The dwarves do not long tarry. After the supplies are unloaded, they then haul their barges out of the water. The craft are very simple, made from freshly-hewn wood. Lady Brightshield explains that these are also part of the shipment, meant to supplement the community's timber.
The dwarves eagerly gather around and prompt their leader to use her magic to "get them home already."
Kalig nods in agreement with Brightshield, and then after bidding her farewell, helps with the unloading where needed.
"Safe travels, Lady Brightshield.", says Dorick, then realising the swiftness of her travel.
The dwarven wizardess recites the incantation, and a pale blue circle - lined with dwarven runes - appears beneath the feet of her and her hirelings. Some of them shuffle nervously, warily watching the magic lines grow in intensity. As the light of the spell brightens, the dwarves' forms fade away as they are ferried back to the mountains far to the west. The spell, too, fades and leaves no trace that they once stood there at the riverside.
The rest of the day and into the next, the supplies that the dwarves brought are inventoried and stored. So, too, are their barges hacked apart into their constituent logs and measured to be sawed down.
Soraya approaches you, seeking help from Kalig in particular. No sooner has her infirmary opened its doors than she was beset by folks seeking her ministrations.
"At first I believed it was merely exhaustion and heatstroke," she explains quietly, "but now I'm worried it may be something more. Not only have they clearly developed a fever, but red spots have appeared along their back and arms. I wanted to consult with you for input. Only three or four people have fallen ill so far, but that's still enough to leave me very frightened about contagion."
"Trading for basic things like building material would be great, the nearest forest seems to hold large creatures, undead and a growing centaur feud, but thank you for your aid in all of this."
Kalig frowns. "And contagion or no, fear of it will cause problems as well."
She asks Soraya not just details about the illness, but also who the afflicted are--are they old, young, farmers, fishers, etc. And did they have contact with the dwarves recently, or the Keleshites before that.
She also wonders if she's heard of any such afflictions either when in the wilderness or through similarly small hamlets.
If she has no idea, she makes a suggestion: "Mia is the next obvious person, although she is not... experienced in the ways of the world, she knows medicines. However, I wonder if we could also consult with one of Fendir's wives. Bekk... Brekka, I think? I thought she was something of a hedge witch or medicine woman. And I don't think likely to stir up a fuss."
Dorick goes with Kalig to try and ease worried minds and see if he can spot anything he recognises from desert ailments on campaign.
Kalig is at a loss to diagnose the illness, beyond typing it as a kind of fever. The three sufferers include one of the farmers, Davin the cobbler, and Rolf the woodcutter. Rolf had contact with the dwarves, helping to haul their barges ashore and splitting the logs to be repurposed. Davin the cobbler had contact with the Keleshites, repairing some of the sailor's boots while they were ashore. The farmer, an man in his forties, had contact with neither group.
Cholera and dysentery are also common in wilderness and cities alike, although these patients do not present the unpleasant symptoms of those diseases.
At least, not yet.
Despite the lingering mystery of this illness, Dorick inspires the patients to keep confidence in their healers, while also maintaining the morale of said healers.
When you approach Fendir, he quickly summons his hedge witch wife. Brekka listens intently, though grimly, as the situation is explained to her. She proves to have no more insight into the nature of this disease. She is more familiar with treating infections incurred through injury or accident. Nevertheless, she offers some rather potent medicine that can suppress pain and get the afflicted back on their feet. As she and her husband proudly explain, their tribe's medicine focuses on steeling the body to fight through the suffering.
"I have not seen the flying insects that would deliver illnes with bites and stings. We had to watch for those in the desert."
"Have we questioned the sick folk to see if they have anything they have been doing that is simular to one another? Eating the same berries, using the same water source?"
He asked with a frown trying to figure out what could be causeing any of this.
"That is a good question, Francoix. We should put it to the sick."
"In some remote villages, the source of a lot of fevers is traced to rodents. Like those little longtailed hoppers we've seen around. Could be a disease they carry, or fleas upon them, or maybe something in their flesh--maybe someone caught and ate them without adequate cooking."
"In the morning, I can prepare a spell that can help us identify the disease, but disease can spread quickly. We shouldn't wait to see what else we can learn--but I will leave it to Soroya to decide how much questioning the ill can take at once. Just if you go looking too deep, take care not to expose yourself."
Kalig will thank Brekka for her help, and tell them they will reserve her medicines if the guards fall ill, so the town is not left defenseless.
Back at Soraya's infirmary, Rolf the woodcutter struggles against the pain running along his limbs, centered upon his joints, to rise from his pallet and answer your questions. With less eagerness, the other two patients also provide what information they can.
