I have not been able to devise a cure yet. So far, I have only managed to alleviate some symptoms. However, now that we know the source it should just be a matter of reverse engineering. We will have a cure before this spreads.
Laurel makes notes of your symptoms and consults her heirloom recipe book. She goes back and forth comparing them for what seems like an eternity.
"Okay. I have never seen this illness before and it is not in my book. I can tell you it is very contagious, affects your mind, and your inner strength to fight it off. If that weren't bad enough it is going to be very hard to shake this one off. This is just nasty. Most likely a true plague of some sort. It is going to take some time to see I can even concoct a remedy. Now, let me get to work. I'll be needing you to test it on when I am done, so don't go nowhere."
Using various skills, you can elicit Laurel’s assistance curing anyone of palepox. You have access to her workshop, where you can aid her in formulating an antiplague concoction that helps cure the disease. Because palepox is a rare disease (and because Laurel is unfamiliar with it) she begins with a –20 penalty to her Heal checks to cure someone of the disease. If you aid Laurel, your actions provide her with a +2 bonus per success to help overcome this penalty and allow her to exceed the DC of the disease so she in turn can help each affected PC succeed on the two saves needed to cure the disease (per the Heal skill). Since this is a rare and new disease for the wise woman, she needs to take an hour for each attempt (instead of 10 minutes as noted in the Heal skill) in order to figure out how to aid you i your recovery and eventually formulate the antiplague concoction. You may aid Laurel in her research, effectively removing her penalty, before she can roll a Heal check to aid them in their recovery.
You may creatively select applicable skills and describe how they aid Laurel in her research. This should play out as a roleplay encounter in which you aid Laurel as she digs for hidden books in piles of musty tomes, searches her shelves for specific ingredients, and uses her alchemy lab to attempt to make the palepox antiplague concoction. Once you select a skill, roll that skill against the DC of palepox, which is Fort 22. For example, a rogue might use his Perception skill to aid Laurel in finding some rare herbs hidden somewhere in her lab. The rogue rolls his Perception against a DC of 22. If he succeeds, he adds a permanent +2 to each of Laurel’s subsequent rolls. You may attempt to help using more than one skill, but may only roll a skill check once per single skill during this entire encounter; additionally while you can take 10 on the roll, you may not take 20. While it’s up to you what skills apply, be creative in your application. Craft (alchemy), Heal, Knowledge (nature), and so on all have obvious applications, but creative players may try other skills as well. So long as your reason for using the skill is inventive and applicable to helping Laurel find a cure, it will be allowed. Once you accumulate 10 successes, they negate Laurel’s –20 penalty, and once the penalty is negated, Laurel begins to apply what she and you learned, rolling a Heal skill check once per hour to attempt to give an affected PC a +4 competence bonus on his next save (per the Heal skill). Keep in mind that it takes two consecutive saves to be cured of the disease.
Rhen follows Laurel in, hoping that she can help them get rid of the spores and the plague they have contracted.
Rhen tries to organize the room a bit without distracting Laurel.
Mox watches the herbalist's quaint, homespun methods in an attempt to understand the theory behind them. He will work along side her, his logical approach to healing a sharp contrast to her hedge-ways. He moves through the instruments and remedies with an ease that only comes with years of practice.
That is two successes (+4). Remember you have the sickened condition and take a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Seldlron would be little if any help based on his skills. He lies down in a corner.
After working on the formula, Mox will attempt to reverse engineer the spores and ascertain if there is any arcane forces involved or if the plants were created though other means.
His knowledge of theory being too narrow, he uses practical applications instead.
Grokar and crush whisper to eachother and try to use their innate arcane abilities to identify how the plague is manifesting.
Perhaps there is something on the top shelf Grokar removes his armor and attempts to climb the shelves.
Frustrated by his lack of progress, Mox storms away from the books. He pulls his mask off and sneers at the shaman.
I would appreciate it if you ceased looming over me whilst I work. Not that I can hope to achieve any progress with such rudimentary equipment.
He takes a seat in the corner, the movements appearing odd even covered by the heavy coat. Clearing his mind, he gazes into the lenses of the mask. He allows his consciousness to drift in an attempt to receive some guidance from his Patron.
These upstarts do not deserve the right to control such a malady. Help me show them that Pestilence is not a thing to be toyed with.
Loomin'? Who be Loomin'? Rhen asks frustrated with the new comer
"Well, you two are quite helpful. I ain't used to such."
