Venture-Captain Brackett stands in the opulent Grand Cathedral of Aroden in Almas, the intricate stained glass window onto Andoran’s bustling capital speckling his thin, hawk-nosed face with colored light as he presents you your orders.
“The Society has been granted a unique opportunity, and I hope you are up to the task. Last week I received a missive from the nymph queen Syntira of Darkmoon Wood to the north. It seems a deadly plague afflicts the fey of the Wood and they are desperate to find its source and a cure. While we would not normally waste our time and resources on this sort of endeavor, this particular situation presents us several potential boons we can not pass up.
“Syntira has long attempted to improve relations between her fey subjects and the human inhabitants of nearby Falcon’s Hollow. Sadly, the Lumber Consortium agents who run the town are not open to a diplomatic solution, and tensions remain high. The Society stands to learn much from the fey, both about their magical nature and the elusive First World, and we could certainly benefit from a powerful ally in Darkmoon Vale. Do whatever you can to get the bottom of this plague and find a solution. We must show Syntira that the Pathfinder Society deserves her trust.
“We believe the strange disease may originate from a cursed relic known as Isandrea’s Basin rumored hidden deep within Darkmoon Wood. If this theory proves accurate, I want you to obtain the basin and bring it to me for study. I imagine an external force harnessed the artifact’s power and guards it heavily—so be prepared
“One Lumber Consortium logging camp in particular was involved in several conflicts with the forest’s resident fey over the last year, and both Syntira and I believe that starting your investigation at this cutyard will prove most productive. I will provide you a map to this location as it’s a good place to start your investigation. Once you have located and identified the disease, seek Syntira herself and aid her in any way possible. Stock up on provisions here in Almas before heading up-river, as you may find Falcon’s Hollow too small and provincial for many of your needs. Don’t dally too long, however, because the disease is quickly spreading, and we want to stop it before
it gets out of hand.”
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A young good looking lady of Taldan heritage, stand in the room. Her pretty face bore the look of those used to command and to be obeyed.
On her neck, the symbol of Iomadae, the godess of righteous valor, justice, and honor.
She bowed to Venture-Captain Brackett and said
Hello everyone and nice to meet you... all. I'm Maxime Chanteclerc, follower of the Inheritor. I hope to be able to protect all of you.
Then she added to Brackett
Captain, I don't have the knowledge to identified this desease, how could we do it if neither of us have this knowledge ? second, how can we prevent this desease to hurt us ? And finally how could we seek Queen Syntira ?
Good questions and concerns all - while you are not the ideal person to identify the disease, your relationship with the Inheritor, your natural charisma and your skill at arms could all be vital. One of your fellow pahfinders on the team is something of a... collector of information on Pathogens. I imagine he'll do the bulk of the work there.
According to Syntira’s description, the infected are covered in small white pustules and quickly weaken and wither to their deaths.
As for your finding the Queen - you'll likely have to form a relationship with the local fey if you've to have any chance at an audience.
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Leaning against the wall in the back is a gray skinned mountain of a man with red hair and eyes and a pair of tusks jutting from his mouth. Clearly not human, it is difficult to tell what his heritage is, exactly. He wears simple clothes in black with arms bared, corded with muscles well-conditioned.
"Yer sending us into a plague zone?" he says. "Hope the Society is springing for some Antiplague."
"Balak Stone." he adds when the others look at him.
All you get from Venture Captain Brackett is a bitter smile when you mention the society springing for Anti Plague.
“We have not heard reports of any afflicted humanoids in the area—only fey — but you should use caution as humanoids can catch the disease. It may be in your best interests to prepare for dealing with the disease before heading to Falcon’s Hollow.”
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A tall, solidly-built man with a somber expression listens intently to the Venture-Captain's briefing and responses to his colleagues' questions.
"Good to meet all of you. My name is Lars. Lars von Halgraff. I am a trained warrior, skilled at fighting both mounted and on foot. I am afraid I know little of how to treat diseases."
"These are ill tidings indeed. This is my first assignment for the Society, but I will do what I can to stop this menace and restore honor to myself and my family."
Any other Questions Pathfinders?, Captain Brackett asks.
The old looking man in the back steps forward, various vials and weapons hanging from his bent frame, and looks at Captain Brackett carefully, "What are the symptoms of the plague? How does it spread? Why only send the four of us? How are we getting to the kingdom of the Elves?" he rattles off the questions quickly... his eyes are red and watery, and dart from side to side quickly.
He looks at the other three. "I am Doctor Mor, I am a Physick, I am trained to treat poisons and plagues, which means when one of you gets yerself sick, I'm gonna have ta fix ya up." he half smiles...
I am beginning to think traveling with these youths will be fun.... he thinks idly
Ahhh excellent, we're all here then.
“According to Syntira’s description, the infected are covered in small white pustules and quickly weaken and wither to their deaths. You'll travel to Falcon’s Hollow, a frontier logging settlement in northern Andoran by boat initially, and touch base with the logging camp first of all I should think, after that, a meeting with the Queen of the , he emphasises the word noticeably, will be up to you to engineer.
As for why only four of you? Why our typical 'mission' teams are four to six members and you are what we have on hand.
He pulls out a pocket watch and smiles.
I would get shopping for any supplies you think you'll need about now if I were you.
