The Collector’s notes point the party to the Wood Spike Saloon on the outskirts of Greenwood Village. The saloon is haunted by a Woeful Banshee. In life, the Woeful Banshee was a warmflanks named Franthia who was killed in one of the second floor rooms. The banshee never leaves the room where she was killed, but the haunting nonetheless keeps customers away, so the bartender/owner is desperate to have the banshee removed.
On the night of Franthia’s murder, her son Ferdinand was to arrive from out of town so they could spend a few days in the mountains together outside Greenwood Village. But Ferdinand was intercepted by the man who had just murdered his mother earlier that very evening. Ferdinand was lured to the Greenwood Cemetery where he was murdered. The spirit of Franthia (the Woeful Banshee) remains in the upper rooms at the saloon, eternally waiting for her son. The banshee’s spirit won’t rest until she sees her son again.
Before the party leaves the saloon, bounty hunters arrive to inquire about the warmflanks. The bounty hunters are seeking out the warmflank’s accused murderer whose description may sound awfully familiar to the party.
Maps
Primary Objectives
- (Optional) Obtain mutton and carrot scraps seasoned with fennel and turmeric to bring to the alley to lure out the Spectral Hound.
- (Optional) Speak with the bartender/owner of the saloon about Franthia, the warmflanks turned banshee.
- Capture the Woeful Banshee inside a Pyramidion Stone.
- Encounter the bounty hunters.
If the party reunites Ferdinand and Franthia here, Ferdinand is pleased that the party has facilitated the reunion, but he is committed to avenging his death. He attacks any other males present at the saloon in blind rage. Franthia will try to persuade him not to attack Lefty, as Lefty was always good to her.
The Wood Spike Saloon
The Wood Spike saloon was one of the first businesses in Greenwood Village. It is well known locally for two special kinds of stew that it serves: mutton and carrots seasoned with fennel and turmeric, or rabbit and mushrooms seasoned with garlic and shallots. (Only the mutton and carrots can lure Furball, because garlic and shallots are harmful to dogs.)
The saloon is a two story wooden building with two entry points: a set of double swinging doors in the front, and a locked, second story door up the stairway at the rear of the building.
The owner, Lefty Higgins, is eager to get new customers. Business has been slow ever since the saloon became haunted by Franthia. Lefty tries to hide the haunting from new customers, but is also eager to have that problem taken care of. He doesn’t have any funds available to pay for it, but would gladly offer drinks, food, and a bed to anyone who can solve the problem.
Exterior Details
The front and rear of the building have several hawthorn shrubs that grow pink and purple flowers in the spring. Some horses like to snack on the peppery leaves. The smaller shrubs with large leaves are hostas, which the local deer and rabbits love to snack on, but are toxic to horses. Both shrubs are edible for humans.
The north exterior wall is insignificant save for a bunch of empty wooden barrels with a faint smell of wine and whiskey.
The south exterior wall has a glass window looking into the first floor of the saloon.
(Front)
The Wood Spike saloon is a wooden, two story building that faces West. The front of the saloon includes a long porch running the full width of the building with a set of double swinging doors at the entrance, flanked by two glass windows. Two full water troughs are set in front of the porch on the north and south ends, and a small set of stairs leads from the dirt road up onto the center of the porch. Several horses are hitched to the water troughs, and a small striped dog rests lazily near one of several wooden chairs on the porch.
(Rear)
The rear of the saloon includes a water pump, a round animal trough filled with water, a hitching post, and a set of stairs leading up to a small landing with a door. Two glass windows peer into the first floor of the saloon.
Food and Beverages
Stew is available in the afternoon and evening. The saloon does not have a working kitchen, but the saloon’s owner has a deal with a farmer named Scaggs Sternbough (most people call him Mr. Sternbough), whose property is adjacent to the saloon. The farmer’s wife, Maggie Sternbough, cooks a pot of both stews and delivers them to the saloon each day. This stew was a big hit with locals in Greenwood Village until the saloon became haunted by Franthia. As part of the agreement, Maggie will not sell the stew outside of the saloon.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ale (1 mug) | 5cp |
| Ale (1 gallon) | 3sp |
| Whiskey (1 shot) | 5cp |
| Whiskey (1 bottle) | 4sp |
| Wine, Common (1 pitcher) | 5sp |
| Wine, Fine (1 bottle) | 11gp |
| Stew: mutton, carrots, fennel, turmeric (1 serving) | 3sp |
| Stew: rabbit, mushrooms, garlic, shallots (1 serving) | 5sp |
Lefty pays Maggie Sternbough the following wholesale prices for her stew:
| Item | Wholesale Price |
|---|---|
| Mutton Stew | 1sp per serving, 1gp per batch (10 servings per batch) |
| Rabbit Stew | 2sp per serving, 2gp per batch (10 servings per batch) |
NPC: Lefty Higgins, Owner & Proprietor
Lefty is middle aged, with short, dark hair and pitch black mustache. He’s a sly, often aggressive man but is trust worthy to those who aren’t trying to fool him or cause trouble.
