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"Oh Laurel must have sent you, well its a good thing we met. Ulizmila lives out in a hut deep in the woods. There's talk of a Dwarven monastery on the other side of the vale that'll take some getting too. The oldest tree in the Vale isn't too far away." He reaches into his pocket and draws out a tattered map, using a stick of charcoal to mark the locations on it before handing it to Rathgar. "Best you get back as quickly as you can, for all our sakes"
"You're in luck my friend, I have been all over Darkmoon Wood in my time. Where are you hoping to go?"
Laurel shakes her head, "I'm sorry, but I'm using all the potions I have to help the townsfolk. Best you head to the Lumber mill. You leave Laurel's shop and step out into the street. Heading through the deserted town you soon find yourself out of the gate and approaching the small collection of buildings that make up the lumber camp. Behind it the dark trees of the wood tower ominously. It is then that a figure hails you from down the road, it is a tall rugged looking fellow in the garb of a woodsman, a large guard dog follows him. "Well met strangers?" He asks in a friendly manner. "What business can I help you with today?"
"I don't journey out into the Vale, but the workers at the Lumber camp aught to know the best way through the wood, there are haven't been dwarves living in the Vale for years that I know of, but if there were they'd be on the other side of the wood. As for time, the sooner you can get back the better."
Laurel is clearly taken aback by your flurry of questions. "Yes there is a cure, it took me ages to find it but its there. I have most of ingredients. I need you to get three things for me; Elderwood moss, Ironbloom mushrooms and this little root called Rats Tail. Now the moss is only found on really old trees older than most the trees in the wood, the mushrooms are tricky too they only grow near metal so a dwarven forge would be a good place to look. Now for Rats Tail I'd recommend going to see Ulizmila she lives deep in Darkmoon Vale and used to help Granny with her recipes."
Sorry for the delay :).
The smell of burnt earth and spicy incense chokes the air of the cramped, mud-tracked shop. Bunches of dried herbs hang from the ceiling, along with dangling pots, presses, alchemical apparatuses, and glassware of more arcane purposes. Pouches of rare plants, jars of colored glass, and all manner of dried, preserved, and jellied animal parts fill high shelves and tables doing double duty as displays and workspaces. Laurel the Herbalist stands, her hands on her hips. Rathgar looks around, but there doesn't seem to be doing anything particularly useful. "Well I suppose you have got alot of questions, what with being new in town and all, and I if you're going to be helping me out you at least have to know what going on."
On the edge of hearing you hear the peal of a small bell from somewhere deep within the shop. It is a while before you hear the sounds of movement coming from the other side of the door. It swings inward fractionally, revealing a woman you assume is Laurel the Herbalist. Laurel stands at just below six feet, she has her hair tied back in a practical ponytail. Like many in her trade she exudes a demeanor of arrogant command. A look of surprise, passes over the sharp unrelenting features of her face, followed by a fleeting smile that can best be described as glacial. The Herbalist adjusts her glasses, surveying the strangers on her doorstep with a kind of bemused intrigue. "I suppose you've come about the note that fool Kreed sent round?" The question is rhetorical as she doesn't wait for a reply."Well, you'd better come in then, before more of them show up."She swings the door wide and walks back into the shop.
The line moves quickly, some people enter the herbalists shop, others are turned away. Soon the party finds itself standing at the door, a small rope hangs next to the door, evidently it is attached to a bell somewhere in the shop.
@Brom
A wave of positivity seems to wash over the crowd, the frenzied coughing begins to abate and many of the more sickly people begin to look considerably cheerier. Most the crowd is no longer hostile to the new comers presence and a few seem almost pleased to see the strangers.
@Ulmarr Brookman's Well sits just outside the walls of Falcon's hollow, a solitary guard stands watch, evidently he has been tasked with guarding the well. @Ilbryn
There is a long queue beginning at the door to roots and remedies, that stretches a fair way down main street. Many of those in line look pale a sickly and the sound of coughing can be heard as far away as Jack'a'napes. Some stare at the newcomers, with a mixture of interest and hostility. It seems as though they have been waiting for quite some time.
