The Mire of Borrowed Faces

Description

Adventure Summary

The Mire of Borrowed Faces is a witch-haunted swamp where black willows lean like eavesdroppers, old roads sink under peat, and three hag covens feud over fear as if it were coin. Recently, caravans on the causeway have been ambushed by creatures witnesses cannot agree upon: some saw horned beasts, others dead relatives, soldiers, wolves, or faceless children. The true danger is not a single monster, but a spreading panic seeded by illusion, rumor, and desperate people turning on one another.

Use these five locations as a short regional sandbox. The heroes can escort a caravan, investigate disappearances, negotiate with witches, or expose the force feeding on terror. Each site offers evidence that the ambushes are designed to make travelers suspect scouts, guides, refugees, and even their own companions.

Background

Long ago, the Low Lantern Road crossed a dry woodland ruled by the village of Brindlefast. When Brindlefast executed three hedge witches for crimes they may not have committed, the condemned women cursed the wells, the trees, and every road-marker bearing the village seal. Rain fell for forty nights. The ground swallowed homes, graveyards, and fields, leaving only a raised trade road and scattered ruins.

Now three hag covens claim descent from those witches. They do not agree on revenge. Auntie Morrow wants tribute and obedience. Sister Vellum collects names, contracts, and memories. Grandmother Skreed believes civilization must be broken before it can hurt the swamp again. Skreed has begun using illusions, stolen voices, and frightened swamp creatures to make every ambush seem impossible. If the road closes, nearby towns will blame each other, merchants will hire killers, and the covens will feast on the suspicion.