TEXT: ~Credits~
  WRITING and Design:  
  Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
  Development: 
  Chris Wilkes and Robert J. Schwalb
  editing: Tom Cadorette
  Proofreading: Jay Spight
  Graphic Design: Kara Hamilton
  LAYOUT: kara and Kevin hamilton
  ILLUSTRATIONs: Kim Van Deun
  Saving Face is ©2017 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.  
  All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Victims of the Demon Lord, Saving Face,
  Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos  
  are trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  Schwalb EntErtainmEnt, llc
  PO Box #12548, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
  info@schwalbentertainment.com         www.schwalbentertainment.com
  An Adventure for Expert Characters
  The tiny fishing village of Rock Rump has only one 
  claim to fame: its juicy and flavorful fried clams. This 
  settlement near the Teeth is not much frequented, 
  but those visitors who come always try the local fare. 
  The annual Clam Fest is the highlight of the year, an 
  opportunity for the village’s enterprising clammers to 
  make impressive profits. But recently the Demon Lord’s 
  shadow touched the clam beds, unleashing a terrible 
  infestation that threatens the entire coast.
   Saving Face is an adventure for a group of expert 
  characters. They might have come to Rock Rump to 
  sample the famous clams, provide security during 
  the Clam Fest, or commissioned by a local noble to 
  investigate strange happenings. Perhaps they were forced 
  ashore to make repairs to their vessel, or stopped in 
  the village on their way to other business in the Teeth. 
  Whatever the reason, they arrive as the infestation is 
  starting to take hold. As they investigate the situation, 
  they learn more about the village’s history—and how a 
  living nightmare might save the village from a fate worse 
  than death.
   To make the most of this adventure, you should have a 
  copy of the Demon Lord’s Companion.
  
  2
  Background
  Before humans began harvesting the bounty of the 
  clam beds along this stretch of coast centuries ago, 
  the jotun reaped its rewards. The fishing village of 
  Rock Rump was built upon the site of an older jotun 
  settlement, the original inhabitants driven out by the 
  Empire long ago. Its name still reflects that ancient 
  history, being a loose translation of the phrase “where 
  the god of stones fell.”
   According to local legend, two Old Gods once 
  wrestled here for lordship over the area: one of the 
  rocky land and one of the sea. The struggle went on 
  for seven days and seven nights, until finally the god 
  of the land was thrown down. He landed heavily on 
  his backside, and the imprint formed a deep hollow 
  that the victorious sea god’s waves quickly filled, 
  which made a good harbor. The sea god—Oceanus—
  still has a few followers in the village to this day.
   The human settlement’s name was originally 
  “Rocky Bottom,” but the cruder appellation became a 
  local joke that eventually stuck. The harbor is small, 
  deep, and well protected, making it attractive for 
  both fishing boats and ocean-going vessels. But the 
  real treasure of Rock Rump is the nearby expanse 
  of shoreline, along which grow the large, juicy 
  “giantneck” clams that have made the village famous.
   The clam beds cover several square miles of 
  tideland, exposed only for a couple of hours each day 
  when the ebb is at its lowest. Tides here are high and 
  come in swiftly, so harvesting the clams is a perilous 
  task. Getting caught when the tide turns is often a 
  deathtrap. But the risk is well worth it, as the clams 
  fetch a high price from connoisseurs. 
   In addition to the dangerous tides, the locals take 
  particular care to avoid the seasonal red tides that 
  accompany algae blooms in the summer months. 
  They do not harvest clams during this time, which  
  allows the mollusk population to recover and spawn. 
  Recently, though, a new phenomenon has occurred, 
  which the locals have deemed “the Golden Tide.” 
  About a week ago, the sea became a rich yellow 
  color and has only recently returned to its former 
  hue. Afterward, the fishers were hesitant to catch or 
  consume the local seafood, but one fearless soul took 
  the plunge. Gnarly Peg did not fall ill and proclaimed 
  the clams to be even more delicious and plump than 
  ever. Followers of the sea god proclaimed the Golden 
  Tide to be a blessing. A rush ensued to gather the 
  bounty—and that’s when the trouble began.
   Unbeknownst to the locals, the phenomenon was 
  anything but a blessing. The Demon Lord’s shadow 
  has begun to spread into the depths offshore. The 
  taint manifested as an eruption on the sea floor, from 
  which spilled a sulfurous plume. Strange, twisted 
  life forms began to proliferate around the vent, while 
  its corruption flowed with the currents to the clam 
  beds near Rock Rump—what the villagers called the 
  Golden Tide. The evil influence mutated harmless 
  marine symbiotes dwelling in the clams’ guts, so 
  that they became the larval forms of a new species of 
  demonic parasite.
   Now, the famous clams are the vector for a fearsome 
  invasion, and it will quickly spread unless the 
  demonic corruption can be cleansed and the parasite 
  eliminated.
  The Face-Taker
  A longstanding local story tells of the Face-
  Taker that comes in the night and steals the 
  faces of sleepers. This bogeyman is widely 
  considered a tale to scare children, but like 
  most such stories, it has a basis in fact. A rare 
  species of harvester called a flesh tailor has 
  haunted the region for ages, collecting the 
  skin of victims’ faces for its own mysterious 
  purposes. It stalks and hunts the inhabitants 
  of several fishing villages along this stretch of 
  coast, moving from one to the next in a slow 
  circuit so that attacks can be years apart in a 
  given locale.
