"I'll be right over there." Caine said opening the door and pointing. "Just keep an eye out. Zilka, if you want to come keep me company, that's fine by me."
He walked down the street to where the line crossed the intersection in front of Lauren's shop and casually nodded to a few people who were waiting. He didn't waste much time. "Here." he said to one of them. "Hold that pot up a sec."
Then he started whispering a quiet litany to Abadar, holding his hand over the pot. It began filling at a rate of about a gallon a second. When it was full he said "Who's next?"
"Got it in one smiley, and to think people say you're just a pretty face."
Giving the deputy a quick salute, Ruhk sprints back towards the herbalist shop, eager to keep his comrades covered until more help arrives.
As Ruhk makes his way back towards Roots and Remedies he catches an eye of Caine and Zilka standing nearby the line of people waiting to get water. He also notices Kreed's thugs eyeing them suspiciously from their position... Zilka also notices the dark looks being cast in your direction; however, for the moment they do not move to intervene seemingly content with seeing how the situation plays out.
Zirren, Belladonna, and Art continue their diligent work and hoping that the cure will work...
Geez, we're making friends like nobody's business today aren't we just?
Approaching the door to Roots and Remedies, Ruhk knocks on the door.
"Have no fear, the most handsome man in Falcons Hollow has returned.
Oh, and Ruhk is here as well.
Baelson and the rest will be here in a bit.
Keep the door closed, I'll guard from the outside."
Caine continued to fill the buckets and bowls of the people waiting in line, not accepting money or any other offer of trade, sending each person home with as much water as they could carry. His broad smile made him look like a completely different person.
"Good call." Caine said, and started mentioning that as he filled buckets and bowls.
Obviously the line suddenly shifts from the foul, muddied well water to the clean, free water the Caine begins to dish out. The two thugs frown and begin to consult each other before one of them nods and suddenly departs the scene while the other watches Zilka and Caine very carefully. The townsfolk happily accept Caine's generosity and a few even give the man surprised, and a few suspicious, looks in this drastic shift in his demeanor. Word begins to spread around the small town of free, clean water being distributed by the Bouncer from the Ugly Duck. Within a few moments the line begins to grow as it was nearing time to begin preparations for dinner.
Sheriff Baleson and three of his deputies, including Tabrik, show up at Roots and Remedies, each of them carrying a cudgel wrapped his thick cloth. The sheriff starts to say something as he approaches Ruhk, but the strange sight of the long line and the whispering of townsfolk draws his attention. "Dandy, what in the Nine Hells is going on here?"
"Glad to see you Sheriff, that takes a load off my mind so to speak.
I don't know how much smiley told you, but the short and long of it is this...
We gathered what Laurel needed to make a cure for the blight, she is cooking it up as we speak, but there seems to be an element that might object to it being HER that does it see?
That's why I asked you to come here, make sure nobody tries anything.
Plus, once the cure is done, we'll need to keep some order in line so everyone can get some in good order yes?"
"As for the line over there, that's Caine handing out free clean water. Hard to believe, but I think he found something out there in the wild, something good...something...deep?"
Baleson wipes his hand across his face with a tired, weary expression as he shares a few looks with his deputies. "I'm sure we can all figure out who that element might be too." He sighs as he casts a dark look towards the Kreed mansion on the northside of town. "Alright, Dandy. You did good gettin' us involved. How many of you are there total? We may want to bring in some of the folks that are on our side. The ones not yet cowed by the Consortium. How much longer you reckon before the cure is ready?"
Ruhk shrugs a little and grins apologetically. "Sorry Sheriff, that's not really my area of expertise, all I know is that she is working like a fury as we speak.
As for us, well, there are three of us inside, Bella you probably know, the other two are new in town.
Caine is over there with one more, and then there is me.
so five if you ask my father, and eight if you ask my mother."
Baleson grunts and nods. He turns toward Tabrik. "Splint, go round up a couple of the Freeman, tell them to bring some clubs, but nothin' that's going to do any serious damage. We ain't here to kill or maim anyone. Just to subdue. And keep it quiet... Dandy is right, we don't want to start up a riot here." The dwarf nods and rushes off into the quickly gathering gloom of dusk. "Ruhk, you better hope this cure works. Otherwise you and yours goin' to be the most hated folks in town. I daresay even more so than Kreed."
