Nevynxxx's CotCT (Inactive)

Game Master Nevynxxx

"Well, you got my vote Erik. I didn't like the idea of a plagued ship in the first place, to be honest."
Gwen sounds quite relieved.

So, back to situation normal? Any down time type tasks that need attending to?

Yeah, I think it's back to normal, and I for one have no downtime to take care of. Let's roll on to the next scene.

Agreed. I'm sure by this point Erik has made all the scrolls he could possibly need. How much gold did we each end up receiving?

A couple of days pass, early one morning, as Bordan is about to leave for whatever it is he does during the day, he opens the door to find Grau about to knock.

"Oh, ah, can I come in, I need your help."

From inside the house, a cheery, booming voice welcomes the visitor.

"Grau! How are you boy? Come in, come in! Come see how we have redecorated the house! Would you like a cup of tea? No? Fine, I don't know the first thing about making tea anyway. What's up?"

Gwen is in a good mood today. Shopping, you know...

Grau moves hesitantly inside, and once the door is closed, looks around for Roj, but begins blabbering at anyone and everyone.

"My niece is sick. I don’t know what she has and neither does anyone in Trail’s End. She’s broken out all over in red pocks and can barely keep down food, or even the swill that good-for-nothing herbalist gave her. Her mother’s talking about going to the Bank of Abadar, but her family can’t afford to pay the prices their clerics would demand. Then I remembered how you and your friends handled yourselves during the riots, and how you helped me out, and I figured you all could help. A bunch of resourceful folk like you, I’d bet if you don’t already have a way to fix this you must know who can. Surely you can’t just sit by while a child suffers, can you?"

Rojerick sighs as he picks up his shield and sword. "I don't leave home without them much anymore. Not with things as unstable as they've been. I can't speak for my friends here, but I'll see what I can do. Lead on."

Yeah sure - I got a soft spot for kids as does Cayden.

"Of course we'll help you Grau, and the child! Now, let's see"

Does Gwen know any good healer to at least diagnose the disease?

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Edit: just remembered that diagnose disease is a first level paladin spell...and ranger too! I guess I've chosen my spell for the day...

The trip out to Trails End is relatively short, but the district feels a world apart. More like a small town than part of the city, Trails End is the disparaging name given to an area of mainly settled Varisians.

Trail’s End is poor and reputedly dangerous, the criminal element is obvious and impossible to ignore in the faces of dozens of toughs and thugs who loiter on the streets here, Sczarni brutes who prey exclusively upon Chelaxians and other outsiders. Knowing most city folks’ distaste for Varisia’s natives, the residents of Trail’s End return such prejudices, creating a community that thrives off Korvosan coin but reviles the city all the same.

Only Grua's presence seems to keep unwanted attention at bay.

Only a crooked block away from the Jeggare shore, the Soldado home is a squat, two story wooden building in desperate need of repair and gardening. Overall, the building feels like the home of a family too busy living to bother with tedious chores. Inside, the house is remarkably clean and well-kept, filled with worn, well-used furniture and decorated with the crafts and scribblings of children.

Grau shows you inside, and asks you to wait while he moves upstairs. two boys play quietly int he living room, and every few minutes a spasm of ragged coughing fills the house from above.

An acolyte from the Bank of Abadar, is in the kitchen with a bag of herbs, brewing some concoction that smells of cinnamon and anise.

Whats the good word Priest? Whats the malady and what can be done?

The priest is a man of Vudran descent who introduces himself as Ishani Dhatri. He continues to tend the pan of bubbling herbs as he speaks.

"Ah, the girl she is definitely quite sick. Would that I was called for earlier! Unfortunately her symptoms do not quite fit any disease I have seen before, and I cannot in good faith take payment from these poor people. That leaves me with only these herbs with which to help. Hopefully they will be enough."

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 17 Worth a shot...

"She's quite sick, you say? I think maybe we should take a look at her as well." Rojerick steps over to the stairs before pausing, a thought suddenly in his head. "Why do you need payment?"

I don't think there's any need to spoiler the fact that the Bank of Abadar charges for it's services, all of them, including healing.

"Ah, it is the way of the Bank of Abadar. I believe there should be a little leaway in this, but I can only push my orders so far, and I have used all of My ord's favour today helping others."