   Unfortunate villagers are left missing a bit 
  of skin, the tip of the nose, or a patch of 
  scalp. Suspicious folk say it is the Face-Taker, 
  but others point out that such injuries are 
  common results of scrapes against barnacle-
  encrusted hulls or falls on slick sea rocks. 
  The victims themselves rarely speak of what 
  happened for fear of being labeled as crazy.
   Every once in a while, a faceless corpse is 
  found floating in the sea or discarded in the 
  wilderness, fueling the rumors even more. The 
  authorities are quick to discredit such stories, 
  claiming the injuries result from rats or fish 
  nibbling on the victim’s flesh. Still, no one can 
  adequately explain why only the faces are 
  missing.
  The Clam Fest
  This annual event happens early in the fall, after 
  the summer red tides have ended and the clams are 
  known to be safe. More than just a harvest festival, it 
  is also the remnant of an ancient ceremony in honor 
  of the local sea god. Few folk remember the origins 
  of the tradition, but it is a custom during the week 
  preceding the harvest to abstain from eating clams. 
  Seafood is hard to come by during this time, although 
  the less orthodox might still find a way to get some.
   Several fried-clam stands are set up along the 
  road to the village during the clam festival, and 
  the vendors compete fiercely for business. Slander, 
  threats, and even property damage flare up during 
  the brief season. This year, the Golden Tide promises 
  the juiciest, plumpest clams ever, and excitement has 
  reached a fever pitch.
  
  3
  Rock Rump
  This tiny fishing village is a little way south of 
  Landfall, within sight of the forbidding islands of 
  the Teeth. You can, however, place Rock Rump 
  anywhere on an appropriate area of the coast, as 
  suits the needs of your campaign. The inhabitants 
  need not even be human.
  The Vile Vent
  About 20 miles offshore, in a deep part of the 
  channels that surround and separate the islands of 
  the Teeth, lies the source of the Golden Tide. The 
  boundary with the Void has grown thin in this area, 
  where foul energies bubble through into the world. 
  In the black depths, a fissure has opened on the 
  ocean floor, spewing a sulfurous corruption into the 
  water. This area counts as a Void shoal (Demon Lord’s 
  Companion, page 44). Ordinary life in the area has 
  mutated into horrible forms: misshapen, bloated 
  tubeworms; cannibal crabs; octopi almost as big as 
  krakens; and monstrous sharks.
   In addition to the changes wrought around the 
  vent, the vile eruption is spreading through the 
  ocean currents. The waters have so far diffused the 
  threat in most places, but a quirk of the current 
  allowed a concentrated stream of the corruption to 
  infect this part of the coastline, especially the clam 
  beds near Rock Rump. The sulfurous sediment 
  spewed from the fissure is what gives the Golden 
  Tide its color and name. 
  The Infestation
  The larvae of the mutated parasites lie nearly 
  dormant inside the guts of infected clams, drawing 
  just enough nourishment to slowly grow in their 
  torpid state. (If more than one infests a given clam, 
  they fuse into a single organism.) When consumed 
  by a living creature of flesh and blood, the larva 
  awakens. Although it is destroyed through prolonged 
  exposure to acid or high heat, the short cooking time 
  for the village’s signature fried clams is not enough 
  to kill this horror.
   The larva is not swallowed with the rest of the food 
  but flattens itself into a thin layer against the palate of 
  the ingesting creature. While that creature sleeps, the 
  parasite grows rapidly, extruding from the mouth to 
  form a caul that spreads over the host’s face as well as 
  the tongue, lips, and interior of the mouth, but leaving 
  the teeth uncovered. This membrane conforms to 
  the host’s facial features while the parasite begins to 
  consume the flesh beneath.
   Once fully established, the parasite completely 
  replaces the victim’s face. From then on, it feasts on 
  whatever is ingested by the host. Specialized glands 
  secrete a digestive fluid that breaks down food in 
  the mouth, allowing the intruder to absorb much of 
  its nourishment. The infected creature, as a result, 
  grows thin and weak—but not quite enough to die 
  of starvation.
   While it is established in this way, the parasite 
  exudes a specialized toxin that kills other larvae 
  ingested by the host. As well, it continually lays eggs 
  (fertilizing itself in the process) that pass through the 
  host’s digestive tract to be eventually expelled.
   Rock Rump does not have anything resembling a 
  sewer system. The inhabitants typically dump their 
  waste into the streets or a small creek running past 
  the village, where it eventually enters the sea. As a 
  result, excrement tends to accumulate in the clam 
  beds, nourishing the creatures there. (The locals 
  even call this “returning the favor.”) The parasites’ 
  eggs then enter the clams through the tainted muck. 
  However, they can also be passed from a host to 
  another potential victim by contact with saliva or 
  other bodily fluids, or by handling or eating food 
  touched by an infected person. 
   Symptoms: To an outside observer, an infected 
  person might appear much the same as before. 
  During the period of the parasite’s growth, the  
  victim loses some control of their facial muscles. 
