The cultist tells you she is at an unhallowed clearing in the Wood about an hour north of town and that she plans a feast at sundown in the clearing to celebrate the destruction of Falcon’s Hollow.
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Sekhmet implores the townspeople, "Though you simple folk may be awed by the beauty of these flowers, you must destroy them! Gather them carefully and burn them, for they threaten to wipe this entire town from the map. Anybody already infected, the hag Laurel will be able to treat you!"
She turns to the rest of the group, "It looks like you warriors will have another chance to sate your bloodlust. Shall we head north?
Wesley rummages through the cart and underneath the flowers he finds finds a leather bag containing two scrolls.
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Once the beggars were in custody, Alek replaces his bow and arrow as he approaches the rest. He think a moment after processing the information about the grove. "First we must notify Sheriff Baleson about this plan so that he and his deputies can round up the rest of the beggars and their carts." He then ponders on the distance and location to the aforementioned grove... "Despite the low population of Falcon's Hollow, its existence is essential to the survival of Andoran and her navy. Or so we are told..."
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"I agree with Alek the Sheriff needs be notified of this danger. Perhaps we can send some messenger to do it fast, as that ritual will be tonight and we might be too late to stop it already. Perhaps you can deliver the message while we try to decipher the scrolls." the half-elf approaches Welsey and checks the scrolls he just found "Good eye my lord! Let's see what is in there."
"Ah! This last scroll resists my knowledge, but I will use a more try and failure approach." he takes the scroll and starts half-receiting it without truly delivering its power.
Finally tired and exhausted by the effort he says "Nothing to do, this overpasses my capabilities at the moment. Perhaps someone else may try."
the scrolls are similar and both are lesser restoration.
The party informs the local authorities and make their preparations to travel to the discovered grove site north of town.
The party concludes their business in town and start their journey north towards the suspected location of Vondrella. About half way to their target location the woods begin to rustle with the sounds of movement. The party readies themselves and out of the brushes stumbles a young woodland creature looking scared.
"Don't kill me! Don't make me sick! I beg of you!"he screams out.
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Alek readies his axe and shield at the rustling sound, but stops short of attacking when he suddenly spots the satyr. "Satyr, stay where you are and remain calm. We will not kill you unless you try to kill us first." He lowers his axe, but does not put it away. "What is your name? And do you know what is happening here?"
While Alek speaks with the satyr, Cinderpaw sniffs at the air in search of any other subjects in the area.
"I was... I was part of a patrol...patrolling the borders of Darkmoon Wood...we had to report... suspicious activity back to Syntira. We came across some infected dryads...we...ran...we... ran...i...i lost my friends...what is going on?" the young satyr stutters out crying.
The satyr says his patrol was to report to Syntira on what they found, but he got lost. He needs to get back to Syntira to report on the plague which has been so fatal to the fey in the area.
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"For once I agree with you Pali, if Sekhmetoona over here can get him back on track, give him the sack, or not, then let him be. Let us finish the ceremony most tick. I mean I like the fey, who doesn't, but stopping the ceremony saves the nearby town. The sack saves the fey. I would rather stop the spread of more and then deal with the current afflicted."
and with that Wes starts off towards where he thinks the ceremony is taking place..."Was it left at the big friggan rock or the big tree...? Or was it a right...I do remember it was through the woods though..."
"I do not know...perhaps...we have many sick though...it will take some time...perhaps not...i am sure a few could...i should get back...she may well assist you...my father is sick though...she wants a cure...i lost my patrol mates...the queen dislikes the town due to the pox...we were out securing our lands...there are a few that could...i need to leave...she may be friendly again...if the pox ends..."
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Vailis looks at the sky guessing What time is it? Is it possible we still have enough to reach this Satyr's folk and then the ritual?
Vailis says "Ah, this is difficult question. But... for little we can, perhaps it is worth to help the feys. We might get the definitive help we need to end the ritual. Difficult question... is there enough time remaining?"
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Sekhmet reminds the others,"The Society sent us to find Syntira. That is where our mission resides. We have already slowed the spread of the plague in Falcon's Hallow by stopping those flowers. Let us not lose sight of our original aim." With that, she takes the satyr by the hand, as if to accompany him on his journey.
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Speaking to the satyr
"Does Syntira have a cursed relic called Isandrea’s Basin? Do you know anything of it? It seems our quests are taking us in two directions, so the question then becomes is the greater good helping the fey or dealing with this evil ritual? Realistically we could send the medicines with the satyr then after dealing with the ritual circle back to the fey to assist more with the disease, given disease is relatively slow moving that is my suggestion."