Sense Motive: is this guy for real or is he a fraud?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

Frowning, Gwen leaves the room and heads for the upper floor.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
K(Religion): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Erik frowns, hesitating, and then moves to stand in one corner and wait to be summoned. When Roj passes close by, he tweaks his sleeve to pull him closer and whisper, "First a mysterious plague ship goes down, and then a week later a mysterious disease appears. We might want to discover if there's a connection between her and the ship. If so, we could be looking at the beginning of a very bad outbreak..."

After a moment, Erik coughs and backs out the front door. "Just, ah, going to see if anybody else in the neighborhood knows anything about this disease..."

Gather Information to see if anyone else is sick: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

I'll join ya... I've no talent for healing'.

iirc, it takes some time to do that

aid another Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Four hours, but you can go wander for sure.

Gwen and Roj move upstairs and cut the conversation between Grau and his sister short.

The creaky steps open up into a bedroom loft above the main room of the Soldado home. A young girl with auburn hair lies in one of the beds, her slight frame dwarfed by the bed’s size and the pile of pillows, afghans, and quilts surrounding her. Splotches of an angry red rash cover her face and arms, appearing in irregular shapes and sizes. Suddenly, her restlessness is interrupted by a violent fit of hacking coughs that jerk her entire frame, lifting her well off her pillows. The
spasm passes after a moment, dropping her back to the bed, but seemingly having done little to ease her breathing.

Nearing 40, Tayce Soldado possesses a simple beauty, scarcely hidden by her disheveled appearance and wan features—she’s not slept in more than a day. Despite her personal state, her concern for her daughter drives her on.

"Oh, my Brother was speaking truth, I didn't thik he would find help. Tell me, is there anything you can do?"

Gwen's frown deepens at the sight of the suffering child. She carefully approaches the bed, caresses her hair, and starts chanting in a low, soft tone of voice, almost like a soothing lullaby.

Casting Diagnose Disease.

Wow, that's a spell with the potential to take some of the fun out of this volume of the AP! Not to worry.

Gwen slowly takes her hand off of the child's head and quietly mutters a word that sounds quite inappropriate for a lady, or a child's ears. She gestures to Roj to follow her out of the room.
Outside, she whispers to Roj in a very distressed tone:

Gwen rubs her eyes and sighs as if a great weariness has taken hold of her, then shakes her head.
"I know something about healing. It's not much, but I'll do what I can. I'm going to need a healer's kit. Can you stay here with Grau and his family while I go and buy one?"

Rojerick nods. "If it's as bad as you say, it might be best if we kept Grau and Tayce out of the girl's room for a bit. I'll sit with the girl while you go for a shop."

After a few minutes sitting on the girl's bed, Roj stands suddenly and walks back downstairs to talk with Ishana Dhatri. "Your church requires donations for work. How much to ask your god to help this girl?"

Ishana interrupts Gwen. "I have the things you will need here. I was brewing a mix of herbs to help restore the child. But I fear without magical help there isn't much I can do."

"As I said, I have already entreated my God for help today, and the church would charge 150 Gold pieces, or there abouts. I would charge these people less, but I couldn't charge much less."

In game terms he's saying he's out of spells, remove disease is a 3rd level cleric spell, so 150GP...

Rojerick smiles, but it's a smile devoid of any joy. "If these people had had money, what would you have done? If the answer is to find another holy man to do the entreating, then go. She reminds me too much of my daughter for me not to do what I can to help her." He rummages through his coin-purse, finding the appropriate coins. "These will be waiting when you, or your fellow clergy, cast the appropriate spell."

He turns to Gwen. "In the meantime, perhaps you'll be able to ease the girl's suffering with Ishana's kit." He stomps back up the stairs and to the girl's side, confident that his order to the priest of Abadar is being followed even as he speaks.

It's a drop in the bucket, really. I'll pay it unless we want to take it from any group fund we have.

Ohh, just checked, that's interesting, Remove disease isn't on the cleric spell list, but the AP assumes it is. I presume because it's written for 3.5.... You wouldn't get it 'till 10th, so I will rule it is. So scrolls, or wands of remove disease are available to Roj. It *is* on Gwen's spell list as a ranger.