  They have trouble with emotional expressions, 
  either taking on a slack-jawed look or reacting 
  inappropriately to an emotional situation. Their 
  speech is somewhat slurred, as the parasite coating 
  the lips and tongue has not yet gained complete 
  mastery, and they have a tendency to drool a bit.  
  The victim’s face might also feel numb. These 
  symptoms are easily mistaken for drunkenness, or 
  the influence of some other mind-altering substance. 
  Thus, a victim can become irrevocably infected with 
  no one the wiser—not even themselves.
   However, any facial hair is subsumed by the 
  parasitic growth and is dissolved along with the 
  skin, producing an odd, lumpy appearance while the 
  infestation settles in. As well, the parasite’s flesh has 
  a rubbery, dull pink appearance that might pass for 
  light-colored skin from a distance but is obviously 
  different on a darker complexion.
   It is possible to tear free the parasite before it is 
  fully involved. However, doing so deals 1d3 damage 
  to the infected creature and leaves its face dreadfully 
  scarred. The extent of the scarring depends on how 
  long the parasite was attached; if only for an hour 
  or two, the face appears to have sustained second-
  degree burns, but closer to full investment, very little 
  skin remains and the underlying musculature and 
  ligaments show some hardening.
  
  4
   Once it is fully ensconced, though, removing the 
  parasite by force is impossible without killing the 
  victim: its tendrils have infiltrated the muscles and 
  bone, leading to terrible trauma if removed. As well, 
  in its last throes, the parasite floods its victim with 
  the toxin that eliminates competition, sending it into 
  fatal convulsions.
  Face-Eater Parasite
  Transmission A living creature of flesh and blood becomes 
  exposed to the parasite by consuming its larval form or 
  by having its skin come into contact with the parasite’s 
  eggs. The exposed creature must get a success on a 
  Strength challenge roll with 1 bane or become infected, 
  suffering the stage 1 effects of the disease.
  Cure Any effect that removes the diseased affliction will 
  expel the parasite as long as the infected creature has 
  not yet reached the final stage of the disease. As well, 
  the immature parasite is stunned and removed by the 
  application of “chaw” (see “Curing the Afflicted”).
  Stage 0 The parasite is stunned or killed. If the infestation 
  was at stage 1, the larva detaches from the mouth and 
  passes into the digestive system, where it is destroyed. At 
  stage 2 or higher (but not at the final stage), the parasite 
  drops from the face, dealing 1d3 damage from acid.
  Stage 1 The infected creature becomes diseased as the 
  parasitic larva attaches itself to the palate of the creature.
  Stage 2 The larva metamorphoses into its immature, or 
  instar, form and begins to consume the internal lining of 
  the infected creature’s mouth, growing over the face to 
  consume the lips and skin. The infected creature loses 
  some feeling in the face and has difficulty with facial 
  expressions, making attack or challenge rolls in social 
  situations with 1 bane.
  Stage 3 As stage 2, and the infected creature makes attack 
  or challenge rolls in social situations with 1 additional 
  bane. The face becomes numb and the creature drools.
  Stage 4 The parasite matures and completely replaces 
  the infected creature’s face. The creature permanently 
  becomes a face-eater host (see below).
  Recovery Each time the infected creature completes a rest, 
  it must make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane.
  • 20 or more: The disease moves down one stage 
  (minimum stage 1 unless cured).
  • Success: No change.
  • Failure: The disease moves up one stage.
  • 0 or less: The disease moves up two stages  
  (maximum stage 4).
   Apply the following template to any living, breathing 
  creature of flesh and blood that has its face replaced by 
  the parasite.
  FACE-EATER HOST 
  INCREASE DIFFICULTY BY 2 STEPS
  Health –5; Insanity —; Corruption 1d3 –1
  Strength –2, Agility –2
  Immune gaining Insanity
  Death Spray When the host becomes incapacitated, or if 
  any attempt is made to remove the parasite, it releases a 
  burst of eggs and vile secretions into a 3-yard long cone 
  originating from a point the host can reach. The host 
  takes damage equal to its Health and is killed instantly. 
  Each living creature of flesh and blood in the area must 
  make an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane. On a failure, 
  the creature takes 1d6 damage and becomes exposed to 
  the face-eater parasite. 
  Getting Started
  The adventure begins when the characters arrive in 
  Rock Rump just before the beginning of the Clam 
  Fest. The clam harvest has been ongoing for several 
  days, but so far only a very few of the villagers have 
  begun to show signs of infestation. However, poor 
  hygiene might also threaten other villagers who have 
  not yet come into contact with the tainted bivalves.
   The Clam Fest is set to begin four days after the 
  characters arrive in the village. The local noble 
  who controls access to the clam beds is worried 
  about the strange events of the last few days and 
  has asked for help in discovering the cause. Lady 
  Eiðella Haraldsdöttir might have hired the group 
  to investigate, or contact them once they begin to 
  uncover the truth.
   Once the characters catch on to the infestation, 
  they will likely want to stop the harvest. They will 
  also need to find a way to free the infected of their 
  terrible fate and might even want to cleanse the 
  tainted beds so that future harvests no longer pose a 
  threat. The townsfolk might not believe their story, 
  especially since the infected victims look much 
  as they did before. The biggest vendors might not 
  want to endanger their profitable festival on the 
  say-so of some scruffy out-of-towners, and the more 
  devout among the townsfolk will certainly object 
  to blasphemous outside interference in their local 
  observances.
