"I for one don't want a war against our new friends," Pulling out his medallion the lizard folk gave them. "All I'm saying is we should all do what we can to keep this from escalating towards a bad ending."
Keegan saunters into the tavern, whistling nonchalantly.
He meanders over to Faldor's table, and promptly empties his money pouch in front of the gnome. Four gold pieces, two copper, and a dead roach.
"Divvy it up, droogy. Cutter's not worth the shiny it's stamped in... ah, 'scuse..."
Keegan reaches down and pops the dead roach into his mouth.
*crunch* "My a-polly-loggy for that bit, eh?"
Keegan gets 4 gold pieces from Bossman Teedum "I guess you can call that hazard pay! Har!!", and a threat that he better have told all he knows of the wood to Teedum. Or else!"That's hazard alright, eh? This'll see what he can Tea Leaf, I reckon."
Keegan's banking on the assumption that Teedum hasn't got a clue what he's talking about.
Good assumption, neither do I!
Keegan saunters into the tavern, whistling nonchalantly.
Laural shows up looking better than she did when you last saw her. She asks about anyone who was ill and how they are doing and proceeds to get down to business....
"Here is a little something for each of you" ...then "I have heard some speak of who might have done this but none with any real information or proof. The town is accusing anyone they have issue with from the lizardfolk of the wood to the Lumber Consortium. I just hope.....Bah, it'll all die down soon. Folk will move on to their daily woes and forget this trauma soon enough. Thank you for your help and also feel free to come by and ask me anything you may need to."
With that she exits the tavern after answering any questions the party may have.
Effan thanks Laural for the package and listens quietly to the conversation for a while. "Laural, why would anyone think this disease was caused by someone? Could anyone even do that?"
Effan thanks Laural for the package and listens quietly to the conversation for a while. "Laural, why would anyone think this disease was caused by someone? Could anyone even do that?"Laural shows up looking better than she did when you last saw her. She asks about anyone who was ill and how they are doing and proceeds to get down to business....
"Here is a little something for each of you" ...then "I have heard some speak of who might have done this but none with any real information or proof. The town is accusing anyone they have issue with from the lizardfolk of the wood to the Lumber Consortium. I just hope.....Bah, it'll all die down soon. Folk will move on to their daily woes and forget this trauma soon enough. Thank you for your help and also feel free to come by and ask me anything you may need to."
With that she exits the tavern after answering any questions the party may have.
Laurel responds "Absolutely. It is usually caused by blackscour spores being introduced into a water supply and with the localization of the problem that leads me to believe that the spores were planted in the location by some outside entity for the purpose of spreading a sickness in the town. I don't know of any reason for this attack or who could've enacted it but someone probably did intentionally taint that well."
Laurel responds "Absolutely. It is usually caused by blackscour spores being introduced into a water supply and with the localization of the problem that leads me to believe that the spores were planted in the location by some outside entity for the purpose of spreading a sickness in the town. I don't know of any reason for this attack or who could've enacted it but someone probably did intentionally taint that well."
Effan considers that if a well was intentionally tainted, and Mary was exposed, then it is probably blind luck he didn't get sick too. A small shudder runs through his frame.
"How many -- how much -- " Effan is frustrated with his inability to phrase the question. " How big a bag of spores would it take?" Also, if it's not common knowledge, Effan will ask about which well was tainted and who draws from it.
Good assumption, neither do I!Keegan gets 4 gold pieces from Bossman Teedum "I guess you can call that hazard pay! Har!!", and a threat that he better have told all he knows of the wood to Teedum. Or else!"That's hazard alright, eh? This'll see what he can Tea Leaf, I reckon."
Keegan's banking on the assumption that Teedum hasn't got a clue what he's talking about.
Laurel responds "Absolutely. It is usually caused by blackscour spores being introduced into a water supply and with the localization of the problem that leads me to believe that the spores were planted in the location by some outside entity for the purpose of spreading a sickness in the town. I don't know of any reason for this attack or who could've enacted it but someone probably did intentionally taint that well."Effan considers that if a well was intentionally tainted, and Mary was exposed, then it is probably blind luck he didn't get sick too. A small shudder runs through his frame.
"How many -- how much -- " Effan is frustrated with his inability to phrase the question. " How big a bag of spores would it take?" Also, if it's not common knowledge, Effan will ask about which well was tainted and who draws from it.
