Page 1 of 1

AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:50 am
by etherial
Mission: Quarantine Zone
GM: etherial
Date: 2018-01-22
Difficulty and circle rating: Circle 5 Medium

Player Rewards:
Ceadda: 3 TIPs, 4000 LP, 800 Silver
Grom: 3 TIPs, 4000 Legend, 500 Silver, 2 Healing Potions
Romari: 3 TIPs, 4000 Legend, 800 Silver
Thane: 3 TIPs, 4000 Legend, 650 Silver, One Healing potion
Varis: 3 TIPs, 4000 Legend, 487.5 Silver, Physician’s Kit Refill (12.5), Halt Illness Potion (50), Cure Disease (250)

Downtime Actions Available:
Romari: Alchemy 7 (Booster Potion, Kelia’s Antidote, Kelix Poultice)
Romari: Item History 12 (8 base +4 karma)
Romari: Map Making 8
Romari: Research 27 (12 base, +8 Speed Reading spell, +3 Throal library 20sp, +4 Karma)
Varis: Item History Step 15 (Rank 3)
Varis: Research Step 13 (Rank 2) (Requires 20 Silver for Library)

Further Information:
Not all of Raggok's Relics had fully been cleared from the Cultist's Kaer

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:34 am
by Dougansf
From the Travel Journal of Varis

I gathered a group together to head to the Farmstead and see what lay beyond the Central Runic Stone there. Between myself and Romari, we have all the marks required. Ceadda, Grom, and Thane have others, I'm sure, and will prove excellent muscle for anything violent. I'd hoped Gronk would make it, as the skeptic that refused to take a mark.

We arrive at the Farmstead, and find a small tent city has sprung up around the Stone. We hail the camp, and are greeted by a horribly sick Poppa Barushwine. I look him over, and determine he has the Plague. Looking around the campsite, it seems that everyone has either contracted it, or died from it recently. Romari and I examine the water source and food, which seem clean enough. Poppa tells us that this all started shortly after a pale gentleman visited the camp. Recently, some Questors of Garlen have visited, trying to help. They have their own camp nearby. We decide to head to the Questors and see what they think.

Finding the questor camp was easy enough. The Questors themselves, however, were all dead. Slain in their sleep a few days ago. Whoever did it must have impersonated them at the farmstead. We take the time to make a funeral pyre for them, speeding them off to their Passion. We find some journals, which tells us they've been tracking this illness through Borgans Rest and Merrith. It's similar to a disease that wracked Cara Fahd and Landis before the Scourge. Lacking another method to track them, I summon a Wood Elemental to tell me what it saw, and track down those responsible. It leads us back to the farmstead.

We find 5 figures in black robes. Poppa says they're the Questors, but we know better. When one reaches out to touch Ceadda, I finally recognize them as the Horror Construct, Plagues. They prove resilient, but eventually fall before our blades and spells. Many of us are showing early signs of the plague, so I treat those I have the means to, and start Heating Food to give everyone the best chance at recovery. Those who can still get food down begin to improve. I would like to think that this was my best cooking to date, but I believe there was another hand guiding mine.

Day 4
We arrived at Borgans Rest. We had a generally unhelpful discussion with the guards, who refused to let us in at all. Good that they're maintaining a quarantine. However, we couldn't prove that there weren't any other Plagues in the town.

Day 6
We arrived at the camp of Merrith. This time we're prepared for the worst. Fire Heals in the morning, Blood Charms at the ready. At first the camp seems to be deserted. Ceadda gets into the main grounds, and several corpses reveal themselves and head for us. It seems a group of 5 Plagues have raised 6 Cadavermen during their stay.

Grom calls for us to form a line at the gate. Romari hangs back, not suited for front-line work. Thane jumps down from the lookout tower too late, some undead get through. This leads to me getting surrounded by undead, but between my armor and Winds of Deflection, I'm able to stay relatively safe. Ceadda and I work through the undead so we can form the line properly, Grom following him. We have a few seconds of control, and Thane is dropped, giving two Plagues the chance to flank Ceadda and Grom. I heal Thane and Ceadda with a Water Spear, and now one of the Plagues is surrounded. We take care to ignore the Cadavermen as much as possible, to avoid enraging them. Once the last of the Plagues has been slain, the Cadavermen prove easy to dispatch.

Searching the camp fully, we find a wine pot had been upset and shattered. This may have been the origin point.

We returned to Throal via the Farmstead. People are starting to recover nicely. Once inside Throal, we bring the Questor journals to one of the shrines, and are rewarded with healing aids for our humanitarian work.

