Curse of the Crimson Throne - Foxy Quickpaw

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

"To be honest, I was in it for Gaedren's head, after that, I've just been kind of hanging around. I do like the money though... and the jobs haven't been anything that I figure shouldn't be done."

"Coins? How?"

"I have no idea," Ernhild admits. "The pouch may have nothing to do with her illness. She caught it from something, or someone - and it is unlikely to be from the water, the well or the food you eat, if no other family member or neighbour is affected."

"I'll see her now. If you can show me the way to her bedroom?"

Back from the trip, but I'll leave again to visit a friend between August 5th-8th. No access to maps. But then I'll be back for good! :P

Tayce leads the way upstairs and Ishtani tags along. The girl lies in bed, feverish, seemingly weak with dark spots spread all over the skin.

Ernhild inspects the girl to identify the illness, paying particular attention to the dark spots. Skin lesions could tell a lot about the disease if their placement and appearance were interpreted correctly.

Heal: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13 Lol

Ishtani's hope to learn something new about diagnosing diseases is utterly disappointed. Ernhild learns nothing new beyond the obvious everyone else already knew.

Ernhild, perhaps Zellara would have some special skills to find out about this sickness?

I agree…. The jobs seem to be nothing that I would have considered questionable. Kroft really does seem like she is trying to do what is right for the people of the city. Not what I would have expected from a city politician.

Tisha starts looking at what it would take to upgrade the locks in their hideout as she continues talking.
So you never said, is there anything you would want to see here?
If we are going to be staying together we might as well be comfortable.

Craft(Locks): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Sorry, very busy week - but I'm back!

"You can fetch her if you want," Ernhild replies to Briggi. "Even if I have to write down a spell to cure her from this illness, it will take a couple of hours."

"If you do want to help the family pay for treatment, how much are you willing to give?" she asks him in Dwarven.

I have about five hundred total in gold from the stuff we got from past missions. Briggi replies in dwarven

"They have 100 gold coins, and are short 50. That might represent all of their savings, though."

"You decide how much you want to cover," Ernhild replies, still in her native language. "If you want to fetch Zellara, I suggest you do it now, so we save time."

"Is the pouch that Brianna found still in your possession? If you can point me to where it is, I'd quite like to run a final test, if that's alright with you. Free of charge."

I'd like to cast Detect Magic on Brianna and the pouch (if it's still there), to see if the disease has a magical origin

Briggi hands over 200 and heads off bake to Zellara's house.

"That's too much," Ernhild grumbles to herself in Dwarven. Still, she takes only what she needs.

Waiting a bit on the Detect Magic results before she starts writing a scroll

There is nothing magical in that household and also the pouch that contained the found coins shows no sign of being special.

"The pouch seems harmless, and the disease does not appear magical," Ernhild says. It would take someone who knows her well to detect the subtle relief in her voice.

"My teammate showed willingness to pay for a spell of Remove Disease," she gives Grau a side glance that all but means And you're really lucky he did. "It'll take a few hours for me to scribe the scroll. I'll need a table and a chair, and not to be disturbed while I write. I do have to warn you that such spells do not always work, and that it will not make Brianna immune to any future diseases."

"But if you wish to proceed, I'm willing to try."

You can either cast the spell directly, or if you don't have prepared it, you can't write a scroll either. Also the scroll would cost 250.

Perhaps I misunderstood, then; the Scribe scroll feat states that you can create a scroll of any spells you know, not any spells you have prepared. And it seems to me if would cost 150 gp.

If I got everything wrong, I'll retcon and go buy a ready-made scroll at the Temple of Abadar, if I can. If none is available, I'll go prepare the spell and come back the next day.

Casting a spell as a service costs Spell Level x Caster Level x 10gp
-> Remove desease is Level 3 x CL 5 x 10gp = 150 gp
Scribing a scroll uses up the prepared spell and costs SL x CL x 25 = 375gp
(actually only half of that for crafting, but you'd have to sell it to them at full price)

"I have the spell prepared. With the payment available I can try to heal her immediately." Ishtani offers.
Seems like low ranking doesn't mean low level.

Thanks! That's much clearer. Retconning then...

"My teammate has just left to get a second opinion on Brianna's illness. But I wouldn't want to detain you. If this disease really is spreading, there will be no shortage of patients to diagnose."

