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Post by Corey the GM on Feb 19, 2016 7:13:11 GMT -5
The lizard nest was left a grisly scene of blood and death. You left the bodies for the most part, besides dragging a tail away for proof. Carrion birds were beginning to circle overhead, catching the scent of death on the gentle winds that rolled over the pastures. The farmhouse was to the north on the horizon, it served as a gentle reminder that there was more to the quest.
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Post by chris on Feb 19, 2016 18:33:04 GMT -5
As the Radiant prepared to move on from the lizard battlefield, Mercator sighed and moved to speak with Arthas. "How do you think we should handle things when we speak to the farmer girl and her father? We should be careful about presenting ourselves as mercenaries only here for profit." He pondered a moment before continuing, "if our goal is to earn some goodwill and obtain their guidance about the crypt, perhaps we should wait until they offer compensation before asking for it ourselves."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2016 23:32:31 GMT -5
Arthas fidgeted nervously as he responded, wiping at the lizard blood drying on his clothes "I'm ahh.. sure they'll be more than happy to help with food and maybe a dry barn to rest in. They may be able to tell us a bit about this relic we're after and the layout of the crypt and they may have some theories as to why the dead are rising."
"Oh! she said her father was ah.. hurt by the lizards, maybe I can see to his wounds while the rest of you see if the girl can be of help to us, I'm afraid I'm ah... not much good at ah.. negotiations."
Stopping for a minute, Arthas turned to look Archimedes in the eyes "I'm ahh.. sorry about that, I didn't think that the lizards would be so dangerous... I ahhm.. I'm afraid I almost sold our lives for nothing. I suppose I ought to... Well, I don't know... I just wanted to help, I'm sorry."
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Jaz
Plebian
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Post by Jaz on Feb 20, 2016 5:26:15 GMT -5
Meanwhile, the gnome single-handedly wrestles with a grisly lizard's tail, dragging it from the scene of battle to the north. "Gnomes can lift their entire body weight and then some," he says as he grunts and tries to throw the appendage over his shoulder, only to have it slide off and flop to the ground, leaving a trail of slimy gore across his fine surcoat. Jaz resigns himself to just dragging the thing.
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Post by chris on Feb 20, 2016 16:02:19 GMT -5
Mercador nodded, saying "sometimes things just go sideways. It's no fault of yours, Arthas. I'm sure this will not be the last time we're... overstretched, so it is probably best that we had opportunity to see what our new comrades are made of." Light flashed from his blue goggles and Mercator's mood seemed to grow darker.
"My last job went sideways, and that is why I am here with the Radiant." Mercator pondered a moment, looking grim. "I fear I am running out of time. Do you have a way to get a message to Weston?"
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2016 20:52:07 GMT -5
Arthas looked at Mercator, eyes wide and worried "Ahh.. No, I don't have any way... any special way, to get a message to mister Weston, I suppose we could hire a courier... but what's the problem exactly? Is there something we can do to help?"
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Post by chris on Feb 21, 2016 8:53:51 GMT -5
Mercator began fidgeting with a map case then replied, "perhaps the Radiant can help. I joined the group because my partner, Octavie, has gone missing on assignment. I had hoped Weston's underground information sources could help me locate her, or at least find out what happened to her. I fear the worst. It is a delicate matter, and discretion is of utmost importance."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 11:13:13 GMT -5
The group neared the farmhouse and Arthas slowed a bit to continue speaking "Oh, well I'm sure Mister Weston's doing what he can to find your partner. He is after all a lover of history, arts and antiquities like us; I'm sure he's keen to keep your work going and find your partner. Did Octavie go missing while meeting with a seller? Oh! Do you think she detected a forgery and was attacked? Don't worry, I'm sure Mister Weston will find her, he'll probably tell us he's figured it out when we return." Satisfied that all was well in the world Arthas approached the farmhouse door and knocked.
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Post by Corey the GM on Feb 22, 2016 14:37:22 GMT -5
The young girl opened the door to the small farmhouse and instantly the smell of decay wafted out of the household. It was a one room building with a small loft above. A pallet had been arranged for the father who lay in a sweaty mass in the middle of the room. Several other children and a mother gathered around the father, who was bandage nearly head to toe. He coughed as they entered, but managed to wave them in.
