D&D 5E [D&D 5E] Tattered Memories: An Adventure in Tethyr (COMPLETE)

[Forged Fury]

"Well, I can't very well experiment on people, can I? Sacrifices must be made, in this case... rats. One of the toms would have likely gotten them anyway, if they weren't already dead. The one full-proof method that I've discovered of passing on the plague is through the transfer of blood." Vials walked over to his mask and picked it up. "Whenever I deal with the infected, I take great care to always wear my protective gear: hat, mask, coat, and gloves. So far, it's kept me safe. Although, like yourself, we rock gnomes tend to be a bit hardier than most. So that helps..."

Examining his charts again, he traced his finger down one that Brue identified as recording the vital statistics of rats. "Such promise too..."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]"Could you show me your research?" Brue worried at the corner of her lip. Why do I think I'm about to regret this next offer? "If you need help getting more rats, maybe I could help. Not that I'm an experienced rat-catcher . . . " She considered. " . . . I don't think." Brue looked dead on at Vials, hoping she wasn't about to do anything to affront anyone. Or anything. "It sounds like you're close to figuring out a cure. If rats is what it takes, rats it is."[/section]

 

[Forged Fury]

"Oh no, I've still got a few rats left. I'm missing the mushrooms." Pulling a book from a nearby shelf, Vials opened it to a bookmark and pointed to an entry. "Fairy Cap mushrooms. They grow in the Wealdath nearby, but with the town closed, there's no way for me to get more." Pointing to a nearby chart, he gestured at a certain line. "I used an elixir with my last extract of Fairy Cap mushroom on Rat #8 and it lived for 5 days. Most of the rats only live for a day. If I could get more, I'm certain I could develop a cure."

Frowning, Vials continued, "I tried to ask Randal whether the Tethyr Army would help, but he said the soldiers currently assigned to guard the town were limited to that duty. No real help would be coming until the Queen-Monarch sent aid. He didn't seem very happy about the idea of breaking the quarantine to get more mushrooms either, but I'm sure they would provide the cure!"

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Brue raised an eyebrow, relieved about not having to gather more rats. "I mentioned trekking outside the walls too, and Greycastle was very opposed to that idea." Brue looked at the entry on fairy cap mushrooms in the book shown to her by Vials. She tried, too, to get a look at the book's cover to see what sort of tome it was. "Any idea who the leader left in charge of the quarantine garrison is? Could that person be reasoned with? Or maybe that's a question for Janelle?" Brue smiled at Vials. [/section]

 

[Forged Fury]

Brue managed to catch a glimpse of the book cover before the gnome opened it: Solomon's Index of Sword Coast Fungi

Nodding, Vials said, "Randal is rather hung-up on rules. I don't know, I think sometimes you have to bend them a bit, especially to save lives. I'd try to get out there myself, but I'm sure I'd get caught... if I could even scale the wall. I'm sure someone will be willing to fetch them when help is sent from Darromar, but who knows how many will die between now and then."

"I believe Captain Theren Holt, the Kirgard Garrison Commander, is personally leading the quarantine. I haven't personally dealt with him, other than through an introduction at the gates over some distance."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Brue traced a finger down the margin of the entry on Fairy Cap mushrooms. Her grime-ridden finger stood in contrast to the vibrant illustration on the page. "I could inquire with Captain Holt about the possibility of an escort to the Wealdath to look for mushrooms. If he says no, I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Brue grinned mischievously at Mr. Boddynock. She tapped the page with the illustration. "Do the mushrooms always look like this one in the book? Would you describe them for me? Or, since my memory's been faulty recently, maybe you have one on hand you could part with for a few days? If it came to that, of course." [/section]

 

[Forged Fury]

"I'm not sure how much headway you'll make with Captain Holt. Beyond its possible medicinal uses, Fairy Cap is usually used as a drug in some of the less reputable areas of Tethyr. He may be too hard-headed to see beyond that. I wish you luck with that... but if that bridge can't be crossed, come back and see me."

As talk turned back to the fungus, the little gnome frowned. "Alas, the only Fairy Cap I have left has been ground up for use in finding a cure to the plague." Vials had a despondent look on his face, but it quickly changed to one of victory. "But, I could certainly make a sketch of the fungus. There's a cave in the Wealdath nearby where I acquired the fungus before the quarantine was enacted. You're certain to find some there, if you could get beyond the walls."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

OOC: So this situation presents a dilemma. I'm not sure if you've assigned Brue an alignment, or if you were waiting to give her one based on her actions in the IC. If you've assigned an alignment, I could use some guidance on whether Brue feels comfortable disobeying the quarantine by scaling the town walls and trekking to the Wealdath to pick mushrooms. I think she'd do so if she were CG or NG. Even if she were LG or LN, she might still do it. The latter, however, would depend in part on whether she thought the quarantine was lawful and perhaps also on how pressing Mosstone's need seemed to be. People dying at the clip of 25% of the town's population is, I think, a severely pressing need. If she's evil, she'd maybe also do it. Politics may factor in her decision a bit more heavily, however, if she's evil. If you don't care to provide a hint about alignment, s'ok. I can wing it.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[roll0]

OOC: Wisdom (Insight). Does Vials seem on the up-and-up when he stated he wants the Fairy Cap mushrooms to make the cure for the plague?

 

[Forged Fury]

OOC: I think this is kind of the fun part. For all you know, you could be a cleric or paladin of Tyr or some other severely lawful deity. I've soft assigned Brue an alignment, but it's pretty flexible. Since you don't know much of your character's background, I know that it's hard to operate within confines of which you're unaware, so go ahead and choose what you would want to do. I know I haven't given you much to go on. So far, I think the only inkling I tossed out was when I gave you a point of Inspiration for begging leniency for the men who were fighting in the inn.