The Pit of Curses Boils Over

Hook and Stakes:

A priest from one of the nearby towns ( Gehbrehrau, Aleneung, or Cyrieam ) has requested the aid of your party of adventurers. The Vilderavn is attempting to escape the Pit of Curses using the blood of lost travelers during the dark of the Forest God's Eye and the upcoming New Moon. Should he escape the local towns are in danger of loosing not only their lives but also their souls.

Taking Up The Quest:

An old wooden church, the wood weathered grey, sits before a pond that appears black in the the light of the sinking sun. The church features a bell tower that casts a long dark shadow over the land.
A priest in a brown vestment with a green stole featuring the circular tree with circling leaves and roots of Magesus, Forest King stands before the small wooden door. He is wizened and bent, leaning upon a wooden staff. Upon seeing the party he says, "Ah, you've come. Come in. Come in."
Upon entering the building it is difficult to make out details as the windows are small and let in little light, though there are a few candles burning near the altar. The building is tall and drafty and the priest's voice echoes as he says, "Sit. Sit," gesturing to the wooden benches that sit before the altar. "I was worried you would not make it in time."
Upon questioning the priest can relay the following information:

• He can relay the tale of the Legend of Safraxburg
• He can let them know that the Vilderavn trapped in the pit is attempting to escape
• He can let them know that the Vilderavn will attempt his escape during the dark of the Forest God's eye, which will continue through this month, during the New Moon, which is five days from now
• He can tell them the symbols of Magesus: a passant buck, a staff with leather wraps, and the circling tree with circling branches/leaves and roots.
• He can offer the reward of the Blessing of Magesus
• He can give them direction to the Pit of Curses and let them know it is a two day's journey
• As it is evening the priest can offer them shelter and a repast and if they stay he will offer breakfast in the morning

The Vilderavn has been locked in the pit for centuries. Should he escape his vengeance upon the surrounding peasantry will be terrible to behold.

--priest of Magesus

Descending into the Pit:

After a two day journey through a forest of deciduous, fir, and spruce trees the party will arrive at their destination.
From the shadow of the forest you emerge in a clearing with a deep pit in the earth before you. The setting sun does not light it's depths merely throwing more shadows upon it. But you can see the slopping edges crumbling away into a sheer drop, the depth of which can not be determined in the growing gloom.
Should they scout the nearby area at all they will see a sign with two crossed staffs each with leather wraps.
If a member of the party should slid down the crumbling edge and drop into the pit they will fall 30 feet onto a hard rocky surface. Thus according to Pathfinder 2e rules the character would take 15 bludgeoning damage and land prone.
If the party did not think to bring ropes they can scour the forest for vines and create a makeshift rope. Alternatively there are a few trees growing near the edge so if there are enough of them they can create a human ladder and at least reduce the fall damage.
Another option, if they possess the strength and dexterity would be to use two daggers to make temporary wall anchors and thus descend the wall.  This would result in daggers that need sharpening even should the character succeed.  An alternative misuse of weapons would be to jump and attempt to stick the weapon in the wall of the pit.  This would be a great feat of strength, result in damage to the weapon, and still require the character to find a way to finish the descent.

Whose Henchmen?

Assuming the party waits for daybreak to descend into the pit read the following description. Otherwise the pit will be to dark for visual observations and the party will need to find a way to light their path.
The town appears strangely normal, though sunk in gloom and deathly quiet. Large, tall houses with pointed roofs overshadowing upper balconies are scattered amongst storage buildings and shops, a large tree, the only growing thing, can be seen in the village green and a manor house rises over all.
Upon examination the party will discover that all of the buildings are petrified wood. Thus doors and shutters can not be opened. However, smaller Twigjacks might find holes out of which to scurry.
As the party traverses the petrified town they will encounter Twigjacks and Woodwose. They can simply battle the creatures or they can attempt to convince the creatures that the Vilderavn is no longer serving Magesus, success based on the creatures intelligence and the characters charisma. If they dialogue with the creatures they can be told that the Vilderavn is imprisoned under the tree in the center of town. Otherwise a search of the town will be required.
Among the many large houses are several craftsmen's shops, which are open for exploration. Exploring a shop will take on average an hour. A quick search will take about half and hour and a careful examination can take up to three hours.

Baker

A large stone oven dominates the back wall. The rest of the room is cluttered with tables and racks covered in a jumble of flour sacks, grains, tools, and rock hard loafs, rolls, and biscuits. A fine powder dusts the room.
An examination of the premises will reveal ceremonial biscuits stamped with the image of a passant buck.