"Come in, come in," he said in a rasp, "You have my thanks for helping us of the lizards."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 18:15:01 GMT -5
Arthas choked and swallowed hard on the bile rising up his throat, dashing back out the door he gasped for fresh air before shouting back into the farmhouse "Do you want miasma? That's how you get miasma and sick and die! Drag him and that bed out of that house immediately, all of you get out of there damn you." Arthas berated, badgered and bullied the family from outside until the children dragged the father's pallet outside where he sat down next to the father and began peeling back bandages to inspect the man's wounds ignoring everything as the farmer and the rest of the party talked around him. (medicine roll in whisper in game)
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Jaz
Plebian
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Post by Jaz on Feb 23, 2016 6:23:07 GMT -5
The gnome is the last to arrive at the farmhouse, still wrestling and dragging that lizard tail. He drops the end of the tail outside the farmhouse door and looks down with disgust at the lizard gore staining the front of his fine surcoat. Jaz circles a flat palm counter-clockwise over the stain chanting "Wipe off," and the stain disappears; his velvet green coat with the golden embroidery is clean, as good as new again. No sooner than that, a crowd rolls out of the farmhouse, knocking him to his bum in the dirt, "What the...?" Jaz merely climbs to his feet slapping the dirt off his trousers as he backs out of the way and the priest begins tending the farmer lying prone on his pallet.
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Post by Corey the GM on Feb 23, 2016 7:00:52 GMT -5
Arthas could see that the father had many open wounds from an attack with the lizard. It was likely that the man would have to lose a leg if not cared for properly. Rot was also beginning to set in on some of the wounds. It was a wonder that no one else was yet sick. "How does it look?" The farmer asked.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 13:20:20 GMT -5
Arthas stared at the man's wounds, clearly annoyed "You'll live, though you're worse at caring for your wounds than you are at fighting lizards. Girl, come over here and learn how to tend a wound. Since your town evidently doesn't have a healer then you will have to do. We'll do this without the gods' help so you can learn." He said waving the girl who asked for their help over.
"Farmer, why don't you tell my uh... compatriots, what you know about the crypt and the noble who was recently buried there while we work."
Arthas tied a scrap of cloth over his nose and mouth and had the girl do the same ("To prevent the miasma from his wounds from making us ill while we work"), then drew a sharp dagger from his pack and trimmed the worst of the necrotic flesh from the farmer's wounds while lecturing the girl on proper treatment of injuries common to farmers (cuts, broken bones, etc) and then re-bandaged the farmer's wounds.
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Jaz
Plebian
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Post by Jaz on Feb 24, 2016 2:57:30 GMT -5
The mention of "crypt" perks Jaz's interest, so he worms his way past a pair of the farmer's smaller children for a better view. Following the priest's lead, Jaz pulls out a silk hanky, a shade lighter than his forest green surcoat, and holds it over his mouth and prodigious nose. He steps closers and inquires, "Mind if this gome observes? You never know when..." and Jas starts to gulp and gag as Arthas begins to trim flesh. His skin has turned the same shade has his hanky, but he manages a brief "Excuse me," before bolting around the corner of the farmhouse to toss his cookies.
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Post by lloyd on Feb 24, 2016 3:28:02 GMT -5
Outside, the sound of boots on dirt announced Olek's arrival. Panting, he assesses the carnage with a raised eyebrow, wiping his nose.
"I, uhh, apologize!" he shouts, leaning on the doorframe.
"When Arthas and I talked on the way, I drank too deep from the wineskin-- meant to get taste, but what can I say? Happens to the best!" He pauses. "Tracking you down on a head swimming with wine was difficult," he says, pointing up at nothing in particular,"until I saw the blood-- that cleared it up quickly enough, hah!" The smell of a cheap wine was strong on his breath as he tapped his nose twice in that peculiar way. "Anyway, I woke up and saw the crowd was moving away, so I looked and saw you were not there-- did they just leave me, I thought? Then I remember something with someone, and, well, the story ends here." He looks around, hands on his hips, ignorant of the scowls around him. "Why ARE we here?"
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