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With prisoners apparently in hand, we tie them up to limit their mobility.
Talking to the awake apostles,
Start talking crazies. Tell us why you are here and what your purpose was in these rooms.
I also want to thank you, as you have delivered us 5 (disgusting) tunics of your lunatic leader for us to use to travel safely.
turning to the others, I suggest we search the area, but then return our prisoners to the Sanctuary and most of you take on these robes so we can infiltrate deeper. [/b]
Brother Butterfly also looks for whom amongst the party is checking out and rumaging through the rooms. On those people, he will see if Desna will grant them luck. Considering the magnitude of these rooms, he says a soft prayer and touches three different companions.
The northern room is a big storage area. Racks cluttered with boxes and sprawling collections of haphazard junk fill the dusty room.
This room once held the personal effects of hundreds of Briarstone patients, present and past, held in trust, awaiting the day when their owners will once again be fit enough to reclaim them and leave. Befitting the likelihood of such hopeful prospects, most of the items are covered in a thick layer of dust.
The room appears to have been mostly ransacked of anything valuable, with some of the shelves knocked over and their contents scattered across the floor.
On one shelf sits a group of dolls, arranged like students in a class, facing a rag doll wrapped with a ripped length of yellow cloth.
As the others start questioning the prisoners Pinkie will start giving the room a onceover to make sure these louts didn't miss anything."I am taking my time ....do you ever stop talking....no wonder i have trouble sleeping"
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Fearless picks up a corner of one of the robes on the cultists. "How did you get such a dull yellow inside these walls. We couldn't even get a razor and somehow you guys are able to dye sheets?" Fearless' eyes go wide in shock as he drops the robes and wipes his hands on the back of Cats' shirt. "OH Gods..... you didn't have dye did you. You guys pissed on these sheets to make them yellow didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"
He points his stubby finger in the Apostles face. "What does your demented lot want?"
Cats helps Brother Butterfly tie up the prisoners, making a pile of their weapons in the corner and far out of reach.
"Nice work everyone. Good job in not catting," Cats says, trying to ignore his many wounds. "Maybe we can cat some answers out of these guys."
Cats then takes his time to search each room, hoping one of the goons will awake so he can be questioned.
"I'm finding nothing but junk here. Haphazardly scattered junk," Cats notes. Cats goes through the dolls carefully, trying not to break anything.
Perception
The Twin wrenches his dagger from the man's shoulder as he wipes the blood onto the man's tunic. "You can keep that..." he says as the Snake joins him once more.
Seeing that the feline-attuned is searching for shiny trinkets, the Twin stands by to help with Fearless's choice of intimidation. "I thought that these robes turned yellow once they saw you, Fearless." the Twin says with a smirk. "Here, try shoving a dagger into their wounds. That tends to make them talk." he says as he flips the blade over and extends the hilt to the halfling.
When he sees that the cultists don't take him seriously, his eyes narrow and he flips the blade back over and holds it to the throat of the purple robed cultist. "Do you think I won't slit your throat right here?" he asks with a steely voice.
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With Cats helping him tie up the fellow prisoners, Brother Butterfly lays a calming and soothing hand on his shoulder.
May your heart and soul one day receive the healing that your wounds are now receiving. I can help with the physical ailments, but it appears you are terribly troubled with actions you committed in the past.
[ooc] Cast CLW
Turning his attention to the prisoners.
The Gods of this world are angry with you and your ilk for what you have wrought. Explain yourselves and why you have aligned with an Old God that no longer holds sway on Golorian. Speak and you may find repentance
Cats comes over to help Brother Butterfly with his diplomacy.
"Maybe we should ask instead why they attacked us? We're just like them anyway, we want to be saved too. Isn't that a bettter question?" Cats looks at the specific prisoner.
"Tell us why you attacked us. Who is in charge of you being rude and mean to us?"
Diplo
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While most of the valuable items have been looted from the northern room, some useful tidbits remain. Cats is able to find two vials that are detected by others as having magical properties.
Silversheen.
Oil of align weapon.
Bringing the items to those better able to identify such things Cats joins in on the interrogation of the Acolytes.
