A cursed village

Author's note: Any chapter where I write out a session, you can steal for your own game if you want. I don't care. I won't know. Have fun with it. I am also just using common narratives from Greek myth.

"Let's start with a summary of the last session?" I ask the group. No one answers....

"Okay, I will give it then.

Last we left, our party had decided to move to Dorgan, a large city known for its shipyard. However, due to Barbar's insistence on attacking the deer which was outside the carriage. You have, as a result, started the slow walk up the Waterway Road. You have too little supplies to provide for yourself for the entire trip, and should you not find water soon, also water."

Anne shouts up: "I can make water with a first-level spell tomorrow. Would that help us solve our water problem?"

"Yep. With this supply of water provided by your lovely Sylviana. You reach a small town with broken buildings. It smells of rotten fish, and there are very few people in town. The few people you see in town are either women or children."

Roos chimes in: "I will go ask the villagers where the inn is."

I try my best to put up a feminine voice and say: "The inn is the third building on your right if you keep following the Waterway Road. However, whether they will have food and a safe drink is another question."

Anne smiling ear to ear: "Good that I prepared, create food and water. Ask all of the village to come to the inn tonight, and I will make you some."

"The lady gives a small smile, thanks you and leaves. I assume you follow her directions then?"

All four of the players: "Yes."

"You arrive at a dilapidated inn. Roof shingles have flown off and not been replaced. The door creaks as you enter, and an elderly lady says: "Hello, travellers, I hope you are okay with our modest offerings." The entire room smells of rot and decay."

Anne and Roos look at each other to see who would go first, and Robin steps in: "Ma'am, don't worry, my companion will help with food at least. What has happened to this town?"

Before I can answer, Bart tells me, "Man, I am getting bored."

I react with an eye roll: "Bart let the rest have fun with their Roleplaying. I try to have something fun for everyone, don't worry." I go on to explain the quest to save the men, drive away or kill the evil that captured them. This would return manpower to the village, allowing them to rebuild, fish and trade. During this, Roos interrupts me to tell me that is not how that would work. I agree and say in my best sarcastic tone, "Sometimes one needs a plot device to create tension, thanks....."

After feeding the villagers and a night's rest, the party goes to the place the lady in the inn described. An area full of cliffs on which lie many shipwrecks, with a siren singing amidst them. The party saw the men atop some of the shipwrecks. I ask: "Who amongst you is attracted to women again?" All but Anne are looking awkwardly around the room. "Okay, roll a wisdom saving throw and roll initiative," I say before a grown happens from the three.

Roos and Bart are charmed and have to approach the siren. Luckily, after getting right in front of the siren, they free themselves from the charm. Combat ensues, and some of the charmed men defend the siren. But in the end, the party is successful.

After the combat, the party returns to the town. The people are grateful but have nothing to give. Robin says: "For Thorm, our self-sacrifice is enough of a dedication."

Anne chimes in, "Elves tells me a meadow is formed in adversity and might lead to a rich forest."

Bart, reluctantly seeing the fun in the group hug, "Barbar happy he got to hit mean thing."

Lastly, Roos goes: "Some fruits are sweet, some are sour. You need to be willing to eat sour ones to find the sweetest ones later."

The villagers thank them for their kindness, and after a good night's sleep, they head out and towards their original goal, Dorgan. And that is where we end our session.

"So who is going to help me cook dinner?" I ask them after we end our session. All of them groan. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I take a look, and there is a message saying: "QuestMaster is installed."

I look back at them and say, "Fine, we can order out if you want. But, you guys pay my cut, okay? Discuss whilst I am gone."

The group weighs their options, and as they do, I go to the toilet. Whilst doing so, I look at the newly installed app. I can't remove it.....