I don't believe a Guidance spell would work on a caster check?

Ishtani presents the golden key he wears on a cord around his neck and casts the spell which douses the girl in holy light. Brianna is immediately visibly better. The color returns to her skin, the dark spots disappear, the cold sweat and the fever are things of the past. She sits up with a smile.

Cheer fills the house as the lingering doom this sicknes is leaves.

DnD 3.5 has no CL check for remove disease and no one cared to put a DC in for the rework of the AP-book.

DnD 3.5 has no CL check for remove disease and no one cared to put a DC in for the rework of the AP-book.

FYi: Appendix 4 (page 430) has the DC/details of the disease in the reworked AP

Tisha is working on the locks on the front door when Briggi arrives.
Hey. You were gone for a while. Everything ok at the guard?

We were checking in on a report of a type of illness going around and found a severely sick young girl. Ernhild and I wanted to see if Zellara might be able to help.

We were checking in on a report of a type of illness going around and found a severely sick young girl. Ernhild and I wanted to see if Zellara might be able to help.

Upon hearing Briggi's report, Narciso looks up from the book he's reading: "So there's a plague, you've been exposed, and of course, you brought it here!"

Briggi sighs. The girl might have gotten sick by handling some coins she found. But maybe she ate bad fish.

Why would you say it’s a plague??? Have you heard of others getting sick?

She asks Narciso worriedly.

Zellara fo you know anything about this disease, or can you tell from the cards?

Ok I’m forgetting has there been another reading since the inital one?

Ernhild didn't do much to save the day, it was hard not to smile at the sight of Brianna coming back to life. Fortunately, she had lots of practice.

Amidst the cheers and the touching embraces between Brianna and her family, she gets a bit closer to Ishtani. "Well done. You greatly helped them." The compliments are sincere.

She lowers her voice: "I heard this was not the only patient. How many reached out to the Temple for help? Do we know what caused the disease?"

"It were like a dozen this morning. Yesterday it were only two. But we don't know how many have shown up at the other temples and it's worrysome that the numbers are rising."

"And the fact that no one knows what it is and where it comes from."

"We could do a harrowing. We haven't done that in a while."

@Tisha: You know how to do it yourself, right?

A harrowing sounds like a good idea.

A harrowing sounds like a good idea.

"Let's wait for Ernhild to join us."

I will probably have to go get her. Briggi does so.

"It were like a dozen this morning. Yesterday it were only two. But we don't know how many have shown up at the other temples and it's worrysome that the numbers are rising."

"And the fact that no one knows what it is and where it comes from."

"That's what remains to discover. I'll see what I can do. Take care, and stay safe." Before she exits the house, Ernhild gets Grau's attention, and beckons to come a bit closer so they can have a word in private. "I'm taking my leave," she announces. "If you still have contacts within the Guard, let us know if you hear anything more about this disease. We have to identify where it comes from before it spreads. We could really use the favour."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Briggi finds her ready to leave to attend the Harrowing.

Let's go. Been quite some time since we had a reading.

Zellara gathers you all around the main table in her old home and intones softly.
The threads of fate bind us all together, yet something moves and the tapestry shutters. Let us see what we can tell of the future.

She moves the deck around the table and as it passes a card slips off to land before each one of you.
These cards tell your future, be strong no matter what comes.
In front of Briggi falls the Trumpet, drifting down as Zellara softly speaks: Briggi Plannten, stand firm on your convictions for within your heart is the great power that will be needed to help this city
In front of Tessa lands The Mountain Man: Take care Latisha Nerifaren for soon you will be subjected to a great trial.
In front of Narico the Teamster Appears: Narciso the Sorcerer: Even now great forces are moving and you find yourself at the heart of them. Think often of what you have learned, for your skills learned at university will be needed soon.
In front of Ernhild The Survivor card rests: Ernhild Jaggvir, I see blood falling like a veil over the Bank of Abadar as danger presses in on all sides. But fear not for if you make it through the Chaos your spirit shall bring order and hope to the masses.

The Choosing Cards

As she gathers up the cards again she shuffles them and lays them out in a three by three grid.
Now these cards shall tell what fate has for you all. First what has brough you to this place:
She flips over the left three cards revealing The Vision, The Bronze Dwarf and the Big Sky.
You have each stood strong for this city, continue to hold true to each other and you will do great things. For while you have saved the city from evil of Lamm, even now greater evils turn their eyes to the city.
I can see that each of you has just started to tap into of your natural power, trust your training and you will go far.