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 3:26 am
by nathaniel
from the Jounral of Romari Savre

Having collected 7 of the 8 runic marks I was asked to accompany Varis to see if we could suss out their purpose. We asked Ceadda, Grom and Thane to accompany us in case there was trouble.

We arrived at the farmstead to find a tent city had sprung up around the Stone. But all was not right as a plague had stuck the people there. After examining the campsite and talking with Poppa we left the camp to speak with the Questors of Garlan that had been tending to the campers.

Searching out the questors was easy enough, but what we found there deeply disturbed us. The questors had been slain days prior. This brought up questions such as If the questors were dead who was visiting the farmstead and camp? We pyred the bodies as their spirits were already with their Passion. Journals were found and read, the questors had been tracking the illness through Borgens Rest and Merrith. Also the disease bore a resemblance to an ancient illness that had struck Landis and Cara Fahd in the time before the Scourge. While we burnt bodies and read journals, Varis summoned a Wood Elemental to track those responsible for killing the questors. The dam thing lead us right back to the farmstead.

Figures in black robes were moving among the sick and dieing. Poppa said they were questors but they obviously were not. They were Horror Constructs, what Varis called Plagues. They were a difficult enemy, resilient and lucky. But with our combined might we were victorious. After the battle several of us, myself included felt the disease that the Plagues carried trying to gain purchase within us. Thankfully Varis heated food was a panacea against the disease. We spent a day recovering and helping the people in the camp and farm recover.

We set out for Borgen's Rest the next day and after an uneventful couple of days arrived at the village. They were refusing entry to all and were aware of the disease. I took stock of astral space here and found it to be open, no horror or construct had been here. Before we left to Merrith I told them about their fish trader who had died, and gave them my condolences.

We arrived in Merrith a few days later, Astral space was tainted, and we expected the worse. At first the camp seemed to be deserted but as Ceadda began to enter the camp proper the Plagues appeared along with a half dozen cadavermen. Grom called for a line formation at the entrance to town and we all set towards that goal as best we could. Thane had climbed one of the towers and was late to get into position which gave the enemy time to surround Varis. This would have been bad had Varis not called winds to protect him. The fighting was hectic as cadavermen are notorious for their frenzied attacks, so ganging up one at a time was our best option for them. The Plagues harassed and infected us but were picked off one by one. Thane fell during the fight but Varis's Water spear restored him. Eventually the Plagues no more and the cadaver men were easily mopped up.

Searching the camp we found a broken wine pot we believe was the origin of this problem.

Returning to the farmstead we saw that everyone that had not died were recovering. We made our way then to Thoral and present ourselves to the Questors of Garlan. They thank us for our work against the plague and for return the journals and reward us with healing accouterments.

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 5:34 pm
by BattleChad
The Great Library of Throal thanks Varis and Romari for for thier contributions.

Journal Rewards: 200 Legend Points and 200 Silver

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:33 pm
by ChrisDDickey
From the Journal of Thane Cawdor. Troll Sky Raider of the 4th Circle.

I have 5 of those marks from the Runic Circles, and several of us thought it was high time we see what they are all about. Romari had 7 of the 8, but Veris had the one that he was missing, so between us all, we had all 8 covered, not that we were sure what would happen if each mark was not present upon each person. For that matter we have no idea what to do, nor what will happen if we happen to get complete the ritual correctly. Anyway, we set out for the Barushwine farm to see if we could make something mystical happen when all the marks were gathered about the stone there. It was me, Ceadda, Veris, Romari and Grom.

When we arrived at the farm, there was quite a gathering of tents. But not much activity. There was a funny smell in the air. Old Pappy Barushwine looked very sick. Examining some of the other tents, it turned out that everybody was at least sick, and several were dead of plague. Pappy was the only one well enough to talk. He tells us that the first to get sick was a Fishmonger from Bergans Rest. She arrived about the same time as a pale stranger, but he did not know if the stranger had also come from Bergans Rest, but did seem to recall that he was traveling to Merrith. Pappy said that some Questors of Garlain had been visiting the last several days and trying to help. We resolved to go find these questors.

We find their camp quite easily, but find that all the questors had been dead for some days, their throats cut, apparently in a surprise attack at night. Aside from the obvious concern we have for the questors, we wonder that Pappy had said the questors had visited them this morning, but obviously the questers were dead this morning. We burn their bodies and collect their personal effects to be returned to their chapter house. We also found journals, which we read the last several entries. The questors had heard reports about plague at the Barushwine farm, Borgins rest, and Merrith.

