The boy looks over his shoulder, but seeing no "Sir" behind him shrugs and gets back to work.
Othoe opens the blue door and gestures for Dorial.
I wonder what dog talk sounds like?
The dim light of the hallway spills into the nearly bare room, supplementing a few puny shafts piercing the aged wall to the north. A desk, made of nothing more than a few planks nailed together and a matching stool seem to be the only furniture, a large tan rug lays sprawled in the center of the room.
At the sound of the door opening, and entering, the "rug" barely lifts his large, lion-ish head. Sad, dark eyes peer at the party through a massive face of folds and wrinkles before closing again. "Dandelion" lets out a low, barely audible whimper, but is otherwise quiet and still.
Kast limps along after the group, his longspear matching the pace set by his left leg.
His eyes begin to drink the design of the town now that he's really seeing all of it.
Nice town. Nice people. Everyone is so friendly. I wonder if the dogs are friendly too.
Perception
Never did like this lumber place, always a bad vibe about it.
Simon's nose wrinkles as they pass the bleaching station, the stink of the process invading his sinuses.
Nothing that smells like that can be a good thing, why would Darkwood need such treatment?
Simon hands a biscuit from yesterday's breakfast to Dorial and includes a bit of hard cheese to help her discussion with Dandelion, if they ever find him.
So this is where nature goes to die.
Nimeon turns to the rug.
"Hello Dandelion. I see where you got your name."
"Poor old chap"
He could probably do with a bit of friendly attention - maybe leave it to the druid, though?
Dorial slowly walks over to Dandelion and kneels down in front of him, a biscuit in her hand. "Hello Dandelion, I've brought you a gift."
"I'm sorry for your loss Dandelion. I've brought you some food and wish to comfort you."
1d20+8
Dorial slowly walks over to Dandelion and kneels down in front of him, a biscuit in her hand. "Hello Dandelion, I've brought you a gift."
"I'm sorry for your loss Dandelion. I've brought you some food and wish to comfort you."
Dandelion perks his ears a little at the sound of his name and whimpers low again, but only sniffs at the biscuit. As Dorial tries again, this time with speak with animals on her side, he edges closer, his whimpers and growls in answer.
"άρωμα σας είναι νέο, και δεν έχω τίποτα να προσφέρουν τώρα ότι τα κατοικίδια καλή αγάπη έχει φύγει. Δεν άνεση για μένα, δεν υπάρχει, αλλά το φαγητό είναι καλό."
Edging forward on his "knees and elbows", Dandelion stretches for any food that might be had, but not with any real gusto.
"I could bring you any type of food you like if you wish. I do have a few questions for you if you feel up to it."
Dandelion snuffles and bumps at Dorial's hand then shakes his big shaggy head and begins to howl,"όχι όχι ... απλά θέλουν να δουν τα κατοικίδια ζώα καλή αγάπη ... κατοικίδια καλή αγάπη! Κλαψουρίζουνκλαψούρισμαγκρίνια!"
Dorial strokes Dandelion's fur, "I'm so sorry that you cannot be with her right now. I wish I could do more to help you."
She wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him warmly.
Poor thing has gone through an awful lot. I wish there was something we could do.
Dandelion quiets down after a moment, nuzzling after the biscuit. Finally, with his whole body leaning heavily against you, he responds again with something other than whimpers and sighs,
"απαντήσεις που ζητάτε, το κάνετε."
Dorial leans her head against Dandelion's.
"Thank you. Can you tell me if Pets Good Love went anywhere or ate anything before she became sick? I know it's hard, but we want to stop this from happening again."
"όχι τόσο πολύ, νομίζω; Δεν ξέρω.εργαστεί αργά αργά, ξύπνησε άρρωστος."
at this point, Dandelion's head slumps again, and the thick folds of his eyelids tremble as they close.
"άσε με να κοιμηθώ τώρα."
Kast marvels at the 'talking' dog and watches Dorial make some sort of headway.
I guess if they start sniffing rear ends we'll know that they have reached some sort of accord.
Nimeon turns away as Dorial begins talking to the dog.
Such gifts, denied me. Father, this is your fault!
Good lords, think of the special herbs I could find in the wilds with such skills! Perhaps when this is all over I can hire Dorial on full time.
