Setting the Stage

This week’s session took our heroes far from the crowded cobblestones of Waterdeep and back into the shadowed farmlands of Undercliff. Trollskull Manor may be full of ghosts and guild inspectors, but the true darkness stirring in Dark Harvest lives beneath the soil.

When the party accepted Melannor Fellbranch’s call to protect the farmlands, they expected a simple monster hunt. Instead, they found a night filled with whispers, creaking wood, and the uneasy stillness of a place that knows it’s being watched.

As dusk bled into night, they set out from Trollskull Alley for the Stoutfellow Farm, a patch of orchard and grainfield caught between the Snobeedles’ meadery and the dark treeline of the Undercliff road. Their task: uncover the source of the mysterious attacks that had been leaving livestock gutted and farmers too terrified to sleep.

The Stakeout

By midnight, the manor lights were far behind them and the Stoutfellows’ lantern flickered faintly across the hills. The group fanned out among the vines and wheat, arranging a stakeout worthy of any Harper spy:

• Kiril vanished into the shadows, scouting the orchard’s edge.
• Maple sent his owl familiar to patrol overhead, watching for movement.
• Raven and Clover positioned themselves near the stone wall, whispering about how “nothing ever good happens in a field after midnight.”
• Doc, of course, declared himself “bait,” taking up position in plain view with his axe slung over his shoulder.

The first hour passed in near silence, save for the low hum of insects and the occasional flap of the owl’s wings. The moon rose higher, silvering the fields. Then the wind shifted — and the scarecrows began to move.

The Battle Among the Vines

At first it was subtle. One of the figures near the north fence seemed to turn its head, just slightly. Then its sackcloth face caught the moonlight, and two embers flared where its eyes should have been.

The scarecrow stepped down from its post.

The fight that followed was brief but cinematic. The players described every swing, every spark of flame and shadow. Maple’s Flame Blade carved through the darkness in green-white arcs. Raven’s Eldritch Blast ripped through the mist like lightning. Kiril emerged from the vines to strike from behind, twin blades flashing.

But it was Doc who stole the moment — charging through the rows of grapes, roaring in full barbarian fury, and delivering a double-axe strike that sent the creature’s pumpkin head flying. It burst apart in a spray of embers and straw, lighting up the orchard like a brief harvest fire.

As the last ember died, the farm fell silent again. Only the sound of Doc’s heavy breathing and the faint rustle of the remaining scarecrows reminded them that this was only the beginning.

After the Fire

The silence didn’t last long. Lights began to bloom in the distance — the Stoutfellows, roused by the noise, carrying lanterns toward the field. The party gathered to inspect the remains of the destroyed scarecrow, finding traces of foul magic in the straw, a reek of decay, and the unmistakable sense that something — or someone — had bound this construct to purpose.

Three scarecrows had been seen at dusk. Now only two remained. The party resolved to return for another night’s watch, knowing this was no mere prank of the harvest season.

DM’s Notes

This session was a perfect blend of tension and atmosphere. After several city-based sessions full of paperwork and politics, it was refreshing to give the players a clear, eerie objective. The scarecrow’s slow reveal hit exactly the tone I wanted: rural horror, restrained until the moment the eyes ignited.

Combat ran tight and cinematic, ending in under three rounds — a solid win that left just enough mystery hanging in the air. The players’ teamwork shone here; everyone contributed something memorable, from Maple’s illumination to Doc’s finishing blow.

As we wrapped, I left them with a quiet cliffhanger: the Stoutfellows’ lanterns approaching through the mist. Their gratitude (and perhaps a hint of suspicion) will open our next session. For now, Trollskull’s heroes can claim victory — one field, one night, and one scarecrow at a time.