Guild report from Bonfeure - 0.3.21 agf

Dude Where's My Shadow?

The Guild received a request for clerics and healers from the town of Bonfeure. People were leaving the town, barely anyone remaining. The adventures encountered Jeff the dwarf who suddenly collapses, his shadow completely missing. He was taken to the healing tent where Sophia, the town herbalist, was trying to tend to the sick who also have no shadows. She was wearing a long sleeved jumper and trousers despite it being hot weather.

Sophia told the party that it might be a plant monster in the forest that's causing the exhaustion. The players found that also the farm animals were being affected and inspected the crops, but found nothing of note. They then went on to the forest and were attacked by a plant that secreted an exhausting mist. They killed the plant and came back to town exhausted. Sophia offered for them to stay the night. She was now wearing gloves on her hands.

One player killed Jeff during the night by force feeding him cut up vines of the plant monster. Using the shadows, Sophia was able to teleport to the players and suck out parts of their shadows overnight. They woke up more exhausted then before. And when Sophia came to check on them, she now had a good and facemask.

The party thinks that Sophia's son is causing this, so they go to the herbalist shop. Suffocate the child until he passes out and search the place. Before they learn anything, they are attacked and find Sophia's facemask left behind. They go back to the healing tent, and find it pitch black. After lighting it up, the rest of Sophia's clothes are on the floor and there is just a humanoid shaped mass of shadow remaining. It tries to suck out the shadows of the party, almost succeeding on a certain member. But she is killed and her diary is found.

The adventures learn that Sophia pissed off a god and was cursed to have no shadow. She was unable to live in the sunlight. She had to keep looking after her son and the only way for her to remain in the sun was to steal the shadows of others, temporarily giving her a shadow. However, the more shadows she consumed, the more her body turned into shadow. She tried to cover it up, but it eventually consumed her, causing her to lose all control. The party was paid for solving the problem. Sophia's child, Jiff, was forcefully adopted by one of the adventures.