[D&D 3.5] Hollow's Last Hope IC

[Mr.Christie]

You have all come to the town of Falcon's Hollow of your own accord. It is settled in the shadow of Droskar's Crag. You have visited in a time of crisis, the town is plagued by a strange disease. The locals know it as the Blackscour Taint and have had very little luck trying to cure it. Local remedies have proven to be as useful as prayers and several high ranking members of the community have been afflicted by it. A local herbalist, by the name of Laurel, believes she can cure the Blackscour Taint, but can not get all the ingredients herself. She called together for as many men as she could to help her obtain the ingredients and end the disease once and for all.

You all meet up in front of an old store at about noon. The sign for it is faded, but you can make out that it says "Roots and Remedies", the store that Laurel said to meet at. There is a long line of people waiting to get into the store, most of the pale and wheezing uncontrollably. They all seem eager to get inside, wanting to get the cure Laurel claimed she could get.

[JanusJones]

Tak looks at the assembled masses and keeps his distance. If the lady wants help, she'll come out, or someone else will make a way in. He'll not be catching the disease in the course of curing it.

[M. Moussorgsky]

Aashaki scans the crowd. Too many sick. He walks around the store, searching for a window or back door.

[Archmage1]

Galron had traveled far after his father had told him that to truly become a knight, he needed to complete a quest. He had been seeking one, however, the realm was peaceful, and hardly even bandits troubled it. But then, he started hearing rumors. That there was a strange disease in Falcon's Hollow. Thinking that perhaps that might be his quest, he set out for it, ignoring the occasional glances(And outright staring) as the halfling knight traveled the roads on his trusty pony, Wind. Eventually, after weeks of travel, Galron arrived, and takes in the locals.
Desperation, and despair. They seem to have almost lost hope, but... I see no sick houses, no priests tending the ill. Just people, some of them look wan, but it hardly looks like a plague. And yet, they have lost hope. Perhaps this might not be worthy of being my quest, but it is clear that I should help, if I can.

The armored halfling, bearing his lance point up, and a large(For a halfling) sword across his back, trots across the road on his pony, dismounting in front of Roots and Remedies, taking the time to place his lance securely on Wind, and tying her to the post, before heading near the entrance, the dust from his travels still coating him.

Once close, he calls out, his voice surprisingly deep(For a halfling)
"Hail, I am seeking the one called Laurel. Would she be here, or will I need to search elsewhere for her?"

[JanusJones]

Tak comes off the wall he'd been leaning against to watch the other hunt around the house. He watches the newcomer - a little man - with interest.

[Solar Sword]

Gaefried Lavastine

Gaefried walked many miles over the years venturing from place to place trying to help however he could so he arrive in this place to help even if he doesn't have that much power not afraid of the ill people around him he begins to ask around for the lady that needs help to save these people.

[Mr.Christie]

A man from the line speaks to Galron and says "Laurel is the owner of this store. She is is busy helping those who come to her store for a cure. She has made it her mission to help as many people here from the Blackscor Taint. If you want to speak with her it would be best to wait in line for her."

[Archmage1]

Galron nods.
"Very well. If that is how I may advance my quest, then it will be done."

He turns, and heads to the back of the line.

[JanusJones]

Tak steps forward and speaks in a low voice to the halfling and the man.

"More help, less time if she'll talk with us. Send the message down the line that there are two," he looks at the other rougher looking characters who have recently joined the throng, "maybe more who would help, if she'll have it."

[M. Moussorgsky]

No luck, thinks Aashaki, as he finishes circling the building. He goes to the back of the line and hears the enormous man speak. He taps his shoulder. Make that three.

[JanusJones]

Tak nods, quietly, extending a hand the size and weight of a shovel. "Tak." He offers the same to the halfling, whose tiny hand is barely enough to wrap around a few fingers.

[M. Moussorgsky]

He's not much of a conversationalist, but at least he didn't recoil in horror, thinks Aashaki. Looking at him, he's probably seen worse. Aashaki takes his hand. "Aashaki Nilal."

[Archmage1]

Galron observes the giant human step forwards, and open his mouth, and he turns respectfully to listen.
"She might listen, but it would hardly be just to skip the line, and leave these fellows waiting. We can wait our turn. Do you intend to join me in my quest?"

When the elf comes up, Galron nods.
"And so we are three. My name is Galron, of the House of Analin."
He shakes the hands carefully.
"I will not fail in this quest, and I would be glad for any assistance that you can offer. It is good to know that more will stand for right, Tak, and Aashaki Nilal."

[JanusJones]

Tak looks down at the halfling. "She needs materials. These folk won't get cured without them. Priorities." He nods tot he man in line. "Send it in."

[Archmage1]

"They seem to believe otherwise. Perhaps she already obtained the materials before we arrived. It would be inexcusable to jump the line."

Galron seems to be almost stiffly formal, which is quite odd coming from a halfling.

[Solar Sword]

Gaefried hearing wear Laurel is he heads to that direction. Ready to help in any way he can.

