[spoiler]SM, auto fail[/dice]
"Eh, me? Healer? I know just enough to tend to a few wounds of the pups here."
He finishes up bandaging the dog, tosses it a treat and then looks over the group of six Pathfinders. The pale skinned man looks upon both the beautiful and to grotesque with the same look of distraction.
"You must be the folk who helped Sergei and his kin out. A pleasure to meet you, wish I could shake your hand. I'm not a healer, but I figure the Baron's right about the plague; well, at least in part. Me and my kind can spread the thing without getting it. But he's wrong about the why - the is no conspiracy; we've been grateful to his family for their patronage." He takes a moment to silence Iozif as the large dog barks at the party.
He sits down on the bedside and one can see wrinkles in his eyes as he looks over Kris. "Ah, you folks don't seem to be too afraid of us Kayal though."
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"I, personally, am more curious as to that which spawn from this disease. Do you perhaps know more of the throat creatures?"
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"You best ask a man of books about the throat creatures; I know about dogs mostly." he says to Kris.
"Sir Elf, any one with a whit of sense can see that once my fellows were released from service and once I took to staying in this room that the infections at this manor house stopped. I think that plenty of other kinds of folk have been getting sick without laying eyes on a Kayal, so it can't be all our fault. But for your conscious and my own I wouldn't get too close to me."
He pauses for a moment. "Ah, you wouldn't be heading back into town any time soon? If you were, I might as a small favor of you."
"Maybe you could ask priest Miklos about shadows? Or maybe Nadia Witch-hair, outside of town?"
He scratches a dogs ears, looking at the ground. "Ah, the favor. I have a human friend that I haven't seen for a few days. I was hoping you could check on her. Her name is Irini; maybe you could ask Catalina Chandler where she is; I think they were taking lunch together that day. I'd go myself, but things being what they are and all, might not be wise."
"She's a blonde woman with blue eyes light skin. She has a few scars from her worship... maybe you could look for the set of three on her right neck? You can tell her that Gavril says hello, and worries about her. Oh, and if you could not mention this to anybody else. Wouldn't do to let a friendship between us be known; might give her problems given the current state of things in town."
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Kris is clearly amused that she was given a physical description of a person to find, though assumes it was primarily meant for the others.
"Is there anywhere she frequents that we would more quickly find her perhaps? She may prove difficult for me to find without asking around..."
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"Well, normally her house and the bakery." He gives the group directions to both.
Gavril answers Shandor's question about the appearance of Irini by repeating the description he gave Kris. Then he answers his other questions. "She's Karpad born, yes, and the baker's wife. Not really much more to say then that. Helps out at the bakery and does other womanly chores; laundry, sewing, cooking. Keeps a lovely garden."
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"I think we can deliver your message easily enough. So, YOU think that you and your brethren can spread the disease? Interesting." The half-orc looks around the area, watching the dogs for a few seconds. "These are some magnificent animals. You seem to care for them quite well. What happened to this one's paw, can I ask?"
"Iozif was playing with him. Iozif can be rather aggressive and thoughtless some time. A bit like his namesake I suppose. The Baron does love him so, although I don't think the feeling is mutual." He smiles wanly.
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"Normal enough. Pack animals like the members of their pack, and the one who feeds and cares for them, of course. The Baron seems too distant for the animals to see him as part of the pack, let alone the leader. You mentioned that we should seek out 'Nadia Witch-Hair' and the priest. I thin I can figure out where to find a priest, but where should we look for this Nadia?"
Gavril gives them directions to Nadia, although she is some ways outside of town.
With the thought of tracking down Irini in mind the six head back towards town at a brisk pace to outrun the setting sun. They do not find her in her home, and try the bakery next where they find Irini's husband.
A brief and somewhat uncomfortable conversation results in the Pathfinders being informed that Irini hasn't been home in five days; "...she told me she went out to meet a friend and run some errands. She didn't come home and I figure she probably ran off with her damned 'secret' lover, whoever he was." Caught up in his righteous anger, the baker is otherwise uncommunicative.
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While at the baker's, she sees if he has any On-the-go Biscuit Mix If so, she buy some to make later. EDIT: Added cake mix to my tracker.
After everyone/anyone is done asking questions and they leave the bakery, Kris suggests "I believe we should press on in this matter. Gut feeling."
Kris finds some easily portable biscuit mix and ponders what might of happened to Irini.
Returning to the inn, the six find Lorin the innkeep serving a few rounds to depressed looking farmers.
"Hello again travelers! I hope your business in town is going well despite our minor problems." Her smile is forced and professional.
