Friday Encounter: A Witch's Broom

Here's an encounter aimed at giving the PCs access to a powerful magic item that could change their approach to problems - and to the strings attached. It can be used in any environment, but may make the most sense in the open wilderness.

The party should come across an unusual sight - the dead body of an old woman, dressed in a black robe and with an assortment of herbs and small bones in pouches on her belt, lies against a tree, hillside, or other obstacle. In her hand, she clutches a broomstick, which is inlaid with golden bands and has the word "Alako" engraved in the wood. A DC 10 Arcana or History check will determine that this means "flight" in Elvish. A character who can speak Elvish will know this automatically. Additionally, a DC 20 Investigation check will indicate that the body shows signs of blunt force trauma to the head and face, such as bruises on the skin.

The dead woman is a witch by the name of Katyusha Stepanova. She was riding on her enchanted broomstick when it crashed into an obstacle, killing her. Katyusha has nothing of value on her person save for the broomstick, which acts as a broom of flying - it can fly at a speed of 50 feet per turn when the command word of "Alako" is spoken. This naturally may prove a useful asset to the party, and may affect how they approach puzzles and obstacles.

However, nothing comes without a price, especially at the table. Katyusha had a sister - an older, more responsible witch named Vitalya Stepanova, who was aware of her sister's dalliances and wanted to keep a close eye on her. To that end, she placed a scrying charm on Katyusha's broomstick so that she could track it from her tower and watch wherever her sister went. And, if she tunes her crystal ball to the broom only to see it being carried around by a bunch of complete strangers, she'll assume the worst.

Vitalya will surmise that the PCs have killed Katyusha and made off with her broomstick - and to that end, she'll seek revenge. She will send curses against the party, afflicting them with foul weather, and command the creatures of the wilderness to rise up against them. Vitalya does not directly identify herself as being behind these attacks, at least not at first. Ideally, the PCs should run into several such encounters with Vitalya's magic before they start realizing that these incidents, and the broomstick, are connected. If they question NPCs in the area, they may be able to pass on rumors of the two witch sisters, and point them in the direction of their residences.

If the players start putting two and two together, or if they keep bypassing the encounters without picking up on anything, you may want to have Vitalya make a more direct appearance threatening them. This might lead the PCs to her tower if they want to settle things - where there will surely be more dangers awaiting them...