Local problems - Pestilence and Rats

Dire Rabbit

I am not about to intervene in civil affairs and local protections- I do not have the time, frankly. I've been inundated with reports and concerns about two wererats now running around, one of which spreading parasites into people and the other robbing them.

Add to this a half-orcan cleric of an orcan god of pestilence spreading his influence to local farms and the like. And yet nothing appears to be crossing the lips of council members.

Is there something I'm missing, or is this of so low concern that I should tell the throngs of people beseeching me to do something about it that these are not threats?

-Keline

Zool

Why don't you tell them that you are not their mother, and that we are fighting a war.

Surely the local adventuring populace can handle a few monsters and madmen?

-Marshal Saga Drakesbane.

Dire Rabbit

I have. Multiple times.

But I have a reputation for competence, leadership and handling problems. People seem to take to mean I can and will handle theirs as well, that my time and abilities are beyond what they are.

I have no disrespect intended towards anyone intended, but someone else needs to step forward and cultivate the moral right here.

-Keline

Orin1234

I can assign this to some of my retainers, if there is no objection.

Polk

SpiffyMeister

So,

We have wererats spreading a plague and an orc priest of plague running around?

Kill them and be done with it. We're at war and I don't think our economy can take a pandemic.

Waldamar Scarbrough

Sparr0w

%(#3d8c56)[The elves have a plan to deal with the rat very soon. I ask that you not act in a way to arouse its suspicion.]

SadGruffman

If the council wishes them dead I will make it so.

-Dawnknight Appleberry

Dire Rabbit

From my unit's files.

Bottom line: Impose your will upon your adversary, do not allow them to do it to you.

If you need any of the supplies suggested here, I will provide them at cost.

-Holy Strategist Keline Hellenthen

Dossier: Zurask, Servant of the Rotting One
Race: Half-orc
Age: Unknown

Distinguishing features: Green plate armour, carries maggots

Fighting style: Summons/Conjurations/Undead

Abilities: Cleric of Talona Yurtrus, raises undead to fight for him.

Has been seen with two undead frost giants under direct control meaning he can raise undead and likely kill them in the first place.
Has been shown to be well prepared in terms of consumables, multiple attempts to dispel him have seen him re-apply them through potions. Has been known to collect alchemical components, so this is likely the reason for it.
Favors both invisibility and stoneskin which he seems to be able to cast upon himself.

Disposition: Brazen. Wants to intimidate. Bold enough to enter the city to sell equipment. Seemingly an adventurer.

Allies: Paul the Wizard, Rat Queen (May be ancillary or simply a work partnership), Nihilos the death cultist.

Locations spotted: The Faceless, the Hullack, West Gate

Combating Him: He’s potent but not infallible, people have used things like Web and Dispel to keep him busy re-enspelling himself while his summons carry the fight. He has shown he’ll down an invisibility when a fight doesn’t go his way. He is physically strong but slow and clumsy, and can be put on the backfoot with the application of:

Impede (make this your opener, it’ll force him into drinking a potion of clarity or something else. Any action you take to keep him from casting or enspelling himself is one more second you have to your advantage.)
Magical and elemental damage (such as flame weapon and/or divine favor.)
Web
Tanglefoot Bags
Invisibility Purge
Silence put upon a summon and kept near him. I would suggest an Ooze summon which cannot be fooled by invisibility.
See Invisibility

Using these methods, you should have no problem locking him down and taking him out if your allies are in accord. However, if you use this stuff on him and he gets away, you cannot expect it to work again. You have to surprise him with coordinated action carried out swiftly or you will lose the initiative.

Paul Crispin

I had attempted to hire him to assist in investigating the worg that was captured, but before I had spoken face to face he decided to throw in with Zurask. From what I understand he has helped assault local adventurers, but to what extent, I do not know.

Race: Human (Assumed)

Distinguishing features: Blue and White robe with white cloak trimmed in gold.

Fighting style: Summons/Conjurations of an Insect Variety.

Abilities: Arcanist with an apparent focus on insect summons. Can be safely assumed a variety of combat spells as well.

Disposition: Seemingly easily swayed by others, an intelligent man but otherwise little is known.

Allies: Zurask.

Locations spotted: The Faceless, Arabel

Combating Him: From what little exposure I have to him, his distinct style seems to be summoning insects and hiding, expecting them to do the work. From this and his letter (enclosed) we can infer that he is at least somewhat accomplished at his craft and a frail specimen and would be easy to subdue if the right pressures were applied.

Insect summons, particularly higher circle ones (like Stag and the rightfully feared Kell beetles) are rather dangerous creatures, even to fully armored fighters they can pose a threat. Multiple of them will waylay a party- my advice, then, is to take the wizard out with extreme haste.

