Night of the Walking Dead, Part 2, Overview of the Village
Sunday, October 25, 2009, 04:48 PM CST [
Dungeons & Dragons]
You can download the original module at
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/do... You will need the module for the story, background and plot. I will only be presenting the updated/revised encounters here.
Night of the Walking Dead, Part 2, Overview of Marias D'Tarascon
The Village
Marais d'Tarascon is a cluster of small wood-and-thatch buildings at the edge of the swamp, housing about 300 people. It is located approximately two-and-a-half miles
from Port d'Elhour, on the eastern edge of Souragne's vast swamp. The PCs
approach the village from the west, emerging from the swamp on the afternoon of day five. The storm clouds continue to build; despite the early hour, it seems like dusk. A cemetery is perched on a hill overlooking the village. The graveyard is divided into two sections, one old (area 11 on the map), the other new (area 10). The old graveyard contains Marcel's lair. East of the village is the Tarascon plantation. From a distance it looks impressive, but on closer inspection, it is obvious that the fields have not been tended in weeks.
The PCs can wander freely, speaking with whomever they wish. Murders, zombies,
disappearances—the events of the past weeks have caused a fearful mood to settle over the village. (Assume that Marcel died three weeks ago, regardless
of how long the PCs have spent in the swamp.) Everyone is nervous and more than a little afraid.
Some have even spoken of fleeing to Port d'Elhour, but at the moment such a course of action is still only talk.
Engaging the NPCs
Before the PCs can begin questioning the NPCs in town, be sure to run
Encounter 1: The Funeral. After the funeral, characters can begin investigating the town.
Gaining information from the NPCs can be done one of two ways. Either the DM can engage the PCs in an extended roleplaying encounter where they question NPCs and come to their own conclusion on what is occuring, or the DM can run an extended skill challenge to get to the bottom of what is occuring. It should even be possible to combine both methods (the method I believe I would prefer). Information for both methods are presented here.
Role-Playing the Investigation
As characters travel around town, the following information is available from NPCs. You may require PCs to make skill checks to find certain pieces of information described below; the suggested difficulty is included with each tidbit of information.
The PCs should gain XP for each NPC they successfully engage and learn something valuable from (About 125 XP each. If using skill checks, award 31 XP per successful Easy check, 125 XP per successful Moderate check and 250 XP per successful difficult check). You may want to award PCs treasure after talking to certain NPCs; You can treat the treasure as gifts from the NPCs for helping uncover what is going on. Suggested treasures are listed with each NPC.
Jerard & Henrietta Bascolm (Area 1, Treasure: 1/4 of a treasure packet in money and/or magic):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "Its been mighty quiet in town for the past few weeks. Folks have been spooked by some unexpected deaths and we haven't had any out-of-towners 'til you showed up. Maybe when the storm passes it will all wash our worries away."
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "Over a week ago, a local fellow name Francois collapsed into his soup during dinner. One of the barmaids, Katha - I think it was - said she smelled an odor - likely blown in from the swamp - that smelled something like rotten meat just before he died. I told her she must be half-Visanti and just smelled his death before he knew about it. As for the soup, well we threw out - just in case, y'know. But I can't think that anybody would have wanted to poison Francois, and no one else who had the soup even got sick, so I don't think it was that. But I couldn't tell you what killed him either; healthy as a horse and all that."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "I wouldn't share this with the others, but Francois worked a farm, just like Farmer Hogarth did. Both their farms aren't too far from the cemetary and we'd been wondering if maybe they'd been using - y'know -
unnatural fertilizer (dead bodies). We figure perhaps the dead didn't take to kindly to Hogarth and maybe some rot or disease did in the two. Coulda been the rot Katha smelled, you think?"
Louise d'Cann, Baker (Area 2, Treasure: 1/2 Treasure Packet in money only):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "All these mysterious happenings have been bad for business. No one wants to leave the house to buy anything, save old Jerard from the inn and shaman Brucius."
