Welcome to
Pumpkin Hollow
"How to Find What You Are Looking For"
by William Trawley
The page is marked with a crease at the corner, and the paragraph is marked with a little ink symbol. It reads as follows:“...It is important to never forget that research is a skill---one that can and must be honed like any other. Whether this research is afield or among the pages of books, never forget that the acquisition of knowledge can happen anywhere. It is perfectly acceptable, and dare I say encouraged, to check back in places where you have already been, lest your eyes miss some fine detail.In my experience, when researching in books, there is no greater help in finding new details within a previously read text than running one’s finger along the words. What started as a childish ritual to encourage myself to focus has become a cornerstone of revisiting a text and processing it more slowly and thoroughly…”
"A Biography of the Leeds Family"
by Yennifer Novach
You open the small book, written in a fine print, to the first chapter. It seems to have an overview of the various members of the Leeds family.“Born Jane Mildred Watershed, the matriarch-to-be of the Leeds family came from humble origins. She was the only daughter of a pair of grain millers in the Anwyll countryside, named Owen and Agnes Watershed. Both of them died when she was quite young, leading her to be sent away to Lady Marjorie’s School for Orphaned Girls from the age of 7 all the way until her graduation at 18. From that moment forward, she was on her own.Jane met Japhet in a trolley station in Victoria’s Crossing. She was on her way to attempt to beg for a secretarial job at a Braxton legal firm by the name of Leeds & Sons, in hopes of finding her way off the street. It was by pure coincidence that she was to meet one of the aforementioned “sons” as he prepared to board the very same trolley. It was through chatting on their ride over that they came to know each other. Japhet, moved by Jane’s tale, not only helped her to secure employment, but convinced his father to allow her temporary residence in his home. It was as if the story had been hand-crafted as a fairy tale.It was not long after this that Jane and Japhet began courting, and it took very little time for Jane to become a fixture within the family. They may have lived a happy life in Victoria’s Crossing among Japhet’s parents and many brothers, had Japhet’s ambition for exploration and political success not been so great…”A ways deeper into the book, a page is bookmarked.“The eldest of the Leeds children was Alice. A precocious child who asked many questions, she grew to be an avid student of the sciences and eventually a talented engineer. Upon the invention of the electric light, Alice had great involvement in its public installation and is credited with leading the effort to light the streets of Pumpkin Hollow. She died on her wedding day alongside her groom-to-be.Following Alice was Emily, a petite and dowdy girl content to spend most of her time within the home baking. A spinster all her adult life, she had comparatively little to show for her efforts in comparison with the achievements of many of her siblings, though she never seemed to mind and was simply content to ensure each town council meeting was well-equipped with sweets.Oscar was the third-eldest, and a voracious businessman like his father. At the young age of merely 19, he used the inheritance he got from his grandfather’s passing to invest in the mine and metal processing plant, which he streamlined into the efficient companies we know today.Violet came next. Married young, she was one of the few Leeds children to leave the massive estate entirely. It would seem she took after her mother, starting a somewhat successful farm and vineyard with her late husband, Hiram Flaherty. Sadly, they had no children before they passed, but Hiram’s brother Porter still runs the vineyard.The fifth child was Henry. A terribly anti-social young man, Henry preferred to spend much of his time hunting. At first he primarily hunted game, but as the paranormal instances on Marrow Isle began to increase, Henry would become one of Marrow Isle’s most prolific monster hunters. His exploits almost certainly contributed to his eventual demise.After Henry came Jasper, who was well known for being the most fashion-forward of the Leeds siblings. At the peak of Pumpkin Hollow’s economy, his boutique was deeply beloved by the town’s well-to-do. He is survived by his husband, who was forced to close the boutique some time after Jasper’s passing.Samuel was the seventh child. Terribly ill from birth, very little is known about Samuel’s personal life, as the vast majority of his time was spent at home. When he did come out of the house on special occasions, he was wheelchair bound and dreadfully weak. It was sadly no surprise when his illness eventually claimed him, regardless of the family curse.Adelaide and Esther were fraternal twins, and were it not for the stark differences in their appearances, it would be hard to believe the two were not identical. They were alike in every single way, both lovers of textile arts and crafts such as knitting, crochet, macrame, lace weaving, quilting, and more. When Adelaide died, it was no surprise that Esther fell into a deep depression, withering away in her despair before eventually meeting her own demise nearly two years later.Abel, the tenth Leeds child, unfortunately passed away very young. He was a mere 6 years of age when he suffered his tragic accident. Little was known about him, aside from his attachment and deep fondness for his mother. He was particularly devastated by her death.Harriet outlived Abel significantly, and was in fact one of the last members of the family to pass away. She had enjoyed a less than modest amount of success as a lawyer and political figure, and had been elected mayor shortly before she died.Jonah, starkly close in age to his elder sister, was born with dwarfism and was an avid outdoorsman with particular passions for hiking, climbing, and sailing. He was the only Leeds sibling to attempt to outrun fate by leaving the island, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He died at sea off the coast of Zelgheidland at the young age of 20.And finally, the last of the siblings is Dahlia Leeds. A voracious reader and gregarious socialite, Dahlia has done Pumpkin Hollow many a service with her insights about history and folklore. She is also very active in her role on the Town Council. Dahlia is the only surviving member of the Leeds family, as death abruptly became impermanent just after the death of her father, sparing her from her fate but leaving her utterly alone…”
"A Pilgrim in Pumpkin Hollow"
Autobiographical Account of Bartram Voigt
This heavy book is styled in the form of a journal and contains the ramblings of an old man. It is largely unhelpful and mundane, aside from one entry. The pages it is on have an unusual amount of wear and tear.
