aid
We found this one chained and raving. We are not so cruel as to leave him to his fate. We will keep him tied and under watch. If he proves to be one of them he will be slain, if not he could have valuable information.
Nameless steps forward. This man was shackled in the laundry, bound next to a corpse and a ghoul who was feasting on it. We couldn't just leave him there to be the next meal. There seems to be a ... spark ... of someone left inside him, regardless of what has happened. With a nod to Winter: We thought it best to bring him to you, Auditor Klaczka, as you are in the position of authority - and we certainly are in no position to condemn him. She pauses.
Is there anything of a spark left in me? ... Hello?
The oracle pauses briefly and then looks back to the bound man. He keeps going on about someone named "Zandalus".
Glancing to Yorke, Mrakala smiles. "I made the same argument to my compatriots not ten minutes ago, Sergeant. Specifically that he might be capable of a lot of harm. ...I wonder though, you say "follower of Zandalus," as if you know what that means. Would you mind sharing that information? I haven't heard the name before. Perhaps we can work together to do...something...about this if our allies insist on bringing him into our midst."
"We'll help keep an eye on him," Yordan says. "For now, we have some blankets and sheets and things from the laundry. Let's just inspect them out here, though, before we bring them in. Something small and nasty might be hiding in them." He rubs his upper arm with a grimace, and begins rapidly unfolding sheets and examining both sides before refolding them and handing them onwards.
You know him? Can you tell us anything about him?
"One of the inmates? That's more than disturbing..and I take it this man was one of the guards or other employees?"
Looking back to Fitz and the others, Mrakala frowns. "It's not something hiding on him that I'm terrified of. It's the idea he may be harboring a magical-based disease that spreads a madness of some kind through unknown methods."
Mrakala is more than willing to explain to her the large-sized choker on the ceiling, the evil force beyond the door in the laundry, the chained state of the ghoul and Jug, and the soul-sucked corpse that Yordan found.
Once the laundry is searched and stored away, Yordan resumes providing long-term care to the two stretcher cases and anyone else who may need it.
He also treats deadly wounds on himself (another use of healing kit, sigh).
He'll watch Jug to give other people a break and volunteer for either night guard if Winter trusts him adequately, or night watch on Jug for a few hours.
Finally, he listens and observes ongoing conversation and behavior to see if he can spot anything useful.
Fritz will carefully watch the man, keeping him tied, but providing him with water and some food.
he also tries to soothe him with music
string, but he is out of tune
Ghelik grabs some of the blankets and clean clothing and hands them out throughout the masses, This should make ye more comfortable.
Later, away from the general populous, Fritz, maybe we should talk with the others bout' the next steps...like how we git outta here?
Winter approaches Nameless. "Miss Rocksauce wants to see you. I've said she can meet with you in my office, as long as I'm present."
Miss ...? Rocksauce. Oh, yes. The Offspring. Nameless glances around and surreptitiously nods to the Auditor and motions for her to lead the way.
Yordan takes a break a couple of hours into the day, watching his patients' chests slowly rise and fall. He's done what he could for them, and now time must take its course.
Time.
How much time have I lost?
He stares again at his hands, older than he last remembers them, and tries not to think about the blackness under his skin. More scars. More calluses. More wear and tear.
He remembers the flash of an arrow burying itself in a man's chest.
I could have fired two. I could have missed. Why was I hunting him?
Still in the forests of Ustalav, that last chase he remembers. He knows the man's face, but not his name, or his crime. Only one thing...
Why was I hunting ... my brother?
Violently, he shakes his head, then twitches as the bruised muscles of his neck remember a strangling grasp, a choking lack of air, blackness covering his world...
He shakes his head again, more carefully.
Can't think about that. Or that. Or that. Or -- anything. Have to move forward. Have to find out what's ahead of me before I can find out what's behind.
"Kyleen! Fritz! Help me with these two a moment. Fritz, maybe you can do something about this boy's injury. Kyleen, let's try a sponge bath for the woman, see if we can bring on a sweat to help with her disease."
Kyleen's assist at DC10:
Heal check on the diseased woman, trying something different than yesterday:
Um ... Nameless glances up at Winter to gauge her reaction. She takes a seat and tries to offer a sincere smile to Rocksauce, then stares down at the front of the desk.
Yes. Everything you say is true. But ... the voices have almost become completely silent since ... since ... Nameless shudders and wraps her arms around herself. In a smaller voice: Since I tried to sleep on the couch. And the man in yellow by the foggy lake. And his fluttery pets ... I-I think he killed one of the voices. They've been quiet since. He said I was a 'thing of pieces'.
What does that even mean?! I'm not sure how any of this came to be. I'm not sure who I am. I'm not sure who my friends are -she gestures towards the office doorway, her voice betraying a panic. - and ... I don't even know why I'm here! She collapses in on herself, fighting back rising emotion, trying to grasp her situation.
