I think this is the clearest place where Laurel laid out her needs after the discussion of mushrooms. I don't think she actually did tell you the number of mushrooms needed, but Hendrina would have read 7 in the recipe. There's only one section of this old monastery you have left to explore, the row of rooms along the top corridor.
Laurel DHNPC wrote:
"Wow! Would you really be able to do that? These woods are dangerous" asks Laurel.
"It's a good day's journey to those old ruins, but that's only if you head straight across the woods. You'd probably have to camp north of the woods and return the next day ..."
"The other herbs -- the 'rat's tail' and 'eldermoss' -- I'd need help getting those too. I think the old with Ulizmila would have the 'rat's tail.' It's a common ingredient in the kind of things she would brew up, but it would take me a week to pickle some. She hasn't been seen in town in years, but she has a hut up near the monastery, and there's an ancient darkwood tree near there too, which might have some eldermoss."
Laurel is talking all excitedly and then she realizes how much she is asking of you.
"Look, if I drew you a map and you get these things, you'll save lives and ... well, you'll save my livelihood. People are counting on me and I will be able to sell the medicine. I'll give you 30 gold sails each if you can get those medicines."
Laurel is so delighted at the possibility of being able to help the people with blackscour, although she happily admits she will also be able to make a "very slight" profit doing so. She leaves and returns with a basket in which a roast duck is cooling.
"The Sitting Duck only serves one dish but you won't ever want another," she says handing you the basket.
She turns to Trom and says, "I left your message with Billibinious and, just to be safe, I left is with Charish, the bartender, as well."
"Wow! Would you really be able to do that? These woods are dangerous?" asks Laurel.
"It's a good day's journey to those old ruins, but that's only if you head straight across the woods. You'd probably have to camp north of the woods and return the next day ..."
"The other herbs -- the 'rat's tail' and 'eldermoss' -- I'd need help getting those too. I think the old with Ulizmila would have the 'rat's tail.' It's a common ingredient in the kind of things she would brew up, but it would take me a week to pickle some. She hasn't been seen in town in years, but she has a hut up near the monastery, and there's an ancient darkwood tree near there too, which might have some eldermoss."
Laurel is talking all excitedly and then she realizes how much she is asking of you.
"Look, if I drew you a map and you get these things, you'll save lives and ... well, you'll save my livelihood. People are counting on me and I will be able to sell the medicine. I'll give you 30 gold sails each if you can get those medicines."
"YOU CAN EAT MUSHROOMS!" Odd'n bellows, interrupting more intelligent thoughts and conversation.
"Oh, dear," says Laurel, concerned and startled, "You can eat SOME mushrooms, dear. Can you promise me you will show any mushrooms you find to a competent adult before you taste them?"
Laurel seems to realized she referred to dwarves as being "short and stunty" while Trom was right there and quietly adds "...not that there's anything wrong with being stunty, mind you."
... grown by dwarves, and especially at places for metalworking, ... Are there any places like that nearby?"[/b]
That's some historical knowledge that Trom has.
Trom knows that there was a dwarven monastery north of Falcon's Hollow that came to be called Droskar’s Crucible. It has a dark history as these dwarves were found to be unworthy of Torag and banished from kinship with those of his forge when some began to worship Droskar, the dwarvish god of endless toil and self-subjugation. This is the same Droskar that 'Droskar's Crag' is named after. The whole Darkmoon Woods is in the shadow of the mountain called Droskar's Crag.
Hendrina Verkirk wrote:
Hennie also adds for Laurel's and anyone else's consideration I've read ironbloom mushrooms are often grown by dwarves, and especially at places for metalworking, although I don't know why.
"Oh, that's easy. It's because they're short and stunty like dwarves. I did learn that much from my grandmother. 'Like-attracts-like' is the first law of the science of herbology," Laurel explains proudly.
Knowledge (Nature) DC 15):
That's not the reason at all. It's because they grow best in highly metallic earth, such as the damp corners of old forges and stuff.
"Oh, my!" says Laurel, pointing to a crowd outside of a shop up the street aways. "I have to go! Such a line-up and half of them aren't even sick!"
She hurries towards her shop and yells, "Okay, who has blackscour?"