The light in Darkmoon Wood is dim under the thick forest canopy, and an eerie mist blankets the damp forest floor. A humble cutyard fills this man-made clearing. Thick darkwood stumps cover the ground and the scent of sawdust lingers in the air. Two rows of tents line a central path strewn with abandoned axes, saws, chains, and coils of rope. Over the unnatural silence of the forest, sounds of terrified screaming and ripping canvas carry from the far side of the camp.
You run into the camp?
"Oh dear...." the doctor says as he follows at the end of the group. two vials in hands, pausing to scan the area for reasons
Initiatives.
Wolves
Workers
Dr Mor
Kurast
Balak
Maxime
Lars
For simplicity sake here I'll assume that Dr Mor gets above 10 for initiative this combat. You can all act, then workers then wolves.
TAKE COVER! the doctor shouts as he moves to a 15 ft range and hurls a vial of volatile chemicals
[hit] Reflex save 15 for half damage
watching the glass vial soar through the air and land just where he aimed it is pleasing to his eye...
Wolf 1
Wolf 2
The bomb explodes in the midst of you... wolf 1 taking some sharpnel but wolf 2 only getting singed by the flames.
Lars belts Wolf 2 hard with his blade.
On the other hand, Kurvasts thrust doesn't seem to give the results he'd think, though his blade stabs deep into it... these wolves stink of corruption, and strangely enough, they appeared to have been stitched together, stuffed like rag dolls with bright red, orange, and yellow flowers.
GM Spoiler
The workmen belt on the wolves ineffectually.
The wolves turn their dead yet burning eyes on you...
Wolf 2 attempts to bite Lars and Wolf 1 Maxime.
Wolf 1
Wolf 2
If bitten make a Fort save.
Back to you all.
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Kurvast grunts with surprise as his blade piercing through the wolf, drawing no blood and hardly seeming to even divert the creature's attention.
"Not beasts at all," he rumbles. I was mistaken.
The tribesman notes that his cavalier companion fared better against the unnatural creatures with a slashing blade. Dropping his rapier, Kurvast unlimbers the hooked spear slung across his back.
Maxime, using the attacks from the woodcutters as a distraction manages a solid hit, and along with Kurasts solid thrust puts the wolf down... where it explodes in a burst of flowers and putrid flesh.
Slam Attack against everyone within 5ft of Wolf 1.
If you are hit take that much damage and make a fort save.
The other wolf is still standing after a vicious attack from Lars.
It attempts to bite Lars in return.
Lars, If you are hit take that much damage and make a fort save.
Maxime moved to the next wolf and striked at it.
Please Dr. Be careful to not hit us with your bomb.
[dice=longsword]1d20+8-1;1d8+4+2
"Well I meant for the bomb to explode before you got to the wolven undead were attacked by the rest of you..." The doctor apologizes with an upset shrug
He pulls a scalpel from his jacket, in case the wolves get past his allies
The remaining wolf continues to try to savage Lars.
With that it goes down... And the explodes, again affecting all with 5 ft.
Fort roll if hit
The workmen near the wolf are thrown to the ground and impaled by bits of flying bone, their bodies spraying blood from their heavy wounds.
3 charges later they come around.
They thank you but seem suspicious and standoffish.
They introduce themselves by various names but they are reluctant to give more than that.
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I'm Maxime Chanteclerc. We are here to help. We are not here to judge or take but to understand what's happen here.
Please help us to help you. Explain tu us what's going on here, what you know and what you guess.
The man here she showed Jedidiah is a doctor, he can help you.
Maxime asked Jedidiah to look at the strange wolf and if they carry a pathogen agent.
One of them, named Vanick Inor, warms to you, second thinking they way he was treating you.
We beed 'avin attacks from yon forest fey, they don' care fer us doin' an honest days work woodcuttin'. The overseer, Zender Fulch, held somewat o' a grudge against the fey after losing an ear to a nixie in his earliest days in th' Woods. Ee's a vicious bastard old Fulch was. Could say tha' after Fulch turned up the heat, it got t' be an ongoin' thing - them on us or us on them.
He goes on to tell you that the camp’s normal compliment of workers is fifteen including Fulch, but a particularly bloody skirmish with a satyr patrol resulted in the deaths of six lumberjacks. In retaliation, Fulch dispatched four of the men to go get some payback. They found a weird field, a grove filled with strange flowers but were forced to return.
Shortly after returning to the cutyard, all four lumberjacks showed signs of a strange new sickness. All but two of the camp’s remaining occupants have since contracted the same sickness, and Fulch has died of it. His body still lies on his cot in one of the tents, as the sick are too weak to bury him and the uninfected are too scared to touch him.
He also mentions that the flowers stuffed in the zombies are grown in a grove not far away which he and several other men discovered when they were tracking satyrs. He also reveals that they were chased off by the field’s guardians—a band of crazy ex-druids known for begging in Falcon’s Hollow’s town square.
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Thanks Vanick Said Maxime to the man.
Then she asked his fellow partners.
I think it's the disease we are looking for, may be these flowers are in a way responsible of this disease ?
Dr. Could you examine the body of Fulch ? It could have some clue about what we're looking for. Oh and please take a look on the wolfs I've never heard of exploding wolfs...