The Wailing Sorrow Terror on the Heath Part I of III

The Wailing Sorrow Terror on the Heath Part I of III

By Nathan Reese Maher

1 The Wailing Sorrow Terror on the Heath Part I of III

Credits

Author

Nathan Reese Maher Dungeons & Dragons game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Play Testers Williams, Richard Baker and Peter Adkison John Flier, Charles Hagin, James Lundberg, Mark Slayton, Samantha Special Acknowledgements Smead To my significant other Samantha Editors Smead for tolerating my obsession with the Ravenloft © campaign setting and all Joel of the FoS those who I have played with in the past; you were all an inspiration to me. Additional Thanks Many thanks to the Fraternity of Based on the Original Dungeons & Shadows for their generous feedback, Dragons ® rules created by E. Gary hosting, and keeping the Ravenloft ® Gygax and Dave Ameson and the new campaign setting alive

Ravenloft, Dungeons & Dragons and its logo, D&D, Dungeon Master, d20 System, the d20 System logo, and Wizards of the Coast logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., in the USA and other countries. All rights reserved. “The Wailing Sorrow – Terror on the Heath” is a free publication and may be distributed in any shape or form without legal ramifications. This product is not to be sold without permission from the author. This adventure supplement and ideas within are copyrighted by Nathan Reese Maher, and in no way affiliated with Wizards of the Coast nor is it considered an official product of the Ravenloft Campaign setting.

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Table of Contents

Introduction…..…………………………………………………………..….....4-5 I. Hollow’s Creek……………………………………………………………...6-13 II. Abduction on the Heath………………………………………………14-24 III. Discovery of Bone……………………………………………………...25-27 IV. Cutting the Binds…………………………………………………….…28-36 V. Accolades and Reprisals………………………………………………37-39 VI. Appendix……………………………………………………………………40-73 Dread Possibility — Old Man Hollow...... 63-73

3 Introduction

Cut Scenes for the most part are his adventure is designed for introduced in the format of dreams, four to six characters of where as others may suggest psychic least 3rd-level in experience. However, impression or simply an added necessity this adventure may be adjusted by the to enhance the storyline. Dungeon Master in order to compensate for a higher-level party. How to Use this Book

Mechanics The Wailing Sorrow – Terror on the Heath adventure module requires the Throughout this adventure you use of the core Dungeons and Dragons will notice gray-filled boxes labeled as a 3.5 edition rule books along with the “Dread Possibility”, “Specifics”, or as a Ravenloft Player’s Handbook and “Description”. Each category of box Denizens of Darkness. The Ravenloft adds additional features to the adventure. Dungeon Master Guide and the A “Dread Possibility”, originating from Ravenloft Gazetteer III are both highly White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Gazetteers, suggested for reference material and as a mini-quest or side-quest possibilities background information, but not for players who are uncomfortable with necessary. a linear storyline. “Specifics” are boxes It is highly suggested that you containing additional information skim through this adventure before pertaining to the subject in question. playing in order to better game play. Most of these boxes will offer insights You should also familiarize yourself on game mechanics and statistics. with those depicted in the “Appendix” in “Description” boxes (usually in italics) order to accurately depict the essential on the other hand, give the DM a NPCs of the story. descriptor to read to the players of a particular scene, happening, even crucial Plot Synopsis prologue or cut scene.

This adventure reveals to the Gaming Structure players how a single crime can permanently haunt a village for an In order to fully experience the eternity. And how one man’s deed, and gothic thematic and the theatricality of his desire to be freed of its permeating this adventure I highly suggest reading guilt, lay’s the foundation for a series of the section entitled “Thirteen Tips for brutal murders stretching to encompass Tension” on pages 26-33 of the not just those involved with the initial Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide crime, but all those he touches. produced by Sword’s and Sorcery ™. The party is reeled into the story by As lightly touched upon above, this being subjugated to witness the scene of adventure makes use of Cut Scenes in a ghastly crime at a neighboring ranch, order to add an element of suspense. where horses have been butchered and

4 their eyes removed; the family missing. The only clue to their disappearance is a human bone that is assumed to have been dropped during the initial struggle. Later, learning of tales of the restless dead that wander the South Road, will bring the party to uncover a connection between the earlier abduction and the previous evidence. The so-called “restless dead” are eventually revealed to be nothing more than a clever band of bandits using the local superstitions as a cover-up for their sinister deeds. Only after discovering the true nature of the bandits, and locating their hidden camp deep within one of Mordent’s remote cemeteries, will the party learn of an even greater plot involving a vistani’s curse and a caliban’s want for revenge.

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6

Hollow’s Creek

ollow’s Creek was founded in restoring the village’s name to 605 BC by the reputable “Creedence” by members of the Knox- Knox-Creed family. In an attempt to Creed family, but all efforts have ended profit off of trade coming in from the in failed campaigns and unheard Arden River and from the neighboring petitions. domains of Valachan and Richemulot, the Knox-Creeds invited only a few Landscape allied families to participate in the affair. The villiage originally was named after On the South Road there is a Arthur Creedence, a highly adored worn sign that points in a westward relative and war-veteran prior to the direction toward a muddy wagon trail. Creedence and Knox family union. The Taking the path for a mile, the weary name changed a generation later by Isaac traveler will meet by an ominous black Knox-Creed who held a particular home surrounded by a wooden fence, fondness for the local ghost tale of Old overlooking the road from atop a steep Man Hollow that originates from Old hill – a place the locals call Old Hollow’s Hill a mile east of the village. Hollow’s Hill. A small cobblestone trail There has been multiple attempts at

7 branches off from the current and winds have the tendencies to complain of is its way up toward the dark structure, a malodor. “No Trespassing” sign “by order of the The ground is more often damp, lord-mayor of Hollow’s Creek” greets rarely dry, and best described as soggy all those curious to catch a closer look. when under-foot. The occasional grass Within eye-shot is a rickety wooden grows in isolated patches and can bridge that stretches across a twelve foot sometimes reach a daggers length. Due recess dug by a small creek that runs to the water table being so high, most are northward through a neighboring bog. buried in above ground tombs (those that The creek is a valuable source of water can afford it), or in the village owned for the locals, especially for irrigation mausoleums. purposes. The creek is fresh water, Because the village is despite its fen surroundings, and is sandwiched between a bog to the north drinkable until it reaches the boundaries and south, along with the Arden River to of the northern moor. the west, the village has the tendencies Past the bridge, and not but a few to pick up an assortment of diseases stone throws away is the beginnings of a carried by plagued vermin attempting to three foot wall that marks the front escape the confines of the moors. boundaries of the Longshadow estate – There is one main road that can belonging to the Harnasse family. Their be taken directly off the South Road and mansion can easily be observed from the end at the Arden River. From this road road-side, and the family’s name can be are small hovels and occasional two- found embroided on a bronze plaque set story dwellings that are huddled together next to the driveway. The Harnasse around the village temple and inn. The mansion is constructed of tiled roof, village manages a dock that sends and three levels and an iron balcony and receives shipments from the neighboring bottom terrace. Like most other domains and also whatever business that buildings of Mordent, the mansion is floats upstream from Blackburn’s made of wood. Although white-washed Crossing. The main road drops off into frequently, the color starts to look soiled a small ravine that is accessible by a set quickly due to the unhealthy rains and of surprisingly well-maintained wooden dirt carrying winds. stairs before reaching a cluster of Continuing farther on the pothole warehouses near the shoreline. Off the laden road will bring the traveler to the main road are poorly traveled horse first few buildings of Hollow’s Creek paths that lead to a few of the noble and for those in need of rest, an Inn is family estates. but a short distance further. The village itself is plagued by all sort of mal- Flora weather: vicious drops in temperature, frequent rains, nightly fog and frigid The edge of Hollow’s Creek and winds that blow in from the north, the Ardent River caters to a long line of sweeping up the stench of the bogs and willows, oftentimes creating thick depositing it into tight pockets groves. The locals seem nearly throughout the streets. The inhabitants overprotective of the cutting down of have long since become used to the these trees, as the willows roots keep the smell, but strangers to Hollow’s Creek banks from disintegrating into the Arden

8 River, and are thought highly of during shadow. It is said that when the moon the flooding seasons. is in clear view, that one can hear the One particular item of note is over- child crying. Strangers are told that populated Wraithroot that grows in and should they hear the child’s sobbing that around the village without hindrance. they’d be best to shut their eyes, for This along with an assortment of those that stop to see his ghost are found morning glories, bog-beans, star plants face down in the creek the next morning. and other such flowers decorate the sills Dread Possibility — The Weeping Child of local homes. Such flowers grow in an amazing abundance and are considered The bridge receives its name in part due appropriate for wearing in ones hair to a Spirit Waif of Oliver Samson’s six year old boy named Timothy. The young during seasonal festivals. child can be heard late at night. Timothy does no t app e ar to just anyone (as the Fauna locals believe) but only to those who he believes are good at heart. When the spectre appears he attempts to use his A few creatures are seen on a charm ability or pantomime to get his relative consistent basis, such as foxes, audience to follow him. rabbits, sparrows, birds of prey (such as The *Spirit Waif is the drowned victim ravens and crows), and then there is the of gang of *Baobhan Sith or Black Sprites. These nefarious creatures murdered the occasional deer (be it solitary or in a child and then afterwards dragged the small family) that has strayed from the remains into a remote section of the forests of northern Mordent. At night northern swamp and have since been using wolves can be heard baying at the moon, them as a home, which is located beneath a and it isn’t uncommon to see one of gnarled old tree. The Spirit Waif has been leading people, unaware of the risk, to the these grey pelted predators at the edge of black sprites lair. Victims found floating a farmstead searching for any stray in the creek are intentionally placed there livestock. There are fairly little reported by the sprites in order to frightening the wolf attacks by the locals and for the locals from their habitation. The Baobhan most part stray clear of human (or demi- Sith are unaware of Timothy’s Spirit Waif but are beginning to suspect that human) contact. something has been leading adventurers There are numerous ghost tales and other misfortunates to their lair. of the surrounding area, but two in particular seem to be hearth-side * The Spirit Waif and Baobhan Sith favorites. The first and foremost is the statistics can be found in Denizens of Darkness. A segment dedicated to the tale of Old Man Hollow that lives on Weeping Child Bridge can be found in the Hollow’s Hill. It is said that his spectre Appendix. still haunts the old carpenter’s cottage, and he sits in his demonic shop carving small wooden toys to leave at people’s thresholds during the night. It is said Populous that those who find a figurine at their door are marked to die by some horrible There is a reporting of the means. The second tale involves the general populous and their typical young spirit of Old Man Hollow’s child appearance detailed in the Ravenloft Timothy who haunts the “Weeping Gazetteer III, and for the most part Child Bridge”, which lies in the hill’s

9 Hollow’s Creek serves to be no different influence to the southern portion of than the rest of the domain. Though one Mordent. Families include the Cuvier will note that the locals are more family residing at Le Chateau de Cuvier, suspicious of strangers here than in the Harnasse residing at Longshadow and of northern half of the domain. It is as if course the most prestigious of the two the natives toil beneath some unseen the Coleridge family at Havenridge weight. One cannot help but feel that (each family is detailed in the the locals are afraid of something lurking “Appendix”). in the shadows, and that strangers could be in league with this invisible horror. Law Enforcement

The watchmen of Hollow’s Creek are A Suspicious Nature m uch like those of Mordentshire, as they are quick to note anything out of the The locals are suspicious for a reason. ordinary and prone to investigating It was not but nearly five years prior that a anything suspicious. Supernatural activity grotesque caliban came to Hollow’s Creek will cause them to seek additional help and preyed upon the young Jacqueline immediately. Here especially the Cuvier. When attempts were made to watchmen are wary of strangers and protect her, the caliban flew into a foreigners to the point of xenophobia; maniacal rage and murdered twenty-three often times arresting them for minor people including the Harnasse’s younger charges with hopes of discerning their true darling Philip. Though the beast was intentions. Even in a position of authority hunted down and slain, the murders are the watchmen are always polite and never still fresh in the villager’s minds. abusive, and neither are they ignorant. All calibans are treated as if having an Those with a polite demeanor and a strong Outcast Rating 2 higher than usual; 4 if the command of Mordentish will find the caliban is one of Mordent’s wailing watchmen valuable allies, while those with children. neither may find themselves locked in a cell.

The law enforcement is quick to Hollow’s Creek Watchmen: Human War question any stranger that happens to 1; CR ½; Size M humanoid (human); HD make their way into Hollow’s Creek in 1d8+2; hp 6; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC order to discern their true purpose. 11 (touch 11, flatfooted 10); Atk +4 melee (1d6+2, crit 18-20 /x2 rapier); Face/Reach Regardless of their weariness of others, 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.; AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref the people of Hollow’s Creek still retain +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int their sensibilities when dealing with 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. foreigners and are generally pleasant in Skills and Feats: Intimidate +1, Listen +4, comparison to other villages of Ride (horse) +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +4; Alertness, Weapon Focus (rapier) neighboring domains. Possessions: Lantern, rapier, horn for Hollow’s Creek is governed over by sounding alarm. the decaying Knox-Creed family, which consists of only the Lord-Mayor Sites of Interest Thaddeus Knox-Creed, who lives in his family estate at Allworth. Hollow’s Creek has attracted a few minor families Being so close to the border of over the past 150 years, some attempting Valachan and Richemulot one may find to retire to a country life, while others all assortments of equipment and with hope of extending their families supplies waiting for them here in several of Hollow’s Creeks shops.

10 For those seeking rest there is the le’Martaineque strives to bring some Hooded Lantern, a small Inn with culture to the “backward, and always a few vacancies at a decent rate misfortunate people” of Mordent. of 2 silver pieces a night, including a The church of Ezra claims decent breakfast of milk, cheese and dominion over a small whitewashed eggs. The owner Fredrick Fallyn (male temple called The Chapel of Prevailing human Exp 3) ensures that his guests are Light. Presiding over the temple is the comfortable and the food always hot. Harnasse family’s 2nd eldest son Father The meals are decent, but nothing in Abril (male human Ari 2/Clr3) who is comparison to the gourmet dining in Dementlieu. There are two taverns of Side Quest — Dance de le’Martineque note: one being the Red Flagon which the locals spend most their hours So far Sophia is having little success unwinding before the nights out which is in winning over the people of Hollow’s Creek. With the long tradition of home located just shy of the western edge of tutorage and the public opinion of ballet town, and then there is Dreg’s Ale being a “frivolous” endeavor, Madam House, a place that has recently declined le’Martineque has all but adopted a few of in reputation due to unsavory business the local impoverished children lured by that happens to float in from the Ardent the promise of food. She has only been able to secure two children with terrible River, located a few paces from the frames and unmanageable dexterity. She docks. fears that without additional “talented” A dwarf by the name of Axle students she will soon have to close the Rowgrim (male dwarf Ill 3/Exp 3) has school. established a respectable library and Sophia is desperate. Once the party receives local repute or takes an interest in printing press with the aid of his niece the school (such as from any PC bards) she Celeste (female dwarf Ill 1/Exp 1) called will attempt to humble herself (a big task Rowgrim’s Book Emporium. It is said for a famous dancer) and ask the party for assistance. She plans to put on a that he is a fine collector of ancient tomes along with those being magical in performance, using the children as a means to sway public opinion, but feels they are origins. Though most would be not quite ready and overall “disastrous”. somewhat suspicious, Axle has managed Donations will help her stay open longer, to dissuade local speculations with good but what she requires is for the party to use deeds, a friendly smile, and his rumored their newly found prestige and sway the friendship with none other than the locals toward her favor. How this is accomplished is a task best left to the Wethermay-Foxgrove children of the creativity of the players. One solution may belated Rudolf Van Richten. come from the introduction of Johnathan An oddity that has recently Coleridge’s niece Annabell Laymonds who developed is the grand opening of the has been desirous to learn to dance since first ballet school in Hollow’s Creek. witnessing a performance at the Grand Opera Nationale last season. Madam Sophia le’Martaineque (female human Exp 6), a retired dancer from the Grand Opera Nationale out of Port-a- a compassionate and wise youth Lucine in Dementlieu has converted an regardless of his lack in years of old schoolhouse (created from some experience. Abril replaced his other Dementlieu hopeful) into the predecessor Father Edgerton just a Danse de le’Martaineque. Madam couple years ago who died of natural

11 causes. His death caused quite a stir and Economics many believed the young Abril Harnasse (since it was not but a few years prior that his younger brother was murdered) The local populous consist of was not up to the task. Abril Harnasse hardened merchants, tillers, ranchers and has persevered despite local opinion and shepherds. Main exports include barley, has been accepted as a worthy wheat, animals, pottery, hand-crafted replacement. furniture, quilts, and wool; while main imports are Richemulot wines, fruits, Hollow’s Creek (village): Conventional; silver, flintlocks from Blackburn’s AL NG; 430 gp limit; Assets 49,760 gp; Crossing, blackpowder, gems and the Populat ion 432; Mixed (human 94%, half- occasionally smuggled poison from elf 2%, dwarf 1%, elf 1%, other 2%). Borca.

Authority Figures: Lord-Major Thaddeus Knox-Creed, male human Ari7, Sheriff Dread Possibility — Old Man Hollow Laton Cuvier, male human Ftr4/Ari2

The house on Hollow’s Hill is a Important Characters: Johnathan Coleridg e, male human Ftr1/Ari5, Mlle. rank 2 Sinkhole of Evil with the taint of Sophia le’Martineque, female human hatred and despair. Characters with the Ethereal Empathy feat or those who are Exp6, Axle Rowgrim male dwarf Ill3/Exp3, Abril Harnesse, male human enticed by the locals tales of superstitions Clr3/Ari2 , Cecil Harnesse, male human may find themselves wrapped in a story that began nearly 150 years ago during the Ari4, Hanna Gibings, female human Adp3/Clr1 , Jacqueline Cuvier, female initial founding of the village. human Ari1 The story of Old Man Hollow isn’t as the locals tell it. It has been altered and so over-embellished over the years, that the little known facts have long since Also, in a small cottage no more been forgotten. than a mile outside of town on the edge A segment on Oliver Samson and the cottage atop Old Hollow’s Hill is of the encroaching bog to the northeast, detailed in the “Appendix”. lies the aged mid-wife Hanna Gibings (female human Adp 3/Clr 1) who offers her knowledge in herbs, and magical potions to those who are in most need. Few know of her potions, and even fewer know of her devotions to Hala. Either way, it does not stop the occasional visitor from asking her for a special boon, or perhaps in purchasing a charm or two.

