Session 39
General Summary
The Deep End arrived in Carmenthia or, more specifically, the teleportation circle above the Medical Ward of St. Carmen's. Immediately, two attendants dressed in colorful shirts issued them an intake form - have you experienced any of the following symptoms? The attendants seemed a little perturbed after seeing the responses... particularly from Moira. Of course, some of these symptoms may be common post combat, though the specificity of the Hydra part is a little weird.
Descending into St. Carmen's, the medical ward appears to be swamped. Almost all of the rooms that you pass by are filled with patients shivering on their beds, curled up into ball, or actively being restrained by tired and stressed looking medical staff. Following Dr. Valdove, you arrived at an operating room, overhearing an argument between two individuals:
Conway: "I'm not asking you to divert funds, but that gold was earned. I wrote that grant. I've already hired the help and-" Corvinus: "Dr. Conway, clearly the gold is needed elsewhere." Conway: "Dr. Corvinus, that gold will help the situation here. Unconventional, yes, but this is an unconventional situation and-" Corvinus: "Only as unconventional as your lack of faith."
Dr. Corvinus appears to have been in the operating room all day, trying to deal with the situation at hand. He requested you speak with him in the morning - as he'd prefer to speak with his wife now - and directed the party and Dr. Valdove to his assistant: Ms. Alvarro. Thankfully, Dr. Valdove seems to be familiar with the layout of the maze-like Medical Ward. Ms. Alvarro seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to do her job (as she's supposed to be off the clock). Still, he provided the following information:
- The symptoms include: increased appetite, chills, decrease in energy, muscle cramps or body aches, unexplained and rapid weight loss, headache, extreme dizziness and/or fainting, darkening and blackening of the veins, dark discharge from the eyes, and unexplained or sudden bleeding (often internal).
- Although patients have arrived from all over the continent, the analysts have noted the majority of patients are arriving from the following regions: (1) Kereselló and locals from the island, (2) Northern regions of Ah'Shal and Tel'Rhea, (3) the eastern border of Eredet and the lower mountain range of Elios, and (4) Oshiv'Ran and the southern part of the desert of Lark'Hal.
- They have not been able to cure anyone, but Dr. Corvinus has developed a temporary treatment... that loses efficacy over time. The number of deaths have not been high... but there is a serious concern about available space.
- They are running low on a key component in Dr. Corvinus' treatment.
Dr. Valdove offered some suggestions for places to stay. Before she vanished into the Medical Ward, she asked Moira how much she cared about the continent. Would you be willing to die with it? She promised to save that as a last resort.
After finding and paying for lodging at the Black & White Inn (and "stealing" the complimentary Black & White cookies). Ghilani and the girls stayed in. Ghilani attempted to decrypt the next part of the journal, while Moira and Rani co-supervised. Rani thinks it might be a really bad idea for Moira to try and talk to "it" right now. It's probably not the best idea to be walking around looking diseased with what's happening on the island.
Meanwhile, Newt and Widow went down to the Lounge and ordered some drinks. Newt talked about his plan to speak to his dad and to try and get answers... he just doesn't know which questions to ask first. Newt expressed concern on Widow's happiness in his relationship with Therarask. He wants Widow to be safe... but also the party (which does, in fact, include him). As they got up to leave, Newt noticed an individual who looked "shady". He seemed to travel - briskly and with determination - to the Medical Ward.
In the morning, Moira walked around looking for diamond dust and THEN asked the guy at the front desk. Rani went to the College Ward and spoke with Dr. Conway. He believes that unconventional circumstances call for unconventional solutions... like the Old Temple. Rani got the feeling that there's a more personal reason behind his passion. In light of his funding being retracted – as Dr. Corvinus has been issued "emergency power" – he is in need of workers. Rani offered her services and those of the party. When asked about Dr. Corvinus, he told Rani to ask the director about what the results of Detecting Poisons and Disease were.
