Weretiger's Curse - The journey to Scragnoth

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Xavier
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Post by Xavier »

The rogue stepped to the front of the group, and bowed in greeting.

"My thanks for meeting us Scholar. The guild informs us that you are its leading expert on lycanthropy, and I have an urgent question. Some days ago, in a small town, we battled a were-tiger, in both human and animal form. We were defeated, and when I regained consciousness after the battle, I found several large bite-marks on my arms. Naturally I'm a little concerned, and now I've sought you out to learn what consequences I might face, and more importantly, how to avoid them.

Please, tell me everything you know about these creatures, and what remedy I may seek."

He bowed again.
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Irian
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Post by Irian »

The elven maid's eyes grew wide as she took in the number of volumes allayed around her. Surely knowledge to her need to learn more about lycanthropy was right within reach! Then the learned scholar approached them, and she eagerly awaited what he would share with them of his expertise.

The clerk's reaction to being told the scholar would see them only reinforced her belief that usually parties such as theirs would start with an underling though. They should be honored indeed, and she hoped the scholar would not dismiss them out of hand when he heard their purpose.
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Nathan
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Post by Nathan »

"You've come to the right person then. Here's what I know about Lycanthropes:

They are humans or giants cursed with an affliction which transforms them into wild animals. In this case, it's the curse of the weretiger.

The condition is most prominent during the full moon, and the lycanthrope is usually forced to remain an animal throughout the duration of the full moon.
It also affects them during battle, some lycanthropes can lose control of themselves during combt and change form.

However, there are some who are able to control their abilities through willpower. They can effect changes between states themselves and can even attain a hybrid form where they are half animal.

Anyone bitten by a lycanthrope has a chance to become afflicted too.

I am surprised that you've come into contact with one. Lycanthropes are incredibly rare, which is why so few people know anything about them. Tell me, how long ago were you bitten?"
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Irian
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Post by Irian »

The elven sorcerer steps forward, and curtsies in greeting to the learned healer.

[Diplomacy, if necessary]"My thanks also for meeting with us, sir. I am called Irian. We are duly honored you agreed to do so, as we understand you granting audience is quite unusual.

"Please excuse our hesitancy in answering how long ago Xavier," indicating the rogue, "was bitten. We were all unconscious at the end of the battle, readied ourselves to journey here, and then made the journey itself. It is definitely not more than a fortnight, and quite possibly a few days less.

"You say lycanthropes only affect humans and giants? We were actually assailed by both kinds in the battle we undertook. However, the two tigers turned upon each other, and it was the one who was also a giant that was victorious and subsequently knocked us unconscious and we assume bit Xavier.

"The information you have given us so far is helpful indeed, and if there is other I can research here in the archives, or perhaps in a library open to non-guildmembers, I would gladly accept the chance to do so to help my friend. But, please tell us if you should know. What can be done to remedy Xavier's predicament? How can we rid him of the potential of becoming a lycanthrope himself? We do have a cleric skilled in healing among us, and while I am far from skilled, I seek to learn all I can of healing in the arcane manner," she says to him, with pleading in her eyes.
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Xavier
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Post by Xavier »

"My thanks Scholar. You were correct...we have indeed come to the right person. Please tell me...Is there any way to tell which manifestation of the condition will affect one before hand? Is there any way to control how it manifests? And is there any known cure?

I believe it has been 7 days since I was bitten. On the night of the last full moon. Two days recovery in Tethil, then five days travel to here."

He looked expectantly at the scholar.
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Post by Nathan »

"You will not know if you have the Lycanthropic Plague until the next full moon when, if you have it, you will transform into a tiger against your will.

There are ways to heal the affliction. The reason I ask how long it is since the bite is because they are time dependent.

Fresh Belladonna, also known as wolfsbane, if consumed within an hour of the bite, can sometimes prevent infection, as can a powerful cleric casting Remove Disease or Heal within 3 days of the bite.

