All Hail the Voice of Hate
A cult has been growing in the black woods of Respite. Forced into increasingly hard times, villagers have begun to turn their back on the Church of Light. Monstrous creatures led by Nightmares are attacking Rose Knight patrols and non-believers. Survivors find themselves cursed with horrible afflictions. The Cultists are offering their prayers to the Voice of Hate.
The Harvest Moon Coven are being blamed for these attacks and curses. Cathar patrols have been sent to investigate.
Plot points/Scenes
Voices in the Night: DC=13 Perception check to hear strange cries coming from the woods. Humanoid cries. Nothing can be seen, however.
Totems in the Woods: Along the side of the road are totems, little animal figurines made of sticks and hay. A DC=15 Investigation check will also uncover bootprints leading into the woods. A squad of Cathars?
The Abandoned House: As the group travels further into the woods, Gothta will notice a sense of familiarity. A DC=12 History check will reveal a crooked willow tree, beyond which lies the house where Gothta's old adventuring party met their violent end. The house sits empty & derelict. The lightning rods and flashing basement lights are broken and dead. There is, however, a bloody handprint on the door. And it's fresh, shining in the moonlight. Closer inspection will uncover silvered crossbow bolts buried in the door as well, and a trail of blood going inside.
Noises in the Dark: The house is filled with dusted over furniture, covered up machinery, and cobweb-covered toys. There are also voices whispering things in the hallways. But no matter how hard the Dads search, they cannot see anyone making them. They do hear someone or something rustling about around them, however. In one of the rooms, a Cathar corpse can be found. Except, for some reason, it looks ancient & dusty, even though the blood is still fresh on the floor. The gear also remains pristine, clearly magically enchanted (Cathars Gauntlets and Silver Shortsword). At the end of the hallway, a second Cathar corpse is found slumped against the wall (Cathars Tricorn and Silver Battleaxe). In another room, the final Cathar corpse is discovered, also ancient, this one holding a strange looking lantern (Lantern of Revealing, Silver Arrows, and Crusader's Cloak).
Bump in the Night: The whispers get closer and more frantic, but still no source can be found. Then the doors slam shut. A chanting begins. Crashing sounds can be heard. Footsteps approach. Animalistic sounds & grunts echo in the deserted home. Then it goes quiet.
Lantern of Revealing: If turned on, the source of whispers is revealed to be a group of Cultists in animal masks, led by a trio of Mages wearing Owl, Lion, and Wolf masks. Once uncovered, the trio retreat behind their followers before casting spells. The Cultists are armed with rusty knives. Wolf Mask and Lion Mask can each cast Doom of Antiquity once each, as well as Toll the Dead (at will) and Bestow Curse (3/day). Owl Mask can cast Doom of Summer Years and Doom of Antiquity once each, as well as Chill Touch (at will), Ray of Sickness (3/day) and Bestow Curse (3/day).
Dads vs Invisible Cultists: The Cultist swarm the Dads while the Mage Trio curse them from a distance. THe Mages at first seem to keep their distance to protect their vulnerability, but in truth it is to keep the Dads away from the silvered weapons lying by the Cathars. Other weapons do reduced damage to the Masked Mages.
Dads vs Puppetmaster: If the basement is explored, a mysterious construct (Blood Sentinel) is found drawing strength from the blood shed in the house.
Relations
Allies
Arriving via teleportation at the 11th hour, Shealtiel! Having been hired to look into the Cult, he opted to skip the long carriage ride and booked a teleporter via the Bant for 100,000 gold.
Plot type
Horror Mystery
Parent Plot
Related Characters
Related Organizations
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