D&D: Plague [Invite RP]

[Genrin619]

The Plagued Lands

Setting: Greyhawk, Post Spellplague
Starting Level: 3
Game: Dungeons and Dragons, 3.5 edition

Description:
After the death of the primordial deity of magic a great wave of change cascaded through the Prime material plane. The crystal spheres were severed from each other, and little is known about what happened in the far off world known as Greyhawk. Until now...

The city of Greyhawk, or city of thieves as some call it, is a massive and sprawling urban jungle. It dwarfed any other city on the prime material, reaching a staggering population of over a quarter million before the onslaught of the spellplague. The city stands a resolute stronghold against the perils of the outside world, which is full of dangerous beasts and monsters. Most of the world of Greyhawk remains untamed with only small holdouts against the wild frontier in the form of fortified castles. Thus why the one large walled city has suffered long from over population. Its tall walls allow safety from the forces outside, but poverty plays the greatest danger inside. Crime was rife in Greyhawk before the spellplague as the poor fought for resources to feed themselves and battle the slow increase in population that led to fewer and fewer means to feed themselves.

But then, one day, the spell plague began. No one on Greyhawk had any idea what exactly was happening, only that they had been cut off from their gods and their magic. Moreover, the sickness had begun, a deadly plague that would kill any who contracted it, and it spread like wildfire through the over cramped city. Within 5 years 200,000 people were dead, and those that remained were too scared to go outside their doors. Bodies littered the decaying city that no one was willing to touch, and all seemed nearly lost.

It was then that the Plague Doctors arrived, strange masked men who, for a price, agreed to free the city of it's blight. No one knew where they came from or why they had come, but they were thankful to the strange figures. By the time a decade had passed the city was clean again, clear of the dead that once littered its streets. Furthermore, magic had returned, and these plague doctors demonstrated that they had the ability to use it as well in their treatment of the disease.

However, the plague was not gone; despite cleansing the city and its people, the deadly plague would inexplicably resurge on a regular basis. It was the sole duty of these doctors and their guild to seek out any trace they might find of it before it took off again. As the years passed, many of the city chose to join these doctors, donning a mask and abandoning their old identities so they could work to save their world.

One of the few boons of the Plague was that it did not only effect the inhabitants of Greyhawk City. The endless horde of monsters beyond the walls of humanity had been culled by the disease and were now far less of a danger than before. Being cut off from their old sources of food and other precious resources, the remaining citizens of Greyhawk took to venturing out to find new sources while others set up farms in the still fertile soil outside the city walls. Most of the once massive city lays abandoned and untouched, a decadent urban jungle. In recent months reports have come in of monstrous creatures inhabiting section of this "Old Town". Some sections of the city itself have even been gated off and left for whatever creatures had managed to move in.

Today the city is broken into four distinct parts:
"Old town" - Abandoned sections of the city now gated off and left to monster occupation. Any people living here are poor criminals who were exiled by being thrown over the gates. Those that remain by the gate and rely upon its archers for protection survive for a while.

"High Castle" - The old Castle Greyhawk at the center of the city managed to remain intact and prosperous throughout the spell plague, relying upon stockpiled resources to keep the royal family and the high nobles alive throughout the Plague. They are the ones who employ the Plague Doctors, and maintain control over the populace with the small army they kept with them.

"East End" - The old name for the section of city still occupied by human inhabitants. While much of the area within these sections still remains abandoned and decaying, they are at least safe from monstrous intrusion. Crime syndicates play a major role in leading these areas, having survived from before the plague. Now they play a slightly more legitimate role as "mayors" or other such self imposed titles, but they still carry their old tendency for corruption and crime.

"The New City" - This is the name given to the farms and industries recently established outside the main city walls. Most of this section of the city consists of purely work areas, the residents preferring to sleep inside where the dangers of monstrous attack are eliminated. Despite the reduced dangers, this newly established section is still protected by a hastily made palisade wall meant to keep monsters out, or at least slow them down enough to allow the workers to flee into the city.

The Party:
You are either Plague Doctors or other adventurous parties hired by the nobles of High Castle to work with the Plague Doctors in their various missions. From seeking out the rare plagued citizen to unraveling the mysteries of the continual plague resurgences, it is your job to keep the newly recovering City of Greyhawk from falling back into death and disease. Can you save the city? Can you save yourselves?  