@Ulmarr
"Just down mainstreet, you can't miss it, since the Taint hit town. But if I was you I wouldn't take the Job, not for ready money, that girl Laurels mad as a crate of goblins." @Tina
"The Lady spends most of her time at the church, Laurels shop is just up the road."
@Ilbryn The barkeep sighs, clearly he wasn't ready for this much trouble so early in the day."All I know is that, about a week ago folk started to get sick. Blackscour Taint they call it. Nobody knows what to do. Only people really trying to help are Lady Cirantha, and Laurel the Herbalist. I can't speak for the Lady, but Laurel's a clever girl, its her that figured out that the Taint came from Brookmans well. Some folk think its the Elves what put the Blackscour in the well, others say Kobolds. Usually folk round here get along fine, but the Taint has put people on edge. If you really want to help you'd best make your way to Laurels shop, just up mainstreet."
@Ulmarr
The barkeep soon returns, with a mug of the same ale that Ulmarr is drinking and continues to wipe down the counter top. By now all the tables and chairs have been set upright and a sense of order has returned to the common room. "Laurel, that's the Alchemist, says shes been working on a cure, even sent round a notice asking for people stupid enough to go into the wood looking for ingredients." He passes a torn note to Rathgar. By order of the Lumber Consortium and the First Citizens of Falcon's Hollow, a bounty of 1000 gold pieces is to be given to those individuals, who can successfully contribute to the ending of the Blackscour Taint. For all inquiries please talk to Laurel at Roots and Remedies; main street.
@Ilbryn The barkeep nods, and hurries off to get Ilbryn his pint. "I'll have it brought right away, and don't worry about the lads, it may not seem like it by they don't mean no harm. Not like those ruffians over at the Jack'a'napes."
Ok, noted. Thank you for your assistance, won't happen again.
@Rathgar Out of the corner of your eye you spy the other man idly reach up into his hat to scratch his ear, which you note is longer and more pointed than a humans. "Really, just the ale?"The barkeep seems honestly surprised."Well who am I to argue with the customer. The reason we don't trust the water, is because, it ain't safe to drink no more. Heard it straight from the alchemist herself,'water aint safe' she said, 'not if you don't want Blackscour Taint'."He slides another bowl of 'chefs special' toward Rathgar and goes off to get the dwarfs ale. @Ilbryn As Ilbryn passes by the counter the inn keeper leans in catching his attention. "My apologies Master Elf nothing personal." He whispers. "I just don't want no trouble, things ain't be the same in town since people started coming down with the Blackscour Taint. Some folks here been blaming the Elves, me I'm not so sure. I'm sure you got nothing to worry about, what with your lady friend there to protect you." He gestures over to the young lady sitting by herself."Drinks are on the house."
@Tina
The Bar-Keep stammers an apology, and a mixture of fear and shame wash over the faces of the patrons (Who look more like lumberjacks and farmhands than malicious thugs). The barkeep calls his young assistant up and tells him to bring the young ladies 'Elf Friend' back. It is not long until he returns, with Ilbryn in toe. The barkeep apologizes profusely to Ilbryn for quite a long time, his eyes darting from the elf to the young woman, and promises that the elf can drink for free if he so wishes. Setting him down with a joint of mutton considerably larger than Tina's.
@Ulmarr The food is soon brought, in the form of a piece of stale bread and a bowl of stew that the Halfling announces as 'chefs special'(But that you strongly suspect was whatever was left in the Jack'a'napes gutter). The Ale the Halfling gives you is watery and a strange colour. All in all the food comes to 5 copper pieces.