"Wouldn't take much...small pouch would be alot....and like I said it seemed to hit a several block area on the west edge of town that contains mostly working-class folk and the small shoppes in the area that cater to them. A lot of axe-men were lain low to the taint which is why I personally don't think The Lumber Consortium did this act. They are in business to make money, and without workers there is little money to be made for them.....
"Wouldn't take much...small pouch would be alot....and like I said it seemed to hit a several block area on the west edge of town that contains mostly working-class folk and the small shoppes in the area that cater to them. A lot of axe-men were lain low to the taint which is why I personally don't think The Lumber Consortium did this act. They are in business to make money, and without workers there is little money to be made for them.....
Effan ponders this. The point about the Consortium is logical. Who then? He hates to think it might be the lizardfolk. They seemed friendly and peaceful enough, if upset about the logging. On the other hand they would have motive to strike the lumberjacks, and the west edge of town might be their easiest access.
Perhaps the trip to take care of the fey could be combined with one to talk with the lizardfolk....
"Only one solit'ry thing could might have done this, eh droogy? You savvy as well as this one."
A pause. Keegan looks darkly around the small group.
"N-n-ninjas, mates. Ninjas."
Jaden joins the group, and upon Keegan laying down his extra pay, Jaden smiles.
"Pay Day is a fat, stupid man. But he know bussness, and this sickness is as bad for him as the small mills. I do not see them being the biggest probelm here."
Jaden listens to Laurel and the others, stoping only to get an ale, and to light a his pipe.
"So, when do we leave?"
Jaden joins the group, and upon Keegan laying down his extra pay, Jaden smiles.
"Pay Day is a fat, stupid man. But he know bussness, and this sickness is as bad for him as the small mills. I do not see them being the biggest probelm here."
Jaden listens to Laurel and the others, stoping only to get an ale, and to light a his pipe.
"So, when do we leave?"
Jaden thinks for a second, and then gets more ale. "Fine, i will stay here, and drink with Keegan until i understand him, or he talks funny, a little break will be good."
Jaden then turns to Keegan "So when are you and the little lady going to get hitched"
Who then? [/ooc]
"Uhmmm... It wasn't me!" Driven by a point of panic that his beloved forest is being deforested, Hozs does not realize no one is looking at him.
...The point about the Consortium is logical. He hates to think it might be the lizardfolk. They seemed friendly and peaceful enough, ...
the ssscaled folksss were too nisssse.
"Uhmmm... maybe it was the witch? Maybe she knew we were coming to her gingerbread house and got mad that we killded her stick people and caldera. Uhmm... maybe she wanted to stop us."
"But if the witch knew we were coming, she would have known it was because the well was poisoned. If she didn't poison the well we wouldn't have come. It's logic, Hozs"
Effan takes a pull at his mead. "What's to stop whoever did it from trying again? We might be able to find more mushrooms and moss, but we don't know where rats-tails grow. We need to talk to someone who knows plants. My Aunt Elephonia might know but its three weeks from here to there. Does anyone know who else nearby we might ask?"
"Hoz I think that cottage was deserted long ago, otherwise she lived very poorly."
"Perhaps we could examine this quarantined well for clues."
Jaden thinks for a second, and then gets more ale. "Fine, i will stay here, and drink with Keegan until i understand him, or he talks funny, a little break will be good."
Jaden then turns to Keegan "So when are you and the little lady going to get hitched"
Keegan inhales a bit of the water he has been drinking.
*cough* *ack*
"Nnnh?"
""Perhaps we could examine this quarantined well for clues."
"The trail is probably cold, the spores would have been put in weeks ago. But that's a better idea then any I have. We could ask around, see if anyone noticed anything awry."
... It's logic, Hozs"
Does anyone know who else nearby we might ask?"
"Uhmmm... Right cause if she knew we were coming, she would poison the well. and if she poisened the well maybe she knew we were coming. See, Tea Leaf Olog cal," the word finishes as a mutter.
Do it again? The big man shutters. "Uhmmm.... We should check the well just to make sure its still safe."
Faldor pushes all the treasure away from him adding 100gp to the pot. "This is a cut of the gem and I've already gotten that fine crossbow out of this. The rest is yours to split."
Faldor pushes all the treasure away from him adding 100gp to the pot. "This is a cut of the gem and I've already gotten that fine crossbow out of this. The rest is yours to split."
"Uhmmm... wouldn't the be worth more whole?"
poor wolfes Hozs sniffs.
"Uhmmm... wouldn't the be worth more whole?"
poor wolfes Hozs sniffs.
"WA HA HA ha ha... *cough*"
Keegan turns back to Jaden.