Fearless is putting on a intimidating glare and the Twin is backing him up with the promise of a sharp knife. Cats joins Brother Butterfly, who is taking the opposite role, playing good-watchman to their bad-watchmen.
The big Acolyte seems a little too dim-witted to offer much in the way of information.
"Lookin fer somethin fer Zandus..." he trails off, seemingly having forgotten the thing he was looking for. "Why you beat us up? Zandus gonna be mad. Send Yellow Nightmare after ya."
The gaunt man has more to offer. "Old God? No, no. We follow Zandalus, keeper of the flame, watcher of dreams. He protects us. Without his mark you are doomed! Join us, help us find the evil doctor's lies and heresy. We need to destroy them so that the word of Zandalus remains true!"
Looking over the Acolyte's possessions it seems the robes are dyed with thinned paint of some kind, not urine. Under their robes they wear heavy clothes with improvised padding. Their weapons are mostly improvised as well, though the handsome man carried a sturdy club of the kind used by Briarstone orderlies .
***
Meanwhile, Pinkie takes his time to search the records room. It would not normally take very long, but the state of damage and disarray extends the effort. Most files are labeled by name, but some only bear patient numbers. Eventually he finds a file bearing a familiar patient number.
Name: Dunsel, aka The Mariner
Male, Human, approximate age 50
Committed: 18 Lamashan 4716
Circumstances: crown ward
Attending Doctor: Doctor Losandro
Admitting Notes: Has a dozen names carved into his left arm.
Diagnosis: Retrograde amnesia. Dementia, possible hysteria.
Treatment: Therapy, observation, possible medication
Development: 18/10/4716
Initially released into the general population of the lower ward under orders of observation, patient almost immediately caused disruption, assaulting orderlies in the Dayroom. Once subdued patient was reassigned to a secure room in the Upper Ward.
Development: 19/10/4716
Patient involved in fight with another patient after breakfast. Doctor Chawaar is concerned increased aggression may be symptomatic of a form of ghoul fever. Concern over contagion in the asylum required that patient be relocated to Upper Ward South for quarantine.
Fearless' eyes flick over as he subconsciously recognizes the two alchemical substances. He barely takes his eyes off of the yellow garbed man.
"It's Silversheen and an oil that will align your weapon with good properties."
Seeing he is having little effect and BB wants more friends Fearless stomps away.
"You keep coddling everyone who tries to kill us and one of 'em will put a knife in your back Shapeshifter."
Fearless shakes his foot as a files sticks to it. Reaching down he pulls it off and takes a look at it.
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This is not even remotely decent answers. WHAT EXACTLY DID ZANDALUS TASK YOU TO DO? This IS an insane asylum, you realize that they didn't want us having weapons.... well now we have weapons.... and we are all crazy. Spill everything you know because I don't know how long I can keep Fearless and The Twins at bay.
Cats backs up Butterfly's diplomacy.
Diplomacy
"Yeah. And why did you attack us? Are you under orders to attack innocents? What is Zandalus telling you to do?" Cats asks, wondering if Zandalus might not be a good guy after all.
As the Watchmen pry for information, the Mariner drags the body of the large man he ran through by the seated prisoners, leaving a long and wide paint of crimson on floor. And as Brother's, Cats', Fearless and the Twin's words were more engaging, he was barely paying attention to the corpse himself as he drops the legs with thud near the Yellowmen.
"What is the mark of Zandalus? Is that why your clothes are yellow? Your skin is kinda yellow. -Taking ship showers? Or do you have other marks?", the Mariner pulls up sleeves and down shoulders of all five, "Alright, get them off, yea, your clothes, get them off."
Pinkie rejoins the group and hands a file to The Mariner "We believe this is yours" Then to the rest of the group he adds"Guys come help us search this room with all the papers we found a file on the Mariner maybe we can find all our files.... Oh and sailor boy, I'd stick with Mariner and not let anyone read that file." A horrified look comes over Pinkie "Uncle Evan I thought we talked about that."
Without their yellow robes the Acolytes look like pathetic lunatics.
