Seeing the creature continue to attack both Lizzie and Momijii, Filbert tries to damage the creature without hitting either of them
The loathsome mist seems to roil about unpredictably, hitting it is harder than you might expect. Still Filbert manages to send a rock sailing through the bulk of it, however the small hole made bu it's passage seems to close up immediately after.
Vampiric Mist
Filbert Springbit
Momijii <----- WE ARE HERE
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Luxina Tenebris
Lizzie "beads" Tamar'
Spoiler:Vampiric Mist
Filbert Springbit
Momijii
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Luxina Tenebris
Lizzie "beads" Tamar' Bleed, 2 con damage
Vampiric Mist
Filbert Springbit
Momijii
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Luxina Tenebris
Lizzie "beads" Tamar' Bleed, 2 con damage
Momijii, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Luxina Tenebris and Lizzie "beads" Tamar' are up.
Luxina tries her hand at another flask of alchemist's fire.
"Incoming!"
Lizzie swings her mace at the mist again.
Momijii glared at the cloud as it dodged her and, with renewed determination, tried to hit it twice more. First one clawlike swing and then another and she felt sure that she had to have hit it this time but how could you really tell with a cloud?
Momiji's tries to box the cloud, her cata executed flawlessly, but it was like punching through cold clammy air. Still so vigorous were her punches, it seemed to have some small effect - was the cloud dissipating a little? Hard to tell!
Agrippa will try once more to toss an alchemist fire
Wishing now he'd collected one of the flask the Agrippa was tossing around, Filbert can only grit his teeth and try to keep the mist preoccupied while those better equipped try to destroy it.
They say practice makes perfect and second time round, Heinrich's aim is much better. He hurls a flask which detonates just under the mist. The gout of flame spreads to the crimson mist which burbs with an intense blue flame!
Having seen what to do, Luxina lobs another flask more or less exactly where Heinrich's went. If anything this second detonation was even more powerful and the already burning mist is completely consumed!
Lizzie feels light headed as she's still bleeding from the lacerations caused by the mist's touch!
Luxina looks at Lizzie and looks around.
"Anybody have a wand to stop the bleeding and remove the scorch marks?"
Lizzie channels the power of the gods and various cuts and abrasions vanish and the bleeding stops.
Well chaps. We've found what we came for, lets head back. Agrippa will lead the group in returning if no one objects.
You head back to the chapel but are intercepted by Captain York and a large detail of survivor guards. A number of them have crossbows trained on you.
Captain York has has sword but it's in its scabbard. He calls out to you, "Did you get it?"
Get what, good sir?
York's eyes narrow slightly, and with an air of exasperation he grinds out, "The scrolls. Did you find them?"
Good Captain York, was there some attack here recently? Agrippa asks, innocently enough. He isn't saying if they have the scrolls or not, Agrippa neither trusts, nor likes the Captain.
Luxina quickly scans the surroundings in the area to see if she can work out why the survivors are so nervous.
"Hmm.. Agrippa? Look at all those scorch marks in here. And that area right over there." Luxina points out the badly burnt patch with carbonized bones.
"I'd wager a guess these men are on edge because of whatever came through here and did that."
Luxina then looks at Captain York with a combination of resolve and pity.
"What happened here Captain? What kind of creature did this?"
Pointedly ignoring Agrippa, York turns to Luxina and replies, "Miss Tenebris that was one of those town destroying Zombies you encountered earlier, a pack attacked about an hour ago. We managed to deal with them, but Jenkins got bitten.
Ah. A "shakedown" is that the word. Very well then, you demand the scroll and then... Agrippa shrugs indicating he doesn't much care And then invariably there would be conflict yes? Agrippa smiles.
But! he interjects
Perhaps, a trade is in order. What are you offering?
York bristles at Agrippa's accusation and in a cold fury he rounds on the investigator, "The Hell's man? I'm not trying to steal from you! My job, my only concern is keeping the women and children alive. I don't think you realize how bad Zombie feaver is, all it takes is one infected individual to wipe out a small town. Now we have at least three infected individuals we know of. Unless cured, you lot are a danger to the survivors. As is Jenkins. Unless he can be saved we'll be forced to kill and burn him. So for the last time, do you have the scrolls?"
Luxina interjects between York and Agrippa's discussion.
"Yes, we have found them. There were three scrolls inside, all the better I suppose that we have found a third one. We were going to Winter, see if she would do the honours of removing this affliction from us."
"Thank the heavens for that!", breathes York. Relaxing slightly he calls out to one of the guards, "Evans, tell Winter. She'll want to see for herself."
