"Unconscious for what reason? You and the two unconscious makes three, how many others are there?"
The men around the speaker are holding their weapons ready. From what you can see through the rain they look tired, and a little scared - but also determined.
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Silas perks up suddenly, as adrenaline once again floods his system. He once again makes the strange backwoods gesture and word to bring luck.
"There's rather a lot of us I'm afraid, contracted by Hawcroft Logging. I am Doctor Silas Bishop. We've discovered the - or at least a -secret to the Unfolding Plague. I and two of my fellow physicians are taking some sedated subjects to a quarantine laboratory in an attempt to find a cure."
"If you are agents of the city then we need you to convey the information we've gathered so far to Hawcroft and the authorities. It may be the only chance to stop what we suspect is coming."
"If you are bandits then I'm happy to give you our money as frankly there's likely to be little use for it in the next little while. You should also be aware that we are heavily armed. We recently were forced to fight a major assault of infected - some several dozen and an infected monster - we took no casualties and only two serious injuries, one of which is now healed. I suggest you take the money and run."
"While I would normally be prepared to comply with lengthy instructions, time is of the essence. Lives are at stake, including yours. You see the source of the Unfolding Plague is sentient, mobile, knows what we know and is - to the best of our knowledge - pursuing us. While I can't exactly know the numbers closing on our location my upper estimate is that thousands of infected creatures may be on their way."
"The devil rides behind us, gentlemen. I'm afraid this may be the end of the world if we can't stop it. Help us or get out of our way."
[dice=intimidate]1d20+7+1
Silas, your words have a visible effect on four of the five figures standing astride the gate - some weapons are lowered by a few sentences, and shadowed faces turn beneath their hoods to regard each other and their leader. There are murmurs that you can't hear, and gestures.
The man in the middle of the group, however, says nothing for a few moments.
The halfling follows Caveth to the shore, holding a mooring rope in one hand, her flail in the other. ”And I am Kay Towerweed, also under the employ of Hawcroft. Let me say that by my Halfling heart I swear that Mr Bishop’s words are true and in the best interests of all. Please don’t hinder us. It’s been a long day.”
"A very, very long day," Joseph agrees as he too steps ashore. "Trust me, I'd do as the professor asks if I were you - unless you feel like fighting an infected giant stag or two - I wouldn't be overly surprised if there were a few of those on the way..."
Roland speaks with his companions for several moments before bowing his head in resignation and turning back to Silas and the others that have shown themselves. "You're apocalypse talk doesn't scare me, Doctor. We've been dealing with the plague for several days now, and have no intention of giving up yet. You've admitted to having infected aboard your craft and we'll not let it pass freely. Those of you willing to leave the vessel and follow our instructions for the next few moments, we will be more than happy to let pass on foot. However! We're willing to give you the benefit of the doubt regarding what's following you. You and your ship will be allowed inside the checkpoint until we conclude our search." As he says this, two of his group disappear and seconds later, the first of what you can now see are two gates begins to open. "We will close this behind you so that we don't get overrun during the process."
Silas pauses
"Wait. You've been dealing with the unfolding plague for several days?"
One of the other figures atop the gate speaks up, his voice that of a man both young and tired.
'You heard the man. It started, what, three nights ago? We didn't know what it was then...' the man speaking lowers his weapon for a moment to rub at what you can see is a roughly-made splint that travels the length of his arm,'but we picked up the subtleties soon enough, let me tell you. We've been under siege ever since.'
He raises his weapon again, regarding you coldly.
"We were dispatched yesterday to investigate 'an incident' upriver but there was no mention of anything so dire as a plague or siege. Have you sent word of your situation to the city?" Caveth stands back from the gate as it slowly retracts to speak to the man atop who seems to be in charge of the small group.
'Ha! How could we? We've just got to hope that it's better down there than it is up here.'
The man spat into the river, adding an infinitesimally small amount to the overspill.
Kay mumbles quietly to the party, "Boy do I hope that this isn't a trap. I can't help but feel that some of us should help maintain this stronghold as others return to civilisation in order to figure out a cure."
The figures at the top of the gate begin to move, except their speaker in the middle, heading out of sight and behind the walls. The river-gates open up with a creak, and you let your boat drift forward into the enclosure.
Once those both on foot and still in the boat are inside the gates are shut again, and now that you're inside the encampment you can see a heavy iron bar being dropped into place to hold them against outside assault.