"Doctor Losandro has written lies about Zandalus!" The gaunt man repeats. "She has written lies about us all! Lies told to humiliate us. To make us think we are mad! Lies that imprison us here, trapped like bait for the Tatterman!" The gaunt man prods his head, his fingernail cutting the skin near the yellow flame painted on his forehead. "But the flame protects us. And we protect the flame keeper. We seek the lies." He grabs frantically for nearby papers on the ground, and rips one in half. "We will destroy them and set our master and ourselves free!"
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What has Zandalus said about The Tatterman? And what lie does Zandalus want hidden from the rest of his followings? What was the most outrageous lie that Zandalus wanted destroyed?
Now, what if I were to tell you that there IS another way to be protected from The Tatterman? Would you at least listen to a way that doesn't involve Zandalus?
That last part he directs mostly to the Brutish Apostle, to see if he can be converted. Gauntman is obviously a fanatic. The other is maybe dumb enough to have just gone along with his buddies.
moving to the others in the group, BB cites the following in a whisper.
It seems that Zandalus sent them here to destroy files about him and his history. That's quite an important thing to send 5 people to do. That means that these rooms are REALLY important for us to search. Pinkie, let me try something interesting. Close your eyes, I will spin you around, bless you with luck and see if you can travel around and pick up a few items.
Brother Butterfly takes a look at the flame painted on the foreheads. He tries to look at how it's formed and to see if there's stylized differences or if it's the same artist drawing the same flame. He takes some of the paper that GauntApostle ripped. Looking to later use that to practice drawing the shape until I can make a decent copy (when he wants to disguise his people to infiltrate other areas of the Asylum).
"Let's see what it is you are trying to destroy." Fearless grabs the two halves of the paper and places them together, holding the paper up to the light to see it better.
Cats rebinds the prisoner who is tearing paper, not sure how he was able to break free.
"Next guy who destroys a paper or tries to escape forfeits their sanctuary," Cats explains matter-of-factory.
Cats looks back at the prisoners after hearing them speak. He looks at Mariner.
"Mariner, bud, if that is your real cat, this is really weird. These people here are nuts, can't answer questions, and seem...well...mad. Not sure we can bring them back to the chapel...they don't have enough food already. Tie them up and leave them here? What do we do?"
As Cats can't get an answer to one of his questions, he goes to start searching the records room for notes about himself or others.
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As Cats restrains the gaunt man once more he eagerly volunteers many terrible tales of the Tatterman, but few are any different then what you have already heard from others. When it comes to the "lies" of Zandalus, he is less certain.
"I... I don't know." The gaunt man appears confused by the line of questioning. "I mean. She said we were all crazy. Said we were dangerous. But that's not true."
While the man rambles on Brother Butterfly examines the painted flames on the Acolyte's foreheads. The symbol is somewhat crude, though elegant in its simplicity. He feels he could easily reproduce it if he can find some yellow paint.
Grabbing the papers ripped in half by the Apostle, Fearless pieces them back together and reads about a patient named Elizary, brought to Briarstone 40 years ago and diagnosed with domestic illness. She was treated by a Doctor named Hathmar for 3 years, then discharged.
The gaunt man seems uninterested in the document, and it may be that he grabbed it randomly to illustrate his point.
Sifting through the papers in the room continues, and after a few hours the Watchmen have recovered documents relevant to all of them.
One document however, eludes them. No record on Zandalus is discovered here. The gaunt man watches as every new discovery is made, both fear and hope in his eyes. When it becomes clear that the "lies" he was told to seek and destroy are not among those in the room his eyes begin darting toward the scuffed and gouged door his mad companion was intent on opening when you first arrived.
On the floor in front of the door is a placard, ripped from the wood in the madman's efforts to break in. It reads:
~SPECIAL RECORDS~
Name: Adalgrim Overhill, aka Fearless
Male, Halfling, approximate age 30
Committed: 18 Lamashan 4716
Circumstances: crown ward
Attending Doctor: Doctor Losandro
Admitting Notes: Bears a strange brand on his back.
Diagnosis: Retrograde amnesia. Paranoid Hysteria
Treatment: Therapy, observation
Development: 18/10/4716
Patient admitted into the general population of the lower ward under orders of observation.
