Tydfil the Witch
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Author: Eric Rowe
Homepage: http://www.wizards-attic.com
System: Pendragon
Type: Scenario
Category: Fantasy
Requirements:

Sometimes your Pendragon players need a change of pace from their standard Arthurian adventures. In this case, a witch is presented that is the stereotypical witch of modern cartoons and movies. She has all the expected items, including a pointed hat, a black cat, a flying broom, a boiling cauldron and a wart infested nose. When meeting new knights, she often unleashes her toothless cackle.

Even the most cautious player-knight can be led into this situation, believing it to exist purely for humor value, especially if the GM plays up anything funny and increases the player's ease. Then, when the the players are having a blast, perhaps helping Tydfil add some eye of newt to her cauldron, you have them where you want them. Something comes up, something horrible, and your players have fallen right into Tydfil's trap. This is a simple and short adventure starter, and the GM can can go anywhere they want from it. On the occasion of Halloween though, most plot possibilities turn to the terrifying.

TYDFIL THE WITCH

Tydfil the Witch is the pagan leader of a nearby village. She leads the rituals and protects the town from the forces of Faerie that often emerge from the nearby woods. She is ugly, really ugly. However, she is kind and gentle with her people, who greatly admire and respect her. Many would die to protect her, due to her good deeds. Unfortunately, she also does bad things, but only to knights, who she hates with a passion. She has killed, cursed and tormented so many over the years that she has lost count, but she hasn't lost her hatred.

Insight 2705

SIZ 13 Move 2 Major Wound 16
DEX 11 Damage 4d6 Unconcious 7
STR 9 Heal Rate 3 Knockdown 13
CON 16 Hit Points 29 Armor 1 (clothes)
APP 5

Attacks: None

Significant Traits: Lustful 16, Energetic 16, Generous 16, Honest 17, Proud 16

Significant Passions: Love (Cerridwen) 15, Hate (Knights) 18

Significant Skills: Celestial Lore 9, Faerie Lore 19, First Aid 9, Folk Lore 14, Geomantic Lore 10, Religion (Pagan) 10, Sight 18

Magic Limit: 162
Magic Defense: 81
Personal Life Force: 4d20

Significant Talents: Animal Friend 7, Bless 10, Curse 19*, Sacred Space 12, Summon Faerie Creature 14*, Weather Control 12, Control Faerie Creature 12, Travel 10

* = Natural Talent

Talismans: Curse 162, Travel 162 (broom)

BLACK FAERIE CAT (CUDDLES)

SIZ 2 Move 2 Major Wound 2
DEX 15 Damage 1d6 Unconcious 1
STR 3 Heal Rate 1 Knockdown 2
CON 2 Hit Points 4 Armor 1 (fur)
APP spooky

Attacks: 2 Claw @ 8

POSSIBLE PLOTS

* After the cauldron is full, the players are invited to sup with Tydfil. The smell is most foul, but it would be inhospitable to refuse. The Witch can try other things to force the players to break hospitality, until finally one does. The first player knight to break hospitality receives a terrible curse, wherein all that is ugly appears beautiful, and all that is beautiful appears ugly. The player knight finds before him a voluptous young maiden, while his handsome fellow knights have all become noxious looking trolls.

* The Witch steps out of her cave for a moment, then suddenly the cave seals itself shut! There is a small crack in the ceiling allowing air in and smoke out, but otherwise there is no way out. Let your players say their prayers to their gods in vain, then torment them some more. Let them lie in the dark for days. There is plenty of water in the cave, but, what do they do when the food runs out? With that big human sized cauldron handy, temperate players better watch out for those indulgent ones....

* The recipe is almost complete, but there is one ingredient missing, a human baby! The Witch demands that the knights fetch one for her because time is running out. Shortly an immense Faerie creature will come destroy the entire nearby village, and only the Witch's magic can stop the creature. If the players try to stop it themselves they are doomed to failure, for it ignores them and they cannot harm it as it approaches the village. There is still time to complete the Witch's brew though, will the players do it?

I'm sure most of you can come up with even more twisted and sadistic plots than I came up with in a few minutes, so I wish you luck, and happy haunting.