One of the guards runs off into the chapel.
Her relief at the destruction of that strange mist was almost palpable, an even greater relief was that they had found the scrolls they sought. The decision to take them back to Winter was one she couldn't agree more with, it was the best option as Winter had the best chance of using them in her opinion.
When they reached the reached the barricade Momijii could sense the tension in the air, her warrior's instincts told her that trouble was brewing and she was on her guard. Then she noticed the scorch marks and it set her even more on edge. She was about to pounce on York when it looked like he was trying to extort something from them for entry but when he finally stated what had happened she held back and nodded in understanding.
As a guard went to go get Winter Momijii approached Captain York, punched one fist into her other palm and held it as she bowed deeply and said, "I ask forgiveness Captain, I was about to kill you for what seemed your dishonorable action of trying to steal from us to gain entry. I was mistaken in that and so have besmirched my own honor instead."
Rubbing his temples, York replies sadly, "The world has gone mad Momijii." He sweeps an arm around indicating, "Everything around is falling apart and everyone seems to be loosing their heads, bar a few of us who are too stubborn to know when they're beat. As far as I'm concerned no harm no foul. Ah I do believe I hear Winter approaching."
From behind Winter pushes through the throng of guards. Noting the tense atmosphere she whispers something to him.
York nods and beckons and all but two of the guards withdraw.
She looks you in the eyes and says, "I'm sorry about that, he means well but... His paranoia has all too often proved to be well founded, although my heart tells me he's wrong in this instance, I hear your search was successful."
Looking at Momijii and Luxina she frowns, "I suspect you can feel it by now, can't you. A certain hollowness, snuffy nose yes? Feeling sore all over like you're one big bruise? Bit of a fervor? An inexplicable hunger for something? Yeah lets get this fixed before it gets to the nose bleeds and weeping sores."
If you let her, she'll read the scrolls and and attempt to cure Momijii and Luxina.
The debris that was beginning to swirl more noticeably around Filbert, suddenly drops off as Momijii and York come to terms and the tension eases off, ceasing completely as Cleric Winter comes in sight.
Not wanting to interfere with the healing process, Filbert waits until see has finished. "Mistress Klaczka? How many of those things have attacked before? I ask because we will continue to search the building trying to bring about a way for us all to escape this madness, and there will be no further scrolls available, it would not be right to withhold the third scroll we have from the poor soldier who was bitten. "
taking a deep breathe, to settle his thoughts "I guess what I asking is there any other stashes you know of, would hate to bypass a room only to find out later it was the town's salvation waiting inside."
Winter accepts two of the scrolls and takes ten minutes to study them. You notice her subvocaliseing the words as she traces the complex pattern engraved into the vellum. Eventually she announces she is ready. When she speaks, she is loud and confident in a language that sounds like utter gibberish. The only word you recognise is Momijii. With an abrupt flash, the scroll disintegrates and well nothing. At least at first, Momijii feels a heat building and is suddenly overcome with a hot flush and nausea. An oily layer of something awful seeps out of every orifice , and then miraculously Momijii feels a surge of energy and well being.
"That was, uh interesting" remarks Winter who was taken aback by the side effects, "Right then Luxina next. I guess we know what to expect this time."
Sure enough Luxina has the same experience.
Looking drained, Winter suggests, "Let's go somewhere we can sit down, perhaps the Chaplin's Office."
You follow her in and she tells Filbert, "In answer to your earlier question, no we've not seen them before. What we have seen is a lot of former patients and staff turned into ghouls or replaced by doppelgangers. Maybe you should ask around, someone might have heard or seen something before we got cut off. Speaking of which that strange eye growth you removed, well I'm wondering if it was placed deliberately. It neatly cut us off from the zombies and the cultists you encountered. As for why, I couldn't begin to imagine. Anyway the fact we got attacked suggests there could be more zombies so while you were away I interviewed some of the former nurses. We think there's a wand in the admitting wards's nurse station. There should be a big desk with locked drawers by a window, it should be in the bottom one. The admitting ward is to the east."
A then tells Agrippa, "I'd like to buy that last scroll off you. I don't have much money here but I can write you a promissory note validated with the impression of my Signet Ring. You'll be able to redeem it in Thrushmoor at The Sleepless Detective Agency, and probably other places too. I'm only authorised for up to 185 gold, will that be enough?"
Agrippa isn't a covetous, or greedy, man. He proposes another alternative.
Agrippa drops the Scroll of Cure Disease into Winter's hands.