Development: 19/10/4716
Patient involved in an unpermitted late night excursion in the kitchen and dining hall that ended with another patient (see file for Argade) exhibiting symptoms of ghoul fever. Doctor Chawaar has ordered all exposed patients and orderlies relocated to private quarters for quarantine.
Name: Devon, aka Pinkie
Male, Human, approximate age 18
Committed: 18 Lamashan 4716
Circumstances: crown ward
Attending Doctor: Doctor Losandro
Admitting Notes: Missing small finger on left hand. Appears to have been severed.
Diagnosis: Retrograde amnesia. Dimentia praecox.
Treatment: Therapy, observation
Development: 18/10/4716
Initially released into the general population of the lower ward under orders of observation, patient almost immediately caused disruption, assaulting orderlies in the Dayroom. Once subdued the patient was reassigned to a secure room in the Upper Ward.
Development: 19/10/4716
Patient involved in fight with another patient after breakfast. Doctor Chawaar is concerned increased aggression may be symptomatic of a form of ghoul fever. Concern over contagion in the asylum required that patient be relocated to Upper Ward South for quarantine.
Name: Jasper of Desna, aka Brother Butterfly
Male, human, approximate age 35
Committed: 18 Lamashan 4716
Circumstances: crown ward
Attending Doctor: Doctor Losandro
Admitting Notes: bears a religious birthmark of Desna.
Diagnosis: Retrograde amnesia. Monomania, focused mainly upon personal grooming.
Treatment: Exposure therapy, observation
Development: 18/10/4716
Patient admitted into the general population of the lower ward under orders of observation. Has made repeated requests for a razor to shave. Will proceed with exposure therapy and document reaction to prolonged denial.
Development: 19/10/4716
Patient involved in an unpermitted late night excursion in the kitchen and dining hall that ended with another patient (see file for Argade) exhibiting symptoms of ghoul fever. Doctor Chawaar has ordered all exposed patients and orderlies relocated to private quarters for quarantine.
Name: Kast Phaer, aka Cats
Male, Human with elven ancestry, approximate age 35
Committed: 18 Lamashan 4716
Circumstances: crown ward
Attending Doctor: Doctor Losandro
Admitting Notes:
Diagnosis: Retrograde amnesia. Onomatomania, possible Monomania. Subconscious fixation upon the word "Cats."
Treatment: Therapy, observation
Development: 18/10/4716
Patient admitted into the general population of the lower ward under orders of observation. Patient exhibits unusual obsession with his own reflection. Has requested grooming supplies, but does not seem to have an obsession rising to illness.
Development: 19/10/4716
Patient involved in an unpermitted late night excursion in the kitchen and dining hall that ended with another patient (see file for Argade) exhibiting symptoms of ghoul fever. Doctor Chawaar has ordered all exposed patients and orderlies relocated to private quarters for quarantine.
Name: Aleksi Savolain, aka The Twin
Male, Human with elven ancestry, approximate age 30
Committed: 18 Lamashan 4716
Circumstances: crown ward
Attending Doctor: Doctor Losandro
Admitting Notes: Subject is bears many tattoos, apparently designed after the Harrow.
Diagnosis: Retrograde amnesia. Moral insanity.
Treatment: Therapy, observation. If subject remains violent, magical lobotomy may be considered.
Development: 18/10/4716
Initially released into the general population of the lower ward under orders of observation, patient almost immediately caused disruption, assaulting orderlies in the Dayroom. Once subdued patient was reassigned to a secure room in the Upper Ward. Later, the patient exhibited the ability to summon forth extra-planar creatures to do his bidding. Although rude, patient has not exhibited violent tendencies outside of self defense. However, a robe of powerlessness may be necessary if patient remains hostile and uncooperative.
Development: 19/10/4716
Patient involved in fight with another patient after breakfast. Once subdued by orderlies patients were removed to the infirmary for medical care and observation for symptoms of ghoul fever.
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Cats looks over the papers that probably apply to him.
Kast points at the documents so others can read it. Though he uttered those words, his name still doesn't sound right to his ears.
Cats and re-reads his sheet again once he calms down.