Nothing much happens over the next hour other than half a dozen lumberjacks come quietly trickling into the area about Roots and Remedies, each of them carrying an axe handle, but no blade. Ruhk recognizes a few of them from his rotation and they give him a nod of camaraderie. Tabrik finally returns with none other than Milon Rhoddam, with a hefty club of his own. "Dandy, glad to see you all made it back alive." He glances toward the building. "Lot of folk died while you guys were out gallivanting, I hope this is the real deal."
Eventually the line of folks dries up for the free water, especially when they begin to spot the growing crowd around Roots and Remedies that include Sheriff Baleson. Kreed's thug returns to the well with his comrade and the two men simply glare at Caine and Zilka. Soon the street is mostly empty other than Caine, Zilka, and Kreed's two thugs watching the well.
Ruhk rubs his nose and nods at Milon. "We hurried back, didn't even stop to examine the monsters lair.
I tell you, I've we'd known what we were going to run into..."
Rubbing his chin for a moment, Ruhk considers before shrugging.
"You now what? I don't think it would have changed anything, how do you prepare to combat a living cauldron?"
"Being ambushed sort of makes pre-planing impossible.
And worgs nestling in ruins you have to go into to get mushrooms for a cure are no less big and scary than the ones out in the wild."
Then he smiles brightly.
"But you know, I have a feeling it will all be worth it in the end, the pain, the fear and the sore feet."
His Samaritanship done for now, Caine said a quiet prayer of thanks, talking to his god in his usual, overly familiar, loving but not-quite reverential way, like he was talking to an old friend rather than a divine being.
He looked worn out, but happy when he and Zilka joined Ruhk and the Sherrif. "Baleson." he said with a nod. "Good to see you."
Ruhk grins and elbows the nearest deputy.
"That's not what he said LAST time he saw him." He whispers Sotto voce
Milon chuckles and nods to Ruhk's unique brand of humor. "I suppose you're right, Dandy. I do hope this is real though, my sister's boy is knockin' on deaths door." The tough man's voice creaks a little as he talks about his nephew's possible fate. He quickly clears the knot out of his throat as he turns his attention to Caine and Baleson. "What's the plan here? What we doing, exactly, Sheriff?"
Baleson gives a quick nod of greeting to Caine. "Well, you already seem to know what these folks were after out there in the Woods, Milon. They seem to think the Consortium is after this cure to either claim it for profit or worse. We are here to make sure that don't happen. I know Laurel and she isn't like to charge anyone for this cure. Our secondary job is to keep the order once word gets around that there's a cure. Folks are goin' to come scramblin' for it and we don't want a mob. As the Sheriff, I'm deputizin' all you here for this. You have my authority to keep the peace and protect this cure in whatever means necessary, except for killin' folks. I don't want any bloodshed if we can avoid it. So, Ruhk, that means no swinging that log-splitter of yours around. Whack folks with the handle if you need to. That being said, if someone tries to stick you... you can defend yourselves as you see fit. I don't see it coming to that, but..." He raises his hand towards the Consortium headquarters and then lets it drop suddenly. "Well, you all understand. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. So for now, get comfortable, I'm thinkin' we got a little while longer before this cure is going to be ready."
All of the deputies and the Freemen nod to Baleson and settle in for what might be quite a wait...
"Not to worry Sheriff, someone causes trouble he gets to see Bethany, someone being belligerent they get the flat on their arse or skull depending on the situation.
Someone gets suicidal, they might just get her kiss."
Ruhk shrugs and smiles a little wryly.
"To tell you the truth, I'm hoping there will be none of that, Bethany has been all but kissed out while we were out there.
Kobolds, worgs, Wyrms, furniture and a worg...the old girl has not been idle."
Belladonna keeps making cures. By the end of this, she will be the party's new medic. Somehow.
Belladonna keeps making cures. By the end of this, she will be the party's new medic. Somehow.
The group settles in while they wait for the cure, dusk turns to twilight, twilight turns to full on night fall and everything seems quiet. The main road around Roots and Remedies remains avoided by the townsfolk, even the lumberjacks that head for their rotation seem to be avoiding that area when they spot the large group hanging around outside Laurel's place... You all learn that the "Freemen" are a group of lumberjacks that got tired of Kreed's malevolence, especially in light of the recent plague. Led by Milon, they've banded together with Baleson and hopes of turning the tide on the Lumber Consortium and demand better working and living conditions. They have been extensively harassed and even a few of the more vocal ones have had "accidents" while in the cutyard, but most have stayed true to their comrades based on their presence with you.