(Easy Perception) - The bakery sells red licorice. If characters make a Moderate Diplomacy, Louise tells the characters that Mordu, Jean Tarascon and the Bordell children are the ones who buy most of the licorice.
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "Its odd, even Jerard has had to cut back on the supplies he buys since there's been little business at the inn. On the other hand, Shaman Brucius has been buying more - like he's stocking up for something. He says he's been taking meals around to those too scared to come here themselves, but I'm not so sure."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "Business has been slow, but now that I think about, I haven't seen any of Jean or Marcel Tarascon around lately - not even Luc's been around. Usually, if there's trouble they'd call a town meeting or something. Either they're too afraid to come out, or they're too busy dealing with what's going on, I guess."
Pierot d'Bussy, Caretaker (Area 4, 1/4 Treasure packet in money or magic items [especially warding items]):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "I've been quite busy of late - a state I rather'd not continue. I've seen to the laying of rest more souls that I've cared to, and I dare say they aren't resting easy. I'd stay far from the cementary if I were you."
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "I don't go into the cemetary proper nowadays. Since at least poor Galenon Gremin - the constable's son - died suddenly, I've seen shadows moving in the cementary where there shouldn't be. About a week ago, I swear one night I saw the missing lady Grissom standing over one of the crypts, a feral smile on her face. I ran, and I'm not going back until all this business has been sorted out."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "Before all this started, I caught young Luc and Marcel d'Tarscon at the old cementary, rooting around. Wouldn't tell me why they were there, so I ran 'em off. I didn't think about it then, but all this started up a week or so later."
Constable Gremin (Area 5, Treasure: 1 treasure packet):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "Unfortunately, our small town has been host to several disappearances and sudden deaths of late. There's been tales of the supernatural involving the disappearances, but I think in most cases the swamp's just got to folks an' they've up an' left to Port d'Elhour, or at worst the death's 've scared 'em off."
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "The sudden deaths and some of the disappearances have me worried - a lot of the disappearances don't make sense either - its rather unlike folk to just up and leave. My own son's death bothers me mightily - he were fit as fiddle before he simply keeled over. Some of the tales say folks have not only just up an' died, but that they get up a few moments later as the walking dead. O' course, we ain't got any evidence 'o these walking corpes - it appears they done all walked off to the cemetary by the time I get there."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "I haven't said this to anyone, and I don't need it repeated, ya here? I've found a bit of blood at the scene of some of these disappearances - and what's more, a bit o' red licorice at some of the spots - four of them, to be exact. There's been a rumor that a vampire's behind the disappearances, but I'd sooner expect a Visanti to 'ave done this."
on a seperate check, the constable will give the names of the dead or missing with a Moderate Persuasion check or better. They are, in order of death/disappearance (those with a "*" had a piece of red licorice found where they disappeared, those in
bold are known to be dead): Farmer Hogarth (21 days),
Ganelon Gremin (19 days),
Louis Duplessis (17 days), Jean Dionne (15 days), Karlotta Deschamps* (14 days), Teresa Balin and Maria Grissom (13 days), Sacripant Mercier* (12 days), Charles Petit (11 days),
Francois Mothe (9 days), Romain Tollmoche* (8 days), Colin Smith and
Elizah Woods (5 days), Hughes Rouleau* (4 days), Annette Bondy (3 days) and the latest,
Jeremiah d'Gris (1 day). Note that these are the only one the constable is aware of - there are several more he knows nothing about.
Mordu, retired accountant (Area 6, Treasure: 1 treasure packet, likely to include an offensive magic item and/or ritual):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "Oh, its perhaps the most exciting thing that's happened to Marias d'Tarascon since that old gypsy sage came to town. There's been deaths and disappearance - there's sure to be cult behind it all, you know."
(Medium Diplomacy) - "I used to work for the Tarascons as their accountant - right good down-to-earth sort of people, you know. Anyway, I'm retired now and my pension has let me explore my other hobby - books. There's one I think you'd find quite interesting: It's called
The Cult of the Swamp God. You'd find it a good read, I'm sure - a murdering cult who snatches victims in the night and animating the bodies to do their unholy work...you can see where I'm going with this, can't you?"