"Anyone know what 'Onomatomania' means? Or 'Monomania'? I think that means I'm fun, right? Also, I forget what 'amnesia' means? Anyone know?"
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Fearless snatches his away and shoves it into his pack. "Adalgrim Overhill? My name is Adalgrim?"
Fearless scoffs. Paranoia? Is it really paranoia if everyone actually is trying to kill you?"
He looks around frantically to the rest of the group. His eyes darting all around. "Maybe the shapeshifters had these files to pretend to be us?"
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Strangely, when presented the files he doesn't immediately notice the true identity of his companions. His eyes move to the date.
So, we are in the month of Monsters. Of course, it makes odd sense and it is uncannily appropriate that my mission for Desna would place me in the middle of our enemies month.
After that abstract comment, he does take some time and smiles as his fellow Watchmen find out about themselves (or at least their true names) and the satisfaction it seems to give them.
When hearing diagnosis and large medical words, he chimes in. Well, we have that enormous library that the Ratlings were in. I am certain it could help us understand some of these really big words. BUT, that is a time for later. We have other things to accomplish.
Like: opening that secure door. I think Pinkie and I can work on that task.
Then: getting this group healthy enough to wake up and march them to The Sanctuary. To that end, I will try to spend a few moments and tend to some wounds.
But he does take a quick look at his own file #: 6236 and passes it around.
Those bastards. They were both wrong in that I am NOT crazy, and they were wrong to withhold that razor from me in some "test" of theirs. I can't blame them all too much - because they do have to assume everyone is crazy, but that was a green slime move by intentionally performing "environmental" tests and speaking Gibbering Mouther lies.
As he walks to perform some first aid on the prisoners, he says in a low tone. Jasper? What kind of name is Jasper. It sounds like the name of some foppish dandy.
Not really realizing that he normally does act like a fop.
Then he casts Luck on Pinkie and/or Fearless when they try to open the Special Records Door.
"What...is...this...?" the Mariner squints at the paper files with cataracted eyes, looking over to Cats, "Yea we're gonna tie them up, maybe bring the woman to point the way. But hang on, what- this has got to be the clerk's joke - my name is Dunsel?! That can't be right..." the thinks almost too hard and repeats the name, "Dunsel." With a morbid look at the others, "Brother's right - Mariner is much more impressive."
"All right you sods", he addresses the prisoners, "The next one of you primates even touches me gets brained. Which one of you is willing to take us safely to Zandalus?"
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"Cats, my name is Cats!" Kast says happily and unaware of any confusion. "Cats is a good name, ain't it? Cats Phear. That's me." Kast does the double thumb move on himself.
"Well, with a mirror and some time, I'm sure I'll begin to remember more of me now that I have this piece to start with. It's good to have a catting point, you know?"
"Dunsel," Cats looks at Mariner. "Do you mind if I keep calling you Mariner? And before we go to Zandalus, we should do something with these people here."
Kast thinks for a moment.
"We should probably bring them back to Winter. She's in charge. Let her decide."
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BB nods in agreement to both items - calling the Rage-aholic Mariner instead of Dunsel and that we should head back to Winter. Especially if we only have 2 downed enemies.
Kast is right. If we take them back, I can refill my healer's bag with bandages and some of those medicines we found in the doctor's office. Plus I can administer to Kast - who still looks a bit injured.
Lastly, I think we should mimic being the disciples and I can paint flames on foreheads if I can get simple yellow paint at The Sanctuary.
BB focuses on their attempts to break through this door- check out the special patient files- - which should have Zandalus inside.
"Kast is right...Kast..."
Kast smiles and makes the it's-not-that-hard arm gesture.
"See there? He said my name correctly. Just like that. He did it. Is it so hard for the rest of you to also get it right?" Kast asks, looking at the rest of the party. "Just say it like he said it. It's 'CATS', just like he said. Catpiche?"
Kast seems very please that someone got his name correct, as if it will help him get his memories back.
The Twin grabs his file and reads through it with a grim smile on his face before tossing it over his shoulder. The file folder flaps open as the scant pages flutter around before spreading chaotically across the floor. "The only interesting thing in my file is that we are somehow wards of the crown admitted on the same day." he says, taking note of what he can see in the others' folders from his vantage point.
