Tainted Food Supply

Earlier in the cycle, a number of drow were seen in discussion with Laalel, who exclaimed that the food supply of beetle meat has been tainted. The conversation ranged from how a servant of the Banshee Queen had claimed to poison the camp's food, to contemplation of harvesting surfacer animals for meat.

Cruel laughter can be heard from the beetle cave occassionaly

Nathzyne Rylin'val collects information about how severe is the effect on the food supplies. She listens to the chat of the commoners, ask around the stores and the hunters.

Then she decides to go to Sschindylyrn for a "diplomatic mission" and gather information.

The obese duergar Doratismos gorges on the tainted meat. Because well.. He's fat. And he's not picky about his foods.

More reports of sick Ilythiiri are reported. Even rumor of a few deaths.

Still more tainted meat is found from the beetles.

Thor Orders his fellow Duergar to collect the Tainted meat. Since Duergar are immune to poison, he would order them to taste it for poison and report to Thor. ((Craft Alchemy of 16)).

Hearing rumor of the continued illnesses from the tainted food supply, Ilztafein - as one of the drow who first discovered this problem - is struck with a measure of concern and curiosity. While exiled, he asks any encountered beyond the camp of any progress in solving this issue, and can be found discussing possibilities of alternate food supplies with the merchants of Sschindylyrn.

M'elzar Valshar, after discussing the problem with Ul'saeruk Jarxan Dabel'Kith, collects a sample of the meat and uses his magical skills, alchemical knowledge and lore to investigate the matter.

It was a normal, quiet cycle in camp for yath’abben G’eldune
of Qu’ellar Dabel’kith.


She was excited. She
had finally saved enough gold to buy the shield she had been lusting after. The
one at the shop with the ornate symbol of the spider queen on its face.





As she looked over the fine craftsmanship she visualized
herself charging into battle carrying such a shield. What is that noise, she thought to her self
breaking out of her day dreams. A group
of 3 of the camp sargtlin where sitting at the dining
area eating their rations of boiled beetle meat. Too much ale she thought to her self and returned
to examining the finely made shield.





She carefully counted out the coins it would take to
purchase the shield. Why is it suddenly
so quiet? She thought to her self.
Looking up she notices the three sargtlin had passed out at the
table. Not think anything odd about
three jaluken passing out from drink she continues to count out the coins. 1023…24…25..26… thinking to herself the price
of the shield is well worth it.





1076..77..78 she continues to count





Brainsssssss, someone or something calls out.





G’eldune looks up and sees one of the three sargtlin stumbling
toward her, his steps are halted and his expression blank. Drool dribbles down from the corner of his
mouth and off his chin





At first G’eldune reaches for her whip to treat the jaluk a
lesson but she pauses for a moment at the jaluk again calls out “brainsssssss”





With sudden realization, almost too late she realizes that
jaluk is not a jaluk at all but a zombie!
She manages to pull her sword free just in time to parry the first
attempt the jaluk zombie to scratch and bite.



“Sussan! its fast for a zombie,” she thinks to herself. “and the other two are right behind this one”





Ducks, parries, counter attacks. The yath’abben takes the top half of the
zombie’s head clean off and it crumples to the floor but the other two are upon
her, biting and scratching!





“Defend the camp jali!” the camp
Ilharess calls out





Her wounds are grave but she barley manages to call forth
the powers of turn undead causing the two remaining zombies to look onto her
with dumb uncomprehending faces as the goes around and slowly bashes each of
their heads in.





Panting she looks around for more attackers but there was
but the three camp guards.





“Vilth” the Ilharess calls out. More of them.



“What is it malla Ilharess?






“Then Banshee bitch has managed to poison the food
supply. She is slowly turning udos all
into undead.”





“Jali dos will investigate this, if the camp is cut off from
the food source then udos will naut last long.
Usstan received another report last cycle that some of the banshee’s
minions were found in the beetle caves brewing something foul smelling.





“Jali dos will gather some of dosstas Qu’ellar. Investigate this report in the beetle
caves. Find the source and stop it!”





“Del’heen malla Ilharess, A’dos quarth” She bows.





Yath’abbn G’eldune gathers up a few jaluken for her patrol
and enters the beetle caves searching for the source of the taint.





To be continued…

Returning to the camp laden with stolen goods, Sharlochar happens upon a small scene of carnage. A Dabel'kith Yath'abban he has never seen before is in converse with the Camp Ilharess. After he is scolded for his poor timing Shar is ordered with the Yath'abban G'eldune Dabel'kith into the beetle tunnels, where in a lonely corner he spots some scorch marks and upon closer inspection some odd green viscous liquid floating amidst the water. Gathering it up at the Yath'abban's orders, the two head back to the camp.

Upon returning they conveniently find the Faern Var’Kaeloth and he is conscripted to aid in the study of the strange liquid, which is purportedly causing so much of the recent trouble in the camp and has already claimed the lives of several Ilythiiri when they accidentally ingested it.

Using his expertise Var’Kaeloth is able to make a thorough study of the strange liquid, and after some preliminary examination several Goblins are brought in to test its effects. Both a male and female goblin are fed a spoonful of the liquid, and both immediately expire... only to quickly return as undead! Both of them are quickly dispatched, and then another test is conducted wherein a goblin is fed the liquid and then locked in a cage with another goblin.