Some hours after nightfall Laurel opens the door, looking exhausted and covered in a sheen of sweat. "It's done. Milon... can you bring your nephew in? We need to test it on someone before we announce we've got a cure."
He looks at her for a moment, then nods. "Sure Laurel. Can't do him anymore harm. He's goin' to die anyway if we don't try it. I'll get my sister and bring them in. Perhaps a couple of you could come with? If I was Kreed, I'd wait until the group was split to make my move."
Ruhk puts a hand on Milon's shoulder.
"'Course Milon, the kids were the reason I got involved in the first place, so I'll come, of course I'll come."
"I'm staying this time. The cure's the priority. If Kreed's going to make a move on it, he's going to come here." Caine said.
"You're probably right, I can take one more deputy with me, two if they can be spared.
Four scowling people with clubs should discourage anyone with half a brain from trying anything."
"You make a surprising point there, Ruhk." Zirren said, thoughtfully. "We've been directly focused around the shop but one has to wonder what Kreed and his thugs will be trying in response to us. Will he let the situation lie as is? Will he come at us in force? Or will he send roving bands of his thugs to intimidate anyone with half a brain from coming? Granted, it's unlikely to stop more the more desperate from coming but it may cause a good number from coming."
"You can discount the last one. If he can't find a way to profit from this one personally, he won't oppose it.
This plague is affecting his workforce after all, and I am willing to bet Bethany herself that he would rather all the workforce to be healed without profit to himself than risk stopping it and losing all control over the people here."
Ruhk grins and taps his nose.
"Never underestimate your opponent, Kreed is greedy, power hungry and a sadist, but he is NOT stupid.
If we stand strong, he'll cut his losses.
...
...
Mind you, I'm not so sure about Payday..."
Milon nods his silent appreciation to Ruhk for volunteering. Baleson sends one of his Deputies and one of the Freemen with the group when they depart. The streets are dark and deserted, but not quiet... The everpresent sounds of the nearby cutyard fill the air and bounces off the buildings, creating an uncanny echo that seems to come from all directions at once. Milon leads the small group to a tiny hut and pounds his large fists upon the simple door. After a few moments the door opens to reveal a middle-aged woman holding a small hatchet in her hands. "Milon? What are you doing? Its--"
He pushes his way through the door. "Quiet, Margaret. Get your clothes, Laurel's got a cure." Brutal hacking coughs and gasping can be heard from inside the house. Milon exits shortly carrying a thin, frail looking boy whose lips are flecked with blood and is coughing in a terrible, hacking cough. "Let's go!" He immediately starts back towards Roots and Remedies.
About halfway to the shop a group of four shadowy figures step out from an alleyway in front of the group, they each appear to be carrying a club or cudgel of some sort. "Told you this weren't over, Rhoddam." Ruhk recognizes the voice as one of the well-known Kreed's lickspittles, Jeremiah. "Ain't got all yer boys to protect now, do ya?"
"Don't need any more, I'm here..."
This close to seeing something ending, this close to saving a child, Ruhk's smile and good mood slides off him like water on a ducks back.
He points Bethany straight at Jeremiah, and when he speaks, he channels all the menace he can into his voice.
"A child's life is in danger here, if you think I'm letting you scum slow us down at all, then you are dreaming.
You turn around now and you get to live your empty lives one more day, but if you are still here by the count of three, I swear...I.Will.Kill.you.all."
"One..."
Edit:
Jeremiah sneers at Ruhk, but his companions take a step back from the Dandy's threats, clearly not quite ready to deal with the lethal threat of violence or perhaps the involvement of a child. It was difficult to tell, but whichever the reason the three men shook their heads. "I ain't dyin' fer this." One mutters and the other two step back into the alleyway, well away from Ruhk and his gleaming axe...
Jeremiah on the other hand shows a sinister grin as he draws a wicked dagger from his belt. "F%$# you, Dandy. Let's see how sharp that axe of your really is."
"If you think you deserve Bethany, you really are dreaming..."
Ruhk holds out his hand, letting Jeremiah see the crackling electricity there, all the while giving him the most evil grin his face can contort into.
"I hear just before your body shuts down from the pain, your voice rise so high that your vocal cords snap..."
Then he leans a little further forward.
"Two..."