[i am the abool]

The Plague Lecture

On the upper East Side of the City where the Industrial sector met with the river, the new headquarters of the Plague Doctors had taken root. Before they had arrived, the Industrial district had been all but abandoned; the once bustling area was among the mostly densely populated in the city due to the abundance of jobs the massive riverside refineries had once offered. It had not taken long after the plague started for the refineries to close their doors, and shortly after that the district had been quarantined as plague exploded. Despite the quarantine, the plague had still spread through the rest of the city. A the quarantine achieved was dooming any trapped within to death by plague and famine. The Doctors had cleared out the thousands of bodies and taken one of the dilapidated refineries as their primary base of operations. Many wondered why they chose the industrial district, or a refinery, but those that chose to join them knew that the old structure was now more castle than anything else.

The colossal smoke chimneys that rose above are now filled and carved to facilitate rooms and offices, serving as towers while the giant stockpiles below now serve as training areas for would-be recruits to learn the arts of both combat and care. Water wheels in the river that once served to automate cranes and rotors for unloading ships now fed mill stones for the grinding of medicinal herbs en mass. The entire structure had been converted to suit the needs of the Plague Doctors and their craft.

In one room of the taller of the two old smoke chimneys, a class sat in silence as a veteran Plague Doctor gave lecture. This class was of their final year, on the verge of graduating from their five year program of study and receiving the final title of "Plague Doctor" formally. Much mystery still surrounded the original Plague Doctors who arrived and freed the city from its perils; not even these students of five years knew where they came from. But they had been the first to accept their ways and ask to join them. Each now wore the mask that concealed their features, a practice that they had been made to accept at the completion of their third year. True Plague Doctors had no identity beyond the mask.

"Now Students," the venerable teacher droned as he tapped a wooden rod to the dusty chalkboard. "Your final exam approaches and, as I am sure you all know, this will determine whether the last five years of your lives has amounted to anything. It is especially important to be conscious of your studies in these coming days. Your class was the first to enroll with us, and so will be the first to be taking this exam. That means you have a bar to set." He tapped at an old scratch in the board that had been carved in deep enough to never be removed The teacher often referred to that mark as 'The Bar' whenever they faced a landmark in their studies for which they were setting the example for their younger classmates. Some of the students had spontaneously begun calling this upcoming exam that the teacher repeatedly kept mentioning, 'The Bar Exam.'

"Now, in this exam you will be put in the field and sent to deal with live cases. These cases could include the oh-so-infamous Plague that wracked the city of Greyhawk." The older Plague Doctors who had come from afar often seemed to take a much less awed expression toward the cataclysmic plague that had wreaked havoc upon the city, treating it as any other illness. It was both comforting to some and unnerving to others. "That being said, allow us to address the stages of the Plague. As we know, the plague has five distinct stages."

"The first stage," he used his wooden rod to tap the section of the chalkboard with the associated section on it, "generally lasts from the time of inception through the first twelve hours after infection. During this time, the Plague virus germinates and typically becomes transmittable via bodily excretions after four to six hours of germination. During this stage, the disease carries no symptoms and is among the most dangerous as a person can easily pass the disease on without even knowing they have contracted it. Luckily, this is also the easiest stage to treat the virus in, if it is caught. A remedy of sage leaf mixed with wolfsbane can kill the infection, but it should be applied in measured doses and with healthy helpings of laxatives as too much wolfsbane in the subject's system can kill them." One or two students bothered to scribble notes as the man talked, but most stared in silence, clearly already having studied this topic extensively.

"The second stage involves the first onset of symptoms and typically lasts for eighteen to twenty-four hours. Symptoms at this stage include blistering of the skin, intense itching, rapid hair loss, blurry vision, and general weakness. Victims at this stage often seek the comfort of water as it relieves the effects of the itching. It should be noted that open blisters can quickly infect a water supply this way. Treatment at this stage is more difficult. Herbal remedies only work around half the time and it is recommended that the patient be given an infused potion, as they are one hundred percent effective at this stage."

"The third stage is marked by the development of pus filled cysts emerging from the stage two blisters. This stage is rather quick, lasting generally six to twelve hours. Victims at this stage typically report experiencing extreme sensations of cold, despite having very high fevers. Treatment at this stage is the same as the second, but includes the urgency of time for if the victim reaches stage four, they become extremely contagious. Priority should always be to prevent the onset of the stage four infection." Despite all of them wearing masks, it was clear that some of the students were still nervous about that aspect of the Plague Doctors doctrine - to prioritize the prevention of the disease spreading above the life of the patient.