The inside of the little river-gate compound is... depressing. From the state of some of the walls you can see that people have attempted to break in recently, and axe-head like holes in the wood bring back all-too-recent memories of your own time in the office before Atterleigh's little breakdown.
Three of the figures that had been standing on the walkway move over to you, their weapons drawn but held out to the side to show that they're not immediately hostile. They space you out, about ten feet between each of you, and begin to check you over one by one. Another of the river-gaters stands guard beside your boat, keeping an eye on both Atterleigh and your prisoner.
Kay offers to hand over her flail to help keep the peace between the two groups, ”Though I expect to get that back. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into shaving it down to my size, you know.”
, they take your flail and stash it under a ragged awning blowing in the wind. You evaluate the way they move, the way they speak... and find no signs of trickery. If this is some sort of set-up, they've gone to a lot of trouble to convince.
Reluctant to surrender his bow, Caveth unstrings and stows it in a series of loops on his backpack instead. He does offer his mace as a show of good faith however. Then he introduces Moffrey, indicates to the small group of who Atterleigh is and says lightly, "Now that you know who we are, common courtesy is to introduce yourselves..."
Roland made his way from on high in time to catch the introductions and turned to the human female, "Kleis, take top. I want to speak with these guys for a minute. My name is Roland. Up on the overlook is Kleis , the three that searched you are Ornsritch , Garradeer , and Tandus . Before we go any further, I want each of you to look straight into the air, close your eyes, and open your mouths, as if you were drinking the falling rain. At his instructions, Roland's compatriots tense slightly and inch their hands towards their weapons, preparing for the worst.
Harbek endures the inspection with arms folded and a frown across his face.
"Harbek Toruun's my name." He says gruffly if asked. He doesn't voluntarily give up his weapons and if he's made to he says "This is ridiculous." and sighs with exasperation.
He does comply with Roland's last request closing his eyes and tilting his head back before opening his mouth. he holds the position for just a second then with his head still tiled back he says "Just what is this supposed to prove?"
”It’s fine, Mr Toruun. You’ve seen how those infected don’t like the rain. It hurts them, they say. Just be glad he didn’t have us tossed in the river. I hate to think how many friends we might lose if we were forced to make a Swim Check into the water as we are.”
Kay moves to the water and scoops a handful of water to splash into her own face.
"I understand your dilemma, Roland. I believe it imperative that the city is warned."
Closer up the doctor can be seen to have the look of some of the backwoods villagers from hereabouts, but the smart cut of a city man, though his clothes are not the latest fashion - and are dirty, with the shirt a mass of old blood. He seems tired, worn and injured. Still moving only through nervous energy and adrenaline.
At the instructions
"A primitive method of detection, but as you wish." Silas complies, allowing the rain to fall on his face
"I've been working on something slightly more scientific. Be careful with those jars in my trunk and it may be I can help you."
Caveth looks skyward with mouth open as instructed, enjoying the refreshing brace of water upon his face as he had earlier in the day. Wiping his face dry for a moment with one hand, he returns his attention to the custodians of this river gate.
"This plague, or whatever it is, is on its way to Barrjka. Are we going to stand around in the rain or are we going to do something about it?"
"I suspect it's because infected people hate water - I suspect they'd have trouble actually swallowing the water," Joseph says drily, before doing as asked. After a minute or so, he turns around and says, "Am I right?"
Moffrey stands, shivering - the tarpaulin still wrapped around his shoulders like a cape, his face turned to the floor.
, Tandus walks over to you and whispers in your ear.
She gestures toward Moffrey, hand resting on the hilt of her weapon.
Roland shakes his head slightly at Tandus' question and whispers back to her.
Caveth steps closer to Roland, turning his back to Moffrey to speak in a low voice to the man with the musket, "We suspect he may be infected but he hasn't demonstrated any symptoms just yet. If need be, we can sedate him as we have the others. It's much better to have him here with us and to take him to the good doctor's facility than it is to have him wandering about the countryside on his own."
'Doctors and facilities.' The half-orc snorts with derision and flourishes her weapon for you to see, . 'I have my cure here, thank you - I don't need some fancy modern medicine to tell me how to deal with a plague-infected man.'
, the male halfling that Roland had referred to as Ornsritch comes forward as his boss and the Half-orc talk to Caveth.
'It ain't the swallowing, mate - it's the impact of it, the little raindrops. Too much sensation, or something. Drives 'em crazy. hurts 'em.'
Joseph nods. "Yes, that would make sense."