(Medium Perception) - Mordu keeps a jar of red licorice in his study. It's only half full, and if asked about it, he says he's been eating a lot lately as pores through his books (to keep abreast of the "cults" activity) and will need to get more soon.
(Hard Diplomacy) - "Listen, since it's obvious your not the cult's thralls yet, let me tell what I know to be going on so far. It's the shaman - Brucius - whose behind it all. Keeps disappearing into the swamp when he's most needed and I've seen him at the foot of the cementary praying to the Lord of the Dead to answer his prayers. I'll even bet he's done in Jean and Marcel to keep them from interfering. And if you don't keep a low profile, he'll sic Constable Gremin on you. I'd sure wouldn't want to cross a man whose offered his own son up to the Lord of the Dead, would you?"
Of course, Mordu completely has things wrongs, and may only complicate the party's attempts to uncover what is occuring.
Jordi and Nadine Smith (Area 8, Treasure: 1/4 treasure packet, likely to include magical arms or armor):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "If you've got any business here, show it to me, and let me get to it."
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "Things haven't been right in town for weeks. And now, our only son, Colin, has up and vanished. He works at the Tarascon manion, but he never came back five days ago. The manions all locked up, and we haven't been able to find any of the Tarascons to ask what's been going on."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "About three weeks ago, Colin was sent home for a few days. Said there'd been an incident between the brothers and Jean said he'd call for Colin when it had all been sorted out. Well, about four days later, Jean came calling and Colin went back to work. He started coming back late, looking grim, and when we asked him about it, he wouldn't say a thing. Sometimes, he wouldn't be back until morning, and he'd sleep all day long. Then about five days ago, he went to work at the mansion and hasn't been back since."
(Special) - Characters who manage to get at least a successful Moderate Diplomacy check or a Stealth check to slip away while the others are talking can search Colin's room. With a successful Hard Perception check, a character finds a note from Colin stuffed in the matress. The note describes Colin's involvement in recent events and Jean's madness. See the end of this entry for the full text.
Shaman Brucian (Area 9, Treasure: 1 treasure packet, likely to include one or more divine magic items and/or rituals):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "In the past few weeks, several villagers have been dying to mysterious means, possibly from some sort of poisonous swamp gas rolling in from the swamp itself."
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "Farmer Hogarth was the first to die - that was about three weeks ago. He was working in the fields when his wife suddenly saw him fall. By the time she got over to him, he was clearly dead. As she stood over him crying, his eyes suddenly shot open and he attempted to grab and choke her. She only barely managed to escape to her. By the time we got sorted out what had happened, there was no trace of him. There's been at least five other deaths, and now there tales of as many who have just disappeared without a trace."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "Shortly before Hogarth's death, there was a terrible accident with Luc Tarascon and his brother Marcel. The whole incident left their other brother, Jean Tarascon mightily upset and left Luc bereft of his senses, perhaps in guilt that he survived and Marcel did not. I buried Marcel myself in the old cemetary, and I have not seen Jean since - he was even too upset to attend the funeral of his brother."
Fiora Balin (Area 12, Treasure: 1/4 treasure packet, likely to be money only):
(Easy Diplomacy) - "Please, you must help me find out what has happened to my daughter, Teresa. I've seen - things - moving about the cemetary at night. I fear one of them may have taken my Teresa as she walked back home from the Tarascon mansion."
(Moderate Diplomacy) - "I've always told my daughter to never walk home alone, and usually Colin, the blacksmith's son, was kind enough to escort her back each night. But of late the Tarascons had been keeping her late at the mansion - preparing for the harvest to come, she told me - and about two weeks ago she simply didn't come home. I asked why Colin didn't escort her home, and Jordi told me his son hadn't gotten back home until that morning himself. Now, Colin has disappeared as well."
