The Fall of Plaguestone

[KahlessNestor]

Etran’s Folly (Plaguestone)/Feedmill
Summer/Day 3/1245
Weather: Normal for the season (hot), light wind, heavy rain
Round 0

Noala followed the party inside and removed her wet cloak, hanging it on the rack by the door to dry, then pulled out a chair by a table away from the fire, since it was still hot and muggy, despite the rain. Through it all, one could notice she avoided using her right hand, which was encased in an oddly shaped leather gauntlet.

“These wolves aren’t the first, and I am
afraid they won’t be the last,” Noala said. “I will need to burn them when the rain stops and things dry out.” She thanked Delma as the innkeeper brought them all a hearty bowl of stew and full mugs of ale.

“A few years ago, a single group of trees started to sicken. That’s turned into unconnected pockets of dead and dying plants. Worse, some animals living in these locations have strange mutations and started to become hostile. I can’t find a cause. The only common element is that the blight started in a grove of very large, very old trees. I tried to report it, but Sheriff Rolth doesn’t find it important enough to bother anyone about.

“Now things are getting worse. The forest itself is turning sour. Plants and trees are withering, bearing bitter fruit that sickens and kills those who eat it. If you’ve been out to the old orchard, you’ve seen it. The blight is growing, and I need your help to stop it.”


@Leatherhead
@VLAD the Destroyer
@FitzTheRuke
@Kaodi
@JustinCase

Spoiler: Initiative

Silvi
Pakuten
Hiromi
Grimsby
Mortimer

Spoiler: Combat Notes

Silvi (+7) AC 13 DC 17 HP 7/19(13) (drained 6)
Hiromi (+6) AC 17 HP 17/17
Pakuten (+3) AC 18(16) HP 11/16
Grimsby (+7) AC 17/16(clumsy) HP 10/25
Mortimer (+8) AC 17 HP 16/16

Spoiler: Unclaimed Loot

Silvi: 21 gp, 37 sp, receipts, map

Spoiler: Quests

Help Sir Lawrence quiet Talmore’s ghost.
Who is V?

Spoiler: GM Notes

Party XP: 460

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Hiromi considered. This seemed like a distraction from the task at hand, but what was left to do beyond identifying the mysterious 'V'? Had they not cleared their names? In addition, she felt that helping out the locals would go a long way toward improving any lingering accusations of wrong-doing.

"Sure, I'm in." she said, "I bet my buddy Grimsby will help too, won'tcha Grims? Silvi? Your cheeks are looking pink again, but maybe you wanna sit this one out?"

 

[JustinCase]

Mortimer holds on to the receipts and keeps studying them over and over, while half-listening to the elf woman. He knows there is a good case for them, and against both Hallod and the mysterious V. The barrister wants to be absolutely sure he hasn't missed anything.

OOC: Legal Lore: 1D20+4 = [18]+4 = 22

He is amused that their little group has already become a beacon of hope to villagers in need, but on the other hand, the local law enforcement being far from helpful surely makes it easier to call upon friendly strangers.

"Once we have the case ready for trial, I think nothing will prevent us from looking into this," he proclaims.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Etran’s Folly (Plaguestone)/Feedmill
Summer/Day 3/1250
Weather: Normal for the season (hot), light wind, heavy rain
Round 0

Sheriff Rolth waddled past the table to get another ale. “Yeah, you folks are off the hook,” he told them. “You got me the killer, so I got no need to keep ya.”

“But if you find out who was behind all this, I would be very grateful,” Tamil put in. “If it’s a matter of compensation, I could probably scrape something together. I have a little bit saved away.”


