The enemy will, before trying to confront the party directly, deliver a curse on the PCs. The curse is a visitation by Three Witches Green. The PCs will be involved with plots directed by or involving a green skinned witch (Green Hag). The enemy will have a grand time running this scheme. And, in doing so, relearn to reach out to other planes after so long a slumber. There will be a call to the three to find a means of attacking the party. It will not be a coven, but rather three individuals. There are promises of power, knowledge, and wealth – the treasure in Blaylons reply (hoping the three all die).
Assumption(s): Bella owes the PCs a favor. Perhaps for Hunting Ingredients with Bella
Draconis Eye of Discernment – Druids of moorswood can see it and remove it, but it’s too late – the cycle of events has begun and is building to a crescendo.
Bella comes to the party and warn them that she has sensed a powerful curse directed at them. Augury isn’t her strong suit, but the planets are aligned such that she is the strongest she’s been in years. She bids the PCs to sit with her, and offers up goods to open the gates of truth. She will offer, for 1000 silvers, to prepare an astrology chart and perform rituals to try and find the source.
? > Make several checks, one for each character. Make a show of her preparations (exclamations, muttering, etc.)… This will just serve to enhance their fear?
How did I come to discover this? Well… with all the strangeness of recent events, she has decided to take a more active role in those around her – i.e. the PCs. Because it seems like the danger is level is rising for her, and frankly, I want to know if I should bolt, or perhaps if it is the signifier of great things to make me more powerful and rich.
? > Make several checks, one for each character. Make a show of her preparations…
[ i ] > DC 25 Herbalist Kit check to know the ingredients are all mundane, and some should not be mixed together – it would make most humanoids violently ill!
[ i ] The ‘chart’ will seem fake [to those without Astrology]; DC 25 Intelligence to spot that much makes no sense.
She drinks from some sort of magical alchemy jug. She dances, sings, and screams in nonsensical languages while drinking. She sets the chart she made for them on fire. Hazy visions form around her from the smoke.
Jug radiates magic, powerful magic of indeterminate and/or shifting types.
With Arcana/Religion:
[ ] > DC 16 to notice the structure is ritualized
[ ] > DC 20 notice a lot of Prestidigitation
[ ] > DC 20 notice a lot of Thaumaturgy
With Arcana:
[ ] > DC 25 notice multiple Minor Illusions
The visions are enigmatic = “I see three cracked faces with green eyes”, “I see green skulls”, “I see a green fire, and children running, there is a pale robed woman cursing the instigators!”, “I see shadows whispering in the Baron’s ear!” After she seems confused, exhausted and disoriented.
These things are… vague, imprecise sometimes. Perhaps you should seek out another, maybe, and I hesitate to say, House Malor, to see if they perceive some onus upon you. It will take me a day or so to recover anyway. Perhaps in that time, I can think about the visions and come up with something more solid to tell you are this strange “eye” upon you.
The representative will take a day to prepare and perform a ritual of discernment to confirm in some way what the PCs have been told. A focus chamber under the shop of the local House Malor chapter will be used – it will have all accouterments removed ahead of time, and rugs draped over the walls to prevent the PCs from discerning its secrets (A DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal its recent “cleaning”)…
“An eye is upon you, this is true. It is not of this world. There are more than one – three in fact. Any more than this is hidden… very strange. In truth, this is clearly indicating that the woman who we have been asked to give a wide berth to is now within our sights. We cannot much longer ignore her powers.”
You get word that Bella has fled into the countryside. She had some sort of breakdown, she kept saying “They are coming for me!” She seemed terrified and confused. When Bella leaves, it empties as all staff go looking for her in all directions.
Burglary of the villa, the loss of 200sc worth of goods… is someone watching?
Her quarters are a mess – everything is broken and scattered, she even appears to have set fire to it.
[ ] > DC 25 Arcana/Religion (ritual Lore) to see that some ritual was performed – perhaps Bella performed another Astrology/Augury reading…
Her quarters are a mess – its hard to say what pieces are what.
[ ] > Searching her quarters reveals that she has taken all her accouterments, including the trunk of “goodies”. All of her animals are gone.
Assuming the PCs take care of them, Bella will return after about a week. she will use her familiar as a spy to make sure she is not wanted.