A strange disease, coming right after a ship with yellow lanterns is destroyed in the harbor? I don't like this...
Quorthos falls in with the group, patting his pouches down to find the vial of antiplague he carries.
Tural waits patiently for Grau to return and let him have a look at the girl.
Mavor hears the talk between Grau and his sister-in-law, shakes his head and goes up to talk to the healer.
"G'day sir. Are you brewing up a concoction to drink or for a salve? Any idea as to what the girl might have? Grau told us they haven't seen such a sickness before."
Quorthos will follow Mavor up the stairs as well.
Baer follows along with Mavor, sniffing at the priest.
Quarantine lanterns...sickness, more often than not those two are connected.
Denario follows as the others go.
Hesitating for a moment Tural also follows the group.
"This concoction I'm making will take away some of the pain, but that's all," the acolyte replies to Mavor.
He puts down the bag of herbs and turns toward you, which is when you notice the holy symbol of Abadar hanging from his neck. "It apparently started with a headache, fatigue, coughing, and a very bad rash. The cough then became more obtrusive and the rash spread to the neck, face, and limbs and developed into pox-like blisters. By now the girl's lymph glands have swollen into painful buboes."
"If I had been sent for earlier perhaps I could heal her, but I'm afraid that my duties at the Golden One's Vault required me to entreat him for similar miracles already this day. Even if I could, though, the tenets of my church force me to request a donation for Abadar's power—one that I suspect these simple folk could scarcely afford."
"My greatest concern is that I don't recognize the exact combination of these symptoms. I fear that this might be a harbinger of a new disease..."
Majenko snorts as he looks at the acolyte from Baer's shoulder. "So basically the man's just making vegetable soup for the girl?"
Tural does everything to hold in his laugh at Majenko's remark but still a tiny chuckle escapes him. He almost immediately turns serious again.
"Let me have a look at the girl. I would like to see with my own eyes."
From his voice it is clear Tural doesn't like the man.
Filthy bastard... asking large payments for 'miracles'...
"Brienna's upstairs, with her mother," the acolyte responds.
A moment later Grau descends the stairs. He's followed by a Varisian woman who possesses a simple beauty, scarcely hidden by her disheveled appearance and wan features. She looks like she hasn't slept for at least a day.
"You're the help Grau brought?" the woman asks. "I'm Tayce, Brienna's mother. If you could please follow me upstairs."
The creaky steps open up into a bedroom loft above the main room of the Soldado home. A young girl with auburn hair lies in one of the beds, her slight frame dwarfed by the bed’s size and the pile of pillows, afghans, and quilts surrounding her. Splotches of an angry red rash cover her face and arms, appearing in irregular shapes and sizes. Suddenly, her restlessness is interrupted by a violent fit of hacking coughs that jerk her entire frame, lifting her well off her pillows. The spasm passes after a moment, dropping her back to the bed, but seemingly having done little to ease her breathing.
Tural takes his time to examine Brienna. He's able to conclude that she's suffering from a decease that weakens her rapidly. Without healing or other treatment, Brienna will die in two or three days.
As Tural is inspecting the girl his face turns grave.
"This is bad... Two or three days at most."
He mumbles to himself. After a moment of collecting himself he stands up and tells his findings to everyone present.
"There has to be something we can do..."
"Even if I could, though, the tenets of my church force me to request a donation for Abadar's power—one that I suspect these simple folk could scarcely afford."
Baer snorts angrily at the priest, trying to resist the urge to thump the man soundly.
"What kind of idiot are you? You won't heal this child, who might die, because the family cannot pay? You would let her die and never to collect tithes from her, much less her family for the rest of their lives? And once they tell all their friends what you've done, how many tithes will you lose?"
Baer snorts angrily in the priests face.
Intimidate
The acolyte, who's followed you upstairs, holds his open hands up in the air. "The tenets of my church force me! But even if they didn't, I won't be able to call upon the Golden One's divine powers until tomorrow."
He jumps several steps back when Baer snorts in his face. "I really can't change anything about it!"
"Then get out of here!" Grau snaps. "You worthless $&#%!"
Brienna coughs again, this fit even worse than the one before. Her mother looks like she's on the verge of breaking.
"Stop shouting! Isn't there anything you can do to help her?!" Tayce yells, bursting out in tears. "She's just a child! She doesn't deserve to die!"
The acolyte swallows quietly and keeps his mouth shut. Grau gives you an expectant look.
