Ith's Pallid Plague (PFS) (Inactive)

Game Master ithuriel

Hearing the commotion, Aldred struggles out of bed, an old blanket wrapped about his thin frame. “Wait, please,” he croaks, his voice somewhat hoarse, the rash on his neck now framing white pustules, and spreading across his chest and one check. “My friend is … edgy. I will buy a bunch of your flowers, but tell me please – where did you come by them? And do you know of anyone selling more of the same? Have you made many sales today?” He coughs, then holds a gold coin out in one hand, the other clutching the ragged, smelly blanket.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 (including penalty for 4 points of Charisma damage.

Cursing under his breath Kaluss pushes past the begger in the door and rushes to the wagon.
Get away for that cart! he calls to the second beggar as well as anyone who might be milling about the street.

Perception checks for those around the door

The beggar turns back with a scowl, but his expression transitions into an appraising neutrality when he sees Aldred in the doorway. "Well... we aren't selling anything per se. More like a gift for your generous contribution." He goes to take the coin from Aldred's grasp and offers him a bouquet. "They grow wild in the woods if you know where to look. Pretty things. Lucky for us more people are understanding and compassionate than your friend there."

Something: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
You can Sense Motive if you like.

From outside Kayluss sees several late stragglers going to and from the farmers' market carrying bouquets of the flame colored flowers. Other bouquets have been left on doorsteps down the road leading toward the gate.

The beggar pulling the cart glares at Kayluss and raises his voice for the people on the street to hear, "Leave us alone you thieving bastards! We barely scrape by and you want to take away out livelihood?! Go back to Absalom with your cold-hearted city slicker ways! We take care of out own out here! You don't like it, the next boat leaves around noon."

Diplomacy 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 = 15 for the townspeople, not you.

Some of the few townspeople on the street stop to watch the commotion. One calls out, "Hey! Leave them alone you!"

Perception 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Sense Motive 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

As the beggar retreats, Sekhemre moves forward to keep an eye on him...
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Sense Motive: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3

Unmoved by the beggar's protestations, his face pales when he sees an entire cart filled with the flowers...

By lost Aroden, we may need to move quickly...

Seeing that some of the Townsfolk are becoming restless, Sekhemre addresses them:

"We have reason to believe that the flowers may be spreading disease, specifically, the dreaded Palepox. We are concerned both for your safety, and for our own. Please, do not touch the flowers! We need to quarantine them, and those who would spread their taint..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"We wish to purchase the entire wagon full of flowers," Alie squaks trying to think of anything that might avoid bloodshed.

Sekhemre:
The beggars are infested with the palepox, but they have dressed to hide the worst of it and rubbed dirt or soot to cover the spots on their faces.

The beggar at the cart begins in a loud voice, "A likely story..." but the one closer to the door scowls in frustration and then having made his decision throws his bouquet directly at Sekhemre's head. "POX ON YOU ALL!"

Init!
Beggar #1 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Beggar #2 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Initiative 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Init. 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Init:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Init:
Alie 21
Sekhemre 20
#2 14
#1 13
Fog 9
Kayluss 7
Wadi 5
Aldred 3

Aldred 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Fog 1d20 ⇒ 9
Sek 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Alie begins casting Sleep at the farthest beggar from her. "Try to take at least one of them alive! We need to know where they got these flowers."

Begin casting Sleep.

Not worth much now, but Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Now why can't I roll more like that for Fort saves?

Jinking to one side to avoid the bunch of flowers, Sekhemre's eyes widen as he realises that the 'beggars' have the characteristic pustules of the Palepox!

"They have the Pox! Keep them at bay!"

He then throws a bomb at the nearest 'beggar'...

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20, for 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 Fire damage.

...before moving 30' away from both of them.

The lead beggar goes up like a bonfire when the bomb hits him. His high pitched screams ring out on the street and he stumbles backward, falling. The fire is gone almost as fast as it came, leaving a smoking still body laying in front of the shop.

The other beggar looks on stunned until his companion drops. At that point he whips a dagger out of its sheath and hurls it a Kayluss. The blade hits the Andoran warrior in the center of his chest where it clangs off of his armor.

Thrown Dagger 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 vs Flat Footed AC

Stabilization 1d20 ⇒ 17

Nevynxxx is out of town. He'll be on delay until the end of the round. He can take his action at any point if he pops in, otherwise I'll DMPC him at the end of the round.

Kayluss is up

Watching as the daggers falls harmlessly to the ground, Kayluss gives the beggar a condescending sneer before drawing Ixthalos and charging forward.
Attack:1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 = 12
Damage:1d10 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

He sidesteps the charge entirely.

Wadi

Wadi grimaces as Kayluss moves in to block his attack, but decides he cannot risk allowing that beggar to live.

Elemental Ray attack ranged touch 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 1 - 4 = 2 melee
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 3

An intense jet of flame erupts from the doorway, but Wadi's reaction was a bit slow and the beggar had already ducked around Kayluss by then.

Aldred

Aldred grabs a gob of butter from the kitchen and tries to cast grease on the still-standing beggar. Save DC currently is 12.

