Farmer Kalvin outside the Sheriff's office

(Arjay's survival roll is 38, screenshots are available to show the roll and that it's done after resting with no casting)

Arjay would spot a small seed in the feed. It could be water hemlock, also known as cowsbane.

"There you are, you little bastard," Arjay said in a low, somewhat distant voice as he carefully picked up the seed. "Cowsbane, I think," he said, looking more closely at the seed. "How long have you had this load of feed?"

Arjay wrote:

"There you are, you little bastard," Arjay said in a low, somewhat distant voice as he carefully picked up the seed.  "Cowsbane, I think," he said, looking more closely at the seed.  "How long have you had this load of feed?"

Kal looks at the seed, "about a week...but they would have died right away from that." At which point the other farms look at the seed then each other. Almost at the same time they each turn and start heading to their farms. Farmer straw hat yells "Someone put Cowsbane in the grain spread the word!" Soon the farmers clear out moving towards their own farms. Children running to neighbors that were not at the farm.

Falling Leaf wrote:

Karovir would tell the farmer: "I know what you mean but keep in mind what I trained you. I didn't only teach you to fight but also what knightly virtues are and feeding the poor and helpless is right. That it is no permanent solution is true though. So you think the beggers brought the disease to the farm animals or poisoned them? How do you think they did that?"
He would also accept the invitation and stay for lunch and talk or also help out a bit. Hours later he would leave a pack of bandages and two vials of holy water just in case it might be useful someday.
Then he returns to Kal's farm and walks along the street looking out for beggers, watching what they are doing.

As he is leaving the man's farm a child comes running down the path past Karovir to the farmer. "Cowsbane...in..the...feed!" The farmer moves quickly to his feed bin.

As people start to chatter about poisoned livestock and cowsbane, Karan perks up and heads north to the farmlands. She tries to calm any citizens that seem to be panicking, assuring them the matter is under control and to simply double-check their feed for any traces of the cowsbane ((+15 Diplomacy)).

After a bit of walking about, she tracks down Sheriff Arjay. Walking up with a smile to mask her concern, she asks him "Hey there boss, what's going on? Any leads on this poison-stuff?"

After the child ran past and after hearing what was said, Karovir strokes his beard: "Cowsbane? What the hell is that?" he shrugs "Well something called Cows Bane can't be good... at least for cows." Glad that the source of the trouble has been found, he continues walking along up and down the road and discretely watching the beggers.

2 days after the incident, Piak comes to Shadowdale on one of his occasional visits.
After hearing the usual rumours, he would ask a few questions to the farmers in questions.
First of all: has there been more cowsbane found in other farmer's stack? If so: was it all taken from the same barn? Maybe even some addition bought from the same merchant? In this case, Piak would have a look at the barn or try to find the merchant.
If this is not the case, an accident seems unlikely. He would try to find out which farmers had trouble and which not, then, during the next 2 nights, would stealthily patrol the nearby, yet untroubled farms, looking out for a possible saboteur.
The experienced thief has a good chance to stray between the farms unseen, while his own keen eyes effortlessly pierce the night (high hide/ms, spot, and darkvision).

//it's still the day of the incident. The farmers so far have only spread the word amoung the nothern farms.

//kk, Piak is still lounging in Myth Drannor.

"Someone's poisoned their cow feed," Arjay would tell Karan. He'd then send word around for all grain stores to be checked as well, not wanting to take any chances. Only then would he return to the detective work. "Cowsbane doesn't grow anywhere close to here, does it?" He'd ask the closest farmer, his tone implying that he didn't think something that dangerous was easily found around here.

The only farmer left by Arjay is Kal. "Well it grows in the muddy waters of the river. There wouldn't be much there this time of year."

In a little bit childern come back from the other local farms three more bins ere found to have the seeds. One or two cows were showing the early signs of the poisoning. "There will be more, it's natural so those spells of yours might not work. At least in the past the Earthmother priests weren't always successful." Kal waits for Arjays decision. It will take a lot of spells to cure the cattle which may or may not work.

"We still need to try," Arjay said, "My healing is very limited, though.  Karan, go to the House of Plenty, tell the priests that someone's put Cowsbane into the feed bins, and that we need healers, see if they'll help.  If they want payment, I'll arrange it."  He'd also make sure word is sent to the mayor and deputy mayor so they can deal with possible feed shortages.

With that done, he'd start looking for clues as to where the person tampering with the feed came from or where they went, or any clue to their identity.

((The House of Plenty clerics work with the farmers everyday, visiting their families and the fields. This happens for months by now. If necessary of course they can ask for aid, and will imediately receive, for Free, as always.))

