Paladins: Laina and Raven at the Farmhouse of Death

The front door opened as they approached. "Come in! Come in!" said the old woman, motioning Laina and Raven inside. "The workers didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No, but--" Laina shook her head. "What's going on here?"

"I don't know," said the woman. "There was an illness that swept through the farmworkers a few weeks before harvest. We did what we could -- sent for herbwife, summoned master Dobsin -- but it was no good. After a while they all recovered, but they turned strange. They won't let anyone near them, or near us either."

"You know they're all dead, right?" asked Raven. 

The woman looked to be somewhere in her eighties; her hair was pure silver, her skin wrinkled, and her movements careful. She was wearing a simple dress, and the expression on her face was pure shock. "What? Nonsense! Just look at them out there, hale and healthy. Brought the harvest in, put aside their share... No, they're very definitely still alive."

What is going on here? Laina turned to look out the front windows, and sure enough the workers in the fields were vibrantly alive. As she watched, one of them turned to gesture to another, who approached and fell into a thoughtful conversation."They were... they were skeletons and zombies when we were outside," she explained, wondering if she had gone mad. 

"That hardly seems possible," the old woman said firmly. "But come, make yourselves at home. I have to get back to work or dinner will burn, but surely you can stay long enough to partake of our hospitality."

"I-- we-- Yes, of course," said Laina, feeling slightly dazed. Were the old woman's teeth just a little too sharp? No, she didn't think so. What was...?

"Damlok! Damlok! Where are you, child?"

A child of perhaps ten years emerged from the hallway, and looked the two of them over with a severe expression. "You aren't supposed to be here," he said. 

"Damlok," the old woman chided. "Remember your manners. These are our guests, and we will show them proper hospitality. Be a dear and show them to the sitting room while I finish making dinner."

Damlok sighed, then turned to look at them again. "Welcome to our home," he said woodenly. "I'm Damlok."

"Ah," said the old woman, "and I'm Shera. I'm sorry, I quite forgot to make introductions in all the excitement."

"I'm Laina, and this is Raven."

The boy tilted his head. He was dark-haired and dark-eyed, with olive skin, and he wore a neat jacket over a linen shirt. "Now that's a good name. I wish my mom had named me Raven. Well, come on. The sitting room is this way. You can meet Grandpa Choran there, if he isn't napping in his chair."

Laina and Raven exchanged a glance; then Raven nodded. Laina gestured for the boy to lead the way, which he did while Shera-- presumably his grandmother? --turned aside into a large and well-appointed kitchen. The house around them seemed clean and well-maintained, and Laina found herself at something of a loss. 

The sitting room was equally nice, decorated with a couple of paintings and a handful of tapestries; there were bookshelves and padded chairs and small tables. An old man, easily the same age as Shera, was snoring softly in a chair; but his eyes snapped open as they came into the room. "Ah," he said. "You're here. Good. It's been so long since we've had visitors." 

"This is Laina," said Damlok, carefully formal, "and this is Raven. Laina and Raven, this is my grandfather, Choran."

"A pleasure," said Laina. Raven stepped up beside her and offered an uncomfortable-looking smile. 

"Well, do have a seat," said Choran, gesturing at the variety of chairs and the small loveseat. Most were angled to face the fireplace, though there was no fire set. "I imagine my beautiful wife will have dinner ready for us all in just a bit."

"Yes, of course," said Laina, and seated herself across from him. 

Raven moved to stand beside her chair.

"I should really go and tell Mother that we have guests," said Damlok. 

"Yes, do that," answered his grandfather. He turned his attention back to them as his grandson departed. "Now then... what brings the two of you here?"

For my own reference: Laina is a low-level paladin of Nepthys, the creator-goddess and guardian of balance. Raven is a low level cleric, with the Magic and Knowledge domains, possibly of Amun or possibly without having really settled on a patron deity yet. (Need to talk to the DM about whether that's really possible in this world.) Overall, we're talking level two characters here, maybe three at a stretch.