The beggar looks down as the grease spreads out around him, but he is steady on his feet.

Fog plants himself in the doorway and loads his crossbow. The dwarf then draws a bead on the beggar and waits for him to step away from Kayluss. The beggar drops low into a wrestling crouch ready to grab Kayluss around the waist, then for no good reason yawns deeply. He closes his eyes briefly blinks to keep them open, then falls to his knees already asleep before he pitches forward into the thick grease.

Reflex 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Will 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

End of combat

Sekhemre breathes a sigh of relief when the threat from the beggars is neutralised.

"We should tie the sleeping one up, and then search them and their cart for clues..."

"Wadi? Do you think you could use Mage Hand to help with that?"

He then turns to Aldred.

"Of course, if you are feeling up to it, you could search them directly..."

It is a little hard to catch the disease when you already have it, after all ;-)

Sekhemre then focuses his attention on the townsfolk who received bunches of flowers...

"Please, put those flowers down, and go see the herbalist at Roots and Remedies... It is possible that you have been exposed to Palepox, and she can help you with that..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19.

"Alie? Do you think you are up to collecting the flowers that have been given away so far, and bringing them back to the cart?"

"Sure, Sek, I'll get on that. It's a shame actually, those flowers are really quite pretty..." she says to herself walking down the street, collecting the loose batches of flowers as she can. "Please leave those alone or you will get the Palepox," she bluntly tells the strangers who might be carrying one of the bouquets.

Wadi replies to Sekhemre, "Well, the spell can only lift a few pounds, but other than that, it should work fine. Just let me know what you need..."

Wadi will assist in the search using his spell. Also he warns any passersby about the palepox being spread from the flowers.

Kayluss carefully ties up the sleeping begger and then drags him over to lay beside his chared friend. Then, using his spear, he helps Wadi search the cart.
Fort:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Aldred looks terrible, and his cough is getting worse, but he nods at Sek’s suggestion, realising that it makes sense. If someone can provide him with a rope (or a tightly twisted bedsheet if nothing else) he will help tie up and search the ‘beggar’. CM roll for tieing up: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20. Perception (search) check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Aldred finds that both beggars were wearing studded leather armor under their rags. Each of them had a dagger and between them they had a fortune for the supposedly destitute. Together their pouches have about twenty gold in a mixed denomination of coins.

The women from the marketplace drop the flowers in horror and Alie has no problem collecting them up the road back to the gate by the tavern.

Wadi begins sweeping bound bouquet's of flowers around with a phantom hand from a distance. Near the front of the cart he uncovers a leather bag and is able to lift it from the wagon remotely. There is a scroll inside. Whatever it is, it seems to be the same thing scribed twice.

The sleeper begins stirring as Aldred finishes his knots then groans when his eyes open.

Wadi tries to read the contents of the scroll, casting Read Magic if necessary.

Lesser Restoration x2

Wadi walks over to Aldred, and hands the scroll to him. "I think this will negate the effects of the disease, Aldred. I cannot cast it but I am sure Fog can."

"I can indeed, and I will." Fog takes both scrolls, and immediately begins using one to cast the spell on Aldred.

Would we need one scroll to cure the cha damage, and one to heal the Con? If so, would it make sense to just heal the Con and sort out the Cha later? Or vice versa?

Each scroll will restore 1d4 points of temporary ability damage. Aldred can decide how he wants to distribute them.
You are the first group I've run this for that didn't burn the wagon before looking inside ;) Congrats!

Alie walks closer to the beggar who was securely tied. "Tell us where you got the wagon of flowers. It's clear that you were paid to hand these out...all we need to know is who hired you."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

If I had gotten my post in before Sek's, DM, I would've advised us to burn it, too. Luckily he beat me to the punch with a plan!

You are the first group I've run this for that didn't burn the wagon before looking inside ;) Congrats!

Mutters something about how different it would have been if I'd have been in complete control of Fog...

First scroll Restores 1d4 ⇒ 4 points(s) of ability damage...

“Thankyou friends,” Aldred says as the magic courses through him, immediately causing the rash to recede and his cough to lessen in severity. “Save the other one for now … there may be greater need for it.”

Reduce con damage by 2 and cha damage by 2.

Right. Let's poke the thread a little...

Sekhemre moves over to the trussed-up beggar, and begins talking agreeably with him.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8.

"Now look, I hold no animosity towards you personally; I merely do not like plagues being spread. It is bad for all concerned. Now, I see that you already have the Palepox. I am sure we could arrange for you to be cured - the Herbalist has already concocted a restorative, and your part in all of this could be forgotten, if you shared with us where we could find Vondrella..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20.

When Fog goes to put the scroll back in its case, he notices there is something else in there. With a little shake a tightly rolled map falls out which marks a path into the forest north of town.