[Mr.Christie]

After waiting for about an hour in line, the four of you make it inside the shop. It smells of burnt incenses fills the air of the mud filled store. The shelves are covered in pouches of plants, jars of differing colored glass and pots filled with various powders. From the ceiling hangs several plants. In the back you can see an older frail woman with her hair tied back and serious spectacles, busily organizing a tightly packed rack of herbs. She looks over to the four of you and asks:

"And what's your problem?"

[JanusJones]

"Yours. You sent for help; it arrived. You want to help more people, you need materials. Making us wait may mean more lives. Where do you need us to go, what do you need us to find?"

[Mr.Christie]

The woman looks at Tak, with a dismissive look. "Four people coming to help. That's pretty surprising." She walked to the back of the store and picked up a book and brought it to the counter. "If you really want to help you I'll need you to collect three ingredients for me, Elderwood Moss, a root called Rat's Tail, and seven Ironbloom mushrooms. The moss you can find at the oldest tree in the vale, damned if I know where it is though. Rat's Tail no one knows where that grows, well Ulizmila might. She lives in the forest, but she isn't the nicest of people, you'll probably have to convince her for her help. As for the mushrooms they grow where the area is thick with metal. The Dwarven Monastery should have some, the Dwarves have all left it, but the forges should still be there. If you don't know where any of these places are you can ask the Milon Rhoddam at the Consortium Lumber Camp, it's to the East."

You can make Knowledge (Geography or Local) to see if your character knows the location of any of the place. Just say which you're rolling for.

[Archmage1]

Galron seems to be unaffected by the long wait, standing stoicly during the many times in which the group wasn't moving. Once they arrive inside, he observes the others asking questions, but once Laurel explains her task, he smiles.
"At you command, Lady. We will seek to gather these reagents, and return, so that you may make your cure. What do they look like?"

[Solar Sword]

Gaefried nods "We will move as fast as we can I believe. I will go to the camp and find out where these places are and start as fast as I can" Gaefried says rambling on a little bit as he rushes out of the door to the Consortium Lumber Camp.

[M. Moussorgsky]

"How much will you pay us to gather these ingredients?" asks Aashaki. "I am almost out of gold, and gathering these things for you doesn't sound easy."

[Archmage1]

Galron gapes at Aashaki, amazed that anyone would have the temerity to ask payment for doing the right thing.
"Payment? You would seek payment for such a noble quest?"
He's quite clearly surprised by the request.

[M. Moussorgsky]

"'Noble' doesn't put food on the table." Aashaki gestures at Galron's armor and pony. "And we can't all afford such finery. I'm not asking for any more than she can pay, but I won't go traipsing about the wilderness for nothing."

[Archmage1]

"You would gain much. You might make friends, you may have a chance to wrest wealth from evil, and you would certainly gain honor, and potentially, fame, giving you many more opportunities. Hardly nothing. Wealth is the least of what you should want, and yet you treat it as the most important thing."

[M. Moussorgsky]

"It's easy to discount the importance of gold when you've never wanted for it. I'm sorry, but without payment, I won't do this. I had planned to stay in this town for no more than a day; if I can't find work here, I'll move on."

[Archmage1]

Galron just shakes his head, saddened by the elf's lack of honor.

[Mr.Christie]

Laurel looking at the elf with a little disdain says "I can pay you each 45 gold pieces. To be fair I'm not exactly doing this with out pay myself, but that is all I can give you. As for what the ingredients look like, the Rat's Tail looks just that, a rat's tail, the moss grows on the largest tree so that shouldn't be a problem, the mushrooms are dark grey on top and light grey on the bottom."

[Archmage1]

"For my part, I do not need gold. Use it to help those less fortunate than myself."
As she describes the reagents that she needs, he focuses on remembering it, knowing that his knowledge of plants was limited.
"I shall bring you what you seek, on my honor. I will not fail you in this quest, Lady Laurel."
He nods gravely, before heading back out to his pony, remounting, and heading to the lumber camp, setting a pace so that the others could keep up, if they chose to.

[M. Moussorgsky]

Aashaki follows the Halfling. Smug little manling. A month in the army would change his perspective, he thinks.

[JanusJones]

Tak stands in the doorway, filling it. He holds up a hand, but his face is neutral.

"Three ingredients, four of us. If one of you's a smooth-talker, ask where to find Ulizmilla. If one of you knows trees, hunt for the oldest. I'll go for the mushrooms." He shrugs, and looks back at the disdainful healer. "As for pay, I'll take a hot meal and a cot. Before we go, you want to tell us why you're hiring warriors to fetch ingredients?"

[M. Moussorgsky]

Aashaki turns to face the big man. "I've spent a lot of time in forests, though the ones around here are unfamiliar. I can look for the oldest tree, but there's a lot of ground to cover."

[Archmage1]

"You are a brave man, Tak. I respect that. I will seek Ulizmilla, and convince her to aid us in this noble quest."

[Solar Sword]

Gaefried says You will not need to pay any of these men Laurel I will do it out of my pocket you will need all the wealth you can take. He will follows the Halfling to the lumber camp.

[JanusJones]

Seeing the others depart, Tak heads for the mines.