@Leatherhead
@VLAD the Destroyer
@FitzTheRuke
@Kaodi
@JustinCase

Spoiler: Initiative

Silvi
Pakuten
Hiromi
Grimsby
Mortimer

Spoiler: Combat Notes

Silvi (+7) AC 13 DC 17 HP 13/19
Hiromi (+6) AC 17 HP 17/17
Pakuten (+3) AC 18(16) HP 11/16
Grimsby (+7) AC 17/16(clumsy) HP 10/25
Mortimer (+8) AC 17 HP 16/16

Spoiler: Unclaimed Loot

Silvi: 21 gp, 37 sp, receipts, map

Spoiler: Quests

Help Sir Lawrence quiet Talmore’s ghost.
Who is V?
Help Noala investigate the blight.

Spoiler: GM Notes

Party XP: 460

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"It looks like we're free to help out Noala, then!" said Hiromi with only a hint of apprehension.

 

[Kaodi]

Silvi eyes are closed and she is leaning back in the chair, but she manages to take the hand of her larger friend in her own. "Bless you, Hiromi, my dear friend," she says overdramatically. "Should I not perish in the night, drawn away in a dream to my Mistress's side, I am sure this sickness will have broken and I will be most capable to minister to the further woes of this poor, blighted village." Suddenly putting the back of one hand up to her forehead she adds emphatically, "Pray for my recovery."

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"Oh you poor thing," said Hiromi with only a little mock-sympathy, "Let's see if this place has some nice warm broth and a blanket."

She may have teased a little, but she went about getting those things as best she could.

 

[Leatherhead]

"I'm always looking fer more work." Grimsby nods along with the conversation.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Etran’s Folly (Plaguestone)/Feedmill
Summer/Day 3/1255
Weather: Normal for the season (hot), light wind, heavy rain
Round 0

“I would be willing to train you in wilderness survival and ranged combat techniques if you could help me,” Noala told them. “We will leave at first light for the nearest blight, though the bigger ones lie deep in the forest, so pack for a long journey. I thank you sincerely,” the elf told them.


@Leatherhead
@VLAD the Destroyer
@FitzTheRuke
@Kaodi
@JustinCase

Spoiler: Initiative

Silvi
Pakuten
Hiromi
Grimsby
Mortimer

Spoiler: Combat Notes

Silvi (+7) AC 13 DC 17 HP 13/19
Hiromi (+6) AC 17 HP 17/17
Pakuten (+3) AC 18(16) HP 11/16
Grimsby (+7) AC 17/16(clumsy) HP 10/25
Mortimer (+8) AC 17 HP 16/16

Spoiler: Unclaimed Loot

Silvi: 21 gp, 37 sp, receipts, map

Spoiler: Quests

Help Sir Lawrence quiet Talmore’s ghost.
Who is V?
Help Noala investigate the blight.

Spoiler: GM Notes

Party XP: 460

 

[Kaodi]

To Silvi the horse does not seem sufficiently dead and so she flutters her eyelids as if struggling to remain conscious and quietly wails, "But what of Taaalmooooore?"

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"You rest up." said Hiromi, patting Silvi on the head, "Let us worry about ol'Talmore's ghost."

... She had no plan to return to that place any time soon.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Etran’s Folly (Plaguestone)/Feedmill
Summer/Day 4/0900
Weather: Normal for the season (hot), no wind, no rain
Round 0

OOC: I’ve applied your HP recovery from your rest. (Con mod x level)

The next morning at dawn the party roused itself and met Noala outside for the trek to the blight. The day dawned hot with no breeze for any relief, and the rain had stopped, though it was muggy.

“I’ll lead you to the blight,” Noala told them. “You go in and explore while I go around the area and place snares on the trails so we can contain any affected creatures that might escape. Once we’ve flushed out the area, we can investigate more fully.”

They all set off out of town and into the woods. It took about three hours of hiking along a winding game path to reach the blighted area, the first signs being that the trees and plants were a sickly green color with spots of brown. Soon, the forest smelled of sweet rot, and the trees looked entirely unhealthy, their bark peeling off in sticky black strips.