You are now obligated to us. When this is over... Agrippa waves around him to indicate their current predicament. I'm certain that someone of your...stature will be able to repay us in full.
So, another item to retrieve. Mistress Winter, this is becoming a pattern. We are no closer to leaving than we were before....
Lizzie is obviously happy, as Momiji and Luxina arepurged from their affliction.
"You two look a lot better, much much better."
She gives them both a hug from relief, and makes a grateful nod at Winter.
"Thank you Misstress Winter."
Momijii nodded when Winter asked about using the scroll on her and waited while the woman cast the spell. At first there was nothing that seemed to happen but when the vile gunk came out of her she gasped and flicked the filthy stuff away. That done she gave her traditional bow and said, "My thanks Holy One." When the scroll is given over she nods simply in agreement and then drops to a knee to return Lizzie's hug.
Luxina looks on in wonder and awe as first Momiji is cured and then she herself.
I've got to learn how to do that. Curing any disease that easily would be very beneficial.
"My thanks Winter. I hope your man Jenkins is also as easily cured as you cured us."
She then gives Lizzie a pat on the head as the gnome hugs her leg.
"As you can see my companion is very grateful for your assistance."
Agrippa drops the Scroll of Cure Disease into Winter's hands.
You are now obligated to us. When this is over... Agrippa waves around him to indicate their current predicament. I'm certain that someone of your...stature will be able to repay us in full.
Winter gazes into Agrippa's eyes as if searching for something, with a small sigh she says, "Very well, you have a deal." She seems to deflate a little as she says that.
When Agrippa comments about retrieving the wand, Winter points out, "Well Filbert did ask... Although it's true I would have suggested you look of it. As for finding a way out, well from what you've described of Dr Losandro's fate I no longer think it's as simple finding a way past the mist." She shudders suddenly struck by a horrible thought, "What if others share her fate? That would be awful, a mockery of life spewing out dreamstuff. There must be a tiny rift within, no doubt sustained by the victim's life energies. That's too horrible to imagine, I suggest you conduct a thorougher sweep and put any other victims out of their misery."
To Monijii and Luxina, she says, "You are most welcome. I expect the last scroll with be just as effective for poor Jenkins."
"Thank you Mistress Winter, we've been there, retrieving the wand should be relatively easy, and hopefully completely unnecessary, but better safe than sorry, momma used to say." Filbert says in response to the cleric's info, however quickly knocking on a wooden table nearby, when he said it. How do I know momma used to say that?!?!"
Agrippa says We will attend to murdering mist spewing humans after a meal and some rest.
The night passes without incident beyond a few inevitable squabbles between frightened survivors living in a cramped corner of the sanatorium that was never intended for accommodation.
We will attend to murdering mist spewing humans after a meal and some rest.
"Agrippa, don't put it so crude. Yes, we will likely have to free them by force, but murder itself is something else."
After chatting with the people, Lizzie gets back to the others.
"It's looking bad. The sudden rise of the undead, shapeshifters, and cultists is getting to people. They're on edge from fear and trauma.
It doesn't help, that a good portion of the staff and other patients are holed up in the northern halls. Those seem to be an area occupied with cultists."
Indeed Miss Lizzie, if that is what you choose to believe. Agrippa responds to the small paladin.
So, the Northern Halls then? Sounds as likely a lead as any other. Agrippa will lead the others towards the Northern Halls, as indicated by the survivor.
"Yes, i do believe that.
Murder itself is killing with malicious intent, the more accurate word for what we are going to do, is mercy killing."
Some other details come to mind, from her talking with the other refugees.
"What strikes strange, is that the cult popped up like a bad case of weeds. Just like that, and talk is that its members are both staff and patients.
Those two over there in the corner, they were willing to talk about another thing. It seems they all had a terrifying nightmare, a shared nightmare."
"Seems shared dreams, er nightmares, around here isn't too far fetched." Filbert remarks thinking back to their own share nightmare of the yellow mist in the desolate city. [/b]"Lizzie, did they happen to talk about what the nightmare was?"[/b]
When talking with Cleric Winter leaves them with two routes to reach the northern halls, "I think we should remain inside for now, the mist holds terrors worse than we've yet seen, I fear." An involuntary shiver rolling down his back as the nightguant comes to mind.
Agrippa will lead the heroes towards the Eastern Halls.
Agrippa will try Dr. Losandro's key ring on the doors, if those don't work he'll let Luxina have her way with the door, and if she isn't amenable he'll sic Momiji on door smashing duty.