Stolen Toys
Pinned to The notice board
A parchment with dirt smudges along the bottom features the bold announcement:
Stolen Toys Found Around Town Outskirts.
In the last few nights, children’s toys have been disappearing from their homes and placed along the outer roads.
These toys must be avoided!
As far as the guards can tell there are no traces of robbery or breaking and entering in any of the homes. Though the toys have been found, they are impossible to move. Soon they will completely surround the town, and as such the guards are increasingly worried. They are seeking the aid of any experienced adventurers who may be able to stop whatever strangeness is at hand. For this there is a 750 GOLD REWARD.
Captain Sun at the north guard post is leading the investigation and can be spoken to for further inquiries or if anybody is able to provide new information.
Ways to approach
A great way to preempt this poster reaching your notice boards is to have one or more of the characters hear a child complaining to their caregiver about their favorite toy has gone missing. This can either be done during a rumour-gathering outing or simply thrown into a scene description such as at the market.
As for the various ways this plot hook could be approached, I lean into the idea a spirit has done this, probably that of a child. Through the adventure and attempting to undo the spirit’s work, they learn this is actually a protection barrier against something else, a dark force that seeks to steal the souls of children. If the barrier was left up, unfortunately, everyone is trapped within while an evil lurks outside until it can be defeated or it gets what it wants. If the barrier was dismantled the party will have to work extra hard to stop the evil in mid-action or have to follow it back to its lair/plane.
Possible Repercussions
Naturally, if your players do not take on this quest the barrier remains in place. It will be up to you on whether the town guard and clerics were able to join forces to defeat this evil, though suffering heavy casualties, or if the force manages to get what it wants through a war of attrition.
If you, understandably, do not wish to have negative repercussions for your party wishing to go in a different direction with their adventuring, this could all be the handiwork of a mischievous little poltergeist that eventually gets banished, with no harm done.
