Elmsmeet Challenge
The Setup
The town of Elmsmeet (map) on the island of Trickem, is preparing for its annual autumn festival. The village is lit with candles and many of its residents are milling about on this chilly evening. The festival officially celebrates the harvest, but many residents also use the occasion to remember their deceased relatives by also lighting a candle on their graves. Every house in the village is lit with candles, except of course the dilapidated manor house on the edge of town.
Your friend and neighbor, the widow Verena, comes to you in distress during the festivities. Her daughter had wandered off earlier in the direction of the old manor house and has not returned. A few hours later her son had went to go look for her and likewise has not returned home.
The manor house in question is a large two-story building that hasn’t been occupied for at least a decade. The house would have looked grand and impressive at one point, but has fallen into serious disrepair. Its once beautiful gardens have become an unruly and thorny mess. The villagers prefer not to speak about the manor and its unsavory past, whatever that may be.
Starting bonds: Verena – an agreeable, weary, and connected artisan. Verena mother of Lio and Chenda. Her husband went missing years ago and is presumed dead.
Griff – a cheery, weak, and active guard. Griff is a sociable Warden who loves his community but drinks a little too much beer and has become out of shape.
Guidelines
Create a character as you would normally. Since this is a one-shot challenge, you may omit the background vow if you wish.
Swear whatever vow you deem necessary to resolve the situation (and remember to add +1 for the bond). For this challenge the main vow should be ranked formidable.
Once you fulfill your vow and complete the challenge, feel free to post a play report and discuss your experiences.
When interpreting Action/Theme oracles try to make it spooky and try to get out of epic adventuring or harsh survival mindset.
Many villagers should be unaware of the Manor’s history and many more should be unwilling to divulge the whole story. Try to make it a mystery to unravel.
Make things as dark or lighthearted as you like. Maybe the children are playing with Casper the friendly ghost or never even made it inside the house.
It may be helpful to think of Supply as including torches, holy water, salt, door jams, spare changes of underwear.
Campaign Truths:
The Old World powers are beginning to look to the Ironlands as a potential solution to their overpopulation problems. This island, conveniently located roughly halfway between the Old World and the Ironlands, was established as the first overseas colony a generation ago. Ships on the way to the Ironlands make port at Trickem in order to resupply.
There’s nothing particularly Iron-y about Trickem, but some of the residents have picked up the habits and ethos of the “Ironsworn.”
As far as the residents are aware, no other people lived on this island before the colony was established 50 years ago.
There are two little towns on Trickem that cooperate with each other. The seaside town of Hallow features the island’s only port and lighthouse. The town of Elmsmeet is a sleepy farming community that lies upriver from Hallow. Elmsmeet is built on the opposite side of a bend in the river. A large rounded hill occupies the inside of the bend. There are no other noteworthy settlements on the island.
Both towns have an elected overseer. The governor of the island (“The Jarl”) resides in Hallow.
The Wardens are our guards, and keep the peace and prevent the towns from being an easy target for pirates.
Most folk believe true magic —if it ever existed— is lost to us now. The few people who dabble in mysticism are regarded with suspicion.
In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.
The beasts of old are nothing but legend. No such things exist.
Travellers occasionally share wild tales of monsters and supernatural horrors, but most assume these stories are meant to scare children away from wandering off into the woods on their own.
Some extra ideas
- What’s with the hill?
- Why wasn’t the town built on the hill?
- What happened to Verena’s husband? Could it be related to anything?
- Is the candle lighting at the festival or the graveyard near the house related?
Map
Spooky graveyard…
