The Something Inside
You remove just enough gear to make yourself comfortable. It has been a tiring week of travel and this inn on the outskirts of Secomber is well priced considering how cozy it feels. Then again¸ maybe the recent hardships you've had to endure have lowered your standards such that a simple roof and four walls might be considered luxurious. Just as you finally feel yourself nodding off¸ you hear a series of desperate screams coming from next door¸ followed by a man's angry voice yelling "It's all YOUR fault!". After first thinking "this is just a dream" and shaking off the fog of sleepiness¸ you grab your primary weapon and dash to the source of the commotion. A woman sits with her back against the foot of her bed¸ rapidly losing blood from the stump of what¸ seconds ago¸ used to be her left arm. A lady dressed in bed clothes is frantically tending to the woman's wound. Several other individuals¸ the inn's caretaker and the rest of the party¸ stand with blades drawn. The body of a pale human male¸ himself missing one upper limb¸ lay beside a detached arm and a gore-covered machete. The end of the spear used to end the confrontation is still lodged in his skull; the other gripped tightly in the hands of the inn's caretaker Stephan. A child desperately clings to the remaining hand of her mother. Her screams eventually subside and the wounded woman exclaims¸ "HE TOOK MY ARM! WHY?!?". Yet another self-indulgent exercise to satiate my D&D nostalgia. This adventure is less about combat and more about social interactions and sneakery. The party will be rewarded if they can uncover who or what has recently tampered with the bodies of several town councilmen¸ leaving them confused and afraid. I listed it as an adventure for levels 5 to 7¸ but it can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of adversaries (there are plenty to choose from). Once again¸ my daughter had fun helping me with the art¸ and I had a blast writing. Forgive any inconsistencies and feel free to make it your own.