“They call me ‘Lefty’ ’cause I ain’t right.”
If asked about a ghost or banshee, Lefty seems suspicious at first, wondering why the party knows about the banshee. Lefty quickly lets down his guard because he is desparate to get rid the banshee.
Lefty gladly provides info to the party about what he knows of the banshee:
- “A warmflanks named Franthia was murdered in room #1 (northeast).”
- “No one was seen entering or leaving the room prior to her being found dead, but she must have been murdered. There were no weapons or sharp objects in the room.”
- “Franthia was found in a pool of her own blood, her throat slashed.” “Franthia was friends with the other warmflanks employed here: Jenni. She’s up in room #4.”
- “Franthia always smelled of rosemary and lavender.”
- “Ever since Franthia died, guests see a horrific creature in her room. Word spread, so very few people visit the saloon now. I’m lose money every day that creature remains here, but I can’t afford to hire specialists to have it removed.”
- “It didn’t feel right sending Franthia’s body off to a mass grave. I found some gold she had tucked away in her room and used that to purchase a burial plot at the Greenwood Cemetary.”
If Lefty is asked if he murdered the warmflanks, he looks the PCs directly in the eye and says:
- “If I had cause to murder my own warmflanks, it certainly wouldn’t be known to anyone. Murder is bad for business. I would have covered up the murder and hid the body properly.”
Bounty Hunters
The bounty hunters arrive at the saloon either on the party’s second visit, or immediately after the Woeful Banshee has been caught – whichever comes first. The bounty hunter group includes four Scouts, lead by a Veteran named Aranth Sunderson.
The bounty hunters have been hired by a large nearby city to investigate the murders and capture the culprit. The city governance doesn’t like the thought of a cold blooded killer on the loose.
The group is not interested in hiring help, and there is no reward being offfered to third parties by them or the city that hired them, however Aranth can be persuaded to pay 20-50gp for information.
The group enters the saloon with an indifferent attitude. They have a job to do and don’t anticipate any trouble, unless perhaps they suspect someone at the saloon is guilty of the murders.
As the group of enters the saloon, each of the four Scouts take up an observatory position around the room while Aranth approaches the barkeep. One Scout stands at the rear of the room between the piano and rear window to keep an eye on the room as a whole. One stands near the staircase leading to the 2nd floor to watch the front door. One stands near the front door to watch the staircase. One stands at the west end of the bar to watch the barkeep as speaks with Aranth, who approaches the front of the bar.
The tallest of the bunch approaches the bar to speak with the barkeep.
“Howdy. Names Aranth Sunderson. My friends and I represent the city of Fairkeep. We’ve been hired to investigate and ultimately track down and capture the person or creature that killed one of your Warmflanks a few weeks back. I was hoping to get some information from you.”
Lefty Higgins responds earnestly. “Happy to help, boys. Damn shame what they did to Franthia. If I can help in any way, I’d be glad to do so.”
Aranth replies. “I appreciate your assistance. Won’t take up too much of your time. We’ve heard that Franthia had no… company… when she was killed. Is that true?”
Lefty responds. “Far as we know, she was alone that night. I was standing right here behind the bar all night. It was a slow night so I surely would have seen someone if they came in the door and went up to Franthia’s room. There is a rear entrance to this joint, but I keep both doors in and out locked tight.”
Aranth poses another question. “Tell me about when the murder happened.”
Lefty responds. “Well, as I said it was a slow night. A few of the boys were at the tables drowning their sorrows in a bottle, when suddenly we heard Franthia scream out in terror from up in her room. I immediately headed upstairs and saw my other Warmflanks, Jenni, coming out of her oom down the hall towards Franthia’s room. I told her to git back in her room, not knowing what the situation was. When I opened the door to Franthia’s room, there she was, splayed out on the floor in a pool of blood, her throat slit from ear to ear. Other than Franthia’s body on the floor, the room was empty.”
“Sounds like Franthia offed herself, then,” Arantha replies.