Then she reaches down and flips over the next three cards revealing The Fiend, The Mountain Man and The Queen Mother. As she reveals the cards she shudders.
A powerful reading this is, for we all stand upon the Cliffs edge. You Tisha will be particularly tested, for your time of testing is coming soon, and only great strength of body will allow you to overcome. Hold tight to your companions for the group of you together hold the keys to defeat this calamity for us all. Trust your hearts to know to whom to give your loyalty, for the aid of all those that truly care for the city will be needed very soon.

Finaly she reaches for the last three cards revealing the Hidden Truth, The Rakshasa and the Joke.
I see Fear, Panic and Hate infecting the city. Warping the mind and turning neighbors against each other. To fight this fate you cannot rely on the force of arms alone, rather think of other ways to approach problems. For true evil hides itself behind many masks, and what seems fair may be foul, and what is at first foul may be fair.

The Spread

As she finishes the reading, Zellara gasps as if coming out of trance and stumbles back away from the table.
Everyone gets 3 Additional Harrow Points except Tisha who gets 4 points

"How reassuring," Ernhild wryly comments. "No answers, but only warnings, then. It will have to do."

"Perhaps I should visit the Bank of Abadar to get more information on the illness that plagues the city. The Temple of Sarenrae must have seen more patients, but I don't know if they'd be willing to share what they know right now. Still might be worth a try."

She doesn't say what has really been troubling her: the nagging feeling that this was yet but the latest way Korvosa engaged in self-destruction. Between the murders, the riots, and now the illness, the city was turning against itself, bleeding its own resources dry, and holding its own citizens in a stranglehold that just kept tightening. She was more than ready to bet that the Queen was responsible. The head had devoured the tail, and was slowly making its way to the body.

Zellara was right: it did not bode well.

I can check with the guard to see if any have gotten sick these last couple of days. We should get items that help against disease as well.

I don’t like the sound of this trial.
Maybe we should stick together for the next few days?
I don’t mind comming with you to the temple or the guard, heck I would even set up a few beds here so we don’t have to scatter to different rooms.

That sound like a plan. Having s bolt hole in case we get in trouble will be helpful.

The trip to the temple is not very helpful. Ishtani was up to date when telling what is known and nothing new was revealed. A handful of people suspected to have that new disease are awaiting treatment.

Can Ernhild try once more to get more information on the disease by examining a patient and taking 20 on the Heal check?

"I agree that sounds like bad trouble is coming. Setting this place up as a bolt hole seems a good idea. If there is a plague coming, we should put in stocks of food (and water), so we can minimize our comings and goings until it passes. A couple of cats to keep the rats down might be a good idea as well..."

A better idea might be to get out of town, but that's probably a non-starter...

I am guessing that we are going to be pretty busy these coming days if this is as serious as we are led to believe.

When he gets a chance, Briggi will go and purchase about a weeks worth of food for everyone (140 sp)

I'm not sure about cats, I think the imps and small dragons of the city ate them all.

Ohhh. How do we attract the little dragons to nest at the house? I’ve heard they are intelligent, so having a mated pair watching the house/raising a baby might be a good security system….

"I suspect that nothing short of offering a regular reward will draw them here. As for earning their loyalty, said reward will probably have to be substantial and often renewed. Dragons are not known for their selflessness." Much like cats, Ernhild adds to herself.

Comfy cottage in the city, perfect for raising a family, must be willing to share space with four others. Not a very attractive offer.

"Going alone is no good idea in times like these."

"And if you want the house free of rodents, by rat poison."

"Going alone is no good idea in times like these."

"And if you want the house free of rodents, by rat poison."

"Rat poison means dead rats rotting, and thus smelling, in the walls; let's see if we can find a cat smart enough to stay indoors... That said, let's take care of these domestic issues, and then go check in with the Captain-General and see if she has another mission for us."

Briggi will do the food shopping with anyone who wants to shop with him
Some good Dwarven Bread will keep us going all day. We'll work all day if there is dwarven bread waiting for us at home.

"Why? Is the goal to avoid eating it?" Ernhild asks critically, settling for slightly more edible food.