Certain not you Master Dwarf. Should your physical presence become a hindrance, albeit you have been most helpful up until now, the adjective I would most likely use would be underfoot. Now, perhaps there is a historical precedent for a similar epidemic...
Bulgard asked me to bot for him. He uses his knowledge of nature to locate an herb for Laurel.
Frustrated Mox begins examining the herbalist's equipment to determine the quality.
Bulgard is a survivor. He has survived many ills of the wilderness, eaten a wrong mushroom or two, and knows of ways to help shrug off ailments.
Bulgard recalls a spring not far from here. The water smells a little... different, but it always helps him when he is feeling like shyte. And he favors a hard-to-find herb that he smokes when he is nauseated or sometimes just for fun.
So he goes and gathers some of the herb's flower buds and scoops a bota of the special water in an attempt to aid the lady.
When he returns with bloodshot eyes, he is in quite a happy mood, his nausea has vanished and his appetite has returned.
He proceeds to scarf down a loaf of bread, drinks some of the special water, and proffers his herb and water to the lady and his comrades. Then he sits down to delight in his bread.
After finishing the loaf of bread, stands up to make a grand speech, then sits back down, having forgotten what he was going to say.
"Maybe you should work a bit harder," Grokar growls
While he's "looming" Grokar attempts to gleam any extra information from his work.
Satisfied with the equipment, his success easing his frustration and drawing him from further banter, Mox begins Crafting alchemimal reagents.
7/10 successes
Laurel gives Grokar a glance. "If you can't take the heat, get out the kitchen."
Rhen will go about town seeing if anyone else has ben affected by spores.
Mox begins to mix components "Cocktail" style, flipping bottles and juggling vials.
"I'm beginning to get comfortable with this recipe. I think I know about how to finish it. Got a few more concerns, but I think we are getting there."
Rhen goes about the village still, climbing Chimnies to see if there is anything being placed out of sight.
Rhen takes a minus 2 on his perception of unusual stone work for a 21 due to his sickened condition.
Grokar continues to look around. "I do not like fire" the half orc says dejected.
Laurel smiles at Grokar as he looks about the shop as if confused. Her gaze moves to Bulgard "At least he is trying to help. What are you doing just standing there? "
Umm.. eating bread? I feel pretty good right now. Maybe I can share my herbs with some folks around town
Bulgard heads out around town to study the difference between those who are sick and those who are not. He attempts to apply smoke wands and tinctures of some of his wild herbs to anyone who will allow his healing efforts to see if he can get any positive response whatsoever.
Bulgard notes that no one in town has contracted the plague at this time.
8/10 successes.
Rhen slinks around town watching people making sure none are these druids plaguing the village.
Mox finished the admixure with a flourish. He whirls around and looms over the herbalist.
I am giving you all the possible aid I have, and it is extensive. Now I expect you to do your part and finish is concoction. Do you want this town to fade away in the grips of this affliction?
"Well, Rhen. I can concentrate better knowing the town is currently safe. One less thing to worry about."
"Well lass we hafta leave it up to the others ta make sure things are good and be seein' what help they can offer." Rhen says
Bulgard shows Laurel how the plague affects the mobility of his limbs and whether or not his herb improves or hinders the movement of his joints by doing cartwheels and attempting a back flip.
and he lands on his face. How can we get Seldron to help?
Will only wait so long long until bad things begin to happen.
"Seldron, Bulgard. I need some river foam from the middle of the river, not the banks. Seldlron, there was a newt in the back garden. It would be nice if you could track it down for me." She hands you both a jar with a cork in it. Seldlron has one with a cloth cover for the newt.
Bulgard swims to the middle of the river and notices that all the good foam is backed up behind a water wheel that for some reason is in the middle of the river. He must disable the device to get close enough to gather the foam.
Seldlron attempts to track a newt
Seldlron tries to get some river foam.
Bulgard, I think you combined some skill rolls like you just did several times. Since I will not let them stack, you basically just lost some rolls. If you would like to go back and do the second skill check with a new role, you are welcome to. I did not say anything earlier because it was looking like the party was going to easily complete this.
As it stands, Laurel has a -2 penalty on the upcoming heal check. We can proceed like that if need be. It is only your lives that are at stake.
Rhen is tapped for skills that he doesn't have to roll almost Nat 20's on
escape artist +8? stealth +14?