Barber-surgeon

A grisly display of tools with dried blood hangs from the back wall. A small table with pliers and a tooth sits next to a stool. Then you notice the shelves of potions and bandages. It is the town healer's shop.
An examination of the premises will reveal a questionable health potion. The potion has a 50% chance of hurting rather than healing.

Blacksmith

A furnace and bellows sits near the large open window. In the center of the room is an anvil and quenching barrel. A variety of tools and farm implements hang from the walls.
A careful examination of the premises will reveal holy prayer beads dedicated to Magesus.

Bookseller

Under the small window is a scribe table littered with broken quills and dried ink bottles. In the darkened shop two shelves sit with a book stand in front of them, which holds a large red book. Cobwebs decorate the dark corners.
An examination of the premises will reveal a petrified holy buck with an image of Magesus holding his staff with leather wraps. All the books are petrified and therefore unreadable except for the book on the stand which is open to the Legend of Safraxburg.

Bowyer

Petrified wood shavings cover the floor in a crunchy carpet. Bowyer's tools sit in the middle of the room including a rack with a frame still bent upon it. Several barrels of wood shafts line the back wall.
An examination of the premises will reveal nothing.

Brewer

Upon a brick oven is a large copper kettle. Several casks are stacked against the walls. You nose twitches expecting to find a yeasty smell, but only the dry smell of dust is found.
An examination of the premises will reveal that several of the casks contain liquid, however, since the casks are now petrified there is no way to retrieve the tasty beverages.

Bronze Smith

A furnace and bellows sit under the open window. An anvil and quench barrel are next to it. The wall shelves are covered in a clutter of bells, an arm band, statues, and other trinkets.
An examination of the premises will reveal a bronze religious amulet with a passant buck.

Butchers

Desiccated animal carcasses hang from the ceiling. Several more rest on the scattered tables. Tools and miscellaneous clutter is scattered about the darkened premises.
A careful examination of the premises will reveal a cold iron dagger.

Carpenter

Unlike the surrounding homes, the first floor of this home has a large open archway through which a well organized carpenter's workshop can be seen. Tools neatly hung on the walls and a carpenter's bench under the window.
Upon a search all the will be uncovered are a number of wooden religious icons with a symbol of Magesus holding his leather wrapped staff.

Cooper

A large number of barrels, both finished and unfinished litter the murky depths of the shop.
An examination of the premises will reveal nothing.

Fletcher

A goose feather drifts down to join the others spilled upon the floor. Several open barrels line the walls of the shop. One, of goose feathers, is tipped onto the floor.
The shop contains a large number of petrified arrows. The arrows are harder to shoot, but will do more damage.

Potter

Earthenware vessels fill the space. Many tipped over and smashed leaving shards of pottery scattered across the floor.
An examination of the premises will reveal a ceremonial amulet of the circling tree with circling branches and roots.

Temple

A small temple of Magesus can be found in this town, the doors of which are open.
The temple is narrow and dark despite the three sets of stained glass windows lining the walls. The benches are askew or tipped over completely. However, a stange light seems to reflect off the altar in the front, perhaps coming from the carving of the sheltering tree with its circling branches and roots.
The first windows have the image of a passant deer. The second set of windows show Magesus with his leather wrapped staff. The third set of windows show the sheltering tree of Magesus with its circling branches and roots. Above the altar at the front is carved the image of Magesus' tree.

The manor house

The party can choose to travel to the manor house, although it is on the opposite side of the pit.
A large stately house stands on the other side of a wooden palisade. Decretive red wood frames the upper stories, contrasting with the mellow golden wood of the walls. The first floor is obviously defensive with small windows and a large guarded front entrance, but the upper stories have large windows framed in bright red wood. The building seems strangely peaceful with its gabled roof and small turret reaching toward the sky.
The party will need to climb the palisade to reach the house. No ground level entry will be found, although a few petrified chickens may be found. However, if they climb to the attack, one of the servant's windows is open.

