NoBodyFound
Villager
I'm planning to run a small one-shot that hopefully I will be able to finish near Halloween. I would appreciate any feedback/nitpick/ideas that you want to throw into the mix.
ANNOUNCED REULES: you are not allowed to take any light equipment.
You will be told what your character sees and feels, but you won’t be explained what is actually going on until it’s too late — that is for you to figure out.
INTRODUCTION:
Our story happens in the small town of Willowwoods, on the Night of Lost Souls. It is celebrated on the Autumn Equinox when the other worlds subtly sneak into the world of Men and the dead wander the earth.
To prevent anything bad from happening during the night one must follow five simple rules:
1. Don’t talk to the strangers
2. Don’t answer to anyone who knock on the door less than three times
3. Don’t call dead by their name
4. Don’t leave your home after dark
5. And above everything else ALWAYS have a lit candle
On that night, a group of travelers was allowed to stay in the barn until dawn — the Protagonists.
The barn stands on the hill away from the house of its owners and down below you can see the cemetery on the edge of the town. On the other side, there is a meandering river running into the forest.
In front of the barn, there is a tiny animal grave with “Oliver” written on the tombstone.
Inside, over the door of the barn, there are nailed 5 horseshoes — for good luck. Further, stalls host two pigs and a cow.
Hospitable people allowed protagonists to stay there for free, providing them with a single short candle.
DM NOTES & PLANS: GENERAL
Protagonists will be given a chance to follow the rules. But they will break them by their own choice. And they will pay.
The fat candle is enough to last the Protagonists through the night as it sits deep in the candleholder. But the “above” part doesn't seem too short to be confident in it.
PART I: GUNS ON THE WALLS
Each time the Protagonist breaks one of the rules one of the horseshoes that hangs over the door falls — seemingly from rusty nails and rotten wood, though Detect magic with the [Perception DC 15] allows you to spot the faint traces of Abjuration — the school of both defensive magic and its undoing.
Here is the plan to make Protagonists break the rules:
1. Protagonists ARE strangers to each other. If they talk with each other, they are already breaking the rules. [Stranger talk]
2. After some time, the owner of the barn comes to check on the group and cries to them from the outside to open the door… without knocking at all. He also brought them a few roasted potatoes as a dinner and wanted to dump them as fast as possible, because they turned out to be hotter than he expected, and he can't hold them any longer. He seems like a nice man, though the Protagonists agreed to take the barn with his wife and never saw him before. [Stranger talk, Open the door]
3. Immediately after, a mute & lame street vendor with lively eyes and curly hair, after a triple knock will try to sell them anything of the below. He holds a glowing green stone as a source of light. If anyone decides to examine the vendor [Perception DC 13] allows them to notice that he has a hoof instead of a foot inside his shoe. After the trade happens or not, the vendor leaves.
He sells roasted chestnuts, a clay bottle of ale, and a creepy little doll with button eyes, that somewhat resembles one of the Protagonists (the first one who asks how it looks). He also agrees to exchange the brightly glowing magical green stone for t for a candle and a few coins. [ALWAYS have a candle]
4. Some more time passes and the dirty, but playful cat sneaks into the barn — their collar reads “Oliver”. It purrs, engages, and worst of all is very fluffy. But Oliver casts no shadow behind (Perception DC 10) and scares the naughty word from the cow and the pigs. Yes, saying his name counts for breaking the rules. [Don’t call dead]
5. Finally, the Protagonists hear some drunk voices outside and people who barrage and curse "everyone stinkhole who sits inside the barn", calling them to get out and solve the problems with fists or else "They are so scared that they can only cry under their mother's dress". Of course, two drunkards are no challenge for an adventurer if someone decides to prove them wrong. But when they stroll into the darkness the protagonists could notice as two drunkards merge into one. [Stranger talk, Leave the home]
Immediately after things finally start to get interesting: the wife of the barn owner knocks on the door three times and cries for help. She came with her husband to check if their son was there.
Protagonists note that the barn owner looked nothing like the man who brought them potatoes. And when checked potatoes turned into dirt clumps, wine, and chestnuts (if bought) — into the puddle of bog slit and living snails, the Lightstone dissolves into the swarm of fireflies.
The son is not in the barn and nowhere to be found. The dark corners start giggling and the barn walls — shake. The cow starts talking and mocks the woman into a breakdown saying that her son is on cemetery grounds as she was a bad mother — and that she will never see him again. But soon, the cow says, they will be there too.
* If the cow is beheaded over its words, its head won't stop talking and laughing.
As he finishes Protaganists hears the largest bell on the belltower ring 12 times (like that ) and the voices outside start to sing Dies Irae. (that song ).