“I’m telling you right now,” responds Lefty looking straight into the eyes of Arantha. “I searched that room high and low. Every nook. Every corner. There were no blades, no knives, no daggers, no needles, no sharp rocks, no shards of glass. Nothing in that room could have sliced Franthia’s neck.”
Seeming satisfied with Lefty’s response, Aranth asks another question. “Did Franthia have any customers that may have wanted to harm her?”
Lefty responds. “Sorry to say, I don’t keep tabs on my clientele. Bad for business. Were any of Franthia’s customers thieves? Criminals? Murderers? It wouldn’t sruprise me. But no one in particular stands out. Franthia did once gut stab a fella at the poker table one night. Another player paid her to do it. Hefty sum of money, and she gave me my cut. But that poor bastard she gut stabbed had it coming. More than once, he’d laid a hand on one of my Warmflanks. Bastard had no family, no friends. No cared that he died. No one would want revenge. He was a miserable cur, if I’ve ever seen one.”
Aranth asks one final question. “Do you mind if I go take a look around her room?”
Franthia, the Woeful Banshee
Franthia can be found in the northeast room on the second floor of the saloon. Franthia is bound to the saloon and cannot leave of her own volition, but longs to leave in search of her son Ferdinand.
Franthia materializes when a humanoid in the room removes an article of clothing, lays down on the bed, or calls out any phrase similar to “Mom, are you here”. The phrase must include the word mom, momma, mother etc. This phrases works because the spirit’s rest condition requires her to be reunited with her son.
As Franthia is being absorbed into a Pyramidion Stone, she yells out… “Let me see my boy once more to know he is safe! Do this for me and I’ll grant you…” as she de-materializes into the stone. (DM Only: she would grant them her Woeful Scream power if they help her.)
Map: Saloon – First Floor
When the party first enters the saloon, read the following:
As you enter the saloon, your nose is greeted by the delicious scent of meat, vegetables, and herbs. The saloon is mostly empty except for a few patrons seated at the bar, and one off in the far corner. A piano sits empty and silent against the east wall.
“Welcome to the Wood Spike,” shouts a greasy haired man from behind the bar. “Plenty of room, as you can see. Pull up a chair! Or a table! What can I get for ya? We’ve got beer, whiskey, and Maggie Sternbough’s famous stew.”
Exterior: Front Porch
The porch has several wooden chairs on it, with a striped dog (named Pooch) that can be found laying around on most days. The porch provides easy access to the two glass windows.
Water for the troughs can be obtained at a water pump to the rear of the building.
Exterior: Rear Staircase
The wooden stairway climbs to a small landing with a doorway on the second floor. The door is almost always locked, leading into the private bedroom of the saloon’s owner and proprietor, Lefty Higgins. Lefty’s horse (named Mortimer) is hitched on a post near the trough.
The locked door can be opened with Thieves Tools and a successful DC 8 Dexterity check, but Lefty (the saloon owner) will hear anyone that ascends the wooden stairs because of how creaky they are. Moving up the stairs silently requires a DC 17 Stealth check.
Bar (North Wall)
A wooden bar stretches 35 feet along the north side of the saloon with several wooden stools for patrons to sit. Behind the bar, a tiered shelf is lined with various bottles of beer, wine, and whiskey. Several wooden barrels flank the shelves.
Two lighted oil lamps on the north wall help illuminate the area.
Three patrons sit together at the bar, quietly talking amongst themselves. If the PCs approach them to talk, the three are so intoxicated that they are of no help:
“Our love of alcohol is stronger than our fear of ghosts, so we still come around. Ahahahahahahaha! Cheers!”
Behind the bar stands a gruff looking middle aged man with short, dark black hair and a finely groomed mustache. (See the Lefty Higgins section – Lefty immediately greets the new faces with enthusiasm.)
Piano (East Wall)
The piano along the east wall sits silent and empty. Ever since business died down due to the haunting, Lefty couldn’t afford to pay anyone to play it.
Two glass windows look out to the rear of the property.
Tables (Center)
The center of the saloon is filled with round wooden tables and chairs. All are empty but for the furtherest table from the door, in the southeast corner of the room. A lone humanoid sits facing the center of the room, frequently sipping from a shot glass and refilling it from a bottle on the table.
If the lone drinker is approached by the party, he talks very little and gives very little info:
“I’m just here to relax and drink some whiskey. I prefer to be left alone.”
If the PCs offer to buy him a shot, he respectfully declines:
“I’ve already got a bottle here, and that should do me just fine. Thanks anyways.”
