See what's up under the hood.
Albus shakes his head sadly, "I'm sorry but I can't justify using such an expensive and useful potion on a wild animal. There is only one thing I can do for him, he will soon be dead anyway, and there is no need for him to suffer."
If the wolf lets him, he will do a coup de grace and take the wolf out painlessly. Otherwise there will be a fight but either way he joins his ancestors.
Afterwards, "Ol'Deadeye, please take the spirit of this, your child of the woods, back to your side. Cleanse and purify him and make him ready to be reborn to hunt again."
He goes over to Whisper offering food and trying to calm him down.
Reassure Whisper.
"Okay I'm a bit hurt but we need to be on our way. We can make the river by nightfall but that's all. We ford it in the morning and can then force the pace till town, if we run thereafter we can arrive exhausted but quick by early afternoon tomorrow, faster overall than I thought."
Whisper, no friend to wolves, especially in the until recently worg haunted Woods of Darkmoon Vale is no more frightened by Albus dispatching the final consort of Graypelt as it was by the rest of the violence and blood that it has seen since it started trailing the party. The fox gladly nuzzles Albus' hand for the treats they provide.
Albus is far more learned about the Woods of the Vale then he was even three days ago when they first delved into the woods on their quest. And, based on where they are in relation to the volcanic mountain, the young ranger judges the direction and distance of travel back to town very well.
He does underestimate however how hard the going would be on his two inexperienced companions, especially the much smaller Virdel, and even the hardy half elf paladin with them has to struggle to keep up the pace through the thickets and roots that Albus sets them. Whisper is the only one that has no problems with following the ranger.
They do manage to ford the river early on Moonday however and what the party lack in foot speed they make up in sheer determined marching past the point of exhaustion.
So it is on the early morning of Toilday that the group straggles into town. They met no one on the way, human, elf, halfling, or otherwise. The Woods seemed unnaturally quiet... absorbing perhaps the impact of the disappearance of the three apex predators the group had dispatched in its quest, or perhaps there was some other reason...
When they left town on the Oathday six days before they did so past the entrance of the Sitting Duck and headed North East. They come back after almost a week of constant travel and danger, tired, exhausted, and dirty from the North West entrance, having made a very long circular trek around the Vale.
The town is still, more so than it should be even this early in the morning. As they pass by the Church of Iomedae the paladin disappears inside to inform the Lady Cirthana of the success of their gathering mission leaving the three of you, ranger, arcanist, and oracle, with the ingredients Laurel charged you to find.
Whisper is skittish, having never been so close to the strange unnatural dens that humanoids make for themselves. It sticks close to the heels of its new friends.
As they enter town, Albus says to the others, "Sorry, for once I was over optimistic, but here we are at the dawn of the sixth day, a few hours earlier than I thought we could possibly do, when we started. Warriors train for this but Aelerie and Virdel, you can take a just pride in what you have done, more than half the lumberjacks would not have done as well." Turns to Astrianna, "Sacred Sister, you have my thanks as does Iomedea in all things. Please let the Lady know I'll be in later to pay proper respects."
If he will let him, Albus will pick up Whisper and carry him in his jacket. "Off to wake up a very annoyed Laurel, she has to be beat but it needs to be done. Albus goes to where he thinks Laurel will be and tries to rouse her, if she lives at the shop he will be very concerned if she doesn't answer. If she lives elsewhere he will go to her shop and try there. With a few knocks at the door, "Laurel, wake up! We have what you need."
As he goes through the town look around is there anything odd that he notices here?
Everything normal or not?
Virdel is excited but somehow disappointed when the town breaks the forest. Excited to be home, disappointed that his adventure has come to an end. "Yes let's make haste to Laurel's hut. I shall visit my brother the Magistrate afterwards."
All the exhaustion, the aches and the pains of their tireless traveling fade away as Falcon's Hollow comes into view over the horizon. Hustling into town, she feels a thrill of fear and foreboding at the stillness of the early morning, but she forces it down. In her haste, Aelerie nearly breaks from the group without a second thought, stopping only when she hears Albus' inspiring words, although it's clear from her faraway look that she's distracted by other concerns.
"I - I have to go check in on my parents," she says at Virdel's suggestion. "I'll meet you at Laurel's once I know my mother's okay."