Through the semi-closed door of the barn, they see the lights on the cemetery and see the procession of the dead leaving its gates. The procession is moving up, towards the barn and it carries as many coffins, as there are protagonists.
PART II: GUNFIRE
Before the encounter begins it’s time to collect a payoff from the Protagonists:
Don’t talk to strangers or a cat will catch your tongue. All protagonists who spoke with the strangers will see that Oliver the Cat has their tongue in its paws. They are unable to speak until the end of the scene or until Oliver is attacked successfully.
Unless attacked Oliver sits in the corner and enjoys the show.
Open the door on the triple knock or you let the dead in. If this rule is broken one zombie starts the combat inside the barn. The zombie looks exactly like the guy with the potato, except more expired. Put him on the board but do not comment on him until the zombie turn. Brush any questions as if the zombie always was there.
Don’t leave your home after dark or the shadows will stick to your feet. Protagonists who left the barn in the span of the game will be unable to leave their place until the end of the combat as their own shadow will become tarry and sticky.
Don’t call dead by their name or they will respond. Those who call Oliver by his name will see a vision of ghosts holding them back. They receive DIS for all attacks until the end of the encounter. In the morning (if they’ll make it that far) they will discover chill hand-shaped stains on their skin.
ALWAYS have a lit candle because the dead can not touch creatures within the narrow circle of candlelight (the holder and adjusted creatures). A candle can be tossed to other protagonists as a move action and is the main advantage of the Protagonists against the dead.
PART III: ZOMBIE FASHION PARADE
The procession of the dead includes 12 dead (unless one starts in the barn) and a giant black figure looming behind and always out of light, so the only things that protagonists can make out are its glowing eyes and a silhouette of the antlers on its head. The giant figure does not participate in combat but it seems to command the dead and point them, as well as to create a feeling of looming danger.
Deads include:
Any protagonist reduced to 0 hp is not dead (death is a redundant concept on the Night of Lost Souls) but rather subdued by the deads and put into the coffin. Starting from the next round 3 deads will start to drag the coffin out at the speed of 5 ft.
The victims can break themselves out with a check of [Strength DC 17] with 3 deads, [DC 13 with two], and [DC 8] with a single one. On success or if no dead remains around the coffin they are back in action with a single hp.
On top of that deads can come back to "life" even if reduced to 0 hp, but no more than 3 times (in total for all deads combined). They "return" with a single hp. They however do not possess any other special abilities and otherwise are just walking deads.
The incomplete & imperfect collection of tokens (free to steal):
PART IV: UNFAIR FIGHT
Now, when we introduce the main stars of the show, we can talk about the tools and burdens that protagonists have in their possession.
As the barn owners unwittingly left for the night (granted it was for children, but the rules know no exceptions), they are unable to move and stack on the side of the passage near the pigs. They are of no use, as they can't even recognize other's words due to fear and despair. Zombies don't have coffins for them, but they will gladly take them out as well, given an opportunity.
Protagonists have 3 rounds to prepare.
a) the barn can be barricaded inside with spare planks and nails on the side. It will take a DC 14 for the dead to break in, or DC 18 if protagonists hold the doors themselves.
b) The hay on the second floor is easily flammable and inflicts (SPECIFY LATER) fire damage if ignited.
c) soapy water in the bath can make entire flour up to the stairs sticky. Everyone must pass a check of balance DC7 when moving through them or fall prone.
d) Wooden beams can be accessible from the second floor and require a check of balance DC10 to move on them. The dead have a DIS to such moves. anything hard thrown from them deals 1d6 dmg.
e) the barn has a pitchfork that can be used to keep a single dead 10 ft away from the user, by piercing it through.
f) I want something damaging, but I can't think of anything else that can be in the barn
Sketch of the barn:
PART V: Finishing the night
When the dead are repealed the protagonists are out of danger and the dark figure outside retreats one of the pigs says to the other "What a night brother, what a night!", finishing the night.
That is unless they decide to play heroes and try to rescue a barn boy... but that story is beyond our one-shot.
ANNOUNCED REULES: you are not allowed to take any light equipment.
You will be told what your character sees and feels, but you won’t be explained what is actually going on until it’s too late — that is for you to figure out.
INTRODUCTION:
Our story happens in the small town of Willowwoods, on the Night of Lost Souls. It is celebrated on the Autumn Equinox when the other worlds subtly sneak into the world of Men and the dead wander the earth.
To prevent anything bad from happening during the night one must follow five simple rules:
1. Don’t talk to the strangers
2. Don’t answer to anyone who knock on the door less than three times
3. Don’t call dead by their name
4. Don’t leave your home after dark
5. And above everything else ALWAYS have a lit candle
On that night, a group of travelers was allowed to stay in the barn until dawn — the Protagonists.