If the PCs offer to buy him a bottle, he obliges:
“Well, if you’re gonna be THAT generous, bring me the bottle and perhaps we can talk. But I’ll warn you ahead of time, I don’t know much. I come her to drink and I keep to myself. Ain’t lookin’ to stir up no trouble.”
If the PCs bring the bottle of whiskey, the lone patron will tell what he knows:
- “I’ve been drinking here for 5 years.”
- “My name is Jack. Jack Ruffage.”
- “Lefty’s a decent man as long as you ain’t on his bad side.”
- “The saloon has been haunted by a banshee for the past several weeks, but it don’t bother me none so I don’t give two shits. I’m just here to drink.”
- “I haven’t seen the banshee myself, but anytime I’ve heard the wails, they seem to come from northeast room.”
- “The saloon offers the services of a warmflanks name Jenni, but I ain’t interested in that. Had a wife. She died years ago of blightfly fever. Maybe some day I’ll seek the company of a woman, but for now I got all the company I need in this bottle of whiskey.”
Map: Saloon – Second Floor
The curved staircase leads to a small common area. Hallways to the north and west each have two doors, all of them closed. Each door has a small number sign hanging on it (numbers 1 through 4).
Common Area
The common area includes a red velvet couch with a few small burn marks and stains. A small barrel sits next to the couch, acting as a table.
The barrel is full of grain alcohol, which a PC can detect by penetrating the barrel and tasting or smelling the liquid inside.
Room #1 (Northeast Room)
DM ONLY: This room belonged to Franthia. She was murdered here by the Collector.
This room has a bed, empty table, and chair. A dark brown stain sits in the center of the floor.
Franthia as the Woeful Banshee will only appear if one of the following events occur:
- Someone takes their clothes off.
- Someone lays down on the bed.
- Somene calls out any phrase using the words “mom”, “momma”, “mother”, or related words (Franthia was expecting her son to arrive in town the day she was murdered, and her spirit’s rest requirement includes seeing her son.)
- The spectral hound (Furball) is released in the room.
Room #2 – Office (East Room)
If the PCs open this door, the hinges screech and Lefty Higgins can be heard shouting from below (assuming he is conscious, etc.):
As you open the door, the rusty hinges begin to screech, and you hear shouting from the first floor.
“Hey! Stay outta room #2! That’s my personal quarters. Jack, go upstairs and make sure those people aren’t digging through my belongings!”
You hear one of the bar patrons grumble as his chair skids across the floor, soon followed by footsteps coming up the stairs.
Jack Ruffage walks up the stairs and meagerly tries to disuade the party from going into Lefty’s personal quarters. If the party enters the quarters anyways, Jack frantically yells for Lefty and runs downstairs.
If the party continues still (or is caught trying to be stealthy), the party hears Lefty get really angry about “forcing his hand”. Loud booms and thuds erupt. [what happens? perhaps a guardian beast from below the saloon?]
The room contains a lock box under the bed with 500gp. It must be lock picked with DC 18 or smashed open (30hp with damage threshold of 10).
Room #3 (South Room)
This room may be empty, or contain a random rat/insect encounter.
Room #4 (Southwest Room)
This room houses a warmflanks named Jenni. The small table near the bed holds a dagger, and the back of the chair holds a scimitar. If the PCs ask about the weapons, Jenni asks the PCs not to tell Lefty. She just wants to protect herself after what happened to Franthia.
Jenni can answer personal questions about herself and Franthia.
- “I’ve worked at this saloon for about 8 months.”
- “Lefty takes care of his warmflanks, but you don’t want to cross him.”
- “Lefty can get really mean, or so I hear. He’s never raised a hand to me though.”
- “Franthia always smelled like rosemary and lavender.”
- “Franthia had a son who left town when he was 16 to go find work in a big city. He was supposed to return to town to visit the day Franthia was murdered, but he never showed up at the saloon.”
- “Franthia’s son was named Ferdinand. He would be around 18 years old now.”
- “Franthia and her son were very close. He knew about his mother’s profession as a warmflanks. That’s why he left to go to the big city – hoping to make money so he and his mother could build a better life.”
Jenni will only talk about the following things with a successful DC 16 charisma check, and the PCs must promise not to tell any of this to Lefty.
- “Lefty can’t hear about any of this. I’m afraid if Lefty knows that I know this, he’ll put me out or worse.”
- “Franthia was murdered in her room by a client of hers.”
- “Her client’s name was Garret Rosebane, but Franthia made me swear never to tell anyone that name. Not even Lefty knows the name.”
- “Garret Rosebane was tall, pale, middle aged. He only came around at night.”