Also, could you make a Knowledge religion check for me, and see if you hit the DC above, as well as the one below here.

The man looks amazed, but he wastes no time in moving to get someone else who can help.

What's Gwen up to while he's gone?

Gwen will use Ishana's kit to try to help the little girl.

It's a drop in the bucket, really. I'll pay it unless we want to take it from any group fund we have.

Gwen will gladly chip in.

Gwen uses the potion Ishana had begun making, and tends to the girl. She makes her visibly more comfortable, and her breathing eases a little.

The wait for Ishana is longer than you would probably expect. Tayce provides hot drinks, and thanks Gwen for her ministrations.

Bordan and Erik return. The day moves on. Eventually Ishana returns to the house, with an aging Cleric in tow.

He shows the old man up to the girl, and takes the money from Gwen and Roj, and hands it to the man. He counts it carefully, and mutters words of thanks over it, then turns to the girl, removing a scroll from a sleeve as he does so.

He speaks words of power, calling upon his God to aid her, and with a whoosh of air, the scroll crumbles to dust. The girl coughs once, and her breathing returns to normal. She opens her eyes and looks in wonder at the people int he room, then seeing her mother says "Is dinner ready yet?" before closing her eyes and falling back to sleep.

Have 200 XP each....

Tayce looks at everyone in the room in astonishment, and begins trying to thank and hug everyone at once. Ishana and the old cleric make a polite exit, but before he leaves the Cleric takes a moment to speak to Roj. "Some of the charitable work I do requires the help of those outside the hierarchy of the church. Would I be able to ask a favour of you in the future? Not for your money as here, That would be a true breach of Faith. But you seem to have have other resources that are sometimes of use."

"A favor?" Roj narrows his eyes just the slightest bit. "I should charge you for whatever favor you wish to ask, you know. I really should. Still...if you're in need of something, you can find me, and I'll decide if it's a worthwhile cause." He accepts a hug from Tayce and smiles, then looks at his comrades. "Are we finished here?"

Ishana looks a little crest fallen, but he nods and leaves with the old man. At Roj's words Tayce speaks up "No, you most certainly aren't. I cannot offer you much to match you generosity, but you must stay and eat. I insist."

"Ma'am, I would love to, but I have a daughter at home myself. If you can wait an hour or so, I'll be back with her. If not, I have to decline."

"It will take that long to rustle something up. Go, bring her!"

Erik grins, relieved at the outcome of the day, and heads out alongside Roj if only to stretch his legs and give their hostess time to prepare.

"So we didn't hear anything else about a similar disease in the area, but I'm still uneasy. Mysterious plague ship, then a virulent plague disease - it's too much of a coincidence."

"Do you think so? Look, let's not lose our heads over this. Especially not if we're going back there. Tayce and her daughter have been through a lot, and we don't want to be making them nervous. We'll eat dinner with them, my daughter should hit it off with hers, and we'll see where things go from there." Rojerick collects Alitsa from Zellara's house and heads back to the Soldado's home.

I'm fine with carrying on a conversation, Erik. If you'd like, we can do it in spoilers alongside our posts so we don't slow down action.

By the time Roj and Eric get back into Trails End, the atmosphere has changed. The thugs that were loitering look on them as friends now, not pray. The level of tension is much reduced by rumour of what has happened.

Inside, Tayce has been as good as her word. There is a mini feast prepared with food fit for kings. Tayce is a truly amazing cook.

The girl makes it down to eat, she still looks frail and weak, but there is a glow to her that says a few days rest will right her.

At the dinner, Rojerick makes sure to compliment Tayce on her cooking skills, while also carefully not asking for seconds. After all, he reasons to himself, if they can't afford a treatment or a loan, they probably can't afford to be feeding too many people too much, either. He does strike up a conversation with the girl, though. "What's your name, sweety? This is my daughter Alitsa; she's about your age. Maybe you two can be friends."

After dinner, he corners Tayce in the kitchen. "Ma'am, I don't want to press, but I have a couple of questions. One is strictly professional, and one is..." he looks down bashfully. ...not so much so. First, I'd be very interested in anything you might be able to find out from your daughter about how she might have picked that sickness up. I don't want to pressure her, but if you hear anything, please let me know.

