When did the dreams first start? Jenya asks
Vallen's gruff skepticism falls away as the man answers a direct question. He sighs, running a thumb over one of the copper rings on his finger. "All right. Looks like your instincts were correct about him. Do what you must to help him. My blessings, and Torag's wisdom, are at your disposal."
"Still." He crosses his arms, looking down at the ground in thouht. "We saw bi-pedal tracks two nights ago. Kundal was four-legged last night. What if there is another cursed one out there? "
His head lifts up, eyes widening as his thoughts gain momentum. "And yesterday after we made the announcement about tracking down the werewolf it purposely infected Kundal to throw us off?!"
"Well you won't really know you have it until a full moon and by then its too late to do anything about it," Cassandra says apologetically. "Take your time and I'll do what I can to help. To be perfectly frank life is going to be awful for a while. No one will trust you. They'll probably be afraid of physical contact as well. But you can live a normal life with this. It just takes some preparation and caution." She gripes his shoulder reassuringly and to show she wasn't afraid of him. That was key. Not to show fear and not to let it override logical thought. She steps away to discuss things with the others.
She addresses Korrine first. "Unfortunately, after the first transformation, nothing can be done to reverse it. Not that I know at least. You can only treat the symptoms. A secure cage with silver manacles and a good bit of food. Maybe something to make him weak and tired. Every month for the rest of your life." She looks back at the man and sighs sadly. "Not pleasant but manageable. We are building a castle first. We can use the dungeon. Have to get silver manacles shipped in I think. I can pay for that."
"The worst part is going to be convincing the rest of the people here not to, well, panic. If it was some farm animals maybe they might look the other way. But there was a murder. An awful one. They aren't going to like that and I have no idea how to handle that."
Then she turns to Vallen. "Oh there is probably another. It sounded like this was a recent change for him. But now that the moon won't be full anymore. I am not sure we'll be able to find it until the next full moon. Have to warn the hunters in the area."
Well. I'd like to know when his dreams first started. Jenya says tapping her foot and glancing back at the caged man. Folks in town said he's been drinking and withdrawn since he's come to the fort so he's been this way since before he came fer sure. But if he got infected close by there's something out there that could bite more people and we've got to stop it. If he got infected far away then we don't have to worry about that at least.
"The dreams only recently started... just within the last month. I set out to get away from the lands of my people in Numeria, to find a place away from them and perhaps seek a vision that I could follow to discover what they meant. If what you say is true..." Kundal says, with a look struggling between wanting to disbelieve and trying to accept this trauma, "...then I must have been bitten while hunting as I crossed the countryside, and then I came here and did not know what happened."
"The... 'big bad wolf' you said... is a set of stories among my people, about a terrible wolf that attacks lone travelers. Perhaps somewhere in my fever dreams that came out?"
As Cassandra describes the process to keeping him secured, his face falls. "There is no other cure? No way to remove this... affliction?"
Cassandra fidgeted in place like she really didn't want to offer the option but he had to know his options. "Well, yes. Aconite. It's also known as Wolfsbane for a reason. But it is also a poison. It can help but there is a chance it won't and a chance you will die. Each person is different and I not certain what the odds are of each but I am not confident."
Vallen starts to pace, looking at the position of the sun in the sky and grumbling. Eventually, he comments "I'm behind schedule on my work, and as you humans say it's not going to do itself... If you don't need me anymore I'm going back to my office."
He frowns at the mention of the Wolfsbane. "You'd let him risk death? I thought you said this was a condition he could learn to live with? Seems a harsh choice."
After much deliberation, you decide to have Kundal try the aconite brew. It probably won't kill him if you watch over the process and use healing power to make sure that he doesn't die.
You keep watch on Kundal for a tense night... but he does not change again. The aconite certainly weakens him but does not kill him. He sweats profusely and has a low grade fever for the whole night, but come the morning his fever breaks. He remains weak, having labored breathing and trouble staying on his feet, but his demeanor is quite changed. Even though peaked and fatigued, he says, "I can feel it... it's like a cloud lifted from my mind. A fog of blood and horrible thoughts. I am free from the curse! Thank you. You have my eternal gratitude."
He straightens as best as he is able and says, "My sword is yours, for whatever cause you choose to direct."
Kundal takes several days to regain his health, but he proves to be able - a strong warrior, though one who needs direction; he is not highly educated, but he has all the survival skills one would expect of a Numerian loner.
