Location, Location, Location - The Scarecrows of Camden’s Mill
Hullo, Gentle Readers. I thought that, since it’s nearly October, it would be fun to do another spooky kind of story for our “5 room dungeon”. This one involves scarecrows, and it’s an adventure for 5 characters of level 5. It’s meant to represent a classic haunted house/trapped by the monsters sort of story, a la Night of the Living Dead.
The PCs are caught in a terrible storm, but there’s light up ahead. They find it to be a solitary windmill, its arms creaking ominously in the winds. It is abutted by a farmhouse, which is the source of the light. Knocking on the door brings no answer, but calling out attract the mistress of the house, Mara Camden. She is a widow who lives here with her young son, Tamric. She reluctantly lets them in and offers them some of her humble dinner, fresh bread, a rather small wheel of cheese, and corn mash whiskey. She seems increasingly worried as the night wears on, and, when another knock comes, she freezes. “Don’t open the door,” she whimpers. “You shouldn’t have come here.”
A sepulchral voice calls out. “Mara…you’re being unfaithful to my memory.” Tamric climbs up to the loft bedroom, and Mara puts her face in her hands, weeping. Immediately, hands begin banging on the walls of the mill.
“Room” 1 - The Scarecrows: A group of eight scarecrows have surrounded the mill, and they’re attacking, trying to get in. Mara and Tamric have the stats of commoners, and they do not fight, although either may try to flee at an inopportune time. The PCs need to fight off the scarecrows and protect the little family.
“Room” 2 - What’s Going On?: Mara will tell them that they should go. “There’s a town a few miles up the road. It is safer there. Maybe they won’t return if you’re not here.” Mara is keeping a secret; she feels guilt for the death of her husband, Jarik. He was abusive and suspicious of anyone she was friendly with. One day, he confronted her in the windmill, accusing her of being unfaithful. She shoved him, hard, and he stumbled back. His scarf got caught and dragged him under the millstone. Mara could’ve saved him, but she covered her ears and closed her eyes. She wants to leave, but, whenever she tries, the scarecrows chase her back. This story can be drawn out of her by Intimidation or Persuasion rolls. Tamric will be very upset by Intimidation rolls made against his Mama, which will lead to complications in “Room” 3.
“Room” 3 - In the Windmill: Jarik’s ghost is here, along with a pair of scarecrows. He will possess powerful looking warriors, using them to attack the others, especially if he recognizes clerics that might be able to turn him. If Mara was intimidated in the last “Room”, little Tamric slips out after the party and leads 2 more scraecrows to the door of the barn, peeking in to watch with an angry face. If confronted, he yells at them that they shouldn’t have scared his Mama!
Jarik fights until reduced to 10 or fewer hit points, then seems to dissipate, his essence flowing into the stones that make up the mill’s floor. An Investigation shows that there is a concealed trapdoor beneath a pile of straw in the corner.
“Room” 4 - The Descent: The trapdoor reveals a rickety ladder going down a 5′ wide shaft that descends 10 feet, then opens into a chamber below. The ladder can only hold about 160 lbs or so before it collapses. Anyone on it when it does falls 10 feet and can make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (DC 16) to avoid falling out of the shaft into the room by bracing their arms and legs on the sides of the shaft. If they fail, they fall the ten feet through the shaft then another 20 feet to the floor of the chamber below (10 damage total). The party can also use their own various means to climb down.
“Room” 5 - The Chamber: Below, there is a chamber with an altar to an evil god (your choice, befitting your campaign). Jarik’s ghost is there, but it only lingers a moment before flowing into a coffin-like chamber. A moment later, he bursts out inhabiting the body of a flesh golem. He will fight until this body and his own ghostly form are destroyed. Destroying the altar will stop the scarecrows from coming back. Otherwise, little Tamric might eventually be corrupted by the same power his father worshiped.