Second, I, um, can't help but notice there's no father here. Is he still in the picture for her at all?"

The girl speaks up, shyly, "Brienna, sir." but before long, she and Alitsa and giggling quietly together; Scheming more than eating.

Part way through the meal, two boys, older than Brienna, but not far into their teens, enter. They look startled by the crowd, but dig into their mother's meal without needing to be asked. They each smell faintly of wood, and are well muscled, but with a distinct Varisian air that Tayce lacks. She introduces her sons as Charlo and Rello.

When Roj corners her, Tayce holds her ground, grinning, and obviously expecting a slightly different advance than she receives, with Roj's questions, she frowns a little.

"I will ask her in the morning. For now, she needs rest and laughter to help her heal. As for the children's father. He died many years ago, when Brienna was small. I'm not sure she remembers him at all. He was killed by highwaymen outside of a small town called Sandpoint. That is part of the reason we settled here. In many ways it's safer than the roads, despite the Korvosan's disdain."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Roj's eyes flick downward, all to familiar with the pain of loss, but then he continues. "I'm not unfamiliar with loss like that myself, but I didn't want to press if he was simply away. Would you do me the honor of letting me cook for you some other time?" He grins charmingly. "You remind me of my wife, before she abandoned Alitsa and me. She was a loving, kind woman too."

Poor, awkward Roj. In terms of keeping the game moving, we could handle this whole conversation in spoilers and move the plot along if you wanted.

Poor, awkward Roj. In terms of keeping the game moving, we could handle this whole conversation in spoilers and move the plot along if you wanted.

Up to you (the collective). We haven't seen Basil in a good long while, which we may need to consider. I'll take that bit to the discussion thread.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Roj's eyes flick downward, all to familiar with the pain of loss, but then he continues. "I'm not unfamiliar with loss like that myself, but I didn't want to press if he was simply away. Would you do me the honor of letting me cook for you some other time?" He grins charmingly. "You remind me of my wife, before she abandoned Alitsa and me. She was a loving, kind woman too."

Tayce smiles, a warm, happy smile. "I'm sure that would be wonderful." Just then Rello walks in, with an arm full of dishes, and says "Hey Ma, time to get out of the way and let us do the dishes. That was amazing. Brienna looks to be doing well, did these folks help?"

Erik eats his fill, amusing the girls with small cantrips throughout, ranging from having a tiny blue illusory dragon poke its head out of different bowls of soup before diving again to sending little balls of glowing light dancing and leaping about people's heads as they chase each other.

When he's done, he leans back and grins. "Wonderful cooking. A fine meal! Be careful, or you might have us coming up with pretexts to come back a-knocking in search of another excuse for a meal."

"Perhaps we should have a conversation like this some other time. You have your family to get to, and hopefully it will stay intact." Roj bows slightly and then steps out, nodding at the others. "I think we should get to heading back to the ghost's place. It's been a day."

Meanwhile, back at the house, where Basil is supervising some of the retrofitting, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he is missing something important...

Just a quick post to confirm that I have caught-up on the thread. No rush to get back to me - I figure I forfeited that right by missing the thread updates. I am more interested in seeing what happens with 'poor Roj' ;-)

"Perhaps we should have a conversation like this some other time. You have your family to get to, and hopefully it will stay intact." Roj bows slightly and then steps out, nodding at the others. "I think we should get to heading back to the ghost's place. It's been a day."

"Oh, we've managed this far, I think we are through the worst. Thank you again for your help though. You are always welcome here." The last is with a look at Eric, "you don't need an excuse."

Erik grins and bounces to his feet, where he then sketches a rough bow. "Many thanks, then! Fine cooking, good company, a delightful audience, and a young lady saved from the clutches of nefarious forces. In all, this could have been a tale told by a talented bard, complete with heroes and merriment. What more could be wished for?"

He grins and heads toward the door. "Good night, and don't let the soup dragon bite!"

I bid you farewell - thanks for your hospitality.

Once outside Borden turns to the group. This may be the start of something big - I think we should report this plague higher up before it spreads too far

It's getting quite late in the day by this point. What's the plan?