When we left our heroes, they had found their party member to be missing, possibly kidnapped, by the group known only as “The 13.” Hot on the trail of their compatriot, with the help of the mysterious Visitor, our brave adventurers found themselves transported into a modern-day fairy-tale in Harbor City and their strange City Hall, a former amusement park known as “Storybook Land.”
Prepare yourselves for the conclusion of this 2-night Halloween adventure as we travel into the weird, terrifying and true tales of The Black Pines!
Chapter 5: The Investigation Begins
Start here if PCs decide to investigate within the town
If Tom Starling was murdered, start here:
Mayor Jiampetti has made it quite clear to her staff and Security Chief Scheffler that your group is to have any assistance at all during your investigation of the most recent murder of Tom Starling. The town of Harbor City has become barren as the residents have refused to come out of their houses for fear of further attacks. Mayor Jiampetti and Security Chief Scheffler have debriefed you on the past five murders. Outside of the ritualistic carving and dismemberment of the victims, they could shed no light on anything that tied these crimes together.
If Tom Starling was saved, start here:
It’s become quite a common occurrence to all of you, but it still strikes you as funny how quickly attitudes change when you are required to utilize your very special set of skills. Having saved the owner of The Old Woman and The Shoe, Tom Starling, from members of what the town continues to refer to as “The 13,” Mayor Jiampetti has offered any assistance at all to you that she can provide in your investigation within Harbor City.
Victims
John Tyler – 1st victim, found outside of Storybook. Left shoulder/chest/arm were removed
Eric Bledsoe – 2nd victim, found outside of Storybook. Right shoulder/chest/arm removed
Michael Silvermane – 3rd victim, found near Santa’s workshop. Left Hip/Leg removed
Jeffrey Ross – 4th victim, found near picnic grounds. Right hip/leg removed
Carl Rogers – 5th victim, found directly outside main gate. Head removed
Missing Townspeople
Tonya Wittingham, Jason Wiesnewski, Rob Proft, Jack Monahan, Bruce Goodwin, Luke Williams, Quincy Adams, Heather McKay, Roger Williams, Annie Struthers.
Investigation Clues:
Fred Wilkerson – Older resident of Harbor City. Was the person who first found John Tyler’s (1st victim’s) body. Usually can be found drinking at The Egg.
- “Always knew this area was no good. Over 300 years, still stinks like shit.“
- “Leeds family is to blame. Always was, always will. Mark my words. Number 13 is coming for us.“
- “Don’t believe me? Just ask Tommy Starling, he’ll tell ya. That Casey fella called it way back when.”
- “These fools hiding in their houses, like kids hiding under the blankets. Like the Devil can’t just come in whenever.”
Bethany Fragile – Owner of The Egg. Aeron had stayed there instead of The Old Woman and The Shoe. Bethany says that he was always polite and courteous but mostly kept to himself. If PCs decide to check the room he was staying in, they find a map of the region with certain areas of the surrounding forest circled with question marks.
Tom Starling (if alive) – Owner of The Old Woman and The Shoe. Knows legend of The Shadow of the Black Pines. Provides the old poem, The Black Pines, written by a man (John Casey) who had come walking into the village a long time ago from the Pines and left as quickly. If Tom has been murdered, PCs can find the poem if searching The Old Woman and the Shoe with a successful DC 15 Investigation check.
Mayor Jiampetti – Tells PCs that Aeron had stayed at The Egg, not The Old Woman and The Shoe. PCs could remember that The Egg supposedly had no rooms to rent, that it was just a tavern.
Security Chief Scheffler – No evidence has been found at any of the crime scenes. Almost as if no one was there.