• If they make it inside the can find 10 petrified tapestries throughout the house, weather that will raise or lower the value is unknown until they speak with an appraiser.
• The servants' rooms will contain nothing of value.
• Five jewelry items will be in the lady's chamber, but before they can retrieve them they must pass the petrified remains of the lady herself. One of the tapestries can also be found here. The lady's garderobe contains nothing but petrified clothing.
• In a small chest in the lord's room there are nine more jewelry items. However, smashing open that chest may damage them. One of the tapestries can be found in this room. Also, in the garderobe off this chamber, aside from the petrified clothing, will be the petrified remains of an old man.
• The lady's solar, contains one of the tapestries, but nothing else of value.
• The two additional bedrooms on the lord's floor will each contain a tapestry and nothing else of value.
• The oratory is dedicated to Magesus and contains a decorative altar panel featuring a passant buck, weather it is worth taking and potentially angering him is for the party to decide.
• In the lord's study will be the petrified remains of the lord, several petrified books and weapons, and one of the tapestries.
• At the front door, with her hand on the door will be the petrified remains of a young woman.
• The dining room contains one of the tapestries and two gold candelabras.
• The great hall contains 3 of the tapestries and is decorated with an excessive number of hunting trophies.
• The kitchen, pantry, larder, and buttery will have the petrified remains of the manor's food stocks.
• There will be a petrified trunk, which contains 700 gold pieces, in the treasury. They will need to take the time to smash open the chest to retrieve the gold.
• The guardrooms will contain nothing of value as the weapons and armor are petrified.

Entering the Prison:

The village green is dead and bare--except for the tree that grows in its center. Shockingly green, the spreading canopy is the only thing that grows in this pit. The trunk is enormous, at least fourteen feet across. The roots grow over the entire plaza, but instead of anchoring the tree to the earth, the roots seem to be holding the tree above a hole in the ground.
The Vilderavn is locked under the earth by the roots of Magesus tree. Around the tree are a serious of symbols and the tree itself has three indents into which symbols can be placed.
The symbols fall into three categories:

A Buck	A Staff	A Circular Tree (leaves and roots circling to meet)
rampant (rearing up)	with metal caps	with straight branches and roots
statant (standing)	with leather wraps	with curving branches and roots
passant (walking)	with spikes	with circling branches and roots

To enter the prison the party must place Magesus' symbols of the passant buck, the staff with leather wraps, and the tree with the circling branches and roots into the slots on the tree.
A loud crack shatters the stillness. A gash large enough for a man to fit through has opened in the tree revealing a spiraling staircase descending further into the darkened gloom of the Pit of Curses.

Battling the Vilderavn:

The stairs open to a large grassy field upon which stands the Vilderavn. Standing alone in the field he seems to tower above them. A stark figure in his black armor, with the raven head helmet, clawed gauntlets and raven feather cloak. His sword is in his hand, but he has not yet bothered to raise it in defense.
The Vilderavn is susceptible to cold iron, but immune to curses, death effects, draining, and fear. Moreover should the party succeed in reducing the Vilderavn to half health he will raise up the lost adventurers' whose souls he had devoured. The party will then have to face 3d6 undead.

To the Victor go the Spoils:

Bloodied and weary the party returns to town victorious.
As the party approaches the town weary from their fight and subsequent journey back green pennants can be seen fluttering in the breeze. The festive banners hearten the travelers and you pick up your pace. The local peasantry have come out to meet you. They line the streets cheering and throwing blossoms upon the party.
The local peasantry will host a feast.
When you reach the village square you see tables draped in cloth and piled with food. There is cabbage chowder, creamed fish, honeyed pears, mushroom pasties, cherry pottage, custard tarts, mead, and mulled wine. On the central table there is even an entire roasted boar.
The locals give the party the honor seat. A bard will approach and ask for details of their adventure that he may compose a tune in their honor. The priest will bestow the blessing upon them before the masses under the nearby arbor.

May the benediction of Magesus, Forest King be upon you. Should you ever be fatigued, may his stag lend you strength. Should you ever stumble, may his staff lend you support. Should you ever be endangered, may his sheltering tree provide you with refuge. The blessing of Magesus be upon you.

--priest of Magesus

The priest will give the party a Token of the Blessing of Magesus, a golden wood token carved in the shape of Magesus' tree. The token is lite with a faint green light.

Plot type

One-shot

Twigjacks

These small goblin sized creates appear to be made of twigs lashed together with thorny vines. Mossy "hair" covers much of their bodies and the tops of their heads. In addition twiggy sprouts also stand out from their heads. Their eyes appear to be hollowed out knots.
While individually they are not thought to be dangerous they are most often found in tribes of 5 to 8, which can be difficult to deal with. They are considered servants of Magesus, Forest King.

Woodwose

These wild men of the forest are the male counterparts of the dryads. They too have bark-like skin and hair of green leaves. Like the dryad, they are typically solitary creatures concerned with preserving their forest. However, woodwose tend to be more prone to violence and quicker to distrust than dryads.
Even individually these wild men of the forest can be dangerous. Like the dryads, they are considered servants of Magesus, Forest King.