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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Deuce Traveler" data-source="post: 6712639" data-attributes="member: 34958">The Inn of the Tarnished MirrorIngredients: New GravesJovial InnkeeperDesperate GnollPainful PunDeath from AboveHalf MeasureHook: A patron hears that the heroes are  leaving town.  The patron asks for them to be on the lookout for a hired messenger that went missing.Adventure: The road between the two settlements is not highly populated, and a popular stop along the way is the Inn of the Tarnished Mirror, known for its lively common area, its eponymous mirror, and its jovial innkeeper, Raol.  If questioned about the messenger, Raol admits that he has had so many folks pass through that it's hard for him to remember anyone. Most visitors present at the establishment are local or well-known traders who frequent the inn.   The other patrons admit that Raol seems stressed lately as his wife and lovely daughter have not been at the inn recently, gone to tend to a sick relative, resulting in a loss of quality in the food.  Another odd thing about Raol lately is that his famously ribald humor and joke telling has been dropped for a darker tone of late, usually focused on people suffering horrible personal injury.  These painful puns even pass into side comments to patrons, such as "let me take up your plate and dinner knife.  Wouldn't want to see you slice yourself up and bleed all over the place."  The rooms of the inn are still excellent, with comfortable beds and walls lined with tasteful art.If the heroes talk to the patrons about the missing messenger, they are told that they had seen him or her passing through.  No one can recall seeing when the messenger left.  They also had spotted a gnoll near the road, though the creature fled upon being seen.  This being the only lead the characters have, they may try to go to the area the gnoll was discovered near and track the creature down.  They find the desperate gnoll eating decayed fresh from bodies placed in newly packed, unmarked graves.  The bodies inside the graves are only a few days old, but they are all human.  The bodies were skinned, flesh removed, and the remaining parts tossed into sacks (along with bloodied clothing and blankets) and buried here, only a few hours walk from the inn.  There are at least four bodies here: Raol, his wife, his daughter, and the messenger.If the heroes question the gnoll, they find him half-crazed but with a strange story.  He was in a small pack of other gnolls that depended upon each other for safety and survival.  The pack was killed off one by one, creating paranoia among the group until they eventually began turning upon one another.  He was one of two survivors, but when he went to confront his last companion, the other changed shape into some sort of demon.  Terrified, the gnoll fled and believed anyone approaching him could change shape at any time to the monster that he saw that day, so he has has survived by eating smaller animals and the decayed meat from fresh graves he has been inexplicably finding of late.  The gnoll is willing to show the party further grave sites.  All the graves are within a few hours from the inn.If the party decides that the innkeeper is culpable, they may immediately attack the innkeeper.  This may lead to confusion and reprisals from the surprised patrons.  If the heroes take time to try and apprehend Raol and search the premises, they'll find the evidence they need to incriminate him.  In the cellar, there are bloody clothing from the latest victim, questionable meat near a meat grinder, and a half-full measuring cup of human blood.  The bedrooms reveal small holes cut out behind paintings, just above helpless people would be murdered.  Although the party might demand vigilante justice, the crowd would expect the fake Raol to be tried.This might lead to further complications unless Raol is watched carefully, for he is really a doppleganger and will not show his true form unless he has no other choice left.  The doppleganger killed Raol's daughter one day, and impersonating her killed off Raol and his wife before taking up Raol's identity.  The doppleganger has been living comfortably since, killing off single travelers, stealing their wealth and serving their remains back to the other patrons.Further Adventures: If the doppleganger should escape, the party is likely to have the animosity of a psychotic monster, who will continue to patiently stalk them and make their lives horrid in retaliation for ending its good time.</blockquote>

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