Like the rest of Haven's settlers, their diets are rather limited. Salted meat and pickled vegetables from the original caravan's stores are the mainstay, supplemented by trout caught by the town's own fishers or sea fish traded by the locathah. Rolf eats berries collected by the local foragers, but the other two do not. Rolf and the cobbler drink water from rain barrels in the heart of Haven, while the farmer has his own barrel beside his cramped farmstead cabin.
On the following day, Buckel the guard and another farmer also report to Soraya's infirmary with similar symptoms. Meanwhile, Rolf and Davin's symptoms progress to nausea and vomiting while their fever and joint pain deepen.
Once she has the spells prepared, Kalig casts diagnose disease on the most afflicted patient.
She also casts delay disease on Rolf and Davin.
If it works, she sternly advises them that any abatement they feel is temporary and they are to stay here and rest while they are treated.
She will assist with treating the injury.
"I am little good at spotting vermin but I will gladly help protect those who can.", says Dorick, showing some awareness of his strengths and weaknesses.
If left untreated, this disease can be fatal, especially among the young, the old, and those whose bodies have been weakened or strained.
Nevertheless, this diagnosis is still a mercy: Rodent-borne fleas are also known to spread plague, such as those that decimated Iobaria to the north.
Kalig's magic gets Rolf and Davin back on their feet, and the men are amazed by the effects. Her ministrations also leave the other two patients feeling quite better. Through the pain and feverish fog seizing at his head, the farmer also regains enough wherewithal to offer his thanks and introduce himself as Pellin.
"By catch do you mean alive? Not sure I can manage that. If a few of the little buggers dead is what you need well I think my reflexes can manage that. "
He paused and then shook his head for a moment.
"Cats' we need to trade for a whole boatload of cats."
He said with a chuckle.
Kalig tends to the patients carefully, though her bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. Once done, she leaves patients in Soraya's more than capable hands, knowing the witch will not let the patients wander off too soon. She tells Soraya the diagnosis and asks her if she knows of any alchemical insect repellents. After cleaning herself she tells the group and Lord Aristide about the diagnosis of typhus, and that it is caused by fleas,usually carried by rodents.
"So Dorick was right about biting insects, just a different kind. We need to urge everyone not just to trap rodents but keep clean. Anyone with pets also needs to keep their pets clean. At least this disease won't afflict the leshys, and likely not the locathah. Lord Aristide, the dwarves should be warned. Brightshield's cat mentioned there were no mice to catch on the barges, so they were unlikely to have brought the illness or take the creatures with them, but someone might have been bitten while they were here. I don't like those bigoted bastards, but they are still our strategic allies. I do not know if the Keleshites would have brought it or would have been exposed. Now for me, I need a bath and then to wash my donkey. If you see me bruised tomorrow, you will know why."
Mia offers each of the afflicted a good berry as Kalig works.
Here, this should help keep your strength up, and shouldn't be hard to keep down long enough to help. She whispers sweetly to each one.
She then hands Soraya 5 potions of remove sickness while Kalig works Here, give them these potions in the morning. It should help them fight off whatever may remain of the disease. If you need more, please come ask.
at the comment about fleas, Mia thinks quietly to herself for a bit before cautiously approaching Kalig.
I.. I um, have an idea. I, er, that is we, may be able to make a potion that, if fed to animals, can keep them safe from fleas, and in turn us as well. I don't know how much of a long term plan it would, um, be. But if something needs done immediately, it uh.. um.. well it may be able to help. However, It would likely require um... time and some uh,, some trial and um, error.
"If there's a chance it'll help, then by the gods, work on it, girl," Kalig says. "You don't need my permission. Do you need help gathering ingredients?"
"Mia, your potions have saved us all on numerous occasions. I think this will be another!"
The patients graciously accept the proffered goodberries.
"Um, any chance we could get some more of those berries?" Rolf asks nervously, eyeing the earthy potions that Mia also provides. "After all, you know what they say about a spoonful of honey helping the medicine go down?"
Despite the patients' trepidation about the potions' taste, Soraya is immensely grateful for both Mia and Kalig's contribution to this potential crisis. She is not familiar with typhus and was struggling to figure out a food or water-borne ailment.
"In hindsight, it does make sense," she states. "Of the people reporting even the slightest symptoms, none of their homes sit near Seraphina's. It almost seems like the area around her home is a little island of safety. I guess that her cat has been doing his duty keeping at least a part of Haven clear of these flea-carrying rodents."
"We need more cats then, and good Taldor dogs to keep order!", Dorick chuckles. His Taldan affection for dogs is obvious.