Other than that, there is only one way to cure someone of this affliction, and that is by performing the ritual of Cure Lycanthropic Plague on the night of the full moon. This can only be done in the first six months after you first transform, or else the plague will kill the infected one."
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Nathan
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Post by Nathan »

"As for you, young elf, there is nothing much of lycanthropy in the archives except what I have written myself, and I have already told you almost everything I know.

If you seek to use the arcane arts to heal, then you will find nothing to help you in this archive, our healing abilities are granted by the gods. I suggest you try the mages' guild, they may have done research into such things."
Last edited by Nathan on Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Irian
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Post by Irian »

Joseph wrote:"As for you, young elf, there is nothing much of lycanthropy in the archives except what I have written myself, and I have already told you almost everything I know.

If you seek to use the arcane arts to heal, then you will find nothing to help you in this archive,oiur healing abilities are granted by the gods. I suggest you try the mages' guild, they may have done research into such things."
Disheartened by the Scholar's answer, Irian swallows her disappointment and thanks the man, even though she had never heard of a mage that healed, other than through potions. Then, looking at Brother Charn she asks, "Good brother, is this Cure Lycanthropic Plague ritual within your abilities? No, I suppose not. I am sure if you had knowledge of this, you would have informed us...

"Scholar Joseph, if you are the lycanthropic expert of the guild, are you the one who must perform this ritual? What need we do to persuade you to help Xavier on the next full moon?"
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Nathan
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Post by Nathan »

"The ritual is very rarely performed because the required materials are incredibly difficult to find. Let me see now..."

He thinks for a few seconds and then points off into the distance and starts walking down the aisle muttering to himself, none of you can make out what he's saying, but he seems intent on going wherever he's headed.

He stops for a moment, as if snapping out of a trance and says,

"Come on then! If you want to hear the rest you'll have to come with me!"

He wheels round again and carries on into the darkness.
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Brother Charn
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Post by Brother Charn »

Brother Charn quickly moves to follow the Archivist, speaking to Irian as he does so, "It appears the spell to remove the plague be arcane magick, not divine. To prepare the Ritua, we likely must purchase or quest to gather ingredients most rare... should the fates allow that all be found at all by such as we." Charn sighs in worry.
BCakaDWakaD!

- Brother Charn
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"Shadows beware! The Light of Day shall find you, no matter where you lurk." - Archbeacon Davos
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Post by Irian »

Feeling ever more useless in helping Xavier, Irian takes small encouragement from the good brother's word, and follows after. I didn't realize divine spells don't use components, she thinks to herself. Perhaps I can help in some small way then...
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Post by Nathan »

You follow Joseph for a while as he takes a confusing twisting, turning path among the dusty tomes. Once he is out of range of the lamp, he casts a spell and his hands start glowing (you recognise it as light), lighting the way.

Eventually he stops at a shelf. You don't think it looks any different to all the others, but he reaches for a book, pulls it from the shelf and dusts it off.

"Here we are! Rituals of Healing, Unabridged."

He riffles through the pages until he finds what he's looking for and then passes it to Xavier, who reads it.
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Post by Xavier »

The rogue laughed, perhaps a trifle bitterly. "Well," he managed, "that seems straight-forward enough. All we need is a blue dragon's fang, the feather of a cockatrice, A sprig of lesser devilweed, cut with a golden sickle on the full moon night, a cut diamond 1 foot across, and the heart of the lycanthrope that bit me. The giant lycanthrope that is. And all within six months. Or I'll die."

He shook his head and sighed.

"Well friends, my own course is clear at least. However difficult, it seems I must do my best to find these items."

Turning to the scholar, he asked, "Can you offer any advice on how to find these items? Or an idea of where to start looking? Perhaps the apothecaries have a stock of lesser devilweed for example?"
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Post by Brother Charn »

Brother Charn frowns deeper and deeper as the list is read. "This be a formidable list of ingredients. With enough coin, there be a small chance we could buy several of these... but the last ingredient," Charn signs and rubs his holy symbol. "I doubt the beast that bit you will give us his heart on request - and in six months' time, we be hard pressed to even find it again, let alone attempt to slay it." Charn stops talking, and he crosses his arms in thought.
After a moment, he turns to the scholar. "Be there any arcane or divine magick you know of to augury or read his aura to see whether he be afflicted?"
BCakaDWakaD!