With the werewolf situation resolved, you find yourself with some free time. Construction proceeds rapidly on the fortress, with Olin's stonecraft making it sound but rebuilding it with great speed that would put most human architects to shame.
[ooc]At this point you have about two weeks of downtime, which is perfect for crafting, magic item creation, or taking a quick trip to visit someone or somewhere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As construction continues, the craftspeople develop sidewalks with wooden planks, a small collection of fishers takes up residence on the lakeside and makes crude canoes, and lumber is brought in from the woods to the northwest. Another caravan arrives from the north, this time carrying additional metal tools and a black-fingered gnomish alchemist who seeks out Jenya.
"Miss Jenya!" says the odd gnome upon his arrival. He is, as most gnomes are, dressed haphazardly, wearing a scarf over his head and with a soot-covered smock over his tunic and trousers. He hustles to find her, breathing hard. "I've been running all over the settlement looking for you! People pointed me your way. There's been news about gunslingers in this new settlement! Oh, excuse me. I'm Lertovaxtaran - Vax for short. I came to talk to you about the possibility of some trade with some of my fellow gnomish brothers and sisters and cousins! They've been slogging through the woods hoping to find a suitable trail and scout out the territory and they decided to have me join up with a different caravan. They should be here by now, though." He looks puzzled, and says, "Anyway, I knew I could talk to you, we share interests, see?" He holds up a powder horn. "I dabble a bit in alchemy and I learned to make black powder while I was in Alkenstar! So, waddya say, let's talk, all right?"
Cassandra fretted constantly the entire Kundal was out. Despite training in field medicine and herbal remedies (and knowing the exact dosage of Aconite), she hovered nearby like a fly and had to be told more than once to go away. His recovery and announcement of being cured literally floored her. She fell to the ground from mental exhaustion with a happy smile on her face.
Now she could return to her duties. And those duties were to keep the people safe and keep watch over the cities borders. She found a place for Kundal and several other hunters in the area by hiring them to be her eyes and ears in the wilderness beyond their settlement. They wouldn't deviate from their normal hunting rotations but would report back anything out of the ordinary that she would need to follow up on. Tracks of monstrous creatures, sightings of bandits, changes in the feel of the forest or anything else they could offer. In return she'd buy them a round while they were there, offered them discounts on gear and promised that when a real inn was built she'd make sure it had the best baths and laundry service.
She also oversaw the logging expansion. As a follower of Erastil, and seeing as their high priest was going to be one too. She made it a point to replant many of the fallen seeds to new groves and relocate wild animals caught up in the destruction. They needed lumber for civilization but that didn't mean they needed to be wasteful.
When not actively in the field she spends the little remaining downtime acquiring some unique metals and fashioning some new arrows.
For his part, Bob gathered an assortment of documents and proceeded to bury himself underneath. He came up for air periodically but few knew what he was doing. Truth be told he was getting familiar with the area. It's geographic placement, local resources, census information on incoming settler, and so on. All to better council the fledgling nation and its fledgling rulers. Making the place sustainable and defensible was the first priority.
I dunno. Jenya grins at Vax, dropping into Gnomish and settling down on her haunches to get to a polite eye level with the gnome as she takes a break from supervising some of the labourers working on the fortress. You might be competition! I learned how to make gunpowder myself down in Jovvox. she scratches her head for a moment Took a lot of experimenting though. My ma's an alchemist too you see. So, what do ya want to talk about and where's the rest of your caravan?
"That's the thing," says Vax, "My cousin - well technically my second cousin, but let's not get too bogged down in details - he's overseeing the caravan, trying to follow the Skunk River in. He found the place where the river starts up north of here and based on the fact that you've set up shop at the Tuskwater, where the river ends, he thinks a caravan road along it, or maybe rafting down it, I dunno, whichever is more convenient, would be just the thing! You could get trade in and out the north and west sides of the region through the woods if the Skunk River winds up being a safe route. Smelly, but safe."
"Anyway," says Vax, gesticulating to make his point - the whole time demonstrating wagons rolling down the road or boats on a bumpy river - "He should've gotten here already. So I'm a little worried! But you folks take care of problems like this, right?"
"My second cousin's name is Jubilost Narthropple, if you sent someone up the river I'm sure they could find him!" says the gnome excitedly.
