She followed along, keeping her hood up and pulled well over her face and her tail tucked up within her cloak, which she pulled tightly closed in the front. Lantressa kept her head down and her identity as they traveled, it wouldn't do for the "doctors" to realize who she might be, if they had any reason to know of her, Korri, and Teo. With their plan, such as it was, in place she was ready as she'd ever be to get in there and finish this.
Korriban pushes open the door to the hospice, and the six of you head on in. You find yourselves in a small room, just ten feet deep and fifteen feet wide. The stinging scent of alcohol and medicine floods this dingy reception room, an odor typical of hospices--and morgues. Across from the entrance sits a long wooden desk, beyond which a stained leather curtain covers an archway, muffling from the room beyond.
Half a dozen citizens huddle in chairs scattered about the room, all showing various symptoms of the plague--some quite advanced. A burly woman, apparently healthy and with a black cloth tied over her nose and mouth, sits behind the desk, reading something. "Take a seat an' I'll come round to get your names in a sec--oh, doctor," she says, glancing up and seeing Korriban for the first time. Standing, she continues, "Sorry, don't let me interrupt. You can...hold on." She squints. "Weren't no one left during the day today...an' who are all these? You don't look like any of the doctors I've met...What's goin' on here?!" Her hand strays toward the hilt of the rapier at her side, though she makes no move to draw it or attack just yet.
Korriban stays calm as he says in a slightly Cheliaxian accent, "I am a recent recruit. Her Majesty noticed that the plague has been spreading quite rapidly and decided that more Physicians were needed. So I was called in." He gestures to Cristina. "She, as a member of the Sable Company, had taken the task of leading me to the Hospice." He gestures to Callie, Riceak, and Lantressa. "They were hired to be my security detail. These are dangerous times, ma'am. And there are notorious gangs roaming the streets and riots going on. I figured that it would be best for one of the Queen's Physicians to have some added protections, especially since I'm alone. Field Marshall Kroft personally recommended them." He finally gestures to Teodor. "I have been tasked to come here and to be caught up on the current situation. There is also a specific individual that I have been asked to see. A Ms. Anca Niculescu. This priest and I need to see her. Now, if you be so kind as to bring me up to speed and bring us to Ms. Niculescu. Time is of the essence."
Callie clears her throat a little and makes sure her pseudodragon's mark can be seen. "There is a new development, and we would not want to report any delays in its resolution to either the crown or the guard, given all the uncertainty in the city." She gives a meaningful glance to the woman.
The woman pauses, frowning, beneath her mask. "Well, that does make sense...an' I know a pseudodragon mark when I see one, so Kroft must be comin' around to th'doctors. Huh, I'm surprised--thought she didn't much like 'em."
She plops back down into her chair. "Well, go on in, doc. And yer guest. Whoever yer lookin' for will be in the ward there." She gestures over her shoulder into the archway blocked by the leather curtain. "The rest of you, thanks fer bringin' the man here--now I wouldn't stick around too long if I were you. Nasty business, these sick bastards." She eyes the nearest sick woman beadily, clearly not liking being in such close proximity.
"Aye, very well. This is Officer Pierce of the Sable Guard. She and my, ehhh, altar girl in the cloak will be accompanying the good doctor and I for a routine inspection. The brute in the armor is security, why i jeed it, I have no idea.Say, miss, you look a bit flushed. Have you experienced any disorientation, gas pains, general malaise, depression, paranoia, or chest pains?" Teodor begins to examine the receptionist.
"Aye, very well. This is Officer Pierce of the Sable Guard. She and my, ehhh, altar girl 'Hotlips Houllighan in the cloak will be accompanying the good doctor Trapper John and I for a routine inspection. The brute in the armor is security, name of Klinger, why i need it, I have no idea. The pseudodragon official is Colonel Potter. Say, miss, you look a bit flushed. Have you experienced any disorientation, gas pains, general malaise, depression, paranoia, or chest pains?"