While the rest of us were gathering fuel for the pyre, Veris summoned a wood spirit, and asked it what had happened here, but did not get very much more information. Asking the spirit to follow the murderers was more successful, but the spirit lead us straight back to the Barushwine farm! There were five tall gaunt humans dressed in tattled black robes. Pappy said that they were questers of Garlain, but he must have been more diseased than we suspected because they quite obviously were not (even the most nonreligious knows that black is not garlans color!) As one approached us, the cry went up that they were horror constructs called plague's. And that they spread a plague.

Those things were tough, and took a lot of killing. Very tough.

By the time we defeated them, several of us, including me, were certain that we had contracted their disease. We treated ourselves to heat food and made recovery tests, and felt much better. We also nursed the survivors at the farm, and provided magical healing for them as well.

We resolved to check the surrounding communities. The closest was Borgin's Rest. We traveled there (one and a half days), but arrived to find the community closed in quarantine and reporting no current cases of the plague. They had been in contact with the T'Skrang nial, and believed it to be free of plague as well.

We then traveled a further 2 and a half days to Merrith. We approached warily. I did a fire heal the morning we expected to arrive. It was deathly quiet. The guard tower was unoccupied and the gates were open. I climbed the guard tower to get a good look at the village. As Ceadda entered the village square, 5 Plagues and 6 Cadaver Men rushed out to the attack. A call was made to form a line at the gateway. I made a tactical blunder, I waited until the Cadaver Men moved to make my attack, and one of the CM stood upon the place I should have been if I was to form a line. There was no longer a place I could stand to form an unbroken line. Further, if I stood most places, I could only attack Cadaver Men, and not a plague. And I was very certain that I did not want to attack a CM (see my previous entry) So I jumped to where I could attack a Plague, which worked fine, except that it left Veris standing all alone, and soon he was surrounded by CM and plagues, and could not move away. In hind sight, it is clear that my best tactical move would have been to jump down from the tower as soon as the call was made to form the line. Not let any of them break the line, and simple accept that some times I would not be making attacks, sine the only things I could sometimes attack were CM. And the CM were not to be attacked until all the plagues were disposed of. Eventually, 2 of the plagues and one of the CM were destroyed, and the line was properly formed. However I took a bad hit and was knocked unconscious about then (I had already used my Absorb Blow charm) (I think I have used up one of these each of my last 4 or 5 missions They are becoming a serious expense). My being unconscious allowed them to maneuver through the space I should have been occupying. However Veris hit me with a water spear that healed a great deal of damage and I was soon back upon my feet. The remaining 3 plagues (all extensively wounded) were quickly dispatched, and then the CM were one at a time dispatched as well.

A great many residents of the village were dead, but some yet lingered and recovered once the horrors were slain. Veris (or was it Romari) spotted an broken ancient amphora that we decided was the thing that created the plagues.

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 2:25 am
by BattleChad
The Great Library of Throal thanks Thane for for his contribution.

Journal Rewards: 200 Legend Points and 200 Silver

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 4:10 pm
by Jexel
Journal of Grom Skycleaver

Varis: Dwarf Elementalist
Ceadda: Human Warrior
Romari: Elf Wizard
Thane Cawdor: Troll Skyraider

We head over to the Borschwein Farm which is turning into more of a Market. Everyone there is infected with the Plague. We do some research and think the water is clear. After some research we find that a plagued individual came by before the sickness came in. He mentioned that he is on his way to Merrith. The individual had splotchy discolored blisters.

We also found out that some Questors of Garlen where coming and taking care of people. We decided to investigate the questors and searched for their campsite. Unfortunately we found the campsite with the questors with their throats slit. We were able to tell from their journals that the Borschwein farm, Borgan’s Rest & Merrith had all been exposed to the Plague

We headed back to the farm and found the faux questors already there. Suprise suprise the questors where actually a form of an undead horror construct called a Plague. The five Plague’s attacked and we were able to beat them down but not until they infected Thane, Varis & Romari. Fortunately this disease is more of a slow acting one and they were able to cure themselves once the Plagues had been killed.

We headed to Borgans rest...just a couple sick that they kicked out and they quarantined the village.

Onto Merrith. The town was too quiet with a stillness that symbolized death. We walked into the town and it appeared the town came alive with a swarm of undead. I yelled to retreat to the gates and form a defensive line. A army of Plagues and Cadavar men came at us. In our confusion we didn’t make a good barrier at the gate and they were able to break through our lines and the undead surrounded Master Varis. That is one tough dwarf along with a little Elemental magic allowing him to avoid the blows. We struggled on at the gate and took down a couple plagues and cadavar men. We were able to re-establish the line until Thane dropped and the Plague’s flooded in once again. Varis got Thane back up and we got the line back up. All good plans go to crap once the battle starts as I had to block the Cadavar Men with my back to them and facing directly Thane. Things were not ideal, but we were eventually able to defeat the swarm.