@Ulmarr "You must be new in town stranger, the Elves round these parts are nothing but trouble. Not that I don't have nothing 'gainst regular Elves, but these ones are pieces of work. Its them what put this Taint thing in the water, on account of the Lumber Barons cutting down all their trees. It was the Elves what started lasts nights altercation group of 'em barged in and said we should stop blaming them for things they ain't done, but they was Elves so they used a lot more long words." He pauses, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Like my pa always said, 'Never get between an elf and his trees'. As for food, it shouldn't be much more than a few coppers, this aint the Sitting Duck" Just then the door swings open and a dwarf walks into the bar, setting his travel bag on a stool and orders breakfast. @Ilbryn The bar keep, regards Ilbryn in stony silence as he walks toward the counter, the eyes of the patrons which up until this point had been squarely focused on an attractive young woman in very strange attire lock onto Ilbryn. "Sorry we're all out of food."The Bar-Keep, replies almost nervously, prompting murmurs from the patrons. "Waters free though."This time it is one of patrons who speaks, his comment met with raucous laughter, and jeering from his fellows.
@Rathgar The Bar-Keep, who was conversing with another patron, turns to address you directly. "Ah a new customer! I should have my place trashed more often. Just sent off for some grub, but ales still here thank the gods, some stronger stuff too, which may be more to your liking."
@Tina You sit down at the table paying little heed to the other patrons, soon enough they lose interest and their conversation moves onto local issues. It is not long before your food is brought by a young man you assume is the Bar-keeps son, who smiles nervously as he places your food in front of you. The meat looks good, if a little cold and the ale has a pleasant sweetness to it that is not overpowering. @Ulmarr The Halfling chuckles to himself."You don't know the half of it stranger, Elves, can't trust em as far as you can throw em." He punctuates his remark by spitting wiping it into the counter with his cloth."Now as for food, we aint got much at the best of times but I'll see if I can't get Meg to rustle you something up, providing you have the coin." He relays his command to the Barmaid who rises sullenly from her chair and stomps off to find something for you to eat."Drink is easier."He adds after she has left."Though not water, thanks to the gods dammed Elves, you can't trust the water no more."
@Tina The Barkeep, is a portly man of middle years, he wasn't expecting many customer's this morning, and certainly none dressed as outlandishly Tina. Her presence has not gone unnoticed by the motley assortment characters who together comprise the Sitting Duck's "regulars" either. "We ain't got nothing so fancy as a menu miss." The Barkeep replies."But if its food you're looking for, we have some mutton leftover from last night, I take it you'll be wanting a drink with that, though not water mind, the water round these parts aint safe to drink no more. Take a seat over there if you please and I'll have it brought out to you." He gestures to a table near the hearth. @Ulmarr You would not be too suprised, to have learnt that an Orc warband had been let loose on the commonroom of Jak'a'napes, or perhaps even a wandering Ogre. The scene that greets you is like something out of a battlefield every where, you look their are broken chair legs and overturned tables. Through out the scene the Inns staff glide like spectres, two burly men are busy removing the assorted debris and a barmaid is sitting idly in one of the few unbroken chairs, a scrawny halfling you assume is the bar-keep stands behind the counter absent mindedly wiping it down with a cloth. Oddly you notice that none of the staff seem overly distressed as if this has happened before.
Far at the northern edge of Andoran, on the banks of the River Foam, lies the unassuming town of Falcon’s Hollow. For years the town has been left at the mercy of the Lumber Barons, ruthless local strongmen who exploit the town,its industry, and the nearby Darkmoon Wood in a manner more becoming a Chelxian oligarch than an Andoran plutocrat. If the tyranny of the lumber Barons and the ever present threat of Chelaxian incursion, coupled with attacks by disgruntled forest dwellers weren't bad enough, the squalid conditions of Falcons Hollow have contributed to the spread of the Blackscour Taint. A potentially deadly affliction derived from the Blackscour Fungus. At least a full score of residents have come down with the Taint, and the hacking cough that heralds it can be heard in every corner of the town. With little help forthcoming, and more victims being reported every day, it is only a matter of time before the Blackscour Taint wreaks a deadly toll on Falcon’s Hollow... Map of Falcon's Hollow (Azure Zero's Hollow's Last Hope Campaign)
Thanks to DM Azure Zero for Helping to get this game off the ground.
Okay then we'll get started. Game-play thread is up.
Welcome.
Hi. If you are playing in my Hollow's Last Hope Campaign you can use this thread for out of character discussion, ie: to tell me what I'm doing wrong. If you are playing in the campaign please take some time to introduce your character. We'll begin when everyone is ready. |