  Hostile Clammers
  Rock Rump is home to several families whose 
  livelihood depends entirely on the clam trade. 
  Of these, three control much of the harvesting 
  rights: the Albergs, the Dree, and the MacPhails. 
  They have cemented this control by bribing, 
  extorting, or threatening smaller groups who 
  draw the earliest digging times. Two other 
  families, the Gummers and the Ardilar, own almost 
  all of the food stalls that sell the prized clams. 
  They squeeze out smaller vendors by viciously 
  undercutting their prices and setting up in the 
  most-traveled areas.
   
  The characters might incur the wrath of these 
  powerful families. If combat breaks out, treat the 
  clammers as commoners, with one bandit leader 
  (no longbow) per group of five or so. Larger 
  groups can be treated as mobs of commoners.
  Traveling to Rock Rump
  The village lies at the end of a well-maintained dirt 
  road about two days’ walk from Landfall. Travel along 
  this road is normally quite safe, since Lady Eiðella 
  sets her personal guard to keep the piece. A small 
  tollgate near the Haraldsdöttir estate is staffed by two 
  of her household guard (mercenaries) to collect the 5 
  bits per leg she charges for road maintenance.
   Since the demonic eruption offshore, though, 
  strange new threats harass travelers on the road. 
  These are beyond the ability of the guards to deal 
  with, but Lady Eiðella is quite impressed by anyone 
  
  5
  who can eliminate the monstrous creatures, waiving 
  the toll for the heroes, as well as becoming an 
  important contact in the area.
   If the characters approach by sea, the harbor of 
  Rock Rump is about two days’ sail along the coast 
  south of Landfall.
  Travel Table
  d6
  Event
  1
  A patrol of two household guards (as mercenaries) 
  warns the characters of strange happenings and 
  foul creatures in the area. If the group is at sea, they 
  encounter some suspicious fishers (as commoners) 
  instead.
  2–3
  The group is attacked by 1–2 flocks of soiled 
  seagulls (land or sea) or 1–2 jet squids (sea only).
  4
  A faceless humanoid corpse floats at the edge of 
  the shore. The skin appears to have been surgically 
  removed.
  5
  The group spots a large shorebird or a sea otter that 
  has no feathers or fur on its head. The creature is 
  alive but seems weak and confused.
  6
  A viscous yellow streak stains the waters offshore. 
  Any character who touches or swims in it must get 
  a success on a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane or 
  gain 1 Corruption.
  FLOCK OF SOILED SEAGULLS 
  DIFFICULTY 25
  Size 2 animal (swarm)
  Perception 12 (+2)
  Defense 13, Health 30; Insanity —; Corruption —
  Strength 8 (–2), Agility 13 (+3), Intellect 5 (–5), Will 8 (–2)
  Speed 10; flier
  Immune gaining Insanity; charmed, dazed, deafened, 
  frightened, grabbed, immobilized, prone, slowed, 
  stunned
  Multitude A swarm takes half damage from effects that 
  use an attack roll and double damage from effects that 
  require it to make a challenge roll.
  Revulsion Creatures that are not swarms are impaired 
  while they remain in the swarm’s space or within 1 yard 
  of it.
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Soiled Talons (melee) +3 with 1 boon (1d6, or 1d3 if the 
  swarm is injured, plus Spreading the Disease) and the 
  target must get a success on a Strength challenge roll 
  with 1 bane or become diseased for 1 minute.
  Spreading the Disease A creature must get a success on a 
  Strength challenge roll with 1 bane or become diseased 
  for 1 minute.
  SPECIAL ATTACKS 
  Spatter The flock sprays corrupted guano into an area 
  below its space. Each creature in the area must make an 
  Agility challenge roll with 1 bane. It takes 2d6 damage and 
  becomes impaired until the end of its next turn on a failure, 
  or just takes half the damage on a success. If it is already 
  impaired this way, it also becomes diseased for 1 minute.
  Once the flock uses Spatter, it cannot use it again for  
  1 minute.
  END OF THE ROUND
  Swarming Animals Each creature that isn’t a swarm and 
  that is in the swarm’s space or within 1 yard of it must 
  make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the creature 
  takes 1d6 damage and becomes slowed for 1 round.
  JET SQUID 
  DIFFICULTY 25
  Size 1 frightening animal
  Perception 12 (+2)
  Defense 14, Health 25; Insanity —; Corruption —
  Strength 15 (+5), Agility 13 (+3), Intellect 8 (–2), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 10; swimmer
  Immune gaining Insanity; frightened
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Beak (melee, only against a grabbed target) +5 plus  
  1 boon (2d6 + 2).
  Hooked Tentacle (melee, reach +2) +5 plus 1 boon (1d6 + 2) 
  plus Ripping Grab on attack roll 20+
  SPECIAL ATTACKS 
  Ripping Grab The target is grabbed. If it is already grabbed 
  this way, it takes 1d6 + 2 extra damage.
  SPECIAL ACTIONS 
  Ink Jet The squid expels ink into a 5-yard cone originating 
  from a point it can reach. Each creature in the area must 
  make an Agility challenge roll or become blinded until 
  the end of its next turn.