Finally, in a monotone voice: Anything that can be done to help would be most welcome. The oracle with no name looks up at Rocksauce and Winter. This isn't a dream, too, is it? It feels like a nightmare.
Is the woman going to improve, or what's wrong with her?
Yordan is pretty much going to be busy all day doing long-term care, but he will be listening to what people say, how they look at us, and so on.
Quiet, quiet... watch the prey and their habits...
...why am I thinking of them as prey?
Looking up to Rocksauce, and her seemingly sane grin, Nameless sighs and speaks as though dragging a massive weight. It's not so terrible. Sometimes. But I just don't know what in the hells is happening. A pause. You seem ... different. Are you feeling better than when we found you in the office?
She reaches out and touches the side of your head. "Try to think about... nothing in particular."
Nameless eyes the younger girl warily and chews on her lower lip for a moment. She taps her temple: What do you plan to do in there? I, uh, don't suppose it could get much worse ... The older woman closes her eyes - leaning forward into Rocksauce's touch, attempting (most unsuccessfully) to clear her mind of the panic and disorientation of the past two days.
Ghelik is anxious to see what the Oracle has to say after her talk with Winter. He wants to talk with Winter as well but is willing to wait on that first.
At Yordan's request Fritz approaches and speaks
Dear woman, let the blessings of our lady bring you closer to health.
Lay on hands
Mrakala keeps his distance from "Jug" and keeps an eye on him.
Yordan asks around to see if anyone else is wounded or in need of tending.
|
When they get back, Kyleen once more finds a place where the children, and any others, can gather about her, and begins to tell a tale. Deciding that with all the horrors, those listening needs something to lighten their moods, her story is a tale of a fair maiden who befriended the rats and other creatures which most consider to be vermin. And then, with the aid of these creatures, managed to defeat a horrible menace that had taken over her town.
Perform(oratory):
While she is unsure of herself at first, the story just comes to her almost as though it were her unremembered story (perhaps it is), the valiant deeds, the sudden unexpected twists, and the defeat of those who wished to do the town harm, each being presented with more eloquence than the phrase before.
Yordan got a good night's sleep last night, so he will stay up and take first watch on Jug.
Sorry I forgot who is he temple dedicated too?
"First thing is, yes, you've lost a lot of memories. Normally that's because of some sort of... hurt, a trauma. And the damage is," she waves her hands around, trying to articulate something that doesn't have a word in Common, "ragged. Like a wound with crushing and ripping... I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset you. But there are usually bits of lost memories and feelings and, and connections. They're torn or crushed or distorted, but they're there.
"But not with you. Your memories are just... gone. Like they were... dissolved. It's very specific. Very... clean."
Nameless listens intently, noting Rocksauce's translation-seeking. After, she nods and sighs, shoulders slumping. That makes a lot of sense from my point of view, for many memories - I can follow them back to the point where we all woke up during the earthquake, and then there is just ... fluttering. At the last word, she shudders a bit.
"Second, you are," the hand thing again, "infested. You're picking up pieces of people. Not actual souls, though. More like fragments. Psychic impressions. Bits of memory and volition. I guess because you have this emptiness, and these things are attracted to it. You're like a... spiritual dust mop. You're picking up these things as you go along." She frowns, uncertain. "I think there's some sort of... something... a protection... that prevents them from being too harmful. You can gain them or lose them. They're real, though." She cocks her head. "Were you worried about that? They're really real, and they're not part of you."
An array of emotions passes over Nameless' face while the young psychic explains this to her, distrust, then thoughtfulness, then towards the end - relief. Is this true? Does she actually see this in my head? I wasn't sure if they were there. We *did* wake up in an asylum, after all ... of course that doesn't mean I wasn't here before ...
What caused this? Do you have any idea at all?
Winter (who has been watching silently this whole time) shifts uneasily, seems about to speak, and then thinks better of it. Rocksauce looks quickly at her. "It's not her fault. And I don't think she's dangerous."
Winter doesn't say anything, but you can almost hear her thinking: So you say.
Looking alarmed, Nameless turns to Winter. You thought *I* had something to do with the ... earthquake? The madness? The ... those ... dreams? Aghast, the oracle shakes her head vigorously. I may not have my memories, but I'm certainly not driving any of .. of this! She gestures sharply to the obvious situation everyone has found themselves in.
Please believe me, I want nothing but to get out of this place. But until then ... She pauses and looks to both Rocksauce and Winter, though avoiding their eyes. ... until then, I will do everything I can to insure we *all* make it out.
Assuming everyone is done, Nameless stands and looks to Rocksauce. Thank you. You have given me much to think on, and brought me a bit of peace. It's only been a couple of days, but it's felt like months ... And to Winter: Thank you for the privacy of your office. I don't know that I would want everyone hearing this.
Nameless leaves the office, looking a little shaken and pensive - looking no one in the eyes. At the offer of the chapel, she immediately takes the opportunity to get a bit of restful sleep.