"Jeva don't do this. They don't want to put you in chains they want ta kill ya."
Un'gra tosses one silver dagger to Keanan and moves away from the werewolf.
His spear lodged in the tree, August wastes no time trying to pull it free, and simply lets go. In a smooth motion, he pulls the silver hammer free from under his cloak, and takes another swing.
Jeva drops to all 4's to avoid Jeffrey's killing blow and August clumsily swings the light hammer that he grabbed on the wrong end in his haste missing as well.
Keanan smirks as Un'gra throws the dagger over his head. Not only was his judgement in error, so too is his throw. "I'm not tall enough to catch that! Balazar, come with me!"
Keanan and Balazar move to the dagger and Keanan picks it up, his hands sore from holding the hemp rope. Serves them right, they had plenty of chances, but NOOOOO, don't listen the the stoutfolk.
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Jeffrey takes his shield in one hand, and this time swings his bastard sword one-handed. "Okay, you use the hammer," Jeffrey says to August while attacking, "You look like you have enough strength to swing it. Just flip it over and hit the wolf with the hammer part, instead of the handle."
Jeffrey's attacks doesn't get even close to hitting its target. "Talking too much... Focus..."
Recovering from him fumbled hammer attack, August plants his feet, tightens the grip on the hammer and sets for a proper swing.
Jeffrey's swing misses wide and August hammer blow lands but bounces off the thick hide of Jeva. The werewolf leaps away making for the deep forest.
Attempting to put stop the fleeing creature, August takes a swing as she darts past.
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Jeffrey directly swings his sword at the fleeing creature when it turns its back.
However, when it's gone he wipes the sweat off of his forehead. "Let's get the hell out of here!" Jeffrey will urge the party to return to William and the others. "I'm not going to stop until I reach Falchon's Hollow, no way. We barely got away there!"
She looked so innocent, she did! Wait...
Un'gra watches the beast run away. "Guess I should have hung on to the dagger."
Keanan looks disgusted with his friends. "You owe me a rope. We'll call it even on the meal since you did save my life earlier."
Balazar looks upset and roars. "Well, I should have said I only speak for myself. I think she still wants the steak dinner. Let's get out of here."
William's eyes grow large. "What?! Alperion, help me carry Serila! Milon, lead the way."
"I'll buy Balzar a steak or two if she promises not to eat whats left of ma arm. "
Un'gra wraps some cloth crudely around his arm while they head away from the orphanage, more to keep the dirt out than to fix the wound.
"How far are we from this place, I really should get this looked at."
The group reaches the town just after sunset. Falcon's Hollow has a thin layer of fog and hopelessness hanging over the city. The gate guard lets the group in but only after telling them that they should flee for their lives."The plague is upon us."
"Stay close to me Balazar. Things might get rough, and I don't want the townsfolk on edge any more than needed. Let's go see Laurel and tell her we paid a dear price for these ingredients."
Keanan and Balazar move down the road towards Laurel's business.
"I'll go get my wife," William says, and takes several steps before he walks back up to the others. William hands Jeffrey a coin purse. "Here's the money I promised when I hired you to find her for me... You did find her..."
"Milon, thank you for coming as well when I needed you. I won't forget what you've done for me. Alperion, I know you can't help what happened... It's just... Sorry, I have to go now..." With tears in his eyes William exits the church, and walks home to get his wife.
Keanan knocks at Laurel's business door. "Laurel, it's Keanan, the druid if you recall. Are you in there?"
Laurel peeks out the window next to the door and a few seconds later the door opens a crack."Did you get what we need?" Laurel ask Keanan in a tired voice.
"Yes, if you let me inside I'll give it to you. We paid for these ingredients with life and blood." Keanan has no interest in handing the woman the ingredients until he goes inside. Frankly, he doesn't trust her.
Opening the door wide she starts to walk back to her workbench."The plague has gotten worse, it kills more and more everyday. Since your party has been gone 26 people have died. If I remember right, you had some skill with herb lore and can help me make the cure."
Once behind her workbench she pulls out the old tomb she had before and flips to a bookmark near the back."This old recipe better work or this town will not survive. Ok, show me the ingredients." Waiting for Keanan to pullout the herbs Laurel reads over the recipe.