  Leap The squid uses an action, or a triggered action on its 
  turn, to hurl itself through the air, splashing down up to  
  6 yards away. Any creature grabbed by it is carried with it.
  
  6
  Arrival
  When the characters first arrive in Rock Rump, they 
  see one or more food stalls along the road to town in 
  various stages of construction. These are currently 
  not staffed, although colorful bunting has been set 
  up on some, with gaudy pictures of stylized dancing 
  and singing clams. Crudely lettered signs claim each 
  proprietor’s offerings to be the “Best Clams Around.”
   The only place at present where a meal can be 
  purchased is the tiny tavern, The South Wind, near 
  the fishing docks. The placed is marked by a wooden 
  placard showing a set of large pink buttocks that 
  swings in the constant wind. It’s a quiet place most 
  of the time, but is the center of social life during the 
  annual Clam Fest.
    The proprietor is an uncharacteristically grumpy 
  halfling named Drusus, who is not interested in 
  competing with the operators of the fried-clam stands. 
  All year round, he serves up his specialty, a seafood 
  stew. This concoction, simmered for hours over a low 
  fire, is renewed with whatever is in season—including 
  clams, when they are available. Fortunately for all 
  who consume it, the long cooking time of this stew 
  destroys the demonic larvae.
   However, Drusus employs a young human assistant 
  with a taste for clams. Long Bob Dree is a gangly, 
  pallid teenager whose family is one of the largest 
  harvesters of the clam beds. They benefited from 
  drawing the earliest digging times and wasted no time 
  gathering all they could. They are keeping the harvest 
  alive in cold seawater until the start of the festival, but 
  Bob sneaked in and stole handfuls of the giantnecks 
  the previous day. He built a campfire on an isolated 
  stretch of beach and gorged himself on the stolen 
  bounty, passing out afterward. While Bob slept, the 
  parasite became active and has now begun to replace 
  his face. He is currently at stage 2 of the infection.
   Anyone interacting socially with Long Bob, or even 
  just observing nearby, can readily notice that he is 
  behaving strangely. His face seems oddly round and 
  soft on his otherwise skinny body. His expression 
  sometimes stretches into a wide rictus of a grin, 
  even if the topic of conversation is not especially 
  humorous. Other times, the entire face goes slack 
  and expressionless even in the midst of animated 
  discourse. Occasionally a bit of spittle escapes his 
  lips. A character who is observing from a distance can 
  notice the odd behavior with a success on a Perception 
  challenge roll with 1 bane.
   Long Bob’s indiscretion threatens more than just 
  himself, though. He helps serve food at the tavern, 
  and hand washing is not rigorously observed by the 
  staff. As a result, anyone who consumes a meal when 
  Bob is on duty will be exposed to the parasite and 
  could become infected.
  Gnarly Peg
  This wrinkled, nut-brown human of indeterminate 
  age and gender has been part of the village’s social 
  life for as long as anyone can remember. Thought to 
  be a retired clam digger, Peg lost a foot long ago to an 
  infection and sports a prosthetic of polished, knobby 
  driftwood. The odd villager now spends most days 
  sitting on a stump near the fishing docks, carving 
  intricate scrimshaw for sale and chewing prodigious 
  amounts of a foul-smelling substance known only as 
  “chaw.” No one knows what’s in the disgusting stuff, 
  although tobacco and seaweed seem to be the major 
  ingredients. At night, Peg haunts the village’s small 
  tavern, staring into the fire and nursing a mug of ale 
  between refills of chaw.
   Gnarly Peg is happy to gossip with anyone who 
  seems interested, though following the thread of such 
  conversation is challenging. The villager breaks off 
  into mumbles in the middle of sentences and behaves 
  as if someone else is present, then returns to the 
  middle of some other topic. Peg sometimes stops for 
  a moment, looks around, and then stares straight into 
  the eyes of an interlocutor while barking “Watch yer 
  face!” Then the mumbling, disjointed conversation 
  begins again.
   Gnarly Peg is also an initiate of the Old Faith and 
  one of the last followers of the overthrown stone god. 
  Having no reverence for the sea god, the odd villager 
  cares not a bit for the prohibition on clams. Peg was 
  the one who braved the clam beds after the Golden 
  Tide and frequently mentions how much better 
  they are now (whether asked or not). The villager 
  has shown no signs of the parasitic infestation, 
  apparently possessing a natural immunity. In fact, 
  Peg’s mouth proved impossible for the juvenile 
  organisms to inhabit, due to the prodigious 
  consumption of chaw. Peg has woken up to find 
  glistening smears on the pillow the last few days, but 
  assumes this is just from drooling.
  A Local Terror
  Gnarly Peg is also the most vocal when it comes to 
  tales of the “Face-Taker” in Rock Rump. The villager’s 
  odd looks are accentuated by a large area of scarring 
  on the neck, stretching up the side of the head to 
  where only a nub of flesh remains of what was once 
  a delicate, shell-like ear. The other ear is undamaged 
  and stands out against the weathered-looking skin of 
  Peg’s face.