Soraya nods in agreement.
"Indeed. That is why such animals were first domesticated," Soraya agrees. "The cats not only keep vermin from depleting precious food stores, but they also prevent such creatures from serving as carriers of disease. Dogs also serve to protect against slightly larger threats. The fact that both creatures are delightful to have around is merely a grand side benefit.
"Of course, importing cats and dogs may be the strangest request made of a trading partner."
"Hardly! Taldans love dogs, and cats are a practical necessity with food around."
"A shame we found no strays in that ruined fishing village. I wonder if there are feral cats in the area. Adults may be untameable, but not so much their kits."
you would be surprised what a bit of love and a lot of food can do, even for the older cats. Mia says as she hands each of the patients another good berry.
Here, try not to eat it today, but if you feel like you must then go ahead.
"We are druids, we can find connections with animals others cannot. I am speaking for what your average farmer can accomplish. Feral cats--not mere strays, but born-wild ones that never grew up close to people--are dangerous and have a wicked bite. I knew a man who had to have his hand amputated due to an infected bite from a wild cat who lived under his barn."
"Mia, could you summon some cats? I know a summoning doesn't last long, but maybe they could spread some scent around the town."
"Even if we can't summon any cats, and even if it takes a while to convince a trading partner to deliver some, there is another option," Soraya adds. "Plains and grasslands often host populations of small wildcats. Domestication might take some work, but we could try enticing a few feral specimens to at least take up residence on the periphery of Haven. We'd just have to convince our hunters not to hurt them."
"Given the option of being overrun with diseased vermin, I think they may acquiese.", replies Dorick.
Kalig nods at Soraya. "Mia, why don't we see if we can find some cats in the grasslands? They'll be skittish, but if we prep the right spells we might be able to convince a few to re-nest by the grain silos. The wild cats won't be pets, but they might let us take weaned kits who are ready to leave the nest, and domesticate them a bit."
"Seraphina, I don't suppose your cat happens to be particularly charismatic?" Soraya jests with a smile. "Could she rise to become the queen of the local cats?"
She sighs, but the smile does not flee her face.
"Joking aside, it is a relief simply to identify this disease. Even if we need to take measures to staunch its spread, it is a blessing to know that it is not an especially deadly plague, like the Choking Death or the Dvezda plague. Even with the new arrivals, we have no lives to spare if we are to make it through our first winter. Already the nights grow colder."
"Let's try to keep those deaths to a minimum. Preferably none at all!"
"Someone also needs to talk to the villagers about making sure they wash themselves and their clothes regularly, to reduce the chances they get fleabitten. Soraya, I know this is unexciting alchemy, but if we get some tallow from Hatha the Butcher, could you show one of the newer arrivals or unskilled laborers here how to make soap?"
"Oh my, yes," Soraya pleasantly exclaims with a friendly wave of her hand. "I'll take unexciting any day, especially if it means we're not facing some bizarre danger but rather something quite mundane."
Soraya looks around, an inscrutable look upon her face, before speaking again.
"When Davin was resting, he groggily complained that he should have gone to Gralton instead of joining this expedition. Fortunately, Rolf was quick to point out how what that trail lacks in length it makes up for in danger. 'Like most of them River Kingdoms, it's nothing but bandits and robbers,' was how he put it. On the whole, I'm glad that such grumbling regret has been at a minimum, at least as much as I've heard."
"On campaign, you would often hear grumbling. But it is when that talk turns to mutinuous words that it is a true threat and not just idle complaints."
Over the proceeding few days, Haven benefits greatly from one of its greatest resources: its healers. Even though a few more settlers succumb to the symptoms of typhus, they and the other patients quickly recover within Soraya's infirmary.
Kalig retires to do what she can to protect her own corner of Haven, washing down Matilda then bathing herself to ward off the biting fleas.
Meanwhile, with guidance from Mia's magic and expertise, a species of small wildcat is located. They are very elusive, and this proves to be the first and hardest obstacle in domestication. Nevertheless, it becomes and ongoing project that promises a new layer of protection for Haven.
Dorick is happy to provide backup to those wandering outside Haven to track wildcats. Larger creatures are his concern.
Mia spends her time leaving out small treats of food that the small wildcats like, she even goes so far as to shapeshift into one of them once they become more accepting. As some of the more braver ones become more accepting, she starts feeding them mice, she even dared to scratch ones head for a bit while muttering about how cute and adorable they are.
after befriending, or at the very least, being accepted by some of the wildcats, she works a bit of her druidic magic to help guide their instincts in aiding the towns problem.