Korriban listens to the nurse's explanation and nods. However, he allows Teodor to introduce everyone. He looks in interest as Teodor examines the nurse for symptoms. He says, "Really? Do tell, priest. If she's sick, then it is my duty to try and cure her."
"S+#$. I look flushed? Really?" The sturdy-looking nurse seems momentarily panic-stricken, and she flinches away from Teodor and Korriban's "examination." "Leamme alone! I'll...I'm not sick. I ain't got that thing! I ain't even touched any of these saps!" She eyes Korriban warily. "An' you're a lot more...enthusiastic...than the rest of that lot. Good on ya, I guess, but...s~$@, you really think I'm not looking well?" There's a note of genuine worry in her voice.
The woman seems to be writhing in indecision for a second, but then shakes her head grimly. "Nah, 'tain't worth it. You lot, I'm gonna take off early--the doctors'll see you if they see you. But I ain't about t'stick around here and catch plague from you!" Several of the invalids in the waiting room begin to protest as the woman gathers her coat and makes her way to the exit, but her glares--and, in more than one case, racking coughs on the protesters' parts--silence them. The woman pauses in the doorway of the warehouse. "Don't go makin' trouble now, yah hear?"
Then she's gone...
"That poor girl, I hope she's all right," Callie says, in hopefully reasonably convincing tones to any who might be listening. She looks to Riceak, winking at him at an angle only he can see. "We'd best be sure she report in if she does show signs of the plague... later. Now to the case at hand..."
She waits to follow the good doctor and the priest.
Korriban watches as the nurse freaks out and leaves. At the protesters' shouting, he turns to the others and whispers, "Should we have the people in the waiting room leave as well?"
When everyone is ready to go, Korriban leads the way to the leather curtain.
Callie shakes her head, whispering back, "That would look weird, if someone came in to an empty room."
Korriban nods. "Alright then. We move on." He heads to the curtain.
Korriban, leading the way, pushes through the leather curtain as the baffled, sick people in the waiting room stare around worriedly. The warehouse's vast interior has been converted into one giant convalescent ward. The stench of alcohol, sickness, and waste chokes the breath, and tight rows of low, stained cots cram the stone-floored hall. Every bed is filled with a pitiful story--men and women of all walks groaning and wheezing as they're consumed by blood veil, their sufferings multiplied by the echoing chamber. There must be threescore cots in here, every one occupied.
Among the sick, four masked and jacketed Queen's Physicians move, looking for all the world like great birds looming over the men and women on the beds. They all freeze, staring at you, as you enter, but after a tense moment they turn back to their duties. Two Gray Maidens in the northeast corner of the room seem likewise intent on you, but not for the moment likely to act; they simply watch you closely, blank helms turning to follow you as you move through the room.
Korriban looks at the Physicians and the Maidens, eyeing them warily. He hears something above. He looks up to see two more Maidens watching them. He looks at them and says (in his faux accent), "Hello. I am a new Physician, recently hired by Her Majesty. These people are part of my security detail that the Field Marshall had recommended for my protection while walking through the streets to the Hospice alone. I am also accompanied by a priest and a member of the Sable Company who had volunteered to bring me here. She asked me to start working by bringing someone to her to see how we are progressing. She asked for a Ms. Anca Niculescu. Would someone please bring me to her?"
Lantressa allowed Korriban and Teodor to do the talking, they were doing just fine so far in getting them inside. Bluffing the nurse nearly set her to laughing but she managed not to do so, if only barely, it was a good thing her cloak was closed up so well or her expression would have given it all away. As the nurse scurried off and Lantressa followed into the patient area she snuck a look up through her hood and saw the doctors in the room but was relieved to see they chose to ignore this strange retinue. Maybe it wasn't so strange after all, at least to them, the two grey maiden's were another matter entirely but with her cloak up like it was she didn't notice anything else that bothered her.