"Oh, ah, and don't worry about the competition, I was just here to meet up with Jubilost! But I thought it was really interesting that you had studied firearms, I heard the stories you know, they've been trickling back north in bits and pieces. You and that dwarf fellow Valkor, right? Valkor's a funny name. Anyway he should meet my cousin too, my cousin loves maps and he says he has a map that says there's an old dwarf ruin somewhere in these parts. I think that's ridiculous on account of there are no mountains but who knows?"
Vax finally pauses to take a breath.
Things don't stay ruined around Vallen for long. C'mon I'll introduce you. He's around here Jenya says
Hey Vallen. Jenya calls out Got a newcomer here who's got some interesting news for us. Lertovaxtaran's got some family in a trading caravan who were supposed to be here by now. I'll go get the others
Jenya makes a round to get the other leaders of the fledgling settlement to let them know what Vax said leaving Vallen to make friends.
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Vallen was relieved when the whole werewolf incident met with a happy ending. He would have been fine with just knowing the streets were once again safe, but Cassandra actually curing the man? Torag was truly watching over them to make the skin-walker their Warden.
However, the priest concluded that Torag was not involved in making him Grand Diplomat.
For having an official post, it was very difficult to get a meeting with the "grand diplomat" of the burgeoning kingdom. His timetable was filled with work, and very little of it was diplomacy. Most days he alternated between drafting and making alterations to plans for the castle's construction and actually supervising the masonry teams by his Uncle's side.
It didn't help that Vallen had put 4 different locks on the inside of his office door, not including the good old fashioned horizontal bar of iron blocking the entrance. Other modifications included the door hugging the floor so closely that it took incredible skill to even slide a single piece of paper underneath. Not that the paper would have made it- an otherwise ratty, magically repaired rug was neatly pushed into whatever crevice was left, effectively blocking anything. for entering his office without permission.
Inside he stained his fingers black with ink, the dwarf's dreams of a castle, and soon a city, taking shape on paper...
Jenya
Vallen sighs as someone knocks on his door... again. Torag help me if it's some "ambassador" from a nearby "town" that doesn't appear on any map I've ever seen looking for handouts again I'm going to have Cassandra use them for target practice. Actually, no. I'm not in here right now.
He continues drawing a buttressed wall, and was in the process of reaching over to a nearby abacus to quickly do a calculation when the knocking persists. Not here... Busy...This wall could fall down if this brace isn't at least this thick...
As Jenya calls out through the door he pauses- if she wanted him, it could be important. But... his work was definitely important instead of could be important. I'm sure it can wait. She doesn't sound distressed. Now, if I... Vallen reaches towards one of his books sitting nearby, brushing the tin plate he had eaten dinner on and knocking it off the table. Bizarrely, the plate lands on its edge... and rolls straight towards the door, hopping over the space between flagstones with unnatural ease.
Vallen freezes, watching the plate run into the door, bounce off, and begin a slow wobbling spin right in front of the portal. He glances at the altar to Torag featured prominently in the back of the room, and sighs. "Okay. Yes. You're right. I'm going."
Jenya could hear the cacophony of locks turning, and eventually the dwarf opens the door. He was surprised to find a gnome present, but he looks up to Jenya with a raised eyebrow. "I.. uh... Okay?" He doesn't get to ask any questions before the young woman runs off, and it's just him and the gnome.
"Ah... Hello, I'm Vallen Silverclasp, Priest of Torag, Mason. Is this trading caravan missing some kind of national emergency I'm unaware of?"
"Guess we should take a journey up the Skunk River then? I think I can forward any messages to Kestan or Akiros. Or we could just bring Akiros with us."
Your inquiries have been forwarded to our councils for further deliberation. Have no doubt that your actions will impact the highest political offices, and further direction will be forthcoming. You have conducted yourself as befits the good traditions of dwarf-kind, and your loyalty has not gone unnoticed. Please continue to exercise good judgement and have no doubt that in time the High King will be able to provide more precise direction."
You get the impression that it's going to take more than a couple of weeks for your letters to make their way up the chain past all the functionaries and bureaucrats to actually reach the King's attention, even as important as they are. But they will almost certainly get there, especially if things affecting dwarf-politics start happening here in the River Kingdoms.
Vax, the gnome, excitedly pumps Vallen's hand when introduced. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, sir! As I was just telling Lady Jenya here - or is it Miss Jenya or Dame Jenya? I don't mean to cause offense - my second cousin Jubilost was leading a caravan here down the Skunk River. He likes exploring, and I figured that we could maybe make a trail that cut from one side of the forest down the river to here and establish some trade. I dabble in alchemy and that kind of thing, and trade here would be good! Especially since you folks seem to be all right with black powder experiments, heh."
