Istas leads the advance through the bedframes and mist. When she breaks into clear air she can see a long room. It is clear of obstructions for about half its length, then there is a small barricade of beds behind which stand two Grey Maidens with drawn bows. Behind them a large crowd of obviously ill patients, mills, slumps, and lies on the floor. Two Queen's Physicians are trying to herd them through a door in the far wall.
Round 1 :
Keliwyn, 24
Emerion, 23
Queen;s Physicians: 19
Maidens, 16
Heather, 15
Jeorik, 14
Istas, 9
Map The archer's barricade is 15' down from the door.
Emerion rushes the barricade and attempts to vault or leap it in order to attack a Gray Maiden on the other side:
Acrobatics:
Attack: Damage:
Crit Confirm: Damage:
The lead members of the party burst from the fog. The archers seem to be confused. At least they don't fire immediately. Once clear of the beds, Emerion rushes past Istas and attacks a Grey Maiden archer. His rapier slides through the gap in her plate under her arm. She winces and cries out in pain but continues fighting.
(The other Maiden archer is bandaged. )
Keliwyn slips from behind Istas and leaps the barricade as well, and with teeth clenched, takes on the other Grey Maiden.
Acrobatics
Attack Damage
The point of Keliwyn's rapier glances off the maiden's armoued chest.
The two Queen's Physicians stop herding patients and rush toward the fight.
From the right side of the door a third Grey Maiden charges to intercept Emerion; from the left a Queen's Physician dashes in to take Keliwyn.
Emerion -- Long Sword attack .. damage
Keliwyn -- Club attack .. damage
The Maiden archers loose their arrows.
Istas -- Longbow attack .. damage
Keliwyn -- Longbow attack .. damage
The hovering bone next to Istas whips around to knock away the Gray Maiden's arrow, deflecting it before it can pierce her body. As it clatters to the ground, Istas fixes the unfortunate archer with a stern gaze.
"Never target a servant of death, unless you're ready to die," she warns, "For the Lady of Graves is with me. And your time has come."
Heather lets fly with Magic Missiles at the bandaged Maiden.
Istas quickly moves through the melee, closing on the archers to keep them occupied and prevent them from indiscriminately firing on her friends. As she rushes up to them, she keeps her shield ready to ward off one while she reaches out to touch the other with her open hand.
"Bleed!" she demands, calling once more upon the power of Pharasma.
The bandaged Maiden reels under the impact of Heather's missiles and falls backward.
Drawing his longsword as he goes, Jeorik follows the others through the mist and tables. He engages the Queen's Physician attacking Keliwyn. The long sword rises ...
.. damage
And sweeps down outside the man's shoulder, a clean miss.
Round 2
Heather throws a further set of Missiles at the second maiden archer...then grabs a scroll from her belt pouch.
move action to draw scroll.
Emerion moves onto the defensive, fighting the maiden swrodswoman .
Feint (Bluff): vs 10 + Attack Bonus or 10 + Sense Motive Skill, success and they are flat-footed.
Attack: Damage: + Sneak Attack
Threat Confirm: Damage:
Keliwyn continues to press the attack, rapier weaving in front of him.
Bluff/feint
Attack
Damage
feint damage
Confirm Crit
Crit Damage
Emerion wheels and skewers the Swordswoman. Her sword tumbles from gripless fingers. Her shield glances off his forearm as that arm falls nervelessly.
Keliwyn hurdles the barricade to press the attack against the Maiden archer. She tries to sweep his rapier aside with her bow as she draws her sword, but her parry is high and the rapier slides into her lower abdomen.
The Queen's Physicians wordlessly continue the fight.
The first tries a blow to Jeorik's head ...
Club ..
The second tries a low blow to the back of Keliwyn's knee ...
Club ..
The third closes with Istas, club raised and swings downward at the cleric ...
Club ..
Seeing the archers go down Heather does indeed turn her attention to the nearest 'Doctor'
Jeorik's foe goes down under a barrage of magic missiles. He steps over the body to take on one of the two incoming Physicians.
.. damage
crit .. damage
The sword cleaves shoulder and sternum. The doctor falls to the ground.