“June 12, 16:43Today I saw it. That thing which has haunted my nightmares for the past five years. I thought it only existed in the dark recesses of my most vile dreams, but no. It is real. Never have I so regretted the prophecy of my sleeping consciousness.I was chopping wood at the end of Lockwood Forest when I heard the blood-curdling cry of one of my nephews, a strapping lad of 23 that I had recruited to help me carry my logs. My back is not what it once was, after all. But at that horrid sound, I went running.I have seen and heard many strange things on this accursed isle, but never one so fearful as the wretched beast what dragged my poor nephew Jackson deep into the dark of that forest. If its hulking stature and copper breath were not enough to send my blood running cold, surely those monstrous teeth would be. I made eye contact with Jackson one last time before that wicked monster, all antlers and teeth and glowing eyes, ripped the insides from him and began to feast. I let out a scream of grief and terror before its beady cyan eyes turned to me, wild with a rage and hunger the likes of which I’d never seen even as its horrible stinking maw still dripped with my nephew’s blood. I ran with a swiftness I thought I had lost a decade ago, desperate to fly from that dreadful place.Oh, goddesses above, what will I tell my brother?”
"The Fundamentals of Emeran Geography"
by Amelia Tell
This book is thin with large pages detailing the layout of a place called the Emerald Isles. It features numerous beautifully hand-painted maps. One of the first maps in the book specifically names all of the islands, one of which will appear familiar.
“The Emerald Isles is an archipelago nation that encompasses the mainland of Great Fairisle and the various smaller islands surrounding it. It was originally divided into three distinct countries: Braxtony, Glassighe, and Anwyll. After a long period of feudalism, all three nations merged into a nation under the Braxton banner known by the name of the archipelago itself, the eponymous Emerald Isles. However, the three groups retain their geographical borders in the form of regions, and the ethnic groups therein remain distinct.While Great Fairisle is divided amongst the three regions in similarly-sized parts, each of the other islands belongs solely to a single region, with two exceptions.The first exception is the lengthy stretch of pasture known as Lud’s Island, which has roughly 60% Braxton and 40% Glassig ownership, divided vertically toward the western side. This border was pushed back and forth frequently during the Emeran feudal era, but ultimately the disputed territory fell under Braxton ownership due to their aggressive and highly organized military.The second exception to the rule is Marrow Isle. Despite its rather impressive size compared to other non-major islands within the Emerald Isles, it was not discovered until fairly recently. It is speculated that this is due to its distance from Great Fairisle as well as its oppressive fog and hard to reach position in the notably rough Black Jade Sea. However, residents of neighboring Lud’s Island have reported seeing the rocky bluffs of Marrow Isle who claim they could not see it before. This sort of mysterious, unexplainable happenstance is characteristic of the island.Due to its late discovery, Marrow Isle belongs to no region. It has been argued that its position makes it appropriate for ownership by any of the three regions but Glassighe in particular, while others maintain that it would make the most sense for it to be a Braxton or Anwyllic territory due to the nationalities of its founders. Due to this indecision, no formal ownership of the island has ever been granted, though as an Emeran island it still falls under the official rule of the Braxton monarchy. The lone town on the large island also has its own local government.”
