9568 Moonlight Madness.pdf - Free

se their mimic ability to create the sound of dogs bark-
ng, though the characters can see that Retch is doing at
east some of the barking.
If the characters attack, Retch throws down the cross-
ow and shouts ”There too many of them, mistress.” He
uns to the rear of the wagon, where he leaps into the water
arrel to hide inside, drenching the vicinity. The crone
eans out of the rear of the wagon, pulls Retch out by an
ar, and says, ”You fool! Get up to the front and pull. We
ave to get out of here!” She pulls him into the wagon’s
ear door and almost immediately he emerges out from the
ront, arms flailing as if pushed. He then grabs the two
oles to which a donkey would normally be hitched and
eaves, setting the wagon into motion with a Movement
ate of 1.
If the characters actually attack the pair, the greenhag
hows them no mercy, falling upon them with spell and
ock-hard talons. Slipping in and out of invisibility, she
ses weakness on whoever appears to be the strongest char-
cter first, then proceed to target others as needed. Mean-
hile, she melees with targets of opportunity, trying to
neak up on and take out the spellcasters first. If severely
amaged, she attempts escape by creating a distraction
ith her mimic ability or an audidle glarnerkhile slipping
way invisibly with her pass without trace ability. She is not
eally concerned about saving Retch, though she will save
im if it is convenient and does not put her in danger.
23
I” the charactera do not Fro\ o h tLw iiag into ropp ig
her disguise (very wise), they can coax her out of the
wagon without difficulty by offering her money for infor-
mation, asking to have their fortunes told, offering food,
or making any other reasonable request. If they simply
wait until her tea boils, she comes out to pour a nice cup
and they can then approach without alarming her. She
tries to assess the characters’ abilities, but it is always dif-
ficult to tell exactly how powerful an adventuring party is
without seeing them in action, so she will not risk herself
with an open attack unless attacked first.
Once out of the wagon, she orders Retch to continue
fixing her dinner, then smiles at the PCs and invites them
to sit down and have their fortunes told.
a lonely- woman. Ah well, I suppose you’d like Es-
merelda to look into the fluture for you, eh? Here, have
some tea.” Esmerelda pours you each a cup of tea, and
another for herself. She takes a sip and sighs happily.
When the characters have finished their tea, she takes
back their cups one at a time and pretends to read the tea
leaves to tell their individual fortunes. These will include
the following vague phrases:
You will soon meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger.
One of your companions is hiding a dark secret.
The evil eye is upon you; your ultimate fate will de-
pend upon the kindness of a stranger.
I see a great fortune gained and lost.
It is wise to remember that each of us has a darker side.
Some keep it under control . . . others succumb to the
beast within.
Your future is cloudy, but pigeons are coming home to
roost (a metaphor that should cause any werefox or
wererat’s mouth to water).
“I ur
fates are linked together. IF you cross my palm with sil-
all seek the answer to your combined destiny
cards.” Madame Esmerelda takes your money,
s into her wagon, and returns moments later
ards. She asks for complete silence, so that she
hear the spirits speak. As she lays the cards out
down in obscure arrangements, she croons broken
words in some unknown tongue.
Actually, the hag is casting audible glarner mixed with
nonsense phrases in her own language (a dialect of
armis).