The Black Pines Poem by John Casey
Here is the poem that the PCs might uncover in their investigation, Usable as a handout for them. As an aside, these are actual lyrics for an unpublished song by my close friend and bandmate, Johnny Ott of The Cryptkeeper Five (used with permission)
There’s a spot down the road we can hang low
Some call it wrong and some call it home
What’s done is done
Unholy land
Where the sun don’t shine
What’s done gets done
I’m the Shadow of The Black Pines
Consensual fools and criminals
Drunks, dregs, and the unkind
13th Child to the Witch
From the Lord
Headless kid and Black Dog
What’s done is done
Unholy land
Where the sun don’t shine
What’s done gets done
I’m the Shadow of The Black Pines
Chapter 6: The Shadow of The Black Pines
When PCs decide to journey into The Pine Barrens, start here
The residents of Harbor City gave you an excited, if hurried, goodbye as you set off. The best they could do was point you in the general direction that Aeron had seemed to set off in. What used to be a very delineated line between the Pine Barrens and civilization has been erased by the thick overgrowth that has sprung up over time since the world changed. Security Chief Scheffler did provide you an old map of the region, as well as a compass, but urged you against this mission, as no one has returned from any of the scouting parties that were sent in during the early days of the community to search for resources and people or the most recent search parties to locate the missing townspeople.
As you walk on for a half-hour or so, the newer flora begins to give way to the tall, scraggly pine trees and sandy soil that the Barrens are known for. Legends have abounded regarding this region and the ability for it to confuse travelers who stray from their paths, and even some who stay on their path.
Have lead PCs make survival checks (DC 20) as they venture further into the woods. For every failure, they come to another Pine Barrens encounter separate from main the mission
Roll d10
1 – Indian Cabin Road encounters
2 – PCs lose each other for several rounds. Confusion spell of the woods.
3 – Blue Hole
4 – Pineys Village
5 – The Black Doctor (James Stills) – can aid any seriously injured or dying PCs. He is a ghost.
6 – Jersey Devil possible sighting
7 – Black Dog – Blinks in and out of sight. Nothing special happens.
8 – White Stag – can aid PCs in finding their way if they become too lost
9 – Jersey Devil possible sighting
10 – Children of Mother Leeds appear (There are only 13. Keep track of them)
Indian Cabin Road Encounters
As you have been making your way through what seems to be an endless loop of the same forest over and over, you come upon a deserted road. From where you are, the road stretches out on either side of you, with both ends becoming lost behind the bends in the road. A street sign pole lies on its side across from you; rust and gravity having finally won out over time.
Street sign reads “Indian Cabin Road”
If PCs walk LEFT:
Sibbel Shaler gravesite
It has become more and more difficult to tell what time of day it is while in The Barrens, as the forests seem to be held in a perpetual twilight. As you walk along the road, the darkness seems to thicken. The road is riddled with potholes and is in increasing disrepair. What once was paved begins to turn more into a road of packed earth and ends in more trees. A small footpath leads off the road to a clearing.
You walk along the footpath for only 50 feet or so until you enter a clearing where a lone gravestone stands surrounded by a 5×10 chain link fence. Surrounding this lone grave marker is a small, stagnant stream and the remnants of what seems to be a cement foundation that supported a structure that time has erased.
Sibbel Shaler Gravestone
Sacred
To BLANK Memory BLANK
Mrs. Sibbel BLANK, Consort of the late Timothy Shaler
Who departed this life, on the 2nd Day of April 1785
In the 34th year of her age
And whose mortal remains repose
Here together with those of three
BLANK
If the inscription is read aloud, the ghost of Sibbel Shaler will appear and will walk to the cement foundation and begin various chores. She will not respond to any questions. If PCs watch long enough, they will see 3 small ghosts walk into the house. At that point, the ghost of Sibbel Shaler will scream and the entire scene will vanish.
History check DC 17 has PC remember the story of Sibbel Shaler and her 3 children being murdered in their home. The stories always conflict as to whether it was a roaming Indian band or her own husband.
If PCs walk to the right on Indian Cabin Road:
It is constantly dusk. Even looking up to the top of the canopy of trees leaves you wondering what time of day it is. As you walk along the road, the darkness seems to thicken. The road is riddled with potholes and is in increasing disrepair. You begin to hear screams that sound like children coming from just around the bend of the road.
As you race around the bend of the road, you are met with a strange sight. Standing about the height of a tree is a sculpture made of glass soda bottles and candy wrappers. The screams you heard seem to be emanating from the sculpture. Written across the middle, “CRUKKER: CANDYMAN.