The presence of rot increased with every step they took, and Noala slowed to a stop, turned to look at you, saying, “This is where those wolves came from, I am sure of it. Somewhere ahead is their den, but I will leave that for you to explore. If you need my help, you will find me out here. I am going to set up snares and make sure nothing gets out of this rotten copse.”

The trail continued on ahead. As they traveled, the ground softened and squelched underfoot due to the sticky runoff from all the dying plants. Soon after, the trail opened into an area with tall trees but little underbrush. The path continued toward the rotting remains of a truly titanic tree and, under its roots, there appears to be a small cave.

Spoiler: Perception 18

In the center of the clearing is a trio of small, sickly-looking thorn bushes grouped together. There appears to be a wolf carcass on the ground between them, and the plants have wrapped their tendrils around the corpse.

Map is up at the link below.

Spoiler: Combat Map

https://app.roll20.net/join/11243108/ER6Tdw

@Leatherhead
@VLAD the Destroyer
@FitzTheRuke
@Kaodi
@JustinCase

Spoiler: Initiative

Silvi
Pakuten
Hiromi
Grimsby
Mortimer

Spoiler: Combat Notes

Silvi (+7) AC 13 DC 17 HP 16/19
Hiromi (+6) AC 17 HP 17/17
Pakuten (+3) AC 18(16) HP 13/16
Grimsby (+7) AC 17/16(clumsy) HP 13/25
Mortimer (+8) AC 17 HP 16/16

Spoiler: Loot

Silvi: 21 gp, 37 sp, receipts, map
Unclaimed: Silver rapier

Spoiler: Quests

Help Sir Lawrence quiet Talmore’s ghost.
Who is V?
Help Noala investigate the blight.

Spoiler: GM Notes

Party XP: 460

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Hey, what's this?" whispered Hiromi. She didn't know if anything was around that might hear her, but she didn't want to find out. She slipped over to a group of thorn bushes and carefully poked at something with a stick.

OOC: She'll further investigate. Perception Check: 1D20+6 = [14]+6 = 20 (the initial one. I don't know what would be best to further investigate.) Let's call it medicine Check: 1D20+4 = [19]+4 = 23

 

[JustinCase]

Feeling rather uncomfortable in the great outdoors, Mortimer moves cautiously. After a few steps on dried leaves and twigs, the barrister quickly learns where to place his feet to make the least amount of noise, and soon he moves as silently as ever.

Wielding a short walking stick, which looks far too frail to be an effective weapon, somehow Mortimer manages to strike through the area.

He has no idea what to look for. His field of expertise is the law, and the people that may or may not break them; here only a few rules apply and there is no trial before punishment. Therefore he decides to follow on the heels of those who seem to know a little of what they're doing.

OOC: Practising my stealth: 1D20+6 = [15]+6 = 21 Then Perception to notice the spoiler tag: 1D20+6 = [8]+6 = 14 (nope)

 

[Kaodi]

That morning Silvi was feeling much more herself again and whistled cheerfully as she braided her hair and prayed upon the meaning of her dreams. Today she was opting for two simply braids, tied off about two inches from the ends with ribbons, and pulled in front of her shoulders.

"Another poor doggie," she said with a sigh as soon as they entered the clearing, her smaller stature perhaps giving her a clearer view between the bushes. How strange for the bushes to have grown so quickly around the corpse...

OOC: I went back through day three and Silvi only used three heal spells so presumably she had them available to cast the previous night (and using them is probably faster than rolling a bunch of medicine checks).

Heal: 1D8+8 = [7]+8 = 15, for Grimsby.
Heal: 1D8 = [6] = 6, 3 actions, everyone in The Feedmill?

Perception: 1D20+7 = [20]+7 = 27
Nature: 1D20+7 = [16]+7 = 23, recall knowledge.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Pak grimaces as his talons squelch into the ground on each step. Each step as they move further into the blighted region brings an involuntary shake of his foot to clear the ooze. As they enter the clearing he looks around he notices the corpse at the same time as several others.

"This can't be natural." Pak looks at the small cave under the tree. "And why must everything be underground."