"Paid? You know nothing gnome. You found one of our groves. The other druids have cultivated more than enough flowers for the goddess to destroy this town and more. We of the Fiendblood covenant give ourselves to this cause willingly body and soul and our tainted blood is the instrument of vengeance. Now the same bodies Boss Kreed was willing to sacrifice in the name of profits will be the vessels bringing death back to his doorstep. And the Andoran's back in Almas whose coin fed his greed will follow him to the grave once the infected spread out looking for cures." He smiles wickedly and continues in a low voice, "That coin wasn't payment. It was too allow us to mingle through this cursed town as long as possible spreading the cursed kiss of the Pallid One. No matter. It has begun. There is no turning back now."

At Sekhemre's offer of a cure he angrily retorts, "Lies! There is no cure for the pox. Gather the flowers, see how much good that does you. The pox is here now and three weeks from now there won't be a living soul left in Falcon's Hollow. Tonight we celebrate our vengeance, may the goddess take you all!"

Sekhemre raises an eyebrow, and then shakes his head sadly.

"Whether you choose to believe it or not is of no consequence. Oh, it was not *easy*, but we were able to come-up with something that eased the symptoms of the Pox, and made it easier for the body to cure it naturally. I dare say that three weeks from now, the only people dead will be the Cultists who did not accept the cure."

He then sighs.

"I make the same offer once again - please, where is Vondrella? What exactly does this map mark? I am afraid we will have to turn you over to the authorities if you refuse, and I would regret having to do that..."

If they are having a celebration tonight, that sounds like a perfect opportunity for an ambush :-)

"We might just have to follow your little map here, and if there are more flowers at the end of it, destroy all of them as well. If Vondrella is there, I will tell her that you willingly gave us the map hoping that we'd stop you. I bet she would not be happy with you."

"Yes, we are not going to allow you to wipe out this town, due to some misguided notion of revenge. Whether you live or die, the townsfolk will survive, so I would advise you to think about your own welfare."

Aldred whispers to Kayluss and Fog, “This man is clearly evil, a deranged and dangerous fanatic. I don’t think we’ll have much luck in getting him to turn against his cult. Hopefully that map will lead us to them. Although I hate to say it, we can’t afford to let him go now that Sek has revealed there is a possible cure for the pox – it will draw this Vondrella’s ire down on our hostess, and I do not think in good conscious we can leave him here as a captive. What should we do with him? I hesitate to say it ... but we may need to kill him.”

"Destroy all the flowers you want, they have served their purpose and so have we. Kill us if you will, we made peace with death long ago. No one can deny us our reward in the hereafter. The Pallid One be praised!"

If you want to go the Diplomacy route, he is currently hostile.
DC 23 to bring him to Unfriendly, 28 for Indifferent.
Sekhemre started you off with 20. Two aid anothers for Unfriendly, 4 for Indifferent.
Then the DC to get an important secret would be either 23 or 28 depending on how well you did on the first roll.

Alternatively you could use Intimidate to force him to act Friendly (DC 12). In that case the Diplomacy DC to reveal important stuff would be DC 18 (only requiring the second check there because the request goes against his core belief).

Alie will help with the Diplomacy roll of Sek.

Aid Another Diplomacy 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"It's not too late to turn back from this evil path you are treading, friend. There is still time for us to halt this."

"Rhetoric like that does not help any of our causes here. Please take a step back and consider the harm you are doing to your own beliefs."

Diplomacy AA 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Fog keeps quiet, but studies the map.

In hushed tones to Aldred and fog,
I agree this man is too dangerous to be left to his own devices. His actions and words are enough to convince me that a sentence of death is well deserved not to mention in keeping with the laws of these lands.
Seeing that the more diplomatic members of the party are doing well at getting information from the cultist Kayluss studies the map with Fog.
Survival:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Perception:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

[Edit]
Once it becomes obvious that the sweet talking the cultist isn't giving up anything useful Kayluss steps forward and kneels next the bound man.
You stupid little man. You have failed your goddess and she has abandoned you. Tell us what you know and were we can find the rest of your cult. Think of it as doing your goddess one last service. If your leaded is a powerful as you believe she will destroy us when we attempt to stop her and she will trace us back to here, destroy the cure and you will have fulfilled your mission. Because we do indeed have a cure and I am more than willing to give you it but not in reward for cooperation but for your refusal to give us the information we need. If you answer our questions I will send you swiftly to meet your goddess, but if you do not we shall force the cure down your throat and you will spend the rest of your days a prisoner locked away in some hole the Consortium finds for you while they go about their business ravaging this land. You will be helpless and alone. Your goddess will see you for the worthless cur you are and when you die you will go to her and feel her true wrath.

Intimidate:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

The map marks out a path into the woods north of town through old growth forests using natural landmarks as a guide. Kayluss reckons it should be about an hour's hike out of town.

Your captive falters a bit when Kayluss browbeats him and stammers, "You don't know anything about our faith. The goddess would not forsake me after all I've done." He is obviously shaken though when he offers half-heartedly, "It's your funeral if you want to rush into it. We were going to meet up at the grove tonight at sunset for a last supper, a celebration of our sacrifice and works."

The DC is now 18 for information and you've had multiple diplomacy checks above 20. No need for rolls after all.

Sekhemre sighs.

"So I take it that this map shows the way to the grove? Or is it representing something else?"

Well, it will definitely be a 'last' supper if we have anything to do with it ;-)