12 13

Abduction on the Heath

he adventure will begin with draw near, vanishing in the mist. A the player characters dreaming. ghostly moan sweeps across the Each character will receive the same dark landscape, drawing your dream, and upon waking will remember attention to the unearthly pool in it vividly as if it were a prophetic omen, which was once haunted by the or perhaps a vision of events that have spectral lanterns. occurred or will occur. Though A feeling of immutable dread ambiguous as to when the dream has overcomes your every sensation, taken place, it foretells of future danger while your body gives into that the adventurers cannot ignore. Read horripilation, and a collection of the following to the players: something wells securely within your throat. A muck covered hand You dream – Your vision takes rises from the rippling pool; the you through a thick bank of fog that decaying remains of the sinkholes rolls across a deadly moor at night, earlier victims cling to its ghoulish with nothing more than the pale flesh. The stench of decay and the moon to light your way. You can taint of evil seep into your pores smell the putrid stench of decay and you feel yourself choking. shamble through your nostrils, You awake in an outpour of churning your stomach to some horror and sweat. The knot in your nauseating dirge. In the distance throat serving as a reminder of you hear the baying of hounds something ominous that clings to carried upon a frigid wind that tugs the air like a saltine breeze. at your flesh. As the ravens caw above you from the nightmarish canopy of the occasional cypress, The Mists of Ravenloft you note the nearly hidden swamp

pits that gurgle from beneath the This adventure offers a few rolling wisps of gloom and lichen alternative methods in which to covered ground. Often times you introduce the player characters into the see the pallid reflection of some adventure. Whether this adventure is forgotten traveler long since meant as either a beginning or swallowed by the bog’s murky continuation of a Ravenloft Campaign, waters, its latescent orbs staring up or as simply a weekend of horror, there at you hauntingly as you pass are many ways in which the characters unmolested through the heath. can find themselves at the mercy of the Ahead two glowing will’o’wisps awesome mists. Below are a few dance methodically above a suggestions in how to incorporate this bubbling pool, yet flee as you adventure into your personal campaign:

14 The Nightmare That Never Ends First Impressions

After waking from the initial nightmare the characters find themselves lying along the The strange atmosphere of south road only a few miles outside of the town Hollow’s Creek is one that will reflect of Hollow’s Creek in the domain of Mordent. mindfully on the characters. Unless any No matter which way the characters decide to go, of the adventurers have been to Mordent they will eventually encounter a local tiller by the name of Nathaniel Beck. Nathaniel is before, everything should come off as driving his Clydesdale-drawn cart into town to completely foreign to them. The locals purchase a few supplies and will offer to take for one will be sure to avoid contact with them there out of kindness. Nathaniel is a good them as much as possible, preferring to source for information, especially local go about their business without being knowledge and doesn’t mind answering any questions the party may have. drawn into someone else’s. If any of the party members stray farther than the Hooded Lantern, they will be stopped by The above example is meant for one of the watchmen, preferring to a single character, or group of characters inquiry about the party’s nature and either in another domain, or from intent of visit here in Hollow’s Creek. another campaign setting. For those Rarely will a watchman approach the who are familiar with the Ravenloft party alone, but will have at least one setting would be perhaps drawn to other watchman to guard his rear in case Hollow’s Creek by a previous task… of any problems. The watchmen on the other hand, will be kind and tolerant as The Old Dwarven Collector possible, though characters with a high OR may find themselves immediately A dwarf by the name of Axle Rowgrim, mistaken as creature of evil. from the Mountains of Misery out of Darkon, If ever anyone asks about a place has set up a printing-press in Hollow’s Creek. to stay for the night, they will be The party has recently acquired a selection of rare tomes by either adventure, a financial deal directed toward the Hooded Lantern gone bad, or from a particular patron. They are which is located on the border of the told by a reliable source that Axle Rowgrim is a village to the east. They do however fine collector of old books and would pay have an entire day to spend in the handsomely for them. Indeed, the old dwarf is comforts of the village before the so taken with the books that he insists that the party takes 50 gold pieces for the collection and adventure truly begins. This can be a an additional 10 for their troubles. great time for any of the party members to search around town and get to know all the sites and perhaps gain a little Of course there is always the insight into the towns past. Players may simple method of being “engulfed by the roll a Gather Information check to see mists” and deposited on the South Road what their character can find out from next to the sign pointing toward the locals. Hollow’s Creek.

15 Gather Information Results:

DC 5 – Scandal of the Week DC 16 – Muttered Paranoia

Madam Sophia le’Martineque, a woman from The Coleridge family has been excessively Dementlieu, has just opened a ballet school here reclusive the past few years, and having their in Hollow’s Creek. The locals believe that dance estate far from the city borders doesn’t help and theater are frivolous endeavors and refuse to much. Some suspect that they may be dabbling give her the time of day. in the magical arts, possibly even alchemy.

DC 8 – Old News DC 18 – Secreted Sympathies

Flint Ambrose, a merchant originating from The Lord Mayor Thaddeus Knox-Creed, since Mordentshire has finally moved into his new his wife died twenty years ago, has remained home, after the recent renovation of Silver Swan, distant and afflicted with an unrelenting this past month. Rumor has it that he has no melancholy. Thaddeus refuses most company, noble lineage but is a wealthy merchant such to the extent that his family estate attempting to expand his trade further inland. Allsworth stands empty of any servants or attendees. DC 10 – Recent Past DC 20 – Ghost Story “The Weeping A family from Falkovia purchased the old Child Bridge” Pendlefern ranch nearly 7 months ago. It is rumored that they fled their homeland in fear of The party is warned about the dangers of the their lives. Some believe that Drakov could one Weeping Child Bridge, and is told of the tale day send agents across the borders in order to surrounding the haunt (See the “Appendix” for recollect his “property” and that Hollow’s Creek additional details) may suffer for harboring the refugees. DC 22 – Ghost Story “Old Man DC 12 – Whispered Rumors Hollow”

The post-poned the wedding between Cecil The party learns of the story behind Hollow’s Harnasse and the daughter of Laton Cuvier, Hill and the locals superstitions regarding Mlle. Jacquelin Cuvier, has finally been wooden toys (See the “Appendix” for additional absolved. Already plans are being set in motion details) for the betrothed to finally wed. DC 30 – Tale of the Eye Thief DC 14 – Hushed Events Five years ago the village of Hollow’s Creek was Cecil Harnasse has lost a fortune in precious plagued by a series of murders resulting in the cloths, tea and spices imported from Sri Raji. taking of the victims’ eyes – even the beloved Rumor has it that only one ship out of three have Philip Harnesse was killed by the fiend. With returned from the Sea of Sorrows. A few local the help of an adventurer the local nobility lands have been leased out in order to make up managed to hunt him down in the northern fen for the financial crisis, and word has it that the and slew him. His body slipped beneath the union of Cecil and Jacquelin Cuvier is inspired waters of the swamp, never to be seen again. by the financial mishap.

16 silver pieces entitles the character to The Hooded Lantern half of the queen sized bed. For an extra silver piece, one can have wine brought up to their room at any time during their Sooner or later, as the night stay. Breakfast is served free and swallows the horizon, the party will find between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. for all guests themselves entreating upon the of the Hooded Lantern. If a character is hospitality of the local inn known as The not interested in sharing a room he/she Hooded Lantern. There they will find may pay 5 silver pieces for the entire the welcome smiles of Fredrick Fallyn room (the extra silver piece is to (Exp 2), who will insist that the compensate for the inconvenience of characters warm themselves by the fire, turning away potential customers). enjoy a glass of ale, a warm dinner, and the humbled company of the locals. Conversation will cease upon their The Hollow’s Creek Watch arrival, but it will not be long before the patrons will regain their desire to speak, An hour or so past midnight the with new topic concerning the Inn will be subject to a violent rapping newcomers. If the party has not yet met, by the local sheriff Laton Cuvier now would be a good time for them to accompanied by an assignment of five interact with each other. It would also local watchmen (virtually half of the be a fine time for the characters to speak town’s volunteers). Laton Cuvier will with the locals, learn customs and even announce that the player characters are local legends. Some stories they may all under arrest under the suspicion of encounter would be about the slaughter, destruction of property, *Mournesworth, *Scottmatter, or the kidnapping, and possibly even murder. *Blackburn-Bruce family (*Ravenloft Laton Cuvier doesn’t have any Gazetteer III) or even the tale of Old incriminating evidence pointing to them Man Hollow - a local favorite. Spending as the killers, but since the characters enough time around the people will arrival and the crime in question allow the characters a sense motive coincidently occurred within the same check [DC 18] to notice that it seems the 24 hour period, he isn’t willing to take people are burdened by something; their any chances. Any rebuttals will be faces lack a lively spunk, their manners ignored and resisting arrest will be met are somber and everyone appears near- with force. If a character happens to paranoid around strangers than most harm any member of the watch by other cities in Mordent; [DC 24] for non- means of weapon beyond unarmed it natives. They all suffer from a horrified will issue the characters death warrant. past concerning the Pendlefern murders Sheriff Cuvier will demand that the and the loss of many others by the characters surrender their weapons into sadistic tortures of one they call the Eye the hands of the watch. He will assure Thief. them that if they are guiltless then they The rate of stabling is 1 silver have nothing to fear. Once they confirm piece per day and to stay at the Hooded all the characters alibis their weapons Lantern, it costs 2 silver pieces. There will be returned to them in proper order. are five rooms available for rent, and Once all weapons are secured unless otherwise negotiated, the two (with a thorough search check), instead

17 of directing them to the town prison, he distance, Cuvier will bring them to the will instead manacle them, load them fence line where they can witness the into a jail-carriage drawn by four carnage that befell the Von Storben’s hourses, and take them to the scene of livestock. the crime. He hopes that the scene can pull some form of reaction from the The shadowy mounds are not characters that can be later used in rises in earth, but the ghastly considering the characters’ future remains of the ranch’s once release. beautiful mares. Each horse’s neck is cut about mid-line, its precious blood ichors have long collected in Von Storben Ranch dark stagnant pools, reflecting the light of the flames. But more The Cuvier wagon, will bring disturbingly is the absence of the the party to the Steadfast Estate, recently creatures’ eyes, now nothing more purchased by the Von Storben family. than empty sockets that remind you The party will immediately be aware of of hollowed graves. the blaze from their windows, read the following: There is one mare per character. This is to represent the player characters’ The flames roar into the sky like strange arrival, a coincidence that Cuvier an inferno, tearing apart whatever has already deduced but fails to mention; majestic dwelling once stood. Even preferring to keep the information to the neighboring barn has caught himself. aflame and is now being drawn to At this point, anything the ashes. The buildings’ cinders fall characters do or say will be met with like snowflakes, glittering like questions and suspicion, however this is dieing fireflies against the darkness not to say that Cuvier or those apart of of the moor. The embers gather the watch will refrain from being polite themselves in collective pockets or make crude assumptions. Cuvier is atop the shoulders of the Hollow’s all about being objective and will ask the Creek watchmen. Three of the five characters to establish their whereabouts guarding watchmen are staring for the entirety of the day, insisting that grimly from the ranch’s fence line, they leave nothing out and offer a trail of their lanterns casting dark shadows witnesses to confirm their alibis. If any across scattered mounds that lie character is uncooperative, Laton would about the pasture. be more than happy to commit to an all- This place looks as if it was night interrogation in a holding cell. once a ranch of sorts, now nothing Whilst Cuvier is engaged in more than an echo of a twisted conversations with some of the infernal. characters, roll a spot check secretly for each character. Whoever achieves the Under the watchful eye of Sheriff highest roll notices something at her Cuvier, the manacled characters will be feet; pass this description secretly to that forced to exit the carriage and survey the character: ruin; in this they have little choice. Beyond observing the blaze from the

18

You notice something …back upon the ground. The protruding from the ground, covered in watchmen stand frozen in their places loose dirt. At first you are unable to whilst the dark beast paws at the make it out, but nudging it with your tainted soil,keens once more in the toe you are able to identify it as a night air and flees into the disparity of yellow-stained bone. It appears to the all-consuming mist. Its presence have once served as a human arm, now leaves an unnatural feeling akin only to nothing more than a crude mockery. the shroud of death. Oddly there is a piece of twine tied at each of the bone’s ends, with just Laton will be unsettled by the enough slack to wrap itself twice over. sudden encounter with the uncanny creature. He will remind the now Laton has not noticed the bone frightened watchmen of their duties and and neither have any of the watchmen. otherwise encourage the characters into If the character brings it to the Sheriff’s the carriage. If asked why he will not attention, then he will simply dismiss it pursue the stallion, Laton Cuvier will as something possibly dragged there by a simply look the character in the eyes and dog or fox. On the other hand, if he is say, “That horse, if it can be called such also made aware that there is string thing, is not of this world. Only a attached to it, he would then ensure to madman would follow that beast into the bring it along as crucial evidence. A mist, as only a madman would emerge, if Sense Motive check DC 10 will show at all.” He will not elaborate any further that he is greatly troubled over the object than that. Laton has seen his share of as now he will believe that this was not a horrors and knows when to avoid them. random act of violence, but something involving ritual or even arcane. Any A Night Spent in Jail Spellcasters in the party will fall under even greater scrutiny. Once everyone has given their The characters will be returned alibi, Laton will order his men to put the to Hollow’s Creek, but instead of characters back into the carriage. spending their first night within the However, not before reading the warmth and comfort of the Hooded following: Lantern, the party must brave the cold misery of a ten by ten cell. The cell is As Cuvier and his watchmen kind enough to offer two cots that are begin to motion you back into the partially stained. One can only imagine carriage a spectral whiney freezes the source of the blemishes. There is a your hair to stand on end. Your small bucket in the corner that looks like attention is drawn towards the it has been used as a waste depository in opposite end of the fence-line where the past. Moonlight trickles into the rearing from a bank of mist is a stone prison from a window no larger stallion forged from darkness itself. than a human head. The walls are a The phantom-like being exhales a chilling stone, whilst the window and cloud of steam from its nostrils before southern wall is protected by a thick set touching its hooves [continued] of iron bars. The lock on the jail cell is

19 an amazing lock (DC 40), so even if a character managed to hide a set of A blackened storm churns thieves tools, or decided to create a above you, spewing out a few stray makeshift one, will have a difficult time bolts of lightning on the horizon, unlatching the lock. For the most part, followed by the ever present clap of once the characters are inside the cell, thunder, that leaves a frightening they are there until someone lets them pain within your gullet. You can hear out. the ship straining beneath you, as you look to your companions, whom Hollow’s Creek Jail along with yourself, are tied securely The jail is nothing to brag about. It is to the mast, shivering; be it from the nothing more than a front lobby and desk, a bite of the sea, or from fear itself, you central office fitted with prisoner archives are uncertain. and a vault for storing evidence, an Captain Abertson’s ghastly interrogation room, and two ten by ten cells. face is lit up by an arm of lightning, This is one of the few buildings in Hollow’s Creek made completely out of stone. followed by another deafening rumble. Its melodies summon forth additional tides to clash against the The idea is not to bore the deck, causing you to grip tighter on players to death, but to allow them a the only lifeline that binds you to the chance to have their characters discuss ship. The Captain strains at the helm the events of the night. Though to keep the ship afloat. Once again miserable, misery loves company, and it you are swallowed in darkness, and will not be long before even complete can feel the vessel moaning from strangers will start conversing with one beneath the masterful waters. Your another. This is a great time for you as a heart stops as another flash of light DM to sit back and relax and watch as allows your eyes to settle upon a character traits unfold. dark stranger, covered from head to After awhile the characters will toe in thick robes and cloth, hidden need to gain some shut-eye. Due to the beneath the stairs which lead to the events surrounding the crime scene, the bridge. A face of dread possesses uncomfortable surroundings of the cell, your own as you feel that he has been and the following shared nightmare, the watching you for sometime. Once characters will wake fatigued. Those again in darkness, you feel his boots who attempt to wait the night out will hammering against the deck a slight find themselves influenced by some limp in his walk, the scent of fresh compulsion to sleep, and before they decay overwhelms your nostrils as he know it they will be dreaming; soon to passes, you then feel him stop at the awake at dawn. Read the following: front of the bow, unhindered by the trashing of the ship. You dream – The claw-like waves A strike of lightning crash against the teetering bow of the illuminates the creature – the thing’s ship, making it lurch to one side as a face finally revealed to you as some lone figure fights to keep her afloat. abhorrence, some abominable The wind assails your body with a wretch, a creature of pure horror! frigid blast of numbing death, You open your mouth, but nothing accompanied by tiny spears of water save the squall of the storm echoes that sting by the touch. [continued] from without. A bolt of [continued] 20 Waiting just outside the prison …lightning strikes the crow’s nest on horseback are the three prevailing and you feel the ship give way and families from the region: Cecil Harnasse, the collapse of the rigging above. the magistrate Johnathan Coleridge, and Terror-struck, you can do nothing to Lord Major Thaddeus Knox-Creed. divert your eyes from the creature Flint Ambrose, a recent wealthy arrival, nor to prevent the tearing of the mast will also be accompanying the other as it splinters and is then ripped from three, appearing eager to offer anything its holdings plummeting over the to the general “well-being” of Hollow’s bulwark. It is not until, but a few Creek. (Their statistics are listed in the short moments, when the hemp Appendix). tightens about your waist that you Johnathan Coleridge will and your companions are launched approach the party from his horse and high into the air – screaming into the introduce himself along with his title as dismal abyss. magistrate. He will apologize to the You wake up in yet another party for their misfortunate stay in the restless sweat. The creatures face town prison, as it was at his request. He lifting from your memory as all wishes to make amends by honoring the dreams tend; grateful that it had. party by purchasing them breakfast at the Hooded Lantern, and compensate them for a nights stay at the The party will be woken in the establishment. He will claim he has a morning by Laton Cuvier bringing them proposition for the characters as they news that their alibis have held, and that look of the adventuring sort and will they are free to go. He will apologize to assure them that they’ll make it worth them as he returns their gear, claiming their while. that “In times like these, one cannot be Once in the comforts of the Inn too careful.” He is not fond of having to Johnathan Coleridge will introduce the place innocent people behind bars, but rest of his companions (if it hasn’t been his duty to protect always comes above done already). Coleridge will lay the his greater sensibilities. He believes that foreground of the proposition, reminding it is best for an innocent to suffer a night the party of the horror that they saw just in prison, then to allow the possibility of last night. Thaddeus will then explain to a criminal to wander the streets. them about the Von Storben family, their Cuvier will apologize to them flight from Falkovia and their decision to once again before they leave, telling settle in Hollow’s Creek. Thaddeus will them that they are good people, and if claim that they are good people and fears they happen across anything suspicious for their safety considering the condition to please let him know. Once everything of their ranch. He suggests that a few of needing to be said is said, the party will Vlad Drakov’s Talons may have made it find that the road to adventure is right across Mordent in search for the missing around the corner. family, and decided to lay waste to their home, but will say that he cannot be A Pleading Proposition sure. A Sense Motive check DC 15 will notice that Thaddeus and the rest of the men are holding back a piece of

21 information. If asked they will say that if it is indeed the Talon’s then the Von The offer is thus, the watchmen of Storben’s are presumably already dead. Hollow’s Creek are not fully prepared to However, something else plagues the deal with something like this, especially four men and another Sense Motive if the Falkovian military is indeed check [DC 15] will only confirm this. responsible. Laton Cuvier is conducting The characters will feel that these men his own investigation, but needs more are holding back something, but pressing willing individuals, such as the party, to the matter at this time is probably not investigate the disappearance. They within the characters best interests. offer a total of 50 gold pieces to each Even so they will refuse to comment on character for getting to the bottom of the it claiming that their minds are plagued crime (a Diplomacy check [DC 15] can by events of a completely different sort increase the gold by 10 each). Also, and in will try to divert the characters Flint Ambrose will, much to the surprise attentions on the Von Storben’s of his other companions, offer 500 gold disappearance. pieces for bringing back the one responsible for the atrocities. Ambrose The Von Storben Family believes that by offering a greater sum of money that the characters will accept the The Von Storben family consists of proposition, and that it will gain him a Drakeve age 33, his wife Elsa age 28, their daughter Eliza age 11, their son Ufree age large amount of prestige amongst the 14, and their 6-month old daughter Yafee. locals and the noblemen. Another thing that they will Darkeve was a merchant born in Falkovia who was once of considerable repute. He mention is that a wheat farmer by the managed to gain the attention and disfavor name of Gregory Longfellow accounted of Vlad Drakov’s Talons by refusing to a strange encounter last night a few smuggle illegal goods into Darkon. Fearing the vengeance of the Talons, hours after the players were confined. Drakeve arranged for his family, and what He claims that he was returning from the few possessions they could carry, to flee Red Flagon to his farmstead atop his into Mordent. The Von Storben’s however horse, when he was attacked by what he could not flee far due to financial difficulties and so Drakeve made a deal claims to be the walking dead. He was with Thaddeus Creede in the form of a able to get away without any marks, even claimed to have ran over one. He loan for the purchase and funding of his ranch. For seven months the family has raised the Coleridge family and when been living at Steadfast, and old estate that they went to investigate, found nothing belonged to a previous family who met with horrible ends. Beyond simple to indicate that there was even a compassion from Thaddeus, Drakeve has struggle. Normally they would have attributed the family’s horrible demise to attributed it to excessive drinking but the relatively cheap cost of the land. because of recent events, they are not The Von Storben’s all have dark about to dismiss anything without a blonde hair with brown eyes, except Yafee whose eyes are gray. All the Von proper investigation. If the party finds Storbens, save for Yafee, have the hawk the time, they would appreciate them seal of Vlad Drakov branded onto their looking into Gregory Longfellow’s

foreheads; which they try to hide with head account. If it leads into anything they bands or large hats. Yafee is the first to be would be more than willing to born outside of Falkovia. compensate them for their troubles.