The barn stands on the hill away from the house of its owners and down below you can see the cemetery on the edge of the town. On the other side, there is a meandering river running into the forest.
In front of the barn, there is a tiny animal grave with “Oliver” written on the tombstone.
Inside, over the door of the barn, there are nailed 5 horseshoes — for good luck. Further, stalls host two pigs and a cow.
Hospitable people allowed protagonists to stay there for free, providing them with a single short candle.
DM NOTES & PLANS: GENERAL
Protagonists will be given a chance to follow the rules. But they will break them by their own choice. And they will pay.
The fat candle is enough to last the Protagonists through the night as it sits deep in the candleholder. But the “above” part doesn't seem too short to be confident in it.
PART I: GUNS ON THE WALLS
Each time the Protagonist breaks one of the rules one of the horseshoes that hangs over the door falls — seemingly from rusty nails and rotten wood, though Detect magic with the [Perception DC 15] allows you to spot the faint traces of Abjuration — the school of both defensive magic and its undoing.
Here is the plan to make Protagonists break the rules:
1. Protagonists ARE strangers to each other. If they talk with each other, they are already breaking the rules. [Stranger talk]
2. After some time, the owner of the barn comes to check on the group and cries to them from the outside to open the door… without knocking at all. He also brought them a few roasted potatoes as a dinner and wanted to dump them as fast as possible, because they turned out to be hotter than he expected, and he can't hold them any longer. He seems like a nice man, though the Protagonists agreed to take the barn with his wife and never saw him before. [Stranger talk, Open the door]
3. Immediately after, a mute & lame street vendor with lively eyes and curly hair, after a triple knock will try to sell them anything of the below. He holds a glowing green stone as a source of light. If anyone decides to examine the vendor [Perception DC 13] allows them to notice that he has a hoof instead of a foot inside his shoe. After the trade happens or not, the vendor leaves.
He sells roasted chestnuts, a clay bottle of ale, and a creepy little doll with button eyes, that somewhat resembles one of the Protagonists (the first one who asks how it looks). He also agrees to exchange the brightly glowing magical green stone for t for a candle and a few coins. [ALWAYS have a candle]
4. Some more time passes and the dirty, but playful cat sneaks into the barn — their collar reads “Oliver”. It purrs, engages, and worst of all is very fluffy. But Oliver casts no shadow behind (Perception DC 10) and scares the naughty word from the cow and the pigs. Yes, saying his name counts for breaking the rules. [Don’t call dead]
5. Finally, the Protagonists hear some drunk voices outside and people who barrage and curse "everyone stinkhole who sits inside the barn", calling them to get out and solve the problems with fists or else "They are so scared that they can only cry under their mother's dress". Of course, two drunkards are no challenge for an adventurer if someone decides to prove them wrong. But when they stroll into the darkness the protagonists could notice as two drunkards merge into one. [Stranger talk, Leave the home]
Immediately after things finally start to get interesting: the wife of the barn owner knocks on the door three times and cries for help. She came with her husband to check if their son was there.
Protagonists note that the barn owner looked nothing like the man who brought them potatoes. And when checked potatoes turned into dirt clumps, wine, and chestnuts (if bought) — into the puddle of bog slit and living snails, the Lightstone dissolves into the swarm of fireflies.
The son is not in the barn and nowhere to be found. The dark corners start giggling and the barn walls — shake. The cow starts talking and mocks the woman into a breakdown saying that her son is on cemetery grounds as she was a bad mother — and that she will never see him again. But soon, the cow says, they will be there too.
* If the cow is beheaded over its words, its head won't stop talking and laughing.
As he finishes Protaganists hears the largest bell on the belltower ring 12 times (like that ) and the voices outside start to sing Dies Irae. (that song ).
Through the semi-closed door of the barn, they see the lights on the cemetery and see the procession of the dead leaving its gates. The procession is moving up, towards the barn and it carries as many coffins, as there are protagonists.
PART II: GUNFIRE
Before the encounter begins it’s time to collect a payoff from the Protagonists:
Don’t talk to strangers or a cat will catch your tongue. All protagonists who spoke with the strangers will see that Oliver the Cat has their tongue in its paws. They are unable to speak until the end of the scene or until Oliver is attacked successfully.
Unless attacked Oliver sits in the corner and enjoys the show.
Open the door on the triple knock or you let the dead in. If this rule is broken one zombie starts the combat inside the barn. The zombie looks exactly like the guy with the potato, except more expired. Put him on the board but do not comment on him until the zombie turn. Brush any questions as if the zombie always was there.
Don’t leave your home after dark or the shadows will stick to your feet. Protagonists who left the barn in the span of the game will be unable to leave their place until the end of the combat as their own shadow will become tarry and sticky.
