Devil at the Crossroads

 

Prelude:

As you walk down the lonely roads, endless plains around you, the hot sun setting behind and the full moon rising in front, you come to a crossroads and a mysterious figure is standing there. Tall, with coal black eyes and a suit made of the finest silk. He smiles at you.

Intro:

“Howdy stranger,” he says in a thick accent and a wide smile “would you be interested in a story?”

If you decline, he replies “Are you sure? How about this, if I can tell you a truth that no one would know you have to listen; how does that sound?”

If you decline again, he lets you go with a tip of his hat and a knowing smile; “Well till we meet again and do mind the roads.”

If the players agree to this then he states a secret for each member of the party that should be impossible for him to know.

When the players inevitably cast detection spells and knowledge checks they all come up blank, it's as if they are looking at just the air. This man will just gain a twinkle in his eyes as all their attempts fail to figure out who is in front of them.

If you accept hear the speaks a story: “There once was a troubled musician, with sore fingers and always out of tune he was even run out of towns. Till he met a stranger that tuned his guitar and from there he became famous. He became a master overnight and those who adored him grew like wheat on the fertile delta. Folks will say this story is a tall tale, that even a magic item couldn’t do what this tuned guitar did but I can assure you it’s real.”

His grin grows even wider as a table and chairs appear without any rhyme or reason.

“Now would any of you be interested in a deal?”

The Deal:

 

If they decline a deal, then he simply frowns and goes “Well partner I best let you go on your way then.” When the party blinks it as if he never existed besides the faint smell of tobacco smoke. Never to be seen again.

If they accept a deal then the terms are interesting, powerful items and boons to be had for just simple payments like your firstborn child, your soul, your eyesight, or even your memories. He is monogamous and will allow you to back out at any time. If the players agree to a deal, then a contract appears, with a simple pen and dotted line to be signed. As they sign the line their boons appear and with a knowing grin he disappears. If they break the contract, then very bad things happen.

The Man is not a DnD god, or demigod or entity from even their entire multiverse and cosmology. He is a traveler from everywhere and everywhen. If the players, ask for a name he simply states with a wink “Names have power.” and if they ask where he is from, he says “Here and there.” If they ask him about the nature of the universe life and the world he will have answers for them.

If the players say that he is simply something from their known world he will say “I am so much more, don’t insult me and my hospitality.”

 

Outro:

Besides a stat boost for players this encounter should give them the question of “What did they just encounter?” It should also help show that even though this is DnD/Fantasyland not everything fits into the world's tropes and set definitions. The man is simply something other.

 

Inspiration:

Folklore-

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/robert-johnson-myth-devil-crossroads-story/

https://juliettegodot.com/legends-of-the-vosges/devil-fiddler/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_(folklore)

 

Music-

Primus - The Devil Went Down To Georgia (Official Music Video)

Colter Wall - The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie (Audio)

Futurama - Leela beats the devil in a fiddle contest