"Stage four is marked by the bursting of the cysts from stage three. At this stage the disease becomes highly contagious, the open cysts releasing both a pus liquid continually that carries the disease, as well as a short lasting vapor that if inhaled can cause infection. This airborne form of the disease, while unable to carry far, is highly capable of causing mass infections in a short period of time. The victims at this stage begin losing cognitive control and experience dementia accompanied by hallucinations. Typically their fever is high enough to begin melting their brain at this point, and recovery is all but impossible. Victims found at this stage should be eliminated immediately. While rare cases of recovery were recorded in the past, the victims did not retain enough cognizance to justify the risk of an attempt."

"The last and final stage of the disease involves the victim shedding their skin in matted layers. This shed skin remains infectious. The victim will typically lose thirty percent of their skin mass before becoming immobile, at which point they will remain stationary as the remainder of their body rots away. This process can take anywhere from an hour to a week, depending on the person. Victims at this stage are already effectively dead, only operating by subconscious motor control alone."  

[Genrin619]

Doctor Sylus Murik - though a doctor only informally - scribbled away studiously, hardly having need of looking at the page. Sy had long since given up their identity, retaining the name only as a way for patients and other common-folk to identify them. Though most only called out "doctor" when in need, some felt comforted by having a name to call their sometimes savior, sometimes executioner. Sy attributed this to a sort of psychology; when you had a name for something, it was less frightening. You could even fool yourself into imagining some sort of emotional connection; this was an important tool in bedside manner - a name, a regular presence, a calm voice at a low pitch, and a backstory to relate to. None of it was real, of course. Sy usually fabricated one on the way to the patient in order to put them at ease. Sometimes Sy would fabricate a pet based on pets the patient had. Sometimes they would pretend to have had the same fears and overcome them. Large families, small families, a childhood of sickness, an exciting life beyond the city walls, a man, a woman... It made no difference to Sy. All that mattered was that in the end, the disease was cured or the patient was euthanized.

Their attention snapped back to the lecture at the mention of stage three. Sy looked down to see that they hadn't missed a single word though their mind had wandered. Contaminated water. Pus. Skin shedding. Chills. Sy ran through the symptoms over and over in their mind, embedding it deep.

If one ever forgot even the smallest detail, it could mean death for more than just their patient...

Personal Funds
334g

Current Status Effects
-- None --

Inventory
Standard Adventurer's Backpack (SAB)
Acid Flask x5
Darknut Extract x2
Conch Poison (dart) x6
Healer's Kit (mortar and pestle, stitching kit, herbs, cloth bandages)
Scalpels x5
Syringe x3
Duster Coat
Mask

Loot On Person
 

[i am the abool]

First Bell

As he finished his lecture, the veteran Plague Doctor lowered the wooden rod he had been using to indicate places of interest on the chalk board and leaned on it, using it as a cane for a few moments. "I am sure you are all very familiar with the details of the Plague, but in practice there are still many things you won't have learned here that you will have to be clever enough to asses yourself. Things like what sort of gloves to use when dealing with various conditions, what environmental factors could put you at risk of infection, and other variables. Up until now, all of your work has been done in the clinic where the sick have volunteered to come. Your exam will take you into the field where undoubtedly anyone sick you will encounter was too afraid or hostile to our organization to come to the clinic. The reason we taught you in the more subtle ways of combat was not just for show; in the real world there will be those who refuse our treatment, especially when the treatment involves the death of themselves or a family member."

Silently the doctor reached into his duster with his free hand and withdrew an old but still very sharp scalpel, longer than most and clearly balanced for for delicate surgery and delicate strokes if needed in a battle. "Some of you believe that the hardest part of your job is going to be executing those beyond saving in order to ensure the prevention of the disease from spreading. This is not the case, however. By far the hardest challenge you will face is the reality of having to kill perfectly healthy people who refuse to allow you to treat the sick. It is both a moral quandary and a physical one as the healthy are still strong and limber. Never under estimate a common man driven by the will to save a friend or family member. Never back down either, though. Our prerogative as Plague Doctors is to prevent disease above all else."

As he finished, the dull toll of the West tower bell rang throughout the refinery-turned-castle, signalling the end of the block. The second smoke stack on the west end had had a large church style bell mounted to the top to allow a regular measure of time for those within. Measuring time was important for both class blocks (like the one now) and for measuring time frames for victims' conditions of the plague. "You are dismissed," the teacher said. "Be sure to bring any tools you wish to utilize during your exam with you tomorrow. Between now and then you have open study. I recommend you use it wisely." The students all stood and began to shuffle out of the classroom.

