Against the Cult: The Next Day (1.2)

Ogbar and Sara both see that the disheveled pile is actually a person just as it hears the wagon and gives a little hopeful cry. "Oh! Halloo there!" You now see that it is a man, probably human, in a homespun cloak and well-worn, simple woolen clothing, who was slumped at the edge of the road. "Please - I need your help! Is one of you a healer?"

This person is about 40 yards ahead of you.

(Note: you can all hear the conversation - or the man's side, at least - as he is acting very distressed and is commensurately loud.)

The man is somewhat incoherent, but, with some stops and starts and amidst the sobs of apparent relief, you hear this: "No, not me - it's my son, Devek! He's deathly sick! I've been praying that someone would come along who could help! Can you help, please? I don't know what to do - no one has been coming by on the road, and it's more than a day's travel to the nearest temple!"

Ogbar glares at the man with suspicion.

The rustic is almost comically crestfallen as Xana responds. "Illustrious Lady, I do not wish to trouble you! Would it be p-possible for any of your retainers to look at my boy? We fear...what if he never w-wakes?" He's reached a point where he's run out of tears, and instead he just goes bleak for a moment, trailing off into silence. He does not notice Morgran until he speaks, then the farmer brightens somewhat. "Our farm is not far - just half a mile from here, Excellency!" Clearly the man doesn't know how to address clerics of Kord, or any of you, but he seems to be trying to be complimentary with his hyperbolic titles. "We don't have much, but what we have we will give if it will help in curing Devek!" To Quest he says "This way, Magnificent!" He points out what looks to be little more than a game trail that leads off of Cecily's Road. He bows deeply to Xana, almost genuflecting. "Luminescent Lady, may the gods bless you and the Duke for your willingness to spare your servants to help this miserable farmer recover his son. Devek is my firstborn, and we need him."

None of you sense artifice in the man, though Quest senses anxiety about his son and hope that help may be at hand. The man's mouth runs fast from relief. "The Great Lord is correct when he speaks of bandits. There are such people in the woods who waylay merchants; they don't bother with poor folk like us Jarls! We just keep our heads down and try to survive on our homestead. My son, Devek, though...he's taken to exploring the woods. I told him! I said 'Devek, the Dim is dangerous; you'd better stay out of it. But he wouldn't stay out, and look what happened!" He turns bleak eyes to you again. "He's young; I did some dumb things when I was a boy, Pelor knows. Almost lost my hand once, chopping wood." He shows a livid scar on his wrist, standing out starkly against his tanned, leathery skin. "But a priest of Pelor came along and healed me, he did. I'm hoping that Mighty Ones such as yourselves can do the same. Nothing we can do will wake him up!"