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<blockquote data-quote="Steverooo" data-source="post: 1806110" data-attributes="member: 9410">Change the winemaker (Vintner) to the town alchemist, and the bees to wasps.&nbsp; Now change the plot, as follows:Unknown to many (Knowledge (Nature) DC:15 to know), wasps also produce a form of Royal Jelly, just as bees do.&nbsp; In this case, the Alchemist has managed to produce a very valuable line of anagathic (youth-restoring) drugs based upon this wasp royal jelly, which has made the Halfling town rich!Because of this, the Halflings are able to offer at least twice the normal payment, but require the PCs to sign a contract that their payment will be reduced by X amount per wasp slain...&nbsp; These wasps are the giant variety, of course...Unknown to all but the dead Sherriff, however, is the fact that overuse of the anagathic injections has caused the alchemist to become a Half-Giant-Wasp Halfling, which feeds on Halfling flesh after each injection.&nbsp; The alchemist, himself, is unaware, but murders will continue (once a week or so, falsely attributed to the giant wasps) until the PCs learn what has happened, and stop the alchemist.Best to make him a Druid, and (assuming that Awaken works on Vermin) make sure that AT LEAST the Queen Wasp is Awakened.The Halflings want the Wasps removed, alive and unharmed, as they produce the town's wealth.&nbsp; The Alchemist, unfortunately, cannot be saved.&nbsp; If the PCs take too long, other users of his new drug may also become Half-Giant-Wasps, too, after a certain period of use.Anyway, the Halflings will provide free (Great!) food, some drink, free lodging, and any non-lethal equipment (nets, ropes, Tanglefoot Bags, etc.) that the PCs request for dealing with the wasps.&nbsp; They have also located a place for the nest to be moved to, once the wasps are subdued.Now you have your mystery, and reasons enough to keep the wasps alive, whether or not they are intelligent enough to be bargained with...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Steverooo, post: 1806110, member: 9410"] Change the winemaker (Vintner) to the town alchemist, and the bees to wasps. Now change the plot, as follows: Unknown to many (Knowledge (Nature) DC:15 to know), wasps also produce a form of Royal Jelly, just as bees do. In this case, the Alchemist has managed to produce a [I]very valuable[/I] line of anagathic (youth-restoring) drugs based upon this wasp royal jelly, which has made the Halfling town rich! Because of this, the Halflings are able to offer at least twice the normal payment, but require the PCs to sign a contract that their payment will be reduced by X amount per wasp slain... These wasps are the giant variety, of course... Unknown to all but the dead Sherriff, however, is the fact that overuse of the anagathic injections has caused the alchemist to become a Half-Giant-Wasp Halfling, which feeds on Halfling flesh after each injection. The alchemist, himself, is unaware, but murders will continue (once a week or so, falsely attributed to the giant wasps) until the PCs learn what has happened, and stop the alchemist. Best to make him a Druid, and (assuming that [I]Awaken[/I] works on Vermin) make sure that AT LEAST the Queen Wasp is Awakened. The Halflings want the Wasps removed, alive and unharmed, as they produce the town's wealth. The Alchemist, unfortunately, cannot be saved. If the PCs take too long, other users of his new drug may also become Half-Giant-Wasps, too, after a certain period of use. Anyway, the Halflings will provide free (Great!) food, some drink, free lodging, and any non-lethal equipment (nets, ropes, Tanglefoot Bags, etc.) that the PCs request for dealing with the wasps. They have also located a place for the nest to be moved to, once the wasps are subdued. Now you have your mystery, and reasons enough to keep the wasps alive, whether or not they are intelligent enough to be bargained with... [/QUOTE]

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