Author Topic: The Burning Plague  (Read 12617 times)

Offline Stratovarius

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The Burning Plague
« on: July 12, 2014, 09:39:53 AM »
A sickness has come unto the simple mining community of Duvik’s Pass, poisoning their wells and blighting their crops. With the pestilence leaving the strongest men of the town’s guard a few short days away from death, the burden of descending into the mines and purging the wellspring of whatever evil has settled there falls to an intrepid band of adventurers. Can these noble heroes prevail within the depths of Duvik’s Pass, or will they too fall victim to the perils of The Burning Plague?

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2014, 09:53:24 PM »
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It was night when the group of adventurers arrived in Duvik's Pass, their worldly possession slung over their shoulders. They had been the first (or so they hoped) to respond to a bulletin passed out throughout the surrounding towns, looking for a group of individuals to come to the town of Duvik's Pass and solve problems having to do with well water and poisoned crops. Of itself, that would hardly have been enough to draw the eye of a band such as theirs. But the footnote at the end of the bulletin had been enough to overcome any such reluctance, for it made mention of a reward paid in good silver, straight from the mine. A mine that was, mercifully, untroubled by the sickness that had struck the crops and the people of the town. Indeed, the next month's delivery of ore from the mine is scheduled to take place within a week of the adventurers arrival in town, or so said the brochure.

It was, in the eyes of the adventurers, a foolish document to have passed around at a time of desperate poverty, a time when bandits were rife on the face of Arhosa, but the fact that it was spoke to the danger of the crippling disease that was sweeping through Duvik's Pass and the livestock that it fed from. And the very threat of such a disease should keep away all but the most foolhardy or determined of groups. The adventurers had steadfastly kept their minds from which they were, yet even so, doubts had crept into their mind about the righteousness of attempting to solve a problem of disease and illness.

It was, in the end, the lure of fresh nuggets of pure silver that drew them onward, and it was those same dreams that filled their minds as they settled into sleep in the Beheaded Orc, lone inn of Duvik's Pass. On the morrow, they would meet with Mayor Cristofar Sendars, and begin their investigation into the secret of the plague. And, hopefully, into their first moments of wealth.


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Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2014, 10:55:55 PM »
Hanner Bryd, spellsinger extraordinaire, bows extravagantly to the Mayor, sweeping his tall hat to the ground. The little Chanwyr is somewhat portly, and over his leathers sports a black tailcoat worn threadbare with the rigors of travel. He turns, monologuing to the motley crew that accompanies him.

"My lovelies, we find ourselves
in this weary town,
bearers of hope and respite
for the poor townsfolk.

May Fasnachu's smile
grace our venture,
as the glint of silver
graces our pockets."
I am the assassin of productivity

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It's begun — my things have overgrown the previous sig.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2014, 02:36:54 AM »
Lilith, who had been standing in the back, looks from her companion back to the mayor. "I think that means 'hello.' I don't always understand Hanner all the time myself. I only met him a fortnight ago a couple towns over."

She coughs and makes a little bow herself, but nothing nearly as fancy an Hanner's. "I am Lilith, servant of Awyr Leuad. Perhaps you can tell us more about the situation? If it requires a task that is within our power, then we might be able to assist you."

Although she would like to help, she is far too cautious to freely offer it without knowing what she was dealing with. She was after all but an acolyte.
Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2014, 07:24:00 AM »
The Mayor, a large and portly gentleman who had most likely once been a merchant, judging by his complexion, was eyeing Hanner with doubt written plain on his face. With an effort, he tore his eyes from the little fellow and turned towards Lilith, who seemed much more sensible. And being a priestess, much more useful in a situation such as this.

"There isn't a great deal more to tell you than the bulletin that we sent out, honestly. Our water supply is infected, and the disease has rampaged through town." He paused, thought for a moment, then shrugged. "The first few cases came from the mines. The last time miners came home there were a few infected in their midst, and it was from then that the plague began. We didn't want to mention that because it would scare people away, doubting our ability to pay.