The Gray Maidens don't seem to be bothered by the speech at all, but all of the Physicians freeze once more when Korriban speaks up. They turn to look at your party, very slowly. Only the masks move. Then, finally, one of them speaks in a low, deep voice. It's unnerving, seeming to issue from the mask without a mouth visible.
"This man is an impostor. Gray Maidens, we rely on you to do your duty and protect our name."
The two Maidens in the northeast end of the room move immediately, drawing their swords as they do so. As they stride forward, the one in the lead says, "You, in the mask--remove that gear, raise your hands, and kneel. Impersonating a Queen's Physician is punishable by death. The rest of you, begone--you may not have known what this con man was up to, but you're not allowed back here. Return to your homes before curfew."
Callie takes a step away from Korriban, gasping in shock at the "sudden revelation." She turns to Teo and Cristina, "But the Queen's orders... what do we do?" And as she leans toward them as if to await an answer, she whispers sotto voce to them, "Get ready to grab her and run."
Then to buy the others time, Callie steps forward addresses the physicians and maidens, "Fellow citizens and honored guard... like you, we ARE representatives of the City and the Crown--as you say we have been tricked, but we DO have our orders, and he must want this woman for some reason. If you hasten to execute the law, we may lose an opportunity to uncover conspiracy against Korvosa--and report the important details back to our respective authorities."
Riceak kept an eye out for trouble while keeping mouth shut.
Spotting the Gray Maidens, the Varisian swordsman felt their eyes staring at him...or more accurately glaring at him through their helms. In return, he glared back.
He then realized that Korriban had dropped the ball. Shrugging his shoulders, knowing that no one was perfect, he moved Into the guards' blind spot. He withdrew his sword and shield.
He smiled a bit, saying, "I have a better idea: how about you shut up and tell us what is really going on here or else this priest will summon an army of celestials down upon this place."
"Buh--what?!? Imposters and threats of violence? Grey Maidens, I implore thee in the name of our blessed queen and all she loves, escort these ruffians out of here! This is madness!" Teodor separates himself from Korriban and Riceak.
Korriban is shocked that he's been found out. 'S**t! Not good! Need to get out of this situation!' He is stunned as the Maidens come for him, Teodor stepping away form him, Callie's trying to talk their way out, and Riceak stepping forward with threats. He shuffles behind the warrior and says, "Hold on now! I'm sorry! I didn't want to do this! Someone put me up to it! It's not my fault!"
Callie inwardly groans, especially at Riceak's aggression--she was hoping they could get out of this without combat, especially when the girl's life is at stake and other sick patients may be exposed to danger--even if they could move it to a smaller area without civilians that would have been better. She realizes he figures they've been caught, better to eliminate witnesses, but she has trouble thinking so ruthlessly herself. She backs away from him and well, stays standing on the side of Teo and Cristina (), looking on in shock--and begins examining the room for exits as well as assessing how many innocent civilians might accidentally be exposed to combat should it fully break out. Most importantly: can she figure out who Anca is and drag her to safety in the worst case scenario?
But she has no effing clue, there are just too many sick people in the room and the fever all has them looking pale and awful.
As more begin to protest, she thinks, not too many stories! Lies can't be elaborate! (even though she is impressed with Teo and Korriban's convincing degree of subterfuge). As such she decides to say nothing more, and just gets ready to run or fight as needed.
The jig was up, that much was obvious despite their best efforts and as much as she might prefer to avoid a conflict just now she wasn't leaving Korriban to die here either. Still, Lantressa thought this could be used to their advantage, if the doctor's and Grey Maidens came close enough she thought she could do something to help drastically even the odds. For now she said nothing but stepped back with Callie hoping she would be assumed by their foes to be in retreat.
When Riceak makes his threat, all of the Physicians' eyes snap to him. The Gray Maidens, swords now drawn, watch the rest of the group scramble away from Riceak as Korriban hides behind the armored man, protesting his innocence. The closest swordswoman levels her sword at the two men. "Enough! We're taking you both for questioning right now. Citizens, stay back or help us apprehend this scum!" With that, they move to attack!