- Brother Charn
***************************************
"Shadows beware! The Light of Day shall find you, no matter where you lurk." - Archbeacon Davos
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Xavier
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Post by Xavier »

"Well," the rogue spoke with a wry smile..."We can always wait three weeks and find out if I turn into a ravening tiger. As for the heart, it seems I now have some sort of mystical connection with my assailant, and will get a sense of his location at times. According to the book anyway.

Of course, finding him is only half the problem, as the good cleric points out."
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Post by Irian »

"Perhaps while we are in the capital, we should take advantage of the markets and craftsmen here, and prepare ourselves with the implements we will need that we can find here? Perhaps a golden sickle at a weaponsmiths and" Irian shyly suggests, "if we need the heart of the giant weretiger..."

Turning towards the scholar, Irian asks, "Before we battled the weretigers in Tethil, we had been told by the apothecary there, a man who claimed to be a former student of yours who goes by the moniker of Roger, that he had learned from you that silvered weapons were effective against lycanthropes. We managed to acquire some, but they seemed to have very little effect. Are there other weapons or means of overcoming a lycanthrope that you can tell us?"
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Post by Nathan »

"Silvered weapons are indeed the way to go. The beasts are also affected by all kinds of magical damage, their protection extends only to physical weapons not made of silver. Perhaps the reason you could not defeat the beast was due to its incredible strength. Weretigers are exceedingly hardy and can take a lot of punishment, even from silvered weapons.

The only way to find out if you have been infected is to wait until the next full moon. I suggest you stay in the city so that I can keep an eye on you, and we will temporarily cage you during the full moon to ensure that nothing untoward happens.

In the meantime, I have an assistant named Arthur who is very well travelled and he may be able to help you find some of the components you require. I understand he has ventured far and wide in these lands and if anyone is likely to know where they are, it's him."

Joseph casts a spell (Irian recognises it as Sending, which allows someone to send a short message to anyone, anywhere) and speaks the words "Arthur, come and see me in the Archive, please. If you're busy then drop whatever it is and come now. Thank you.".

He then starts walking back the way he came, towards the entrance.
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Irian
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Post by Irian »

Joseph wrote:"Silvered weapons are indeed the way to go. The beasts are also affected by all kinds of magical damage, their protection extends only to physical weapons not made of silver. Perhaps the reason you could not defeat the beast was due to its incredible strength. Weretigers are exceedingly hardy and can take a lot of punishment, even from silvered weapons."
Irian's brows raised at this. Too bad Roger was unaware of that bit of information, she thought to herself.
Joseph wrote:"The only way to find out if you have been infected is to wait until the next full moon. I suggest you stay in the city so that I can keep an eye on you, and we will temporarily cage you during the full moon to ensure that nothing untoward happens."
As a lover of freedom of movement herself, Irian glanced at the rogue to see his own reaction to this suggestion...
Joseph wrote:"In the meantime, I have an assistant named Arthur who is very well travelled and he may be able to help you find some of the components you require. I understand he has ventured far and wide in these lands and if anyone is likely to know where they are, it's him."
Praise Ehlonestra for small favors, the elf thinks to herself as she follows the Scholar and others back towards the entrance.
In the cool shade of the glade, adventure awaits...
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Nathan
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Post by Nathan »

Joseph leads you back to the stairs and just as you get there a man walks down towards you...
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Post by Arthur »

The man walking down the stairs is tall and very thin. He has sleek black hair, bright blue eyes, and a heavy tan. He has a bow and two quivers of arrows strapped to his back, while the twin bulges visible under his leaf-green cloak suggest weapons. He wears a gold ring on his left hand. His deep tan and the weathering visible on his clothes gives the impression of a life spent mostly in the wild.

He bows low to Joseph, and asks, "You called, sir?", then straightens, giving you all a searching glance as he does so.
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