"You was sayin'?"
Do it again? The big man shutters. "Uhmmm.... We should check the well just to make sure its still safe."
"And what would such a nice group of sirrahs such as yourselves be wantin' with the well, eh?" Morganst wasn't sure what they were about, but he'd seen them around the town some. With everything going on with the sickness and the wells lately, it's best to be safe.
He walked forward, sloshing his mug of ale a bit as he did. Exaggerated a bit, for sure, but it's best to be underestimated. He trusted the paladin becuase, well... He was a paladin. You could trust them. These folk he didn't know.
Morganst wore plain brown leathers, durable, practical and very nondescript. He took a long pull from his mug again and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "Makes a man curious. Especially after a few good pints."
You manage to pull in a good price for the items, 88 gold total.
Time for the new members to join into the frolic. Have at it guys.
"And what would such a nice group of sirrahs such as yourselves be wantin' with the well, eh?" ...
He walked forward, sloshing his mug of ale a bit as he did. ...
Morganst wore plain brown leathers, durable, practical and very nondescript. He took a long pull from his mug again and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "Makes a man curious. Especially after a few good pints."
At the man's approach, Effan shudders and thinks, Splendid, a nosy drunk. Typical longshanks. He considers telling the man off, but can't quite summon the nerve. Instead he sits silently scowling, waiting for one of the men to handle this interloper.
Abe looks up from a sketch he has been working on at another table when he hears Morganst speak to the others.
He is dressed in simple travelers clothes and has long, dark brown hair, tied in a pony tail. He proudly displays a beautiful hand-carved and painted wooden holy symbol of Shelyn around his neck. A big (for a halfling) sword leans against the table.
He has been idly listening in on their conversation with mild interest, but perks up when Morganst approaches them.
"And what would such a nice group of sirrahs such as yourselves be wantin' with the well, eh?" ... He took a long pull from his mug again and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "Makes a man curious. Especially after a few good pints."
"Uhmmm... It is where the water comes from." Hozs rolls his eyes like it should be obvious.
"Yes, that's the one! The one with the water."
Morganst grinned and looked back at Abe with a wink. He'd discussed the strange happenings in town with the paladin before and thought they might be able to help. But after seeing that look on the gnome's face he wasn't sure they'd be willing.
"Apologies, kind sir. Didn't mean to be disturbin' ya." He turned a little too quickly, and wobbled a bit for show. Morganst steadied himself and gave a sly grin to Abe.
"Just thought you'd like some help looking in to things, is all." He lowered his voice, so the whole common room would not hear. "I mean, those tracks won't be followin' themselves."
Faldor tries to puff himself up as large as his diminutive size will allow. "And what does does the ale barrel have interest in it? The items on the table are not able to be had sir."
Before hearing an answer he turns to his long companions, "I shall urge you all to be quick about removing your cut from the eyes of other patrons. I have worked here long enough that having this much shiny on a table is bad for the occupants extended health."
Perking up quite a bit he eyes the drunk man wearily, "What tracks do you speak of?"
Abe gets up an walks over to the table where the group is sitting.
"It's cool, Faldor - Morganst is allright. He just thinks we might be able to be of some assistance. From what I understand water isn't the only thing that came out of that well. Tell them what you told me earlier Morganst."
Haveing seeing the look on the Effan's face, and hearing Hors and the new comer. Jaden decides to have a little fun with this man.
"Keegan, didn't you say you hated simple leather on strange men?"
Turns his head toward, Morganst after he talks to Hors
"Yes,water does come from wells and rivers and that little pool of garbage outside. You could go right out side and check there."
Jaden gives Morganst a good look... and smiles
"And should you keep talking to anyone at this table, you will watch your tongue, or i will cut of from your head.... and Keegan might eat it."
"I shall urge you all to be quick about removing your cut from the eyes of other patrons. I have worked here long enough that having this much shiny on a table is bad for the occupants extended health."
Effan surreptitiously scoops 30 gp into his pouch.
"And should you keep talking to anyone at this table, you will watch your tongue, or i will cut of from your head.... and Keegan might eat it."
Effan thinks, Wish I had brought some rope. This might boil over. He may be drunk, but we don't want trouble.
Abe gets up an walks over to the table where the group is sitting.
"It's cool, Faldor - Morganst is allright. He just thinks we might be able to be of some assistance. From what I understand water isn't the only thing that came out of that well. Tell them what you told me earlier Morganst."