The Gray Maidens start heading toward Korriban and Riceak, as the Physicians get out of the way. The warrior women seem completely focused on the two men they believe to be intruders--who both, fortunately, are fast on their feet!
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Riceak<----
Foes and Cristina
Callie, Teodor
Gray Maidens: HP: 27 each | AC/T/FF: 22/11/21 | Fort +4 Ref +2 Will +2; +1 vs. fear | CMD: 17
Physicians: HP: 23 each | AC/T/FF: 16/14/12 | Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +1; +2 vs. nauseating scents | CMD: 18
Riceak realizes that maybe threatening these villains with the might of a celestial army might actually have been a bad idea.
"Teodor, I know you don't like celestials and all, but seriously, just this once, please in the name of all that is holy with your deity, summon some celestials. Also, if I ever threaten anyone with a celestial army again, feel free to bash my head in, because I think by doing so with this group of vilains, I just made myself a huge freaking target," the swordsman said as he raised his shield to protect the others from the Queen's Physicians and the Gray Maidens.
"That madman is talking to himself! Get them away from the patients!"
Teodor cowers back.
Lantressa saw a chance to make all of this much easier on them. All of the guards and doctors here needed to be dealt with and so she chose to play the part of an innocent dupe like she had been. She stayed back with the others and waited, waited for the number of doctors and grey maidens in the area to become greater before she cast her spell.
Korriban grumbles before just reaching into his coat and drawing his rapier, the blade glinting in the light.
As Riceak raises his shield as Korriban, next to him, draws his concealed rapier. This draws the attention of the nearest Physicians, who start back. "He carries a blade!" one of them calls. "He is not one of us!"
The two Gray Maidens on the catwalks put arrows to their bowstrings, and Riceak curses--but keeping an eye on them, he manages to deflect both arrows with his shield, the points clattering harmlessly on the floor. As the Physicians back away, clearly wishing no part of the fight, the two Gray Maidens on the ground stride forward. The beds work against them--they can only close the distance. One moves into striking distance of Riceak, raising her blade.
As she does so, Cristina curses. "Sorry about this. I'm far from convinced that this is the right thing--but I need my sister." Striding forward, she aims at the Gray Maiden attacking Riceak--but that woman turns her shield and deflects the crossbow bolt, which plunges into the throat of a sick patient struggling to sit up next to her! Cristina gasps in horror as the man goes down, gurgling.
Teodor sidles away from Riceak and Korriban...and coincidentally, up to the bed Anca lies in, eyelids fluttering.
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Riceak
Foes and Cristina
Callie, Teodor<-----
Physicians: HP: 23 each | AC/T/FF: 16/14/12 | Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +1; +2 vs. nauseating scents | CMD: 18
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Callie does not yet draw her weapon (of course she knows she can draw it in an instant), but follows Teodor as if to shield the priest from the chaos. "That Gray Maiden just killed that patient!" she shouts loudly.
Then she begins to speak, more evenly, projecting her voice less shoutily but still boldly, "Listen well, my friends, for Korvosa's a city built on victory built off misunderstanding--and failures built on its own people in-fighting. Those who rise above petty difference to protect the innocent are who make this city great! Do you remember Cassio, the lowly guardsman who a century ago brought low the chamberlain who was quietly whipping up rebellion against the Crimson Throne..."
With their foes not coming close enough to become choice targets Lantressa sighed, she'd hoped they'd be stupid but it seemed there was no such luck. The sight of the grey maiden murdering a patient with a deflected bolt made the tiefling see sparks as she cried out, "You b$&+%!" She looked at the other Grey Maiden near Korriban who hadn't engaged yet and began chanting, when she finished and released her spell the armored woman felt a sudden feeling of friendship towards Lantressa as the tiefling, still concealed, said, "Your sister in arms there," she pointed to the Grey Maiden who just killed a patient, "murdered that patient with an intentionally deflected projectile. You must deal with her crime immediately."
