the newcomer cordially, but keeps an eye on him, not quite trusting him. Maybe its the way he carries himself or the various trinkets adorning his outfit and gear, but whatever the reasoning, he chooses to keep an eye out.
In Shimmerford, Suzzavyan is perplexed at the state of the village, fully understanding why so many have decided to leave. He would certainly be one of them, if it weren't for the paycheck at the end of this. "So, did you actually witness the mosquitos and 'bloodseekers' doing all the deeds attributed to them? Seems a bit far-fetched if you ask me."
|
|
Ulrich turns to spot that there is a second Tengu and wonders how did he miss him. Great investigator! Who can't count to 4. He eyes Korakai and shifts his head to Suzzavyan. There is enough of difference for him to distinguish the two.
You can spot that his hair is almost of matching color to Gaila as is his skin tone.
Ulrich nods to all questions that were asked.
"Gaila, may I call you Gaila? The witch was spotted for the first time around 50 to 60 years ago, is anyone alive who saw her for the first time? Also, when was the first time you spotted bloodsuckers.... sorry bloodseekers?"
Asks gnome grabbing something to bite.
|
|
The gnome energetically responds to your inquiries.
“Oh! Um. Yeah! Yeah! About that... um. So there was a Ghlaunder cultist who we found lived a little ways out in the woods! But when we found him the others got a teensy-tiny wee bit mad, and um... k-killed him. And then whacked him into pieces. And then burned his house to the ground with his body in it, and then salted the ground where the ashes were. But, um. The mosquitoes and bloodseekers didn’t leave. So I guess... it actually wasn’t him? I… I feel kind of bad about it now.”
“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…”
“As for what could be different? 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.”
|
|
“Oh! Um. Yeah! Yeah! About that... um. So there was a Ghlaunder cultist who we found lived a little ways out in the woods! But when we found him the others got a teensy-tiny wee bit mad, and um... k-killed him. And then whacked him into pieces. And then burned his house to the ground with his body in it, and then salted the ground where the ashes were. But, um. The mosquitoes and bloodseekers didn’t leave. So I guess... it actually wasn’t him? I… I feel kind of bad about it now.”
"That is one way of treating people..." says to no one in particular Ulrich.
He turns to Mafalda, Korakai and Suzzavyan
"Do we want to talk with a few others that live here? Gaila can you tell us who else we should speak to within the village?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
“Feel no guilt, my good woman,” says Mafalda. “You were protecting yourselves and, even if we later ascertain beyond doubt that he was innocent in this particular instance, he was still a disease. Better to have it treated before it progressed into something more dangerous, no?” Another slap, another mosquito felled.
“Did the mosquitos appear without any provocation or was there a triggering event of sorts? Blood moons, fowl dropping dead from the sky, a villager or two snooping around on hallowed grounds or publicly daring the witch to do whatever?”
After receiving her reply she places the teacup on the table and grabs her cane with both hands.
“Yes, I believe that is a good idea, master Makaisson. May I suggest we start wherever it was that these strange phenomena were initially reported? Ms. Farrsmith, can you tell us that?”
|
|
Gaila gives you a quick lay out of the town and notable places. Annotated map of Shimmerford
“Ms. Mordha Lyons! 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.”
She then remebers one more tidbit of information.
“You’re not the only people that have come here looking for the witch. Most of the monster hunters gave up after the first couple adventurers were found w-without any blood, but there’s been a whole bunch of new people lately! Two of them showed up some weeks ago, a brown-haired human dressed all in white, and this halfelf woman with beautiful silky black hair and gold armor over this amazing red dress! Neither of them talked to me, though—they just went into the woods and never came back. I think they spoke to some of the other townsfolk, though! And this week, another two visitors showed up! There’s this really professional looking human woman with a white dog, and this nervous human man staying at the inn who really needs a shave and a trim. M-maybe you can find them if you look around.”
|
|
Ulrich takes out his writing set and takes few notes. Not about the cat, rooster, or ducks. But there is a note about Ms. Mordha Lyons and the newcomers in town.
"Thank you Gaila, your information was very helpful."
Turning to Mafalda, Suzzavyan and Korakai
"Shall we try to chat with Ms. Lyons about the Mosquito Witch?"
|
|
“She sounds like a reasonable person. I agree, master Makaisson, I think she is our best lead at the moment. Thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Farrsmith.”
Once they are outside, she takes in the “sights” of Shimmerford.