((Dm post implied that no priests were currently on the scene. Just wanted to give you an opening to get involved))

*Situation Review*

Arjay and Imesah are at Farmer Kal's farm with the dead cattle. His wife and another woman are there. His children are off telling other farmers about the possible poisoning. The group of farmers that were there went to check their own feed. A few children arrived telling them that other farms have found the same.

Karovir is walking around looking over the beggers in town, seeing if there is anything odd about them.

Piak is likely asleep on a bench in Myth Drannor maybe decideing if he wants to trave to Shadowdale.

Karen is just now hearing a rumor of cattle being killed in the northern farms.

Jarrin is preparing to leave town in another trading expedition, writing notes to see if others need him to get supplies.

Julia is in her office unaware that just outside a novice is preparing to knock on her door to tell her about the incident in front of the sheriff's office, and both unaware that the messenger Arjay sent is insight of the Church now.

Those in the Mayor's office may have heard about the dead calf the farmer brought into town, but nothing about the posioning yet as the messenger goes to the Church first.

//please continue from there, Arjay has been talking to Kal about how the Cowsbane could have gotten into the feed.

Karovir would watch the beggars and those who don't behave suspiciously he would approach and talk to. He would ask them if they are interested in work, a home and plenty of food. They would get the chance to start a new and better life. The downside is that they would have to leave Shadowdale with him and an escort for that. Those who are interested shall follow him while he collects more beggars.

As Arjay and Imesah are talking to Farmer Kal a young man arrives.
"Mister Urban!" he blurts out a bit out of breath, "Mister Masterson said he saw one of the beggers by his feed bin a few nights back. He chased him off cause he thought he was stealing feed. He got a good look at the man and said it was the begger squating in the old Tormson place! A bunch of folk are headed over there." the man waits a bit to catch his breath before running off towards the next farm.

Kal's wife picks up a farming flail and hands one to Kal. Her sister picks up another and the three of them head towards the edge of the Shadowdale Woods and Tormson's place leaving Arjay and Imesah behind.

Trip is hanging out in the House of Plenty gardens, tending his herb.

Falling Leaf wrote:

Karovir would watch the beggars and those who don't behave suspiciously he would approach and talk to. He would ask them if they are interested in work, a home and plenty of food. They would get the chance to start a new and better life. The downside is that they would have to leave Shadowdale with him and an escort for that. Those who are interested shall follow him while he collects more beggars.

While walking around looking and talking to the beggers you see that they fall into a few differant groups. Older Folk who seemed to have lost everything or nearly so during the occupation, younger children who grew up during the occupation and really don't have a place to fit in, a number of individuals who fought against the zhents and can't seem to get back into "normal" life, and then a number of people who seem content to just live off the charity of others.

Most who wanted to get back to work or return to thier old lives have. No one really seems interested in leaving Shadowdale and either accept their lot in life or see it the best they can do.

Karovir sees the desperate situation most of the beggars are in but he doesn't seem to notice anything odd about them. As they apparently don't want to start a new life even though they lost everything or have no place to fit in, Karovir gives up on it and moves on.

Arjay swore in elven, then took off toward the Tormson farm, ordering any guards or deputies still nearby or on the road to get there and make sure that whatever happened, they kept anyone from killing anyone else or doing anything he'd have to arrest them for. He'd hurry as much as his heart would allow him to get there to defuse everything and find out what was REALLY happening.

When Arjay arrives he sees a group of people clustered around something. Fifteen to twenty farmers and farm hands are arguing and yellling. There are so many raised voices it's hard to hear anything. A form is on the ground unmoving in the middle of the mass of people. A member of Taeron's gaurds is outside watching the group but not doing anything. He glances at Arjay as he runs up and offers a helpless shrug.

Arjay looks at the scene for just a moment, then motions for the guard to follow him. Arjay hurried over to the mob, pushing through until he can see (and consequently get in front of) the unmoving figure. "What's the meaning of this!" he called out, almost shouting to be heard over the arguement, putting all of the authority he could call up into his voice.

The guard follows behind the sheriff but doesn't draw a weapon. The farmers fall back as Arjay makes his way to the middle. When he shouts the croud quites down mostly (dogs still bark and some still mumble).

One man speaks up "I saw him by my feed bins and now my cattle are sick! When we came here he saw us and tried to run into the woods. So we stopped him."

The farmers mostly nod to the mans words, though by the looks in some of their eyes they had more planned.

Another man speaks up "I sent my boys inside to check his stuff."