   Peg tells anyone who asks (and plenty who don’t) 
  about the “monster in the night” who crept into the 
  bedroom when Peg was just a child. The Face-Taker 
  was cloaked and hooded, covered with stinking 
  bandages. With a swipe of its sharp talons, the 
  
  7
  creature stripped the ear from Peg’s head, tearing off 
  a long strip of skin, then vanished into the shadows as 
  the screams attracted a lantern-bearing parent. Peg is 
  certain the rest of the face would have followed had 
  the monster not been interrupted.
  Strange Happenings
  While the characters stay in the village, they might 
  observe some odd events that reinforce the sense that 
  something is wrong in Rock Rump.
  • A young couple embrace and kiss in the tavern. 
  One of them shrinks back in horror and exclaims: 
  “What’s wrong? Your lips are like kissing sea slugs. 
  Don’t you love me anymore?”
  • A fisher greets another villager with a slap on the 
  back. “Ho, Alf! Finally decided to hack off the old 
  face fungus, eh?” The other’s expression grows 
  puzzled as he raises a hand to touch his oddly soft, 
  lumpy cheeks.
  Infected Guard
  Unbeknownst to Lady Eiðella Haraldsdöttir, one of 
  her guards is a vector for the infestation. The Dree 
  family bribed Andulla Morfrey to look the other 
  way while they collected more than their allotment 
  of clams, offering her a bucketful of the harvest in 
  payment. Andulla, a brown-skinned human with 
  a shock of red hair, has no interest in the ancient 
  worship. She happily consumed the clams and has 
  now been completely taken over by the parasite.
   Andulla decides to drop by the tavern after her shift 
  ends on the day the group arrives in town. Her face is 
  a mass of blotchy, scar-colored skin that contrasts with 
  the dark complexion of her arms and hands. If asked, 
  she blames it on an attack by strange birds whose 
  excrement burned her.
   While in the tavern, Andulla gets into a brawl with 
  some members of one of the other digger families. 
  They are certain the guard has been taking Dree 
  bribes and want to either force her to admit it or 
  get her to allow them the same consideration. She 
  acquits herself well in the fight, even drunk and 
  outnumbered, laying out several of the assailants. 
  However, a lucky blow finally overcomes her. As 
  she falls unconscious, the embedded parasite self-
  destructs in a burst of poisonous gore, destroying 
  what’s left of Andulla’s face and spraying eggs onto 
  the surrounding attackers. If the characters become 
  involved, or just get too close, one or more of them 
  might also be caught in the blast.
  The Face-Taker Strikes!
  Long Bob’s round, soft face is an irresistible target 
  for the local harvester, which has been scouting out 
  the village for suitable parts. It makes its move on the 
  night after the characters arrive, creeping into the 
  youth’s bedroom at the inn and slicing through his 
  skin with its razor-sharp talons.
   A screech of pain and terror wakes the inn’s residents, 
  including any characters who are staying there. Bob 
  runs from his room, clawing at the ruins of his face and 
  screaming about the monster that stole it. However, 
  an even more disturbing sight greets those who arrive 
  on the scene. Where the young man’s face should be, 
  instead of the bare muscle and bone that one would 
  expect, there is a half-melted-looking expanse of skin, 
  shriveling away from the skull in places.
   The parasite was partway through dissolving Bob’s 
  real face before it was snatched away by the harvester. 
  The harvester’s attack is a blessing in disguise, since 
  Bob would otherwise have been completely infected 
  by the parasite.
   Interrogating the lad is not likely to produce much 
  that is intelligible, especially since his lips have 
  been dissolved by the parasite. If he can be calmed 
  down, or someone uses mind-reading magic on 
  him, Bob might remember that he had a night filled 
  with strange dreams. He might also describe a sense 
  of being unable to move, a kind of sleep paralysis 
  induced by the parasite’s toxins while it infiltrated its 
  host. Bob might explain it away as indigestion from 
  his clandestine clam feed the night before.
   Should anyone ask him about his furtive feast, Bob 
  describes the Golden Tide and the remarkable clam 
  harvest, at least as much as he knows from his digger 
  family. The characters might decide to talk to Bob’s 
  relatives; if they do, they will learn that the others 
  have not yet partaken of the clams. The Dree family 
  are quite upset to hear the youth ate up some of their 
  potential profit, and they resist any suggestion that 
  their harvest is tainted. Without solid evidence, they 
  accuse the characters of working for a rival to interfere 
  with their sales.
  An Interesting Discovery
  Meanwhile, the flesh tailor made its way back to its 
  lair (an old shipwreck a few miles up the coast) with 
  the prized swath of flesh. On examining its booty, the 
  creature realized that it had not collected ordinary 
  skin. Torn away from the living body it was infesting, 
  in its death throes the parasite released quantities 
  of the secretion that softens the underlying flesh for 
  consumption. This fluid, collecting at the bottom 
  of the specialized jar used to hold the harvests, had 
  an unexpected preservative effect on the other flesh 
  samples.
   The parasite itself did not survive, but the harvester 
  is now very interested in collecting more specimens 
  to extract the precious substance. Normally a shy 
  creature, venturing out only rarely when a new piece 
  was needed, the Face-Taker has now determined it 
  
  8
  needs to scout out the village more carefully to learn 
  where it can collect more of this strange flesh.
