PD000963

**Hook Reveal:** 3 Estawain

 When they get to the farm, they realize its pretty small. The house, carved from Estelian rock, has a small kitchen, living room, and two bedrooms (one for Gorwin, and one for his daughter Dilya). Outside is a large field of hemp. There's a small well next to a smaller garden with various vegetables, and a shrine to Erume'rauko, as is customary in these parts. In the middle of the field you see a disheveled scarecrow.

## **The** **Complaint:**

**Patron:** Gorwin Elroris,

**Summary:**

**Property Damage:** A farmer, Gorwin Elroris, asks for help. His crops are constantly getting trashed. He wants the group/player to keep watch over the night. It ends up being that the poor farmers’ trusty scarecrow has been brought to life by dark magic. It is optional to buy or make a new scarecrow.

Cv reports damage to crops. Reports that his crops have been trashed repeatedly, and he’s unable to determine by whom, or stay up late enough to keep watch.

## **The Details:**

### **Who:**

* **Perpetrator:** Scarecrow brought to life by dark magic by Dilya Eloris - a young elf who is dabbling in magic and witchcraft. It was an accident.
* **Victim:** Gorwin Eloris
* **Relationship to victim:** Daughter
* **Other Suspects:** Enemies:
	+ **Castien Eloris** - Gorwin's older brother. Their father passed away 5 years ago and left the farm to his favorite son, Gorwin. Castien has been bitter and spiteful ever since.
		- **Alibi:** Has spent every night at home, with his wife Nwala Eloris. He snuck out a couple times to go see his mistress Alanis Roquinal.
	+ **Kendel Zinwenys** - Rival. Gorwin & Kendel are both olive farmers, and compete to sell their olives to the oil pressers nearby. Gorwin has negotiated better contract last year, but is at risk of it being terminated since his crops are being destroyed.
		- **Alibi:** He hasn't been in town, he was on a trip to Tal En'Orod'edhel to get some of their olive seeds to cross breed with his own. He just got back this morning, and can show them the olive seeds and slave putting away the travel gear.
	+ **Pelleas Heletris** - Was in love with and courting Daethie Chaeyarus when they were younger, is pissed that Gorwin married her.
		- **Alibi:** Has been at home every night with his family. He was pissed, years ago, but got over it when he met and married his current Viessa Heletris.
	+ **Durlan Chaeyarus** - Anyone who turns cattle on the land of another, for the purpose of pasture, shall surrender the cattle, by way of reparation. Durlan's cows were let out by his young son (Reptar Chaeyarus). He's pissed at Carnelis for the conviction, and for Gorwin for turning him in w/o listening to his explanation. This happened 2 weeks ago. Durlan drunkenly beats his son, Reptar. He has facial bruises.
		- **Alibi:** Was at the Troll Slayer Tavern every night for weeks, drinking away his rage. Reptar Chaeyarus can confirm, had to go get his dad's passed out body a few times.

#### **Means:**

* **How:** Dilya found an old book of witchcraft. She wanted to find a spell to make wishes come true, so she could wish prosperity for her family.
* **With what?** A spell from the book - requires a roc feather, graveyard dirt, toad legs, and eye of newt. Leaves arcane residue both at the site of the spell and at the site of animation (ie in her bedroom & on the scarecrow)
* **How’d they get that?** She bought the Book from the The Well and Quill. She bought the required ingredients from Taegen at Unlabed Potions Galore!

#### **Results:**

* **What happened?** She sat in her room, with the ingredients, and cast the spell. The ingredients burned up, leaving the arcane residue, but nothing else. She thought the spell failed. Until she noticed the scarecrow coming to life. She doesn't want anyone to know it was her fault, because its illegal and punishable by death.

> *Anyone who, by means of incantations and magic arts, prevents grain or crops of any kind belonging to another from growing, shall be sacrificed to Erume'rauko.*
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* **Incriminating Evidence:**

## **Conclusions & Clues:**

### **A Magic Spell Was Used To Animate The Scarecrow**

1. The Scarecrow starts to animate and destroy everything
2. Arcana Check on Scarecrow: Arcane Residue
3. Gorwin states that the Scarecrow is super old, and has never moved or done anything like this until a couple weeks ago.

### **The Dark Animation Spell is Old and Rare and must have been in a book**

1. If they ask [ANYONE] about magic & Animation spells, they'll tell them its a super old rare spell, musta come from an old book. They are few and far between, so they better try to find which book and/or where it is.
2. If they ask any bookstore, arcane shop, etc other than the two listed below, they'll tell them that they don't know anything about a book w/ that specific type of old and dark magic. But they hear lore about the books being evil and sentient, whispering to the owner evil things, until the owner goes mad or burns the book.
3. They find a book, mostly burned, in a shrine to Erume'rauko. Dilya thought this would stop the scarecrow, but it didn't.

### **Dilya Eloris Purchased a Dark Magic Book & The Ingredients to Cast an Animation Spell**

1. There is Arcane residue in Dilya's bedroom.
2. Dilya bought the Book from the **The Well and Quill** a couple weeks ago.
3. Dilya bought the required ingredients from Taegen at **Unlabed Potions Galore!** a couple weeks ago.

## **MORAL DILEMMA**

Dilya didn't intend to cause damage to her father's fields. She had good intentions. She even burned the book in an attempt to stop the Scarecrow.

Should they turn her in to be punished by death? Or coverup the crime? Or write a false report saying they didn't find any evidence?

# **REWARDS**

*\*Renown is awarded individually, depending on who worked/solved the case. Loyalty is awarded to the NPC who submit the complaint along with direct report w/ Tel'Valar, is is for the whole party.*