The priestess leaves aside the Gray Maiden dying at her feet and turns for the last remaining doctor. With a now-practiced maneuver, she pushes into her opponent with her shield and then reaches past it to mark the physician with her outstretched hand, calling upon Pharasma to take the life from these spreaders of disease.
"People do not fear!" Emerion shouts, "these 'doctors' have been as cultists of Urgothea, spreading sickness, not healing it!" He tries to quell any rising panic among the sick.
Diplomacy:
The Queen's Physician twists away, but cannot evade Istas' hand. He jerks at her touch then drops bleeding to the floor.
Most of these patients don't have the energy to be excited. Without the Doctors herding them, most choose to sit, lie down, or even collapse where they stand.
They stink. Boils, open sores, and bloody coughs are common. Many have the reddish tinge of those near death.
Perception DC 17, Heal DC 12:
"I think that's all of them," Keliwyn says as he takes in the room and its occupants.
Perception
"I think that's all of them," Keliwyn says as he takes in the room and its occupants.
"Only those who chose to make a stand here," Istas notes aloud, "I fear we haven't yet unmasked the root of this treachery. But perhaps we'll learn more on the whereabouts of the cult and Lady Andaisin after we interrogate the survivors and the corpse of Davaulus. After all, Pharasma's brought us this far in our investigation. I'm certain she'll lead us further still to undo Urgathoa's taint on the city."
With that, the priestess busies herself with assessing the patients.
"I'm afraid these folk are in the final throes of bloodveil," she callously announces, "There's little we can do, aside from making their final hours the least bit more bearable."
"Jeorik? Emerion?" she asks, "Let's bind these Maidens and I'll ensure none lose their lives for this folly."
Emerion moves to bind the wounds of the maidens who may still be living:
Heal:
He then moves on to see where the poor souls were being herded ...
"Let us be careful not to be drawn too deeply into this place..else we find that we are outmatched."
Istas:
Istas is quite right. All of the fifteen patients here are terribly weak. The excitement seems to have been too much for three of them. They lie dead on the floor near the door. As the adrenaline in the others' blood ebbs, so does their strength. Shortly all of them are back in the few remaining beds or on the floor.
One Maiden survives.
The room into which the patients were being pushed seems to be a combination of office and laboratory. Blood, bile, and other humors bubble away within oddly formed beakers and twisted tubes. Bookshelves and cabinets lines the walls and any wall space left unobscured is covered by worn parchments depicting magnified aspects of human anatomy in grisly detail—many pierced with pins and flags like the war maps of a veteran campaigner. In the corner, a desk of elegantly carved white ash bears the image of a herd of antelope, but the stains of dark chemicals and gore disfigures the once-beautiful piece.
The room is roughly 30 by 40'. There are no other doors or windows.
With a sigh Emerion begins to search through the documents and desk carefully, being wary of trapped or hidden compartments.
Perception: (+1 for trapfinding)
The doctor's desk is not trapped and has no secret compartments. On top of a stack of papers lies a very fine dagger with a jeweled hilt. The papers are working notes on Bloodveil, including lists of victims by age, race, sex, presentation of symptoms, and mortality. A week ago they note that "ironically Varisians have a lower mortality rate than Cheliaxians. Arkminos is right. Damn him. We must work on this." Davaulus' notes from yesterday conclude, "... the new strains work faster. Rolth's latest strain frightens even me, but Varisians still show resistance. "
Perception DC 16:
What else would you like to do here?
Heathers eyes widen slightly as Emerion reads the notes out..then narrow dangerously "Rolth!" she makes the name sound like a curse.."again our paths cross his..We must find him, and put a stop to his wickedness once and for all"
Perception
her eyes range around the ward.."All these poor folk are of Varisian blood..and from that document it would seem that they are deliberatly targetting my fathers people.This is no disease, this is genocide"
Perception:
"Well we already knew that," Emerion snorts, "but now we have damning evidence in his own hand - and the implications of others - as well as his confession before us all. Jeorik, you must take custody of these, as our Guard member. We have to show them to the commanders as swiftly as possible. In the meantime, these poor folk must be isolated in here - if they have this new 'strain' they may spread it like wildfire."