"If it were magic that did this to her I could have helped her. Since it is not I am unable to help her. But if we discover the cause we might also find the cure."
He looks from Trayce to Grau.
"I think it might have to do with the strange ship that entered the harbour. That is all I can think off."
He looks to the others if they have anything to add.
The acolyte swallows quietly and keeps his mouth shut. Grau gives you an expectant look.
Baer growls at the acolyte's answer.
"They don't force you. You choose it. What service can I provide to make up for the fact you *WILL* will be here on the morrow to heal this child? We will do something for you...and you will heal this child," Baer waggles warningly.
"Don't make me find you and drag you here. I'm only mostly angry now so I'm trying to be nice and make a deal. Otherwise, you'll be paying to have your bones set after I finish with you. Think upon those costs as well."
If the man looks at the others for support, Denario shakes his head.
"You'll find little sympathy from us, i reckon."
Quorthos pulls out his vial of antiplague and hands it to the mother. "This will help her fight off the disease," he states, staring coldly at the priest of the golden calf. "I require no recompense, nor service to a god who cares only for his own. I hope it will help. I will return tomorrow with more medicine, in case she requires it."
To his companions: "If Tural is correct about the ship, the city may be in danger, and other cases could break out. We should alert the Marshal, and stock up on antiplague before unscrupulous people like him" - he nods towards the priest - "buy them up to sell at a profit."
"Thank you so much!" Tayce immediately grabs hold of the potion Quorthos offers and opens it. She lifts Brienna up a little bit and pours the antiplague into the child's mouth.
Tayce grasps Quorthos's hands. "Please do come back. If it's as bad as your colleague says... She'll need the medicine."
"To the shop then, to buy antiplague?" Allyph asks her companions. "Or should we visit Cressida first?"
"I... I cannot!" the acolyte stammers in responds to Baer.
"Believe me, I'd do it if I could! But my church... The Golden One!"
Mavor stares at the cleric and then shakes his head.
"You're bound to rules is that it? The church of Abadar requires payments for its services, right? Well sometimes you got to know when to break the rules, such as when the life of children are at stake. Tell your brothers of the church that. Though I'd expect you may have your hands full with people wanting your help if this thing ever spreads. You can't get away with rules at that moment."
The big half-orc looks to the others. "We could try to locate that alchemist in Old Korvosa. He's supposed to be helping anyone who couldn't afford medicine free of charge. I don't know his exact whereabouts, but I know of a clue."
"Believe me, I'd do it if I could! But my church... The Golden One!"
Baer snorts again, this time getting closer to the priest, not yet ready to let this go.
"Is it that you can't, or that you won't? Which is it, priest? Could you come back tomorrow and heal this child if you were paid, Priest? COULD YOU?!" Baer's nostrils flare, wondering how much the priest would enjoy dragging himself back to the Golden One with broken knees.
Intimidate
"Let us not dawdle on this. Let us move on to see what we can do."
Tural says, getting fired up.
Battles are fine and well, but this is where it's at!
"Let's gather what supplies we can. My father often has a few items available as well." He sneers at the priest. "Leave him, Baer. He is apparently not a Korvosan, but just a hired servant."
"I... I can't!" the acolyte replies while backing away from Baer. He then withdraws, making a run for the front door.
"What the," you hear Grau respond as he starts running after the acolyte. "Hey! Get your ass back here!"
Tayce looks shocked by the way the situation's unfolded and jumps up. "Grau, no!"
Baer grunts, letting the priest flee.
"I wish he would answer the damn question," she says, turning to Grau. "I'll see about coming back. I'm sure that tonic will help and we'll see about acquiring more. Mavor?" Baer turns to the half-orc.
"Let's go find your friend. Quorthos, if we're just hunting medicines, we could split up. You, Denario, & Allyph that way. Orcs and Trees the other way."
Allyph nods. "Sounds fine to me. Quorthos, you wanted to visit your father's shop?"
Tural looks a bit unsure if he wants to join the two 'brutes' of the group but shrugs it off.
"Oke. Let's go."
Just before everyone sets off he remembers his wards.
"Wait, let me give everyone their wards first. Better safe than sorry."
He follows by buffing everyone before leaving.
"Alright, the Green Team is moving out. We'll head to the point in Korvosa where I've heard the clue is. Follow me."
"I'd swear this is the place. There is nothing to really see here except for the shabby houses and the old rubble here. Can't quite say why they've never rebuilt it here, I've wondered that myself when I walked here before, several years back."