22 Johnathan Coleridge will suggest tracks, some that went between the that the party revisit the scene of the house and others between the barn and crime, that perhaps they can find the horses. It looks like the horses were something that the watchmen missed. brought into the field one by one. Those Also, they will mention that Gregory with the Track feat can roll a Survival Longfellow has not left the Red Flagon check DC 20 (due to the constant fog of since the encounter. the moors and the tracked party taking pains to hide their trail) will reveal their Revisiting the Von Storben tracks heading into a particularly thick section of the heath before vanishing Ranch entirely, no more than a mile out. The perpetrators used a few pinches of Dust Once the party arrives read the of Tracelessness to cover their tracks. following: Unless the Tracker can meet a DC 40 survival check, it looks like they simply The two buildings, from what you disappeared in the mist. can tell to have been a barn and A Search check DC 15 in the burned home, are now nothing more than home will locate a few pieces of chard skeletal remains and ash. A few human bone. A Survival Track check boards are still alit and smoke slowly inside the home is nearly impossible DC trickles from the remains. The only 35 but will reveal that there was a portion of the house still standing is struggle inside the house. However, if the remnants of the chimney and the party can somehow divine what hearth. happened to the Von Stroben’s they will The fence line that marks the learn that a group of brigands wearing horses grazing field is disrupted on a Leather Armor, with human bones sewn few sides, but still intact. The mare to the outside of it, dragged the Von corpses seem to not have been Storben’s from their home, slaughter touched by the local watch, but have their horses in front of them, and then been victimized by local predators. dragged them into the mist bound by A search of the horses will reveal their hands in manacles. Depending that the instrument used to remove the upon the divination, the party might horses eyes must have been a dagger or even get a glimpse of the bandit leader, another sharp object, perhaps even a Eldrynn Lorean. rapier point. There are rope burns There is nothing else of note save around the base of the creatures’ neck, for the mysterious hoof prints of the just a few inches below the point in phantom stallion heading off into one of which the creatures’ neck was slashed. the moor’s thick bogs. Following the From the look of the disrupted earth, the stallion’s tracks is not a good idea, horses gave a good fight. The ground is beyond the dangers of the swamps of mixed with both boot prints and hoof Mordent, is the great distance the horse prints, but due to the large assortment of may have covered in the past few hours. tracks, its hard to tell exactly how many The horse could be anywhere by now. there were. A Survival check DC 13 will reveal that there were at least 7 sets of

23

24 Discovery of Bone

or the most part the player much that I’d be seeing sprites or characters will find very little in devils that tarn’t there. Old Nitsy evidence at the Von knew the way home, we’ve traveled Storben Ranch, as the brigands lead by the South Road plenty o’ times in the Eldrynn Lorean are highly disciplined, past, especially in the dark coming especially since their leader has an acute home from the Red Flagon. sense of detail. After a long I just a few strides past the turn accumulation of dead ends, the party off to the o’ Coleridge estate when may either seek out Gregory Longfellow out from the ground came the bones for something to cure boredom, or of me ancestors, each brandishing perhaps they may make a connection of their rapiers, screaming like vengeful human bones, with Gregory’s tales of spirits that have come to enact their the wandering dead. revenge. I’ve naught done anything

to gain the woeful eye of me dead Gregory Longfellow cousins, and yet there they were! They surrounded me on all sides, Gregory Longfellow currently their eyeless sockets bearing into me resides in the Red Flagon, attempting to like brazen fire. They started to claw drown the constant visions in his head; a for Nitsy, tried to get a hold on the repeat of last nights encounter. He failed reins, but I managed to turn her a horror check and is now obsessed with around, even managed to trample one of em, yet barely escaped with me the vile creatures to the point where he can’t sleep nor speak about anything life. else. When the party arrives, Gregory I managed to reach Haven Longfellow will be sitting at the bar Ridge and roused the Coleridge finishing off another tankard of ale, family in sounded alert. But once I muttering to himself about the living pointed the place out, the spirits were dead. gone and not trace could be found. I Gregory is in his mid thirties, brown haven’t been able to sleep since; their hair, and grey eyes. He’s average grinning faces are still fresh in me looking, adorn in the same fashionable mind. Not even the ale seems to be helping, but at least the spirits here trend as the rest of the population, with a three cornered hat, and wool vest. are kinder.”

Gregory will be more than happy to relate his tale about his encounter with the walking dead. The following is his If asked, Nitsy is the name of his interpretation: horse, a brown mare that is hitched in the local stables not far from the Red

“I was returning from the Flagon. If the players ask, they can

Red Flagon, having just finished a examine Gregory’s horse. A Spot check few cups of ale. I wasn’t drunk DC 12 will reveal that his horse has a mind ye, to the point of little cares few spots of dried blood splattered at the aye, but not so [continued] tops of its hooves. It’s not horse blood

25 and it doesn’t belong to Gregory, as of Hollow’s Creek the Bandits will miraculously he emerged from the fright continue to make raids, leaving behind unscathed. If questioned, Gregory has the eyeless corpses of the farms’ horses no idea how it arrived there and a Sense with the people no where to be found. Motive DC 12 will only confirm his Each disappearance will be done in the story. similar manner, with the occasional If the party decides to have him piece of bone that happened to fall off take them to the site where he was the armor and the tracks leading and presumably attacked, he will be partially disappearing into the mist; with a large hesitant. If the party can convince him concentration of disappearances along that they will protect him, only then will the south road. he reluctantly show them the way, as If the party decides to patrol the long as it’s full daylight. south road, or if they are clever enough to create an ambush, the characters will Horror on the South Road eventually encounter a troop of skeleton adorn brigands.

The south road is nothing to Bone Bandit: Human War 2; CR 1; SizeM boast about, as it appears more as mud humanoid (human); HD 2d8+4; hp 15; Init +1 trail, blessed with deep wagon ruts and (Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 14 (touch 11, flatfooted uneven terrain. Surprisingly however is 13); Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, crit 18-20 /x2 rapier); the absolute lack of tracks where Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int Gregory Longfellow’s skeletal encounter 11, Wis 13, Cha 11. took place. A survival check DC 20 Skills and Feats: Intimidate +2, Hide -1, Listen with the Track feat will locate the tracks, +4, Move Silently -1, Ride (horse) +3, Sense having been purposefully covered up Motive +2, Spot +4; Alertness, Weapon Focus and then later disappear entirely in the (rapier) Possessions: Rapier, black leather armor of same exact manner as those at the Von skeletal disguise, dagger Storben ranch (See “Revisiting the Von Storben Ranch” section for track DC’s). The encounter should be set up to have 1 The skeletons that Gregory Longfellow bone brigand per character to equal an saw were actually bandits dressed in EL = -2 the parties level. The party black leather armor with bones secured should easily be able to defeat the by twine to appear as the walking dead. raiding party, and if any of the brigands All other attempts in searching are left alive, the party can attempt to the road DC 15, will locate a few more interrogate them into revealing the pieces of bone from the wrist of a human location of their base and their sinister skeleton that is also yellow in coloration. plot. Besides the few fragments, the party will be unable to find anything of note. If all the bandits were slain, or

the party is unable to properly intimidate Patrolling the South Road them, then they can still attempt to follow the tracks back to their camp. Unless the party begins to patrol Among the possessions of one the the south road, or to take measures to bandits is a small pouch filled with one protect the outlining farmsteads outside application of dust of tracelessness.

26 Black Leather Armor of Skeletal Disguise

Armor Bonus +3, Maximum Dex Bonus +2, Armor Check Penalty -4, Arcane Spell Failure Chance 30%, Speed 20 ft., Weight 35 lbs. +2 Hide checks at night, -2 Move Silently Checks. Spot Check or Knowledge (undead) check [DC 12] or believe the wearer is a skeleton. If the wearer is

believed to be among the undead the viewer must make a horror check [DC 12].

Rallying Hollow’s Creek

If the player characters decide to inform Laton Cuvier, or any of the other prominent families of the area about the cause of the disappearances, they will be quick to rally. Laton Cuvier will insist the noble families take charge of protecting Hollow’s Creek, along with four of the watch, whilst he and the remaining six watchmen will come to the party’s aid in destroying the Bandit camp. The number of Bandits should be upped accordingly to the effective party level. Another means of playing the force from Hollow’s Creek is to place them in a completely separate party and either roll their combats separately from the adventuring party, or simply estimate their losses off to the side – keeping the dice rolls to a minimum.

27 Cutting the Binds

other such hazards. Read the following The Bandits of Bone Camp once they reach the bog: The bog assaults your nose with a The bandit’s camp lies within an debilitating nausea that creeps from old cemetery that has long since been your bowels and into your throat. swallowed by the encroaching moor. From beneath the canopy of half- The Mournesworth family had once dead trees and the choking stench of planned to relocate the graves to their the undergrowth you are unsure of family estate, but since their how anyone could fathom living in a disappearance, the graveyard has gone place such as this. You can hear the untouched. Once the party reaches the distant calls of wood owls and a few northeastern moor, tracking the bandits’ other birds of prey. The muck clings previous route becomes much easier. to your boots with each and every Without the brigands’ tracks, the party step as you try to trudge through the will have to worry about sinkholes and moss covered ground. [continued]

28 The incessant mist swirls around you, accumulate the saving throw difficulty simulating the very hairs of your increases by 1. arms to combat the constant chill of the bog. If you didn’t know any Area 1 – Past the Gruesome Gates better, you’d feel as if you are following a path to your own grave. Beyond the gate, the once paved road leads directly into a lake of water. The party can choose to either cross the About a mile into the bog the lake by either using the bridge, the flat party will soon come across the hidden bottom boat, or attempting to swim cemetery housing the Bandit’s of Bone. across. The characters should be able to Read the following once they arrive: make out area 3 and 4 while looking across shore. If the characters move a The mist soon parts, revealing the bit to the north they should be able to see black iron gate which leads into a area 5 slightly poking out of the dismal dismal cemetery. In the distance you fog. can make out the headstones and tombs that jet from the moistened Area 2 – The Makeshift Bridge earth. The swamp has long since buried the majority of the grounds, When the bandits first arrived they allowing both grave and tomb to attempted to create a bridge that slowly sink beneath the loose soil and consisted of wooden planks that would caliginous waters. A few fires can be span across the half submerged seen, casting skeleton-like silhouettes headstones and tombs. Later, as the against the bank of fog. You can boards were quick to become hear the sounds of men conversing waterlogged and somewhat slippery, and laughing, which acts as a they added extension ropes to help aid warning that you have indeed found balance. Read the following: the bandits’ hidden lair. The bandits have fashioned a

makeshift bridge using crude The cemetery is covered in a wooden planks and extension ropes. thick layer of fog that reduces visibility The boards look incredibly to about forty feet. There are many slippery, where as near the center areas that are inaccessible due to high of the construction lays a tomb that waters and must be navigated by the must be climbed over before bridges that the bandits created or by reaching the other side of the shore. using the flat bottom boats. If the Even from here it looks extremely players wish to have their characters dangerous, but if one were careful, swim through the water, they will have it might save more time than taking to make swim checks [DC 10]. Those the flat bottom boats, that is of who swim in the water are bound to pick course if you don’t end up in the up at least 1d4 leeches per 10 feet of water. water. Though the leeches by themselves are harmless, they all carry a disease called Bog Fever [DC 12]. For In order to cross the bridge safely every 10 leeches the characters the characters have to make a Balance Check [DC 10, or 12] without the use of

29 Bog Fever – Disease

Bog Fever is a disease carried by leeches, rats, and other swamp inhabiting denizens throughout Mordent’s Bogs. The symptoms include high fevers which lead to hallucinations, coughing, and constant fatigue. The incubation peri od is 1-3 days, DC 12 (Injury) and causes a temporary 1d2 Con and 1d2 Str drain. What many are not aware of is that the hallucina tions that the victim suffers are not hallucinations at all, but are the spirits of the dead. Bog Fever temporarily grants the victim the Ghostsight feat from the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook. Once the disease is cured, the sufferer looses the ability to see into the Near-Ethereal.

crowbars, 8 days worth of firewood, 5 the ropes, in order to cross the first set of flint and steel, 2 grappling hooks, 1 planks. Then the partially submerged ladder (10 ft), 4 lamps, 3 very simple tomb’s roof must be climbed across [DC locks, 15 manacles, 1 (30lbs) barrel of 10], and then lowered onto the next set lamp oil, 2 iron cooking pots, 100 days of planks to reach the shore. If a worth of trail rations, 200 ft of hemp character falls into the water, it may rope, 20 sewing needles, 10 spools of attract the attention of the nearest guard, twain, 1 sledge hammer, 3 shovels, 10 [DC 12] Listen check, who will be quick torches, 2 machetes, and a scythe. to investigate its cause. Bandits at their Posts

Flat Bottom Boats Eldrynn Lorean posted guards in

The only way to navigate the swamp is strategic locations that he believed were through using the flat bottom boats. These vulnerable. Though he believes that this boats have no oars, but can be piloted by isolated cemetery offers a remote enough

using the ropes that are strung across the location to conduct his raids, he still fears opposite shores, or by using a quarterstaff or the possibility of being discovered. other such item. Each boat cannot hold more Nevertheless he prefers not to be caught

than two passengers, or a total of 400 lbs, unaware should someone stumble upon his anymore than that could cause the vessel to haven. The areas marked either A,B,C or

take on water. D are different guard posts. Each guard is equipped with a sounding horn to alert the camp of any troubles. Area 3 – Tomb Storage Post A (Watch Post) – 1 Bone Bandits This small ten by ten foot tomb is Post B (Camp) – 2-4 Bone Bandits Post C (Slave Guards) – 2 Bone Bandits made of stone with 1 foot thick walls, an Post D (Personal Guard) 2 Bone Bandits* iron door held shut by thick chains and * Personal Guard stats are an average lock (DC 25). Any attempts detailed under area 11. at forcing the tomb open will arouse the attention of the local bandits. The key is Area 4 – The Old Church held by Eldrynn Lorean who keeps it, along with the keys to the prisoners’ cell Darkly looming over the sunken graveyard is a foreboding church. Its door and manacles, on a key ring. Inside the tomb are the bandits’ supplies wooden walls have long since taken a and food storage, the old casket was blackened stain, and sections of the removed and placed in Area 9. Below is roof have all but collapsed. The a detailed inventory of the storage room: temple doors are covered in mold, 4 (30lbs) barrels of rain water, 1 (30lbs) with one off-hinge. The steeple, oddly enough, still appears barrel of ale, 2 empty buckets, 50 candles (1 crate), 30 ft of chain, 2 untouched by the passage of time and within a bronze bell [continued]

30 can be seen beneath the shadows. The church itself is devoid of You can hear the sound of wind anything incredibly useful as most of the furniture and items within are rotted or chimes with each gust of wind that filters through the buildings cracks. completely rusted through. The wind The markings above the door signify chimes, located about ten feet above the it as a temple devoted to Ezra. altar, bestow to those of good alignment a sense of inner peace. The item radiates The church, for the most part, has a faint magical aura (divination) that been left alone by the bandits. Eldrynn grants a +1 save bonus recovering from Lorean first considered the temple for both horror and madness checks. In his private chambers, but decided against order to gain its benefits the participant possibly angering any lingering spirits or must spend eight hours listening to its gods. Though his crimes are numerous, melodies. During these eight hours the blasphemy is not one of them. The character can be doing other activities bandits on the other hand, have crafted a such as prayer, meditation, or even ghost tale about the ruined church. They sleeping. This item is considered a relic believe a cleric of Ezra still haunts the of Ezra, and if returned to the temple in building, that one of their numbers Hollow’s Creek, the party’s outcast entered the church with vile intent and rating will be reduced by 1, along with later emerged heavy in fever. In fact, receiving 1000 gold total and a cure those who happen to catch Bog Fever, light wounds potion a piece. claim they see the spectre of ghostly figures watching them maliciously. Area 5 – Radcliffe’s Tomb Their visions, along with the source of the disease, are all attributed to a single This small ten by ten foot tomb is non-existent ghost. the source of a rank 2 sink hole of evil. Though not all that large in size (roughly The Disturbed Graves the size of the island), the place is tainted by fits of agony and horrendous The bandits have unearthed graves, raided the local tombs, and worn the bones torture. A ghoul by the name of Hagget for a disguise. Their disrespectful treatment Radcliffe is cursed to forever stalk the of the dead has caused many of them to rise cemetery. as spirits from their rest. The ghosts are rank Hagget was a merchant of no 1, but have no powers. They simply wonder repute who had an obsession with about the graveyard confused and sorrowful. Those with the Ghostsight feat will see money. He was so possessed by the ghostly shades wondering about the gleam of gold that he ensured that all his gravestones looking for their graves. The wealth would be buried with him upon ghosts cannot affect the physical world, but his death. Much to his dismay, his within time may grow malicious due to their family was not about to allow his small inability to locate their resting place. If the fortune to rot with him in his coffin. So corpses are returned to their proper grave (or at least buried or interred into an empty after he was buried, his family came in tomb) the ghost will rest peacefully. If the the night and robbed him of all his characters decide to bury the corpses, they acquired treasure. Driven by hate for his should gain 200 experience points. family and all those who would rob him, Otherwise, leaving the bodies unburied may along with the desire for gold, Hagget eventually create a sinkhole of evil. raised from his grave as a money-hungry