Even before weaving the magic of the natural world into the animals, Mia immediately makes inroads with the local wildcat population. As the high summer wears on, a few of the mother cats even move their litters into the Kaskkari ruins on the periphery of Haven, in search of safety and food. Although they do not domesticate overnight, and they maintain a fair distance from the inhabited areas, the wildcats respond well to Mia's influence and take to their natural role as hunters.
...
Kalig patrols around the town, making sure no one else is getting sick and telling the farmers to encourage the kits to become barn cats. Anyone showing signs of illness she instructs--or as needed, drags off--the afflicted to Soraya's clinic. She also uses speak with animals to chat with some of the cats if they let her come close enough to ensure they are adjusting as well as they might.
She spends the rest of her time working on her garden and building her outhouse, and working with Matilda, who is put to work helping till ground and drag boards and stones. (She'll also speak with animals with her on occasion if the spell is available.)
By no means a cat expert, he and his wife took to leaving scraps in a bowl near his place hoping that perhaps a mother cat at somepoint might decide that the easier meal near his place would become a first stop. He took to talking at them and giving the ones he recognized random names as well.
He stayed busy, with the cabin finished he focused on a real big proper kitchen, building the common room off of it, saving the rentable rooms for last was his game plan.
The young folk the others had promised to be taught he gladly took in teaching them what he could with what they had availible.
Francoix's new kitchen becomes the talk of the village, bringing many residents offering recipe suggestions to Noemie. The orc children prove to be quick learners, and although they remain very quiet, their assistance allows Francoix to focus on expanding his home and business.
After a few days, no new cases of typhus present themselves. However, the next spat of injuries presenting themselves to Soraya and Mia come in the form of cat scratches and bites from residents who were too overeager in approaching the nascent cat population of Haven. Fortunately, the pair's treatments prevent any terrible infections from setting in.
Unfortunately, the newly won peace that settles upon Haven is short lived.
Out on patrol, Kalig is the first to hear Connetlie's shrieks. She races through the autumnal dusk, soon joined by the rest of her companions and other curious settlers, and finds the histrionic man huddled against the old stone gatehouse near his tannery. He shivers and points to the source of his fright.
A man's body lies splayed upon the ground, the scrub grass stained red by the blood dripping from his neck.
Dorick does his best to keep his militia charges sharp in the brief period of peace.
Once that is broken, he and Caragus race to the sounds of shrieking.
Mia finally finishes the last touches on her herbal alchemist shop and opens up for all. She has various different herbs, spices, and tea leaves for different occasions. The scent of lavender and tea permeates the admittedly large home and shop. Outside of herbs and other spices and incense she also has stocked up on a plethora of potions and oils that she provides to the townsfolk for a fraction of the cost they would normally have to pay. There is a small outside garden with a couple of wooden tables and chairs for people to come and sit down, have a drink and relax if they so desire.
Mia had just sat down in the herb garden for a drink after putting the final touches to the shop when she heard the screams. She lets out a small sigh, but is quickly overcome with worry. She grabs her cloak, staff and a few other things before running out the door.
Teriel, please take care of the place until we get this resolved.
Teriel sighs, looking mildly agitated. She shouts after Mia Not every problem should be yours to solve you know!! she shakes her head and moves to stand flat faced behind the main counter.
once she gets there, Mia goes to Kalig. Wha... what happened? she manages to ask.
"Deep breaths, Connetlie, and stay put," Kalig advises the tanner as she carefully approaches the body.
Before examining, she stops to look and listen to be sure whatever did this isn't still here.
If it seems safe for the moment, she kneels down and examines the body, trying to determine if he is dead, cause of death, and how long ago dead (e.g., how cold/stiff is the body).
(She will answer Mia's question as she figures out the answers herself.)
If in the unlikely event this person turns out to be alive, Kalig casts stabilize on him before other healing magic becomes available, asking Mia to assist if need be.
If he is dead, she looks for signs of where who or what did this went.
Dorick dismounts and approaches, to assist Kalig seeking foes and insight.
Mia takes a moment to close her eyes and focus on the area around the body.
At 1st level, a menhir savant can detect the presence of undead; fey; outsiders; and astral, ethereal, or incorporeal creatures. This ability functions like detect undead, and the druid detects all of these creatures rather than trying to detect one kind.
She helps out best she can.
By the time he arrived on the scene it seemed like everyone else was already in action. Not entirely sure how much he could help with the probable body instead he moved closer to Connitelie.
"Easy there friend, here drink some of this water.... Did you come across the body? Did you see what happened?"
He asked for once not really that nervous, he had run across a dead body or two in alleyways in his youth.