Snow gently falls from the sky and wind bites your cheeks as you stand in the graveyard of Palebank Village, a fishing outpost of Uthodurn that is home to several hundred dwarves and elves. The sun is low in the sky, sinking behind the fresh grave of Urgon Wenth, an old dwarf who caught a curse or disease that turned him into an ice statue. The folk of the village have gathered to pay their final respects to Urgon’s frozen remains.
(Please feel free to introduce your character, and decide if your character knew Urgon or are here just being polite)
Gellwin hung at the back of the crowd bundled into his warm jacket, though he did not know Urgon personally there was a familiarity in the customs of the northern Dwarf Folk that reminded him of home a little. He scanned the crowd seeing the locals that he had grown used to in his short stay in the settlement and noted a half-elf pacing around the gravestones and decided to go and introduce himself to the stranger.
Gellwin waved in a friendly manner as he approached the half-elf, " Well met. New in town? My name is Gellwin...and yours?"
( Gellwin has bronze skin and shoulder length black hair and a well groomed beard. He is extremely stocky even compared to the other dwarves present and perhaps a little too well padded, though it serves him well in the cold. He has an easy smile and is currently dressed in a rather well-worn fur-lined parka. Underneath he wears reinforced leathers and battered looking boots. He does not appear to be currently armed.)
Petros turns to Gellwin and replies with, “I am Petros, nice to meet you. I’ve been here a couple weeks.” He gestures to the statue and says “Though I might leave this town soon with everything going on.”
A Gnome nearby, catching the exchange of words, chimes in. His voice is gruff, almost inhospitable. "Best not go. Not yet anyways. Unknown contagions can be fickle things, tearing their way through one community only to spread to others. If you have any decency at all you'll stick it out, as will everyone else, until we know for sure this - whatever affliction it is - isn't contagious. Or, if it is, until it's burned through this community. That's the best way to ensure it doesn't spread further." He looks at the statue, head shaking. "Frontiers are bleak disease-ridden festering wells of death waiting to spill over into the world. So are mines, ruins, elemental motes. I hate traveling. I hate frontiers. I hate that my friend convinced me to come here, only to die." He looks to another nearby grave, one simply marked 'Gem'.
Gellwin was fairly sure that it was some sort of magic that had done Urgon in but the gnome seemed deeply invested in his plague theory so he let him be.
" Its a dangerous place the frontier, to be sure. Though it has a wild beauty to it."
" I'm supposed to be out finding myself.....but I'm happy to put it off til the weather clears a little more. Shall we go drink to Urgons memory.....and perhaps others as well.", his eyes lingering on the gravestone the odd gnome was perusing.
" Though I'm going to have to find some money to pay my tab and board sometime very soon or I might find myself locked out in the cold."
"Really?" The Gnome assumes the offer includes him. "I'm not usually one for being dishonest, but if you know of some work to be had, I could really use it."
Petros is delighted to have a chance to use his talents again. He takes out his disguise kit and showcases the hair dyes he keeps within. The hair dyes consist of multiple vials each filled with different vibrant colors.
”So what I’m thinking is that we go to some marketplace in this village and set up some simple shop; just a desk and maybe some sign. We’ll sell these hair dyes as potions.”
He adds, “Of course we can’t stay around long because if people consume the dyes they would realized very quickly that something’s wrong.”
Gellwin looked a little troubled, " I mean.....I can heal some people and ask them to tithe if they want to....I don't know about cheating folks already living in difficult circumstances though."
" Or start fires.........I'm very good with fires."
" Maybe you could offer makeup tutorials or hairdressing?"
The Gnome freezes in his tracks. "Of all the irresponsible, nefarious, low-life, evil things to do to hardworking simple people! You should be ashamed of yourself! Parents would give their last dime in desperation for the 'magic' elixor some charlatan claims can heal! You want to be responsible for the death of children!" The Gnome proceeds to rant, VERY LOUDLY, at you for several minutes longer before calming down. "No, we won't be doing that!"
Petros is very much taken aback, and a little hurt. He puts the vials back into his backpack. He doesn’t make eye contact with either the gnome or Gellwin. “Well I- it- it was…” Then he hard blinks and returns to a neutral facial expression.
He looks to the Gellwin and says “Well, I suppose I know some healing magic so how about we try your idea?”