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Before the innkeeper
Kris seems a little confused, "I implied nothing of sleep. Besides, the lady of the land offered a room in her castle. I do believe I'd prefer that, though any of you are free to use the room I rented in the Inn."
At the Innkeeper
Kris leans in after the greetings line, "Greetings, again. I had heard something about a lover's triangle going on here, and figured you'd be the best to ask. What's the details on that?"
"Oh my, I love it! Strangers taking interest in the affairs of our town. I don't know if I should tell you what I know though. Maybe you are friends of her husband, come to teach her lover a lesson in dignity. I wouldn't want to be an accesory to any sort of violent crime now, would I." She winks conspiratorially, her smile a bit more genuine.
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"Jackpot."
"Oh, course not. I'm just a friend of the family from waaay back. I'm just concerned."
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"Listen, I don't know your game M'Lady, but I really would tell you if I knew anything concrete. I want that whore to get whatever is coming to her, such a shameful creature. I think that she was seeing one of the servants up at the manor house. I swore I saw someone sneaking around down from there several times during the day, right up until the day she disappeared. I figure one of those servants that was dismissed from the baron's service just ran right off with her. I just don't know which one, or where she went.
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"I'm beginning to wonder if anyone around here really knows anything. Thank you for the story, but it leaves us almost exactly where we started."
Turning to his allies Gil says:
"Well, anyone think she's holding back? Chuurock or Shandor? Perhaps we should rest. Maybe we should press on to see this Nadia witch-person. Does anyone trust the baroness enough to accept her invitation?"
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"If you are willing to risk travelling at night in an area known to be infested with undead, I will travel with you. I was, by the way, serious when I said that Pharasama has gifted me with a way to fight the incorporeal. Once we know that we face foes of that type, please, allow me to touch your weapons . . .."
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"Color me curious. As for the undead horde at night... I meant when we do set out. Yeah?"
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"I opt towards night travel. It is one of the rare times I am at a slight advantage."
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As the shadows grow long the heroes head south and east towards the part of the forest Nadia Witch-hair was said to inhabit. As they pass houses they can see numerous candles peering through windows. Outside, townsfolk stoke the fires for the coming night. Near the edge of town they pass what must be the chandlery; the building is embedded in a hillside and smells of hogs fat. An actinic light leaks from the cargo doors in the lower hill, and muffled sounds are heard inside.
Crossing a bride and walking a ways south, the six finally reach the forest. It is a relatively quiet woods of hemlock, beech, oak and pine, although the silence is broken by the occasional sound of cawing birds and the heavy footfall of the party. Following a small footpath the group finds themselves standing before a small wooden cabin, blue smoke curling out of chimney. As Baldwyn steps on a particularly brittle twig, the hut door opens, and a voice cries out.
A moment later, a woman peaks her head out the door. It is the head of a half-elf woman with thin white hair. She shows her age now, but surely this woman must have been a great beauty in her youth.
She mutters when she sees the group. "Who are you? You are not that cursed Satyr, or some stricken villager seeking a love potion? Why do you come to Nadia's door late in the day?"
"Ha! The villagers put much faith in me. Witch-hair they call me, as though I'll eat their babies if they anger me. But they still come to me for potions. That is good. Except nobody needs love potions right now; everyone's dying, no time for new love, only old love."
She walks out of her hut but stops well short of the group, cradling a cudgel. "The plague is not natural, it is magical. I do not know its source but it must have one; all magic things have a source. Go to where the plague began, find your source there."
"Besides, I have no time for plagues. This blighted unseelie satyr hounds me. I may be fey-touched, but that does not mean I wish to share in the mad plans of it or its friends. Don't you worry, next time I see it I will riddle it's hide with magic missiles." She looks about cannily about, as if she is ready to fight.
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"And if this unwanted admirer were out of your hair, this would open up your itinerary? What sort of plans does he have?"
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She laughs bitterly. "I am not afraid of a Satyr's charms and spells. Especially this satyr; annoying creature. He keeps on rambling about his "friend" summoning an army with blood magic, how he is the first and how fun it will be when the rest come. My idea of fun is a warm fire and good tea. Stupid creature started bothering me yesterday, but I can take care of him myself. It's his "friend" that worries me. I don't want ten more of these idiots wandering around. Maybe find his friend instead? This other creature must be in town somewhere; that's where this Satyr came from two nights ago."
She frowns. "I am not a witch. My magic comes from my blood, not strange... things. You wear runes of power, so I assume you know the difference."
"I am sure he will come again tonight to bother me. If you want, wait here for him. Or if you have those among you with woodcraft, I'm sure he has left his trail. If you wait here I will bring you some tea. You may also be interested in purchasing a few magic trinkets I have. Those such as you are often in need of such things, and in this village only I and the priest have such things."