Mavor looks around, grimacing for a second as though people have led him on a wild goose chase, scratches his head and murmurs.
"They guy said to me... look around near the rubble... Done that... there should be a sign that says..."
"Ah there we go. Over here."
Mavor approaches an old and weathered sign and looks it up and down.
"I can't make heads or tails from this. The first part says something about: 'Visit the Bee and his Nectar'. I can't read the other two parts though."
"Any of you two can read this stuff? It looks nothing like orc or goblin at least."
Baer moves out, but not before finishing up the plan.
"See you back at the tavern for dinner," Baer confirms. "Denario, Allyph, keep an eye on the boy. Wouldn't be good to lose him in the city...not when he's beginning to earn his keep."
* * *
Baer looks at the two signs and shrugs, never having any use for the tongues of the small peoples.
"Are you sure this is he right place, Mavor? Did you happen to find this place after a night of drinking? Maybe you followed the dancing pink elephants in your stumblings home?"
"Nah this is the right place. The tiefling I spoke to, Raijinn I believe he was called, described the strange place it was in. Also mentioned the sign was written to be difficult. He said 'Look for the rubble and the strange message, you should find it from there.'
"Hmmm. Only speak celestial and common. Don't have a clue what it says. The other part could mean anything without the other the sentences translated."
Tural says as he tries to read the sign.
"I don't suppose you two know these languages?"
Baer levels a look a Mavor.
"A 'tiefling'," Baer airquotes the word, "...told you? Did he also sell you a key to enter the starstone? Or offer a reduced price philosopher's stone, did he?"
"Why would someone put a shop where no one could find it, Mavor? Does that make any sense to you? Most shopkeepers *want* their shops to be found...you know...so they can actually *sell* things."
Baer begins to walk back.
"Maybe we can catch up with the others."
Mavor glares at Baer's words and looks her dead in the eye. He spits on the rocks.
"Don't hold me for a fool Baer. Just because I'm not a spellcaster doesn't mean I'm stupid. Raijinn, the tiefling, was treated by this alchemist, he told me there was a reason the ratfolk made his shop here. He doesn't want to be taxed or exposed to the less morally imposed. Word has it, he even had a score to settle with Lamm before we did him in."
Mavor glares at Baer a while longer and paces back and forth.
Now what did he say? He told me he had to go up a stairs to get back on the street, it doesn't make sense to do that in a normal building, so... It has to be in a basement. What else? Right, he mentioned difficulty in stepping over obstacles outside in his condition. There should be rubble around or in front of it, just like here, close to the sign...Let's have a better look around then.
Mavor wanders off as Baer makes her movement to go back to the others. Mavor circles and looks behind the rubble starting around the sign, then wanders off around a broken wall close by. It takes about 2 minutes, slightly more before a call comes out.
"You should have more trust in me Baer, come take a look."
"Denario, Allyph, keep an eye on the boy. Wouldn't be good to lose him in the city...not when he's beginning to earn his keep."
"Heh...we've been having switches to various reasons.
We'll make sure this one's a stay-with-us."
While the Green-Team heads toward the hidden shop of the ratfolk, the other trio heads for the shop owned by Quorthos's father.
"Well hello!" Magembe says as you enter. "What a welcome surprise! What can I do for you?"
"Hi!," Allyph responds. "The niece of an acquaintance is ill and we suspect the disease will spread. We require some supplies, to help fight the disease."
Magembe looks shocked. "A disease? What kind of disease, how bad is it?"
"We're not sure what it is, but the girl's got maybe two or three days left. It's really bad..."
"What do you need?"
Allyph looks at Quorthos and Denario. "You mentioned antiplague, Quorthos? What else could we use, guys? I'm not entirely sure how much we need either..."
Opening her eyes as wide as mocks very studiously examining everything. She opens her belt pouch and looks deeply within. She looks under a rock and shakes her head sadly at Mavor, unable to find the magical gnome under it.
Then a moment later, she busts out laughing and begins to search in serious.
Perception
She finds nothing when she does search, and becomes even more convinced of Mavor's elaborate joke.
Mavor frowns then shakes his head at Baer's excuse for a joke. He then points out the obvious signs to her and Tural if he followed them then he knocks on the door and feels if it's open.
"It's open, thank goodness for that."
Mavor pushes the door open and descends down the stairs.
