Help creating a new scenario?

[MonkeySage]

I need help planning a scenario...
Hama (neutral good) is my setting's Goddess of Agriculture, Animals, and Generosity. She's the patron of children, as well as farmers. She's also pretty active.
The mayor of a small village has tasked the players to hunt down an enormous bear that's been terrorizing the village, (but mostly the mayor himself and some of his friends). So, the players hunt the bear, and find a clearing where this Celestial Dire Bear is laying down, surrounded by small animals and even a young human girl, who's using the bear's front paw as a pillow. The child is dressed in worn clothes, but seems to be comfortable with the bear's presence. The bear doesn't seem to mind her. There's more to the story than the good mayor let on. (The bear was sent by Hama, specifically to terrorize this village).

Why would a neutral good goddess send a bear to terrorize a village?
Who is this girl?
What is the mayor's connection to all of this?

[TheYell]

The child is the oracle of Hama, and she's an orphan. Hama wants the current mayor to take her in and raise her to be the next mayor. She's said as much to him directly in dreams, but he's resistant to the idea. So she sent a giant bear to draw some heroes who will take the oracle back into town and subdue the mayor without harming him.

[therealmscast]

Maybe the mayor is doing something to annoy local farmers (raising taxes, not maintaining roads, ignoring requests for help). This has caused one or more of the farmers of the village to pray to Hama to help even the score. Hama summoned the bear--but maybe wanted a new cleric in return? Maybe a local farmgirl was enchanted into hanging around with this bear to learn Hama's faith and serve her will. What happens next is totally up to the players!

[Mutazoia]

They Mayor and his cronies are followers of whatever God(ess) is the polar opposite of Hama. They destroyed the neighboring village (the girls home) and have dedicated this village to the other God(ess)'s worship. The little girl is the daughter of the cleric of Hama from her village and fled to the woods has her village burned.

[Themrys]

Maybe the mayor is doing something to annoy local farmers (raising taxes, not maintaining roads, ignoring requests for help). This has caused one or more of the farmers of the village to pray to Hama to help even the score. Hama summoned the bear--but maybe wanted a new cleric in return? Maybe a local farmgirl was enchanted into hanging around with this bear to learn Hama's faith and serve her will. What happens next is totally up to the players!

How would the mayor of a village be able to annoy the local farmers? They voted him into office and can vote him out, or at least that is how mayors work in every universe I have ever read about. (In a pre-industrial village, farmers would always be the majority) Being mean to peasants is usually nobility's job, for that reason. Sure, the mayor could do all that, but it wouldn't be very clever if he wants to stay mayor.

Unless, of course, he cheated and intends to do so again. (Though if the village is so tiny that everyone votes by raising their hands, cheating might get difficult)


So, I'd assume his evils to be a bit less obvious. Perhaps he secretly mistreats animals. (But what is considered mistreatment by the standards of this goddess? Are the people vegans and the only animals around are pet snakes, cats and owls who eat the mice and protect the grains? Are they allowed to harm animals in the way that are standard in farming, like taking calves away from their mothers, killing animals, et cetera, but the mayor did something much, much worse?)

Or he secretly mistreats children. Perhaps the girl is his daughter and he beat her until she was unconscious, mistook her for dead and went to bury her with his friends, while telling everyone else that she mysteriously disappeared. (He could blame it on the bear, too, if he's ruthless enough.) Domestic violence is not everyone's cup of tea, though, so make sure none of your players have a problem with such a plot. Might be too close to home for some without you knowing.