Un'gra walks over to Keanan, "You headed to an inn after ya deliver this stuff? I'd like to get ya that beer and something for Balzar. Hope this stuff clears up this plague "
Keanan puts the ingredients on the table. "First, the witch wasn't there but left behind a trap. Second, the old orphanage in the woods across the river was burned down, as they tortured werewolves. Third, Serrila died to a big spider. Fourth, me and my best friend nearly died to a warg and his wolves. Fifth, we rescued a Half-Orc who nearly lost his arm to a werewolf. There's probably a sixth and seventh issue, but frankly I've lost count and I'm not smart enough to remember them. So, if you don't mind, we've had our share of hardship getting this darn stuff. Perhaps you can give me more information on who might have started this?"
When the group entered the city Jeffrey, William and Alperion headed to the temple with Serila's body. Keanan, Un'gra, Milon and Nebdel went on to Root and Remedies to help Laurel fine a cure.
Laurel looks up from her book."Serila is dead? Shaking her head and mumbling to herself. "No...why...so young..." After a few minutes Laurel snaps out of it and turns toward Keanan. "Thank you very much Keanan. I understand that you and the others have made sacrifices to save this town. Right now thou we need to get this cure made so we can stop this plague. After, we can investigate who may have been behind this.'
The priestess welcomes the group into the temple and has them move Serila's body to the preparation room in the basement. After talking with William a few minutes the group leaves.
"Well, how long will it take? What can I do to help?"
Laurel hands Keanan the Rat's Tail root. "Grind this up. You there!" Pointing at Jeffrey. "Get a fire started under that cauldron. Milon get your niece I know she has "The Taint" the worst. We will use the cure on here first. And Milon please lock the door as you leave." Milon leaves the shop and Laurel gets back to work.
Well, you got this right? I'll just be over here fixing my arm, if ya need me. Nebdel, mind giving me a hand with this." Un'gra moves to a corner of the room out of the way and takes the cloth off his wound, taking a closer look at it.
August pokes his head in at the Roots and Remedies.
"I want to see this task done, anything I can do?"
Laurel turns to August. "Oh, did not see you there! Yes you can gather water and food from the Inn it is going to be a late night."
Keanan grinds up the rat tail. "So, tell me, Laurel, why has the plague spread so quickly since we left? We have a few minutes while we make this elixir, so don't leave out the details."
Laurel talks as she prepares the Ironbloom Mushrooms."I do not know why it is spreading so quickly. As I told you before you left, the plant that caused "The Taint" is not native to this area so I have never run into it or the plague that goes with it. I do not know why it is spreading either, Brookman's Well has been closed and guarded since we figure out "The Taint" came from the plant growing in the water. I believe their is more to it but I don't know what."
"Ay, I'll help you with that. Wanted to see where the inn is."
"Come with me, Un'gra. You and I will get some supplies...and maybe an ale, for the task ahead. We'll leave them be working on the medicine"
August waves Un'gra over towards the door, and heads towards the inn. He points out a few landmarks along the way helping to give him a feel for this town.
"Yes, stand outside and guard the door so no one comes in. I have been besieged since this whole thing started. When the others get back with the food set one of them on the back door."
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Jeffrey nods and moves outside to guard the door.
This reminds me of this job I once had, where I stood outside a fancy pub. No one without a membership card could get in. The place was way too fancy for my taste, but the job paid some good coin. Hmm... now I think about it, I think I used that money to buy this bastard sword...
Un'gra follows August taking note of the sights. "Things just keep getting crazier. How have you guys avoided getting the taint? That's all I need after the past few days. "
"I think we were quick to leave to find a cure. I have things to attend to after passing through town, and like you, the last thing I needed was to find myself ill and without the means to be cured. This way we figured we would have the best shot at staying healthy. That was my plan at least"
Finding themselves at the inn, August will try to flag down somebody to get an order of food and drink for the group working into the night.
When some takes the order from August, Un'gra adds and "a big piece of raw meat. Don't give me that look, it's na for me. August, I'll get this. Least I can do."