Knowledge (local):
Knowledge (nobility):
Emerion:
"Time to make our report to the Guards and Marines, then! I can't believe we have them all, though, there have to be more. As for Rolth, they've cut the bridges to the Old City - everything has gone to hell there, and if we aren't arrested for violently protecting these poor people, then I don't doubt that's our next task."
"Before we meet with guard, I should fill you all in on what I know," Keliwyn suggests. "I suggest we maybe return to the gray district first, so we can catch up, deliver the doctor to the pharasmen, and take care of our personal needs first."
"Yes dear..you need a bath for one thing."
"The guard are already surrounding this place," Emerion tells the elf, "and some of the maidens have escaped - remember they have the authority to command any guardsman. We will have to move fast to get our own evidence before reputable men before we are accused of high treason."
Heather's eyes widen slightly as Emerion reads the notes out..then narrow dangerously. "Rolth!" she makes the name sound like a curse, "Again our paths cross his. We must find him, and put a stop to his wickedness once and for all!"
"He's got to be the enabler of this cult," Istas surmises, "A necromancer who washed out from the Acadamae for his terrible experiments? That's what the Field Marshall told us when we went looking for Gaekhen's body to return it to Thousand Bones. Then, Davaulus brings bloodveil to Korvosa. Everyone we've interviewed keep telling us of a Lady Andaisin? These have to be the principal players in this tragedy. We've got Davaulus now. Perhaps we find this Rolth next? And then, we root out the cult's leader and Urgathoa's faithful."
"All these poor folk are of Varisian blood...and from that document, it would seem they are deliberatly targeting my father's people. This is no disease, this is genocide."
"It's a bit unusual for Urgathoans to limit the spread of their epidemics," Istas shares, "The document claims Varisians have proven more resistant to various strains than Chelaxians. To me, that implies they aren't specifically targeting Varisians. They're simply trying to make it so they're equally susceptible. Perhaps these patients were kept here for further study and experimentation? We already know Rolth engaged in such things...though, usually with the dead rather than the diseased. So, I wonder who this Arkminos might be? Another accomplice in the cult? He must be quite the expert to have identified the Varisian resistance to bloodveil as compared to the rest of Korvosa's citizens. Doctor Davaulus seems to have begrudgingly accepted Arkminos' diagnosis of the situation...and apparently, a new, more virulent strain has been prepared by him. I can only conclude this, too, must be another servant of Lady Andaisin."
"...now we have damning evidence in his own hand - and the implications of others - as well as his confession before us all. Jeorik, you must take custody of these, as our Guard member. We have to show them to the commanders as swiftly as possible. In the meantime, these poor folk must be isolated in here - if they have this new 'strain' they may spread it like wildfire."
"I don't believe it's safe to leave anyone here," Istas responds, "There is much still to explore in this hospital. Though we've climbed the stairs, I suspect more chambers lie below. A basement, perhaps? Or, given Rolth's preference to hide his activities in the warrens below the cemetery of Potter's Ward, another series of tunnels and caves, maybe?"
"Ordinarily, I'd say we need to get these people out of here. Unfortunately, some wouldn't survive being moved and they would most certainly slow us down. This is the sadness and despair that Urgathoa's sickness invokes. It weakens the will of caretakers like us to see so much suffering and feel so powerless to help them. In truth, the best help we can provide right now is to those who haven't yet become infected. We've got to focus on getting those who played a part in spreading this disease into the hands of trustworthy guardsmen and out of the picture. Then, we can go after the leaders. And, only after they too are eliminated, can we finally...safely...turn our attention back to caring for the ill and nursing them back to health."
"Time to make our report to the Guards and Marines, then! I can't believe we have them all, though, there have to be more. As for Rolth, they've cut the bridges to the Old City - everything has gone to hell there, and if we aren't arrested for violently protecting these poor people, then I don't doubt that's our next task."
"Our next task is to come back here, explore the rest of this place, and finish what we started. My only worry is that more of Urgathoa's faithful might escape during this reprieve. When we make our case to the Guard, perhaps we can encourage them to block off the hospital? As long as no one is allowed to leave, we should be able to return better prepared for the task at hand...and assured that our enemies are still waiting for us."