As they were leaving, one student turned the long curved nose of his mask toward Sylus. The small scratch on the upper left corner identified this fellow as Derrel to his classmates who had known him since before he put on the mask. He had had a different name back then of course, but now he was just Derrel. "I'm going to be spending my study time in the training yard. For field work I think it's what would be best to prepare with," he said to Sy. The training yard - which had previously been a large stockpile yard for the storage of ores in the days of the refinery - was used for combat training. Their class had only begun combat training starting as third years, and while many struggled with the physical aspects, Derrel had always excelled at them. "I hope I see you there. It's been a while since I had a worthwhile sparring partner." Ever since they had entered their third year and taken up the mask full time - along with being pitted against each other in fights that determined who was elevated in the program - most of the students had become rather distant with each other. Some had even speculated that was part of the teacher's plans, to break the bonds of friendship before allowing advancement. Ultimately, it was a possibility that they would need to kill any one of their comrades one day if they succumbed to the Plague. Derrel had always remained fairly friendly though, partially because his physical strength made for easy wins in most competition. Sylus was one of the few exceptions to that rule.  

[Genrin619]

Sy was neither strong, nor particularly fast. They relied on their swift mind and intimidating demeanor to shape situations. They knew that their time would most likely be best spent gathering more herbs for medicines and poisons, and seeing how quickly they could treat a patient correctly; there was always a need for swiftness and precision should they be met with resistance. But Sy noticed some stares and couldn't very well back down. I can spar a few rounds and then gather herbs until near dark, they decided.

Sy gave one slight nod and moved past Derrel, taking out their scalpel on the way down to the training yard. Sy didn't get know whether it was a spar with weapons or hand-to-hand, but the scalpel and their demeanor would be enough to clear the stragglers out of their way during the free-time congestion in the refinery castle. Crowds made them edgy; the mask limited peripheral vision and crowds could easily mask an attacker or hinder their path to an infected before the sickness spread. But just as predicted, the others took one look at the tall Sy, wielding a scalpel at their side in a tight grip, and they parted ways hastily.

Personal Funds
334g

Current Status Effects
-- None --

Inventory
Standard Adventurer's Backpack (SAB)
Acid Flask x5
Darknut Extract x2
Conch Poison (dart) x6
Healer's Kit (mortar and pestle, stitching kit, herbs, cloth bandages)
Scalpels x5
Syringe x3
Duster Coat
Mask

Loot On Person
 

[i am the abool]

A Test of Wills

People shifted and scurried to dodge Sy and Derrel as they approached the training area, or at least their fellow students did. The Elders among the Plague Doctors seemed too self absorbed in their tasks to even take notice of them. Among the students, their class was the oldest and therefore most respected, being the very first group to enlist themselves in service to the Plague Doctors in order to learn their ways. This meant that they were both respected and admired, by most at least.

One of the two large training areas was being used by a class, so Derrel led the way to the second. The ground here was open and made of stone, clearly worn from years of cargo being dragged about. Despite its worn appearance, it was kept immaculately cleaned; the younger ranks of the order were tasked to swab the area of mess by the hour. A younger woman not yet to the point of earning her mask stood at attention along the side of the area, a mop and bucket by her side as she waited for a chance to scrub.

Derrel took up a position on the far side of the square, positioning his feet and balling his hands into fists repeatedly. He did not wear the heavy leather gloves that offered his hand protection, but instead left them off. It was known that this was a common tactic when one wanted to utilize the acidic and poison producing techniques that had been taught to them recently during their fifth year. The choice to utilize this newly seen method of combat drew in a small crowd of younger recruits who were fascinated by their seniors' ability to produce such substances from their own body. Derrel leveled an even look at Sy as he finished prepping himself for battle. "Ready," he asked.

((Roll initiative, Derrel's = roll + 1))  

[Genrin619]

Sy noted the lack of gloves and knew this would be a vicious sparring match. They pulled off their gloves slowly, sizing Darrel up. Glad for the chance to use their touch and expel their annoyance with Darrel, Sy tossed the gloves aside and stowed the scalpel where it was easy to reach. I will fight dirty if need be. No one said that our battles would be fair. Sy took to heart the mantra of "Stop the plague at any cost."

They bent slightly at the knees, feet shoulder width apart and hands raised. Sy nodded.

((+1 initiative.))


Personal Funds
334g

Current Status Effects
-- None --

Inventory
Standard Adventurer's Backpack (SAB)
Acid Flask x5
Darknut Extract x2
Conch Poison (dart) x6
Healer's Kit (mortar and pestle, stitching kit, herbs, cloth bandages)
Scalpels x5
Syringe x3
Duster Coat
Mask

Loot On Person