Ith's Pallid Plague (PFS) (Inactive)

Game Master ithuriel

Alie stood silently by the loggers, watching them weaken by the second. "I am sure they will be back momentarily, don't worry," she says more to reassure herself than anyone else.

Fog nods and grunts agreement, in a similar vein. Struggling to reconcile his wish to help these men, and his inability to do anything but wake.

Eventually he picks up his Scimitar, and begins patrolling around the group

"Hmm. So they could have been exposed in conflict with these beggars. Why are they growing flowers out in the middle of the woods and ready to fight over them?" Laurel shrugs, "First things first- you need to get those other lumberjacks back here. I don't like having them all in my shop, but they are going to need to be cared for and I need to be here if I'm going to make any progress in fighting the pox. There's a couple of old cloaks on the rack over there. Just try to get them here without drawing too much attention. Then... I leave it up to you. I'm going to need some help here in working something out to keep the sickness at bay. Can't manage caring for the ill and testing out a new serum at the same time. On the other hand we might learn something invaluable in tracking down how they were exposed in the first place."

Let's say for getting the guys back into town you can make disguise and /or stealth rolls to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

Aldred thanks the herbalist and heads back with the others, carrying the cloaks. “I wonder if those flowers in the woods might hold some key to the disease or the cure?” he muses to the others as they return.

Once back, he quickly relays to those who remained behind all the herbalist told them, including what happened to the last lot of people when the Lumber Consortium heard they carried the plague.

“We need to get them inside, then someone needs to go and find those flowers, or the lepers,” he says.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Wadi nods at Aldred, "I hope we can do this quickly, these men don't have much time." He fiddles with the cloaks, and tries to make it look like the sickened men are just elderly, and infirm due to age.

Disguise 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Let me get an idea where you guys are headed and I'll move things along. I hate to get all meta on you, but this being PFS and all I should say I can't throw out new encounters wherever you go. So...
Option 1) Find the leper gardeners to determine where they got infected.
Option 2) Assist Laurel in manufacturing a cure.
I do not recommend splitting the group for this.

As soon as the men are with Laurel, Fog will want to hunt down the fields. As much as these men are our responsibility, we have a mission that curing them isn't helping....

Wadi would go with Fog on this as well.

I agree with Fog. Let's go hunt down those 'lepers'...

Alie agrees with the posse. Let's go find the lepers.

I'm with the rest of you, lets find this "leper garden"

Aldred just nods; he has considered that the better course of action from the beginning, and he has no skills to assist in caring for the men.

I'll introduce that scene later today, but actually finding it is going to require a:
Survival DC 15
Each check represents one hour of searching (after the four hours hiking there). You can use aid another, just note which roll you are aiding.

“Well, I’ve been out in the woods once or twice before,” says Aldred dubiously, looking about for landmarks. Survival (aid another, untrained): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"No. No. I don't see anything I recognise ..."

"I think Kayluss is the woodsman amongst us, so let me see here, if you look at the shaded side of the foilage, you can see which way..."

Survival AA for Kayluss 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Survival (Untrained, Aid another?): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

With the streets nearly empty at midday Aldred and Wadi have little trouble passing off the plague victims as the elderly. The beggars napping on shadowed stoops don't pay you any mind. The bar keep nods and continues setting up for the night's business.

Back at Roots and Remedies, Laurel has placed a sign in the window which reads "Closed for Brewing- Dangerous Fumes" and inside has cleared out a small space for some of the men to lay down. The others will have to lay between aisles. "I'll tend to them the best I can and try to find my mother's notes. When you get back to town, come by the shop and we can compare notes."

The trek back to the camp is uneventful, but from there Inor's crude map cuts deeper into the forest. The darkwood canopy closes in tighter the further you go. Mist suspended in the air limits your vision and from time to time an unnatural hush falls over the forest only to be broken after a tense pause.

No stranger to the outdoors and in his home country, Kayluss leads the group on confidently. After cutting through untamed woods for half an hour or more he comes across the barest hint of a path. The work is very subtle, but here and there branches have been trimmed, or briars cut away between trees. You all can smell the field before you see it. A warm breeze blows over you bringing the pleasant scent of spring, but the fragrance of flowers in bloom is too strong, too concentrated to be wild growth. Coming around a bend you see why. Rows and rows of tall flowers, thousands of them, sway in the breeze swirling through the clearing ahead. Patches of red, yellow and orange dominate the field, dancing like fire when stirred by the wind. The flowers are clearly cultivated by man as they have been planted in long furrows running down and across the clearing.

Perception and if it best describes your approach, Stealth checks

As they get closer to the clearing Fog has drawn his scimitar, and readied his shield. He tries to move quietly, staying near the middle of the group.

Stealth:1d20 - 4 ⇒ (18) - 4 = 14

Perception 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Stealth 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Wadi hangs back at the rear of the group, gripping his club tightly.