31 ghoul. Much to Hagget’s distress, he the tomb, he will ambush them from found he could not travel beyond the atop, hoping to use his surprise round to iron gates of the cemetery and for years paralyze them. has been subsiding on the buried dead and whatever happens across the Hagget Radcliffe: Human Ghoul; CR 1; SizeM cemetery. Undead (ghoul); HD 2d12; hp 13; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (touch 12, flatfooted 12); Atk Since the arrival of the bandits, Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus paralysis); Full Atk Hagget has been slowly stealing meals Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus paralysis), 2 Claws from their number. He paralyzes them +0 melee (1d3 plus paralysis); SQ Darkvision 60 while they are sleeping and then drags ft., undead traits, spider climb, +2 turn them to his tomb and waits for them to resistance; Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 13, Dex 15, wake. Once awake he paralyzes them Con --, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12. yet again, only to have them watch as he Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Climb +5, Hide slowly devours them. The silent plea’s +6, Jump +5, Move Silently +6, Spot +7; of the bandits along with the intense pain Multiattack and suffering they experienced has Special Qualities: Paralysis (Ex) – those hit by a bite or claw attack must make a Fortitude save created the sink hole that now shrouds DC 12 or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves the tomb and surrounding vegetation. have immunity to this paralysis. The disappearances have not gone Spider Climb (Ex) – The dark powers have unnoticed by the bandit leader Eldrynn granted Hagget the ability to spider climb as per Lorean. He however attributes their the arcane spell at will. disappearance to desertion, which only Encountering Hagget calls for a Horror causes him to make quick examples of Check [DC 15]. Due to the those who even mention it. circumstances surrounding the Hagget Inside the tomb are the bones of encounter, the party should gain a 25% Hagget’s victims. The bones are experience bonus for his defeat. completely white, having been picked clean by the undead creature, and Area 6 – Widow’s Promenade covered by multiple teeth marks and other indentures. Hagget’s coffin lies at Outside the two rows of tombs, the far end of the tomb, opposite the situated between them like a stone fence, door. This is where he keeps all the is a small garden that may have once trinkets that he has accumulated of the flourished with lilies and hedge vine. many years he has been imprisoned here. Now only two statues of sorrowful Hagget’s Treasure: 32 gold pieces, 14 winged humans droop sullenly over a silver, 42 copper pieces, 2 gold rings gray patch of dried vegetation where the each worth 10 gold, 5 gold fillings worth garden had once been. A small bronze 1 gold each, a silver locket worth 12 sign encrusted with layers of swamp filth gold, and a copper bracelet with an denotes this area as “Widow’s amethyst inlay worth 35 gold pieces. Promenade” that rests at the feet of both Hagget constantly admires his statues. trinkets when he isn’t out snatching one The bandits have claimed this of Eldrynn’s men. If he hears the party, area for their sleeping quarters, he will immediately climb onto the essentially emptying out areas 7 and 8, ceiling using his spider climb ability and so they have a roof over their head if the will hide there. Once someone enters rains come.

32 times. He is currently suffering from Area 7 – Tombs of the Bone Bandits fatigue for he hasn’t slept in the past 24 hours. Just the night before, he woke to Each tomb is protected by a the sight of Hagget dragging one of his metal door, though the lock has been bedmates out into the night. He might busted in by some blunt object and now not have been able to see the thing for swings freely by the touch. The tombs which stole his comrade, had the moon are now the homes of the Bone Bandits. not been as radiant as it was. He failed Each ten by ten tomb is fitted with 4 bed his horror check enough that warranted a rolls, at which point at least 1 bandit is madness check, and now he is suffering sleeping in each tomb. Eldrynn Lorean from extreme delusions. Now every ensures that his men are on a constant creature, be it friend or foe alike, he sees rotating shift. If the sounding horns are as being a ghoul that has come to drag blown, the men will don their armor him off into the night just like all the hastily (1 minute due to the leather’s others. If the party gets within five feet reinforcement of bone) and rush out to of the bandit, he will attack them. meet the trespassers. Otherwise he will constantly babble

Good Help is Hard to Find about the “creature” coming to get him which can be heard from outside of the There are a grand total of 26 bandits, tomb. minus those the party has already taken out

on the South Road. Make sure that as the “Those eyes! Big, cold, they DM you subtract a bandit each time one is were looking at me you know. He defeated. Eventually Eldrynn will find his numbers dwindling, not to mention loosing was looking AT ME! He dragged him about 1 bandit per day to Hagget and about off into the night, but he won’t get 1 per two weeks to disease. me! HE WON’T GET ME! Green, his skin green, dead. I could smell him, If the party is accompanied by a force from dead like the swamp. His teeth, Hollow’s Creek, you may consider boosting the Bandits’ level by 1, his jagged, like knives, a lance like personal guard by 2 and Eldrynn Lorean tongue. He’ll be back… I know he’ll by 2. be back. He’ll soon be back for me.”

The bandits each have about 2d4 Any attempts to reason with Arty gold, 2d10 silver, and about 3d20 copper will result in him screaming, “You’ll not on their person at anytime. Those that have me! The dead will not have me!” go out on raids keep their gold stashed and then proceed to attack the nearest away due to the noise that coins tend to person. make. Plus “skeletons” that carry gold aren’t very convincing. Area 9 – Tomb of Refuse

Area 8 – The Crazed Bandit The scent of human refuse can be smelled from the outside of this tomb. One bandit named Arty Entering from the metal door, the Windweed has shut himself up in his characters will find that the majority of tomb huddled in a far corner. He keeps the tomb floor has collapsed into the his armor on and weapons ready at all swamp and has taken on swamp water.

33 The bandits have cleverly cut a circular Area 11 – Entombed within a Tomb hole in the lid of a coffin and have set it up to be used as a makeshift waste The bone bandits have made use depository. If the smell is not enough to of the northern mausoleum as a place to dissuade the adventurers from poking house the people they have kidnapped. around, they will be greatly disappointed Eldrynn Lorean has been hired by a as there is nothing of use nor note in “cloaked figure” to murder the locals. here beyond the obvious. Eldrynn on the other hand doesn’t like things to go to waste, especially people. Area 10 – Pool of Corpses He plans that once he kidnaps about twenty or so locals, he will then proceed This somewhat large mausoleum’s back to Sithicus and sell them as slaves to any end has been swallowed by the potential buyers. Among these encroaching waters of the swamp, and kidnapped individuals is the Von throughout the years, it has slowly been Storben family. dragged further into its depths. A few The tomb itself is locked by segments of the walls have crumbled and heavy chains and is protected by average disappeared into the muck. Though as lock (DC 25). The slaves are also sad as the building looks on the outside, manacled which only Eldrynn holds the the true horror lies within. keys. Once the party frees the slaves Drakeve will be relieved that the party This once majestic tomb has rescued them and will be quick to catered to perhaps a wealthy family inform them of all the atrocities that they now sits in ruin. The swamps had to witness. For the most part, the waters have flooded the down Von Storben family is unharmed, though angled floor, and collected the now hungry and extremely tired. Thankful waterlogged caskets in a seemingly for being rescued, the Von Storben eternal drift. The bones of many family will likely have to seek shelter at once peaceful graves now appear the local temple of Ezra due mostly in strewn about the insides, as if in a part to having everything they owned carelessly tossed fashion. Their destroyed. Unless the party helps them yellow jaws are cast open as if in a financially, the only way the Von position of agony, and the feeling of Storbens will be able to survive is to take having been ripped from the earth out another hefty loan from one of the permeates their skulls. prominent families before they can rebuild their lives. Giving money to the The bandits have cleared out the Von Storben’s should equal about 1 majority of the tombs and tossed the experience point per 5 gold given and is bodies here for storage. The bodies a one time thing. Giving money to the within were the lucky ones not used for a Von Storbens will reduce that reinforcing their armor. Bandits character’s OR by 1 point. occasionally return here to find “replacement parts” for their armor. Experience: Rescuing the Von Storben Those bandits that died from Bog Fever family grant each character 150 are tied with rocks or chains and are experience points. thrown into the swamp.

34 Area 12 – Eldrynn’s Mausoleum hiding his face from beneath a heavy black cowl, matching robes, and an iron Eldrynn chose the largest mask. The bandits have been all too Mausoleum as his own living quarters. careful in avoiding him, as for some Inside he has managed to create a reason they fear him even greater than comfortable bed out of a coffin and his they do their tyrannical leader. They bed roll, along with using other coffins believe that it was this mysterious man who came up with the idea of using the Stygian – The Phantom Stallion local’s fears against them. They were told to dress up as the undead, in order to If the party mentions the black scare the locals, but the strangest part stallion that they saw at the Von Storben was that they were instructed to remove ranch, Drakeve will say that the horses name the eyes of everything they kill. They do is Stygian. They had purchased the horse from a stranger. They didn’t know much not know the story behind it, but they about the man, save that he was kind in just know that the removal of eyes has demeanor and spoke Falkovian fluently. He something to do with the dark past of sold them the horse, saying that it no longer Hollow’s Creek; that the deed itself is so needed it, and since they were in the market horrifying to the locals, that it would for a stud, they were more than willing to cut a deal. They too felt that there was give even the Lord-Major nightmares. something strange about that horse, but hadn’t noticed anything particular that would Eldrynn’s Personal Guard: Human War 2; CR denote it as supernatural. They will ask that 2; SizeM humanoid (human); HD 2d8+4; hp 15; Init +1 (Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 14 (touch 11, if the party happens across it, if they could please return it, as the horse is the last of flatfooted 13); Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, crit 18-20 their belongings. /x2 rapier); Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 14, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 11. for things such as tables and stools. Skills and Feats: Intimidate +2, Hide -1, Listen +4, Move Silently -1, Ride (horse) +3, Sense Inside he has a wooden chest with an Motive +2, Spot +4; Alertness, Exotic Weapon average lock (DC 25) where he keeps all Proficiency (firearms); Possessions: Rapier, the loot he has acquired through raiding black leather armor of skeletal disguise, dagger, and the money given to him by his flintlock pistol, 10 shots. employer to aid in harassing the outlining farms of Hollow’s Creek: Eldrynn Lorean: Male Ftr 5; CR 5; medium humanoid (Elf); HD 5d10+5; hp 37; Init +5; Spd Chest 626 gold, 52 silver, 83 copper, x2 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 14, flatfooted 14; Base Atk silver rings 2 gold each, Elsa Von +5; Grp +7; Atk +9 (1d6+4/18-20 x2 Storben’s engagement ring 50 gp, x2 Masterwork cold iron rapier) or +9 (1d8+2/x3, pair of copper earrings 1 gold each, x7 masterwork composite longbow [+2 Str bonus]); dust of tracelessness. Also hidden in a SQ Low-light vision, elf traits; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 15, Dex 17, Con 13, Int secret compartment in the chest [Search 12, Wis 14, Chr 13. DC 12], the party will find a crumpled Skills and Feats: Intimidate +7, Hide +5, parchment from Eldrynn Lorean’s Listen +3, Move Silently +5, Ride (horses) +5, mysterious employer [see Player’s Sense Motive +3, Spot +3; Improved Initiative, Handout 1, in the Appendix] Iron Will, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier) Possessions: Masterwork cold iron rapier, Only Eldrynn has ever spoken masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), with his employer, a man constantly masterwork silver dagger, ring of keys, flintlock

35 pistol, 10 shots, 20 arrows, studded leather armor his mysterious employer to come for +1, helm of the horses skull him. Regardless, Eldrynn knows very little about his employer, as he refused to Helm of the Horses Skull give out a name, nor show his face. All Eldrynn knows is that he pays extremely The helmet is fashioned from a horses well, that he has a slight limp in his skull with a black plume made of a horse’s tail jetting from its back cranium. The helms walk, and that he smells of the swamp. grotesque appearance increases the outcast Beyond being told to murder the rating of any who wears it by +2. The helm townsfolk and all horses that he came grants its wearer a +1 dodge bonus to armor across, Eldrynn is as clueless as the class and a +1 bonus to reflex saving throws. players. Eldrynn claims he is a native from Sithicus, but had met his If the alarm is sounded, Eldrynn mysterious employer at the Mutinied will immediately find out from one of Sailor in Port-a-Lucine in Dementlieu. his personal guard why the camp is on Eldrynn is an arrogant man who despises alert. Once he finds out that they are humans among all things. He prefers under attack, he will immediately head hiring humans above all other races, so for the Von Storben babe Yafee, and that he can vent his hatreds on his men, hold it hostage beneath the barrel of his and encourage them to harm others of pistol. He will use the child as leverage their race. The only race he truly trusts in order to get the player characters to is other elves. If there is an elf in the drop their weapons and surrender to him. adventuring party, then all interrogations He will give them only once chance, and done by that elf is granted a +2 if they refuse he will kill the child on a circumstance bonus on finding out held action and then quick draw his information from Eldrynn. rapier. He will try to organize his men to first take out any magic casters, then rogues, and finally the remaining fighters. If there are any elves in the party he will prefer to render unconscious. Whether he keeps the other elf as a captive prisoner for personal company, or sells them into slavery is up to the DM. Eldrynn will prefer to fight to the death, scoffing at any chances of surrendering. He refuses to give the party any information regarding his contact, fearing his employer more than being handed to a frenzying Mordent mob. If captured, Eldrynn will try and find the quickest means to end his life, knowing full well that death is a better place than having waiting in the dark for

36 Accolades and Reprisals

in their honor. It is at this celebration hen the characters return, where the party will be presented their after having hard earnings in front of the entire town, defeated the bandits, Laton Cuvier by the respective nobles. Laton is congratulates them for a job well done; instructed not to take “no” for an answer, relieved to see the Von Storbens still and until all the preparations are finished alive. Laton will tell the party that they the so-called heroes of Hollow’s Creek will be in need of rest, and it may take will have their room and board provided him some time to ensure that the threat for at the Lord-Mayor’s expense. has been completely eliminated. He and The jubilation will take a couple a collection of guards will investigate the of days to prepare for. The event will old graveyard themselves (if the party include a feasting, drinking, and a bit of hadn’t asked for their help originally) to foolery – a reprieve from the recent confirm their story. Once that has been horrors. accomplished, Laton Cuvier will notify the noble families and arrange for the Experience: Completing this section of party to receive their reward. the adventure gifts the player characters The Von Storbens are a different 250 experience points each. matter entirely. With no home to return to, and little money left, they are forced Dire Prophecies of Warning to take refuge in the Temple of Prevailing Light until they are able to Before the celebration is had, the secure a loan. If the party gave them party has plenty of time to restock their money to help them by, they will use supplies and will find that the shop this as a down payment on supplies and owners are more than happy to extend begin to rebuild their home. They are the party a line of credit until they are grateful that they still have their health rewarded for their services to the town. and are lucky to have not been sold into However, just as everything seems save slavery. The Von Storbens claim that the old mid-wife, Hanna Gibings, will they owe the party an unpayable debt, approach them with a prophecy spawned but to let them know that if they ever from her personal nightmares. Read the need anything, all they have to do is ask. following to the party:

Heroes of Hollow’s Creek An old woman calls out to you from beneath a tattered shawl, her face covered in heavy wrinkles, and a After the sheriff returns, he will red scarf covers her right eye. Her bring the party good news concerning hair is like spider silk that drapes their reward. Instead of simply handing about her face like a sable and in her them the gold for their deeds, the Lord- hand she carries a warped cane. She Mayor Thaddeus Knox-Creed wishes to points a gnarled finger […continued] hold a town-wide celebration to be held

37

in your direction and bellows “A the fear of his knife, as entire plague descends across Hollow’s families were butchered in their Creek! A past infection has come to own homes, their bodies deformed, afflict old wounds. Be wary and their eyes removed. Something travelers, as none are safe from his far sinister than simple malice, damning touch! All shall be as dust greed, or sadism motivated him… and the eyes of his victims shall had spurred him into committing bring about the end of all that is such atrocities. innocent!” The higher families had to call upon an outsider, like Questioning her about her yourselves, to help them in the meaning will only end with her claiming murderers capture. Unfortunately that she has told them too much, and that my memory of him waned there are eyes everywhere. If they wish immediately after his departure, to speak with her privately, she is more and I have tried many times to than willing to give them the directions inquire about his nature. But with to her cottage located in the northern his aid, the Eye-Thief was wounded, portions of the swamp. and chased into this very swamp. If the party decides to entreat her Here it was defeated, but the putrid request, Hanna Gibings will tell them waters swallowed up its corpse. that they’d best leave Hollow’s Creek as Some say it uttered a curse before it quickly as they are able. She will claim disappeared beneath the muck, that Hollow’s Creek suffers beneath a claiming it would return to finish its horrible curse, whose very nature acts work, and enact revenge upon all like a plague, spreading to all those it those who harmed it. Since then I touches. And that if they know what is have been plagued with nightmares good for them, they’d best flee from this of ghoulish things… a rising hand town and never return. If asked about from beneath the waters, rivers of the nature of the curse, she will proceed blood, torture, and a horrible to relate a tale: necklace of eyes dangling from a rotting corpse. I do not know what “Everyone who comes here it all means, but I can feel my is touched by it in one particular nightmares presence gripping way or another. Some tend to others by the throat, lurking behind escape without as much as buildings, laying in wait to inflict witnessing the horror of its work, others with some terrible affliction I but others have suffered much know not what. more. I dream terrible things, The higher families feel this things that I wish would be as well, but refuse to acknowledge forgotten as easily as the rest of the the possibility that the Eye-Thief village actively pursues. I speak of may still be alive. All I know, is the one the villagers call the Eye that there are dark powers at work Thief. Five years ago, this very here, powers beyond [continued] village toiled beneath [continued]

38 …my comprehension. family tomb, and the investigation of If you do not wish to be one of Cecil’s merchant ships claimed to counted amidst its victims, I have sailed into the harbors of Port-a- suggest leaving as fast as you can Lucine in Dementlieu without crew – the and take refuge in what good you only survivor being the prestigious have brought this community. Captain Abertson, currently held at a Else you may find yourselves neighboring insane asylum. pulled into whatever fate is in store for this village and all its Letter to the Reader inhabitants.”

