Bertrand has returned home from a stint in the logging camp to find his little sister has come down with the mysterious blackscour. After failing to comfort his mother, he heads down to Roots and Remedies to see if Laurel has found anything.
you have been in line for about 1 minute before a human outsider says
"Good people of Falcon's Hollow, I seek an audience with the herbalist Laurel, who owns this shop. Do you mind if I speak with her immediately?"you hear the hacking fit and the comments
you then hear an outsider half-elf in armour say
"I understand your concerns, but we seek only to help. I am a healer in service of Sarenrae, will you not let us aid you?"
and people let them go to the front.
Do you follow?
If I don't think it will get me lynched for cutting the line. then yes.
They know I'm not some outsider healer.
you see most of the peoples eyes are at the outsiders or back into their own thoughts.
or
you sense that you would not get lynched. if you followed, provided you don't come out with medicine.
Perception
Then I'll follow the half-elf in. Maybe I can help, or at least find out what they're going to try.
Sense Motive
As you follow them to the front of the shop it appears as
"Creeping ivy and full window boxes cover the
façade of the rugged-looking, two-story shop
bearing the faded sign “Roots and Remedies.”
when you get in
"The smell of burnt earth and spicy incense
chokes the air of the cramped, mud-tracked
shop. Bunches of dried herbs hang from the
ceiling, along with dangling pots, presses,
alchemical apparatuses, and glassware
of more arcane purposes. Pouches of rare
plants, jars of colored glass, and all manner
of dried, preserved, and jellied animal parts
fill high shelves and tables doing double duty
as displays and workspaces. In the shop’s
rear, a rail-thin woman with severe-looking
spectacles and hair pulled back tightly busies
herself between an overpacked rack of
herbs, a table covered in stray powders and
measuring equipment, and a pot loudly
bubbling
over with thick gray froth. Over
the din of her work and without looking up,
the woman impatiently shouts, “And what’s
your problem?”"
Bertrand will stay by the doorway and wait to hear what the half-elf has to say.
"Good day to you Ser Hemlyth, Please, follow me."
Tamnir enters the shop and hears Laurel's coarse greeting.
My problem, dear lady appears to be the same as everyone else's right now, though probably not as direct. My name is Tamnir Allefort, I am a healing priest and I would ask for your assistance in helping to combat this plague. I am afraid my knowledge of the disease however, is lacking, could you fill me in on the details?.
Take 10 on Diplomacy:
--Diplomacy check: Pass
--She's in a less sour of a mood.
--OOC I assume you ask the following questions, if not don't read it.
Your Questions (with response):
“Just a fungus that’s
not good for anything. Hard, bitter, and
sharp, it likes the water and gets you sick if
you drink it down. Never heard of it growing
around these parts, though, until now.”
“It’s a sickness,almost like any other, but you get the mold
growing in you. It starts eating away in your
chest and belly and is damned determined
to stay. Your body near turns itself insideout
trying to hack the stuff up, but all that
does is cuts your guts up… bad.”
“More than thirty, honestly,
though at least three times that thinks
they’ve got it.”
“Not around here. I’ll get these folks what
I can and we’ll see what good it does.”
“My grandmother’s book has a brew in it that says its
good for this kind of thing. A weird concoction
that sounds more like hoojoo than real
medicine.”
“Some rare roots and concentrations, most of which I
have here, but there’s three I don’t. Elderwood
moss, which I’ve never heard of, but
granny says the stuff only grows on the oldest
tree in a forest. A specially pickled root
called rat’s tail, again, sounds like hoojoo
to me. And seven ironbloom mushrooms,
stunty little things that only grow in dark
places thick with metal, a favorite among
dwarves, or so I hear.”
“Well, for the elderwood mold,
there’s gotta be an oldest tree in the vale.
Damned if I know where it is, though.