   The characters might seek out the flesh tailor 
  after the attack or intercept it while stalking another 
  victim. They might also stumble across its lair 
  while collecting the dwarfsbeard seaweed that is an 
  essential ingredient of Peg’s “chaw” (see “Curing the 
  Afflicted” below).
   Floating Horror: The face-taker is quite selective 
  in its harvests, and even after collecting a specimen 
  might end up throwing it away. Along the rocky shore 
  near its lair drifts a ghastly chorus that has been 
  animated from such discarded facial scraps. Rather 
  than a deliberate creation of necromancers, this vile 
  undead being was formed by the influence of the 
  nearby demonic pollution. Its many moaning faces 
  float on the tides like dreadful seafoam.
  FLESH TAILOR 
  DIFFICULTY 50
  Size 1 horrifying harvester
  Perception 13 (+3); shadowsight
  Defense 15, Health 50; Insanity —; Corruption 1d3
  Strength 13 (+3), Agility 15 (+5), Intellect 10 (+0), Will 13 (+3)
  Speed 12
  Immune gaining Insanity
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Talons +5 with 2 boons (2d6 plus Flay on attack roll 20+)
  Flay A living creature of flesh and blood takes 1d6 extra 
  damage and becomes impaired for 1 round. If the target 
  is already impaired, it instead takes 1d6 extra damage.
  SPECIAL ACTIONS 
  Change Face When a living creature of flesh and blood 
  becomes incapacitated from an attack made by the flesh 
  tailor, the harvester can use a triggered action to steal its 
  face. The triggering creature dies and each creature that 
  is not a harvester that can see the flesh tailor must get a 
  success on a Will challenge roll or gain 1 Insanity.
  Skittering Dance The flesh tailor uses an action or a 
  triggered action on its turn to move up to its Speed. This 
  movement does not trigger free attacks.
   If the characters defeat the flesh tailor or explore 
  its lair, they can discover the jar containing the 
  preserved parasite among the other dreadful tools of 
  the harvester’s trade. Removed from the victim’s face, 
  the thing looks something like a twisted starfish with 
  long filaments extending from its “limbs.” Scraps of 
  Bob’s facial skin are still stuck to the underside in 
  places. Anyone looking at the ghastly thing must get 
  a success on an Intellect challenge roll with 1 bane or 
  gain 1 Insanity.
  A Worried Noble
  Lady Eiðella Haraldsdöttir is a self-appointed 
  noblewoman of minor rank. As her name makes clear, 
  she claims jotun heritage, reinforced by her powerful 
  build, ice-blue eyes, slightly bluish skin, and hair so 
  pale it is almost white.
   Lady Eiðella’s ancestors came to this stretch of 
  coast two centuries ago and claimed a tract of land 
  overlooking the harbor, upon which was an ancient 
  but perfectly serviceable road built by the jotun. The 
  road to the harbor connects the Haraldsdöttir land 
  to Rock Rump as well as to the coastal road that runs 
  by a few miles away. In return for the use of the road, 
  the noble family has claimed an annual tax from the 
  villagers, who pay it without complaint, since the 
  road brings commerce and opportunity not available 
  before—without it, the Clam Fest could never be 
  more than a strictly local event. Lady Eiðella also 
  collects a toll from travelers to cover maintenance of 
  the road, typically 5 bits per leg (plus 1 cp per wheel).
   Lady Eiðella enjoys considerable wealth, at least 
  by local standards. Her estate’s sheep flocks are the 
  largest in the area. As well, her family’s property 
  borders the famed clam beds. In order to avoid 
  overharvesting this valuable resource, she has 
  declared control over access, allowing the harvest to 
  proceed only under close supervision, and only at 
  approved times.
   Each year, the clamming season opens with a 
  ceremony of prayer to the bounty of the sea god, 
  in which lots are drawn for harvesting rights. 
  
  9
  Lady Eiðella herself oversees the lottery, and each 
  participant pays a license fee to her. The holder of 
  a given lot has exclusive access to that section of the 
  clam beds for the specified time, and the allocation 
  of rights is set up such that a given section is not 
  overharvested. At any given time, three lot-holders are 
  able to gather clams.
   Competition is fierce for these rights, and the 
  most aggressive clammers employ intrigue, bribery, 
  and even strong-arm tactics to maneuver for the 
  earliest and best times. Now, with the rich harvest 
  of the Golden Tide, the struggle has become even 
  more intense. Lady Eiðella has assigned two of her 
  household guards (mercenaries) to watch over the 
  clam beds in alternating shifts during the ebb tides. 
  Assisting them are two sets of two shore wardens 
  (patrollers) drawn from the local population.
   If the group approaches Lady Eiðella with their 
  suspicions, she expresses concern. She does not 
  understand why the peasants want to dig up and eat 
  filthy things that live in the muck, but she is content 
  to let them do so as long as she gets her percentage. 
  The potential loss of income would be a serious blow 
  to her livelihood. If the characters were able to slay or 
  drive off the tainted creatures threatening the road, 
  she is even more inclined to assist them.
   Lady Eiðella has six household guards in total and 
  can assign them to blockade the clam beds. If more 
  resistance is offered than they can handle, she can 
  use her family’s influence to call on the services of 
  up to four additional troops from the nearby city 
  (mercenaries). However, those reinforcements will 
  take at least two days to arrive and will not stay 
  longer than three days without payment (1 ss per 
  person per day).