As time permits, I will work Any additional questions will be nd answered with little information on the diligently on producing the 2 portion of exact nature of the Eye-Thief, its origins, this adventure. I look forward to all or what revenge/work does it intend to sorts of feedback on this adventure as it pursue. Hanna will not openly lie to the is my first publication. I am also very player characters, but will not go into grateful that the Fraternity of Shadows is any more specifics. She will on-the- keeping the Ravenloft spirit alive. other-hand, tell them that they must use Ravenloft is my favorite campaign what information she has given them to setting. I loved it in AD&D, under the either leave Hollow’s Creek or sway of former TSR, and enjoyed the experience what comes for themselves. products owned by WOTC license to Already they are beginning to be pulled and produced by White Wolf. into the wolf’s maw, it’s ultimately their I do hope that this will inspire decision what occurs afterwards. A others to try their hand at writing Sense Motive check [DC 14] will sense additional Ravenloft material, as well as that she is sincere, but afraid. Hanna keeping the interest in the Fraternity of Gibings has already played her hand in Shadows. the affair, and secretly wishes to have little else to do with it – as she feels that Sincerely, it partially her doing, by aiding in the birth of Sorgen, that lead to this mess in the first place. She believes that everyone has their role to fulfill, but it’s up to the player characters how they fill theirs.

The Phantom Maid

The rest of this adventure will be continued in part II of “The Wailing P.S. Forgive my shrewd drawings, I’ve Sorrow” called The Phantom Maid. It rarely boasted artistic talent. details the coming announcement of a family union between Cecil Harnasse and of course his betrothed Jacquelin Cuvier, desecration of the Harnasse

39 Appendix

3d6+3d10+18; hp 41; Int +4 (Improved

Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (touch 12, his section provides information flat-footed 12); Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, on the notable figures of Hollow’s Creek MW scimitar), or +7 ranged (1d10, MW including a portion dedicated to Old flintlock pistol); SA -none-; SQ -none-; Man Hollow and an adventure dedicated AL CG; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +6; to him exclusively. Str 17, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 15, Sorgen, Stygian or Cereo Ryder Cha 13. will not be included in this appendix due Skills and Feats: Appraise +5, to their importance later on in the next Balance +4, Bluff +10, Climb +7, adventures. They will be printed in the Diplomacy +7, Forgery +4, Gather 3rd and final part of this adventure set. Information +5, Handle Animal +5, The NPC’s follow the following Intimidate +4, Jump +4, Knowledge format in congruence with the Ravenloft (sailing) +5, Listen +4, Profession Gazetteers: (merchant) +8, Ride +1, Sense Motive Statistics: Contains detailed +2, Spot +4, Swim +7; Alertness, Exotic information on game statistics for the Weapon Prof. (firearms), Improved character. For all tense and purposes the Initiative, Quick Draw, Skill Focus character’s native language is marked (Bluff), Weapon Focus (scimitar). with an asterisk. If the NPC can cast Languages: *Lamordian, spells, those they usually prepare are Falkovnian, Mordentish, Rajian marked accordingly. Signature Possessions: Background: History of the Masterwork scimitar, x2 masterwork character. flintlock pistols, bracers of armor +2, Current Sketch: Regards the scabbard of keen edges. particular mannerisms of the said character. Combat: Strategies in combat Flint has hair as red as a that the NPC tends to rely on when push Forfarian and cheeks that blush with comes to shove. Special attacks or similar color when he’s drunk. His abilities not listed in the PHB, Ravenloft Mordentish is flavored with a Lamordian sourcebook, or Denizens of Darkness, accent, and his language is colored by these will be listed also. the sea. He is a paunchy fellow, that is Lair: The characters dwelling or kept dressed in the Mordentish garb, but other most-frequented home. appears at-odds with his choice in clothing. His eyes are a deep brown set, whilst his skin as paler than white- Flint Ambrose washed church. Flint looks to be somewhere in his mid-thirties, but his Male Human Exp3/Ftr3: CR 4; beard and mustache tends to add a few Size M humanoid (5 ft. 9 in. tall); HD years to his features.

40 Background that propriety is overrated. However, he does his best not to disrespect those he wishes to impress. And occasionally Flint Ambrose came to Hollow’s he’s been known to be extremely Creek 8 months ago having bought the generous when things go his way. old Gaulstaff estate called Silver Swan. Despite his social flaws he is He has lead the locals to believe that his slow to trust, but quick to reward those purpose in Hollow’s Creek is to expand he does with unquestionable loyalty. his trading opportunities from the coast, Whenever a friend is in trouble, he will and move his goods a bit further inland go to any extent to get them out. For for a decent profit. this, he has many connections and is not Flint was born in Lamordia as a afraid to use them when times get rough. merchant’s son in 737, and took over the business when his father grew too old for the sea. Since then he has been an aspiring merchant, and has made many friends in his career. Flint learned about Hollow’s Creek from an old friend of his named Captain Fredrick Albertson, who was allegedly partnered with a nobleman named Cecil Harnasse during the shipping incident. Flint cannot stand the rural life of Hollow’s Creek and longs to return to the Sea of Sorrows, however his loyalty to his incarcerated friend keeps his presence close to Cecil. Cecil is not aware of Flint’s purpose here, and neither does he know about Flint’s prior affiliations with Captain Albertson. He is trying to find out as much information as he can without giving himself away, and without arousing suspicion. Flint does not know whether or not Cecil Combat Harnasse had anything to do with the shipping incident, but he does know that Though rarely faced with it, Flint Cecil is at least making some attempts in adores a good fight. He doesn’t take discovering the cause. Whether this is kindly to people who push others around Cecil’s means of covering up a guilty and due to his brutish nature has been in conscious or if he is sincere about his several bar fights. concerns, is a matter still left When threatened with dire odds undiscovered. Flint will open up with his flintlock pistols and only switch to his scimitar if Current Sketch melee is the only option. Flint absolutely despises Spellcasters and Flint is a cheerful man. He gives prefers take them out first before turning little head to proper etiquette, and feels on fighters.

41 If outnumbered Flint will retreat Ref +3, Will +9; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 13, until he can find a tactical advantage. Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16. And if defeat rears its head, Ambrose Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, will find the best means of escape – if Bluff +9, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +5, not only to cause his enemies more grief Forgery +5, Gather Information +6, later on. Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge Lair (domains) +4, Knowledge (alchemy) +10, Knowledge (noble families) +4, Ambrose currently lives at the Listen +7, Ride +7, Sense Motive +11, old Silver Swan estate south of the Spot +7, Survival +5; Exotic Weapon docks. The Arden River gives him some Prof. (firearms), Iron Will, Negotiator, solace, but the river is nothing in Skill Focus (Knw:Alchemy),Weapon comparison to the lure of the sea. For Focus (rapier). the most of it Silver Swan is still decrepit Languages: Balok, Lamordian, since the Gaulstaff mysterious leave Mordentish. over thirty years ago. Signature Possessions: The locals claim that the Masterwork rapier, flintlock pistol, ring previous family had internal conflicts of protection +1. and incestuous affairs that lead to their eventual flight. Though great contributors to the community, the problems they incurred, especially with their association with illegal goods and smugglers, does not afford them to be missed. Flint rarely stays at Silver Swan as he occasionally finds himself upriver at Blackburn’s Crossing in the arms of some pretty maid. But the time he has spent in Silver Swan has been filled with nightmarish dreams, feelings of being watched, and the occasional bump in the night.

Johnathan Coleridge

Male Human Ari5/Ftr1: CR 4; Size M humanoid (5 ft. 11 in. tall); HD 4d8+1d10+5; hp 31; Int +2 (+2 Dex); Johnathan holds a kind face to Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (touch 13, flat-footed any who encounter him. Appearing 11); Atk +6 melee (1d6+1, MW rapier), roughly in his early forties, a few or +6 ranged (1d10, flintlock pistol); SA wrinkles and grey strands of hair have -none-; SQ -none-; AL NG; SV Fort +4, already begun to show. His hair is strawberry blonde and his skin is slightly tan from days out supervising the fields.

42 His eyes are grey, that oftentimes services as an acting magistrate have been noted to reflect a kind of whenever the Lord-Mayor was misty haze now and again, especially preoccupied to be bothered with minor during high amounts of fog. affairs. Johnathan has also been responsible for many generous donations Background of money to the Church of Prevailing Light as well as offer loans to local The 41 year old Johnathan businesses in times of need. Coleridge is married to Elizabeth During the year of 753, when the Coleridge and has a single daughter Eye-Thief (Sorgen) started on his named Alice a paladin of Ezra currently murdering streak, he along with the adventuring in Darkon last he heard. A other noble families of Hollow’s Creek horrible carriage accident killed both his rallied together to hunt him down. sister and her husband leaving he and his Unfortunately their combined skills were family in the care of his sisters’ only no match for Sorgen and had to hire a daughter Annabell Laymond. The man by the name of Cereo Ryder Coleridge family came to Hollow’s (though his name is elusive to Johnathan Creek in 621 with hope of establishing a for some unknown reason). With his firm trading relationship with the help, the noble families devised a plan in southern domains. Since his parents which to capture Sorgen. During this death, Johnathan Coleridge has acted in ambush, Johnathan was the man who accordance with his parents wishes and volunteered to lay waiting in Philip continues to inhabit his residence at Harnasse’s coffin armed with only a set Haven Ridge. of pistols and his rapier. It was when After hearing the mysterious Sorgen pried open the tomb that events surrounding the disappearance of Johnathan managed to wound him. the Mournesworth family and dear When Sorgen fled, Johnathan along with friends of his family, Jonathan became the rest of the nobles followed him into obsessed with finding the cause to their the swamp, but became lost enough to be “abduction”. This obsession has separated from the Lord-Mayor manifested in his interest in all things Thaddeus Knox-Creed. It was not until alchemical. The Coleridge family has he heard the sound of battle, that he was spared no expense in the past few years able to follow the noise and witness the on acquiring ancient books on alchemy, final moments of the struggle between occasionally employing Axle Rowgrim Sorgen and Thaddeus, as Sorgen in locating the very same items. dissapeared completely within a Currently he suspects that the sinkhole. Since then Johnathan has had Blackburn-Bruce family has not entirely his reservations about whether or not vanished as officials have claimed, and Sorgen was gone for good, as after believes that by locating a remaining trudging the swamp they were unable to relative, that he might just be able to find his body. Something additional has solve the mysterious surrounding the been bothering him about that night, as Mournesworth. he does not remember Thaddeus In regards to his role in the following them directly into the swamp running of Hollow’s Creek, Johnathan and somehow managed to cut Sorgen off has always been quick to offer his before they did. Being how difficult the

43 swamp is to navigate, he is unsure to Lair leave it alone as happenstance, or if something else had occurred that night The majority of the time that he had missed. Johnathan prefers the isolation of his family estate called Haven Ridge. It is a Current Sketch decent mansion made of a grey wood, and a ceramic-tiled roof built on the top Johnathan is a gentleman through of a hill. Due to the location of his home and through. Propriety and honor is to the South Road, Haven Ridge is the what dictates his every action, and is first line of defense against any western always willing to add to his knowledge invasion. A strong wooden palisade has base on any topic. Though kind and been built around the proximity of the compassionate, Johnathan likes his mansion and is guarded by a few hired privacy and tends to keep away from the guardsmen to be on the look-out for any eyes of others for weeks at a time. His threat to neighboring farmsteads, Haven persuit of knowledge, especially Ridge, or Hollow’s Creek itself. concerning information on either the Blackburn-Bruce or Mournesworth family is 2nd only to his family. He has a Jacqueline Cuvier tolerance for people that supersedes most Mordent inhabitants, and believes Female Human Ari1: CR 1/2; in the general good of others. Size M humanoid (5 ft. 6 in. tall); HD 1d8; hp 5; Int +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (touch 11, flat-footed

Combat 10); Atk +0 melee (1d2, unarmed); SA - none-; SQ -none-; AL LG; SV Fort +0, Johnathan prefers to avoid Ref +1, Will +4; Str 11, Dex 12, Con 10, combat at all costs. Instead he tries to Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 18. rely mostly on his diplomacy skills, and Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, the occasional bluff to dissuade his Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +5, enemies. However, if put in a situation Handle Animal +5, Knowledge (local) where combat is inevitable, he opens up +5, Knowledge (domains) +4, combat with a shot from his pistol and Knowledge (religion) +6, Knowledge then engages in melee with his rapier. If (noble families) +4, Listen +5, Ride +2, alone, he will try every opportunity he Sense Motive +6 , Spot +5; Alertness, can get to flee (as he is aware that he is Skill Focus (Knw: Religion). no skilled fighter). If protecting Languages: Balok, Darkonese, someone, he will strive at every moment Lamordian, *Mordentish, Vaasi, to secure their escape before disengaging Signature Possessions: A silver himself. locket with Cecil Harnasse’s engraving There has been a few times in his inside. life where he has been forced to violence, and when given a choice he Jacqueline has just recently will volunteer himself if it means sparing turned 17 years of age and carries the someone else the burden of combat. cloak of youth about her wherever she goes. Her skin is soft, as smooth as rich

44 buttermilk and her exceptionally long grew attached to her new playmate and blonde hair has been admired in most even made excuses to spirit off from the gossip circles. Her features are angular, boring world of politics and schooling to a distinctive characteristic of the Cuvier meet with her exotic friend. However, line, which goes to suggest that the on a day that they were scheduled to Cuvier’s may have a bit of fey blood meet, Sorgen didn’t show up, and neither added to them sometime in the distant did he on all the other days afterward. family history. She gave up hope of ever seeing her The young daughter of Cuvier’s friend again once her household caught walks with an unnatural grace, and her news of the Pendlefern murders, and for presence always tend to captivate the her safety she was sent away with her attentions of whatever room she happens mother to live in Dementlieu with to inhabit. Her blue eyes is enough to relatives until Hollow’s Creek was safer. melt even the most harden of hearts. Jacqueline’s marriage with Cecil has been postponed for many years, mostly due in fact to Cecil’s mourning Background for his youngest brother Philip’s death. Just recently, Cecil has proposed a Jacqueline Cuvier was born in marriage date and she is overly excited 741 to Laton and Merianna Cuvier. As for the upcoming day. part of a proposed family alliance between the Harnasse family and their own, Jacqueline was betrothed out to the eldest Harnasse son Cecil when she was six years old. Since then she has been raised knowing she would be married to Cecil and has grown used to the whole idea. In fact, over the years her and Cecil have become fairly well acquainted with each other (while always in the presence of a chaperone) and she has fallen in love with her future husband – despite the arranged marriage. As a young child Jacqueline was eagerly rebellious, preferring to slip away from her life at Chateau de Cuvier and explore the south road and outlying farmsteads alone. When she was twelve years of age, she came upon the shy caliban during one of his secret-outings away from the Pendlefern Ranch. She saw no malice in the horribly deformed Current Sketch and quite alien Sorgen, and befriended him rightfully. Fearful that she might be Jacquelin has had proper discovered away from home, she always upbringing and knows what people met with Sorgen in secret, away from the expect out of a woman of her social prying eyes of others. Slowly Jacqueline

45 class. She is quite, reserved, good- foot stone wall encircles the front natured and tends to appreciate the grounds, and the perimeter is watched simple parts of life. over by a couple groundskeepers and She now realizes how foolish she hired guardsmen, in case of robbers. was as a child, but has made up for it Chateau de Cuvier is shielded with absolute dedication to her family from the sights of the village by a set of and innocent counsel she bestows on steep hills, but is only a short horse ride those who ask for it. Though young by away in case of emergencies. social standards, Jacquelin is not naïve and understands more than she lets on. She hasn’t quite put together that the Sheriff, Laton Cuvier infamous Eye-Thief was none other than her childhood friend Sorgen, but has Male Human Ari1/Ftr4: CR 4; pieced together his ghoulish deeds from Size M humanoid (6 ft. 1 in. tall); HD the bits and pieces she hears from the 1d8+4d10+10; hp 43; Int +7 (+3 Dex, +4 manor staff. Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 She is also one of Hollow’s (touch 13, flat-footed 14); Atk +9 melee Creek’s most pious worshippers of Ezra. (1d6+2, rapier +1), or +8 ranged (1d10, She believes that by setting a fine MW flintlock pistols); SA -none-; SQ - example, that many others will flock to none-; AL LG; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will Ezra’s guidance. Occasionally she can +4; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 15, Wis be found (with escort) at the Temple of 17, Cha 15. Prevailing Light going reading from the Skills and Feats: Appraise +5, book of Ezra or seeking the aid of soon- Bluff +7, Climb +3, Diplomacy +8, to-be brother-in-law Abril Harnasse in Gather Information +9, Handle Animal prayer. +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +2, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (domains) +5, Knowledge (noble families) +4, Listen Combat +6, Ride +5, Search +5, Sense Motive +8, Spot +7, Survival +4; Exotic Jacqueline does not know how to Weapon Prof. (firearms), Improved fight, nor has she ever been subjected to Initiative, Investigator, Quick Draw, like-activities such as hunting or Weapon Focus (rapier). weapons-practice like the noble Languages: Balok, Elven, gentlemen. If threatened with harm she Folkovnian, Lamordian, *Mordentish will scream for help, and flee if given Signature Possessions: Rapier the chance. +1, mithril chain shirt, x2 masterwork flintlock pistols, hooded-lantern. Lair Laton keeps his stature appearing For the majority of her lifetime formidable and domineering. He Jacqueline has lived with her mother and constantly stands with his back straight, father at their estate Chateau de Cuvier his eyes narrow, and a consistent in Hollow’s Creek. It is a finely gentleman appeal radiating from his constructed mansion fit with a stable person. He shares similar characteristics house, servants quarters and a lovely to his daughter: blonde hair, blue eyes. apple orchid near the gardens. A five- But his facial features aren’t as