As Cats keeps yelling about his name, the Twin's brain throbs. "In the name of whatever god Brother follows, please just call that idiot a 'cat' if it will make him shut up." he says in an effort to relieve the walking headache.
"Let's move to the dayroom so I we can get the hell out of here." the Twin says as he moves down the hall to investigate the doorway they passed.
Fearless looks up. "Can't really let 'em go in here. Let's take them back quick and get back out here."
Adalgrim gets a renewed sense of purpose after finding his file. He stores it in his pack for safekeeping, to study more at night.
Poking the man. "Get up. We are going to see Winter and some other crazies. You lot should fit right in."
On the way back Adalgrim sighs. "I just wish one of these crazy fools had a pipe and a bit of tobacco on 'em. Does your side have any of that along with your cookies?"
"Devon huh thats all we needed to know from this thing"Pinkie says as hes flips through his file befor tossing it back on the floor"Think ill stick with Pinkie"He adds while absently rubbing his stump of a finger.
"I'm with The Twin lets keep moving now that we know who we are"Pinkie says taking his que from the Twin and moving up with him and his snake.
Brother Butterfly stands near the Special Records door, hoping someone will check it out. Instead, everyone ignores him and starts filing back out into the hall. Some begin herding the captured Apostles back toward the Chapel, but Pinkie, the Twin and his Snake head the other direction, moving to check the door to the Dayroom. Looking it over, he finds nothing dangerous about it. Pulling the handle however, he finds it locked.
Completely ignoring Brother Butterfly, Cats helps drag all the prisoners back to Winter.
"I'll try to open that up for you when we get back, Brother," Cats mentions injuredly, "But I'm bleeding too much to do it now. Besides, not sure I want these yahoos to cat what's in there."
Cats will stash the prisoners just outside the eye door, going into get Winter while others stand guard.
"Uh, Winter? Sir? We captured some of Zandalus' minions. They are subdued outside," Cats says while pointing out his obvious wounds.
Pinkie looks to the Twin and asks in a low voice"Guess we wait for the others?"As he moves up and puts his ear to the door to see if he can hear anything beyond.
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With a shrug, Brother Butterfly accepts Kast's deal to return to the Special Records Door.
But, he takes a moment on the way to see Winter to talk with one of the prisoners.
Hey Big Guy. (speaking to the brutish apostle). Let me make you a deal. If you take this nice, comfortable chair and carry it carefully to where we are going. I will promise to heal up some of your wounds. Does that sound like a deal?
Seeing that Brute-Boy is carrying his amazing and comfortable chair, Brother Butterfly almost skips back to Winter and Captain York.
He gives a decent rundown of events, grabs some yellow paint, and tries to refill the bandages in his healing kit.
Lastly, he uses his Channel energy to heal Cats , Brute, and the other prisoners.
"I can't remember all these names! I'm just going to call you fellas what I've been calling you before. So Cats, you do the same. Pinkie, Twin, let's head back with the others for now, we'll be back here soon enough."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Fearless swats Kast on the arm. "Winter is a she. She is Winter!" He points over to the tall woman sitting at the desk as Kast begins speaking to an actual stray cat that climbed in to shelter itself from the storm outside. The Cat looks absolutely ragged as small patches of fur are torn free as if some of the acidic rain or creatures were gnawing at it.
Adalgrim leaves Cats to his own turn in of the prisoners and walks around the room collecting whatever bolts he can procure before returning to the rest of the group.
'Yeah, I'm *perfectly* aware she's a she, Anagram Overkill," Kast replies to Fearless, using his real name. "But...but...it just seems right to call her 'sir', you know? That's how it is in the military, I think. It just seems right."
Cats waits for Winter's reply and instructions.
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Other than making certain that people are healed and there's no drama that might upset his good vibes, Brother Butterfly is hovering over his new Kingly chair. Cleaning it off, and getting rid of the "Dumb Big guy" germs that might still be present.
He then puts it in position at his commandeered desk and Brother Butterfly tests the chair.