"Which you shouldn't, because there's so much silver in the mine that once this plague is dealt with, we can pay you whatever you ask! You'll even be to able to collect it as you go through the tunnels, since I'm sure there's plenty lying around waiting to be delivered. So there's really nothing to worry about, as it were."

Offline VennDygrem

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2014, 12:05:07 AM »
Vidar rubs his chin, as if in thought.

"This is no natural passing of disease. I will be glad to work with the others to restore balance to your people and to your mine."

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2014, 08:01:01 AM »
The mayor bows, his face splitting wide with pleasure. "You are too kind. Far too kind. Is there anything else I can do for you before directing you on to the mines? Someone you might want to meet in town?"

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2014, 09:02:19 AM »
Hanner gestures broadly, encompassing all of creation.

"As we embark on this quest,
we shall find our mettle:
put our skills to the test,
and engage in battle

against a sourceless foe,
pervasive and dire.
Before we, adventurers, go,
perhaps we should inquire

among the suffering folk
as to the circumstances
their erstwhile lives took
ere the sickened advances."
I am the assassin of productivity

(member in good standing of the troll-feeders guild)

It's begun — my things have overgrown the previous sig.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2014, 08:03:40 AM »
Lilith blinked, her mind translating the words into the common tongue. "See the sick? I think the priority should be investigating their water supply...unless..."

She looks at the mayor. "Are there any of those miners still around, from when this all started? They might know something, if any are still among the living."
Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2014, 08:32:27 AM »
Mayor Cristofar shook his head, sadly. "All of those who were healthy have gone back to the mines. We knew we would need the silver to purchase assistance, after all. However, I can introduce you to Arianna. She's the wife of our head miner, and has been here since well before the mine was ever opened."

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2014, 10:44:29 AM »
"That would be wonderful." she says.

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Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2014, 05:30:24 PM »
The mayor sent one of the little boys in the town square running after Arianna, only for her to arrive at full steam, a busybody with someone to busy. "So, I see you're the lot that have come to clean the mines and the water and everything of disease." She peered closely at each member of the party in turn. "I don't think any of you are impressive. Whatever we've agreed to pay them, we should cut in half. I'm sure we could get a better set of adventurers in a couple days!"

Cristofar held up his hands, trying to slow her down. "But Arianna, they're the only ones who responded..."

"Well, that just means the proper heroes are going to be here any day now, ahead of these silly moneygrubbing peasants who stuck on a flamboyant cassock and thought it would make them all rich. Why, my husband looks more impressive than this whole lot put together. And what's up with that ridiculous midget spouting poetry like he's the Goddess's gift to language. Someone should gag him with an old dishcloth and show him who's right!"

The mayor turned towards the adventurers and shrugged in helplessness. Arianna was clearly too much for him to control.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2014, 07:47:59 AM »
"Well, maybe you should tell us what you know anyway. You know, on the off chance we pull it off? And if we fail we'll probably die a horrible death, so you won't have to pay us! So really, you have nothing to lose by letting us 'play heroes'." Lilith says, cheerfully.
Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2014, 08:36:10 AM »
Arianna glared at Lilith. Someone with reasonable logic was just too much for her to cope with at this time of day. Or any time of day, really. "Well, I suppose I could be gracious and offer such hopeful creatures as yourself assistance, on the belief that the goddess might smile down on us... And if it all goes wrong, I shall gloat at your funeral as the true heroes rescue us from this plague!"

There was a pause as she thought over her options, before finally coming to a conclusion. "Very well. It all started when some of the other miners returned to Duvik's Pass with blisters, sores, and a terrible thirst. They wouldn't stop drinking the wellwater, even when it made them sicker and sicker. Eventually, they passed. Not my Jacen, of course. He's far too strong for anything like a little disease to have caught up to him. Why, I'm sure he's up there right now, mining the silver for the true heroes when they arrive." Arianna sank into a reverie of her all-conquering husband. A close examination of which would notice her hips moving slightly and her lips parting.

