Aloud, Akos announces
"The best way to save the boy is to take him to the apothecary Spindle. We have to go throught the Red Arch and then north, keeping to the main streets. Unless we want to avoid any notice in which case we need to go along the wall and follow jade thicket. I don't know the apothecary personally and we will probably wake him up so he may be somewhat...distant. But he is the best bet for the boy.
The alternatives are either expensive, this is noble part of town after all, or unreliable. The price would be around 500 gold pieces, which the boy probably couldn't afford even if he worked for better part of his life. It would depend on us to pay the sum. I don't have that much on me."
"If there is a price to be paid," Vinccenzo says.
"We should all pool our coins and help the lad. We also have Mani's stuff, so we could offer some of it in trade."
Neurotic said:
OOC:
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This isn't saying much Even venerable human will be nothing next to even young adult elf.
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OOC: Well, Akos is human, so I figured he'd respect a venerable human's ability to live so long in a dangerous world (even with his fey connection).
Breva speaks up.
"I don't know enough about the city yet to say where we should take him. However, I have some small gift at healing, let me see if there is something I can do for the boy." The big powerful man is surprisingly gentle as he settles by the boy and lays his hands upon him after a short prayer. After he calls up on his God's power he examines the boy carefully.
OOC:
Heal Check: 1D20+8 = [8]+8 = 16
Could heal up to 10 points of damage.
knowledge local aid another: 1D20-1 = [3]-1 = 2
Oops.
The paladin's ministrations do little to ease the boy's obvious discomfort. Whatever is in young Joseph's blood is vile beyond his ability to heal without access to a temple or an alchemy lab. The boy's color is becoming concerning to Breva. There is a blue tinge to the boy's lips and his fingers.
Neurotic said:
"I also remember a story, we probably don't have time for that for the boy. It would be free, but we would need to search through Jade Thicket. It is not large, but this thing we would be looking for is magical. And the well from the story appears only when Bluffside is in peril. That would be both good and bad if we find it. We might just pass through on our way to the apothecary. Maybe it is obvious enough. It is called The Pool of Whispered Dreams."
"That copse of trees is called a thicket for a reason. I doubt it's the safest place after dark and I wouldn't want to go in there in the fog," Vinccenzo glances at the half-open doors of the stable. The fog is still thick and is billowing inside. The fog is making the horses nervous. Vinccenzo goes and closes up the doors and tries to calm the animals down.
"We should go see this Spindle person right away. Spindle? That's an odd name."
"The Spindle," Tuck firmly agrees with Akos while Breva tends to the boy. "That magical something only coming when Bluffside needs it most, sounds too unpredictable."
"Unpredictable, yes, but on our way. And if we find it...well, we will know that The Renegade is more dangerous for Bluffside than anybody thinks."
"I say we take the main roads and get there as fast as possible. If you really want to check it out, we could do it after the boy is taken care of... the story does sound intriguing."
JustinCase said:
Giving Mutt a few pats on his back, the kobold says fondly, "If it wasn't for the Spindle's Apothecary, Mutt here would've been far more dangerous to everyone. It was a debt I glady paid off!"
Then the little reptilian sounds worried. "I just hope we can get to it quickly. The only closer option I know of, well, I'd rather not get involved with her again."
A shiver seems to go through him before Tuck suppresses it.
"Let's go now that the Spindle is still open!"
"Yes, let's get him there quickly!" Vinccenzo agrees.
All agree it would be easiest for Tim to carry young Mr. Dale, although Vinccenzo does offer to do it. Once the doors to the stables are secure from the outside, Tuck and Mutt lead the way through the fog with the big dog's nose as the guide. Finding the way back to Red Arch is easy enough, but after that the way is more mysterious in the fog. Breva use the illumination from his sword to help guide the way. The streets are very quiet and there aren't any citizens on the streets.
It only takes about 15 minutes to make your way to the apothecary on the main streets. If you'd taken the side street along the wall near the Jade Thicket, it would have taken a lot longer. Vinccenzo asks Akos more about the story and the two are hopeful to discover if the legend is true.
Mutt senses where the group is going once he gets close. The big dog becomes excited and barks at Tuck to hurry. He nearly pulls the kobold urban ranger off his feet. The small shop is indeed open, as Tuck noted. A young noblewoman in a hooded cloak comes out of the door just as Tuck is about to open it.
"Oh my!" She startles when she sees the adventurers! "Back you ruffians!"
"At ease, dear lady," Vinccenzo says.
"We are on a mission to save this young boy's life. He's been poisoned by the Old City Killer, who we caught, and needs the apothecary's help."
The woman is taken aback by the appearance and odor of you all. "You smell like you've been sleeping with horses." She holds a handkerchief in front of her nose. She nearly gags.
Spindle quickly appears at the door with a rake in his hand.
"Back you louts! Don't hassle my customers! I won't pay the Sabers a bloody copper!" Then he sees Tuck and Mutt and relaxes. He turns to the noblewoman.
"It is alright, Lady Delia, I know this fine kobold and his dog. Hello there Mutt! You're looking healthy."
The dog barks at the man and lets him rub him on the chin and the head.
