The Apothecary

*"Medicine and chemistry: places magic can hide as a more specific craft."*

This is an Encounter in The Moon that can always be found on the second level. It has four potential conspirators:

* Jorhelm the Twin
* Mullen the Apothecary
* Jon the Blacksmith
* Harriet the Widow

## Event

*The apothecary is inundated with a tense rabble of city inhabitants. As you get closer, you notice that the door has been barred shut.*

*An elderly woman is on her knees weeping, clutching a pearl necklace to her chest.*

*"Open up! Have you no heart?" A heavy set blacksmith pounds on the door. "My daughter has succumbed to the rot..." His voice cracks. The rest of the crowd shrinks away from the man, some covering their mouths fearfully.*

1) Find another way in.

*Hopping over a side gate and squeezing past crates, you find the back door to the apothecary. It's unlocked, but a thin, bird-like woman stands by the door, scrutinizing you.*
A) Greet the bird-like woman.
*"Hello," she says with a curt nod. "I am Jorhelm, my twin is Jannis. I have heard that you want to destroy the Empire and now that I see that you are strong of brow and crooked of nose, I believe in your quest."*
**Jorhelm the Twin pledges her services to the cause.**
*She bids you goodbye as you enter the apothecary back door. "Jannis will want to help you too, if you can find her."*
B) Ignore her and enter the apothecary.
*The owner, a bespectacled, spindly gentleman, jumps at your surprise entrance.*
1) Throw a heavy bag of gold on the counter. (Lose 50 Gold)
*He considers the heaping pile of gold, then, with a sigh, pulls a large crate out from behind the counter. Inside you see dozens of small bottles of amber liquid. "Here, take them. I never claimed this was a cure, but desperate times make desperate people."*
**The player loses 50 Gold.**
*It is here that you explain your quest. The bespectacled apothecary nods. "If you can fix this, yes, I will join your cause."*
**Mullen the Apothecary pledges his services to the cause.**
*The townsfolk outside the apothecary fall to their knees in gratitude when you hand out the little amber bottles.*
*One bottle is left over - you keep it for yourself.*
**Jon the Blacksmith pledges his services to the cause.**
**Harriet the Widow pledges her services to the cause.**
*Your antics at the apothecary have increased your notoriety.*
**The player gains 4 Fame.**
**Encounter ends.**
2) Wait and see what he does.
**Chance Cards Gambit** (1 Huge Success, 1 Success, 2 Huge Failure) (Medium)
Huge Success
*He bursts into noisy tears. "Okay! Okay! Here!" He clinks a single bottle of amber liquid onto the counter.*
*"It's all I have! The corruption! Not to mention the Empire... its all fallen to shambles of late."*
*It is here that you explain your quest. The bespectacled apothecary nods. "If you can fix this, yes, I will join your cause."*
**Mullen the Apothecary pledges his services to the cause.**
*You squeeze out the front door to face the mob. They fall into silence as you explain that there is but one bottle left.*
Success
*"Oh, thank the Maker! You can help me!" He presses a bottle of amber liquid into your hand. "I've only got one of these in stock, and that mob won't believe me. That's why I had to lock them out! They'll just grab anything, even though it might kill them."*
*"They all desperately need help, but I can't choose! You must do this for me!"*
*With that, he unlocks the front door, shoves you out, and quickly bars it again before anybody can barge in. Immediately, the throng surges around you, demanding a tincture for the rot.*
Huge Failure
*"You're that traitor the soldiers are looking for!" With that, the apothecary turns from meek to furious. "Have you not done enough to destroy this empire? A curse on you! Get out!"*
**The player draws 1 Curse.**
*The apothecary alerts the soldiers to your presence.*
**The Dealer adds 1 Brimstone Steel Monster Card to the Monster Deck.**
*Your antics at the apothecary have increased your notoriety.*
**The player gains 4 Fame.**
**Encounter ends.**
*You accidentally step on the weeping woman's hand, but she seems not to notice, and continues to wail for her family.*
*The blacksmith stands back, too proud to beg, but his eyes betray how desperately he wants the bottle.*
A) Give the bottle to the blacksmith.
*The huge blacksmith's face contorts into a grimace as he processes your act of kindess.*
**John the Blacksmith pledges his service to your cause.**
*Your antics at the apothecary have increased your notoriety.*
**The player gains 4 Fame.**
B) Give the bottle to the weeping woman.
*She promptly faints in shock.*
**Harriet the Widow pledges her services to your cause.**
*Your antics at the apothecary have increased your noteriety.*
**The player gains 4 fame.**
**Encounter ends.**
C) Give the bottle to the highest bidder.
(insert text here)
2) Suggest they use force.

*You hope that your muffled yell would be lost in the crowd isn't met. The rabble insists that you commit the felony, pushing a heavy lump of rock into your hands.*
**Precision Gambit** (1 small Huge Success, 1 medium Success, 1 large Huge Failure, all moving)
Huge Success
*You heave the rock at the window, shattering it with a loud crash.*
*Happily, the noise does not alert any soldiers to your presence.*
*The desperate congregation rushes the store, grabbing what they can. The bespectacled apothecary astutely abandons the place, running out the back.*
*After the frantic looting dies down, the blacksmith and the weeping woman approach you clutching a random assortment of bottles and bags of powder.*
**Harriet the Widow pledges her service to your cause.**
**Jon the Blacksmith pledges his service to your cause.**
*Your antics at the apothecary have increased your notoriety.*
**The player gains 4 Fame.**
Success
(insert text here)
Failure
*You heave the rock at the window, shattering it with a loud crash.*
*There is a shout amid the chaos, and Empire soldiers pour from the alleyways to charge the crowd. The mob scatters, leaving you to deal with the authorities alone.*
**The Dealer draws 5 Steel Monster Cards. (?)**
**The player enters Combat.**
*You leave broken glass and shattered bodies in your wake.*
*Your antics at the apothecary have increased your notoriety.*
**The player gains 4 Fame.**
Huge Failure
(insert text here)
3) Leave.

*You leave the desperate throng to their dilemma.*