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Sekhmet is clearly becoming agitated now, and implores the group, "Our task clearly rests with Syntira. If we send this foolish wood creature off with the treatment for the disease, he may become lost, or find himself ambushed by Vondrella's agents. There can only be one acceptable path. The destruction of the simple people of Falcon's Hallow is only a side effect of Vondrella's hatred of the fey, and our mission is clearly to restore relations with Syntira."
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Vailis, thinking for a while, finally steps ahead "I see the problem. Ok, this is what I propose. Go to Syntira and end up our mission. Meanwhile, I will go against Vondrella and try to hamper the ritual for us long as I can, perhaps enough time for you to join me on the task. Now go! We have little time to lose." the half-elf stands up firm, with that look of resolve on his eyes, making the spear firm in his clasp.
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"Have we other option?" Vailis starts packing his things and readying to go "Chances are I will not see you ever again. But the time I might gain most probably can save Falcon's Hollow and the feys. So I will do." the half-elf places the spear on his back and readies his crossbow, then starts walking out of the groove, turning a last moment to see his companions before continuing the trip North disappearing among the vegetation.
As the team is debating whether to go to the fey or go to the ceremony they hear some rustling in the woods nearby. Readying their weapons to a possible threat, the team sees a 5 man patrol of satyrs slip out of the forest and look at them and at the fey with them.
An older satyr steps forward and says "My name is Kyldarryyn and your prisoner is one of us. Please hand him over and leave our lands."
The satyr are armed with spears and shortbows.
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It was Alek's turn to become angry at the witch's simple dismissal of his family and the people whom he had grown up amongst. "Listen here, witch! Perhaps in the desert it is acceptable to leave others to die, but I will not abandon my family!"
He suddenly hears the rustling and spins, axe and shield at the ready! He holds position at seeing the satyrs, but does not lower his weapon. "He is not our prisoner. We happened upon him on our way to stop a ritual concocted by a local to destroy Falcon's Hollow and the fey of The Woods. We are in need of your assistance."
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Continuing with what Vailis is saying:
"He is not our prisoner, we rescued him and were trying to get your people a cure for the disease. We are also trying to stop a ritual having to do with the disease and recover a cursed relic known as Isandrea’s Basin."
Showing the Satyrs the bag with potions inside
"Are you associated with Syntira by chance? We are out here looking for her to help with the plague, we are from the Pathfinder Society. Perhaps you can be off assistance to us?"
"I am on orders from my lady to patrol our lands. If he is not your prisoner why is he devoid of any weapons...? I know nothing of a cursed relic. We will take him and report back to Syntira, the fey have been ordered to stay away from these lands until the blight has passed. We have our own problems with a plague to deal with that stems from your people."
You can tell that he does not equate your plague the same as the fey affecting plague.
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Sekhmet responds, "Perhaps then we should set it as our first task, to stop Vondrella. Perhaps that will ingratiate us with Syntira."
She turns to Kaldarryyn, and suggests, "Perhaps you could escort this wayward beast back to Syntira, and tell her that we are working to stop this plague, which we believe affects fey and others" she nods towards Orwynn, "alike."
Knowing that the stories don't match up (the lone satyr was on patrol with a group of satyrs, and now this satyr says that fey have been ordered out of these lands), she watches Kaldarryyn for a reaction.
to see how Kaldarryyn reacts.
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Vailis nods "I agree with Sekhmet, Syntira will see us with different eyes only once the pox passes, as our Satyr friend suggested. I don't think there is any miss match between versions, the satyr was helping this patrol to avoid any fey come to the woods and get the disease." he makes a stop and disappears into the woods, only to come back a second later "Let's go, we need to reach that Vondrella's lair before she ends the ritual." and he swiftly disappears again walking North towards Vondrella.
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Whispering to his fellow pathfinders Wes says "Radical idea, give them the sack, let them go to Syntirainanawhatever with word of our generosity and the news that we will attack to destroy the plague once and for all, then we go to the ceremony and kill everyone there not friendly, then go see whatshername and explain what transpired and then meet back at the tavern for drinks...and Sekhmets buying...?"
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"Kyldarryyn it is believed that the disease effecting the town and the same one effecting the fey are one in the same, we are attempting to put a stop to it once and for all right now. Take these potions as a token from the town to help treat the afflicted. Once we are done stopping this ritual we will come and make sure Syntira and her fey are beginning to recover and assist as we can;"
Offering the bag of potions to Kyldarryyn