"Folktales of the Emerald Isles"
by Siobhan Mac Ivers
This well-worn book features a whimsical print on its leather cover, and is hand-bound using classic artisanal techniques. The paper has a magnificent smell--- the scent of old books, with a hint of incense and warm leather. You open it to a random page, which seems to have some light reference markings in a few places.“...old Anwyllic tale of the ‘Children of the Forest,’ a group of small, lithe creatures standing just shy of halfling height that are composed entirely of bark and roots. They were said to have come to life when Braxton soldiers set fire to Gwydrin Forest, formed from tattered bits of bark left behind by the fire. They captured the soldiers, dragging them back to the burned forest and burying them elbows-deep in the ashen soil, where they were slowly turned into trees to replenish the deforestation.It is said that in woodlands across the Emerald Isles there are still occasionally sightings of these creatures, often referred to as Brutoks in Anwyllic old wives’ tales. Described as having wiry frames, stump-like feet, hollow eyes, and faces shaped like the masks of ancient Anwyllic warriors, they are believed to still spirit away travelers who become lost in the woods and turn them into trees. Many legends also cite them as being tricksters, though the amount of malice shown in their pranks varies by oral tradition.Their weakness, of course, is fire, but many legends also state that they can be warded off by solving the puzzles they leave around town or even reciprocating their mischief, though the latter theory is less common.Another common folktale told around summer bonfires is the Glassig legend of the ‘Portán Oileán Gorm’, or the Blue Island Crab. Not named for any eponymous island, the crab is so called due to its impressive size…”
"An Almanac of Violent Ends"
by Cal Kelly
This heavy tome was, according to its description, written by a Pumpkin Hollow resident whose intent was to chronicle the many deaths that took place in and around the town. It doesn’t appear to have been opened many times, based on the stiffness of the spine and the layer of dust on top.“...Down near where the Paring River cuts through the main path to Crane’s Ridge, the heavy stone bridge there has been known to have a resident. Encounters with it have drastically decreased since the train line was built, but the path has hardly fallen out of use.The thing that lives under the bridge could not be further from the bridge trolls of fairy tales. The thing has the face of a human corpse and the body of a horribly mutated spider. Those who encounter this creature, colloquially called the River Walker, are seldom able to survive the incident. Since the death cutoff, however, those who have resurrected have returned with rather chilling tales about a maze underneath the Earth…”The text is accompanied with some rather gruesome sketches. You probably shouldn’t try to read this all right now. Maybe come back for it another time.
"A Collection of News Articles"
Curated and assembled by the Greymare Library
This is a dense volume of news article cuttings written about incidents of note around Pumpkin Hollow over the years. You flip through and come across a few noteworthy things:
An article about the mysterious disappearance of Merrick Gladwyn, an older man who was apparently the previous reverend at the Temple of Sacred Roots. It mentions his succession by Degas Clayton.
An article about when death stopped being permanent, apparently in the October of the year 16:38, roughly a month after the passing of Japhet Leeds.
An article about the mysterious death of Yesenia Helvig, who apparently just fell into a trance and walked into the sea. She left behind a very young daughter named Elsie.
A few missing persons posters. Merrick Gladwyn, pictured wearing a fur-lined brown robe and a long green clergy stole patterned with a braided design similar to a Celtic knot. Henry Leeds, a handsome but thoroughly scarred man approaching middle age with a shock of blonde hair and dark eyes. Linette Brenning, a young woman who could barely be twenty. She has a pretty face but sad eyes, and she has long black hair. It’s unclear what the connection is, if any.
A brief article about the grand opening of West Dream Analytics, which describes a bit about Neil’s practice. Apparently he enters the nightmares of his patients to help them process their trauma.
Upon inspecting the body, you find several personal items.- A necklace hangs around the corpse’s neck, bearing an emblem of a tree that seems to be transitioning through seasons from right to left.- In the pocket of the robe, there is a small copy of the Holy Book of Seasons, the sacred text of the religion of the Four Earthly Mothers. There is also a tin of beard wax.- On the left hand there is a wedding ring set with an emerald.Perhaps there is something at the library or someone in town that can provide more information.
The blade of the dagger is etched with a single word.
DEVORAMUS
Holding it evokes an unsettling feeling.
It is buried beneath the tilling soil. Second plot West of the trolley stop.
Underneath the floorboard is a small box containing a silver locket. The inscription inside reads, "Linette & Harriet Forever". With it, there is a photo.
RULES
Two characters must enter as a pair and travel as a pair for the duration unless otherwise stated. Do not peek at rooms to decide which one you will enter. If something is left up to chance, you may not reroll. You might die--- if this happens, you must accept your fate. There is a special prize for those who complete the puzzle. Good luck!