"Faldor, you know these two? Are they all right?"
Morganst grinned madly. As if they'd even notice if I'd decided to take those meager pickings. Sheesh. He turned again, a but steadier than the last time.
"I think there's a misunderstanding here. First, I 'ave no troubles with you sirrahs, nor need of your... winnings? And no need for me head to be eaten by anyone." He raised his hands before him to indicate he was no threat and took several steps back. He turned his head back to the halfling paladin and mumbled, "Abe, give me a hand here. eh?"
He smiled back at the people at the table. "Me and Abe 'ere found some things on our own. As he said, more'n water came out of that well. Found tracks we did. Funny lil things they were."
He glanced back to see if Abe was coming over and murmured again, "A hand please Abe? Please?"
Abe gets up an walks over to the table where the group is sitting.
"It's cool, Faldor - Morganst is allright. He just thinks we might be able to be of some assistance. From what I understand water isn't the only thing that came out of that well. Tell them what you told me earlier Morganst."
Haveing seeing the look on the Effan's face, and hearing Hors and the new comer. Jaden decides to have a little fun with this man.
"Keegan, didn't you say you hated simple leather on strange men?"
Keegan's normal speech is immediately replaced with a suave, urban Chelish accent.
"Oh, so dull, Jaden... So dull.." The scout lazily drifts closer to the stranger, settling into a nearby chair.
He leans towards Morganst, his face inches from the stranger's. His normal accent returns in full force.
"'Course, we's could be yanking yours, eh, droogy? We's could be noodling your Crust, eh, friend-o? This one thinks you are, see-like?"
Jaden downs another ale and follows it with a good heathy belch.
"Hahaha, Keegan you still have not told us about your new girl yet."
Jaden downs another ale and follows it with a good heathy belch.
"Hahaha, Keegan you still have not told us about your new girl yet."
"Why should I, right?"
"They are decent enough folk, I'll vouch for Abe and it looks like he vouches for this other fellow."
"They are decent enough folk, I'll vouch for Abe and it looks like he vouches for this other fellow."
"Good enough for me." Effan extends a hand toward Abe. "I am Effan ... Effluvium. If you know Faldor, you know what we did and why we're interested in the well. What did you find there?"
Abe shakes Effan's hand "Abe Burbuckle. I don't know too many details, but I heard something poisoned the well. Let Morganst tell his story as soon as this other guy chills out."
Effan lowers his voice. "That could take a while. Jaden looks intent on riding him, Keegan can be a hard case sometimes, and your friend is half in the bag. "
Morganst gave a quick laugh and pulled again from his mug, draining it without effort. He gave a wink and waved for another mug of ale. "Noodling my crust? And what's wrong with my clothes? Anyways, Abe can vouch for me. I'm good people, I am."
He took his drink and gave the lass some coin. He took a deep drink. Morganst looked over at Abe and then to Faldor. It seemed like Abe trusted them. And he was a paladin. And let's face it, if you can't trust a paladin, who can you trust?
The drunken drawl was dropped and Morganst looked over to them and shrugged. Morganst kept his voice down, not wanting the whole inn to know what they spoke of. And especially how he spoke of it. There was his reputation to uphold. "Abe says you're good then I trust him. We found some tracks by the well. Looks like some type of lizard folk, two legged. They seemed to lead out of town. I'm not a woodsman, so I couldn't follow them that well.
"Well.. That and I had a few pints in me."
Hozs clenches his eyes into slits as he casts detect evil. Realizing he can not do so, he instead casts detect nature. "Oh no, that's not a good place for you. Come here Miss Bug." He picks a lice from Keegan's head and carries it outside. He says something and throws his hands in the air.
The big man picks up a foaming mug on his way back to the seat.
Suddenly his ears catch up to Miss Morgan Crust's conversation. "Lizardfolks in town?" We should go see them." "Can we? huh?" His face takes an immediate downturn. "Uhmmm... maybe we should warn them to stay out of the well, what with the sickness and all."
"Yes we should, my good man. And we should also warn them not to poison the well either, dig?"
"How big were the tracks? Would they be for man-sized animal or something larger or smaller?"
Jaden downs the last of his mug, looks around the bar and then gives the new comers a good look and a final smile.
"I think that will be good for tonight's drinking fun."
Looks to Effan
"Sound like we are going to do a little more traveling."
Morganst gave a wicked grin, leaned in and spoke. "Small. They were small. Definately smaller than man sized. And definately lizard.
"But let me cast my vote to stay here with nice pint."