Almost incredulously, the Gnome replies, "And right there, right there is the problem!" His voice raises, "Be a doctor, they said! Here I am, an accomplished medical professional, freezing in the backwater ass crack of the world, and two strangers I met at a funeral can magically heal!" He throws his hands up dramatically, looking at the sky. "And that's why she left me, mom and dad, because your good little boy became a doctor like *you* wanted, and I'm out here competing with a grifter and a pyro! I was never going to afford her the life she wanted! Never!" He lowers his head and slumps his shoulders. His voice low, defeated. "Sure, lets see who needs healing services."
Gellwin looked back and forth between the gnome and Petros, " Perhaps if we find some wealthy people with nefarious business dealings we can put your plan into action, Petros.", Gellwin said with forced joviality, patting the half-elf awkwardly on the back.
" And don't diminish the mundane healing arts they are very useful once our magical reserves are exhausted, Master........oh, sorry....what was your name?"
" So a Physicians stall then? With an expert doctor and us two standing by with immediate treatment for the unwell."
" A most sterling suggestion from you both!"
" Who would we ask about setting up such a thing do you think?"
A gruff voice speaks softly from behind you. “Thank you for attending Urgon’s service.” You turn and meet the gaze of Elro Aldataur, a weathered elf, retired ranger, and the leader of the village. “I’m sorry to speak of dark tidings under such circumstances, but I believe that Palebank Village might be in danger, and I’m hoping you can help us.”
"So help me, if you tell me you need some slack-jawed lackey to go kill some monster plaguing the village, I'll punch you right in the nose! Right in the nose!"
The man looks at you oddly for a moment before continuing. "I have no idea. Urgon Wenth just returned home but a few days ago, after spending nearly a year exploring Eiselcross. Almost immediately his veins began turning blue and he could barely move. And now..." He nodded back at the grave site.
The Gnome settles down remarkably fast with the additional information. "What was the rate of spread? Did it track only along venous channels, or arterial as well? Where were they tracking from - what part of the body to where? Did he say anything regarding an injury, or touching a strange object? Dammit man, I'm a doctor not a diviner, I need more information!"
Official story thread for Frozen Sick.
(Please feel free to introduce your character, and decide if your character knew Urgon or are here just being polite)
Petros looks grimly at the ice statue. He paces around the graves wondering how he is going to not end up turning into an ice statue himself.
(He does not know Urgon)
Gellwin hung at the back of the crowd bundled into his warm jacket, though he did not know Urgon personally there was a familiarity in the customs of the northern Dwarf Folk that reminded him of home a little. He scanned the crowd seeing the locals that he had grown used to in his short stay in the settlement and noted a half-elf pacing around the gravestones and decided to go and introduce himself to the stranger.
Gellwin waved in a friendly manner as he approached the half-elf, " Well met. New in town? My name is Gellwin...and yours?"
( Gellwin has bronze skin and shoulder length black hair and a well groomed beard. He is extremely stocky even compared to the other dwarves present and perhaps a little too well padded, though it serves him well in the cold. He has an easy smile and is currently dressed in a rather well-worn fur-lined parka. Underneath he wears reinforced leathers and battered looking boots. He does not appear to be currently armed.)
Petros turns to Gellwin and replies with, “I am Petros, nice to meet you. I’ve been here a couple weeks.” He gestures to the statue and says “Though I might leave this town soon with everything going on.”
A Gnome nearby, catching the exchange of words, chimes in. His voice is gruff, almost inhospitable. "Best not go. Not yet anyways. Unknown contagions can be fickle things, tearing their way through one community only to spread to others. If you have any decency at all you'll stick it out, as will everyone else, until we know for sure this - whatever affliction it is - isn't contagious. Or, if it is, until it's burned through this community. That's the best way to ensure it doesn't spread further." He looks at the statue, head shaking. "Frontiers are bleak disease-ridden festering wells of death waiting to spill over into the world. So are mines, ruins, elemental motes. I hate traveling. I hate frontiers. I hate that my friend convinced me to come here, only to die." He looks to another nearby grave, one simply marked 'Gem'.
Gellwin was fairly sure that it was some sort of magic that had done Urgon in but the gnome seemed deeply invested in his plague theory so he let him be.
" Its a dangerous place the frontier, to be sure. Though it has a wild beauty to it."