Callie begins a rousing battle speech, as Lantressa casts a spell toward one of the Gray Maidens. That one staggers, slightly, looking confused, but then raises her sword. "Beware, sister!" she cries. "They have foul magic on their side as well!"
Initiative
Korriban, Riceak, Lantressa<-----
Foes and Cristina
Callie, Teodor
Riceak yelled out to his companions, "Fall back! Fall back! We have to keep away from the patients! Those who can shot arrows or bolts, concentrate on enemy archers! I'll take care of the ones on our level!"
He positioned himself into a defensive stance.
Riceak spotted an opening and took it!
Heeding Riceak's advice, Korriban moves to the wider aisle between the beds. Looking at the Maiden engaged with the warrior, the rogue shouts, "Hey! You! Yeah, you! Look at you! You think you're tough? Then why the armor? Afraid of taking a hit?"
As Lantressa casts her spell and the Maiden shakes it off, Riceak raises his shield and lunges at the nearest Maiden. His blow manages to barely clear her shield, striking her in the shoulder with a resounding *clang!* and a brief spark. Korriban circles around the woman, taunting and feinting, distracting her.
The woman that Riceak struck stabs at him, but he raises his shield in time to block the blow; the other Gray Maiden, however, closes the distance between them and, as he struggles with the one in front, manages to land a glancing strike on his back. His armor absorbs most of the blow, but not all of it. An arrow whizzes by his head, while another catches Korriban in the shoulder. Cristina returns fire, moving slowly closer to the north side of the room as she reloads her crossbow. Her bolt catches the Maiden who shot Korriban in the side of the head, sending her reeling. The physicians remain hovering near the north side of the room, watching the combat apparently impassively.
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Riceak
Foes and Cristina
Callie, Teodor<----
Gray Maidens: HP: 20 green, Blue 27 with 9 nonlethal, 27 others | AC/T/FF: 22/11/21 | Fort +4 Ref +2 Will +2; +1 vs. fear | CMD: 17
Physicians: HP: 23 each | AC/T/FF: 16/14/12 | Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +1; +2 vs. nauseating scents | CMD: 18
"And so Cassio had to fight his way through so-called loyal guards who were in the service clearly of someone's purse, and not Korvosa..."
Callie points at the Gray Maiden. "And you madam, clearly have no regard for the lives of the people of this city either!"
A slippery grease forms on the Maiden's crossbow, making it hard to hold onto.
She moves up ahead of Teodor, standing defensively ahead of him so the physician cannot engage.
Teodor uses the wand to cure Anca.
As Callie continues her oration, she points at one of the Maidens on the catwalk and the woman curses as her longbow is suddenly slicked in oil, spurting from her hands and off the catwalk to land on the floor twenty feet below with a clatter! Teodor, turning from the combat, leans over the supine form of his sister, waving the wand slowly over her body as he casts the spell. Anca's eyes, previously closed, flutter open slowly and she gazes up at him. "Te-Teodor? Is that...really you?"
The Physician facing Callie stiffens as Teodor performs his magic on Anca, and snaps his head to the left. He makes a series of short, jerky hand gestures to the other Physicians, and they all nod.
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Riceak<----
Foes and Cristina
Callie and Teodor
Gray Maidens: HP: 20 green, Blue 27 with 9 nonlethal, 27 others | AC/T/FF: 22/11/21 | Fort +4 Ref +2 Will +2; +1 vs. fear | CMD: 17
Physicians: HP: 23 each | AC/T/FF: 16/14/12 | Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +1; +2 vs. nauseating scents | CMD: 18
Seeing the opportunity, Korriban stabs at the Gray Maiden engaged with Riceak.
Lantressa glared at the Grey Maiden who resisted her spell and said, "You should have done as you were told, now you are in abrogation of the law and we have to do this the hard way." With that she chanted, a series of words and gestures that seemed to imply slowing down, and the two closest opponents felt themselve begin to respond much slower than normal.