Dorial kisses Dandelion on the head before standing.
"Sleep well gentle Dandelion."
She wipes away a tear as she turns to the group. "I may have been wrong about the food. His master didn't eat anything before getting sick."
This can be even worse than I originally thought
She continues, "All she had was water while Dandelion ate all her meat." Turning to Simon, "Is there a well or other water source that the drinking water is gathered from? We may want to look there."
Kast nods, feeling sorry for the dog and for its loss.
Kast sighs and backs away from the dog and home before turning to address the group.
"I think we should go stake out the cemetery next. It's out the northern road, past The Sitting Duck, I think. After that, we should explore the water idea."
Chrystosm frowns. "The dog ate the meat? Er... I mean, this isn't my area of expertise, but does he look well to you?
He eyes the dog, trying to determine its general state of health
"Well, I suppose we can check, though not sure I could even tell if he was feeling sick?"
"Just in case he does have any physical injuries, it couldn't hurt to help in every way we can."
"I think we should go stake out the cemetery next. It's out the northern road, past The Sitting Duck, I think. After that, we should explore the water idea."
"Kast, there are still an hour or two before dusk, so maybe we should look at the communal well on our way to the cemetery while it's still light. I'm not sure what we can learn there without actually climbing in and swimming around, but maybe something will be obvious."
If something was obvious, others would have noticed it by now. Still, no stone unturned I guess.
Othoe watches Simon cast a spell on the dog. I hope we don't need that later...
"Excellent point, Othoe-Although I think that's do our advantage. I'd like to see things while we have some light left...so either the well, if it's on the way, or the cemetery before it gets dark is preferable."
Kast's tongue twists trying to tell truly.
"Well? Well, why not? Simon, where is the wet watery well?"
I think I'm confusing myself.
"If Dandelion ate her food it may very well be the well. Let's go there on our way to the cemetery, as Kast and Othoe have suggested. I think going to the cemetery at night is actually to our advantage. If there are evil-doers about they will be more likely to act at night."
"There are two wells for our town, the large common one that serves most of the people and a second one that sits up on "The Perch". It's the large common one in the center of town that I think we should investigate. Dorial, do you think Dandelion would be happier back at my greenhouse and workshop, we could give him more attention than he gets here and I'll promise to make fresh biscuits for him."
Though Dandelion is fully healed by Simon's spell, he doesn't seem any happier for it and goes back to his moping.
A rattle of keys and the thump of boots grows steadily louder from down the hall, then pauses as the sound of voices take over, one low and slow and rumbly, the other the high pitched voice of the boy from before,
"Oh no, sire. Ubert's out walkin' perim's otter. I can put that away for you, though."
After another grumble and rumble, the thump of boots begins, but fades out, and the jingle of keys sounds just outside the door.
Sticking his head in, the boy checks first for Dandelion, then the rest of you, "You weren't able to fix him, huh? I was afraid of that. But it's best you were all on your way before the foreman or Ubert catch you. He won't be happy I let strangers in, not even for Dandelion."
I certainly don't want to get caught!
Othoe looks a little nervous.
"Let's get going then. We can always come back for Dandelion tomorrow - right? Simon, you know the town, lead on."
"Well inspection time it is. We can throw a copper in it and make a wish even if we don't find anything, I suppose"
Simon matches Othoe's nervous appearance.
"Yes, let's get out of here, the sooner the better, and the less people that see us the better."
"Othoe, you're stealthier and more observant than the rest of us, it may be best if you lead the way out of the mill, the well is right in the center of town."
You are able to sneak out the back of the paper mill with the boy's help, "Don't you worry, I'll keep an eye on Dandelion. Miss Ella would have wanted me to. "
The sun sits lower in the Eastern sky now, and the common well, normally a meeting place for many is somewhat empty due to the approach of the late afternoon meal.
A traditional low, crenelated wall encircles the well, and a bucket hangs above it attached to a crude crank system.
Simon lowers the bucket into the well and hoists up a pail of water, then checks it for poison and magic.
Simon lowers the bucket into the well and hoists up a pail of water, then checks it for poison and magic.
It seems to take a long time, but eventually the bucket splashes into the water below, then is brought back up again, though it isn't nearly as appetizing looking as the tea from this afternoon, though both had bits of things floating in it.
