Souris Farm

Help Needed: Infestation! Local farm overrun by vermin! Exterminators needed to remove the rodent threat. For more information, inquire at the Smittyville Inn.

Campaign

The barkeep/owner at the Smittyville Inn vaguely remembers the posting:

It was from someplace northeast of town, a little farm called “Souris Farm.” They used to bring in vegetables for the Inn, but we haven’t heard from them in months. I had to get a different vendor for my turnips!

It’s a little strange they haven’t even left word with us, but I suppose they’re just trying to keep the farm afloat what with the vermin and all.

Farm can be found at the end of a long dirt road, 3 miles east of Smittyville.

Arrival

Upon approaching, you see a small farm, with a two story farmhouse and barn (see map). There are a few fields around the farm and a path that leads off behind the barn and out of sight over a hill. The buildings look somewhat abandoned and the crops have obviously not been tended to in some time, as they are all overrun with weeds. There is a plow in the field, but it looks like it was left there in a hurry. The front door of the farmhouse is slightly ajar and swinging in the light breeze, but there are no signs of life.

The Farmhouse

Inside the farmhouse, you see signs of a simple country life. The furniture is wooden and handmade, and there are few furnishings. A painting hangs on the wall that depicts a man and woman with two children. They appear to be sitting on the front porch of the house in which you are now standing.

(Search DC 10): The floors in the house are covered in what looks like dust, but as you look closer, you see that it is actually cast off pieces of seeds and what appears to be dried up vegetable shavings.

The kitchen is simple, like the rest of the house, but the floor is covered in broken dishes and some kind of red, dried-up liquid. The cupboards look like they have been torn open and thoroughly ravaged. Any piece of food that was once in a container has been removed and seemingly devoured. Even metal canisters with flour and sugar have been torn open and glass jars have been smashed. A small pantry off the kitchen is in identical condition.

(Search DC 13): On some of the broken glass jars, you notice that there are little tufts of wiry, gray hair.

Upstairs, there are two bedrooms. One is generally well kept, with a full size bed that was neatly made with a handmade quilt on top. There is a bookcase full of volumes and a desk with some papers on it. In the corner, there is a chair and a fancy lyre made out of some kind of dark wood with gold engravings of a dragon enchanted by a bard playing a lyre (Value: 100gp).

(Search DC 5): The papers on the desk include a letter addressed to a Benjamin Stalgard:

Dear Benjamin,

The farm is in need of help. The rats have returned to the house again and we have not yet tracked down their nest, although we think that we may have rid the house of them for today. If you are able, we would be most obliged

(Search DC 18): Under the bed, you find a medium-sized locked box (Lockpick DC 25) made of wood with metal braces. It looks like it needs a key.

(If box is opened): Within the box, you find a love letter from Torg to Francine, a golden locket with a green gem in the center (Value: 150gp), and a small, unlabeled packet of seeds (golden turnips).

In the other bedroom, you see only a small bed without a mattress and a wooden chair in the corner.

At the end of the hallway upstairs, there is a closed door. The door was painted white, but it is all around covered with scratch marks from what look like small claws or teeth. The bottom edge of the door is significantly eaten away. An attempt to open the door is met with resistance from the other side (Break DC 13).

You manage to break through the door and are met with a set of stairs leading to a small attic. On the stairs, you see the remains of a woman wearing a nightgown. She obviously passed away some time ago, as her skin is all shriveled and dried, and her face is sunken back in a look of terror and pain. She seems to have blocked the door with a chair and some boxes, which you destroyed when you burst in.

(Search DC 15): Within the pocket of the nightgown and grasped tightly within her fingers, you find a small brass key. The rest of the attic space is full of assorted books, papers and broken furniture.

The Barn

The building is a roughly-hewn single story with one window at the apex of the roof on either end. The barn door is held shut with a large brace (Strength DC 10). It shares the overall style of the farm in that it appears to be built by hand.

(Listen DC 22): You hear the sounds of something (or multiple somethings) scampering around inside the barn.

You manage to lift the brace and toss it to one side. The door slowly swings open as you pull on it and lets out a high-pitched squeal as it does. You look beyond into the dark, dusty barn and see the darkness rapidly become a wild torrent of movement as what appears to be dozens of extra large but scrawny rats with blood-matted fur pour out of the now-open door. They immediately make for any exposed flesh!

(Combat): 20 giant rats

Once the rat threat is gone, you see that the inside of the barn was once obviously home to many more rats, but weeks of isolation created a bloodthirsty hierarchy where rats battled each other for resources. The rats that you just fought were clearly the largest, most fearless rats of the bunch, and had survived by eating their foes. Bones and fur are plastered to almost every surface in the barn with dried blood. Everything else has been destroyed and chewed to pieces. You’re surprised that none of the rats had managed to chew straight through the barn walls yet.

The Grain Silo

You follow the road out behind the barn. It goes through a small copse of trees and down a hill. You see a tall building on the far edge of another weed-strewn field. However, where the farmhouse was a derelict structure of ages past, this silo seems to be the beating heart of a bizarre new order. As you get closer, you see the building is covered with rats, scurrying up and down, back and forth, bickering with each other for scraps of food.

(Combat): 20 giant rats

As you fight off a small group of rats, the hordes seem to shrink back and scurry into the weeds. You hear a bizarre, otherworldly screech come from within the silo. Out of the dusty piles of grain, you see a figure emerge. It looks like a rat, but stands on its hind legs and peers out at you with red eyes that are obviously measuring your strength. It also seems to be wearing leather armor that has been torn and chewed to fit the enormous rat’s body. Without warning, it springs into action and leaps at you, claws and teeth bared! At the same time, the rats in the field once again emerge and attack you from the rear!

(Combat): 1 king rat, 6 giant rats

End

Within the silo, you find a human skeleton amongst the piles of grain, as well as a horde of 1000 silver and 2000 copper pieces. You also find a talisman on a chain inscribed with Abyssal text: Release the Demons Contained Within

Giant Rat

Hit Dice: 1d6 (3hp)

Initiative: +2

Speed: 15 ft, climb 15 ft

AC: 14

Attacks: Bite +4 melee

Damage: Bite 1d4-1

Face/Reach: 2 ½ ft by 2 ½ ft / 0 ft

Special Qualities: Scent

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1

Abilities: Str 8, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 2

Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +18, Move Silently +10

Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite)

King Rat

Hit Dice: 1d12+1 (7hp)

Initiative: +3

Speed: 20 ft, climb 20 ft

AC: 15

Attacks: Bite +6 melee

Damage: Bite 1d6

Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft / 5 ft

Special Qualities: Scent, Leather Armor

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1

Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 2

Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +18, Move Silently +10

Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite) </div>