Albus knocks on the door and, after a pause, you hear an Laure's voice voice call out and get louder as she approaches the entrance. Alright. I'm comin'. Nothing's different from yesterday and so you can at least have the decency to come at a...
She yanks the door open. The both of you can see how red Laurel's eyes are. From fatigue maybe? Albus, you can tell that she's been crying very recently.
Her eyes widen as she sees the both of you. Albus! You're back! You note the element of surprise in her voice. Come in... come in.... she ushers you in and then in a very cautious tone that betrays the hope that she's trying to suppress asks Did you...?
Whisper pokes his head out of Albus'jacket and yips at Laurel. She jerks back and yells By the Abyss why'd ye bring an Animal into my shop!
The sudden noise causes Whisper to dive back into Albus' jacket and burrow in close with a whimper.
Albus takes Laurel's complaint in stride, "Good morning to you too, cousin, and this is Whisper and you don't need to worry about him, just a friend we picked-up on the way." Turning more serious, "You really don't look good, I hope what we brought will help." Albus pull out the container and pulls out the items. "Hope this is what you need, and it works. Anything I can do to help? Or Master Harg here? We are as eager as you to get this horror behind us. Anything we should know? - Judging from outside things have gotten worse." Albus waits for more Laurel being Laurel, then telling him what to do.
Moss... Herb.. and Mushrooms. she mutters to herself before opening consulting her book again. You notice that, unlike before, the book was already out in the open. These.. these ar it. Far as I can tell anyway! She rushes back to Albus and pulls him into a deep hug. Nearly two score have died since I saw you last. she sobs It's been hard. I hope this recipe works. Thank you for getting the things. she pulls away and wipes her eyes with a hanky from her sleeve. You even got one extra mushroom. I'll use that for a test.
She goes back to her workbench. Did all the prep work for the rest of the remedy days ago. she says carefully cutting out a small part of the moss and a little bit of the herb. Then she takes one of the seven mushrooms you brought back and carefully separates the stem from the cap. It's all in the stem she mutters to herself again as she slices it in quarters and makes a paste out of one portion. The book says each stem can make enough remedy for four folk, and I think there's just about that many folks still suffering.
She draws a bottle's worth of blackish liquid from a stove in her back room and adds the small portions of moss and rat's tail to it. Then she swirls it around watching it carefully. Then pours it into a pan and heats it up before finally adding the paste of the ironbloom.
Almost instantly the potion transforms from black to a bright yellow. Laurel raises a hand and gives a shout of triumph before carefully pouring the liquid into a fresh bottle. Colour, just as the tome said she says with satisfaction and gives it a sniff Bitter like almonds and sweet like a wildflower too, exactly right.
She brings the bottle back and settles it on her bench carefully Now if this works as it should, the person who takes it will start wretching and vomiting almost immediately. All the black stuff should come out. Best if someone cradles their head and holds it seady downward to keep 'em safe, and catch the upchuck in a bowl to be disposed of too. Then it's just a matter of rest and recovery I'll want to test it on someone before I give any of the townsfolk any hope.
Of all the things Aelerie was expecting to come home to, seeing her tutor and employer (of sorts) standing in the kitchen cooking breakfast was not among them. Pausing in the doorway, she takes in the surreal scene until the gnome's words break her from her trance-like state. Aelerie looks down at herself, noting the various stains and bits of dirt her clothes have accumulated during the journey, even a few flecks of what must be days-old blood. "You're right, I do look quite a sight," she says, laughter in her voice at Master Hildrensocks' admonishment even as tears of joy fall from her eyes to patter softly on her boots. Clearing her throat, she looks up at the gnome and says, "Thank you, Master Hildrensocks, for all you've done for my family during this dark time. I'm sure my father would have wasted away at my mother's bedside if not for you."
Setting her bag down by the table, Aelerie goes to check in on her parents, but not before recalling the few items she's picked up from her travels. "Oh! It won't be enough to repay you for your kindness, but there are a few items I picked up during my "walksie" that might interest you."
Knocking gently on the door to her parents' room, Aelerie calls, "Mama? Papa? I'm home."
Aelerie's eyes brim over with tears at seeing how badly her mother's condition has deteriorated in the past six days. Moving to kneel at her parents' bedside, she lifts her mother's hand up and cups it to her own cheek. Her free hand goes to her father's shoulder, and she tries to rouse him with light shake, her eyes never leaving her mother's face as she waits for her to show signs of life. "Mama, Papa, wake up. We made it back safely, and Laurel is making the cure right now."