There is nothing to be found on or around the sculpture. The screams seem to come and go at random from it.
History check DC 17 has PC remember that legend of the CRUKKER, known as the Candyman. An alleged child molester and killer.
The Blue Hole Encounter
Several hours of trekking through the Pines, backtracking, circling back upon the same location and finally finding the path again has left your party tired and confused. It seems as if the Pines themselves are meant to confound any travelers within them, as if they never accepted trespass by people.
As you walk through a stand of trees, you step into a relatively large clearing with a lake in the center. What draws your eyes is the incredibly crystal blue of the water in the lake and the stillness of its face.
Any PC with a Passive Perception of 12 or higher notices no animal noises whatsoever in this clearing, not even birdsong.
If any PC touches the water, they realize that it is incredibly cold. Colder than it should be in this climate. Looking into the lake, while the water is crystal clear, no bottom can be seen. Any attempt to touch the bottom with tools will result in failure.
The Lake
Water acts like a Confusion spell (Wisdom Saving Throw DC 15) to any character touching, drinking or looking into it.
Pineys Village
Several hours of trekking through the Pines has left your party tired, confused, hungry and frustrated. As you continue to argue amongst yourselves, you hear what sounds like a raucous party happening about 100 yards due east of your current location.
If PCs go towards the party:
As you walk through the stand of trees, you come to the edge of a very small cliff that rings a small valley. What looks to be an old and poor, yet clean, village sits within the center of the valley. Various campfires can be seen and, in the middle of the village is a large bonfire with an animal roasting on a spit – the villagers busy themselves with laughing, eating and drinking while musicians play for the villagers dancing.
The villagers are Pineys (cannibalistic forest dwellers). They entice visitors to stay with them so they can drug them and feast upon them. They play the part of scared bumpkins incredibly well.
Perception check of DC 15 reveals that the animal roasting on the fire is human.
If PCs take the offer of hospitality, make all of them roll a Constitution Saving Throw DC 15 against the sedative in the drinks/food offered.
Piney Stats (15 in total)
Piney Berserker Stats (5 in total)
Chapter 7: The Leeds House
(I was completely inspired by the traps from the Saw franchise … feel free to add your own warped torture devices!)
After sufficient time traveling through the Pine Barrens, the PCs will either find their way to Leeds Point or The White Stag can lead them in the proper direction.
The endless trees of the Pine Barrens give way to an earth-packed, dirt road, across from which is a ramshackle wood slat fence that resembles a mouth with several of the teeth punched out. A sign above the door to the fence has one word written upon it – “LEEDS
The dilapidated fence surrounds a colonial-style brick and mortar house. A side-gabled roof supports two chimneys and windows frame the solitary, whitewashed front door. The house is surrounded by ancient-looking trees. For such an old house, its upkeep surprises you. From your vantage point, you can see that there are several scarecrows in the yard. Unfortunately, these scarecrows seem to be poorly constructed, as they have yet to scare away the crows that are currently perched on them. The slight breeze that blows towards you carries the sound of moaning.
The “scarecrows” are some of the missing townspeople whose mouths have been sewn shut. There are 3 set up in the front yard. The “crows” that are pecking at them are Children of Mother Leeds.
As PCs get closer, they can see a faint greenish light pulsing from the bodies into the ground and into the house
Scarecrow Townspeople: Jason Wisniewski, Rob Proft and Jack Monahan (my apologies to my actual friends from the Pine Barrens region that I used as inspiration for some of the names!)
Entry through the front door or the back porch. Windows are inaccessible and too dirty to be able to see through
Front Door
The front door opens into a spiked pit trap
When door opens, PCs can see Luke Williams (missing townsperson) suspended across the room on the opposite wall.
Back Door
Back door is not trapped, but if PCs enter through here, the blood dripping from Luke Williams and Roger Williams (missing townsperson) in The Great Room will land on them.
