Avarice -> Mine Appraiser

[Kelz]

*Avarice waits impatiently just outside of the fortress, eager to hear the verdict on the claim discovered in the caves beneath the fortress.*

[Danny]

Guildmaster Pierre funded the appraiser and gave you both horses for the journey. It takes two days to reach the Stronghold by horse. The appraiser is an expert of ores and minecraft who is not a dwarf and is named Treyce.

01-50 Treyce is killed by a wandering monster
51-74 Treyce escapes with his life(barely)
75-00 Treyce encounters nothing and returns safely

d100 .. ...60!

Treyce emerges from the entrance bleeding from a stab wound on his left thigh, "Y-y-you beast!" he shouts, "I was nearly run through by the spear of a d-disgusting creature that smelled VILE! You had best find another for the job, because I am heading back to Sweetgrove immediately." He hobbles over to his horse and begins taking first aid supplies from a saddlebag.

[Kelz]

"I assure you, the area was clear not 2 days ago. I would expect that you could handle yourself against a hostile creature if you were willing to walk into this OBVIOUSLY FOREBODING fortress alone... let me aid you in bandaging your leg." Avarice takes the bandages from the man's kit, preparing one with a restorative, and one with the vial of poison that he carries on him at all times, courtesy of the Sweetgrove Adventurer's Guild and their random gifts for new members. He bases which one to use on the man off of the answer to his next question - "So, did you happen to make it down to the site? Assuming that you did, would you say that in your professional opinion, the site stands to turn a profit?"

[Danny]

Treyce shouts exasperatedly, "Are your horns clogged up or something? I am hardly a warrior and I already told you that I encountered a spear-toting stench-beast! After the beast stabbed me, I ran for safety as fast as I could and was barely able to escape! Just help me out here already with the poultice, I don't want to get an infection!" His face appears fearful suddenly, "I only hope the spear wasn't poisoned! If the wound were to fester from poison, it might have to be removed," he wails, "I don't want to be a cripple!"

[Kelz]

Avarice curses inwardly. He apprears to evaluate the wound, feigning knowledge by poking around the area with his nail and sampling the blood before dramatically spitting it out. "Damn... you were right. We'll have to go back down and find the beast in order to save your leg! I know you must have reservations about heading back in the fortress, but it's the only course left to us if we're going to save you. I'll do what I can before we head in." Avarice presses the two poultices together, mixing the healing elixer and the poison before pressing it to the wound. Applying it this way should lead to a lingering feeling of sickness while the poison fights the healing elixer, before leading to an unfortunate demise. He finishes binding the wound and helps the appraiser to his feet. "Shall we? Don't worry, I've dealt with these vermin before... you'll be fine, I promise..."

[Danny]

I'm not against running a play-by-post exploration of Quasqueton here, but since you're talking about going in with a non-combatant, I figured it's worth mentioning that there's a high chance of death from wandering monsters/getting lost and hitting a trap/etc, and there's no one to carry your body back for a raise dead spell. Do you wish to continue? (Y/N)

[Kelz]

Avarice stops walking towards the fortress and cocks his head to the side, thinking to himself exactly how to go about this. It has been over a week since he was here last, after all. Who knows what could be donw there... especially since the party he was with had cleared out the spider that was blocking the way. "This isn't going to work, my friend." he turns and says to the appraiser. "I'll be quicker alone. Give me 15 minutes. If I'm not back by then, make your way back to town... that poultice should hold until tomorrow. You'll have to redress the wound tomorrow before you break camp to make it the rest of the way to town. I'll try to catch up with you before then." Avarice walks into the fortress ruins, ducking into the 2nd alcove where the secret door was located. There, he takes a seat and waits. After about 30 minutes, he emerges from the ruins intent to see if the appraiser is still in the area.

[Danny]

The appraiser has departed, but fortunately, he left one of the horses behind.

[Kelz]

Avarice calculates how long he expects the poison to take affect. He'll leave so that he comes upon the body an hour or so after the appraiser has succumbed.

[Danny]

Avarice comes upon the deceased appraiser sooner than expected. Treyce's body is leaning against a tree, and the horse is tied up to a nearby tree. The horse is clearly freaked out by the corpse but hasn't been successful in breaking free.

[Kelz]

Avarice is suspicious of the scene. The poison should have dropped him from the horse... He walks up cautiously, warhammer in hand and the guestures/words to his ball of darkness spell on his lips. He moves first toward the body of the appraiser, looking for signs of foul play that don't involve him.

[Danny]

Examining the scene, it appears that he stopped the horse and tied it off, then vomited a few times before falling to the ground and convulsing until death.

[Kelz]

After searching his belongings, to include the bags on the horse, Avarice removes the poultice bound to the appraiser's leg, replacing it with an ordinary one from the mans pack. Careful not to make it obvious that the scene has been looted, he loads the man's body onto his horse and leads it back to the city.

[Danny]

Where do you put the poisoned poultice after removing it?

Inside the saddlebags, you find basic traveling supplies- a pup tent, tinderbox, 2 torches, sleeping bag, winter blanket, and a letter from Pierre:

Dear Treyce:

I need you to conduct a survey of a potential lapis lazuli vein underneath an old stronghold. An associate of mine named Avarice will be accompanying you. He is a bit of an unknown element at the moment, so be careful around him, and whatever you do, do not anger him.

Master of the Guild House, Guildmaster Pierre of the Merchants Guild of the Southern Reaches, Second Sphere Initiate of the Secrets of Zilchus

[Kelz]

Avarice removes the note, and leaves everything else where it lies. He makes a small fire and burns the poultice, spreading the coals afterwards to cover the signs it was there.