Rod is watching a dust cloud. This seems to be a product of a skimmer. He will need to observe. A skimmer means essence users. Unfortunately Rod lacks the ability to operate a skimmer.
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Murtaf is pumping his gills in an alternating rhythm. He watches the recording again. His cousin’s daughter. That stupid girl that had to go to live among the landwalkers. That he is watching that recording on a projector imported from the landwalkers is on his mind. He understands that if he pays now he will create a reason to capture his operatives. Yet the message was delivered in secret. And it is his cousin’s daughter. He checks his cousin’s account.
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Russell stops the skimmer well out of bowshot of the fortress town. His skimmer carries a small set of flags. Knowing everything really makes it easy to be optimally prepared. He advances under the flag of an emissary of the Magic Society.
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Derrick Stelline is unhappily looking at the corpse of a fisherman. The nakedness of the man of late middle age does not improve his mood. The purple bulges to be found on the body worsen his mood a lot.
ES: The other one who developed these purple things survived after we gave him a potion.
GB: I have checked the numbers like you asked. We have 2817 refugees left and 51 iron rank potions and 4 bronze rank potions.
DS: Burn the corpse. The potions are only for us, pregnant women, mothers with children and the guard.
GB: Children?
DS: How many of the refugees are children?
Graham hangs his head.
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GB: It does not feel right, to give them to the guard, whilst children get nothing.
DS: We will need the guard for what I must do now. From now on we’ll confine everybody to quarters. The kitchens are to be closed. Cold rations only. Hand out chamber pots to those in quarters without plumbing.
ES: This town is built for more people. Should we divide them up in as many groups as possible?
DS: I think it is better to do that to every group we have a new case in. And make it known that trespassers will be flogged.
GB: I think you will have to make good on that threat.
DS: Good.
GB: Good?
DS: I need them to know that I am serious.
A member of the guard on duty on the gate house yells down a report.
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Russell Clouns lifts the speaking cone to his lips. He understands that the conjured device works by using echos, like cupping your hands in front of your mouth.
RC: I am scholar Clouns of the Magical Society. I’ve come to investigate this new epidemic.
A man in adventurer gear appears on the gate house.
DS: I am Derrick Stelline, temporary commander of this fortress town. Do you bring potions?
RC: No, we do not come from Greenstone. We were on another mission as we learned of your situation.
Dean, Pavol and Karolína are joining him. Derrick is not sure whether he knows the human adventurer until he projects his aura.
DS: Dean? Has Chodhen given you a message?
The aural reaction that causes almost removes the need for an oral reaction in his mind.
DT: We split the team due to a faulty vehicle and they have run into a trap. Chodhen is dead.
DS: Did you escape?
DT: No. A priestess of Knowledge visited us for unrelated reasons and revealed their fate. And … Knowledge has informed the Adventure Society of our situation.
DS: Just great. There will be an enquiry.
DT: By Dominion’s steely appendage, you are right.
KN: Could you describe the symptoms?
DS: Humans who get it show fever, say that their belly hurts and get purple bulges. We have one death so far, despite using potions. Do you have potions to spare?
PN: Sorry, we are short on potions.
He is getting the look that predicts weeks of sleeping on the couch.
PN: Do you have other races with you?
DS: No, but we saw it in animals.
KN: Which animals? Rodents?
DS: I wouldn’t call heidels rodents. They bleed from under their scutes.
Karolína looks confused.
A man emerges from behind a boulder.
DS: Stranger, identify yourself!
DT: Rod! You are here!