Encounter-a-Day

One morning, a shriek from the center of the town awakens the PCs slumbering in a nearby inn. A young maiden, running out to perform some errands in the early morning, has fainted after seeing a new structure apparently erected overnight: A simple gallows, with a body hanging from it! The gallows’s current occupant, a woman, is actually quite alive, hanging from her feet, and her light brown hair sweeps across the ground as she gently rocks back and forth in the wind. The woman’s name is Esma, and she is a wandering minstrel and story teller.

Those interested in such things may well have heard some of Esma’s stories before, maybe even from Esma herself. Unfortunately, the storyteller’s had a bit of a problem of late: writer’s block. It used to be that when she’s had writer’s block, she’d sit in a town square and watch people walking by, and eventually inspiration would hit her. However, she’s been trying that technique for weeks to no avail. At last, Esma decided that she needed a change of perspective, and decided a literal change of perspective was in order! What better way to shake things up than turning the whole world upside down?

If the PCs decide to talk with her, Esma seems a bit addled, but kind and fun. She particularly loves children, and will perform simple magic tricks for any children which might gather around her while she’s hanging, as well as telling them fairy tales.

Complication: Not long after being discovered, the sheriff pays Esma a visit and tells her that she’s under arrest for causing a disturbance of the peace and that she must come down. Esma is firm but polite that she’s not hurting anyone, and she refuses to come down. The situation quickly escalates as the Sheriff tries to forcibly remove her and Esma starts fighting back, pushing the sheriff away, slapping at him and headbutting him. Several of the children also try to help Esma, pulling at the sheriff and kicking him in the shins. Nearby adults, in agreement with the sheriff that Esma should go, start pulling the kids away, which doesn’t sit well with some of the kids parents. If the PCs don’t do something to defuse the situation, a full-scale riot breaks out.