"Before we meet with Guard, I should fill you all in on what I know," Keliwyn suggests. "I suggest we maybe return to the Gray District first, so we can catch up, deliver the doctor to the Pharasmin, and take care of our personal needs first."
"The guard are already surrounding this place," Emerion tells the elf, "And some of the Maidens have escaped - remember they have the authority to command any guardsman. We will have to move fast to get our own evidence before reputable men before we are accused of high treason."
"It's true we'll have to move quickly," Istas agrees, "We've all seen how foolishly dedicated the Gray Maidens have become. They're too blinded to question their orders or perceive the truth of our accusations against Davaulus. We'll need to choose carefully who to trust in this matter."
"Here's what I'd suggest: Unless you know otherwise, as far as I know, none of the Maidens escaped during the fight. We've either killed or captured those who faced us. So, we need to convince the guardsman who aided us earlier to take them into custody. Or, if he refuses, we can take them with us. As long as we keep them subdued, that's all that matters. In the meantime, we also need the Guard to lock this place down. No one else enters. No one leaves. That's the only way I'll feel confident returning to the Gray District and leaving this task unfinished."
"I suspect the guardsman will need convincing to undertake this task without a direct order from the Field Marshall. If necessary, we could reach out to her for a simple 8-hour delay in reporting what we've done. That should be long enough for us to rest and regather our strength. And, if the guardsman...or the Field Marshall...need further convincing, we ask them to leave their men here to guard the hospital while we present our evidence back at the temple...which would include a ritual to speak with Davaulus' departed spirit, forcing him to answer our questions in front of them."
"Once they're satisfied with the truth, we come back here and we take the fight to these cultists once again. What do the rest of you think?"
The only Maiden that ran was the one on which Istas cast cause fear. She was on the catwalk. So, I had assumed she ran to join the other Maidens we took out in Davaulus' office.
Keep searching for hidden doors and passageways?
Perception:
"If we can get the documents here to the Field Marshal I imagine it will buy us all the time we need," Emerion suggests. "Whatever else we do, some provision has to be made for the sick in here - whoever can be spared from the other hospices, really."
"Kenan can make those arrangements he has connections with the healers.We should concentrate on getting our information to Marshal Croft and then returning here. But I warn you I have nothing left that can do any real damage..at the moment I'm a liablity not a help"
Keliwyn nods. "I suggest we split up. We need to report to Marshall Croft, but we also need to bring Davalaus' body back to the Grey District so it can be questioned. Hopefully, as Istas suggested, we can get the guard to block off the hospital while we are gone."
Looking for hidden doors and passageways, Emerion discovers a backpack bundled with some odds and ends hidden behind two hanging cloaks in the bottom of one of the cabinets. In the bundle are :
a chain shirt, rapier, 2 daggers, shortbow, beltpouch, thieves tools, bedroll, flask, waterskin, flint & steel, ink, pen, 50' rope & grappling hook, tanglefoot bag, and a climbing kit.
In the top of the cabinet are two shelves. The lower holds 14 mismatched daggers, a box full of cheap jewelry, a pair of matched throwing hammers, and a ribbon-like coil of steel with a handle.
The top shelf holds more bric a brac. Three vials, a small jar of ointment, seven assorted pieces of jewelry, a wand, and a rolled scroll, bound with a red ribbon and sealed with wax. The impression in the wax is a fly with markings resembling a skull on its back.
Istas, Jeorik, Heather : Perception DC 14
Keliwyn : Perception DC 10
There are no doors , secret, hidden or otherwise.
Perception
"My gear," Keliwyn exclaims upon seeing what Emerion has uncovered. "Thank you, Emerion! I had figured it was all lost."
Going through his stuff to make sure everything is there, Keliwyn stops and looks around the room, trying to determine if this is where he was drugged, beaten & interrogated. Regardless, memories come flooding back.
"The Red Mantis, assassins, are somehow connected to this. I had a run in with them, took my licks, and ended up here. They also have something to do with the missing Seneschal. I'm not sure how this is all tied together, but there are pieces we need to consider."
Keliwyn:
Dr. D's rapier feels very nice in use.
