Coldwater (D&D)


 * You and several townsfolk have gathered at the Snapping Turtle Tavern to take action against a troublesome situation
 * A wagon train of traveling gypsies
 * arrived about a week ago
 * set up camp a few miles out of town
 * one by one, or sometimes in small groups, the gypsies have been coming into town
 * to sell various oddities and buy supplies
 * the gypsies are all Wood Elves
 * Townspeople are noticing, however, an uptick in missing items - things being stolen
 * People suspect the gypsies, but nobody has any proof
 * Missing items:
 * Mr. Miller is missing his prize draft horse, Ol Smokey. It is a beautiful, strong, distinctive all-black horse with fluffy long hair on its legs
 * also outside the stable, a covered wagon was found up on blocks, with its 4 wheels stolen
 * a barrel with 20 rations, missing from the storeroom of the general store
 * Auntie Adelaide's entire Nightshade garden has been unearthed and is missing
 * Nightshade is an ingredient in poisons
 * Kohler the Dwarven Brewer is missing two casks of moonshine from his cellar
 * Each of you is missing one item of sentimental value, and you suspect it was stolen
 * Roll 1d100 on the trinket table on PHB 160-161
 * People have asked the Sheriff (Scarsdale) to investigate, but he is a drunkard who spends his days passed out in his chair, boots up on his desk
 * Aunt Adelaine (Apothecary) has come to you for help
 * Her nephew Nelson did not come home last night
 * She wants you to help find him
 * He is 15 years old
 * That's not like him
 * He has been seen hanging out with a green-haired gypsy girl this week
 * Chara
 * He's been spouting some nonsense about how the people of Coldwater are backward and close-minded, and how he wants to see the world
 * Adelaine suspects the gypsies are trying to brainwash him, and maybe they've kidnapped him
 * Your mission is to go out, investigate the gypsy camp in the woods, see if you can find Nelson and convince him to come home (or kidnap him, if you have to), see if you can find any of the other stolen goods, including your own stolen items, and convince the gypsies to skeedaddle out of town.
 * On the road to the gypsy camp, the road passes through a boggy marsh, with brown, muddy water on both sides
 * mosquitos
 * tall swampgrass and reeds, taller than your heads, creates the sensation of walking through a hot, swampy valley
 * like you're walking between two walls of reeds on either side
 * Party hears a scream ahead
 * You turn the corner and see a farmer laying on his butt in the mud
 * His horse is running away, down the road
 * The farmer is scampering backward, on his butt in the mud, trying to get away from a giant crocodile!
 * Croc will try to bite the nearest person, grapple them, and then drag them into the water, disappearing into the reeds
 * If croc escapes with a person, it will submerge and try to drown them
 * Croc will not fight to the death. If 50% injured, it will flee
 * Farmer will rub his butt, try to scrape off some of the mud, and thank the party.
 * Farmer will ask what the party is up to
 * Farmer will report that the gypsy camp is right up the road
 * The gypsies were up partying all last night
 * Big bonfire
 * Lots of music and dancing
 * Sounded like quite a ruckus
 * He never knew Wood Elves to be so rambunctious
 * Certainly a strange bunch
 * No noises from the camp all day today, though
 * If they hadn't been up all night partying, then farmer would have guessed they packed up and left
 * As party approaches gypsy camp, give option to approach by day or at night
 * Gypsy camp:
 * Party will observe all the elves sleeping on blankets and bedrolls, scattered around the camp
 * If any PC is an Elf, privately remind them that Elves can't sleep
 * Horses tied to a line strung between two trees on the side of the road
 * Horses seems restless, and will whinny if anyone gets too close (without Animal Handling)
 * Ol Smokey is among the horses
 * A tripwire trap is hidden at the entrance (DC10 Perception)
 * Tied to pots and pans on a string, making a loud clanging noise if tripped
 * Closer investigation:
 * Couples appear passed-out on their blankets together
 * Some in loving embrace
 * Others strangely contorted, as though they passed out suddenly and fell
 * The firepit is still; not smoldering - it hasn't been lit for at least several hours
 * Gear and supplies are strewn around the camp
 * No matter what the party does, the elves do not wake up
 * Close investigation of any sleeping couple:
 * They are cold to the touch and not breathing
 * They are dead
 * There is an empty bottle of moonshine nearby
 * You get chills
 * One couple is slightly different:
 * It is a human teenage boy (Nelson) and a young-looking elven girl with green hair (Chara)
 * They are passed out, both soiled with green vomit
 * But they are alive!
 * Nelson and Chara awaken
 * They are heartbroken to find everyone else dead
 * Chara explains that their leader, Propheus, threw a huge party for them last night
 * To celebrate a scam they pulled off, in a nearby city (Freeport)
 * They stole a lot of gold, silver, and a few items
 * Last night was the night they were finally supposed to divide up the loot
 * They celebrated with moonshine that Propheus got from Coldwater, augmented with some herbs (Nightshade)
 * Everybody was tripping balls, it was great
 * Chara and Nelson drank too much, however, and got really sick
 * They barfed and passed out - and that's the last they remember
 * Propheus is missing; the loot from the Freeport is gone
 * There's a narrow crevice in the nearby cliff wall
 * Propheus is hiding inside, with the stolen loot from Freeport
 * He is shivering with fear
 * He admits to poisoning everybody, intending to steal the treasure
 * But the mass murder attracted something to the camp... some kind of... demon!
 * Propheus is a babbling mess
 * One of the corpses stands up and attacks (Dybbuk!)
 * Dybbuk with possess corpses, turn them into zombies, and attack until slain
 * Nelson and Chara must pass Wisdom saves (DC 12) or be frightened and unable to move or take actions
 * Propheus will take the first opportunity to flee
 * He will run to the horses and take one
 * He will Hold Person anyone who tries to stop him
 * Treasure Hoard: Cash, party roll on Treasure Hoard Challenge 0-4 Table (DMG 137)
 * Items: Each partymember rolls Investigation Check + 1d100 once; compare to Treasure Hoard Challenge 0-4 Table; roll once for "Roll 1d4" magic items; roll twice for "Roll 1d6" magic items
 * All items are returned, except the moonshine and nightshade
 * Nelson will bring Chara back to Coldwater
 * Chara is traumatized and has no family anymore