“The rat’s tail and mushrooms are even
longer shots. Way north, toward the mountains,
people say there used to live a bunch
of dwarves. They’re not there anymore,
but I’d bet their forges are. If you can find
ironbloom anywhere around here, that’d be
your best bet.
“As for the rat’s tail, who knows? Well.
Actually. Ulizmila, the witch that lives deep
in the woods might. She’s a crafty, mean
thing that knows all sorts of strangeness.
She might even have one. I don’t know what
she might want for it, but I doubt it’d come
cheap. My grandmother traded her sight to
the old crone for a few pages of what she
knew, and that was years and years back, and
I don’t know a soul who got any nicer as they
got older.”
“None! Folks are dying every
day! All we can hope to do now is treat who
we can and hope to save the gravedigger
some work.”
"Sounds like I need to hurry then. Could you please tell me which way is north?"
Only vague directions to one of these places and no idea where the other two might be. Guess I better ask around, and fast. Fortunately there are quite a few people outside. One of them must know something... If they're not too busy coughing, anyway.
Knowledge checks for those in ear shot
Eldest Tree-Know(Nature)
"Uhm, I don't know where any of those things would be, but maybe I can help anyway. I do know which way north is at least and I know the woods around here fairly well. Those places sound like they're out of my usual range though."
@Bertrand Wilhelm and Sig (since your locals, I'll let you use the Know(Local) skill)
if( your check== fail)
{
Give me INT checks.
(the result will vary the answer I'll give)
}
--OOC sorry been programing a bit
Demlan introduced himself to Tamnir with a short bow before entering the herbalist's shop and introducing the growing party to Laurel.
"Good lady Laurel," Demlan began, "Any assistance you may provide will aid us in bringing an end to this disease all the sooner. Do you know anyone who we can approach for directions to these places? A guide, perhaps?"
Following any assistance that Laurel can offer, he turns to his new-found compatriots.
"Gents, I suggest that we find our way to these locations as soon as possible to minimize the deaths that Falcon's Hollow suffers," Demlan entreats with his new fellows, "I have a sturdy warhorse that can bear me quickly across the land. I hope you have access to similar mounts?"
--Diplomacy check: Pass
--She's in a way less sour of a mood.
--OOC waiting on Sig.
--I may need to toss in an NPC helper
--->Known so far, Alkaid, Yuuki, ???, ???, ???
--OOC I randomly selected; past PC and NPCs I used. Their is one PC that is in current use though. You as a group pick, in game.
--I am increasing the NPC recruit list to 9, previous NPCs.
--You know 2 of them, an none out of the 9 are lumber jacks.
--And you do have a ranger listening in, who is a lumber jack.
--And there is some one, who can guide you to the missing locations.
--OOC Lets continue, Sig can roll his checks and catch up.
Ulizmila’s Hut -Know(Geo)DC:16 -Know(Local)DC:20:
Eldest Tree -Know(Geo)DC:20 -Know(Nature)DC:24:
Dwarven Monastery -Know(Geo)DC:16 -Know(Local)DC:20:
"If you gents are heading out into the wilderness, in the hopes of a find of cure for this plague, then I'm in."
Sig is a tall human, wearing a chain shirt and wielding a wooden shield and a large axe.
--OOC you can use local without ranks, in other words an INT check
Ulizmila’s Hut -Know(Local)DC:20:
Dwarven Monastery -Know(Local)DC:20:
Sig had never even heard of those places, they mus be deep within the woods.
@ Sig and Bertrand Wilhelm
@All
What are you going to do?
See if you can recruit an extra hand?
Get mounts for your party?
Finding a guide or map of the Vale?
and anything else you can come up with?
--OOC I might get temped to make a new dice roll program, with a randomizing ECC code to insure no cheating.
@ Sig and Bertrand Wilhelm
INT Check DC: 11:
So you know,
And what do you do?
"Milon Rhoddam knows the woods better than I do. If anyone can point us in the right direction it'll be him. He's probably up at the camp now. I can guide you there at least."