Entryway
Spiked Pit Trap (20-foot drop)
Spotting the pit after the door is open (DC 10). Anyone who falls into the pit takes 2d10 piercing damage and 2d6 damage from the fall. If anyone falls in, they notice that their wounds become the pulsing green light and move through the bottom of the pit.
Great Room
Luke Williams & Roger Williams
Suspended on the wall of the Great Room above the back door by hooks and chains embedded into their flesh slowly pulling on him, but not enough to kill them. Pulsing green energy can be seen going from his body through the chains into the walls. Their mouths are sewn shut.
Sitting Room/Bedroom
Quincy Adams and Annie Struthers (missing townspeople)
They are both fitted to “knife chairs,” with knives that slowly cut into them as they are pulled forward. Chains attached between the two of them cause each to pull the other forward to avoid the knives. Their mouths are sewn shut.
Dining Room & Kitchen
Bruce Goodwin and Heather McKay (missing townspeople)
Currently seated across from each other with their arms and hands in a box up to their elbows. Their legs are also in a similar box up past their knees. The boxes are filled with razor wire, any attempt to pull them out will end in them bleeding to death. Their mouths are sewn shut. Green energy can be seen pulsing from their bodies through the boxes into the floor of the house
The Dining room and Kitchen are in one room with a large colonial-style fireplace on the far wall. Investigation checks of the Fireplace (DC 15) reveal a trap door in the floor which leads to the Catacombs.
Chapter 8: Mother Leeds’ Champion
Begin here when the PCs find the trap door to the Catacombs.
As the trap door gives way, your vision begins to adjust to the darkness and you notice a staircase leading down into the earth.
As you descend the rickety staircase, you quickly realize that you are descending much further than you thought possible. You estimate that the staircase has descended at least 100 feet into the earth and the cold that begins to surround you agrees with your assumption. You finally reach the bottom of the staircase and arrive in what seems a small antechamber with earthen walls and a packed dirt floor. A single passageway leads forward from the chamber. Along the path, you spy the now-familiar pulsing green light leading up the passageway. Illumination can be seen dimly at the far end.
If All the Victims Have Not Been Saved, Start Here:
You make your way down the passageway for about fifty feet and come out upon a large cavern, almost one hundred feet high, illuminated by braziers that line the walls about twenty feet up. In the center of the cavern lies a large hill, ringed by several plateaus. Rivers of the pulsing green energy are rushing from all sides of the cavern and climbing the hill to what seems a cyclone of green energy upon the top of the hill. Circling the cavern are the shadowy winged beasts that you have previously encountered.
I All the Victims Have Been Saved, Start Here:
You make your way down the passageway for about fifty feet and come out upon a large cavern, almost one hundred feet high, illuminated by braziers that line the walls about twenty feet up. In the center of the cavern lies a large hill, ringed by several plateaus. You see the familiar eddy currents of the pulsing green light, running from all sides of the cavern and climbing the hill – but you quickly notice that they seem to be slowing, pulsing less and less brightly as they follow their path upwards to the summit. Circling the cavern in tighter and tighter perimeters are the shadowy winged beasts that you have previously encountered.
The remainder of the Children of Mother Leeds are circling the room and will attack the PCs as they attempt to ascend the hill.
When PCs gain the plateau at the top of the hill
Tirelessly, you have made your way to the plateau at the top of the hill which stretches sixty feet across, with the middle of the plateau adorned with a large slab of rock resembling an altar. Upon the rock lies a huge mass of flesh, a body seemingly pieced together from parts of different people and pulsing with the sickly, green energy. Behind the altar can be seen a large, medieval-style iron maiden and, in front of that, standing behind the altar, is a haggard old woman, dressed in black rags.
“Ahhh, so the King’s peasantry finally arrives. Excellent. Excellent. My champion has just been finished. As I told those whimpering fools in Harbor City, I needed a test of strength for my Knight. You all should do nicely. Very nicely …“
With that, the hulking mass of flesh sits bolt upright on the table and blackness coalesces around it, forming what looks to be shiny black armor, like some gross distortion of Arthurian legend. The woman turns around and opens the iron maiden behind her. Inside, you see Aeron Pendragon with numerous puncture wounds, blood trickling down and that pulsing green energy … she reaches in and pulls out two items and places them at the feet of the golem of flesh. Aeron’s shield and his sword, Morthwyl o Duw … The Hammer of God.”