Seems like there is a disturbance deep in the Kaer near Merrith. I am still very suspicious of the motives of setting up a town near such a terrible place and worry there is more lurking in the Kaer.

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 7:52 pm
by BattleChad
The Great Library of Throal thanks Grom for for his contribution.

Journal Rewards: 200 Legend Points and 200 Silver

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 4:29 pm
by BattleChad
From the Journal of Ceadda, Human Warrior

Aegharan has finally convinced me to set my words to parchment, so that others might learn from my experiences. This will be a strange exercise for me, but perhaps some day I will be glad to have recorded my thoughts and deeds regarding my outings into the untamed wilds of Barsaive.

My friend Varis had contacted me once more regarding these mysterious stones that seem scattered about everywhere, certain we could finally solve the riddle and unlock whatever secrets they might hold. We were accompanied by Romari the Elf wizard, as well as an Ork Named Grom and a Troll Named Thane, both of them Sky Raiders. I secretly have to wonder if they consider travel by foot somewhat demeaning.

In almost no time at all we’d arrived at the Farmstead where the keystone was originally discovered. Despite the surprising amount of tents and vendor stalls that have sprung up on the site, there was an uneasy calm hanging over the place as we approached. We were greeted by Baurschwine himself, though he’d clearly seen better times. Sick as he was, his condition was better than most of the farm’s inhabitants who lay in beds and tents, unable to do much else. Varis believed it to be the plague. He and Romari searched around the area in an attempt to discover the source, but were unsuccessful. Upon further probing, Baurschwine recalls a pale visitor having arrived just before the sickness took hold. We were also informed that a group of Garlen’s Questors are camped nearby and have been administering aid, so we decide to meet with them in the hopes that they have more useful information.

We made our way to their camp easily enough, but we encountered only more ill tidings. The Questors had all been slain by a cowardly hand that took them while they slept, leaving them to fester in their tents.
We took some time to build a funeral pyre for their bodies before gathering any information we could from their campsite. A journal was discovered that links these events to happenings in the distant past (I suppose writing these things has value after all), and Varis communed with a nearby tree to try to determine the whereabouts of the murderers, and unfortunately it seemed our quarry was already en route back to the farm.

We arrived just in time to see Baurschwine speaking with five figures all in black robes. Baurschwine claims that these are the Questors that have been giving aid, but we know the truth. As one of them reached out to lay hands on me, I fell back into a ready stance, prepared for battle. We slay them with some difficulty, as some in our party seem to have been infected with their disease. Varis determined that these were Horror constructs, and that the situation may be more dire than we’d first thought. Varis took the opportunity to prepare his enchanted food for the party and camp, and already those that were sick began to show some sign of improvement.

We set off to attempt to track down the source of this sickness, making a quick detour through Borgan’s Rest. The guards were surly as ever, but at least they’ve been keeping out anyone that may have spread the plague to the village. With the safety of Borgan’s Rest confirmed, we make our way on to the new settlement of Merrith.

Knowing full well that we were to face some serious opposition, we took the morning to diligently make preparations. It was a wise precaution, considering what followed.

Merrith was quiet as we made our approach, with no obvious signs of life or activity. I took point and cautiously made my way past the gates of the stockade. At this point, several enemies made themselves known to us, and began to converge on our position. Their numbers were composed of the same Horror constructs we’d encountered back at the farm, in addition to a handful of cadaver men.

Grom wisely called for a line to be formed at the gate, to keep them from surrounding us. After some difficulty maneuvering into position, we were four abreast at the opening, with Romari behind lending support with his magic. Once in position, we set to work. Their numbers seemed endless, as one fell, another would rise to take its place. But eventually we began to see progress, as a pile of their inanimate bodies began to grow at our feet. There was a tense moment where Thane briefly succumbed to the onslaught, allowing a few to slip past our line, but after some help from Varis he was back on his feet and back in the fight. Eventually we won the day, and the settlement stood empty of its unwanted inhabitants. We took the opportunity to look around. We discovered precious little, but some of others seemed interested in a smashed wine pot. Apparently that was important for some reason or another, but I won’t pretend to understand why.

We visited the Farm once more on our way back home, to ensure they were recovering well.

Re: AAR: Quarantine Zone

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 4:40 pm
by etherial
The Great Library of Throal thanks Ceadda for for his contribution.

Journal Rewards: 200 Legend Points and 200 Silver