"That doesn't look healthy. Wouldn't it be obvious if they were poisoning this well though?"
"No poison or magic in the well, as far as I can tell, though that's not surprising as it's a disease we're chasing. Those bits floating in there don't look very appetizing."
Simon fishes the bits out and rolls them into a square of cloth for investigating at the greenhouse later.
"Might as well get a meal in us and prepare for our cemetery exploration this evening."
"Chunky water huh? I've seen worse in my travels, but not from a central well I think! Perhaps it needs to be dug a little deeper, or dredged to get the scum off the bottom."
A meal sounds good - but what to eat? And what do drink?! Everything could contain the plague...
"If we're to stop for a meal, let's do so quickly. I'm eager to check out this cemetery. So far we've gathered no solid leads and I must admit a little frustration. It may be that we're simply out of our depths - much like this well. Too shallow..."
Kast watches Simon's spell work with interest.
I really should learn to do that. Irori?
"Stop for a meal? It feels like I just ate." Kast questions the need for a pause. "I'd like to see the cemetery during the light so I can find a good place to hide and/or look out. Can we press on?"
Soldiers don't eat when there is a need. Soldiers patrol.
"Kast is right Othoe. I know halflings are know for their appetite but this is no time to eat."
That was unkind, I should apologize.
"I'm sorry Othoe, I'm just worried. If this plague spreads so easily then it's possible it'll pass on to the animals, and that would not please me."
"Are we going to the cemetery at sundown, or after it's full night and we can hide in the darkness?"
Either way, Simon goes along with the group's plan, eager to find any clue to what's causing the plague.
"If you've a way of creating light then dark, else sundown would be my preferred."
Nimeon waits for the others to chime in. His relief at being outdoors again is visible. Or is it being away from Dandelion?
"I can create light."
The path through town passes right by The Sitting Duck , Fleur and Eli pause their activities at the pig pen, waving before heading inside. Several people pass the group at the gate, but beyond that, the road grows quiet as the sun light fails. The path from the main road heads towards the edge of a small copse of dark wood trees to the North East. The pale yellow flowers that line the path close with the loss of light, giving way to ferns beneath the trees.
The trees thin after several few yards, opening wide again into a glen of vague shapes and shadows. Markers of stone and wood spread over the wide expanse, the names of the dead lost in the deepening night.
Kast nods at Dorial's helpfulness.
"Yeah, light would be good when we need it. Right now, I just want to look for any clues of theft or malice while we have natural light. And maybe find a good place to hide. However, I don't know what we'll need until we need it."
Kast keeps on limping to the graveyard.
* * *
At the graveyard, Kast will walk around the perimeter to check things out, looking for signs of ingress/egress.
After that, Kast will do an orderly search of the graveyard for signs of open graves, ghosts, liches, and a good place where he can hide and get a good view of everything, if possible.
Kast,
The path is fairly tame, though grows wilder at the edges. Vines creep and curl across the ground, and the shadows are deep and dark, even with the small forest that remains of what was probably a much larger wood in the past.
Know (nature)
Know (religion)
Kast looks around, thinking as he does.
Chrystosm removes his lantern from his backpack. "Shall I light this, or are we keeping a low profile?"
If requested, he'll do just that, then act as lantern-bearer; otherwise, he'll keep watch, sword in hand.
Nimeon follows the rest, bow in hand and eyes scanning the area.
"You can never be sure what might be around, we're closer to the wilds now than town."
Dorial puts her hand on Chrystosm's lantern. Quietly she speaks, "I think we were keeping low for now. But just in case I will be ready."
She pulls a sling bullet out of her pouch and puts it in her front pocket, easily accessible.
Seeing Nimeon and Dorial prepare for combat, Othoe goes over the spells he has prepared in his head.
I'm as ready as I'll ever be. But what are we expecting?
Othoe sticks close to the party and peers into the darkness.
I suppose I could get out my sling, but I can't see very far in this light so what's the use?
I wonder what Dorial cast? Maybe a guidance. Druids are like priests, they get that cantrip don't they?
Othoe remains quiet and tries hard to blend into the shadows of the other party members.
Without artificial light, the area grows dark very quickly, and the sounds of nature at night overtake any distant murmurs from the town.