4 Velkeres Hooks

Based on Eerie Candle's new article.

Velkeres are wintry air elementals who ride giant kingfishers and hunt clouds for their meat and skin, which they use to make clothes. I tried to maintain a folkloric feel to this, emphasizing trickery and de-emphasizing combat.

4 Hooks

1. While camping in the woods, the party spies a large man with a ram's head carrying a seemingly unconscious woman over his shoulder. This is...

a. A ritual to ward away Velkeres before the coming snows. The woman is awake, the man is carrying her to the ritual site.

b. An elopement. The two are forbidden lovers running away together to a cabin in the woods. They're screwing up the ritual, and will likely bring ill luck and a deadly winter into the region.

c. An actual abduction by an actual Velkera. The woman is under a magical sleep. The Velkera may be looking for a new skin, trying to birth a new wind, or ransoming the girl in exchange for the villagers' servitude.


2. The villagers royally pissed off Zeus, and have been suffering constant storms for weeks. The PCs are called on to journey to the Velkeres and negotiate for aid. The Velkeres are...

a. Somewhere over the Aegean. Get a boat.

b. Hunting atop a nearby mountain range. Don't die.

c. Trapped in a nearby cave by a sorcerer, who angered Zeus and framed the villagers.

d. Hidden among the villagers, laughing their asses off.

They want...

a. The local priest to throw his staff in the sea.

b. The expulsion of the Monotheistic Sky Cult™ from the region.

c. A beautiful young man to be their servant.

d. The villagers to start worshiping the Earth-Dragon.


3. The Velkeres have been hunting a massive storm cloud for months, but it continually escapes them. Something else is playing tricks on them. As renowned warriors, the PCs are called on to suss this out. Flying steeds may be in the pot. The culprit is...

a. Hermes, having some fun pulling their chain. He will mess with the PCs mercilessly, and can only be dissuaded by a genuine display of courage and sacrifice, or by a funnier target for his pranks.

b. A tribe of giants blowing smoke rings.

c. A cabal of human illusionists. They must pay for their insolence.


4. After a period of intense snowfall, the villagers find a patch of red snow in the marketplace. Somebody has been taken, but everyone is accounted for. The ghost of the deceased is trapped below the red snow, and is very angry. The Velkera inhabiting their body is causing mischief around the village. The victim is...

a. A soldier. The Velkera is encouraging desertion and dereliction of duty.

b. The headman. The Velkera is spreading strife and giving terrible advice to people.

c. A young girl. The Velkera is being rebellious and mocking local customs.

d. The PCs' favorite NPC. Guess who they're messing with.