Upon turning to undead the first attacks the second, but fails to spread the infection via a bite. Those present relax their guard only to see that the stomachs of the goblins twitch as two bizarre miniature creatures burst free and attack! They are dispatched after a quick scuffle and Sharlochar sets the goblins aflame, incensing the two Jalils who quickly retreat from the smoke to the camp.

Back in the camp Sharlochar heads to gather some more of the strange liquid, and then cleanses the area with flame and acid, thus removing the remaining liquid and localized taint.

He then returns to the camp and, after cleaning up the large mess in the crafting room, is confined to a tent to entertain the now quarantined Yath'abban.

//many thanks to DM Dire for the great ongoing rp//

Nathzyne Rylin'val comes to the camp with her goblin slaves (one present at the time) whom pulls a chart with full of barrels. There are fresh fishes in there which she sells to the local merchant.

Quote :

Upon turning to undead the first attacks the second, but fails to spread
the infection via a bite. Those present relax their guard only to see
that the stomachs of the goblins twitch as two bizarre miniature
creatures burst free and attack! They are dispatched after a quick
scuffle and Sharlochar sets the goblins aflame, incensing the two Jalils
who quickly retreat from the smoke to the camp.

Quote :

He then returns to the camp and, after cleaning up the large mess in the
crafting room, is confined to a tent to entertain the now quarantined
Yath'abban.

Continued...

Yath’abben G’eldune of Dabel’kith relaxes some what as the
jaluk Sharlochar drives his spear between the bars of the cage piercing the
zombie Gol through the left eye. It
twitches a few times then remains still.


“Jaluk, take that mess out of the camp and burn it, make
sure no one breaths the fumes”


The jaluk either stupid or just doesn’t listen reaches
through the bars with a flaming sword and stets the remains alight


“No” scream G’eldune and Elriewien together


As the smoke begins to rise both the jalil cover their mouths
and noses with their red silk piwafwis and turn to flee but G’eldune at the
last moment sees the stomach of the Gol who was not tainted stir and
convulse. She pauses to watch gripping
her sword handle hard so that her knuckles turn pale.


Suddenly the stomach bursts open and two hideous tiny
creatures run forth; small enough to run through the bars of the cage they run
to attack G’eldune. Quickly she swipes
at one of them sending it flying across the room where Sharlochar pins it to
the floor with a thrust of his spear.
The second however latches on to G’eldune’s leg biting her flesh with
thanged teeth and clawed fingers.


“Ahhhhhh!” she screams in pain. Reaching down the tried to pull the thing
free from her leg. With some effort she
manages it but taking a great hunk of her flesh with it. She tosses the thing to the ground and again
the jaluk Sharlochar quickly dispatches it.



By this time the fumes from the flames have filled the small
tent. All three dive for the flap and
the fresh air of the camp. Stumbling as
she exits from her wounded leg she screams that the jaluk “Vilth usstan told do
out of the camp!”


Looking at the Yath’abben’s wounds Elriewien bravely steps
forward. “My apologies Yath’abben but
udos will have to contain dos until that leg heals to be sure the taint hasn’t
passed to you”


Looking down at her let she cusses “vilth!” then as an after
thought she punches the jaluk. “Jaluk
dos will return to the beetle caves and collect all of that substance, place it
in vials and store it in the former Zau’afin Ilharess’s tents. Jali make sure a round the cycle guard is
placed on that tent.”


“Yath’abben the substance should be destroyed” the Elriewien
protests.


“That is naut for udos to decide Jali. The Ilharess may find such a poison useful
against udossa’s enemies” G’eldune comments.
“Jaluk, when dos are finished collecting the poison dos will clean out
the mess in the crafting tents as well”


Elriewien interjects “Make sure you purge the area with fire
jaluk, leave naut a trace of the poison.”



As the Jaluk run’s off to do as commanded G’eldune walks to
her quarters in the Yath, pauses just before entering and turns to
Elriewien. “If Usstan am to be quarantined
usstan will have that jaluk for entertainment.
Send him to ussa’s quarters when he is finished with his task” she
smirks.

*a goblin messenger is set to Dabil'kith's tent with a message from the camps Ilharess and Yath'tallar*

Illharess Dabel'kith

Though for the most part usstan think dos a simpering cow Liditichi everyonce in a while dos do surprise ussa. Dossta Jaluk and the young Yath'abban have proven useful this past cycle and usstan commend dossta Quellar that seems to have at least two some what intelligent members.

The Jaluk has a good idea and usstan will allow them to proceed with this experiment. Understand this Liditichi if they fail in this then it is a failure of dossta quellar.

Guards have been watching the tunnels leading to the Beetles after the attack from the strange creatures the previous cycle.

Many hushed voices speak of the voice that spoke during the attacks on camp.

Many of the rothe that have been sent out to gather the meat have gone missing and when the task masters look about all that remains are bits of flesh and limbs that the beetles have been feasting on.

More beetle tunnles seem to be collapsed as well but no sign of the Large bug that was seen the previous cycle.

Doratismos the Duergar continues to "taste test" meats.

His method involves eating himself into a near-coma.

Shardaer'rik, having stopped within camp for more than a few hours, converses with the guards watching the tunnels about anything strange they may have seen or heard since the attack.