Dinner At Whisperfeet Villa

Written by Esau Dm

HALLOWEEN ONE-SHOT

This is a one-shot adventure within my homebrew world of Esau. Although could be implanted into any world with minimal changes. This adventure is designed to be a fun, even silly, Halloween murder mystery for the game of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. This one-shot is ready to be run by any Game Master.

Location = Whisperfeet Villa - Villa Blueprint idea - I changed room names as suited.
Races = any as GM's chooses – in Esau there are no Loxodon (nor are there guns)
Classes = any as DM's choses
Characters = famous, important, interesting or useful - need reason they would have been invited to Villa of a noble they have never meet
Players = Level 4
Number of Players = 3 to 6

POSSIBLE EXTRA ELEMENT:
Each Character = 1 virtue and 1 vice ... write out on piece of paper - pass virtue left and pass vice to the right

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The players’ characters have been invited on each of their reputations to Whisperfeet Villa to dine and stay over with the aristocrat Lady Whisperfeet.
Little do they realise there is a murderer among the other guests. Whisperfeet Villa is a grand ancestral Halfling home on a steep hill, looking out over The Deep Sea, located in the coastal settlement of Littlenest, within Oshad region of Malnax.

The adventure begins as the characters waiting to be collected by Tuk Tuk to go to Whisperfeet Villa. Whether noble or not, they were invited via magpie messenger to dine with Lady Whisperfeet.

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White Lotus Sweet Teas

They have traveled separately to the coastal settlement of Littlenest - where they gathered at the local Teahouse called White Lotus Sweet Teas.
A small white wooden single storey building with navy blue shutters and door with 3 panels of glass.
Owner is Earth Genasi Ingot.
Only a few people are inside the Teahouse at that moment in time.
While they sip at at the tea of their choice - in walks a short Human male of 5 feet and 5 inches tall. He is clean shaven and dressed, in a butler’s suit. He bows with hands at his sides. As he bends over, they notice his graying hair with balding patch spreading out from the middles.
“I am Olson, Lady Whisperfeet’s butler.” He says with a flutter of language in his hands, “Individual Tuk Tuk’s await you outside.”

If ask to go fast - ROLL CON SAVE THROW

It is only six and a half minutes by Tuk Tuk from the White Lotus Sweet Teas to the gates of Whisperfeet Villa. However, it is uphill the whole way, and the steep driveway is at the end - the very fit drivers take them up.

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Arriving at the Villa

The Whisperfeet Villa has peacocks made of black metal on the iron gates in the 6 foot light gray high stone walls. In the garden, wanders five peafowls amongst thorny white rose bushes - one peacock is pure white, and the other is white with bright blue and coloured eyes on the tail – each of the three peahens are various mix of feathers white and brown.
The sun is setting behind the three leveled wooden villa, as you all walk up the paved path. There are large windows where candles are being lit – in an unusual order.
The wide path leads up ten steps – two massive stone Hounds guard each side.
Their hostess, Lady Bryonette Whisperfeet - ROLL Perception - appears from somewhere unnoticed, unless roll a Natural 20.
Lady Whisperfett is a Halfling lady in a royal green gown off the shoulder covered in large creamy white flowers. White peacock feather earrings dangle down to silk green shawl. She walks without making a sound and has high stealth (5+). On her head is crystal droplets amongst small white tiny daisies.
Next to her, steps up a tall pale Half-Elf wearing a bright blue suit and top hat, his boots tap on the paving as he joins Lady Bryonette – his name is Sarqarim Vylk .
Lady Bryonette Whisperfeet greets each of the guests in turn – Bryonette is deaf. She takes about 10 minutes to greet each one, Sarqarim translating to her in sign language – helping her ask of their travel and gush over their outfit.
The shadows become long as the greetings end. The Villa seems to grow in height.

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INSIDE

Then Lady Bryonette Whisperfeet leads all of the characters and the other guests, through wide double iron doors inside. Through the foyer of white stone floor and ceiling, with an abstract mural of peafowl covering the walls.
Through a second pair of doors into a grand hallway with a tall grandfather clock, on your right, ticking mightily, beside a dark wooden staircase heading up.
Lady Whisperfeet directs Olson to each up to your rooms upstairs, to freshen up before dining.
The rooms are each well lit with a fire burning in the health and a large four poster bed. The walls and ceilings are white, only real difference in each room is the colour of the curtains and pillows (bold prints of flowers, or hearts, or birds).

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DINNER

Olson waits for you at the bottom of the stairs, directing you into a grand dining hall - to the right as you come down the stairs.
The table is set for 12 people, laden with a long white tablecloth with copper bowls and plates of a delicious feast.
As the party each take a seat (very second chair is Player's character - except if npcs arrived together). They hear the grandfather chime six times. Then they introduce themselves:

OTHER GUESTS
* Ionia Axtalli = Foreign emissary (unknown from where) Tiefling, who has plans to travel on to Genx region.
* Dr Ingot Merriott = Silver Dragonborn female medical doctor
* Rolim Orifina and spouse Ronal Orifina = noble, male Elves
* Cleopatra Equarus (Cleo) = Human noble - Cleopatra wears a cream head cloth, a gold and black solid necklace, a cobra armband on right arm, and flowing cream outfit. Her physical characteristics are the result of a mixture of the indigenous dark skin of some from the Sunrayin Tribe with those of nomadic desert races.
* Khalid Ingianus = musclar Human, Cleo’s bodyguard. …. ‘

Show spoiler

of the Tremere Vampires ... a fairly homogeneous group

* Carmella Bovine = Low-born Human woman, who tells fortunes - daughter of a struggling cattle farmer, who rose to wealth very suddenly 9 months prior
* Daisey Lovely = Aarakocra (Dove) Cleric of Sune.
Sarqarim stands behind the Aarakocra, who is sitting opposite Lady Bryonette.
Khalid sits beside Cleo – tasting pieces of her food before she herself dines.