Both of the Gray Maidens attacking Riceak stagger slightly, suddenly moving in slow motion--the opening gives Riceak a chance to deal a mighty blow! His blade strikes the maiden in front of him in the ribs, and then he carefully steps back, seeing the other one closing in from his flank. Korriban's stab, unfortunately, is completely deflected by the woman's plate armor.
The two gray maidens on the ground advance on Riceak, but thanks to their magical delay, he easily wards off their blows with shield and blade. The woman on the catwalks who dropped her longbow curses, and dashes down the catwalk, clanking in her armor as she runs east along the catwalk. The other one calmly maneuvers around the corner, nocks another arrow, and sends it flying at Riceak to no avail--it just glances off his helm. A patient lying nearby screams as the stray arrow enters his side.
The Physicians are moving now, albeit in eerie silence. The one closest to Callie darts between the beds, warily circling around her, and closes with Teodor, drawing a short, stout club from his belt! He manages to catch Teodor off-guard as Anca wakes up, and whacks him across the back of the head. The other three hustle through the beds, boots thudding on the floorboards and leather belts whispering as they draw clubs, but otherwise are silent.
Cristina snarls as several of them close with her--one of them actually running past as he makes his way toward Teodor--and reloads her crossbow. Stepping away to keep her distance, she aims at the wounded Gray Maiden. "Sorry about this, but we've got to stop this violence somehow, and you people aren't listening to reason." Her bolt catches in one of the maiden's plate mail buckles, but doesn't seem to actually punch through.
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Riceak
Foes and Cristina
Callie and Teodor<----
Gray Maidens: HP: 9 green, Blue 27 with 9 nonlethal, 27 others | AC/T/FF: 22/11/21 (green and red 21/10/20) | Fort +4 Ref +2 (green and red +1) Will +2; +1 vs. fear | CMD: 17
Physicians: HP: 23 each | AC/T/FF: 16/14/12 | Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +1; +2 vs. nauseating scents | CMD: 18
Callie's eyes widen in anger as the physician scrambles over patients (her interpretation) to attack Teodor. She shouts as loud as she can so people in the waiting room and throughout the building can hear her. Her sword springs into her hand and as she approaches the physician who struck Teodor (while also carefully stepping past the beds), she holds the weapon over her head and spins it skillfully in the air to display her prowess and her might (without risking accidentally hitting a patient nearby).
"You are obstructing the healing of blood veil and in violation of the law! Clearly YOU are the impostors here! All of you! Step away from the patients and our contingent AT ONCE or you are under arrest by the authority vested in us by the Korvosan Guard!"
"Such brazen corruption I have not seen since Cassio..." She segues back to her tale.
"It's me, sister. And Cristina. And some crazy s~&#. Stay down--OW!" Teodor exclaims as the physician clubs him. "Rude!" He swings his flail at his attacker's legs, bringing him to the ground.
Callie's shout and whirling sword nearly bring the battle to a halt as the Physicians nearby start back, cowering away from her, and the Gray Maidens' attention snaps to her. "They're all in cahoots!" one of the Maidens cries. "Sister, take down that swordswoman!"
The distraction gives Teodor the opening to sweep the Physician's legs with his flail. The man makes a wild swing at Teodor with his club, but goes down with a crash!
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Riceak<----
Foes and Cristina
Callie and Teodor
Gray Maidens: HP: 9 green, Blue 27 with 9 nonlethal, 27 others | AC/T/FF: 22/11/21 (green and red 21/10/20) | Fort +4 Ref +2 (green and red +1) Will +2; +1 vs. fear | CMD: 17
Physicians: HP: 23 each | AC/T/FF: 16/14/12 | Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +1; +2 vs. nauseating scents | CMD: 18 | Green is prone
All are shaken.
Lantressa felt her magic take hold on the grey maidens and turned her focus to the doctors. She cast the same spell again and laid it over several of the supposed men of medicine before closing on another to help support Teodor.