46 prominently angular as the rest of his influence over Hollow’s Creek family line. His ears, on-the-other-hand (especially due to the degradation of the are slightly pointed, betraying an elven Lord-Mayor) has decided to give up his heritage. daughter in marriage to the Harnasse family’s eldest son Cecil. He believes that the betrothal was made in haste due to financial and political desperation at the time, but after seeing how well the two fated interact with one another, he would now have it no other way. Laton headed the investigation in 753 against the case of the Eye-Thief. He learned that the murderer was named Sorgen, a caliban child (one of Mordent’s wailing children) under the care of the Pendleferns. He believes what sparked the caliban’s initial decision to murder his adopted family was due to the father’s tendencies toward abuse. But is unsure of why he decided to kill a large number of other families and the reason behind the taking of his victims’ eyes. Laton witnessed the death of Cecil Harnasse’s brother Philip during a failed surprise ambush by Background he, Laton and several members of the watch. Laton has been feeling guilty The Cuvier family settled in ever since, but has been reassured by the Hollow’s Creek in 614. During this time Harnasse family that it wasn’t his fault – they held a strong relationship with the especially since Philip volunteered. It Creedence family (now Knox-Creed) was this very same guilt that lead him to and were enticed to move to the untamed employ the mysterious Cureo Ryder south away from the harsh politics of (though Laton suffers from being unable Dementlieu and with promising to remember his name). He even was opportunities of trade with Richemulot, part of the trap construed by Ryder, Valachan and Verbrek. waiting in the shadows for the caliban to It was Laton’s father who was open Philips coffin – occupied by the previous sheriff of Hollow’s Creek Johnathan Coleridge. until his natural death in 747. Since the abduction of the Von Afterwards Laton eagerly took up the Storbens and the mutilation of their family tradition and became the official horses, Laton has unofficially reopened sheriff of Hollow’s Creek and for those the case on the Eye-Thief. He believed 11 years of service he has proved to be that the creature had been destroyed, his as dedicated as his father was. body forever lost in an unmarked Laton is married to Merianna and sinkhole, but with recent events he is they together have a daughter named thrown in doubt. Jacqueline. Eager to expand his families

47 Current Sketch be found at the city jail, or wandering the streets of Hollow’s Creek ensuring Laton is thorough in every that all is in order. investigation, preferring to never take any chances especially when there are Father Abril Harnasse innocents at stake. His biggest fear is in loosing someone he is close to, and tries Male Human Ari2/Clr3: CR 4; his hardest to ensure the safety of those Size M humanoid (5 ft. 10 in. tall); HD he considers close friends and family. 3d8+2d8+5; hp 37; Int +1 (+1 Dex); Spd Laton takes his job seriously, is 30 ft.; AC 11 (touch 11, flat-footed 10); suspicious, stern, but kind and forthright. Atk +5 melee (1d8+1, longsword +1), or He commands respect, and demands it +5 ranged (1d4, sling); SA spells, turn from everyone he deals with – especially undead; SQ shield of Ezra; AL LG; SV adventurers. He is a gentleman who is Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +8; Str 10, Dex 13, honorable, patient, but has no time for Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 17. foolery. Skills and Feats: Bluff +3, Concentration +5, Diplomacy +7, Gather Combat Information +5, Handle Animal +5, Heal +8, Knowledge (arcane) +5, Knowledge Laton is a formidable foe in (local) +6, Knowledge (domains) +5, combat, he anticipates his enemies with Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge a keen precision that oftentimes lures (noble families) +4, Knowledge them into pre-lain traps. He is very (religion) +8, Listen +5, Ride +3 Search intelligent, and prefers to use his +6, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +6, Spot surroundings to his benefit whenever +5; Brew Potion, Martial Weapon Prof. possible. (longsword), Scribe Scroll. He keeps two pistols on him at Languages: Balok, Darkonese, all times, preferring to fire the first shot *Mordentish. at notable adversaries and saving the Cleric Spells Per Day: second for unexpected developments. 4|3+1/2+1. Base DC = 13 + spell level, When innocence are threatened, 14 + spell level for spells of the Healing he does his best to protect them as best Domain. Domains: Mist, Healing as possible, even if that means Memorized Spells: 0-Cure surrendering himself to ensure their minor wounds, Detect Magic, Light, immediate escape. Laton is no fool, and Read Magic; 1-Obscuring Mist, Bless does not give up when circumstances Water, Remove Fear, Shield of Faith; 2- point to a gruesome end. Fog Cloud, Lesser Restoration,*Reflect Pain. Lair * Spells found in Chapter 2 of Van Richten’s Arsenal Laton lives with his wife, Signature Possessions: x2 cure daughter, and hired servants/guardsmen light wounds scrolls, x2 cure moderate at his family’s estate at Chateau de wounds potions, holy-symbol, x2 vials Cuvier just south of Hollow’s Creek. of holy water, longsword +1 Though the majority of the time he can

48 been compared to the Lord-Mayor himself during his glory days. Abril had little to do with the events surrounding the Eye-Thief until his younger brother Philip was murdered. It was directly after saying the last rights that sparked an overly zealousness in him to root out the evil that plagued Hollow’s Creek and ensure that the creature was destroyed. During the ambush against Sorgen in the Harnasse family tomb, Abril was responsible for tending to the wounded, despite his desire for vengeance. After the initial struggle, Abril was separated from his comrades in arms and tried desperately to add his powers to the cause. It was then that he stumbled across a necklace of eyes that Sorgen was trying to complete. The artifact reeked of evil magics, and no Abril is a young man, 25 years of matter how hard he tried he could not age with jet black hair and brown eyes. dismiss or destroy it. Believing the His youthful ambition has been replaced object to be outside his power, he began with faith-filled conviction. Despite his to feel dark compulsions reaching out age, Abril has absorbed much of his toward him and has battled fiercely predecessor’s resolve and has added it to against its tainted influence. In his personal charisma in hopes of raising desperation, Abril buried the accursed the religious devotee’s in Hollow’s item in a vault beneath the church. In Creek. the years to come, Abril spends every resource in protective wards to keep the Background artifacts powers from growing and researching a means for its destruction. Abril is the 2nd brother of the Though a part of the church of Harnasse family line and since birth he Ezra father Edgerton died before he had has been trained beneath Father Abrasius the chance of introducing the young Edgerton a devote priest of Ezra. Since Abril Harnasse to any contacts in the his eldest brother would inherit the church hierarchy. Though desperate to majority of his families wealth, he destroy the object, Abril is at odds with graciously accepted his annual stipend whom he can trust. He believes the and consigned himself to the church. thing to be beyond the scope and will of After his mentors early death, instead of his fellows and has kept the artifact fumbling about due to inexperience, secret from anyone who may try and use Abril immediately took to his role as the artifact for evil purposes. spiritual provider for the community. Since, his advice and leadership has

49 Current Sketch grants a 25/magic damage reduction against metal weapons.

Abril has been increasingly tired of late, Sorgen’s necklace of eyes has Lair become ever more dangerous over the past few months. He feels that the Abril Harnasse owns a quaint object is calling out to its master or home in the village, but rarely does he anyone foolish enough to claim it as spend any of his time there. Recently he their own and has put all his efforts into has moved some of his things into Father reinforcing the wards protecting the Edgerton’s old room and has taken lower vaults. residency in the Temple of Prevailing His eyes are red with stress and Light. his moods have been more on edge than Due to the growing strength of usual. He insists on having the weekly the necklace of eyes Abril has been services and continues to give consul as keeping himself readily available in case best as he can. Beyond the normal scope any of the wards start to wane. of duty, Abril cannot function – and refuses to leave the confines of the church. If asked about his condition he Cecil Harnasse shrugs it off as simply the stress of his occupation and similarly claims that he Male Human Ari4: CR 3; Size is just too preoccupied to assist in any M humanoid (6 ft. tall); HD 4d8+8; hp other endeavor. 32; Int +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 10); Atk +4 melee (1d6+1, MW rapier), or +7 ranged Combat (1d10, MW pistols); SA -none-; SQ - none- ; AL LN; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, When threatened with mortal Will +7; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 17, danger Abril will open the round with Wis 13, Cha 16. the shield of Ezra ability and proceed in Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, casting a reflect pain spell. If he has a Bluff +5, Diplomacy +8, Forgery +4, round to prepare, he will also cast shield Gather Information +6, Handle Animal of faith to increase his armor class. If +7, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (arcane) ever outnumbered he will prefer to cast +5, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge obscuring mist or fog cloud to ensure a (domains) +5, Knowledge (noble quick escape. If faced with a families) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, supernatural threat he will attempt to Listen +3, Ride +7, Search +1, Sense face it head-on—using his magical Motive +7, Spot +3, Survival +3 longsword to bypass any damage Languages: Balok, Elven, reduction—or if out matched he will Falkovnian, Darkonese, *Mordentish. attempt to flee and rally the locals to his Signature Possessions: aid. Masterwork Rapier, Masterwork Pistol, Locket with Jacqueline Cuvier’s Special Qualities – Shield of engraving. Ezra: 1/day may call a film of luminous mist to envelop the clerics body for 1 round per level of the cleric. The shield

50 to encourage, as everything came along naturally. The year of 753 bought nothing but pain for the eldest Harnasse. As one day after noticing his betrothed sneaking off from her home at Chateau de Cuvier, he followed her to an isolated area where he discovered her rendezvous with the young Sorgen. Outraged that Jacqueline would have anything to do with such a creature, partially fearful of its unnatural nature, and partially jealous of her newly acquired friend, Cecil plotted a means to scare off the treacherous caliban from ever seeing her again. Partnered with his youngest brother Philip, Cecil intercepted the young caliban before his next rendezvous. Cecil roped and dragged the young caliban from his horse, swearing that if he’d ever catch him near Jacqueline again that he’d hang Cecil Harnasse is a tall man that him from his throat. To further his point tends toward dark-slimming colors. His he reared his horse mere inches from hair is a jet black, which is usually kept Sorgen—a trick he had taught his horse, back in a pony-tail. His sideburns are and practiced many times before. kept long and his eyes are a dark brown. Something went wrong, and for some He is 28 years of age, though he left reason he lost control of his horse and behind his age a long time ago due to his nearly trampled the poor caliban to parents demanding expectations. death. Fearful of repercussions from supernatural sources – as those who Background harm one of mordent’s wailing children are prone to the evil forces that created Cecil Harnasse grew up under them – Cecil and his brother Philip the scrutiny and strict governance of his withdraw and leave the (thought dead) parents. Since he is the eldest brother, caliban to rot. he is considered first in-line for the It isn’t until a few months later inheritance after his parents pass. when after the Pendlefern murders that Cecil’s childhood was filled with harsh he learns the horror of his deeds. When schooling, strict rules, and hard tradition. the Eye-Thief escapes from murdering Cecil’s only reprieve from his his younger brother Philip, he identifies demanding life, was the young the killer as the creature his horse Jacqueline Cuvier – daughter of Laton accidentally trampled. Cecil later joins Cuvier and his intended. The children with the rest of the nobles along with the got along exceptionally well, and when mysterious Cureo Ryder (who’s name it came time for courtship there was very eludes Cecil to this day) and helps to set little that the parents of either family had ambush for the evil beast.

51 Even with Sorgen’s eventual sustain family tradition, wealth, prestige, defeat, Cecil still wakes from nightmares and respect. involving the trampled caliban, his horse and his brothers murder. To this day he Combat feels that he played a hand in his brother’s demise and has been trying to Cecil is not a fighter in any shape find a means to bring his brother back to or form. It was his younger brother life. Some say that Cecil has been Philip that was trained to be a soldier, taking far too many risks with his and to eventually take up the business ventures of late. Every attempt responsibilities of Laton Cuvier once he at a resurrection has failed, as little does retired. Therefore his own training has he know that the knife that slew him been overlooked. His only abilities in must be present to return his soul to his combat are attributed to the occasional body. Cecil has spent nearly a fortune in fox hunt, and of course an occasional locating books and magical items that bout of swordplay for recreation. offer life to the dead, but so far his work If threatened Cecil will not has been all for nothing. hesitate to return the favor at the end of his pistol, and if things get dire enough Current Sketch he can be roused to his rapier. He would prefer to make use of his household As always Cecil’s only reprieve guards and his influence with the from his guilty conscience and hardships Cuviers for protection. of managing the family estate (without going into bankruptcy due to his Lair research) is the beautiful Jacqueline Cuvier. He believes that his time of Cecil Harnasse lives at his family mourning should no long delay their estate in Hollow’s Creek, just sigh marriage and with the Cuvier dowry can beneath Old Hollow’s Hill called expand his research even further. Longshadow. It is a three-story mansion Cecil is a hard man driven by his with a stone foundation, with the rest of ambitions to succeed and to continue his the house built of strong wood with a family legacy. His only weakness ceramic-tile roof. The entire estate is comes from his guilt for Philip. When protected by a three foot stone wall conversing his face remains (imported from the inner core) and an monotonous, but not due to a flaw in elaborate iron gate filters traffic to the personality. Cecil is a hard man to read estate itself. and he prefers to keep it that way. The The estate is comprised of the only one he ever reveals his feelings to is Harnasse mansion, stable house, pasture, his beloved childhood playmate kennels, servants quarters, guards Jacqueline. quarters, and a few owned fields. Though stern like his parents, Cecil is not evil, nor does he harbor maliciousness towads others for his strict upbringing. He believes in necessary evils that must be done in order to

52 protecting her empty socket from the Midwife, Hanna Gibings harsh winds. Her hair is like spider-silk, grey and flutters about her in the Female Human Adp3/Clr1: CR smallest of breezes. Her lone eye is as 3; Size M humanoid (4 ft. 11 in. tall); grey as the mist, which is known to drift HD 3d6+1d8; hp 17; Int +0 (+0 Dex); off toward something invisible over the Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (touch 10, flat-footed shoulders of those she speaks with. 10); Atk +0 melee (1d6-1, gnarled cane); SA spells; SQ familiar; AL TN; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +9; Str 9, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 13. Skills and Feats: Bluff +1, Concentration +2, Craft (medicine) +7, Diplomacy +3, Handle Animal +4, Heal +8, Listen +6, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Profession (herbalist) +8, Profession (midwife) +8, Search +4, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +6, Spot +4, Survival +6; Alertness, Brew Potion, Scribe Scroll, Craft Wonderous Item. Languages: Balok, Draconic, Elven, Falcovnian, *Mordentish, Adept Spells Per Day: 3|3. Base DC = 14 + spell level Memorized Spells: 0-light, mending, touch of fatigue; 1-burning hands, protection from evil, sleep. Cleric Spells Per Day: 4|2+1. Background Base DC = 14 + spell level. Domains: Magic, Plant. Hanna Gibings has served as Memorized Spells: 0-Cure Hollow’s Creeks midwife for over fifty minor wounds x2, Detect Magic, Read years. So long in fact that it was her Magic; 1-Entangle, Command, Cause who aided in the Harnasse brothers, Fear Thaddeus Knox-Creed, and Jacqueline Signature Possessions: x2 cure Cuvier’s birth. She was born in light wounds scrolls, x2 cure light Blackburn’s Crossing and moved to the wounds potions, gnarled cane, holy- rural setting to get away from the city symbol of hala, *ring of fearlessness +2, life. It was here that she discovered her *shawl of death’s blindness, *talismans unique abilities to heal and eventually of the competent man. became a servant to her goddess Hala.

Very few know about Hanna’s Hanna Gibings is just sigh of 5 dedications to Hala, amidst the noble feet and walks with a gnarled cane. Her families only Thaddeus Knox-Creed face is covered in wrinkles, whilst her knows of her religious affiliations. The right eye is covered with a red scarf –

53 Knox-Creed family has turned to Hanna care for the child. Despite her warnings, Gibings in cases of birth, prophetic Thaddeus wished to be rid of all financial advice, and in times of plague. responsibilities regarding the child – and Every time Hanna has been more than though hesitant, Hanna took the child as happy to extend them her services and her own. wisdom. It is through these services that However, the night in the swamp Hanna has assured her privacy and rendered her incapable of caring for the safety from persecution from those who caliban as she grew sick with the plague. mistrust witchcraft. Fearful that her fever would bring about On a fateful October night in 738 her end, and quite possibly spread to the Hanna was summoned to a remote young babe, she advised that child be portion of the northern swamp by a given to one of the tillers who owed whispering wind. After trudging Thaddeus a substantial debt – that by through the muck, nearly blind from the caring for the child, they will be forgiven lack of moonlight, Hanna found herself of that debt as long as his origins are at the mouth of an abandoned wolfs den. kept secret. Reluctantly Thaddeus Inside laid a woman about to give birth. agreed and the child was given into the Inspired by pleas for help, Hanna was care of a family of ranchers by the name quick to aid the mother with her of Pendlefern. delivery, but was shocked when the babe Hanna Gibings struggled for the turned out to be one of Mordents next 2 years against the terrible disease “howling ones”- a caliban. The mother that she contracted from the night of named the child Sorgen. After the Sorgen’s birth. She survived the naming, Hanna was rewarded by the affliction, but not without a horrible cost. woman, claiming that she would be free Hanna lost her right eye to the disease from his influence – and would have no and her muscles and health have fallen need to fear him in the future. It was into decline. Hanna has only been able then that Hanna realized that the wolf’s to keep herself alive through her den wasn’t as abandoned as she thought, extensive knowledge in herbs and as she realized an abundance of eyes medicines. staring at them from the darkness of the Something happened in the year fen. Soon Hanna was told to return to of 753. Sorgen was but a distant her cottage, and that her journey would memory to Hanna, but suddenly she be unimpeded. began to have horrible nightmares It wouldn’t be until later that involving the caliban child and a night, that Hanna would truly realize the whispering void that threatened to circumstances surrounding Sorgen’s swallow him whole. On the night of the birth. Thaddeus Knox-Creed came to Pendlefern murders, Hanna fell into a fit her that same night with the child in of convulsions on the cottage floor and hand, pleading with her to care for it as it saw all the horror that took place. Every would be the ruin of his social-standings. night afterward she was haunted by After prying all the events surrounding additional visions of torture and blood, the mysterious woman and the child with seeing exactly what Sorgen, the Eye- especial care in detail encompassing Thief saw as he brutally murdered his Thaddeus role and his associations, victims and harvested their eyes for a Hanna counseled him to reconsider and necklace to bear around his neck. It was

54 with her aid that Cureo Ryder (who’s Combat name is also lost in Hanna’s memory) was able to know exactly when and where Sorgen would strike. After his Hanna Gibings may seem like defeat in the swamp, for one night in she is weak, but her magics have months she was free of the horrible provided her with enough protections to visions. But the night of his demise, life in the northern fen without fear of Hanna dreamt of his pale hand emerging the creatures of the night. If threatened from the waters of the sinkhole – since she will use every spell at her disposal to then she has only received tiny glimmers incapacitate her persuers, and if given of his activities. It wasn’t until the the chance, will slay them in their party’s arrival in Hollow’s Creek that helplessness. marked the return of her nightmares. Hanna also has an array of Every night she watches in horror to the magical items at her disposal (detailed in events Sorgen is striving to set in the magical items section of the motion. What is worse, is that she can Appendix). With these items, she has hear a voice in the void of her been able to overcome instances of nightmares speaking to her – warning danger and escape to the comforts of her her of things to come, but also home. threatening with a fate worse than death if she interferes. Lair

Current Sketch Hanna lives in a cottage in the swamp just north of Hollow’s Creek, Hanna Gibings is a wise woman and northwest of Allworth estate. The that sees little joy in frivolous endeavors. cottage is a grey wood that is partially Years of pain and anguish have taught rotting due to the dampness of the her patience, and that in her existence swamp; were it not for Hanna’s mending every moment counts. She is not one to spells the place would surely collapse. waste her time on fools, but is not one to The roof is made of a green moss that insult or lecture. happens to grow in abundance These nights midwife Gibings is throughout the heath. afraid. She fears the voice in the void, Inside a visitor is greeted with calling out to her the terrors of Sorgen’s drying herbs hanging from the ceilings, plan. Deep in her conscience she wire cages, shelves filled with bottles of believes this voice to be the voice of unknown concoctions. A cauldron is death, and his threats only accompany constantly boiling a strange collection of her with thoughts of nothingness and a ingredients for one of many potions fate of eternal torment. Her very nature Hanna creates for the villagers and compels her not to act, and to allow paying strangers. things to move on their own accord, but dreads that if she doesn’t do something – that everything will be swallowed by the darkness of the void.