With a little pumping for information you gather that Jubilost and the gnome caravan were en route to here from the northwest and it shouldn't take too long to find them if you just follow the Skunk River.
You figure that you can probably spend a week abroad without it causing a huge impact on operations, so you pack your gear and head back out for adventure!
~~~~~~~~~~
Three days later, following the Skunk River, you come to a ford where a wagon has become stuck in the rushing river. A lone gnome sits atop the wagon, trying to direct a terrified horse that is still hitched to it, while a small cluster of gnomes on the far bank yell and shout over the roar of the river. "Just leave it, Jubilost!" one shouts. "Yeah! You have to get away while you can!" shouts another. The wave and gesture, and then spot you. Immediately the small group sets about shouting and waving for your attention.
We've got to calm the horse down and get it out of the water! Jenya says as she hurries her own horse to get close to the beleaguered wagon.
Vallen carefully folds the letter and places it back in its now unsealed envelope. I trust the priests to make an honorable appeal on my behalf. I don't want to look like a rogue, power hungry vassal. They would strip me of my rings quicker than a Goblin thief if I broke any laws. The High King will surely have wise political guidance to makke this turn out as well as possible for Torag's children.
His thoughts continue as he files the letter away among many others in a highly organized cubby-hole.
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Saving his arm from being violently ripped off by the Gnome's tenacious shaking became Vallen's primary concern in the 10 or more seconds he was "greeted". Through either the grace of Torag, his Dwarven constitution, or both, his arm still functions when he manages to wrestle it away from Vax.
"Oh, er.. I think she just goes by Jenya. She doesn't seem to care for titles very much." He mumbles, his half-hearted explaination failing to interject the gnome' rapid speech.
"Uh huh. Ah. Yes. We could use the trade. Black powder? I'm more interested in how to mechanically funnel the energies of the black powder explosion." Vallen perks up a bit, finding some common ground to talk shop with the gnome before they assemble their group to look for the missing caravan.
The dwarf grumpily pats Nelly on the head as they ride out of area. The skeletal castle disappears behind some trees, and he lets out a long sigh. I hope this is all part of your Grand Strategy, Lord of the Hearth.
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Vallen clenches his teeth at the sight of the wagon in the river. It's got too low a draft, it'll get carried off by the river at this rate.
Seeing Jenya speed off into the river to help, Vallen sighs and gives Nelly a kick forward to follow. This is why Torag sent us. These folks need help.
Cassnadra almost, almost, forgot that following Jenya's advice would have been a bad idea for her. Her and most animals didn't get a lmog. The horses really didn't need to be anymore spooked than they already were. That meant sitting on the sidelines unfortunately. She rarely cursed her heritage but she fumed a little on the banks while the others set to helping.
Rope on the wagon? That was something she could do. Better yet. "Vallen can I get that magic tool you have that made a block and tackle? We can hitch it to a tree and pull the wagon out."
The wagon is still hitched to several ponies, and it would probably be easier to deal with if you get the ponies unhitched.
Reaching the wagon is more of a problem. It's partway through a river and you'd have to make it through turbulent water to get to it . The ponies are also quite panicked and will flail and run away if you don't get control of them - Jenya made this roll, but let's see if she makes it to the wagon!
So Jenya guides her horse out into the rapids, but it quickly becomes stuck in the quagmire of mud and rushing water.
Vallen, noting the problem with the ponies, casts his calm emotions spell.
One of the ponies settles down, but the other one remains panicked, neighing and whinnying!
Korinne, meanwhile, consults her spellbook and prepares a spell that will make it easier for someone to get to the stuck wagon.
Vallen lets Torag's blessing wash over him- all the anxiety and fear from the stressful situation washes away with the rapid moving waters of the river. With a happy sigh, he gives the wagon a quick look.
"The wagon is intact. Just stuck. We need to get the pulling team unhitched before we can extract it from the river. I have plenty of rope, and can animate it. But first priority is helping the horses and gnome, then we can haul the wagon out" The dwarf speaks with an unnatural calm, voice monotone.
"Cass, something scared those ponies into the river. Could you check for signs of anything lurking around here while you set up the block and tackle?" He tosses her the iron-like rod that is always hanging from his belt loop.