Details of this floor are familiar, but you were mostly somewhere else. Somewhere with stone walls.
Looking for hidden doors and passageways, Emerion discovers a backpack bundled with some odds and ends hidden behind two hanging cloaks in the bottom of one of the cabinets. In the bundle are: a chain shirt, rapier, 2 daggers, shortbow, beltpouch, thieves tools, bedroll, flask, waterskin, flint & steel, ink, pen, 50' rope & grappling hook, tanglefoot bag, and a climbing kit.
"Keliwyn? I believe these things belong to you, yes? Pharasma has indeed provided for us all, including you. First with our timely arrival to lift the bloodveil from you. And now, with the recovery of your things so you can aid us in throwing down these disease-ridden charlatans."
In the top of the cabinet are two shelves. The lower holds 14 mismatched daggers, a box full of cheap jewelry, a pair of matched throwing hammers, and a ribbon-like coil of steel with a handle.
"Unusual implements for a physician to own," Istas surmises, "Perhaps they were stealing from their patients as well?"
The top shelf holds more bric-a-brac. Three vials, a small jar of ointment, seven assorted pieces of jewelry, a wand, and a rolled scroll, bound with a red ribbon and sealed with wax. The impression in the wax is a fly with markings resembling a skull on its back.
"Perhaps Heather and I can make sense...and use?...out of these," Istas says. Her eyes are immediately drawn to the scroll and its wax seal."
"I believe this is the symbol of Urgathoa," the priestess announces, "Proof yet again that these 'doctors' are not what they'd have the city believe. We should present this to the Field Marshall and the Guard when we make our case. At the very least, I'm hoping it buys us enough time to secure their cooperation so we can prepare ourselves and explore this place further."
"My gear," Keliwyn exclaims upon seeing what Emerion has uncovered. "Thank you, Emerion! I had figured it was all lost....The Red Mantis, assassins, are somehow connected to this. I had a run in with them, took my licks, and ended up here. They also have something to do with the missing Seneschal. I'm not sure how this is all tied together, but there are pieces we need to consider."
"Assassins?" Istas questions, "So, this Lady Andaisin isn't simply content with targeting and weakening the populace. She has it in mind to actually assassinate someone? The Queen, perhaps? Or, the seneschal and the city's remaining leaders? I don't like the sound of all this..."
There are no doors, secret, hidden or otherwise.
"Looks like we've found all we can here. Let's regroup and consult with the Guard. Maybe they'll have the manpower to rescue and move these patients out of here. I daresay we don't, however."
"And, once we're clear of this place, Keliwyn can tell us more of what he knows while we prepare ourselves again to assault the rest of this place."
"Aye, we have enough that if it is placed before the authorities it's not us that'll hang - in any fair court, anyway," Emerion snorts. "Let's get back to them with this, then raise some mayhem in the Old City."
That seems odd. Where were the doctors trying to herd the patients? When we entered, I got the impression they were trying to move them somewhere. Did they intend to go past us and out the door?
Well, you've got about a dozen witnesses if you want to try to find out.
Emerion will ask his Varisian countrymen.
Diplomacy:
Heather casts detect magic on the assorted items.
Emerion's first interview doesn't start promisingly. The poor wretch is a young man with one eye swollen shut and bright scarlet patches on his cheeks who holds his arm up between the two of you and looks away at first, but after a little encouragement he opens up.
"I'm happy to see you mean us no *cough* harm, sir. When the injured Grey Maiden burst in here screaming murder -- well -- none of us thought we were long for this world." A short spate of laughter turns into more coughing and a wad of bloody phlegm. "The other Maidens took her outside for a bit and when they came back in they ordered the doctors to put us all in His Honor's chamber. Said there was a fight coming and they didn't want us to get hurt. The Doctors were none too pleased about moving us, they said there was no point to it. But the lead Maiden *points at the sword wielder by the outside door* she said she wanted a clear field for battle and no civilians hurt and she'd fill their bellies with steel if they didn't do as they were told."
"The doctors were spooked and not to gentle trying to get us into the room. Not that they were often gentle. They tried all sorts of cures and treatments -- always something new. They sure worked hard to heal us, but so many died."
"SO what do you all plan to do with us?"