The Deep End (and Dr. Valdove) met with Dr. Corvinus. They have developed treatment for the "illness", but it loses efficacy. Still, it is all they have at the moment. And, therefore, the most pressing matter that he has been unable to address is the reported blight on the Pierre bloodwort fields. He mentioned that the Kartus' brothers detected the oddities in the bloodwort first. Rani and Moira both pushed Dr. Corvinus and, when Denarya's name was dropped, he admitted that detect poisons and disease... returned nothing. Carmenthia herself does not know the disease.
After leaving the Medical Ward, the Deep End traveled to the Kartus Brothers' Trading Company. They found a familiar water genasi woman leaning against a desk speaking to an individual in mostly black garb. When she was asked about having "two jobs", she laughed and left. Kaleb, the clerk, seemed easily agitated and annoyed - providing the worse customer service. It seems the party ruined the best part of his morning.
Kalé informed the party that blighted plants seem to not burn as quickly as normal plants and may be sensitive to noxious fumes... poison, per se. Infected plants also exhibit dark vines that wrap around the stems of the flowers. Kalé informed the party about the general history of Carmenthia and the city of Carmen'Két. Also, when the Purge occurred, there was a blood witch, but she was slain. Apologies, but if you're looking for a living blood witch here, there isn't one.
Rani took the party back to Dr. Conway who was quite excited to have a group to assist with the dig. The map seems to line up with the current dig site location. After ensuring that the Temple will still be his to publish, he happily signed the NDA Rani provided. He plans to leave on the 2nd of Osh'Van (after giving a lecture and handling a couple of academic responsibilities). However, the party can always meet him there if they have other business to attend to.
After leaving the College Ward, Newt immediately tried ot hide from an approaching group of acolytes accompanied by a guard. The Guard's silver mask seemed to turn briefly towards him, but it was Rani he paused to speak to. He recognized and complimented her Lark'Hal fashion.
Traveling to the Pierre field, they found acres of land covered in red, crimson, and fuschia flowers covered in an eerie sensation. Speaking with the matriarch of the Pierre family, Pyrrha informed them that 3 farmhands did go missing and she's kept her family out of the field since then. She directed them to the general location within her fields. In gaseous form, Rani discovered a corpse. When Widow got close, the corpse seemed to sit up, covered in vines, lashing out and pulling Widow in for a bit.
The party engaged with the corpses of what appeared to be the 3 farmhands Pyrrha had mentioned. As one grabbed Newt and hauled him across the field... he was encased in a massive pod of squirming and writhing vines. Inside, he noticed the corpse of a tortle completely embedded in the pods network of vines. The Deep End, however, was able to make relatively quick work of the source of the blight.
Widow felt a sinister presence in the area - seeing a flash of images: a tortle impaled and killed by a mob. Ghilani and Widow then went back into town to speak to Kalé while Newt, Moira, and Rani remained to peruse the fields. Pyrrha doesn't know anything about this, but seems pleased that the matter has been resolved. She mentioned getting someone to dispose of it.
Kalé was intrigued by what Ghilani showed him with the illusion. Are they in need of clean up? He'll head over right away.
After about an hour of sweeping through the bloodwort field, Kalé arrived with his trusty donkey companion. As he knelt to tend to the tortle body, Moira arrived and whipped out its head. In an abrupt change of character, the merchant rounded on Moira, demanding the head be returned. How dare you so casually treat a body with such blatant and repulsive disrespect. Is this what you are taught? That you may just rip heads from shoulders for your own whims and desires? It seems this tortle was a friend of his and, given what transpired, he had little desire to speak with any of the trio.
Rani, however, caught up with him as he began the trek back into the city. She asked to know what happened and why it would have happened now. She had thousands of years to seek vengeance... why would she have done so now of all times? Kalé wishes her luck in finding the knowledge that she seeks. Her friend is lucky... he's not as young and spry as he used to be. Otherwise, he may have gutted her for actions.
And The Deep End leaves the bloodwort to continue to sway in the breeze... the blight eradicated.
Missions/Quests Completed
Per request of Dr. Corvinus, the Deep End has dealt with the cause of the blight on the bloodwort fields overseen by the Pierre family. Hopefully, the fields can resume producing regular bloodwort to provide to the Medical Ward.
Report Date
22 Apr 2022
Primary Location
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