(Hard Diplomacy) - "After my daughter disappeared, there was a visiting group of Visanti I went to, in the hopes of finding out what had happened to Teresa. She told me I had until the 'Night of the Dead' to find her; after then it would be too late. She could not tell me more about this 'Night of the Dead' other that it was nigh; no dates or even what it meant. Will you help me? I'm sure that Colin is behind this and his parents are simply hiding him from me!"
Investigation Skill Challenge (Level 4, XP 875)
Goal: Determine what is going on in town, and who or what is behind the murders.
Complexity: 5 (12 successes, 6 Failures) Using 4th level Moderate DC's. 58 XP per successful skill check.
Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight
Bluff (Moderate DC): You insinuate you will turn the NPC over to the constable or that you "really" know what is going on and just want the NPC to confirm they are not involved in the murders.
Diplomacy (Moderate DC): You ask for the NPCs assistance in solving the deaths and disappearances. The first success with this skill with a given NPC opens up use of History (the NPC metions significant past events he ignored or overlooked).
Insight (Moderate DC): You are aware the NPC has vital information that is being withheld, and manuever them into revealing what they know. Success with this skill grants a +2 bonus to Intimidate or Bluff checks with the same NPC.
History (easy DC): (Available after first successful Diplomacy check with an NPC) You make a note of how the NPC's comment about past events ties in to other events that occurred at or near the same time.
Intimidate (Hard DC): This skill only works after a failed Diplomacy roll against an NPC. Add a +2 penalty to the DC if this is used against Constable Gremin and grant a -2 bonus to the DC if this is used against Shaman Brucius. On a success, you get the NPC to open up by telling them it would not look good in the eyes of others if they do not cooperate.
Notes: Make up to three checks towards success between events in the town. Each set of three checks is considered to be made against one NPC. When the characters get at least one failure with a given NPC, they can choose to wrap up their investigation with that NPC and try their luck with the next.
If the characters have no preference to who they are talking to, assuming the NPCs are talked to in following order, and that one section of information from the Roleplaying section is learned for each success (Easy then Moderate then Hard), along with the following info:
1) Jerald & Henrietta Bascolm (Area 1): After the (3) skill checks, Characters are directed to talk to Constable Grissom about the murders and disapperances. Before the party can question Grissom, run
Encounter 2: Scene of the Crime.
2) Constable Gremin (Area 5): After the (3) skill checks, Gremin suggests the characters talk to Louise d'Cann if they make 3 successes, or sends them back to the inn on a failure (Telling the PCs to "mind their own business" and not make things more difficult for his investigation). On a failure, run
Encounter 2: Odor of Death. After the encounter, they run into Gremin, who finally tells them about the licorice and suggests they go to the bakery to continue their investigation.
3) Louise d'Cann (Area 2): After the (3) skill checks, Louise directs the characters to talk to Shaman Brucius. However, as the characters exit the building, run
Encounter 3: The Madman Strikes. If the characters failed any skill checks with d'Cann, Gremin holds the PCs for questioning, then lets them go. If the characters have accumulated 3 failures at this point, Mordu (area 6) summons them to his cottage after the incident in Encounter 3.
[3.5) Mordu (Area 6 - Red Herring): This encounter is designed to give the PCs a chance to get some successes, although possibly bad information. If the characters make nothing but successful Diplomacy checks, they gain successes as normal but bad information. If at least one successful Insight check is made during the encounter, the PCs are able to determine that Mordu is off his rocker, and they may leave the encounter at any time to continue their investigation. Regardless of the outcome with Mordu, he directs the PCs to talk to Old Fiona. If the PCs get at least one success with Fiona, she deftly informs the PCs that Mordu is a bit eccentric and his information is untrustworthy.
4) Shaman Brucius (Area 9): After encounter 2: The Madman Strikes, the characters get the chance to visit the church and Shaman Brucuis. After the (3) skill checks, if the characters have made at least one failure in the scene, Shaman Brucius excuses himself to run errands. If Luc is with the party, out of Brucuis's sight, he mutters "He's not buried here, not here." He does not eloborate. Moments later, Old Fiona comes to the church, looking for Brucius. Seeing the characters, she takes the PCs back to her cottage to speak to them. If the characters made all 3 skill checks with no failure, Shaman Brucius directs them to talk to Old Fiona straight away.