“What a…peculiar little village. Let us try and get this done quickly, yes?” Slap. Mosquito down.
|
|
While most of the young teenagers who saw the Mosquito Witch have left Shimmerford, one remains, too feeble and poor to escape the town. Mordha Lyons, now an old woman, resides in a small house in the west of town. The door to her home is opened by a young Tian man with dyed white hair. He greets you with an air of annoyance. And with out even asking he says. “ You again! This is the third day in a row. Do you have no concern for a frail old lady”
You recognize the symbol on his robe as that of Tsukiyo, the Tian god of jade, the moon, and spirits, as well as a protector of the psychologically distressed and misunderstood
The figure blocks your entry to see Mrs. Lyons
|
|
Ulrich walks in a poinsted direction hoping to find the house of Mordha Lyons. At this point of time his hair and skin color are mostly matching those of Gaila.
When they are treated with such a warm welcome the Gnome thinks for a moment and says
"You again! I assure you good sir we just came to this lovely place." The gnome kills two mosquitos sitting on his neck
"My name is Ulrich and I am a distant cousin of Gaila that lives in this charming little place. With my friends here Madam Mafalda, Sir Suzzavyan and sir Korakai we are Pathfinders. We were sent here to investigate the matter of the Witch and help solve your problems. We are not Witch hunters or anything. We would like to speak with Madam Lyons if she is available." says Gnome
|
|
Mafalda lightly bows her head.
“It is as my associate said. We have been sent to fix this problem,” she slaps another mosquito, “and since Ms. Lyons claims to have seen the witch, we need to speak to her. As to your ‘again’, we have arrived but an hour ago and have no idea of what you are talking about. Now, will you please let us through, my good man?”
|
|
The Priest snorts but lets you in, then leads you to a small room with Mordha Lyons is a frail old woman, wrapped in a blanket and sitting in a wooden rocking chair. Her hands shake so badly she can barely feed herself, and she doesn’t respond at all to new visitors entering her room.
Korakai looks upon the priest, but is not really aware of their affiliation. "Thank you for your hospitality."
As then enter the room with Ms. Lyons, he remarks, "HELLO THERE. I AM KORAKAI. WE ARE HERE TO HELP WITH THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM. WE'VE BEEN TOLD YOU HAVE SEEN THIS MOSQUITO WITCH. CAN YOU HERE ME!?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As the last one to enter the small house, Suzzavyan bows to the priest. "Blessings to Tsukiyo for your help with us and the less fortunate. Judging by your presence here, I can gather that Ms. Lyons is not as well as she used to be. Is this a recent change for her? What are you able or willing to share about her current mental state. We need her help with the concerns of this town and any information you can provide can only help us decipher her words and actions."
|
|
At the mention of the Mosquito Witch, she takes notice of you and glares at Korakai then looks over the rest of you, determines you are strangers who might not laugh her off, and shares her tale.
“It was all just a joke to them,” the old woman says, her voice pinched thin with bitterness. “They pretended to care, a little, when they were all scared that they would be next. Not much, even then.”
“It was up on Witchtop Hill. Up to the north, a little left of the three boulders and past the bend in the stream. We thought it was a dead animal at first, lying on the ground. It was when we got close that it sprung up, tall as a full-grown man. Came after us on its thin little legs. Didn’t matter how fast we ran, it was right behind us. I thought my heart would burst with the running. It was only when we got to town that we dared to look back. But we didn’t find it. Just sharp footprints in the mud, and smears of sicklysweet Blood.
“And them, with their masks and their dolls and their festivals. They didn’t know what it was like. To have it in their dreams at night, to wake up with its little paper dolls by the bed. If they’d seen it, they’d never have dared. They don’t know what it’s like to see its eyes in every filthy little bug, for the whining of those insects to be like screaming in my ears.” Mordha clams her mouth shut, before speaking again, in a trembling tone. “It took something from me. And I don’t remember it. I don’t remember it. No one will ever remember it.”
|
|
The gnome looks around the room, his smile is always present but his keen eyes are observing what is happening around him.
Ulrich lets the other talk, and Suzzavyan seems to get to the old woman, who tells them the story of the Witch.
Ulrich comes a bit closer and with a serious tone says
"Madam Lyons, are you sure what you saw? You were young at Witchtop Hill, could have been that you drank some alcohol or eat some mushrooms that could have clouded your senses? So let me repeat my question are you certain that what you saw was Mosquito Witch?"
Ulrich looks into Madam Lyons old eyes trying to read if she is saying the truth.
|
|
Mafalda raises an eyebrow at the story and is about to ask a follow up question when the old lady becomes unresponsive. She turns to the priest.
“Is this normal? That she only springs to life, as if it were, when someone asks her about the witch?”
Once outside she takes another look at the village as she muses about the meeting with Ms. Lyons.
“How much of it is true, I wonder? The woman of course believes what she said, but the common folk can be so impressionable at times. In any case, before we run off to this dreadful hill, perhaps it is good ascertain what all the other travellers Ms. Farrsmith mentioned are doing here? I would also like to take a look at the shrine, if we can find the time.”
|
|
Given the layout of the town you can check the shrine on your way to the Inn.
