Mooncrest and the Missing Children
In the hamlet of Mooncrest, mysterious disappearances are occuring. The children of the town are going missing and the town elders are unable to figure out why. Determined to figure out where the children are, the elders have dedicated their time to hunting down whatever is taking the children.
Mooncrest is a small hamlet nearby Meadowbrook. While it is not located on the map itself due to the location constantly changing, it can be located by travelling through Meadowbrook's catacombs and out through a cave on the other side. It can also be found naturally through travel. Its inhabitants are mostly Eladrin who worship the elven goddess of the moon, Sehanine Moonbow. They spend their time traveling between places, never wanting to stay somewhere for too long. However, the leader and high priestess of the group, Mythara Chaza, has declared that until the missing children of the hamlet are found, they will not abandon their current home.
One of the children who has gone missing is Mythara's own daughter, Allyn. Along with her daughter, a total of 6 children have vanished, much to the dismay of their parents. Most children have been so young that they haven't even gotten to experience their sacred tattoo ceremonies. Allyn, being the oldest of the children taken, is the only one to have gotten her tattoos, which are the phases of the moon running the length of her spine.
Mythara assigns the party to the task of helping the elders locate the missing children. She is willing to offer the party riches and rewards should they acheive the goal, whether the children are still alive or not. The party may earn up to 150 gp for successfully finding the children and rescuing them alive. Mythara may even be willing to give up her prized bow, the Oathbow (found in the basic rules of DnD), which had been passed down through generations in her family on the safe return of her daughter.
A prize of 50 gp will still be offered should none of the children remain alive. There is a time limit of 6 weeks (1 week for each missing child) to find the children before they are all deceased. This time limit will only begin after the party has discovered Mooncrest.
What the party and those living in the hamlet don't know is that the children have been taken in order to be transformed into werewolves. The person responsible believes that in order to properly worship their god, the townsfolk need to be one with the moon. Therefore, he has taken it upon himself to initiate the children of the town into his version of their religion. He is using each week to transform a child into a lycanthrope as well.
The party may be slowed down by random encounters with typical fey forest creatures while searching for the missing children. These animals can either be fought, tamed, or avoided. Blink dogs are the most common entity, though wolves will be quite common as well. Roll for random encounters to determine what the party comes across every 2 in-game hours. There is a rare chance that a party member may encounter a cult member from an opposing religion; this will significantly slow down the party.
Once the children have been returned, an antidote for lycanthropy will need to be found if any of the children were turned. Upon successful assistance, the party members will receive all of their rewards as promised.
Structure
Exposition
The setting is the hamlet of Mooncrest. It can be discovered either by traveling through the catacombs of Meadowbrook and appearing on the other side, or by wandering through the forests.
Components
Goals
Track down the missing children within the 6 week time limit
Save the children from their captor
Return the children home
Receive rewards for saving the children
Hooks
Strange tracks leading deep into the woods
Howling noises during the night
An abundance of wolves in the surrounding forest
Few prey animals in the surrounding forest
Stakes
Potential new lycanthropes destroying the area
Loss of a potential ally in Mythara Chaza
Loss of potential rewards
Moral Quandaries
Is it worth it to help find the children of random strangers just so they can move to a new place?
Should the townsfolk have to stay behind while they track the children down?
How much time can be wasted when childrens' lives are on the line?
Should the party help find a cure for lycanthropy after saving the children or just ask for their rewards for bringing them all back alive?
Should the person resposible be allowed to live/return to the hamlet after what he did?
Cruel Tricks
The kidnapper is a member of the town itself who has decided to take his worship or his god to an extreme
The party is unaware that the children are not going to be killed
Red Herrings
One member of the town seemingly doesn't care that the children are missing and just wants to move on
Relations
Protagonists
Alvora Ebonest
Grace Autumn
Mithtari Zethis
Selene Rune
Alanis Valdi
Raeli Asterisk
Neutrals/Bystanders
Mythara Chaza
Allyn Chaza
Adversaries
Cormil Haiver, otherwise known as Brutus Quicksilver, a lycanthrope who lives in the town masquareding as an Eladrin
Backdrops
Threats
Dangerous creatures surrounding the town
Traps left by townsfolk to protect the hamlet
The lycanthrope on the loose
Other religious groups hunting down the hamlet
Encounters
Discussion/Interaction with the residents of the hamlet
Negotiation and interaction with Mythara Chaza
Investigation related to finding the missing children
Travel/Exploration of the surrounding forest for the missing children
Combat/Engagement with random encounters while searching for the children
Pursuit of the kidnapper
Negotiation with the lycanthrope
Combat/Engagement with the lycanthrope
Interaction with the missing children before returning them home
Investigation for a cure for lycanthropy
Comments