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Stealth 1d20 ⇒ 6
Stealth 1d20 ⇒ 20
Stealth 1d20 ⇒ 14

Aldred holds his finger to his lips as the group approaches, trying to move quietly himself while looking and listening intently. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12, Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Stealth 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Stealth 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Perception:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Stealth:1d20 - 5 ⇒ (8) - 5 = 3
I rolled a 3! Did you Hear me I rolled a 3!

The pleasant smell of the clearing swirls around you as the wind rustles the leaves, but other than a few tools discarded around the clearing there is no sign of activity. However, everyone can make a robed figure crouching in the middle of one of the fields about a hundred feet into the clearing. It crouches motionless apparently unaware that you can all see it.

Note- I applied modifiers to the DC based on distance afterward, something I never remember to do.

Ball is in your court.

Wadi scans the area around the clearing, suspecting an ambush. He holsters his club, and quietly loads his crossbow.

Perception 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Ok- seems like a good time for initiatives then:
#1 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
#2 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
#3 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Initiative 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Initiative:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Init: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11

Initiative 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Alie: 19
#1: 18+
Aldred: 18
Wadi: 17
#3: 12
Fog: 11
Kayluss: 8
Sekhemre: 5+
#2: 5

Aldred 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Alie crouches and moves forward trying to get closer to the figure while attempting to stay hidden.

Stealth 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Map

The trees are difficult terrain.
Cutting across the rows of flowers counts as difficult terrain, but down a row (moving with planted rows rather than through them) is normal movement.

Nothing noticeable happens on 18, so Aldred is up.

Let me know where you wanted Alie to end up. Keep in mind that moving with Stealth is 1/2 movement.

Ith, I think I can get to L25.

Just about to head out, will aim to post within the next few hours.

Ok, and after that build up, Aldred will delay for now, watching for signs of movement from the figure or the field.

Wadi is next

Wadi readies action to shoot his crossbow at any enemy target presenting itself.

Attack Xbow to hit 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 5

Nothing happens on 12. Fog is up

Fog will cautiously take aim with his crossbow, also readying an action to fire at an obvious enemy.

Nearly tripping over Alie as she scurries past, Kayluss hisses at the gnome,Alie get back here before you get yourself killed! before following her out into the field. Still trying to remain quiet Kayluss readies his spear as he enters the clearing.
Move to L,26
Stealth:1d20 - 5 ⇒ (5) - 5 = 0
Readied action to throw spear at anyone or thing that comes within 20ft and looks likely to attck the group.

Sekhemre winces at Kayluss' attempts to move 'quietly', stealthily moves forward 15' Stealth 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11, and readies to throw a bomb at anything hostile that comes within 20'.

Seeing Kayluss blunder into the field, and knowing that the crouching figure can hardly fail to have seen him, Aldred realises that attempts at stealth may as well be abandoned. He begins humming a folk tune as he looks about the field. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 as move action, standard action is to ready an action to begin bardic music should anyone (friend or foe) make a hostile move.

The stand off is broken as three figures rise from the field hurling slings over their heads. Stones arc over the field raining down around Sekhemre. A couple of them fall alarmingly close.

Two of the figure are older men in simple earth-toned robes. Their hands are somewhat bandaged. The third is a middle aged woman, thickly built. She wears a similar robe with a more feminine cut. All three wear some kind of laurel crown. but its a bit far to make out details.

All triggered actions now. Technically I think they interrupt the npc attacks, but in this case it mechanically makes no difference (since they all missed) so they occur afterward to avoid rewriting.

They are roughly 90-95 feet away from those of you towards the back, and 70-75 feet from Alie and Sek.
New Guys in N9 and O9
-2 for the readied crossbow attacks

Alie: 19 (stealth move)
Wadi: 17 (crossbow ready)
Fog: 11 (crossbow ready)
Kayluss: 8 (move with incredible lack of stealth)
Sekhemre: 5+ (stealth move, ready bomb 20')
Aldred: 4 (after delay) (ready inspire courage)
Gardeners: 2

Sling 1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 1 - 2 = 8vs Sek
Sling 1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 1 - 2 = 17 vs Sek
Sling 1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 1 - 2 = 18 vs Sek

Alie begins casting her Sleep spell hoping to incapacitate at least one of the attackers for questioning.

Full round action to start casting. DC 18 Will next round.

“Long, long ago, in Tien I’m told,
To Taldan was traded some tea,
And so sealed the fate,
In pieces of eight,
Of Taldan and all of the world.
Yeah … Poppies.”

Aldred sings an upbeat, flower themed tune, inspiring his companions with courage. Perform, sing: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13. +1 to hit, damage, saves vs fear and charm etc.

Fog and Wadi's crossbow attacks.
Then round 2 begins with Alie casting.