Don’t call dead by their name or they will respond. Those who call Oliver by his name will see a vision of ghosts holding them back. They receive DIS for all attacks until the end of the encounter. In the morning (if they’ll make it that far) they will discover chill hand-shaped stains on their skin.
ALWAYS have a lit candle because the dead can not touch creatures within the narrow circle of candlelight (the holder and adjusted creatures). A candle can be tossed to other protagonists as a move action and is the main advantage of the Protagonists against the dead.
PART III: ZOMBIE FASHION PARADE
The procession of the dead includes 12 dead (unless one starts in the barn) and a giant black figure looming behind and always out of light, so the only things that protagonists can make out are its glowing eyes and a silhouette of the antlers on its head. The giant figure does not participate in combat but it seems to command the dead and point them, as well as to create a feeling of looming danger.
Deads include:
- “Potato guy”.
- An Elf-Hunter, pierced by dozens of arrows with a dog’s head and dark blood stains leaking from his neck,
- ... alongside his hound, who now has the hunter’s head attached
- A crawling coffin that uses four arms sticking from under its lid as a spider's leg
- A guy in a winter coat and a massive black beard with blackened fingers & nose, still shaking from the cold. He wears a broken compass and a half-eaten hand as a necklace.
- A wizard in burned robes covered in a coaldust with his conic hat lit as a candle. His face is stuck in an expression of shock and horror. A (un)dead bat is stuck in his long beard. And his hands are still burning blue from sulfur.
- An old man in a tattered great coat, with black lesions covering the visible parts of his neck, face, and hands. One eye is blind and he holds an unlit lantern trailing a slow seep of dark oil.
- A slender male elf, covered neck to toes in pale tattoos. Each of the images depicts the hunting death of a wild creature. Blood seeps constantly down his body, coming from the death wounds of each tattooed creature.
- A massive orc bursting with muscle in a little pink dress that is too small for him. His eyes were pocked out and slurs & profanities were written all over his skin.
- A haunt hangman 6 & 6 tall, with dice and cards falling from his ruggs. He has a lover's medallion in his pocket, but instead of a portrait inside is the face of the Queen of Spades, cut from the playing card.
- A small girl in an off-white lace dress. Her legs are shattered and her feet are tattered ruins of flesh and bone. The hem of the dress drags through the ground, soaked red and black. She tries to dance, skip and jump humming a tune and seemingly unmindful of the damage done to her.
- A tiny fat halfling a monocle and in frak with an absurdly long scroll, who does not participate in combat, but still writes down the potential financial loss on principle alone.
Any protagonist reduced to 0 hp is not dead (death is a redundant concept on the Night of Lost Souls) but rather subdued by the deads and put into the coffin. Starting from the next round 3 deads will start to drag the coffin out at the speed of 5 ft.
The victims can break themselves out with a check of [Strength DC 17] with 3 deads, [DC 13 with two], and [DC 8] with a single one. On success or if no dead remains around the coffin they are back in action with a single hp.
On top of that deads can come back to "life" even if reduced to 0 hp, but no more than 3 times (in total for all deads combined). They "return" with a single hp. They however do not possess any other special abilities and otherwise are just walking deads.
The incomplete & imperfect collection of tokens (free to steal):
PART IV: UNFAIR FIGHT
Now, when we introduce the main stars of the show, we can talk about the tools and burdens that protagonists have in their possession.
As the barn owners unwittingly left for the night (granted it was for children, but the rules know no exceptions), they are unable to move and stack on the side of the passage near the pigs. They are of no use, as they can't even recognize other's words due to fear and despair. Zombies don't have coffins for them, but they will gladly take them out as well, given an opportunity.
Protagonists have 3 rounds to prepare.
a) the barn can be barricaded inside with spare planks and nails on the side. It will take a DC 14 for the dead to break in, or DC 18 if protagonists hold the doors themselves.
b) The hay on the second floor is easily flammable and inflicts (SPECIFY LATER) fire damage if ignited.
c) soapy water in the bath can make entire flour up to the stairs sticky. Everyone must pass a check of balance DC7 when moving through them or fall prone.
d) Wooden beams can be accessible from the second floor and require a check of balance DC10 to move on them. The dead have a DIS to such moves. anything hard thrown from them deals 1d6 dmg.
e) the barn has a pitchfork that can be used to keep a single dead 10 ft away from the user, by piercing it through.
f) I want something damaging, but I can't think of anything else that can be in the barn
Sketch of the barn:
PART V: Finishing the night
When the dead are repealed the protagonists are out of danger and the dark figure outside retreats one of the pigs says to the other "What a night brother, what a night!", finishing the night.
That is unless they decide to play heroes and try to rescue a barn boy... but that story is beyond our one-shot.