Relaxed and mostly satisfied, when the others hint at going back to check out the Special information Door, he does a bit of Stretching
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The majority of the group decides to make a brief return to the Chapel, which might have been a good thing because as he's listening at the door in the hallway Pinkie notices something the Twin missed - a red liquid that looks to be blood oozes from the seams and cracks.
Back at the Chapel Brother Butterfly has the big Apostle arrange some furniture. He learns that the big man's name is Mirton, and that he pretty much does what he's told by anyone he considers an authority. Unfortunately he has almost no ability to judge good and bad.
Once the office is set, Brother Butterfly takes a moment to settle into his chair, but just can't seem to get comfortable. Though he did none of the heavy lifting he finds he has broken a sweat and feels a chill that his fine cloak cannot seem to ward off. No one else seems to be suffering, until he lays eyes on the Mariner, hunched down close over a steaming cooking pot. Then he notices some of the rat scratches on the old man's neck seem to be red and puffy.
***
Meanwhile, Cats goes to Winter for a touch up and conversation.
After healing his wounds, Winter addresses the issue of the Acolytes, and corrects Cats on how she would like to be addressed.
"The Accusers have only provided me with temporary authority, so I would not consider myself a military officer. Nor am I sure that 'Sir' is the appropriate term female military officers. At least, I surely hope not."
"Just call her Lady, or Lady Winter." Captain York cuts in, "Now, about those cultists you brought back. We can lock them in the chaplain's office, but we'll start running out of room and supplies if you make a habit if this."
STATUS
Cats (17/17)
Fearless (16/16)
Brother Butterfly (19/19) *diseased -3 Dex, -2 Con
The Mariner (25/27) *diseased -2 Dex, -1 Con
The Twin (17/17)
Eidolon (11/11)
Pinkie (17/17)
"....if you make a habit of this."
Cats scrunches up his face, not understanding.
"What does that mean? Do you want us to kill those we come across? Or should we not capture them if they attack us and are clearly aligned against us? What do you cat?" Cats asks, trying to figure out what the what about what York is saying.
I don't think we should be killing those that surrender to us.
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NO, NO, NO! This can't possibly be?! Filth on the temple of the body. Filth should never be on the Temple of the body.
It is written, If your shell is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your skin is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how GREAT is that darkness!
Brother Butterfly is upset. Pulling out items from his backpack and healers bag. Picking up items. Saying,
DARKNESS
shaking his head and putting them back in the bag.
Pulling out a wand/rod and some paste or balm in a round container.
Mariner, come over here, I have some bad news and good news to tell you.
"Listen here." York says, holding up a finger to grab attention, "The folk here in the Chapel are either nurses, orderlies, Winter's personal guard, or non-violent lower ward patients. This group you've dragged back were locked up in the Ward of the Wicked, and they were all there for a reason."
"I think what the Captain here means," interjects Lady Winter, "Is that we will need to find more secure spaces, and supplies, for any more poor unfortunate patients you come across."
"Yeah, that's what I mean." York crosses his arms.
***
Brother Butterfly tends to the Mariner, cleaning his wounds and applying a basic herbal salve to his infected scratches, but his skills at healing through mundane means prove difficult when applied to himself.
***
Returning to the door for special records, you find that one of the keys on Doctor Losandro's ring fits the lock. Inside, the walls of a small room are mostly lined with filing cabinets, except for one space where a battered old painting of a somber, towering structure hangs.
The records inside are more disturbing then the ones in the room outside. Some of them are supernatural in nature. You do not, however, find a file on Zandalus.
I'm mostly sure that sirs are sirs in the military regardless of gender, amiright?
Fearless is too busy collecting supplies to listen to the moral debate happening between York, Kast, and Winter.
Digging underneath a bunk he finds another small handful of well-used bolts.
Clapping his feet across the stony ground he grabs Cats by his arm. "Let's go Cats! We have to go get cookies...."
********************************************************************
Fearless stands on his toes as he inspects the painting, trying to get a better look at it. "Think you could do something like this BB?"
Rocking back down he begins to help rummage through all of the lower spaces and files. "What kind of strange stuff was going on down here? You guys see this?" Fearless holds a file up in the air for everyone to see.