Image provided by Guildenstern, from a trip to the Cliffs of Moher.
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When you enter the door of the building marked as "House of Cards," which seems to present itself as a simple funhouse, you expect as much to be on the other side of this door. However, when you enter, you find yourself suddenly at the precipice of a cliff--- one you might have fallen from if you were paying even one degree less attention.When you and your companion turn back around, the door you came through is gone. Instead, you are met with four new doors, each with a symbol.To your back is nothing but the cliff. Which do you choose?
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The Fool
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You enter into this "room" and find yourself in a field, surrounded on all sides by wheat which dances in the breeze. The wind speaks to foul weather, and as you look above, you see grey clouds and... oddly, plumes of smoke. Somehow, one of the clouds above you is ablaze, and within moments the entire sky is engulfed in flame.The fire rains down from the sky, immolating the wheat field with chunks of impossible falling, flaming cloudstuffs. You must flee! Run to the doors in the distance! Which way do you go?
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The Magician
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You enter a calm and quiet space.Once again you are on a precipice, but this time it is a marble floor, and not nearly so precarious. This place is tranquil, an echoing cavern of white stone. In the center of the room, there is a carved pool of crystal clear water, with steps leading gently down into it.Water cascades into the pool from a waterfall that comes from a rough-hewn skylight, which bleeds sunshine into the space. Falling water is the only sound here. You are alone. You are safe. You may stay as long as you like. The water is peaceful and warm.(It is best not to tarry here too long, as this strange bathhouse beckons you to forget your troubles. It will not harm you, but it will disorient you and waste your time. When you become unstuck from its charms, two doors lie on the far side of the cavern.)
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The High Priestess
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You enter the door to find yourself in a sprawling garden, overrun with flowers. A white gazebo with floral tea and baked sweets and overflowing bowls of fruit entreats you to sit down and nourish yourself before you continue. Behind you, flourishing white gates are locked with a heavy chain.Once you are satisfied with your snack, the steps on the other side of the gazebo bid you forward into the expansive garden. Sunlight bathes the pale brick path. The journey is long and winding, guiding past bushes bursting with pink roses and clear ponds with water lilies, overburdened fruit trees and swaying delphinium.At last, you see doors in the distance, all spread out amid the garden features. One lies through a hedge maze of rose bushes. The third, enshrined by wisteria trellises. Which do you choose?
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The Empress
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This room is, in fact, just a room. A surprisingly straightforward one, at that. Stone floors in a checkerboard pattern on the floor guide the way to the end of a large hallway. Its lofty ceilings of carved marble arch overhead, creating a thick and imposing echo that makes your ears ring if you raise your voice too loudly. The most prominent voice of this hall must always be its own.As you walk, you observe elaborate reliefs in the stone of the ceiling depicting lions and horses, castles and soldiers, battles and feasts.At last you reach the end of the hall, only to find a gap in the floor too wide to jump. Above you, you can see two doors on chains and pulleys, black and austere even as they dangle. On either side, there is a relic on a stand, and the chains connect to each one. It's clear what must be done to lower a door.Which relic will you take?
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The Emperor
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You enter a dimly lit temple. It is nothing like the Temple of Sacred Roots, with its round gathering hall and quartet of altars. It is square and close, with an aisle between two rows of benches leading up to a square altar.On the altar, you see a statue of a woman with outstretched palms, and a plaque.Tereall
Virtue of Charity
Give of yourself now, and venture toward a better future.Based on the way that the gate behind the altar, which leads to a lone door, is locked, you can intuit that to reach it you must leave an offering in the bowl in front of the statue. Anything of meaning or value will do. However, at the back of the chapel, there is a separate door that requires nothing to reach. How do you proceed?
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The Heirophant
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You emerge from your previous door under the cover of night. There are bits of light in the distance, yes, and it's enough to see by, but much of the space is engulfed in shadows.This was once a garden, now overrun with ivy and untended vegetation, much of it dead, all of it dense. Overripe fruit spoils on the ground beneath the tree branches and it is ever the challenge to walk through here. This old garden is wild with neglect, nature reclaiming an abandoned labor of love.On your way through, you stumble upon a rustic-looking table beneath a willow tree with a pair of chairs. Beyond, a sheer brick wall and a bunch of overgrowth too dense to pass. This must be your stop.On the table, in front of each chair, there is a card and a pen. On the cards, the same question, and an option to check yes or no. "Do you love the person you are here with?"It doesn't matter how you answer. Only whether the answers match between the two of you. A door appears on the brick wall regardless.
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The Lovers