5) Old Fiora (Area 12): After the (3) skill checks, if the characters make all 3 skill checks Fiona tells the PCs to talk to Jordi and Nadine Smith about Colin. If the characters get one or more failures, she directs them to go directly to the Tarascon mansion; run
Encounter 4: The Dinner Party. Afterwards, the characters are directed by any one they wish to talk to to go to Jordi and Nadine.
6) Jordi and Nadine Smith (Area 8): After the (3) skill checks, or if the characters have accumilated 12 or more successes, they find a note from Colin hidden in his room, asking for forgiveness for his actions. It clearly outlines Jean Tarrascon's vile actions in the name of his brother (but not that Marcel is undead). If you have not done so, Jordi and Nadine beg the characters to go to the Tarascon mansion to rescue Colin: run
Encounter 4: The Dinner Party. Afterward, or if that encounter has already been run, proceed to
Encounter 5: The Madman Strikes. If the characters have bombed out on the skill challenge, they have nowhere to go from here; the identity of the murderer has eluded them. Proceed to
Encounter 5: The Madman Strikes, though Jean will have a significant advantage on the PCs in the encounter.
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Colin's Note
Colin's note can be found after a fairly thurough search of his matress in area 8. It is stained with tears and at least one bloody fingerprint. It details his involvement with Jean Tarrascon.
"Gods forgive me, I had not choice. Jean has gone mad, and I fear that he is dragging me and Teresa into his madness."
"For four days, I had remained at home as Jean made pretense to handle some difficulty at the mansion. Last night was the first night I had returned to work. Marcel and Luc were nowhere to be found, and there was much work to do, for it seemed a whirlwind of devastation had settled upon the manor in the servant's absence."
"I discovered last night he killed Karlotta, and in his madness he had the cook, Henri, boil her into a stew. I had not discovered this until we already sat feasting on her flesh after our tiresome work."
"Teresa fainted at the revelation, and I made to bolt from the room, but Marcel blocked the way. He told me we were now part of his new family, and if we dared to speak of this to anyone, he would kill my parents before turning me over to constable Gremin and swear that it was I who had killed them."
"I had no choice to agree, for not only did Marcel block my way, he held an ugly dagger in his hand - no doubt the blade he used to do in poor Karlotta."
"After the meal, Marcel again swore us to secrecy in oaths to the most foul of gods; death was promised to us if we did not abide by his demands. I fear he has slain his twin brother, Marcel, and I can only shudder to think what may have happened to Luc.
"Yet, as both I an Teresa left that accursed mansion that evening, we talked of breaking our oath and informing the constable anyway. Before we did so, Teresa felt a strong urge to see her mother once more, lest the constable believe whatever tale Jean might conjure up, and we both be blamed for the Dame Deschamp's death."
"Yet, as we reached reached Teresa's cottage, we caught sight of the Lord of the Dead himself, standing upon the hill, looking down at us with a foul smile spread across his decayed lips. We knew then we could not break from this oath - our souls belong to him and he watches us even now."
"We remained silent and returned to the Tarascon's mansion yet again the next day, hoping last night had been nothing but a misrembered nightmare. Yet, this night Jean took us into the heart of the cemetary, where we found the missing body of Marias Grissom stuffed into a crypt. At Jean's words, she rose, unliving! As we cringed in terror, Jean forced us again to feast on the still blood he cut from her veins. As I forced myself to drink the unholy fluid, I felt something within me die. Even though I vomited up the vile fluid, I can feel it has worked some change on me and Teresa. The light once in her eyes has now left, and I fear the same change is happening to me."
"I now fear Jean as I have never before - what sort of man is he now, who can command the dead to rise and obey him with a mere word? What is he making us become and are we doomed to fall beneath his blade before the week is out?"