T hey were
only children
A Windmill Slam Games
Original Halloween Short
T he sun is setting and the tall
grass flogs the hillocks as the
party arrives in Sandersand, an isolated
farming community far from the city.
They will not be greeted with any
fanfare tonight, for the autumn breeze
has brought the villagers ill tidings.
A child has been taken from them
yesterday. His lifeless body lays interred
in the village hall, his entrails torn from
his stomach. His younger brother has
been turned to stone, his face frozen in a
grimace of terror. Many laid awake last
night, the beasts’ terrifying shrieks still
fresh in their mind. As long as it haunts
the moors, the party will find no respite
here.
Two families call the hamlet home: The
Petit and the Dubois. They have been
living in the area for two generations.
The village elder is a frail woman the
villagers call Mama Petit. Both boys that
have been attacked are Petits and the
family is terrified that the creature will
return to take their last boy as well.
The monster has watered the seeds of
mistrust that have bloomed into hatred.
What remains of the Petit family is
angry and bitter because the beast
seems to pass-over their neighbors,
while it feasts on the flesh of their
offspring. After a heated argument, the
two families are no longer on speaking
terms and have isolated themselves in
their farms. Eerie silence lingers over
the hamlet like a specter, its solemnity
interrupted only by the shrieking winds
of autumn that rattle the shingles of the
tattered roofs.
Act 1: Arrival
The party is approached by an emotional
Claire Petit. First, she warns the travelers
to stay away, but if they show any sign
of fearlessness or helpfulness, she will
instead beg them to save the town. “Good
sirs, a beast ‘as slain my brothers. We
would be most grateful for your ‘elp! We
beg you!” She then leads them to their
farmhouse to meet Mama Petit. The
withered old crone has a kind twinkle
in her sad eyes. She is glad to meet the
party and hopes that they can restore
peace to the village.
Act 2: Investigation
After the party has been briefed on the
tragic events, they have an opportunity
to ask around and investigate further.
Mama is willing to answer any of their
Timeline of Events
Day 1, morning: Marie Dubois ventures
into the Thicket to collect berries. She
wanders too close to the cockatrice cave
and she startles the creature. It very
questions and if pushed she will allow
nearly petrifies her, but when the girl
the party to examine the bodies. In fact,
flees it does not pursue. In tears she
if the party wishes to stay the night,
the only room she can offer is in the tells Mama Petit who urges her to stay
away from the cave. Thomás hears the
village hall, where Renée’s coffin is kept.
Seven Petits remain: Claire, her brother exchange and wants to impress the
Thomás, a chubby pre-teen boy with teenage girl by defending her honor.
unkempt hair, her parents, Claude and
Janine, two uncles and Mama. Day 1, afternoon: Three boys, Thomás,
Claude and Renée, arm themselves with
All Petits are quiet and morose. Claude their father’s axe and go to the cave to
and Janine are the only Petits not kill the beast. The creature is out hunting,
currently in the house, as they are but while exploring its nest they find two
holding a vigil for their dead son in the
eggs, which they smash gleefully. When
village hall. Claude is especially afraid
for the wellbeing of his family and they hear the creature shrieking, they
run back home, forgetting the axe.
blames the Dubois for “somehow luring
that creature to the village”. He thinks it
strange that his sharpest axe is missing Day 1, evening: Devastated by the loss
and accuses Jacque Dubois of stealing it. of her eggs, the cockatrice tracks the boys
to the village. She ambushes Renée near
If Thomás is questioned, he will the well and eviscerates him. His mother
break almost instantly, confessing to hears his screams and finds his lifeless
everything that happened and blaming body.
himself for the death of his brother.
Day 2, morning: Renée is interred in
Mama Petit knows of the cockatrice, and
that it has lived in the Thicket for years. the village hall. His brothers act strange
and remorseful, but their behavior goes
She always urges the villagers to stay
away from those woods. She suspects unnoticed by most adults.
that its encounter with Marie Dubois has
upset the creature, but is too intent on Day 2, afternoon: Claude is attacked
keeping the peace between the families behind the outhouse. He manages to hold
to share her suspicions. She knows that the beast off with his knife, but is turned
Claude’s petrification is temporary. to stone. His father hears the commotion
and scares the beast off with a pitchfork.
The six members of the Dubois family are It flees back to the Thicket.
cooped up in their farm. The patriarch,
Jacque, only opens the door a sliver when
he hears knocking. He will insist that Day 2, evening: The party arrives...
he knows nothing about the attacks,
but when he does, his daughter Marie
bursts into tears. Jacque will blame the
party for upsetting his girl, but Marie
intercedes, blaming herself for angering
the beast.
Act 3: Catharsis
The cockatrice lair is a small cavern,
poorly hidden in a thicket about a mile
south of the hamlet. The nest is sticky
with egg yolk and littered with smashed
egg shells. A fine axe is left discarded
near the entrance, dropped by the boys
in their hurried escape. The cockatrice
attacks the party when they attempt to
leave the cave. It might be possible to
console the animal, but it will certainly
not be easy…