MENU

The dinner is delightful and lasts one and a half hours - 4 courses.
1. Freshly baked Beer Bread with softened butter
2. Seafood chowder
3. Halibut steaks (fish) grilled, with separate dish of baked potato covered in salted butter, mushrooms in light sauce - served with coleslaw, sour cream and cheese on the table ... halfway through main dish the grandfather clock chimes seven times 4. Berry trifle and cream.

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Fortune-telling and Games

After dinner, Lady Bryonette Whisperfeet leads everyone through the Villa to a fancy yet comfortable sitting room – with a large bay windows looking out into the dark night of the two new moons. It is eerie and still outside – with the sound of a wind chime catching the gentle breeze. An owl hoots nearby.
The grandfather clock ticks loudly from the hall.

Cleopatra excuses herself “I have a chill, so will take a hot bath, before I caught my death.” Then leaves with her bodyguard Khalid.

The other guests are seated on floral high backed chairs with dark wooden feet.

On the suggestion have their fortunes told (by pc if one able to do so, or have Carmella Bovine do so), Daisey excuses herself - “I wish not to ruin anything for all of you. I have Sune to tell me my future path.”

Ionya listens to the Lady Whisperfeet’s fortune, then excuses herself “It would be unprofessional of me to stay.”

When head housekeeper Rainer (Half-Elf) appears to confirm, in sign language, that dinner as been cleared and all dishes done, Bryonette nods and signs that they may head to their homes.

On the suggestion by Lady Whisperfeet, of switching to playing Dare & Truth the rest of the other guests excuse themselves - except the player's characters.

The night is very dark. A door slams.
Outside the two peacocks scream from the hutch and quivers their outstretched tail, it creates a rustling sound, almost like a drumroll.
A mist gathers across the town below. The wind whistles around the tall wooden villa.
Fog Warning Bells ring out through the mist.

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A SCREAM.

Then running feet down the stairs.
A branch stratches on the window.

Murder

Ionya Axtalli has been murdered!
She was found in her bedchamber by a very upset Daisey Lovely - who heard a thump from the next door bedchamber, so went to cheek on Ionya.

In the bedchamber:-
ROLL INVESTIGATION
1 = faint at the sight of blood
2 to 6 = Her Tiefling body lies on the bathroom floor face down. Blood around her body.
7 to 12 = She has been cut open with a sharp blade.
13 to 19 = Turning her over, reveals her liver is missing.
20 = there are two puncher marks on her neck, under her high necked outfit.
21< = the cavity is cold to the touch.

Some of the guests come out of their bedchambers asking what has happened.

The doors of Whisperfeet Manor are locked until the culprit is found. The hostess says she will be calling the Littlenest guards at first light.
Grandfather clock chimes 8 times. The ticking fills the house.

IN Laundry - water is dripping into the metal tub echoing in the empty room
Upstairs Hall - a sharp edged table, to knock their leg against
Doors - creak and squeak In Cleo's room - Body behind a door;

Show spoiler

however Cleo is turning into a Vampire not dead

Traps

Possibly traps More traps
Some Traps

Combat

UPSTAIRS = 2d6 ghosts - died Whisperfeet Halflings
IN LIBRARY = Mummy
Khalid Ingianus = vampire
Dr Ingot Merriott = Silver Dragonborn

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GM NOTES:

+

Show spoiler

The group has six hours to discover that it was not the Dragonborn doctor taking organs.

+

Show spoiler

It is Cleo's Bodyguard - who has pre-emptively set up traps throughout the house.

+

Show spoiler

Khalid made it look like the doctor who has grand visions of becoming a greater and world-renowned surgeon, is responsible. He wants everyone to think the doctor requires more organs than he has access to, and hoped this dinner party would be the perfect way to harvest from healthy bodies.

+

Show spoiler

There are fake clues throughout the mansion:-
* such as the doctor's bloody coat hidden under a floorboard,
* a cold room made with ice breath - hidden in the cellar.
* The host's own sickly sister mentioning the doctor's strange promise recently.

+

Show spoiler

Khalid's deadly traps can pick off curious players searching for the culprit, leaving behind only their ghost. Players who die before dawn go unseen and can only manipulate small objects to help with investigations. They might even overhear a few suspicious conversations.

MURDERS

2nd = Rolim Orifina (Elf) - spouse is wails
3rd = Sarqarim Vylk (translator) - Lady Bryonette panics.
Grandfather clock chimes 9 times.

GM NOTES

+

Show spoiler

If the doctor is confronted with his crime - Dr Ingot Merriott tries to convince everyone she is innocent. Then will fight if not believed.

+

Show spoiler

At first light, Dr Ingot Merriott panics, if no one believes her innocence - at the prospect of town guards, and begins pouring out wine and spirits onto the furnishings.

+

Show spoiler

As a final desperate act to cover up past accidential deaths - she sets the wooden mansion alight - burning all the evidence.

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Plot type

One-Shot

NPCs
Villa
* Lady Bryonette Whisperfeet (Villa owner - deaf)
* Sarqarim Vylk (Translator)
* Olson (Butler)
* Rainer (Head Housekeeper)

Other Guests
* Ionia Axtalli (Foreign Emissary)
* Dr Ingot Merriott (Doctor)
* Rolim Orifina (Elf male noble)
* Ronal Orifina (Elf noble's male spouse)
* Cleopatra Equarus "Cleo" (Human noble)
* Khalid Ingianus (Cleo's bodyguard)
* Carmella Bovine (tells fortunes - has recently suddenly become wealthy)
* Daisey Lovely (Cleric of Sune)



Ambient music suggestion