As the green team descends down the stairs one by one, they can smell musty places, probably a little dusty too, and wet stones. The very different smells of multiple herbs, spices and alchemical ingredients also wafts into their nostrils, a hint of sulfur and mercury hangs in the air.
Down the stairs a busy ratfolk looks up from his cauldron with his beady eyes and then proclaims: "The finest potions available! Come in further, guests to my humble shop. It's always a pleasure to see new faces down here."
He says as he hops down from a little stool he used to peer into his cauldron.
"How can I help you hmm? Ointments for sore wrists? Got in a scuffle and need some tending to? Or something more dangerous?" He sniffs the newcomers and looks them up and down.
"I have many excellent things, many in stock, some things may need some time and will have to be ordered though."
Something tells you the ratfolk is more than he seems, he seems rather interested in you all and is keen as well. His jacket and clothing rinkles of glass as he gestures and moves from Mavor to Baer to Tural.
He then points out the obvious signs to her...
"I thought you said you didn't know where it was! If you knew, why did you ask me to find it?" Baer grunts as Mavor finds the entrance. "Well, fine, let's go see what we can get."
Following Mavor inside, she turns to make sure Tural follows.
"Can you believe the nerve of this guy, Tural? It was right there the entire time."
Baer takes in the ratfolk.
"Sick child. Really sick...some sort of mummers disease or fungus rot or somethign," Baer says, looking again at Tural. "Maybe Tural can explain."
Baer leaves Tural to explain while see examines the wares in the shop.
Tural finds and picks up the stack of paper, skimming through the contents before placing it back. Tural then follows the other two inside, looking only slightly surprised at the door.
"Maybe he wasn't sure, or wanted to test us. Don't know."
As he enters the cellar he immediately surveys his surroundings. His eyes finally settle on the small rat man, never seen anyone like that before Tural has a curious glint in his eyes.
"The kid is slowly dying, her health being sapped away by something. A disease of some sort, never seen anything like that before."
Next he explains in greater detail of what he saw and thinks, after which he waits for what the little man thinks about it.
The ratfolk takes in the half-orc and then the stranger one next to them and nods. He seems to think on what Tural has said about the symptoms and is lost in thought for a moment.
"Ah no...Guess I should make a housecall then. The symptoms alone don't ring a bell. Where'd you say the house was?"
The ratfolk says as he moves to a satchel and a small backpack standing against the wall. He shoulders the first and puts on the second then grabs the quarterstaff next to it and uses it as a walking stick.
"I'm having a lot of housecalls these days, I just don't get around to my potion-making as much as I'd like. Show me the way, come on we haven't got all day."
The green team and the ratfolk head back up the stairs and to Tayce's house. You knock on the door and this time it's Grau who opens it. "Hey, there you are. I went after that acolyte, but lost him in one of the alleys. You were gone when I came back."
Grau pinches his eyes when he notices Burahl. "Uhm... hi. You're a... new face."
He lets you in and heads upstairs with you. Tayce, who looks even more desperate than when you last saw her, sits next to Brienna when you enter the bedroom. "Did you find something to cure my girl?"
What else could we use, guys? I'm not entirely sure how much we need either..."
Denario shrugs slightly.
"Anti plague's a good as any precaution. One doesn't quaratine a ship for a mere cold or anemia after all."
"How many do you want?" Magembe asks. "I've got a decent supply of those. Avoiding disease is better than curing it. That's what my mother used to say when I was your age."
The old man gives Quorthos a wink when he mentions age.
"Maybe our friend here might be able to help you. I know what the disease does but I am unfamiliar with it. He might know more."
Tural says as the woman stresses out. He gives an expecting look at the man.
Burahl walks up to Grau's little niece in the bed and checks her symptoms for himself.
"Hmm..." He says before he walks around and starts fidgeting in his jacket and robe.
"I don think I can cure this outright, however I can give her a better chance to fight this off herself. He concludes as he mixes up two potions with an odd-smelling fragrance.
He walks back up to the girl and offers her one of the glass vials.
"Here drink this, it smell strange and it's not tasty, but it will make you feel better.
When she feels ready to take the second potion he'ĺl offer it to er as well.
Mavor stands back with the others and watches the ratfolk work.
"A whole lot different than that acolyte a few hours ago eh? He at least offers a small remedy it seems, unlike that herbal brew of before.
Mavor is obviously fascinated by the little ratfolk and his work, looking over the proceedings in detail.