" I'm supposed to be out finding myself.....but I'm happy to put it off til the weather clears a little more. Shall we go drink to Urgons memory.....and perhaps others as well.", his eyes lingering on the gravestone the odd gnome was perusing.
" Though I'm going to have to find some money to pay my tab and board sometime very soon or I might find myself locked out in the cold."
Petros is reluctant to stay in the village another day, but is even more reluctant to give up a chance to make some money.
“I’m an expert on making money quickly. I’m sure we could make some if you let me tag along.”
He pauses for a second and adds, “If you don’t mind a bit of lying that is.” with a mischievous grin.
"Really?" The Gnome assumes the offer includes him. "I'm not usually one for being dishonest, but if you know of some work to be had, I could really use it."
Petros is delighted to have a chance to use his talents again. He takes out his disguise kit and showcases the hair dyes he keeps within. The hair dyes consist of multiple vials each filled with different vibrant colors.
”So what I’m thinking is that we go to some marketplace in this village and set up some simple shop; just a desk and maybe some sign. We’ll sell these hair dyes as potions.”
He adds, “Of course we can’t stay around long because if people consume the dyes they would realized very quickly that something’s wrong.”
Gellwin looked a little troubled, " I mean.....I can heal some people and ask them to tithe if they want to....I don't know about cheating folks already living in difficult circumstances though."
" Or start fires.........I'm very good with fires."
" Maybe you could offer makeup tutorials or hairdressing?"
The Gnome freezes in his tracks. "Of all the irresponsible, nefarious, low-life, evil things to do to hardworking simple people! You should be ashamed of yourself! Parents would give their last dime in desperation for the 'magic' elixor some charlatan claims can heal! You want to be responsible for the death of children!" The Gnome proceeds to rant, VERY LOUDLY, at you for several minutes longer before calming down. "No, we won't be doing that!"
Petros is very much taken aback, and a little hurt. He puts the vials back into his backpack. He doesn’t make eye contact with either the gnome or Gellwin. “Well I- it- it was…” Then he hard blinks and returns to a neutral facial expression.
He looks to the Gellwin and says “Well, I suppose I know some healing magic so how about we try your idea?”
Almost incredulously, the Gnome replies, "And right there, right there is the problem!" His voice raises, "Be a doctor, they said! Here I am, an accomplished medical professional, freezing in the backwater ass crack of the world, and two strangers I met at a funeral can magically heal!" He throws his hands up dramatically, looking at the sky. "And that's why she left me, mom and dad, because your good little boy became a doctor like *you* wanted, and I'm out here competing with a grifter and a pyro! I was never going to afford her the life she wanted! Never!" He lowers his head and slumps his shoulders. His voice low, defeated. "Sure, lets see who needs healing services."
Gellwin looked back and forth between the gnome and Petros, " Perhaps if we find some wealthy people with nefarious business dealings we can put your plan into action, Petros.", Gellwin said with forced joviality, patting the half-elf awkwardly on the back.
" And don't diminish the mundane healing arts they are very useful once our magical reserves are exhausted, Master........oh, sorry....what was your name?"
" So a Physicians stall then? With an expert doctor and us two standing by with immediate treatment for the unwell."
" A most sterling suggestion from you both!"
" Who would we ask about setting up such a thing do you think?"
Petros says out of the corner of his mouth to Gellwin “I think we just found the right person.” He then says to Elro, “What sort of danger?”
"So help me, if you tell me you need some slack-jawed lackey to go kill some monster plaguing the village, I'll punch you right in the nose! Right in the nose!"
The man looks at you oddly for a moment before continuing. "I have no idea. Urgon Wenth just returned home but a few days ago, after spending nearly a year exploring Eiselcross. Almost immediately his veins began turning blue and he could barely move. And now..." He nodded back at the grave site.
The Gnome settles down remarkably fast with the additional information. "What was the rate of spread? Did it track only along venous channels, or arterial as well? Where were they tracking from - what part of the body to where? Did he say anything regarding an injury, or touching a strange object? Dammit man, I'm a doctor not a diviner, I need more information!"
Gellwin looked slightly dejected that they were shelving the doctors office idea but listened as Elro spoke.
" Maybe it might be a good idea to check out Urgons quarters for some clue as to where to look?"