OOC: Perception check: 1d20+3 20 Occultism check to recall knowledge.: 1d20+3 23

 

[Leatherhead]

"Obliged." Grimsby thanks Silvi for tending to his wounds. "Hate t' see what would happ'n if this rot seeped in."

"I'll go first." He adds as he marches forward, after seeing Pak balk at the cave.

OOC: Grimsby will just walk on by those bushes like they aren't ominous and head to the cave. Perception Check: 1D20+7 = [4]+7 = 11

 

[KahlessNestor]

Etran’s Folly (Plaguestone)/Feedmill
Summer/Day 4/0905
Weather: Normal for the season (hot), no wind, no rain
Round 1

Hiromi noted to the others that the death of the wolf corpse looked recent. Silvi noticed it was a bit odd that the plants had all grown so around the corpse so recently.

As Hiromi and the others got within twenty feet of the bushes, they started to rattle and shake violently, and then Silvi recalled they were a creature called bloodlash bushes! She knew that bludgeoning or piercing wouldn’t be as effective against them as other forms of attack.

PARTY WINS INITIATIVE! PLAYERS GO FIRST.

See Combat Map below.

Spoiler: Combat Map

https://app.roll20.net/join/11243108/ER6Tdw

@Leatherhead
@VLAD the Destroyer
@FitzTheRuke
@Kaodi
@JustinCase

Spoiler: Initiative

Party 18.6
Hiromi 25
Mortimer 24
Silvi 18
Grimsby 15
Pakuten 11

Enemies 15
Bloodlash Blue 18
Bloodlash Red 15
Bloodlash Green 12

Spoiler: Combat Notes

Silvi (+7) AC 13 DC 17 HP 19/19
Hiromi (+6) AC 17 HP 17/17
Pakuten (+3) AC 18(16) HP 16/16
Grimsby (+7) AC 17/16(clumsy) HP 25/25
Mortimer (+8) AC 17 HP 16/16

Bloodlash Red (+6) AC 16 HP 35/35
Bloodlash Blue (+6) AC 16 HP 35/35
Bloodlash Green (+6) AC 16 HP 35/35

Spoiler: Loot

Silvi: 21 gp, 37 sp, receipts, map
Unclaimed: Silver rapier

Spoiler: Quests

Help Sir Lawrence quiet Talmore’s ghost.
Who is V?
Help Noala investigate the blight.

Spoiler: GM Notes

Party XP: 460

 

[JustinCase]

Mortimer sighs as he watches the very plants move to attack them. Back home he used to have a few potted plants, some of which attracted bugs for extra nutrition, but none of them ever actually moved to harm more mobile targets. There was an elegance in simply waiting for a fly to land on a slippery flower, entrapping it in liquid acid, which spoke to the young barrister-in-training.

Not so much this perversion of plant life. Perhaps they could trim it back to a more reasonable, and manageable, size?

Producing his dagger and holding it in front of him, Mortimer tries to find the best place to cut away leaves or branches.

OOC: A1. Draw dagger. A2. Study target for weak spots: I guess that's Perception? 1D20+6 = [13]+6 = 19 A3. Move next to ally. (I have no Roll20 account, so I can't see the map. Mortimer will move next to any close ally so that he doesn't have to face an enemy alone.)

 

[Kaodi]

Quickly coming to the conclusion that she does not have any obvious tools to deal with hostile flora, at least any that do not involve her get entangled in melee, Silvi falls back on the blind hope that these bushes have something resembling a mind to stun with her magic. "You have to cut them, not poke or whack them!" she exclaims, "Unless you are a tiny gnome girl with no arm strength or hand-eye coordination to speak of."

OOC: Casting daze and shield and generally passing the time until heal is needed. If you need a picture for Silvi for the token there is a picture from the PathfinderWiki Bleaching page that was the inspiration for my image of Silvi. Except, you know, cheery, and colourful, and, uh, not grey and dour.