(As an aside, these two items were homebrewed magical items out of our campaign. Aeron had begun with a sword that seemed linked to Arthurian legend. I had worked out with the DM that the sword would grow with my character, increasing its magic as I achieved certain tasks. I had named it Morthwyl o Duw, which is Welsh for “Hammer of God.” The shield was a homebrewed shield called, “The Shield of the King” which enhanced my whole King Arthur mythos. These items were powerful, so having Mother Leeds give them to this “Champion” of hers ratcheted up the tension nicely!)
Mother Leeds Champion Stats – standard Flesh Golem but with Armor Class of 19 (Shield of the King and Plate Armor) and melee attacks with Morthwyl o Duw, +7 to hit, 1d8+6 damage. Due to the evil nature, the magic of the sword and shield were reduced.
Mother Leeds. The matriarch of the Leeds legend and alleged mother of the Jersey Devil. My apologies to the author of this homebrewed monster known as a “Pain Witch.” I tried to find the site again and was unable to. Her power levels can easily be increased by turning several of her abilities into Legendary Actions and providing her Legendary Resistances. I did not do this as I did not want to return a borrowed campaign to my DM with all the PCs missing!
Mother Leeds (Pain Witch)
AC 17 HP 110 Speed 30 ft
STR +0 DEX +2 CON +2 INT +2 WIS +3 CHA +4
Saving Throws :WIS +6, CHA +7
Skills: Arcana +5, Deception +5, Perception +4
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
Innate Spellcasting: The witch’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: darkness, invisibility
1/day each: charm person, gaseous form, sleep
Magic Weapons: The witch’s weapon attacks are magical.
Black Blade: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3d8 + 12 slashing damage. and 1d8+4 necrotic damage.
Disarming Charm: The witch gestures with her wand or hand at a target within 60 ft. that she can see The target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw DC 16. On a failed save, all weapons wielded by the target are thrown thirty feet to the side.
Healing Blade of the Torturer, Slash: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. The witch’s blade slices through the target but instantly heals all damage taken from the attack. On a hit, the witch is able to cast the following magic attack against any target within 60 ft. The witch creates three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of her choice that she can see within range. A dart deals 2d8 + 8 necrotic damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously, and she can direct them to hit one creature or several.
Healing Blade of the Torturer, Curse: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one grappled or stunned target. The witch’s blade slices through the target but instantly heals all damage taken from the attack. The witch draws runes into the target’s flesh which heal to the visible eye. However, the target’s maximum hit points lower by 2d8 + 8 points until the target takes a long rest.
Disabling Charm: The witch gestures with her wand or hand at a target within 60 ft. that she can see. The target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw DC 16 or become stunned, save ends.
Aura of Suffering: While in her lair, if the witch has any creatures imprisoned she can channel their pain in a magical attack. All targets within a 30-foot sphere centered around the witch must make a wisdom saving throw or take 2d8 + 8 necrotic damage. INEFFECTIVE IF VICTIMS HAVE BEEN SAVED
Punishing Bite: A creature who misses a melee attack against the witch takes 1d4 piercing damage and 2d8 necrotic damage as the witch bites the creature.
Channeling Pain: When the witch takes damage she may target a creature as a reaction with the following magical attack. The witch creates a glowing dart of magical force. The dart hits a creature of her choice that she can see within range. The dart deals 2d8 + 8 necrotic damage to its target.
Happy Halloween!
I hope that all of you have enjoyed the Halloween treat of this early, early adventure of mine as much as I enjoyed sharing it. Feel free to play this at your own tables this Halloween and I encourage you to “Steal Smart” from this adventure … take what you want, leave what you don’t, make it all your own!
As always, we would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, tips, tricks and changes that you would make to “The Black Pines.”
Until next time, heroes … LIVE THE ADVENTURE!
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