They all raise their hands. "Okay. Whose blackscour symptoms are presenting as sore muscles, exhaustion, a bad mood, and a desire not to cut down big trees."
Half of the men raise their hands, some sheepishly. She starts selling them nimbleweed.
"Now, whose symptoms are presenting as shortness of breath and fever with some nausea?" More people raise their hands. She seems concerned.
"Anyone have symptoms presenting as gaping wounds on the chest and stomach? No? Didn't think so."
She turns back to any of you who followed her this far and says, "I have to go." Turning to Odd'n she says, "Visit me later. I might be able to help you with that scar."
"The Consortium are the same, just Dirty merchants with no respect for the world or its people".
Laurel nods at much of what Scipio says, but remains quiet. She chews on some nimbleweed as she walks and offers it around if anyone wants any. Occasionally, she stops to gather some herbs or plants and stuffs them into one of her many pockets and then hurries to keep up with the rest of you.
"Oh no, I figured he didnt die from illness or whatnot. That's pretty darn clear, especially as how that fella Payden was so quick to dispose of the body. And how quick he was to grab his horse and sword, to boot."
"I'm relieved," says Laurel, relaxing visibly. "Sometimes I think I'm losing my mind around here."
Scipio_Valliere wrote:
In private to the party. first off. Im going to be straight here. I dont think this was a disease, and i don't trust anyone affiliated with the Consortium. Among Tradesmen and merchants they have a bad reputation. That said, i do plan on acting and doing something about this. Whose with me
Gimble Strapfellow wrote:
"Oh I am all for that plan, lad. Most certainly, especially if that Payden fella is one of this Consortium boys. He had the look of a bully, and that's something I cant stand. Plus, that sword he nicked from me was worth a pinch or two."
"I'd be careful of Payden and Kreed. Sheriff Baleson may wear the badge in Falcon's Hollow, but Kreed holds the gavel. He is the law; and Payden does whatever Kreed tells him. If Payden or his friends were involved in killing this man, it was on Kreed's orders.."
Livlena turns to the older woman. "I thought you said nimbleweed was used in tea, yet that fellow tried to eat some. No matter--perhaps he intends to wash it down with some crumpets."
"Nimbleweed helps with the pain that all of these men feel. Some chew it, but it tastes bitter. I sell it in a tea," she said. "Doesn't do anything about the blackscour though."
Gimble Strapfellow wrote:
"So, spill. What's the story with that blowhard and his fake 'this guys sick' spiel? I'm guessing hes a big shot in town, maybe a boss or a foreman or something."
"That's Payden. He's Kreed's man. I'd avoid him. If he isn't the meanest son-of-a-hill-giant, he's got that son-of-a-hill-giant on his payroll." With that, she turns her attention to Odd'n.
Odd'n wrote:
"Might you have treated a man such as myself some months back?"
She looks at Odd'n sympathetically. "Looks like a tree fell on you. Or the blunt end of an axe. No memory, heh? Just as likely one of those men hurt you as helped you. But, if you got any healing it wasn't from Falcon's Hollow. The divine healing of Lady Cirthana is not abundant, but it doesn't leave scars like this. Even I could have done better."
Odd'n wrote:
"How.. how contagious is this.. blackshower? Wouldn't it be best to burn the body where it lays?"
"BlackSCOUR. Is contagious but no more contagious than most of what will take hold of that body in a day or two. No more need to burn this body than any others. It could be buried just as well. Especially since it's not blackscour that killed him!"
She stands back from Odd'n seeming a little frustrated, points at the body, and looks at you all, "Am I the only one who has noticed the large gaping holes made by what were probably large sharp objects? I realize I have some advanced training as a healer, but, I think it's perfectly obvious that this man did not fall victim to blackscour."
A woman sees Odd'n looking to snag any belongings and says, "I wouldn't. Someone's coming."
She indicates two men on horses riding up from the river through the grasses, about 100 feet upstream from where you are.
They're heading towards the eight people gathered on the road, that is, towards the eight of you: the dead body, a pair of twins, a wonderfully dressed half-elf, a halfling, a large human, a dwarf, and a human woman in a robe with many pockets.