Vimea's eyes flutter open she turns her eyes slightly. Aelerie she sighs before she starts again on a coughing fit that seems to take all of her waning energy Are you a dream?
Aelerie gives her mother a watery smile. "No, Mama. I'm really here. We made it back just fine." Aelerie presses a kiss to her mother's palm before easing her arm down to her side. "I'll go see how Laurel is coming along with the cure. Just hold on a little longer, okay? It's almost over."
Virdel listens to Laurel's explanation carefully, then turns toward Albus to see what he is thinking. Shrugging, he says, "I will volunteer to test the remedy."
Before he drinks the yellowish liquid, he chugs his antitoxin first. Just in case.
Laurel raises her her eyebrow and snorts. You'll be puking your guts out all over my floor for no reason except to waste a precious remedy. If we had twice the ingredients I'd take you up on your bravery. As is it's best to test on someone who's sick
"My mother..." Aelerie says as she rushes in through the door, catching the tail end of the conversation. "We made it back in time, but, Laurel, I'm afraid my mother may not have long. We... we could test the cure on her. It's our last hope."
Albus is shocked at the news that near forty people are dead of the Scourge. We should have been faster but ... it just wasn't possible... Aelerie bursts in with her dire news. "Aelerie! - We'll go at once, then to Milon's nephew and Master Harg's brother, when it's proven to work. Then ... far too many, a busy day ahead. Master Harg would you be so kind as to inform the Sheriff we are back, are testing a cure and Laurel's shop will need guards more than ever?" He turns back to Laurel, "Do you have some premade Bloodhart tea compounded for boiling?" Albus will take the next available dose and walk fast with Aelerie to her home.
Laurel picks up the yellow cure and an old mixing pan and nods at Aelrie.
Right then. Lets' go. If this works as expected I'll send some remedies along to help recover her strength.
Then briskly Laurel moves past the rest of you and out of her shop, letting Aelerie lead the way to her ailing mother.
I got a list of folks who have the taint that I know of she comments to Albus. No need to bother the Sheriff for something that won't work so I'll give it to Master Harg if things go well.
To Virdel himself she says Your brother got off his high and mighty horse to pay me a visit yesterday and he ain't on the list. He's got the Taint as much as you and I do. I'll mix him up a special fast acting version of a 'cure' though and you can fob it off to him for 50 gold and we'll split the profit if you want.
The town still isn't stirring on this grey morning, with the sun hidden behind the first heavy clouds that you've seen all week, as you go north and then west, and the north again to the small house that Aelerie calls home.
Inside Hildrensocks is laying out a plate on tip toe on the small table for Jerask as your procession comes in with Aelerie in front and Laurel following close behind.
Oh, a parade! the gnome says turning around. If I'd known I would have put out more plates. Being a nurse and maid is quite amusing I'm finding.
Jerask is up now and stands helplessly in the door to the bedroom as Laurel pushes past him. What's going on? he asks red eyed and bleary as Laurel settles herself next to Vimea's beside and puts the pan down on the floor.
Never you mind you old sourpuss Laurel says tersely before shifting her attention to his wife.
Now Vimea she says in an altogether different tone. Shift up a bit dearie, your daughter brought me some things that I used to make up something that might help you The herbalist helps Aelerie's mother up to a sitting position and then uncorks the bottle and holds it up. Now relax and I'll pour this down your throat. Drink it all up now. Fast.
With practiced ease Laurel makes Vimea gulp the whole concoction down and, when she's sure the whole thing has settled, quickly moves her patient's head to aim it at the old pan.
There's a pause, and then the rest of you hear Aelerie's ma start to cough and retch and heave and out pours, in a long succession of sticky spurts, the longest and most disturbing stream of black goop that you've ever seen splatter in chunks into the pan.
It's the most beautiful sight that Aeleire has ever witnessed.
Jerask makes to move into the room but can't get through the other people crowding into the small home he has made for his family.
Finally after what seems like hours Vimea collapses, gasping, back onto her pillow. It might be your imaginations but there already seems to be some colour coming back into her cheeks. What is most obvious though is the sound of her heavy breathing.
She's not coughing anymore.