Cats nods to Capt'n York and Lady Winter as the rules of engagement have been established. He feels more comfortable as he goes out to engage Zandalus and open the door for Brother Butterfly, as promised.
Perception
"Brother?" Cats says, looking around."Are you and Mariner going to cat okay? You look pretty licked." Cats avoids getting too close to either BButterfly or Mariner, and definitely avoids breathing their air if possible.
Searching through the Special Records room Brother Butterfly and Cats quickly discover a small brass latch that opens a hidden hollow within the wall. Inside are Doctor Losandro's most prized records on the strange and mad world she spent her life examining. The most extensive of the files found here belongs to Ulver Zandalus.
The records stretch back decades, to his initial committal to Briarstone Asylum. There are many mundane notes from years past detailing Zandalus life as a silent artist, the but they become more interesting in some of the more recent entries.
Patient Record: Ulver Zandalus
Patient Number: 3837
Male, Varisian descent, approximate age 47
Home suspected to be Rozenport, Versex County
Committed: 2 Sarenith 4685
Circumstances: Transferred from Pharasmin lamentations in Rozenport
Attending Doctor: Eliege Losandro
Admitting Notes: Zandalus exhibits complete withdrawal from society and an inability to care for himself in any but the most basic modes. The symptoms of his passive antisociality chronically present as mutism and blankness. Frequent night terrors result in brief but dramatic nocturnal outbursts - shouting, shaking, fear responses. Zandalus grasps the difference between sleep and wakefulness and typically recovers from nightmares quickly.
Treatment: Therapy, antipsychotic regimen, observation
Development: 2/4687
Zandalus proves to be a gifted and prolific artist. He has enthusiastically taken to using a charcoal drawing set to create dramatic but fanciful works of art, typically of surreal architecture and skyscapes. Art calms him in the wake of nightmare. He will be afforded basic supplies to continue such art therapy.
Development: 11/4702
A shift has occurred in Zandalus’s art. He has repeatedly almost perfectly illustrated one of the ancient standing stones situated at the northwestern corner of the asylum grounds. As the isle’s shores are off-limits to patients, I do not believe he has ever seen the subject of his work. The significance or coincidence of this brooks further study.
Development: 3/4715
Count Haserton Lowls has taken an interest in Zandalus: first his art and now the artist. Lowls has become a repeat visitor, spending hours with my patient, but refuses to explain his interest.
***
In addition to Losandro's notes are some valuable items:
A tiny lockbox (opened with the same key that opens Losandro's desk drawer). Within are 40gp, 6 pearls worth 15gp each, and a calling card from the Thrushmoor offices of the Sleepless Detective Agency that prominently bears an accusatory eye. Additionally there is a magical short sword in a crimson scabbard. The pommel is sculpted in the shape of a cardinal and an etched gold band bears the name Red Destiny.
This is a +2 short sword!
Fearless runs his hands along the red scabbard. "It is a fine blade, though powerful magic is at work here." He holds the blade up for either the Twin or Pinkie to take. "No telling how powerful, so be careful with this."
Picking up Zandalus’s record Fearless gives it a good look over. "Count Haserton Lowls visited with him often, which means he might know what happened to all of us?"
The Mariner reaches back to find the rat scratch spot, not even realizing there was a puss volcano there, then answering Cats, "It feels okay, at least it doesn't spell out a name like the ones on my arm here. Let's get going but I doubt we'll find the Count lounging around here." If no one else pauses the Mariner leads off.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Cats smiles as he goes through the paperwork and (hopefully) someone reads the contents of Zandalus' files to him.
"Huh. Cat's weird...must be something really changed or different with Zandalus, huh?" Cats notes. "Seems like something changed...he either get better or worse or something."
"Anycat see the drawing of the ancient standing stones that they mention?" Cats asks, but already thinks not. Cats is not even sure there is a world outside of this building. He's hoping, but doesn't know.
Cats yawns. "It's been a long long day. First that rat fight, then all the rest. Might be we go back to the Chapel and rest so we can talk to Zandalus tomorrow. Might be we can even trade these records for some food or information or something."