How is he sick? Can any of you cast your spells to make him better? He's my brother!

Twiggy looks at Aliana "Vernon says that is his brother. Would you go with me to talk to him and see if there is anything we can do for him. Maybe we can tell if he is magically crazy or if his mind is just gone."

Now that you know his name is Alek, you try talking to him and you can tell right away that something's not right. He's basically speaking like a baby in an adult's body and doesn't really understand anything you're saying. Alek has been here every time the party has been here and he's one step above an animal mind-wise. The grown-ups have treated him properly, but you all have seen kids throw things at him in the past. Myarra gave him some money way back when which he seemed to recognize, but other than that, you don't know anything.

Aliana walked up to the strange man
"Hello there, my friend.   I'm Aliana.   How are you feeling today? "

She tried to figure out what was going on with the young man

OOC:

22:05, Today: Sister Aliana Farwalker rolled 13 using 1d20+9.  Healing

Myarra goes along with Aliana, but stays a little behind her.  Alek had seemed interested in her in the past, which was not exactly normal, but not at all unwelcome.

Well, not unwelcome precisely because it wasn't normal. She was used to scowls, protective amulets, and warding gestures. She wasn't interested in Alek in return, but he seemed like a nice enough, and harmless enough guy. And she didn't like people like him being picked on.

She smiled at him, but kept her lips together so her fangs didn't show, and let Aliana lead the way.

Byron looks at Twiggy.

What's going on?

Twiggy stays back a bit and studies Alek as Aliana talks to him. The halfling never paid attention much to his grandmother when she was going over ailments and symptoms, so he really can't tell anything more than the obvious.

Being startled a bit in thought when Byron speaks, Twiggy answers "It looks like fate is toying with us again. The feebleminded street sweeper is Vernon's brother and Aliana is talking to him to try and figure out why he seems feebleminded. She is much better at those things and can hopefully figure out why he is limited to baby's intellect. Alek has never been violent to us but just be ready in case he feels threatened. In his state violence may be a natural instnct if he is scared but he can not help him."

Twiggy watches Vernon and asks "Was Alek in the same profession as you? I have heard of wizards trapping chests and their towers with spells. I have not know of one to permanent effect someone."

"Aye. Me and Alek worked for Nelson Centauri until the backstabber killed me." Vernon said as he pointed to the arrows in his back "I died before I knew what happened to me brother, but now I know."

A nosey old lady washing her clothes butts into your conversation while you were trying to figure out what's wrong with Alek, "He's been here for at least 5 years. He sleeps in the barn and sweeps the ground. Priests from around town say there's nothing they can do for him."

Twiggy relays the Vernon's words to the others as he frown

In reply to Big Boss (msg # 73):

OOC:  I'm presuming that Aliana has no better luck?

Twiggy walks up to Aliana and says quietly where the noisy lady can't hear "Most local priests in small towns are lucky to have any spell casting ability, much less able to cure this. Since he was a thief like Vernon he could have possibly taken a cursed item, opened a trap with a spell on it, or went into a area that was warded. I do not have the ability, but can you cast remove curse and restoration? If it is magic then one of those should cure it. At least that's what the priest in the big cities cast on old adventuring members for a hefty donation."

Amara sighed at Vernon's words about Aki. "I think you might be a little harsh on him. People like him and I, not many people will give us a chance to really be friends. Yes, he has secrets. Same as you or me or anyone else. But it's clear he's hurt by this. He's a survivor - of course he'll get back to work afterward."

***

She was surprised by the revelation of the roadsweeper, but Aliana was the one who could help - not her.

Sister Aliana prayed to Oghma, casting a spell to detect any lingering magic on the man

Moves to stand beside Amara.  Careful to respect her personal space and still speak to her quietly.  Byron also stays away from the guy as he doesn't want to make him feel trapped or spooked.

Can you ask Aliana to mention Vernon in conversation to him?  I doubt it will help, but one never knows what the mention of family will do.

Roen looked at Alek, then spoke to the old lady, "Do you remember what the priests said his condition was?"

Aliana detects a strong Enchantment on Alek, but other than that, her Healing skills can't determine what's wrong with Alek. She's relying on her friends with their assumptions.

Amara knows what's wrong with Alek, but there's nothing she can do about it. Feeblemind is a nasty, cruel spell.

Roenthelm continues talking with the old gossip lady:

"I don't know the fancy talk they were talking, but I remember them shaking their heads when they came out of the Temple of Lathander, saying there was nothing they could do. People around here let him sleep in the barn and he sweeps the street."

Sister Aliana sighed sadly.
"Yes, i suppose we'd need a Heal scroll.  It's beyond my normal capabilities "

"Vernon, if you can hear me, please understand that there is nothing we can do for your brother. Perhaps in our travels we might find something to cure him, but in the meantime, he's better off staying here. Other than not taking a bath in a while, he seems to be healthy and he's safe here. Let him go about his routine and we'll come back to cure him one day."

Vernon isn't highly intelligent, but he's smart enough to know that if the party had the means to help his brother, they would have. They're certainly doing a good enough job trying to help him, and for that, he will always be grateful.

"I donna like it, but promise me we be helpin him when we can." Vernon said to Twiggy and Amara "At least he be alive."

The old gossip lady continued with her story while wringing out some wet clothes,

"Marty the wood cutter found him wandering around near the forest and brought him back here to Soubar. Tis a miracle he wasn't chewed up by any dragons."

Aliana nodded, lips pursed with concern
"Where is this wood cutter currently?  I'd love to ask him for more details "

"Go out the town gates and pass Kari the flower lady. When you see a big rock on the side of the road, go past that house. That's Zeb, the local undertaker. He doesn't live in the cemetery. There will be a small road that people walk on to come to town, but don't take a wagon there. Keep on going to the main road, hang a left and you'll see a bunch of wood piled up. That's Frin. We get firewood from him and he gets the wood from Timber. He's the one who found this man wandering around near the forest."

Byron knows who Timber is. His real name is Gaul, but got the name "Timber" because of his line of work.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:20, Sun 22 Oct 2023.

Twiggy feels sad for Alek but a heal spell is a very powerful spell that only the strongest priests can cast. Looking at VernonWe will help him one day but it is beyond our ability. A heal Scroll is a small fortune."

Nodding as she tried to memorize the directions, Aliana looked at the others.
"Perhaps we can spare a short time for investigation.  Finding out more circumstances for this curse might show a shortcut or alternate cure."