He turns in the saddle to look at Korrine. "What have you got, Korrine? Looks like Jenya's horse could use some help with the river." Vallen doesn't seem to be in any hurry what so ever- in fact, it looks as if he's greatly enjoying the weather at the moment.
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Korinne casts a spell on herself and then dives into the water, easily reaching the wagon.
Jenya keeps trying to urge her horse forward.
Jenya's horse finally plunges into the rushing water and manages to carry her to the wagon. She then sets about calming the pony that is still spooked so that she can unhitch the traces.
The gnomes on the far bank put up a cheer as Jenya and Korinne arrive at the wagon. Cassie stays on the near bank, pacing back and forth nervously.
The gnome - Jubilost - who must be the leader of this ill-fated supply wagon shouts, "Get the ponies away! Otherwise the wagon will crush them if the current takes it when you get it loose!"
Vallen dismounts from Nelly as Korrinne casts her spell, retrieving a loop of silk rope from one of his many packs. He deftly ties a simple knot around her waist, holding the other end. "There's a hundred feet here, should be enough for you to make it and tie to the back of the wagon."
Cassandra was fairly sure nothing scared the horses into the river and that it was just a poor judgment call on Jubilost's part. But she was more than happy to do something. She secured the black and tackle to a thick tree and...she looked at her own rope and realized it would not be long enough. "Hang on Vallen. Use mine. I'll use yours." After swapping she affixes the rope to the tree block and tackle and hands it off to Korrine before she dives in. Cassandra wouldn't be able to get to the wagon without panicking the horses further and Jenya was still handling that. Now with nothing else to do she wanders the shore, watching for danger.
Jenya starts to work on unhitching the ponies as she responds to the gnome Are you a good swimmer or a good rider? Might be good for you to swim to shore or ride one of your ponies there while we take care of the wagon.
Vallen comes up with an unconventional plan. Jenya disconnects the ponies from the traces on the wagon, and Korinne swims the end of Vallen's rope to there. She loops the rope, with Jenya's help, around the wagon's undercarriage, and then Vallen gives his horse immense hauling power and manages to forcibly drag the wagon out of the mud and the river. Cassie keeps the pulley aligned so that it doesn't twist and after several minutes of sweaty, hard pulling and guiding of the whole affair the wagon is drawn to your side of the river largely intact! (The wheels may need a little repair work, but nothing Vallen can't do with some magic.)
The gnomes cheer, jump, and clap as they see your work. They huddle and talk amongst one another briefly, then one shouts, "How do we get to you? Is there a ford nearby?"
To most of you it's just river rapids. To a three-foot-tall gnome, it's a deathtrap.
Well, if they'd consent to sit still on a horse for a little bit then I could just ride them over one by one. Slow going but safe enough I think if I rope 'em to me for the ride over
"If we do that then we should keep the block and tackle. Tie off the rope on the horse harness. The water doesn't look to hazardous but it only takes a few inches of fast moving water to sweep you off your feet."
Vallen drivees the super powered Nelly to pull the wagon out of the river, and the dwarf gives a hearty cheer as the wheels finally touch dry ground.
As the others speak he busies himself inspecting the wagon's wheels, noting some bent iron in the wheel loops and cracked wood in the spokes. It was a miracle of Torag that the axles were still intact.
"Uh... I can't think of any way Torag or the Family could aid us in getting gnomes across a river. It would take far longer to build a bridge than for us to just meet them at the next river crossing with the wagon. I'm not really the raft building type, though I'm sure with Cass' help we could lash together something that floats."
He shrugs, running his hands over the still-dripping wood. "Cass, did you see anything? Something caused those ponies to run into the river, they weren't intentionally driven into it."
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Vallen, meanwhile, starts working on mending the various fractured parts of the wagon.
[ooc]Taking 10 on the Handle Animal if possible[/b]
Oi, who wants a pony ride? Jenya, having a very good idea of gnomish mindsets, shouts across the river in Gnomish as she starts slowly walking Murkey over the swiftly flowing waters of the river. Taking the gnomes across two at a time would take a little while but she saw no need for hurry. Murkey's used to gnomes as well so she endures their enthusiasm with little more than an irritated huff.
Vallen notices the contents of the wagon as he's executing repars. "Hm, Jubilost is certainly well-equipped for exploring. Looks like you had your nose on the vein, Vax." He pauses brefly to wonder if he correctly translated that Dwarfish idiom into Taldane. Shrugging to himself, he decides it probably doesn't matter.
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