Suddenly the deputy that came along rushes to put himself between the two man, facing Ruhk. "Hold now, boys! Ruhk, you heard Baleson, ain't no killin' tonight. I'm still part of the law in this to---" He lets out a gasp of pain as Jeremiah lunges forward and jabs his dagger into the deputy's back! He stumbles forward at Ruhk with a pained expression before collapsing to the ground, grabbing at the terrible wound in his upper back. Milon's sister's scream splits the air while Milon curses and starts handing off the little boy...
Jeremiah grins and advances towards Ruhk. "Three. Enough talk, now we dance."
"You've lived long enough..."
Ruhk's sudden charge catches everyone by surprise, especially Jeremiah who grunts with the impact as Bethany drives deep into his chest cavity! He only has a second to stare down at the axe head before a jolt of electricity sears into his body eliciting a terrible scream of pain before he falls to the ground smoking and dead....
Ruhk doesn't even spare the fallen Jeremiah a glance, instead he cast a baleful glare at his three accomplices.
"You don't want to be here right now..." He snarls while pointing Bethany's bloody blade straight at them.
Then he speaks to Milon and the others without turning.
"Can you staunch the wound? If we get him to Caine, he will be able to save him."
The three men stare in horror at the scene that just played out in front of them. "We don't want no trouble with stabbin' one of Baleson's deputies! Let's go!" The drop their clubs and scatter into the darkness.
Milon quickly hands his nephew to his mother and grabs the deputy's shoulders while the other Freemen grabs his feet. "No time. If Caine can heal him, then let's move! Dandy, you take the lead and make sure no more scum try to ambush us! Millie, you stay between Ruhk and me!" Milon starts off towards Roots and Remedies at a brisk jog, his muscles straining against the dead weight of the unconscious deputy.
Ruhk sets off to catch up and get ahead of Milon, assuming nobody else tries to cause trouble, he will call out as soon as the Roots and Remedies comes in sight.
"Caine! Caine! Over here, we got someone wounded!"
"Hey Sheriff, we got an issue.
That moron Jeremiah tried to cause trouble with some of his mates.
I managed to intimidate his mates into backing off, but before I could scare of Jeremiah, your well-meaning deputy stepped in and got shanked in the back by Jeremiah for his troubles."
Ruhk's face is hard, with no trace of regret as he says in a low dangerous tone.
"He won't be doing that again..."
Caine came out the door, looking around when Ruhk called. He ran over to where Milan was carrying the bloodied deputy. They were moving so instead of waiting to take a better look at the wound, Caine just layed a hand on the man and prayed.
Zirren shook his head and rubbed at his temple while muttering to himself. "... and there's the spark."
Baleson rushes over when he sees his injured Deputy and helps lower him to the ground while Caine applied his healing magic. The deputy's eyes flutter and he takes in a deep gasp of air. His eyes dart about, full of fear for a moment as his brain tries to make rational sense of his last few moments. Baleson lays a hand on the man's shoulder. "Easy now, Marek. You're safe. Caine here applied a bit of healing magic to you. Let's prop you up here and rest for a bit." He then looks at Ruhk. "Is Jeremiah dead? If so, where's his body? And who else was involved? We need to get a handle on this before Kreed does."
While the Sheriff handles his man, Milon and his sister carry the little boy into Roots and Remedies to deal with the cure. "Laurel, we're here. Hurry doesn't sound like the boy has much left in him!"
Laurel nods and doles out some of the strong smelling liquid into a vial. She then puts it to the boys blood-flecked lips. "Drink it up, son. All of it now." She chuckles at his grimace. "I know its bitter, sweetheart, but this should make you all better. That's it, every drop. Now rest for a bit." She looks at Milon and his sister. "And now we wait... I don't know how long."
As the adrenaline fuelled rage dies down, Ruhk leans back against the outside wall and then slowly slides to the ground, closing his eyes against the headache that comes.
"Yeah, he went down, hard, and he won't be getting up.
The body is not too far back along the road, we didn't have to much left to go to get here.
As for it was, you know the three, Jeremiah's mates, the ones they call "the three halfwits"."
Slowly Ruhk cracks open one eye and meets Baleson's gaze.
"I'm sorry it had to come to that, but I don't regret doing it. I wasn't about to let anyone stop us from saving that little boy.
When he shanked your man, he sealed his fate."
Then Ruhk sighs, the remaining defiance going out of him.
"If you feel you need to arrest me, I'll go quietly."