55 Signature Possessions: Masterwork rapier, masterwork flintlock pistol, *amulet of evil wardings

Thaddeus is a man in his early forties but appears as if he is nearing sixty. His face has taken to wrinkles, his eyes sunken deep within his skull, and his once brown hair is now a powder white. His eyes are hazel in coloration but tend to turn towards a darker brown during the colder seasons. His looks and general attire appear worn and tiresome. But when his gaze is fixed on an object of his displeasure, one is filled with a vile condemnation that sinks to the bone.

Background

Lord-Mayor, Thaddeus Thaddeus was born in 717 here in Hollow’s Creek. His parents, though Knox-Creed strict, were overly proud of his gall and bravado when dealing with his equals. Male Human Ari7: CR 5; Size They encouraged this portion of his M humanoid (5 ft. 11 in. tall); HD character which only aided in 7d8+14; hp 56; Int +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 succeeding in most scholarly and politic ft.; AC 11 (touch 11, flat-footed 10); Atk pursuits. Though perhaps a failing by +9 melee (1d6+1, MW rapier), or +6 his upbringing or a flaw in human ranged (1d10, MW flintlock pistol); SA - character, Thaddeus became over none-; SQ -none-; AL CG; SV Fort +2, arrogant – especially in his knowing that Ref +2, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 15, some day he would inherit the title of Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 13. Lord-Mayor of Hollow’s Creek. Skills and Feats: Appraise +8, As a young man, whenever his Bluff +9, Diplomacy +12, Forgery +7, parents would take him to Blackburn’s Gather Information +6, Handle Animal Crossing or Mordentshire he, along with +5, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (local) his following at the time, would take +9, Knowledge (domains) +8, liberties with the local women and flaunt Knowledge (noble families) +10, Listen his family’s success. To the people of +7, Ride +6, Sense Motive +8, Spot +7, Mordent, he was a prodigal son, but the Survival +8; Alertness, Exotic Weapon reputation of his family’s name over- Prof. (firearms), Weapon Finesse, shadowed his wrong doings and his Weapon Focus (rapier) actions were generally looked upon as Languages: Balok, Falkovnian, the follies of youth. Lamordian, *Mordentish. In 737 a week before he was to wed Camellia Farmsworth, the daughter

56 of a reputable family out of Blackburn’s the guards regularly patrolled his estate. Crossing (an attempt to quash his She held in her arms a caliban child, his lecherous activities, and put an end to his child, and told him of his ownership. In mal-adventures) Thaddeus met a spite of his denials, Thaddeus saw beautiful Vistani woman by the name of something familiar in the child’s Lylari Bonova. She and her caravan features. Lylari spoke that she would entered Hollow’s Creek with the intent have her revenge upon him for her rape of trade and providing entertainment – and the murder of her two brothers with for a slight fee. the following curse, “Bound to your With the aid of his friends as crimes, this child shall bring woe to your they distracted her Vistani escorts with house if usurped from its rightful offers of coin, Thaddeus was able to inheritance. Know you shall have no sneak off with the Lylari to an isolated other heirs that may claim your family portion of the heath. The two were name. Heed this warning, for I curse the infatuated with each other, she with his house of Knox-Creed to forever bear the power and confidence, and he with her mark of your unpunished crime.” As the exotic charms and wiles. However, last word was uttered, Thaddeus felt a when things became too intimate she large weight pressing down on his refused him. Not used to rejection, shoulders – a weight he would have to Thaddeus took his liberties despite her bear for the rest of his life – and all the protests – the result a forced rapine. windows and doors to Allworth opened When all was over, Thaddeus as a putrid wind pushed into the house, returned with his friends. It is presumed snuffing all the firelight. When the light that Lylari told her companions of his was restored, Thaddeus found that Lylari deeds, as two of her people attempted to had vanished and the caliban child assault Thaddeus in the street. For the cradled on his sofa. transgression, the two vistani were In a fit of desperation, Thaddeus hanged for the trespass, by order of the grabbed the child and fled to his most Lord-Mayor, Thaddeus’ father. That trusted advisor, the Midwife Hanna night, fearful of additional retribution, Gibings. He pleaded for her to hide the Lylari Bonova and her caravan child, as harboring such a creature in his disappeared in the mists. own home would destroy his family The next week Thaddeus married name, and destroy his relationship with Camellia. Their marriage was filled Camellia. Hanna warned Thaddeus that with trial and tribulation, but eventually doing so may bring about Lylari’s curse, she was able to dissipate his lustful but his family’s reputation came more yearnings and acquire his love and important, and in the end Hanna agreed dedication. Camellia became the talk of to the child’s care. Hollow’s Creek, a woman of piety and But her care would end too soon, strength of character. She was beloved as she shortly after took ill with the by all, and her success only captivated plague and the responsibility was Thaddeus’ attentions even more. transferred to a local rancher by the Nine months later, in October of name of Pendlefern who owed the Knox- 738. Thaddeus was visited by Lylari Creed family a sizable debt. In Bonova in his own parlor, despite that exchange for Sorgen’s care, Thaddeus every door and window was locked and promised to waive the usual monthly

57 debt and promised to accrue it directly to Thaddeus recants his the principle owed. In short, the involvement with Sorgen’s mother and Pendlefern’s were free of their financial describes his reluctance to take him as responsibilities as long as they would his son due to social consequences. He harbor the child. Once the agreement apologizes to him, claiming to have seen was struck, Thaddeus turned his back on the error of his ways. Thaddeus Sorgen and returned to the comfort of promises to spare no expense at the his family’s estate just in time to learn healing of the caliban’s “condition”. that his beloved Camellia is with child. Sorgen, denies him, claiming that no The next nine months Thaddeus mere apology and feelings of treated the night Lylari spoke her curse reconciliation will make up for the years as a horrible dream, dedicating his every of abuse suffered beneath the hands of devotion to his family’s prosperity and others (especially his adopted family – happiness. Dire times were soon the Pendleferns). Sorgen flees Allworth approaching. In 739 his wife, Camellia claiming that he’ll, “…bring a new truth Farmsworth Knox-Creed died giving to the family name, one that will be birth to their new born son Terrance, remembered for generations to come!” who also died shortly after. Sorrow The next night is marked by the swept through Allworth estate, as her Pendlefern murders, their blood soaked death was felt by all who knew her. In under the Knox-Creed name. his grieving Thaddeus still swears he Fearful to reveal his previous smelled the same noxious odors that crimes Thaddeus remains silent, praying swept in his home the night of Lylari’s that Laton Cuvier and fellow members curse. For the coming years Thaddeus of the watch combined intuition and skill falls into a bout of melancholy that will bring Sorgen to justice. Though as leaves Allworth in disrepair and empty. more people fall beneath Sorgen’s knife, In 753 Thaddeus is torn from his Thaddeus is forced to hire Cureo Ryder dreams of Camellia by a vision of (who’s name is now a mystery to him), Sorgen being trampled by the hooves of to hunt down Sorgen and kill him. some nightmarish beast, and feels death- Thaddeus joins in the final ambush hand slowly creeping upon him. Driven against his son, but when Sorgen by a partial fear of additional reprisals attempts to escape in the northern from the curse, and desperate for a swamps – Thaddeus is at an advantage. chance at salvation, Thaddeus finds the Due to his family’s tendencies to use the battered body of his son at the swamps to cover their secret visitations Pendlefern farm. Sorgen is spirited to Hanna Gibings, Thaddeus knows safe away to Allworth by carriage and is passageways and how to cut off the placed directly in Thaddeus’ care. fleeting murderer. Applying a few potions to Sorgen’s Catching him by surprise wounds – potions he had acquired from Thaddeus wounds the already injured Hanna Gibings – Sorgen was brought caliban and they struggle against each from the edge of demise and made a near other in an exchange of blades and fists. recovery. The potions healed as much as Their battle eventually leads them into a possible, but Sorgen was left with sinkhole that quickly begins to pull their injuries far beyond the range of the struggling bodies into the depths. It is restorative magic. there that Thaddeus consigns his life to

58 the destruction of his very own creation, when he dreams of Sorgen rising from and fights to hold down his escaping his watery prison and choking him while son. However, just before he is pulled all of Hollow’s Creek bleeds before his completely under, he is saved by Cureo eyes. Ryder and the rest of his companions. Thaddeus watches as his son is slowly pulled into the muck. The last anyone Combat sees is Sorgen’s hand disappearing beneath the waters. Thaddeus is a skilled fencer, and The portion of the tale that will not hesitate to defend himself if Thaddeus refuses to relate in his struggle presented with danger. He carries a against Sorgen in the swamp, is that pistol on the inside of his coat and will when he cosigned himself to die it is use it when the situation turns grim. then that Cureo Ryder grabbed him. He also wears an amulet beneath Things happened so very quickly at that his clothing that Hanna Gibings gave moment, but he swore that Sorgen him for protection. If facing a denizen helped push him out of the sinkhole, of darkness, or any being he believes regardless that it only served to push him evil, Thaddeus will activate a charge to in deeper. Perhaps it was his mean of shield him from the coming danger. redemption, a sliver of forgiveness… or was it? Lair

Current Sketch Thaddeus Knox-Creed resides at his family estate Allworth atop a hill Thaddeus has come a long way north of Hollow’s Creek. It was once a since his youthful days of arrogance and thriving three-story mansion, occupied cruelty. He is now kind, compassionate, with servants, guards, and an assortment and eager to do good with what little of other houseguests and friends. Now it time he believes he has left in this world. has dwindled down to a few loyal His life is not yet over with, and he may servants. still have a chance at starting over. The house is a dull grey color, There is hope in his eyes, but the ghosts having not been whitewashed in years, of the past oftentimes smudge his and dust has coated the windows enough optimism and for weeks he falls ill. that no light passes through them and the With the events surrounding the insides are blocked in obscurity. The Von Storben’s disappearance, Thaddeus stables and the servants quarters are the has grown ever more sickly and pale. only two buildings kept in relative He fears that his son may not have repair. Were it not for the occasional perished in that swamp and that he’s passing of candlelight at night, one been biding his time – to lure everyone would suspect the place to be in a sense of false-security. Thaddeus is abandoned. distant from all those around him. He wakes from terrifying nightmares with his own hands clenched around his throat. He wears a scarf to hide the bruises that he inflicts upon himself –

59 hindered from listening to it for more New Magical Items than a combined period of 30 minutes. If interrupted the character must start over at 8 hours of listening in order to Amulet of Evil Wardings gain its benefits. The bonuses last until the The amulet is usually a precious character rolls a horror and/or madness stone wrapped in wire to support a chain recovery roll regardless of the outcome, or after 30 days have passed. to wear over ones neck. When worn this rd amulet adds little benefit to the wearer Faint Divination; CL 3 ; Craft until properly activated. By rubbing the Wondrous Item, guidance; Price stone, the necklace glows a pale blue and 4,500gp; Weight 2 lbs. effectively protects the wielder as if a protection from evil spell had been cast Helm of the Horse’s Skull by a cleric of 3rd-level. Each time the amulet is activated, it looses one of its This morbid item is a horses charges. Once all the charges have been skull hollowed out and fitted onto a been used the stone looses its magic and helmet, with a black plume jetting out becomes inert. the back made of horse hair. The item is Due to the way in which they absolutely frightening and hinders the were created, a majority of these amulets wearer in social situations outside of carry only 2d4 charges. Each time a intimidation. Due to its horrific nature, charge is used there is a 20% chance that the helmet adds 2 to the characters the amulet works, but the benefits are outcast rating. Wearing the helmet not bestowed properly – the magics grants the wearer a +1 dodge bonus to being dismissed, and gravely his armor class and a +1 to her reflex unbeknownst to the wielder. During saves. these times the stone will continue to Faint Abjuration; CL 3rd; Craft glow until the spell’s duration would Wondrous Item, guidance and normally end. resistance; Price 2,800gp; Weight 6 lbs. Faint Abjuration; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, protection from evil; Ring of Fearlessness Price 750gp; Weight ½ lbs. The rings of fearlessness are Chimes of the Inner Sanctum usually small copper or silver bands engraved with pictures of common fears These brass chimes grant a +1 – snakes, spiders, rats, etc. When worn competence bonus when attempting a they bestow a heightened sense of will save from recovering from their next when faced with instances that calls for a horror and madness check. In order to fear check, granting a bonus to the gain its benefits the participant must character’s saves depending upon the spend eight hours listening to its strength of the ring. rd melodies. During these eight hours the Faint abjuration; CL 3 , and character can be doing other activities must be two levels higher than the bonus such as prayer, meditation, or even on the ring; Craft Wondrous Item, sleeping – just as long as they are not remove fear; Price (+1) 350gp, (+2)

60 1400gp, (+3) 3,150gp, (+4) 5,600 gp, (+5) 8,750; Weight nil.

Shaw of Death’s Blindness

This magical wool shawl protects the wearer from being seen by the undead as per the hide from undead spell as cast by a 3rd-level cleric. The save difficulty for willful undead to locate the wearer is a DC 11. It is not uncommon for the same magical item to be created as a necklace or a cloak. Faint Abjuration; CL 3rd; Create Wondrous Item, hide from undead; Price 2,000gp; Weight 1/2 lbs.

Talismans of the Competent Man

The talismans come in pairs that two people, while wearing them around their neck, can understand each others languages as if it were their native tongue. The nature of the magical items only allows those who are wearing the talismans to understand one another, but not understand the spoken language of an otherwise incomprehensible language. The talisman does not allow the ability to read other languages that the wearer would normally not be able to read as per the comprehend language spell. Multiple talismans work with one another and despite the items name, the talismans can be worn and used by the female gender. rd Faint Abjuration; CL 3 ; Craft Wondrous Item, comprehend languages; Price 2,000gp per pair; Weight nil.

61 Player’s Handout 1

-E ldrenn Lorean, I take this opportunity to write you about your purpose here in Hollow’s Creek. The money I have provided shall aid you in the completion of my wishes to the word: harass the locals, disrupt trade, pillage outlying farmsteads and murder the inhabitants. When you kill be sure to leave no witnesses. This next part may seem unorthodox, but is necessary for my point to be made – remove their eyes! Dispose of them how you wish, just be sure they are not to be found. I want the Lord-Mayor’s dogs’ paler than corpses you leave behind. Under no circumstance are you to rob these people, I will not have my plan foiled by mere greed. If it is money you’re after, my rewards are far greater than what you can find off simple peasants. Tell your men that if I find that anyone has stolen anything they will answer to me! Start with the family that occupies the old Pendlefern land, just a few miles south of the Coleridge Estate, just off the South Road. On that note, if you find any horses during your ventures – remove their eyes as well. One last thing… raid one of the local cemeteries and bind the skeletons to your armor. It will give the impression of the walking dead if you are spotted. Perform all activities at night – rest during the day – No Mistakes!

- S

62 Dread Possibility - Old Man Hollow

his adventure requires an average of four rd characters of 3 level. However, the DM is encouraged to increase the ECL of the adventure’s encounters appropriate for lower or higher level characters. This adventure is intended to be played after the party has acquired some notoriety with the inhabitants.

Plot Synopsis

For generations the city of

Hollow’s Creek has terrified their children with stories of Old Man

Hollow. After hearing the tales of Old

Man Hollow, the players are brought into the story themselves by either their own curiosity or perhaps by being lead by Timothy spirit to its remains for proper burial.

If the party ventures to Hollow’s

Hill their investigations will only be met by the sharp axe of Old Man Hollow, who believes them to be nothing more than the polymorphed black sprites. On the other hand if the party follows

Timothy, they will be ambushed by the

Baobhan Sith who use his remains as a home in the northern swamp. There they will also find a wooden figurine carved by Oliver Samson, to tie him into the rest of the story.

By defeating the Baobhan Sith, giving Timothy a proper burial, and giving peace to Oliver Samson, will things finally bet set right and the sinkhole surrounding Old Hollow’s Hill be lifted.

63 The Story of Old Man Hollow

“Gather round so I may tell the story of Old Man Hollow. Before this village was called Hollow’s Creek it was named Creedence. The village of Creedence was still in its early developments and the people then relied heavily on a Carpenter by the name of Oliver Samson. Oliver Samson lived up on Hollow’s Hill, where he worked in his workshop to provide the village with all her general needs. Whenever anyone would need a table, a door, a window, or cart they would immediately seek the help of Oliver Samson. Well, Oliver did not live alone, but he lived with his wife and son Timothy. All was well for the village of Creedence until one day Oliver’s wife mysteriously died. Know one knows for sure how she died or why, but most suspect that it was the stress of his job that finally got to Mr. Samson. Some say that she died to the plague, while others whispered that it was Oliver himself who did her in. The truth was never uncovered. It was then that Mr. Samson withdrew himself from the eyes of others, shutting himself in his own home. He boarded up the windows and locked his doors from all who would come to visit him. However, late at night one could see light filtering through his workshop windows – the sound of hammering and chiseling could be heard as far as the creek. Then one morning the villagers woke to find tiny little wooden figurines left at their doorsteps, figures of people in the village. Naturally the villagers thought it to be a gift, a kind gesture o f appreciation by Mr. Samson but the truth is usually more horrifying that want one would anticipate. A couple farmers from the heath witnessed the young Timothy Samson’s murder at the hands of his father; the child drowned at the edge of the creek. The farmers chased Oliver Samson to his home, but dared no t to venture in for fear of the stench of evil that hangs about the place to this very day. Instead the men returned to the village and roused the great families and the watchmen to deal with the foul murderer. But – when the officials arrived at Oliver’s home, they found Samson’s dead body – having committed suicide with the same tools that he murdered his own son with. Besides the body, they found but a single word carved into the front door, and do you know what it was? … “Hollow”. When the villagers returned to give poor Timothy a proper burial his remains were missing, but in its place was one of the wooden figures his father had carved. Fearful that Samson would rise from the grave to seek others harm, the villagers flung the wooden toys into his home and burned the place to the ground. The next morning, the villagers woke to find that the house on Old Hollow’s Hill returned from the ashes of its ruins, the wood as black as night. Now, none dare to venture close to Old Hollow’s Hill, as they may attract the attention of Oliver Samson. It is said that those who receive a carved figurine at their doorsteps are marked to die by having their throats cut by his spirit – by Old Man Hollow. As for Samson’s poor son Timothy? His ghost now inhabits the bridge that crosses the creek. Some say, late at night they can hear sobbing from beneath the Weeping Child Bridge. Over the years the spirit has become vengeful, seeking to drown those who pause long enough to look for it. Heed this warning – if ever you hear young Timothy’s cries, cover your eyes so that evil shall not tarry your journey and hasten your step lest you be drowned by the maddened spirit yourself.”