"Yes, your coat is nice and shiny." He looks at Tuck and notes the others' many scrapes.
"You been in a fight recently, haven't you?"
"Yes, but we're fine," Vinccenzo replies.
"This boy here has been poisoned. Our Loremaster and paladin," he motions to Akos and Breva.
"Have tried to heal him, and while his wounds have closed, the venom is still killing him."
"That's to be expected," Spindle says.
"Well, come in, come in! There isn't much time left by the looks of him." He ushers the adventurers into the shop.
"Put him on the table there." He motions to a large table filled with books and reagents. The entire shop is a place of controlled chaos. One false step could tip an entire shelf of potions over onto the floor.
Tim has to squeeze in through the front door and then there is only one spot he can stand, by the front door. (OOC: Depending on who is carrying Joseph, either Tim hands the boy over to Akos or Vinccenzo takes the boy to the table and waits for the others to clear a spot.)
"Yes, yes, just move whatever you need to move!" Spindle exclaims while he climbs up a short ladder and picks several potion bottles off the shelf.
"Yes, one of these will work. My strongest antitoxins and if that doesn't work, I'm sure I have a neutralize poison potion around here somewhere." He climbs back down and shoos Mutt away as he moves to the table and looks at the boys lips and into his eyes.
"Very bad," he says.
"Who did this?"
"The Old City Killer stabbed him with a poisoned dagger," Vinccenzo replies.
"We caught the bastard. A doppelganger with a deadly sense of humor."
"Well, let's talk about that later," the apothecary says.
"Hold him while I pour this down his throat. The reaction could be intense." He tips the boy's head back and puts a funnel in his mouth then he pours antire vial into the funnel while massaging the boy's neck.
"Please don't choke, young one."
The antitoxin goes down smoother than any of you expect. The boy seems to stop breathing for a moment and then begins to thrash around on the table.
"Hold him!"
Vinccenzo helps Akos hold the boy down so he doesn't hurt himself. He seizes for nearly a minute before it ends and the boy is soon breathing deeply and his lips and fingers go back to their normal color.
"He's through the worst of it," Spindle says proudly.
"That was close. Any longer and the antitoxin wouldn't have had any effect."
"Will, will he be alright?" A feminine voice asks. Lady Delia stands next to Tim watching in fascination. Her initial disgust seems to have past.
"I think he'll be okay," Spindle says with a smile. The old, gray-haired apothecary looks very tired, and he gladly lets Mutt nuzzle up to him as he sits down on an old wooden chair.
"If I could find that potion in here, it would make short work of the poison and he'd be up on his feet right away, but with some rest, he'll be back to his old self in 3 or 4 days."
"Good, I'm glad," she replies. She turns to Tim and the others. "I'm sorry for my words. There is no excuse, but coming through that damn fog to see Spindle made me quite afraid. If the need hadn't been great, I wouldn't be out in this weather at all." She pulls down her hood to reveal ebony skin, pale green eyes, and golden hair. She is likely in her mid-thirties and is stunning to say the least.
"It is understandable," Vinccenzo replies.
"You weren't expecting us to appear out of nowhere."
"That's still no excuse for my boorish behavior," she replies with a bow. "Please forgive me as the eldest daughter of House of Frostraven."
"This is Lady Delia Marian Frostraven," Spindle introduces her to Vinccenzo.
"One of my best customers and daughter of one of my greatest patrons, her mother, Lady Cordelia."
"Mother will want to thank you personally for these potions," Lady Delia replies. "Expect her to come visit you after we've returned from Banbridge next month."
"I will be glad for her company," he says with a laugh and a smile like sunshine.
"I'll set out the sweetmeats for her." He slaps his knee and then ruffles Mutt's neck hair with both hands.
"You are such a good pup!"
Mutt wags his tail and barks once.
"I like your dog," Lady Delia says to Tuck. "I wish I could stay long and hear your story about the Old City Killer, but I have to get home before the fog becomes so thick, I'll have to swim through it." She dons her hood and puts one hand on Tim's forearm before she rushes out of the door with her bag of potions.
"We should escort her," Vinccenzo says to Spindle.
"No, she'd be offended," the old apothecary replies.
"That woman can take care of herself. Trust me!" He turns to Tuck with his face more passive.
"Tuck, my friend. You have some new friends, I see. Last I heard, you were helping the miners with some mission in the Undercity. Now you're helping the Sectarian Guard. What is it this time, eh? And what's this about the Old City Killer being a doppelganger?"
OOC:
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You guys can choose to make a Search check (DC 25) to go through the shop for Spindle and find the potion of neutralize poison.
I need to mention that my main PC has been sent for service to fix the keyboard and my old PC is very slow after upgrading it to Windows 10. So, right now, I'm on my sister's old laptop to write this update. So far, it hasn't hung up on me, but using it will be challenging. The keyboard is very different than what I'm used to and I can't be on it all the time, since it has Windows 7 Pro, which isn't as secure. It does have an up-to-date antivirus and firewall, so it should be fine, for now. (No using Facebook or my gaming programs on this machine.)
Updates will take more time and likely be less frequent for a week, at least. But, you never know.
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