There was a long and awkward pause before she came to herself again. "Since then, the disease has struck our crops and our livestock, and now it's hitting people in the town as well. With any luck, you'll all catch it yourselves and we won't have to pay you for your upcoming failures!" With that, she flounced off, clearly done talking to such pitiful adventurers as had presented themselves.

Mayor Cristofal stared at her back, watching her go with a strange expression. "Sometimes, I wish she'd been the first victim of the plague..." Facing the adventurers once more, he nodded at the road up to the mines. "There's really nothing else that we can tell you down here. Best bet now is to start exploring, see if anything can be found. Otherwise you'll just catch it yourself hanging around down here."

Offline Nanshork

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #14 on: July 21, 2014, 11:34:44 PM »
Belegol had been standing in the back, listening without giving any input of his own.  He looks ready for battle with his urgrosh in hand as it always s, and as usual he is completely unconcerned about any damage the spearhead at the end of the haft might do the the floor.  Runes have been carved into his chainmail and along the urgrosh, as well as tooled into the leather of his backpack

His traveling companions had already learned that he prefers to keep to himself.  This goes doubly so with Hanner, all of that poetry makes him...uncomfortable.

Belegol spits into a corner and says thoughfully, "Sounds like your disease came from the mines.  Nasty things can be found underground."  He tries to remember if anything like this has happened before.

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Offline skydragonknight

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2014, 07:38:38 PM »
"My Tokunnir friend is right. The answers must lay in the mine. Even Bob must agree by his silence." she indicates the Ferthyr in the corner. "Well, no time like the present, then. Is everybody ready?"
Hmm.

Offline FireInTheSky

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #16 on: August 05, 2014, 03:14:10 PM »
The strange looking Ferthyr with the very strange looking clothing (covered, as it is, in bones) finally moves at Lilith's acknowledgement. Feivir very much wanted to interact with all of these new people he met while traveling, but had become resigned to strangers' disturbed reactions to his odd appearance, and thus let his recent companions do most of the talking to new people, as the conversations tended to end when he attempted to join in. In a hoarse voice, he responds. I'm definitely ready to continue exploring. And the mine seems the most logical place to start.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2014, 07:13:20 AM »
A cool breeze drifts down from the towering peaks of the Serpentcoil Mountains as you behold the entrance to the caverns. The frost-rimed ground is littered with tools, picks and shovels, some of which protrude from soft banks of snow. A single darkened shaft leads into the depths of the mine ahead. The dirt path beneath its wooden support structure is covered with stone debris, a few pieces of which occasionally glint with the slightest hint of ore. No light issues forth from the tunnel. Burnt-out torches are strewn across the floor, their brackets torn from the shaft walls. Behind you, the worn road leads back through the crags to the valley below. Aside from the quiet whistling of the wind, complete silence fills the small clearing within the mountains.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #18 on: August 08, 2014, 01:45:43 AM »
Lilith lights her bullseye lantern and steps inside, holding the lantern in her off hand, leaving her main hand free. Vidar had been quiet lately, but that was nothing new. Hanner, however, had been unnaturally quiet, and she was torn between being glad and being worried that something was wrong with him.

She takes the first steps into the darkness. "As a reminder, my magic is limited to hindering foes and healing friends. If there are any creatures about, I am relying on your blades, fangs and skills to fell them."

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Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: The Burning Plague
« Reply #19 on: August 12, 2014, 05:00:04 PM »
Ahead of her, the mineshaft slants downward at a gradual angle, revealing a twenty foot wide tunnel, buttressed by wooden supports on either side. The wooden supports to the tunnel are chipped and torn, in some cases violently so. In a few places, where the light spills most strongly, there is a faint tint splashed about, a colour one would hope not to have seen. Aside from that, there is the usual detritus of mining operations, being picks, shovels, and hand carts scattered about, a few here and there, some leaning against the wall as if waiting to be picked up again, while others were in the middle of the tunnel, hazards to those who would step on them.