The Aftermath

[Kelly Sanderson]

The Aftermath

The consistent spawn in the center of Cove finally slowed. The population standing outside Cove gates had finally managed to force them away. The corpses of many a beast lay crumpled on the ground, a mass of black, covered in ore.

Sergeant Sanderson walked through Cove gates and looked around at the complete and utter shambles around her. Cove needed seeing to. She sauntered straight to the bank, taking in all that surrounded her. She took a small cheque out of the bank, and then she slowly headed back towards the Cove Gates, shaking her head slowly and sighing at all that she saw.

Suddenly, a small group of five civilians took over her at a sprint, coughing and spluttering up blood. They looked pale, drawn and most definately ill. Sanderson looked behind her and witnessed the healers looking absolutely destraught. She stood on the spot and pondered for a few minutes. Why would people run from the Healers, rather than to the Healers?

...The answer to her own question soon dawned on her. Whatever those folk had: It was contagious. Kelly made her way from the Town and back to the Barracks quickly and quietly, breathing as less as she possibly could due to her own paranoia. When she arrived at the Barracks, she explained what she had witnessed to Sergeant Hoagie Grayner. He looked less than pleased.

[OOC: This is an opening for a scenario you may or may not choose to take part in. It is basically an option for you to choose whether your character may contract this disease within Cove. This disease is going to be named "The Aftermath" for now, unless someone comes up with anything better. This disease cannot kill, but it if very contagious and can make humans faint at times.

Symptoms are as follows: Feeling nausious, coughing up blood, having vile migraines, stomach aches, diarrhoea and a severe loss of appetite (which could result in severe weight loss and feeling weak).

The shall be a point in a week or two when this shall die down within Cove and everyone who had chosen to be affected shall return to their normal health. This is just an opportunity to roleplay something different. You may take it or leave it. I do request that if too many people choose to have their character contract this disease, that you shall have to be sensible and not go to TOO much of an extreme.

Others may post below as their in-character response to this scenario. /OOC]

[Hoagie]

"Bloody 'ell!" exclaimed Sergeant Hoagie. "Coughin' up blood?! Best make sure the kids stay at 'ome, eh? I nay killed elemental after elemental to see Cove fall to a case of the sniffles!"

He pulled out a tattered piece of cloth, soaked it with water from a flask, and pressed it over his nose and mouth.

"I'll 'ave t'let the Cap'n know." He said, his voice now more muffled. "Jus' 'ope we nay need to quarantine the damn place."

[Marcus Kobra]

"Gots a case of the 'Itis' ? Prayers shall be our greatest defence! Oh Almighty, protect the Baron and the citizenry! Wonder what the armies orders are....."
*He covers his mouth with a tea soaked rag and goes to the church to pray*

[Raiden Morana]

Raiden looked up from his desk at Hoagie darkly.

"Right... I want increased patrols along the coastline, through the shire and into town. I want the infectious Guardian's spawn sought out and slain wherever we can find it and their damn carcasses burned."

Raiden got up and paced menacingly around the office.

"I want burial details sent into town. I want anyone slain by the invaders or this damn disease under six foot o' earth or on the pyre afore sundown."

Raiden placed a hand on the Sergeants shoulder.

"The wife and bairns... Are they alright old friend?"

Before the Sergeant could answer the Captain's mind was working overtime again.

"Torch the crops... The Covian fields and orchard. Torch it all! If whatever is causing the sickness is in the food supply we're all doomed. We can send out foraging parties to hunt for food or call on our allies for aid. If none of my Grenadiers are on duty to assist with the burnin' use torches and kindling to get the job done."

Hoagie nodded along making a mental note of each order.

"Secure the docks too. Nay ship leaves or drops anchor as of now. If the merchants give you any problems sling them in the cells."

Raiden sighed deeply and looked to Hoagie with a furrowed brow.

"The missus and the kids... They alright eh!?"

[ooc]This is a great opportunity for some spontaneous role play patrols, sentries and hunts Covians. You don't have to wait for an officer to be around, just grab a guildmate or two and add to this scenario. Good luck![/ooc]

[Mr Bloodaxe]

Ludwik hears of this infection and quietly thinks to himself.

"Perhaps this is negative, perhaps we can use this" He thinks

He starts to pace around the barracks in deep thought.

"If we can send enough infected people to Yew we could spread it around those bastards then strike to finish them off!"

Ludwik slowly starts grinning to himself

"Yes, that'll do"

He sits down and starts to work out some kind of plan to get this to work.

[Siegfried]

Children,

Kill the infection before it spreads further! As thy Captain rightfully orders; burn all bodies as soon as they art found!

† Signed †

Father Siegfried,
Templar Seneschal

[Mischief]

Mischief remained out of sight watching and listening, gathering information on this new threat.

“Fools” she thought, “why can’t they see! Siegfried is behind this. All that’s gone wrong around Cove has coincided with his arrival. For any church to thrive it needs misery. Make the people miserable and afraid then offer them hope – for a price of course”.

[Eve Thenasa]

Crop fields Burnt and Reservoir filled in!

Guardsmen in Attendance:~
~ Hoagie Grayner, Sergeant
~ Marcus Tel'var, Junior Grenadier
~ Takeamada, Junior Guardsman
~ Ludwick Bloodaxe, Watchman
~ Eve, Grenadier Corporal (Leading)

The above guardsmen and myself had been given the grim duty of burning the crop fields to the north and south of Cove.  All possible sources of spreading 'the aftermath' were to be eliminated.

At the Northern farm, Marcus and myself set about lighting the crop fields whilst Hoagie and Takeamada torched the small orchard there.  I shall never forget the fierce the winds on that day.  We could not allow the fire to spread to the farm buildings and so were forced to watch the fields and trees as they blackened and crumbled away.

We were confronted by a civilian as we entered Cove Towne.  He begged us not to proceed with our orders to burn the large crop field and orchard there.  One civilian had to be forcefully removed from the field, as he stood in the middle of it in protest.  The guardsmen carried out their orders in a quiet that spoke of their inner sorrow.

We had not realised, whilst carrying out our duty, that a small force of mysterious guardian beasts, were closing in around us.  We were eventually able to force them to retreat.  Two Covian civilians died at their hands that day, we mourn their loss.

One last duty to perform, we were anxious for this day to end.  Explosives were set up around the perimeter of the Covian Reservoir...  *Boom* Several hours later we were still filling in what was left of the reservoir.

My ears are still ringing with the sound of those explosives as they went off.

*signed*
Eve, Grenadier Corporal

[Raven]

..Raven studies the notices

I'm sure he sai' burn, na blow up? half t' north o' Cove's covered in mud naw.

[Jon Trent]

The "Aftermath" continues as a guardsman was taken ill at his post this eve. Junior Guardsman Trent suffered from weariness and coughing fits before collapsing briefly from fatigue during a sentry at the town gates.

A commoner, Estel Aralle and Junior Grenadier Takeamada helped Trent to the healers hut inside the town limits but no beds were free. Citizens struck down by the unknown disease which plagues our town filled the healer's to breaking point.

Junior Guardsman Trent at the Covian Hospital.

The sick guard was then half carried by his helpers to the newly established Covian hospital where he was tended to by Estel and Ileana Leontine, who concocted a medicinal brew for him to drink.

After a short lie down the young guardsman's strength started to return and the coughing ceased enough for him to leave the hospital with the aid of the elf girl and return home for some bed rest.

When will the sickness end? And is a cure in sight?