Thus:

Dismissal and choking powder used in rapid succession. Ideally his summons will be near him, but after you throw the powder they will attack you. Speed and surprise of action are your main weapons, if you can master that 1-2 punch, you will nuter him before he’s even had a chance to react, this is going to do several things at once: Remove (some if not all of) his summons from the board, put him in a mild panic and when the powder hits, a real panic. Most people know their weaknesses, not everyone knows how to shore them up.
See invisibility by at least one of your host.
Immediately focusing him down with ranged fire while others close in on him at closer range. Down a haste, down a clarity, throw more choking powder at him, close with and destroy him.
Tanglefoot bags (plural. You should not be facing a wizard alone if you can avoid it.)
Hammer of the Gods combined with the previous two tactics should remove him from the fight in extremely short order.

SpiffyMeister

Lady Islyn has approached the palace, and has threatened to reduce funding for the army if the Council cannot handle this threat in a timely manner.

Waldemar Scarbrough

SadGruffman

To add to the above -

We know where they like to frequent.

Hullack Shards,
Slingdyke,
High Road to Eveningstar,

All of these areas have seen an extended amount of undead activity. We need to be smart about this, and Keline and I have worked to formulate a rough plan.

Watch these areas, stay in groups, overwhelming odds are with us.

I will begin outfitting councilros with the following:

See Invisibility
Tanglefoot Bags

How do we weaponize invisibility purge and silence for those who cannot cast them?

We should try to divide the four, Paul, Rat Queen, Talona Rat, and Nihlos.

-Dawnknight Appleberry.

Dire Rabbit

Unfortunately there's no way to put puring into a wand- we can do Silence, however.

I'll have the dossiers on the other two written tonight or tomorrow, I'm mentally and emotionally drained right now.

-Keline

Harlequin

You need two things if you have a rat problem: cats and traps.
I dont think cats are going to be useful. We need a trap. And for traps you need bait.
What do they want? How do we lure them out to our trap?

SyrusRayne

Well... Isn't one of the rats after Keline? And it wouldn't be too weird for her to wander out the gates ""on her own""...

Sara

Fizzgig

Zurask has requested my presence in the Murdered Manticore, with Paul making a personal appearance to remind me. I am much less of a threat, compared to the Commander, and I am more than happy to volunteer as bait. I often head out on my own putting up Shamrocks or laying out treasures, I could drop a heavy hint of this in person and then he or his cultists may follow me. Just an idea.

Ottilie

Sparr0w

%(#3d8c56)[They have planted themselves in Tilverton.]

%(#3d8c56)[Tread carefully whilst traversing the northern roads and the Stonelands; we suspect they are entertaining themselves amongst the ruins and dunes for now.]

%(#3d8c56)[They also utilize the southern sect of the sewer—there is a door in the outer wall that leads within—as well as the smuggling tunnels to access the Manticore.]

%(#3d8c56)[The elves shall continue to keep eyes out when we are able.]

Fizzgig

Could we hire an independent scout to survey Tilverton? A Scout may find the common routes used by the rot.
The only name which comes to mind is Jericho, but I do not know if he is known to the rot already.

Ottilie

Dire Rabbit

@Fizzgig

I'm already working on something like this, the scout I have in mind hasn't been around much due to other obligations, but it is being worked on.

-Keline

Fizzgig

I have contacted Jericho to see if he would be willing to help without specifying with what, I am thinking I will hire him to map out the area.
Investing into two scouts is not a bad idea either way, if he does well I will also hire him to plot out the Stonelands.

Ottilie

Dire Rabbit

@Fizzgig

Sounds good.

There is an independent scout by the name of Vaylefor who I saw Sybil with last night who may or may not also be up for something long term. There's also the Pawn's own Laurel and an Air Genasi who's name I have written down somewhere but can't find at the moment.

I had been going to parse out the work of mapping out most of the areas I want to hit in preparation, and the Air Genasi and Vaylefor into Tilverton proper; both are unknown faces and both have a 'shifty air' about them if you'll pardon the choice of words.

Adding Jericho to such efforts (so long as we're not repeating previously done work) would be a huge help. I'm still waiting on contact from these people before I can start coordinating things, but if you wouldn't mind, maybe have Jericho start on maps closer to the city leading up northward. That way, when the other scouts are accounted for, the groundwork is already laid for us.

-Keline

Fizzgig

For Jericho, I will hire him to plot out the North Gates, Slingdyke and Gnoll Pass. With the offer to hire him for more work when he is done, he takes two hundred gold per completed map. Not certain of his price for commissions, but I will note it here once he has given me his quote.

Ottilie