The Devil's Bridge
Background
The village of Issental sits high in the mountains, and in such rugged and difficult terrain, travel is difficult. The people have been facing a famine as of late, but to descend the mountain to travel to the nearest marketplace is a long, circuitous, and dangerous journey. It would be far easier if one could cross a massive canyon that separates Issental from the road leading to a larger town - but to do that, one would have to build a bridge. And a bridge of that magnitude could never be completed in a timely fashion.
That is, without help. While leading his goats through a mountain pass, a herdsman from Issental, Anselm Rademacher, came upon Dalmamoth, a demon. Dalmamoth heard of the village's plight, and offered to construct the bridge in just one night - a promise Anselm, starving and desperate, agreed to. Sure enough, Dalmamoth delivered on his promise. But, as happens all too often when dealing with demons, Anselm didn't read the fine print. When Dalmamoth appeared in the village to announce his work was complete, he declared further that the soul of the first being to cross the bridge would belong to him. Now, the villagers are at an impasse. What can be done about that?
The Encounter
The PCs might pass through Issental while traveling, but given that the backstory hinges on the fact the village is difficult to access, it may make more sense to plant the encounter as a rumor from NPCs they encounter at another location - certainly, a bridge that just appeared suddenly overnight would garner plenty of talk. Alternatively, they may discover the bridge themselves when traveling.
If arriving in Issental, the PCs will find the villagers harried by desperation - their crops are failing, they need food fast, and now they owe a debt to a demon. The villagers will explain the situation; they will note that no one has crossed the bridge yet, as they are gods-fearing people who want no further business with demonic powers. Some people are conspiring to trick the demon, while others have resigned to their fate and suppose it inevitable that someone will have to forfeit their soul - but no one is ready to draw straws for that yet. Perhaps the PCs may have the answer they seek, though.
If the PCs arrive at the bridge first, Dalmamoth will be present. He takes the form of a burly man with a thick beard and a mason's apron - characters with 15 passive perception or higher will also notice a thin, pointed tail protruding from beneath his apron. Dalmamoth will warn them that the bridge is cursed and the first person to cross will damn their soul to Hell, but denies any involvement in it himself - he finds it far more entertaining to starve out the people of Issental and see how long they will go before they succumb to their urges, so he doesn't want his fun ruined just yet. If questioned on his tail, he will insist that he is merely a tiefling and that his proximity to a demonic bridge is strictly coincidental. He will try to talk circuitously to avoid giving away his true identity, but if it seems inevitable that the PCs will make him come clean, he will admit to being a demon, and the cause of the bridge's curse.
There are a number of ways that this encounter might be resolved. Traditionally in these sorts of stories, the townspeople would send an animal (usually a dog) across the bridge first, but I've ran enough games to know that most parties will balk at the idea of putting animals at risk. Still, it's a valid option. Alternatively, a PC might themselves offer to cross the bridge, or perhaps they may even force an enemy to cross the bridge. Finally, there is always the possibility that one will try to break the demon's control over the bridge by force by besting him in combat. That's probably the least interesting solution, but it does show up in a fair amount of legends. I leave the solution to this encounter vague on purpose. Your players will probably come up with their own solution, and that sort of creative thinking should be encouraged. Use your judgment as to how the demon would react.
If attacked, Dalmamoth will reveal his true form. He has the stats of a barbed devil, but can cast darkness or hold person as an action, using Charisma as his spellcasting ability. He will attempt to use these spells to disengage from the party and flee, knowing that his ruse has been discovered - but if challenged to a duel over the souls of the villagers, he will oblige to stay and fight.
If Dalmamoth is defeated or somehow tricked, anyone may cross the bridge from then on safely. The people of Issental will be thankful - they don't have much to give the party in return, but will gladly allow them to stay in town whenever they are in the area.
If Dalmamoth is tricked, however, he will be enraged that he was denied a mortal soul, and will seek vengeance. He will go up into the mountains to find a boulder, attempting to use it to smash the bridge. This could create further trouble for Issental, and might make for a climactic encounter - can the party stop him in time?
If a PC agrees to forfeit their soul to Dalmamoth, this could lead to some very interesting developments. The demon will realize that the soul of a powerful and renowned hero could be quite valuable indeed - and it would bring even more chaos if such a person could be corrupted into doing evil. He'll try to bring that about. If a PC sells their soul, Dalmamoth will become something of a patron to them. He may appear to give them advice or aid, and may even teach them spells. However, his ultimate goal is to convince his quarry into spreading evil through the land, and whatever guidance he provides should ultimately lead to that purpose, even if it doesn't seem like it at first. Freeing the PC from Dalmamoth's control may be a quest in its own right.
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