This shrine to the god of river travel contains a deep bowl of water that holds 5 copper coins, 2 silver coins, a few dead mosquitoes, and a Mosquito Witch doll that defiantly floats atop the liquid.
Making your way back to the main path up to the Inn.
Though the innkeep Callum Shay isn’t pleased with his current circumstances, he still makes a decent living offering room and board to visiting monster hunters. The inn is the tallest building in Shimmerford and one of the few with a view over the town gates.
When asked about what is going on Callum informs you that he last saw a half-elf in gold armor entering the forest to the northeast, and last saw the man in white clothing departing to the east. And of course Quitus Chevunier, which the Innkeeper points out.
As the only other notable person in the main room of the Inn, he is hunched over and muttering to himself by the front desk near the doorway. Psychically sensitive and a paranoid mess, Quintus is a haggard human with dark messy hair, stubble sparsely forming a goatee, and gaunt cheeks. Not hunting the cryptid so much as convinced he doesn’t have a choice but to come here, Quintus is turning a paper doll over in his hands, the sweat from his skin starting to cause the paper to melt into something horrific looking.
|
|
Ulrich enters the shrine following Madam Delacerda.
"Did you expect something specific?" asks the gnome as he fishes out the Mosquito Witch doll from the bowl and puts it next to it.
"Mosquitos are still here so it is not this doll." says the obvious
In the tavern, Ulrich first observes Quintus before approaching
"Hey, you are Quintus right? We are Pathfinders sent to investigate the Witch problem here. Would you care to tell us your take on the matter?" asks bluntly wondering who the man is.
|
|
“My dear, I have learnt a long time ago never to expect anything in life,” Mafalda says, looking around the shrine for a moment. “But I wouldn’t have been surprised if we had found the unholy scriptures of Ghlaunder or some other sinister thing just…lying about here. Let us proceed.”
Inside the inn, she speaks to Mr. Shay.
“And might you give us the names of these men? The half-elf and the one in white clothing? Did you or anyone you know speak to them?”
|
|
The Paper doll is that of the Mosquito Witch. As as Quintus plays with it, the sweat seems to make it lifelike than just soggy.
The Innkeeper responds to Mafalda: "The Half-elf? A 'monster hunter' named Mourguy. Seemed decent enough. Although flashy still seems like he knew what he was doing. Couldn't say the same for the man in white. Ordere or something like that. Seemed a bit too much on being nice to what ever is here and asking it to go away.[b]"
Ulrich sits with Quintus.
“[b]An idiot. An absolute idiot…” The man laughs sadly to himself, before jerking himself upright. “Oh, wait, you’re... where are my manners? Sorry. Introductions. I’m Quintus. Quintus Chevunier. You would be an idiot too, if you came here,” he says, before realizing his mistake. “Not that I’m implying you’re idiots. I just meant that if you were me and came here, you would be an idiot... I’ll shut up now[/b].”
You prod him to continue: “I t wants me to be here. I shouldn’t have come... but no, that’s what it wanted me to do. It was trying to scare me, so I wouldn’t come... but what if it was being straightforward with me to trick me into thinking it was trying to trick me into staying away?” Quintus twists the doll in his hands. “It doesn’t matter... it always gets what it wants.”
“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.”
|
|
Ulrich looks deep into the eyes of the madman. He brushes his hair leaving them messy.
"Master Quintus Chevunier, could you tell me where did you see it? Was it then when the witch started to haunt you? Did you feel like the witch taken away something from you?" parrots back the phrase that Madam Lyons told them.
After finishing talking with Quintus Ulrich verifies with the Innkeeper if the dead count matches and if really someone is stealing shovels.
|
|
Quintus responds indirectly: “I don’t know. I have to figure it out. It’s trying to make me do something and I have to make sure I don’t... ah gods, what if telling you was what it wanted? No, no, it couldn’t have known I would talk…”
"What has been taken? Shovels! 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!”
|
|
Ulrich's "That's Odd" tingles a bit. For he too has noticed the occasional low number of farming and digging tools in areas that would normally have more. The Abandoned farm house may have some clues about what is going on.
Ulrich also notices that on the doll's scarf is a phrase "The iron cave will fall" Quintis becomes a bit more incomprehensible. "'The
iron cave will fall’... what is that supposed to mean? What do you want from me?!" he then crushes the doll and sobs uncontrollably. Doubtful to get much more out of him now.
|
|
Mafalda watches the poor sod’s breakdown with a neutral expression.
“This man, Quintus, is not from here, correct?” She confirms it with the innkeeper.
Then, to the other pathfinders:
“Forgive me if I sound harsh, but I care little about the fates of these monster hunters. Considering the village is still in this state, they’re most likely dead or have run away for whatever reason. Now, this thing you mention regarding the farming tools…it is curious. An abomination like the one described by Ms. Lyons would hardly have the need for such implements. I suggest we investigate this.”