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A strange smell has spread across the narrow pass of a valley, a smell so foul that horses and pack animals buckle and even humans felt nauseous after a while. The stench prevents almost anyone from crossing the pass and is impeding trade and delivery of important supplies.

1. The smell is caused by the burning of a strange wood not native to the region, suggesting that this is a planned setup. In fact, a group of hunters from a far-away country has came to the valley, tracking down an obscure and elusive creature (this creature may be in the folk-lore of the folks dwelling the valley), and they are using the stench to drive the creature out of its hiding place. If the adventurers would aid the hunters, and quickly get to the creature, then they would cease the “smoke siege” and return home. Of course, the adventurers could opt for a direct confrontation with the hunters, but they have an ace up the sleeve. By adding a herb to the fire, they could turn the smoke to be a posionous one. They would use that to blackmail the adventurers (and the settlements in the valley) if necessary.
2. A species of trees, found commonly among the forest surrounding the past, have begun to flower. This is actually surprising, as those trees are known not to produce any flowers or fruits. In fact, those trees to flower, about every three hundred years. Those flowers are what is producing the stench. The combined stench has caused all sort of animal forests to flee out, causing their behaviour to be erratic and even hostile. The purpose? It is to protect the seeds of the tree, which are contained within the flowers and spread by the wind. There used to exist a certain breed of bird immune to the stench and thus kept the trees’ population in check. But they were hunted to extinction and the forest grows larger and larger. A few hundred years more and these type of trees would have dominated the entire valley. Also, the seeds of those trees, if inhaled, proves to be lethal…
3. A group of merchant travelling through the valley were transporting a dangerous alchemical liquid, and they were attacked by bandits. The bandits brought back the cargo, not knowing its danger when they pry it open. An overpowering stench fills the air and scattered the bandits, but most succumb to the effect of the substance before they could escape. Those who do survived begin to suffer from excessive paranoia. The liquid is actually a distillation from a type of mushrooms, which if eaten, would cause breathing difficulty and anxiety. It is concentrated, and has “diffused” into the air. The buyer of the substance is not in the valley; rather, only a middle-man is. By linking the merchant’s attack to the day when the stench began, the adventurers may be able to deduce the cause. They may come up with a way to become immune to the substance. To get to the bandits’ hideout requires the adventurers to survive insane animals and the crazed bandits driven mad by the substance. Finally, there’s also the question of what did the buyer of the substance intended to do with it?

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