The Butcher Rides
343WeTBuRi
The party checked the shutters on their windows as they lounged in the Whispering Oak, a tavern in Ravenscreek. They had arrived the morning of the second day of the spring festival and had been shocked to find a town in mourning. The town was known for its cheery disposition and ties to nature due to the large elven influence in the town. But they had found that there had been a murder the night before and many of the key witnesses had been drunk or swept up in celebration.
The accounts of what had happened ranged from a single orc dressed in black robes leapt from a building and cleanly took off the Mayor’s, Elenore Bucklewheat, head with a sword to a ghostly spectre had rode in upon a flaming horse and taken her head from a wickedly curved axe. The Families of Ravencreek had gathered to ask the people here for the ceremony to help find the murder and several had put their hands up but as the party watched the sun come down man had come back with nothing to show.
As the party went down to the ground floor of the tavern they noticed one of the family members of Elenore was slowly walking towards the door, drunk, and a half-elven man was helping him towards the door. “Come on Cousin, let’s get you home. Everybody’s trying as hard as they can. You saw them at the noon ceremony. We all loved Elenore like a sister.” the half elf said as the gruffer man, Tom began to start asking people to go and look for his niece.
“She… She just wanted to do what is best for the town, you know? She was such a sweet kid. I..” he began before pausing at the door.. “You hear that?” he said loudly, “That sounds like Elenore. It can’t be!” he said as he pushed out the door and ran into the street. The door to the inn faced down the road and towards the west where in the distance the sun was setting behind the old elven ruins. In the dim light there was a figure walking down the road with a horse in their hand. Their clothes were dark and tattered but a voice carried faintly on the wind. “Thomson.. Tom…”
Rushing into the street Tom began to rush forwards with wide arms. The party moved out of the tavern to watch what was going on as something didn’t feel right – after all they had seen the body of Elenore just this morning. As they watched the figure mount the horse and begin to slowly ride down the road to meet Tom it’s voice constantly calling out to him. The party barely noticed the faintest sound of horses hooves, only just barely audible on the cobble stone as it rode past them and sped up towards Tom.
As the last ray of light from the setting sun trickled beyond the ruins on the hill they noticed a darkly clad rider draw a large curved axe from within the roads and separate Tom’s head from his shoulders. The second figure, a form with Elenores face, reached Tom at the same time and caught the head as he fell from his body. Together the dark figures sped off down the cobblestone as the screams began to call out from the onlookers.
Elenore and Tom Bucklewheat and now Jake Elarnao now were all found dead. Elenore cut down during the start of the ceremony, Tom was lured out into the open by a figure that looked and sounded like Elenore before a dark rider took his head and the body of Jake was found in a nearby grove for the 3rd days ceremony that he was preparing for the ritual. Each one of them was missing their head and people had heard the sound of horses each and every time.
The fourth day was here and for the last three days a figure had appeared, taken the head of someone from the town and disappeared again. The next time the figure appeared it had more riders and each of them were rumoured to look and sound like those who had been taken. But today the Town had a sigh of relief as the 4th ceremony was of fasting and quiet reflection. No one from the town was to be outside from lunch onwards as they all prepared for the next three days of feasting as they ramped up to the last day, celebrating life and the sun with a noon-feast.
But… As the party moved back to the inn after meeting with the town’s historian and sage they were called to from the store room. As they approached Mae, the sister of Jake, was panicked. “Oh thank the gods you’re here. I tried to stop him but he didn’t listen. Arlorn Ponte hasn’t come back from the woods, I just know it. It started when we found out that one of the boars we had caught yesterday morning had rotted and was infested with maggots. I don’t know how we have cured it and kept it safe and secure as we always do. But when Arlorn found out he headed out saying he would be back before the curfew.”
She paused for a moment. “He said he knew where a boar had been seen. He is one of the best hunters in the village and so he knows his game. He was heading West near the elven ruins. Oh please look for him!” she pleaded.
The party head off moving with haste through the town street towards the ruins – the dark shapes stood out in the setting sun. The day was getting late. As they hurried towards a whistle caught their attention and a young, fair half-elven man was carrying a large boar on his shoulders. “Ah, I ran into some trouble in the woods. Fell into a pit. Managed to finally get out and get the boar for the ceremony but I fear that I will need to repent for my transgression on this day of reflection.” Arlorn said with a deep sigh.
“I thank you for your concern, but I am fine. I have a spring of willow that will keep any foul creatures from me. But I would ask that you help me with this boar, it’s been a long trek through the woods.” As the party passed the first houses in Ravencreek they felt relieved. Soon nightfall would be upon them and if it was as Arlorn said then he would be safe as many of the houses were built from Willow.
“Cousin…” A voice carried across the wind, Arlorn turned around “Is that.. Jake?” he said as he grabbed his bow and knocked an arrow. But as the voice carried on the wind so did two arrows that pierced his chest. Falling backwards he landed on the pavement hard, wheezing but trying to stand. The sound of four sets of hoof beats resonated as the dark figure on horseback was joined by similar figures with the appearance of Elenore, Tom and Jake. The Dark figures mare was horrifyingly quick and in a moment he was leaping from the ground his axe raised. But Arlorn held out the bow and a sprig of willow.
The creature’s raised axe hesitated, a look of hatred flashed across the burnt, cracked flesh from under the hood, and in the beat of a heart the creature hurled itself on the back of the mare. Up close and clear to see in the dying light the mare’s body was sunken and its mane and tail were made from cinder ridden smoke. With a fearsome whinny the creature turned the mare around and kicked out with ember-red hooves into the centre of Arlorns chest pushing the arrows in further and sending the man crashing into the party.
In a matter of moments the four figures were riding back west, into the woods and beyond.
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 