"I don't have a horse. It's not that long a walk. Over the long haul a horse won't be faster anyway. There might be someone in town willing to sell, but more likely farmbred than war horses."
"I will need to stop home and pick up some supplies. Won't take more than a few minutes though."
Tamnir steps back to allow Sig and Bertrand room in the shop as they enter bot it and the conversation.
"Then pooling our resouces seems to be the best plan."
Adding shortly afterwards to Bertrand:
"Well, if having a horse isn't going to improve my chances, I'll stay as I am. If you could suggest supplies that any of us should have for the envronments we'll be looking in, that would also be of use."
--OOC the Lumber Consortium Camp is 37 miles away that's 3 days away on foot.
--OOC EDIT, whoops read that wrong, it's 37 miles for a round trip from Hollow to camp to locations (optimized) to Hollow again.
Demlan listened for a moment before deciding on a course of action.
"Well gentlemen, it would appear that our best way forward is to speak to this Milon and attempt to secure his services, or at least his aid in the form of a map or decent directions," Demlan said, with an air of authority. "If you give me half an hour or so, then I shall ready my horse and purchase some supplies. I suggest you all do the same. We can stow provisions in my mount's saddlebags."
"Sounds like a plan. I'll be sorting out my own supplies then. If either of you require a mount yourselves you are welcome. to join me in searching."
Tamnir turns to leave, he is going to find supplies for week and to find and negotiate for the use of mounts:
Take 10 on Perception:
Take 10 on Diplomacy:
@Tamnir Allefort
The only locations with Rent-able horses is the Goose’n’Gander, and General Jacks Shop (at sitting Duck Location)
@Tamnir Allefort and Ser Demlan Hemlyth
you can buy supplies at General Jacks Shop.
@Bertrand Wilhelm
When you get home, you hear the coughing of your mother, but you have a gut feeling going on this "quest" will help in getting a cure, for her. Provided you make it in time.
@Sig
what do you do?
See if you can recruit an extra hand?
Get mounts for your party?
Getting Supplies?
and anything else you can come up with?
Sig addresses Tamnir "a horse will be most valuable in the wilds. Would you like to go with me to purchase one?"
"I suggest then that we meet back here in half an hour before heading out to find this Milon fellow," Demlan said before striding off purposefully.
Bertrand will try to scrape up a few silver to rent a horse for a few days and head over to General Jacks Shop to see what he can find.
He'll also package up some food that'll last a few days on the trail.
With the revised distance, how long will it take us to reach the camp?
If Tamnir doesn't want to go, then Sig will go to General Jack's with Bertrand.
@All OOC
To lumber camp walking 1 day, and 2 days all locations (optimized) and depending on the route back 1 to 3 days.
By horse Lumber camp is 1/2 day, .
INT check DC: 12:
Sig stopped, considered everything he knew about the vale... Upon further consideration, he concluded that walking would be better.
"Bertrand, perhaps it would be better to save your money. The vale is no place for horses. I suppose, if all were willing, we might purchase a single pack mule. I think that would be manageable."
"Perhaps if we could get a good deal, we could ride to the camp and walk from there. Save a good part of the trip and still leave the horses safe?
It depends on whether Jack is willing to give us a break for a good cause. Or maybe on whether any of his family is sick..."
"If we leave the horses at the campsite, we'll need to hire a wrangler to watch them while we're away. I'm not so well-off as to become an employer right now..."
"You've convinced me. We'll walk."
Bertrand returns to wait for the others, now clad in tough, if crude, hide armor and carrying a large ax.
--OOC if the party moves at 20ft the time to go to lumber camp and all the locations increases to 5 days, this does not include the return trip.
Very, well. On foot it is. However, if we wish to move fast I'll need to remove this armour I'm afraid. He shrugs, a few scales clinking with the action. "Perhaps Ser Hemlyth's steed is able... Regardless, I shall need supplies of my own, could I have directions to the local store please?" Tamnir leaves once instructed.