As the half-orc speaks to Caveth, Joseph speaks up, his tone turning sarcastic towards the end. "The plague has never spread to become an epidemic, and is magical in nature - having a cure for it means that if someone decides to unleash it again, fewer people end up dying as a result. Or are you suggesting that we burn all the medical texts and just kill everybody who ever falls ill?"
The half-Orc looks at you with a worrying intensity, , but says nothing to you directly. From the look on your eyes tutu have a worrying suspicion that you might have actually captured her feelings on the matter quite accurately.
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Roland laughs at Tandus' comment and Joesph's reaction and adds to it with mirth still clear in his eyes, "Indeed. Adults only though. We've all been sick as children, but it's only the weak who become ill as adults. Sort out the world, and only the strong will continue their bloodlines." With the smile still wide on his face, you cannot be sure if he is serious or just trying to get a reaction from you. With what has happened in the last few days, it is possible that the distinction is becoming muddled even in his own mind.
Silas, you barely hear it over the rain but subconsciously you've been waiting for it - an almost imperceptibly quiet sound of breaking glass from your medical kit.
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Now, now, now.....even in such harrowing times as these, surely even a glimmer of hope is better than no hope at all! Please let us attempt to eradicate this plague at its source, perhaps we may even find a ward against it altogether. I don't think any man, no matter how iron his stomach may be, could so easily "sort out" his own mother or father or spouse.
"Gentlemen, ladies. I suspect we have more pressing matters. Can I ask you to arm yourself, I suspect my experiment may have borne fruit."
Silas moves to his chest as he speaks, prepares himself and - once sure at least some are ready - opens the chest.
As curious as a short-lived cat, Kay follows Silas over to his chest.
"What is it?"
"Do you remember the leeches I infected..."
"Yes..." she says, scratching at the back of her head.
Harbek places his hands on his sword hilts ready to draw them. " How dangerous can a leach get? They were all in jars. " he says as he moves next to Silas.
, ignoring the remonstrations of your guards and opening the chest reveals what you expected, to a certain extent - the majority of the small glass containers are intact, but a single one has broken. The leech inside is split down the middle, waving blindly in the air. You can see that the broken jar is Moffrey's sample... it's safe to assume that he is indeed infected, as he feared. The rest of the jars seem to contain completely normal leeches, from what you can see.
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Silas indicates for Harbek to dispatch the creature
"Now that, fellow investigators, is science."
From one learned professional to another, Mr. Bishop...you are, quite simply, a genius.
Roland's eyes narrow as he watches the newcomers' reactions to the leeches before he plants the buttstock in his shoulder and levels the loaded and cocked musket at Moffrey's head. "I'll give you this one opportunity to move that creature to the other side of the gate. You have five seconds before I pull this trigger." Roland begins to count down, out loud to emphasize his point. "Five. Four. Three..."
, the countdown doesn't get any lower than three before there is a pounding on the river-gate you entered through, loud enough to make you all jump- even Moffrey, already terrified and expecting the worst. The pounding sounds again, and the wood-and-iron bar holding the gates closed begins to splinter and bow inwards under the repeated knocking of whatever is attempting to gain entry.
The knocking comes one more time, a great crunch of wood and a splash as the bar falls into the river below the gates... but nothing comes through.
Silence washes over the river-gate, and after a few confusing moments you realise that the rain as stopped. Looking up you can see that the droplets are hanging in the air, frozen in a dome-like shape above your encampment - the storm still exists outside of it, and you can see more and more droplets hitting the dome as though it were made of glass, but no water penetrates it - the air around you is no empty of rain.
Caveth stands paralyzed and slack-jawed for what could be a second or a minute. He wouldn't be able to say for how long the world draws to a halt in silence around him until his hands, apparently working of their own accord while he marvels at the oddness of it all, retrieve his weapon from his backpack. With a few efficient movements, he strings it and then, bow in hand, the half-elf feels more like himself at least. The tension in the air grows.
Silas hoists and loads his crossbow, the leech forgotten for now
"Moffrey; she's here?" he says quietly into the silence
Joseph swears under his breath, and then mutters something else quietly too. Once his muttering is done, he lays one hand on the hilt of his blade and says quite calmly, "If he dies, you die."
Moffrey speaks slowly and quietly, eyes still on the weapons aimed at him.
'She's here.'
"I got a bad feeling about this. Look! There's something under the water."
She looks to Silas, "Our compassion may yet be our downfall, though we have done the right thing I'm sure. I think She followed Moffrey."