DAY Church of Pharasma
StorySocialArea T3 — The Church by Day
The Church of Pharasma stands near the center of Thornwick, its narrow bell tower visible above the surrounding rooftops. The front doors remain open during the day, though few villagers pass through them anymore. Inside, the air smells of cold stone, lamp oil, and the bitter herbs used to treat the sick.
Several pews have been pushed against the walls to make room for bedrolls where Sister Mirela tends to the feverish and fearful. A thick line of salt stretches across the archway leading down into the crypts. It has been broken and replaced so many times that the floor around it is stained stark white.
Sister Mirela notices you as soon as you enter. She finishes binding a villager's hand before wiping salve from her fingers and stepping forward.
"You received my missive, then? Thank the Lady. I was beginning to fear no one would answer."
Meeting Sister Mirela
Mirela is exhausted, wary, and visibly relieved to see capable outsiders. She thanks the heroes for responding to her letter and asks a few questions to gauge their capabilities before walking them through what to expect in Thornwick.
She immediately offers accommodations: they are welcome to rest in a quiet back room of the church free of charge. Alternatively, she notes that Grist Mallow has proper beds at the Bleating Lamb Inn, though he has barricaded his doors and won't open them to strangers easily.
This is a social encounter. The party begins with 0 Trust. Award 1 Trust for each successful check or meaningful act of assistance (maximum 3 Trust). Each character should normally attempt only one check.
| Skill Check | DC | Effect & Details |
|---|---|---|
| Diplomacy | DC 17 | Speak honestly about intentions and convince Mirela that the party intends to protect Thornwick. |
| Medicine | DC 16 | Help treat resting villagers. A critical success allows a patient with psychic tremors to sleep comfortably. |
| Religion | DC 17 | Examine crypt wards and realize they are meant to suppress planar feedback rather than standard undead. |
| Occultism | DC 18 | Sense the subterranean psychic pressure and determine the breach is building in cyclic waves. |
| Crafting | DC 17 | Inspect doors, shutters, or bell mechanisms and suggest practical barricades for an attack. |
| Society | DC 16 | Calm villagers, organize rations, or help Mirela coordinate households for defense preparations. |
A character who openly threatens Mirela, disturbs the wounded, or attempts to force entry into the crypt loses 1 Trust. Mirela will not permit anyone below the church during the day while working on crypt seals. If forced open, 2 Thornwick Echoes phase through the stone to attack.
What Mirela Tells the Party
Mirela explains that the strange events began gradually—first the bells ringing without hands, then animals fleeing the churchyard, and finally pale figures drifting through the pews after dark.
She encourages the heroes to investigate the village while daylight remains—specifically suggesting Old Varla's hut on the edge of town, as the hedge witch felt the spiritual shift before anyone else.
"Go while the village can still pretend it is safe. Speak to whoever will open a door to you. The dead walk at night, but if we understand what draws them, we might just survive this."
Trust Results
The party's total Trust determines how much Mirela reveals before nightfall:
| Trust | Stance | Information Revealed |
|---|---|---|
| 0 Trust | Guarded | Gives basic warnings about night manifestations and asks them to return at dusk. Does not discuss the crypt. |
| 1 Trust | Cautious | Explains the disturbance centers beneath the altar and that consecrated wards degrade faster each midnight. |
| 2 Trust | Confiding | Admits she felt the pulsing feedback of an ancient Threshold Seed anchored in bedrock beneath the crypt. |
| 3 Trust | Fully Allied | Shares an old record detailing regional boundary lines; suspects the breach is part of a larger valley-wide tear. |
GM Note: Act 1 Three-Night Arc
Use this structure to manage the escalation across the party's stay in Thornwick:
| Night | Event | Tactical / GM Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Night 1 | Harmless Echoes | Surge of translucent spirits wander silently through walls. Completely non-hostile narrative flavor. |
| Night 2 | Cemetery Surge | Spiritual density spikes in the graveyard. Run Area T2 (The Cemetery) as echoes turn hostile. |
| Night 3 | Church Siege | Planar pressure peaks; salt lines crack at dusk. Run Encounter T3 (The Church Siege) against invading waves. |