  Curing the Afflicted
  Since the parasite was created by the Demon Lord’s 
  influence, mundane healing techniques are not enough 
  to remove it safely from a creature that has been 
  infested. Once it has completely seized control, removal 
  is no longer possible without the most potent magic.
   A creature can be rid of the parasite through magic 
  that removes the diseased affliction before it is fully 
  invested, such as the brew remedy spell from the Alchemy 
  tradition (see Demon Lord’s Companion, page 34), cure 
  or greater cure spells from the Life tradition, and speed 
  healing from the Transformation tradition. Similar magic 
  can expel the larva before it begins its investment.
   A character can try to target the parasite with 
  a damage-dealing spell before it is fully invested. 
  Any damage is sufficient to kill the parasite, but the 
  infected creature still takes damage as it sloughs from 
  the face. However, the caster must make an additional 
  challenge roll using the appropriate attribute with 1 
  bane; on a failure, the infected creature also takes half 
  the damage.
   The remove curse spell from the Protection tradition 
  (see Terrible Beauty, page 22) instantly expels the 
  larva or causes the partially invested parasite to drop 
  from the infected creature’s face. It can also eradicate 
  the parasite from a host that has been completely 
  infected, although it does nothing to restore the 
  victim’s ravaged face and mouth. Only powerful 
  magic, such as the regeneration or total healing spells 
  from the Alteration and Life traditions, respectively, 
  can effect such restoration.
  Potent Chaw
  Gnarly Peg has never been seen without a cheek 
  bulging with the foul substance known only as 
  “chaw.” It is not just chewing tobacco, although that 
  is a major component. Peg claims the habit is good 
  for the health, and so far the claim is hard to dispute. 
  The odd villager has resisted all infestation by the 
  parasite, despite having consumed quantities of the 
  infested clams. The recipe is a secret, but the group 
  can convince Peg to help produce more if shown that 
  it is a defense against infestation.
  
  10
   Creating chaw is much the same as brewing a 
  potion. It requires an appropriate skill set, such 
  as an apothecary or brewer, or knowledge of the 
  Alchemy tradition (see Demon Lord’s Companion). 
  One pound of this substance is sufficient to dose up 
  to 32 humanoids of Size 1 or smaller. The needed 
  components are as follows:
  • ½ pound chewing tobacco
  • ¼ pound dwarfsbeard seaweed (this is harvested 
  only from a rocky headland several miles from 
  the village, where the Golden Tide has not yet 
  encroached)
  • A handful of berries from the seafoam plant, a 
  local herb (they are slightly toxic and can cause 
  stomach cramps and diarrhea in those not inured 
  to their effects)
  • Several wintergreen leaves
  • A tot of rum
  • A dash of guano from seabird nesting rocks  
  (“for texture,” says Peg)
  The mixture is kneaded into a doughy ball with a 
  tough, glutinous texture. It tastes about as good as 
  you’d imagine. Chewing a dose of chaw for at least 
  4 hours renders a creature immune to the parasite’s 
  infestation for the next 24 hours (the stunned larva 
  passes into the digestive system and is destroyed). 
  It is also possible to dose living clams with this mixture. 
  When an infected mollusk consumes the substance, 
  any larvae within its gut are stunned and expelled from 
  its body, where they quickly die. However, it absorbs 
  the nasty flavor and becomes virtually inedible for 
  several weeks thereafter, so this is not a satisfactory 
  approach in the eyes of the vendors.
   Enterprising characters might decide to treat 
  the clam beds. Doing so would require prodigious 
  quantities of chaw, though (at least 200 pounds of 
  chewing tobacco, for a start), and only temporarily 
  halts the infestation. The only way to permanently 
  stop the threat is to stop the Golden Tide itself.
  Purifying the Infestation
  Characters with access to powerful magic of the 
  Celestial or Death traditions might be able to destroy 
  corrupted areas of the clam beds, or purify some of 
  the affected mollusks. Again, though, such measures 
  are only temporary since the next swell of the Golden 
  Tide will mutate more of the endemic symbiotes.
  • Celestial: The radiation spell destroys the parasitic 
  larvae while leaving the clams intact, though 
  dying. (They are safe if harvested and consumed 
  right away.). Destructive blasts of light are a less 
  subtle but effective method of sterilization.
  • Death: The death fog spell will kill everything, 
  clams and parasites alike, and is most effective 
  at low tide while the beds are exposed. However, 
  the clams are buried in the muck and will require 
  at least 3 rounds of continuous exposure to 
  thoroughly treat them.
  Players might come up with other creative ways 
  to deal with the infestation through magic. Any 
  reasonable idea should be encouraged.
  Conclusion
  Whatever means the characters come up with to stop 
  the infestation, their efforts will only be temporary so 
  long as the Golden Tide continues to flow. The only 
  way to stop the phenomenon for good is to seal the 
  fissure between worlds at the heart of the Void shoal. 
  The quest to do this can form the basis for one or 
  more master-level adventures.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadow of the Demon Lord/Adventures/Expert/SotDL - Saving Face (expert).pdf