64 The Weeping Child Bridge …parlor paler than the grave and his eyes are swollen with tears. It The bridge is beneath the shadow beckons, clasping and unclasping its of Hollow’s Hill, where the blackened hands in front of it, trying to draw walls of the Oliver Samson’s home can you towards him. His face is devoid be seen beneath a full moon – or of mal-intent but riddled with sorrow otherwise the light of day. If ever the and the dire feeling of being lost. party is caught crossing the bridge at night read the following: If attacked, Timothy will quickly You all hear a sound; quite vanish and refuse to ever reappear to the enough at first that you dismiss it as a party again. Those that see him must trick of the night, but slowly grows make a Will save [DC 11] or be charmed louder the farther you tread. Beneath as per the charm person spell. If the cobblestone bridge, pouring charmed, the character will be compelled across the waters of the creek like a to follow Timothy into the northern fog comes the sound of a child’s sobs. swamp, avoiding all sinkholes and mud The cries echo like stones skipping pits, eventually arriving at the Lair of the across a pond, rippling out across the Baobhan Sith. surrounding heath in waves of If the characters make their discordant melody only belonging to saving throw, then Timothy will try to the supernatural. The hairs on your use pantomime to show is good intent, necks erect themselves in alert, and and have the party follow him to his there is a coldness – like numb skeletal remains. But if the party refuses fingers scratching down your spine. to follow him, the spirit waif will return The once comforting sounds of the to its sobbing and vanish. heath and neighboring fen have dwindled away, leaving nothing but The Lair of the Baobhan Sith the unearthly cries of the bridge bellowing into the night. Timothy will lead the party to a The party has many choices, but remote section of the northern swamp if they choose to cover their eyes as where located in a center pool of muck- instructed by the locals and to quicken colored waters is a high-rise of land their pace, they will go unhindered to graced with a single ancient willow. their original destinations. But if anyone Beneath the willow are the skeletal keeps their eyes open, they’ll meet with remains of a young child, approximately the spirit waif of Timothy Samson. the same size as the spirit waif. Read the following: Scattered about the island are swords, armor, pistols, urns, small A touch of the ground fog pouches, and precious jewelry as well. * swirls before your eyes and from out A list of the goods can be found at the of it appears the phantom of a small end of this segment. six-year old boy. His (continued) Little do the player characters know that they are being spied upon by 3 Boabhan Sith, who are already listening

65 in on the characters thoughts by their Timothy will need his remains detect thoughts ability. Only when they buried up on Hollow’s Hill along side get into close proximity of the tree will his mother and father in order to rest they initiate combat, preferring to use a peacefully. combination of their Infectious Laughter (Su) ability, confusion and entangle Experience: Giving Timothy’s remains spells. Only after they have subdued a their proper burial and thus giving majority of them will the black sprites Timothy eternal peace, will grant the throw their javelins and attack viciously characters an additional 250 experience with their daggers while invisible against point award each. the helpless characters.

Experience: If the party manages to Hollow’s Hill defeat the black sprites, and recover Timothy’s remains they will gain an The player characters cannot additional 150 experience points each. travel to Hollow’s Creek without noticing the black cottage that rests atop Lair Loot: x3 flintlock pistols, x1 of Hollow’s Hill nor can many resist the flintlock musket, x4 rapiers, x1 feelings of gloom and anger emanating masterwork rapier, x2 daggers, x1 from the place. The point of which chainmail shirt, copper bracelet with becomes stronger the closer one gets to amethysts 35gp, a silver necklace set the house. with amber and citrines 120gp, x2 gold wedding bands 50gp each, silver broach Sinkhole of Evil encrusted with moonstones 300gp, a pouch filled with 35 gold, 14 silver, 9 A rank 2 sinkhole of evil copper, a pouch filled with 14 gold, 18 encompasses Hollow’s Hill, marked silver, 25 copper, a gold hair pin 100gp, by the fence that surrounds the a masterwork short sword. charred cottage. Those who get near are subject to feelings of despair and ** The statistics for the Baobhan Sith strong projections of hatred – which and Spirit Waif can be found in in turn are the very taints of the place. Ravenloft Denizens of Darkness. For generations Oliver Samson has been brooding over a guilty Putting a Soul to Rest conscience involving the death of his wife – believing himself to be the Next to Timothy’s remains the cause for bringing her to this disease party will find a wooden toy figurine of ridden area in the first place - and a dog. It was the toy given by Oliver also for feelings of sorrowful for Samson to his son, before the black abandoning his son. But the sprites murdered Timothy. If this toy is strongest taint spawns from his hatred presented to Old Man Hollow, he will no for the Boabhan Sith and everyone longer attack and instead try to they have masqueraded as over the communicate with them through years. pantomime.

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Either motivated by curiosity or The gate is not locked and can be through the encouragement of Timothy, unlatched easily from the handle on the the party will seek to trespass on other side. When opened, the rusted Hollow’s Hill. Below are areas of hinges will moan with age. interest that the adventurers can visit on Hollow’s Hill: B) Hollow’s Home/Shop

A) The Front Gate The charred home is worn with age, as there are a few broken The top of the hill is cracks in the paneling allowing one surrounded by a three-foot tall picket to view inside. The windows are all fence with the only entrance guarded boarded up and the glass has long by a wooden gate capable of since shattered. A single word swinging on a hinge. From there you dominates the front door, “Hollow”. can see the crumbling two-story home of Old Man Hollow. The

home’s exterior is the color of The house appears as if the charcoal; the wood is still blistered, outside had caught fire. If the stories the as if the fire had been but a few hours villagers tell are true, they had burned before.

67 the cottage down only to find it standing the next morning as black as coal. E) Outhouse Besides removing the planks from the windows, the only means of This is where the family disposed entry is the front door, which is of their waste – no need to say more. unlocked, the northern side door, and the massive sliding door to the carpenter Hollow’s Home shop in the back. Standing next to the home gives off the feeling of being watched. Entering Hollow’s Home will only incur the wrath of Old Man Hollow C) Woodshed inside. Believing the player characters to be the polymorphed Boabhan Sith or The woodshed is secured shut by constructed illusions, he intends to lay in a latch and rusted padlock. The waiting for his chance to gain his long mechanisms on the lock have ceased awaited revenge. functioning long ago and must be broken in order to get inside. * See the attached notes on Inside the woodshed is a cutting Oliver Samson for his statistics and block for the wood, and a pile of preferred strategies in combat. chopped firewood. The axe is missing. To the west a ways is a well that 1) Front Door taps directly into the Creek. The front door is marked by the D) Family Graveyard single word “Hollow” etched long ago into its surface by Oliver Samson before Instead of tainting their cemetery his suicide to describe his emotional with Oliver Samson’s remains, the state previous to the deed. The door is villagers decided to inter him next to his not locked, but the rusted hinges will wife’s. There are three stones and each make the fools known. read the following: 2) Living Room Giselle Samson, 611-638 “Beloved wife and mother – taken from us by the The room is filled with fallen plague of 38’.” boards from the higher story along with a few piles of rubble, but does Oliver Samson, 603-639 “Labored as a not cater to the same charcoal Carpenter – remembered as a exterior. Hanging from the ceiling murderer.” and propped in a sitting position on the center table of the room are Timothy Samson, 633-639 “Innocent child-size wooden figures. A beau – taken from this world by his fireplace rests against the southern father’s own hand.” wall, where piles of sawdust and wood-shavings have been swept into Timothy’s grave is empty, as his a neat pile. body was never found.

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Oliver has been using his spare replicas left standing on the two time to create full-size replicas of workbenches against the north-wall. himself to further promote his obsession, Next to these figures are metal brackets prior to his death, and as a means of and hinges to allow the figures eventual special camouflage. Oliver uses his movement. Also on the workbench is freeze ability to hide amidst the dolls in Oliver Samson’s craftsman tools which order to secure a surprise round on those are masterwork. who trespass in his home. The bench to the south contains 4 With a close examination the finished replicas that are propped against party will be able to discover the large the wall in a sitting position. All manner bloodstain on the center floor, the place of other carpenter tools and a couple saw where Oliver committed suicide with his horses can also be found in the own carpenter tools. workshop. There is a door that leads outside The door to the west is a massive to the north, the front door that leads wooden sliding door, it is not locked but outside to the east, a door that leads into is hard to move due to the rollers haven his workshop – which is locked [DC 15], rusted shut. Forcing the door is a the key is hidden in the ashes of the Strength check [DC 18]. fireplace – and a staircase that leads onto the higher floors to the north. 4) Upstairs Hallway

3) Workshop This is the hallway that allows access to the upstairs bedrooms. There The workshop is where Oliver are a couple wooden figurine replicas of Samson spent the majority of his time. Old Man Hollow sitting in the northwest There are a couple half-finished wooden

69 corner. One of many places he can place – and bury his son’s remains next ambush the adventurers. to his own. Then he must be released from 5) Timothy’s Room inhabiting his puppet shell by being consumed by fire. Only then will he no Timothy’s room is comprised of longer return to haunt his place on a child-size bed and beneath it a Hollow’s Hill. porcelain dish and vase that are covered in a solid ashy layer. Experience: Bringing peace to Oliver Samson so that he may join with his wife 6) Master Bedroom and son will grant the party an additional 500 experience points each. This is the room where Oliver Samson and his wife used to sleep. Two of the wooden leg posts have been cut Dread Possibility – The tools of off with an axe. Both of which have a Craftsman been used recently in the construction of This dread possibility is up to the additional doll replicas. DM on how far she wishes to stretch the Atop the bed lies a worn leather story out further. journal dated back to 634. The journal The carpenter tools belonging to details Samson’s commission by the Oliver Samson have been the objects of fear Knox-Creed family to aid in the and despair. Having tasted blood, the tools have been warped over the years by the construction of Creedence in the sinkholes growing powers. They have been southern portion of Mordent. The used as an instrument of hate, carving the journal gives relative insight into wooden replicas of Old Man Hollow for his Hollow’s Creek past. The journal ultimate revenge upon the black sprites who contains Oliver Samson’s background as lead him to commit his own suicide. Having warped over the years the presented at the end of this adventure as masterwork carpenter tools have begun to well as additional information in regards crave the taste for blood and now call out to to the many different guises the Baobhan whoever wields them to sate its thirst. The Sith have taken in order to further tools have become a sentient magical item torment him. that provides a +10 to all craft (carpentry) or related wood-working skills. For every week the tools aren’t allowed to kill (treat them as Defeating Old Man Hollow a +2 dagger, that deals 1d3 points of damage) it diminishes by a -1 in skill bonus. If the tools are unable to convince If the party shows Old Man its owner to kill in its behalf, it will attempt Hollow his son’s remains or the toy to posses them to carry out the dead itself. figurine that is located at his body Oliver Intelligent Item; AL CE; Int 14, Wis Samson will stop his attack and see the 14, Chr 12; Communication: Speech, *Mordentish, Lamordian, Balok; Ego 13 party for what they really are. Through pantomime, crude drawings, or even writing messages, Oliver will tell the party that in order for him to rest they need to destroy the black sprites that caused him to commit suicide in the first

70 Oliver Samson, Old Man Hollow Male Construct: CR 4; SZ S Construct (3 ft. 2 in. tall); HD 5d10+10; hp 42; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 15 (touch 13, flatfooted 12); Atk +7 melee (1d4+3/x2 slam), or +7 melee (1d8+4/x3 hatchet); SA spell-like abilities; SQ construct Traits, freeze, immunity to magic; DR 2/-; AL CN; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3; Str 17, Dex 17, Con --, Int 12, Wis 14, Chr 15. Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Climb +5, Concentration +5, Craft (toys) +12, Hide +6, Intimidate +4, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Profession (Carpenter) +16, Spellcraft +5 (+10 against fire spells), Spot +7; Alertness, Improved Initiative. Languages: *Mordentish Signature Possessions: Masterwork in the arms of her beloved husband four carpenter tools (+2 Craft), Hatchet years after the initial construction of the city to be labeled “Creedence”. Old Man Hollow appears as a Upset by the death of his wife, wooden toy about the size of a small Oliver became reclusive, eventually child or halfling. He is made out of forfeiting his position as lead carpenter unstained cedar with a featureless block and instead focused all his time on the of wood for a head, and simple peg- creation of small wooden toys. These joints for limbs. toys were said to be beautiful replicas of the same animals that Oliver observed in the area, along with certain figures of Background authority. Oliver meant for this new acquired hobby to be a means in which Oliver Samson was a skilled he could occupy his mind away from his carpenter who once lived to the north in recently departed love. And as such, he Mordentshire. He lived with his wife would dote heavily upon his son, being Giselle and his 2 year old son Timothy. the only living relative that Oliver had In 635 he was commissioned by Gage left. His toys became very popular with and Earnestine Knox-Creed as the lead the children of the area. carpenter in the construction of a hamlet Tragedy struck as Oliver was to the south, to create border ties with searching the local woods for suitable the recently found lands of Valachan. resource materials that would aid in the Oliver and his family took a nearby hill completion of his latest work; a child- as a place to build their home, with sized doll. He ran into a gang of hopes of expanding their estate and Baobhan Sith and the creatures chased family wealth. However, Oliver’s wife him through the woods, stabbing at him Giselle caught disease and sullenly died with their tiny spears, and laughing at his

71 flight. Oliver believed that he managed is said by the town’s folk that those who to lose the horrible creatures in his flight, receive a wooden toy on their doorsteps but in truth they simple turned are marked for death by the callous themselves invisible and followed him spirit. A reason for why wooden toys home. are strictly prohibited. For the next few weeks, Oliver was Later, due to the story of Old Man slowly tormented with the illusions of Hollow’s ghastly influence with the his accusing wife who blamed him for town, the locals changed the hamlet’s her untimely death. The dark sprites name from “Creedence” to “Hollow’s also would masquerade as his six year Creek” despite efforts from the Knox- old son Timothy while the child was Creed family. away at play, dropping subtle hints that Oliver was the reason for his mother’s Current Sketch end – along with a haunting sensation that the child wished his father’s demise. After his suicide, Oliver Samson Compelled by grief he carved the word awoke in horror that his spirit now “Hollow” over the door to his cabin and inhabits the body of his latest creation; commits suicide with the very tools he the child-size doll. Oliver Samson used in his trade. learned that he cannot move beyond the Angered that their favorite “toy” had small wooden fence that marks his sought his own demise, the Baobhan property. He constantly is searching Sith drowned his son in the nearby about his estate, trying to locate a means creek, polymorphed to resemble the of escape and any clue to the child’s father. A few farmers witnessed whereabouts of his son. the horrendous deed and chased the Oliver has been visited frequently by polymorphed sprite back into Oliver’s the same Baobhan Sith that originally home. They called on the Knox-Creed caused him to commit suicide, but now family to bring Samson to justice, but as recognizes them for what they truly are they came to raid his home, they found and is obsessed with their destruction. him lying in a pool of his own blood So used to their polymorph and with the carving tool in his hand. illusionary tricks, Oliver automatically His home was boarded up; Oliver’s assumes that anyone who invades his body was buried next to his wife Giselle; haunt, is none other than the dark sprites and though oddly the people of returned to torment him. If presented Creedence couldn’t find the remains of with news of his son, especially if shown poor Timothy the made a grave for him one of the toys that are located with beside his parents. Timothy’s remains, he will not attack the Stories have since circulated that intruders, but attempt to communicate to Timothy haunts the old bridge where he them through shadow puppets, or was last seen playing with one of the pantomime. recent toys his father had finished. And The only way in which Oliver for years now, the people of Creedence Samson can fully rest is if the Baobhan have fallen under the watchful gaze of Sith are destroyed and his son’s remains the spirit of Oliver Samson or otherwise are buried next to his own. Oliver’s known as Old Man Hollow who haunts wooden body must also be destroyed by the ruined home up on Hollow’s hill. It means of fire. Only after all this has

72 been completed will Oliver not return to at full hit points. Only by destroying his haunt, and rest peacefully. him by the means listed under Current Sketch will he be prevented from rising Combat again.

Old Man Hollow tends to lay in Lair ambush through the use of his ability to freeze and appear lifeless. He especially Oliver Samson still inhabits his two enjoys springing from a pile of old parts, story home atop Hollow’s Hill to the or broken toys from which he gains a north of the Weeping Child Bridge near bonus to hide in. Oliver will first attack Hollow’s Creek. The house is a decent anyone that carries a torch or other sized home, with an attached workshop source of fire, and prefers to take down that Oliver used to use while creating wizards who can cast fire spells. He also toys and other such items appropriate to employs his spell-like abilities to create a skilled carpenter. The land on which distractions in order for him to gain the the house was built is surrounded by a advantage of surprise. grey wooden fence no more than about Special Attacks- Spell-like Abilities four feet in height, with a wooden gate (Su): Mend 3/day, Ghost Sound 2/day that leads to the front door by means of a (DC 12), Tasha’s Hideous Laughter stone walkway. To the northeast there is 2/day (DC 14) a small woodshed, and slightly to the Special Qualities- Camouflage (Ex): east there is an old well. Not far to the When hiding in a pile of broken parts, or west there is the tiny fenced in graveyard toys Old Man Hollow gains a +8 that has three tombstones with the circumstance bonus to his Hide rolls. names: Oliver Samson 603-39 and Freeze (Ex): The construct can hold Giselle Samson 611-638, though one itself absolutely still to appear as if it stone with the name Timothy Samson were a simple toy. A Spot DC 20 check 633-39. must be made in order to recognize the If anything on Hollow’s Hill is creature as animate. destroyed and Oliver Samson’s spirit Immunity to Magic (Ex): Any spell hasn’t properly been laid to rest, then the that’s subject to a creatures spell house and everything else will return to resistance doesn’t work against Old Man its decrepit state the very next day; even Hollow. However a warp wood spell if it was burned to the ground. temporarily slows him for 1d4+1 rounds, while spells with the fire descriptor deal full damage. A Mend spell cures 1 hit point worth of damage to the construct. Ressurection (Su): Oliver Samson cannot be destroyed by conventional means. Even if his body is completely turned to ash, he will return in 2d4 days

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