--OOC General Jacks Shop, even trades armour, so your not attacked, not wearing your armour if you go down this route, (or I toss it in the treasure)
@Tamnir Allefort
Along the way to General Jack's Shop
you pass by another group of women gossiping
Woman 1: "I heard that handsome Sanjuro fellow and Gardenia woman were attacked by goblins near the forest collecting herbs and plants for Laurel to make some of her medicines."
Woman 2: "Did any of them get hurt?"
Woman 1: "I heard it was nothing serious."
Woman 3: "Well I heard that Sanjuro, took one for that her, and right now is recovering."
Woman 2: "How romantic, of him to protect her.... I would love a husband who is that devoted to his wife."
@Ser Demlan Hemlyth
--OOC since I don't know where your going, I'll toss a bit of info your way.
As your walking down the street..
You notice a woman, who looks Identical to the buxom red head you ran into before, but this one has shorter hair and she seems more tomboyish, and wearing a red breast plate, red gleaves, and a pair of red cestus and she is mumbling to herself.
She is mumbling something about Sanjuro, Gardenia and a Goblin trio.
@Sig and Bertrand
While your waiting...
a group of women gossiping are passing by
Woman 1: "I heard that handsome Sanjuro fellow and Gardenia woman were attacked by 3 goblins."
Woman 2: "Did any of them get hurt?"
Woman 3: "I did heard Her good arm got a nasty wound."
Woman 1: "I also heard those goblins got a good beating, but they got away."
Perception check:
Goblins? Never really encountered one before; I suppose I better be ready to face anything now that I've chosen this path. Well, may the Dawnflower's light show me where to place my feet.
Tamnir finally reaches the shop, intending to buy a week's supplies...
Perception:
"Excuse me ladies, did I hear you say goblins? Where was this? I'm heading back out to the lumber camp and I'd like to know if there's danger around."
In the interests of speed, I'll trade my hide for studded leather if I can.
"Apologies, my lady, but I couldn't help but overhear you mention goblins," Demlan said, holding his hand out to slow the woman as she walked past, "Does Falcon's Hollow suffer from more than just the taint?"
@Bertrand Wilhelm and Sig
Woman 1: "Oh the Goblin Attack, I believe it was close to Elara's Half-way house or was it just north of here?"
Woman 3: "You want to know if there is any Danger, Well Bertrand, I though you already knew about the little buggers considering you working the lumber yards in the Vale."
@Bertrand Wilhelm and Sig
You know of the wolves, fey and other critters, but the goblins only appeared about a month ago, and are better than normal, luckily there are only 3.
@Ser Demlan Hemlyth
Red headed Woman "Oh, you startled me."
[she pauses]
Red headed Woman "You want to know about the goblins, I only got here about a week ago so I don't know much about them, except that they are appear doing stupid things, but actually are smarter than normal goblins, lucky there are only 3 of them."
[she pauses and puts her right index finger to her chin]
Red headed Woman "Sanjuro and Gardenia, got surprised by them, and when the little freaks ran, "Sanjuro and Gardenia followed, only for Gardenia to get caught in a snare trap that put her a good foot above the ground, add into the fact that she was wearing a chain shirt and a leather skirt, and flipped upside down. She was not a happy camper."
You notice that her voice is identical to the other red head from before.
Red headed Woman "Oh, that's right I have not introduced myself, I am Blackrose."
Blackrose "And you look kind of cute."
you notice is the same line the other red head used.
--OOC yes you can swap out, but I'll sweeten it a bit and make it a chain shirt (but at the some treasure expense) I'll make the same offer to all if your wearing medium armour.
Int/Local:d20
"I'd heard of them, of course, but it's always good to know where they've been seen. They stay away from the lumbering, too many strong men with axes. Thank you. I hope Gardenia will be okay."And I hurry on to the rendezvous.
@Bertrand Wilhelm
you also know Gardenia and Sanjuro are not locals, they arrived a week ago as a group of nine.