The barbarian 5' steps up and attacks, trusting that the unnlethal damage that Absinthe did would be enough to keep the man alive.
If the man is still standing after the first attack Segang will swing again.
Melianthe focuses on the physician and hexes him to reduce his armor class.
Absinthe and Segang quickly take down the remaining physician, leaving only the one still under the sleep hex.
Seren quickly moves to the southern door to check and see if anyone heard their encounter (moves to intercept them outside if so).
Whispering as he does so, "Check the doctor for any evidence and gear! And let's hide the bodies again in the beds!"
The southern door is unlatched, and Seren peeks through to find a sizable laboratory office beyond. Blood, bile and other humors bubble away within oddly formed beakers and twisted tubes. Any wall space left unobscured by cabinets or over-laden bookshelves 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 empty of people and has no other obvious exits.
Searching Doctor Davalus, he wears a mithril chain shirt beneath his doctor's coat. His exquisite rapier is adorned with images of human skulls along the hilt and pommel. He has a number of flasks and vials of myriad shapes and sizes. One flask is marked with the words 'elixir of true healing'. He also has an portable alchemist's kit and formula book, a nondescript silver ring, a key and a small wooden cylinder with a shaped notch on one end.
As the battle ends the barbarian's rage fades and he stands leaning on his earthbreaker. I am tired. he announces as fatigue washes over him. Shaking his head to clear it he then moves to secure and gag the sleeper after removing his mask. He will then prepare move all the dead bodies into the office. What shall we do with the prisoner? he asks. And is there perhaps any evidence to show what the good doctor was truly up to?
"Probably in those books if anywhere," Absinthe says as she ghosts into the laboratory. "Although... this desk..."
"There are spells that allow the interrogation of a corpse," Cherias says, looking darkly at the body of Daedalus.
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Absinthe detects no magic or traps in the room.
"Should I keep him alive? " Cherias asks the others as he detects a thready pulse on the evil doctor.
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"None of his henchmen seem to have tongues in their mouths, so..."
Absinthe investigates the desk, taking care not to touch it directly.
Cherias stabilizes Davaulus and keeps him from bleeding out. The only other living physician is the one Melianthe put to sleep. He is awake now, though bound and gagged.
Absinthe's search of the desk identifies Davaulus's notes from his experiments. The main topic appears to be about Varisian people's immunity to Blood Veil.
Melianthe examines the flasks, the ring and the rapier, detecting magic all the while.
"Well, then. We just make everyone Varisian. Is there anything in his notes about granting immunity? Creating a cure? Or where blood veil truly is from?"
"One is not a doctor, sister Mel. If any such hints exist in this documentation, an expert is more likely to find it," Absinthe says - and hands the notes over to Cherias.
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Cherias protests, "I don't know if I'm the expert -- I'm a faith healer, not a doctor." He offers the notes to Melianthe instead.
Standing over the doctor Segang suggests Perhaps this one can tell us more. If not then I have no use for him alive. he says with intent. And tell me how is it that the queen's knights work here and try to kill us? I wonder if we have any true allies in this fight.
Cherias protests, "I don't know if I'm the expert -- I'm a faith healer, not a doctor." He offers the notes to Melianthe instead.
"They don't tend to talk," says Melianthe in reply to the Shoanti. "We could ask some of the patients. We don't even know if these 'patients' were being cured, allowed to die, or being deliberately infected. Anything is possible with these rats."
Aura faint illusion; CL 3rd
Slot ring; Price 6,480 gp; Weight —
Description
Up to three times per day on command, the wearer of this simple copper band can benefit from misdirection, as the spell.
Construction
Requirements Forge Ring, misdirection; Cost 3,240 gp
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"Absinthe might get the best use of the rapier," Cherias suggests.
"Indeed, and many thanks," Absinthe says as she hefts the new rapier and gives it an experimental swing.
Such a tiny thing. How can it do any real damage?
"Toothpicks can kill you if placed right," Seren says looking over the ring. "This should help me with my disguises and ruses unless anyone else sees a use for it."
"I wouldn't mind something that protects me from bombs and missiles," says Melianthe, rubbing various phantom bruises that Cherias has erased. "Take it and enjoy, Seren."
Can we get word of this to Cressida Kroft without actually going into the guard house? We have now attacked and killed the queen's personal guards. If she knows we could face arrest and even execution. Segang ponders.
"We need more proof that more than the Doctor was complicit. I'd be inclined to think he was doing this on his own if the Maidens weren't here, but nothing links them," ponders Seren
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"What's that second potion. Can we take another shot at figuring it out?"
"They attacked us under Daedalus's orders, as did the doctors. But there has to be a reason why he was doing this... " Cherias examines Daedalus again carefully, looking for any signs of a holy symbol of some evil deity, or cultish tattoos, or anything indicating what his game was.
"In other words, we need to question these two, in a place where we can be readonably sure they cannot escape from easily, and where they are not likely to be seen or heard by potential helpers," Absinthe says. "And we need arguments which will convince them to confess the truth."
Segang listens and is ready to help any way he can. He finally offers Might there be a clue in the condition of the prisoners?
"Cherias and I can look at them," says Melianthe in agreement.
"We need a place to hide these two. Our old hideout is a reasonable spot. I do not want to incur the palace's nor the Marshal's wrath."
"...I wonder how many of the patients are Varisian. And we need to find a way to see if Davaulus is telling the truth when we question him. Perhaps we could show him the evidence from the shipwreck, and see if he reacts."
The key and small wooden cylinder with a notch.
Does the key fit the cylinder?
"We still need to find the brother. Is there another exit around here? A secret door, perhaps?."
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The key and small wooden cylinder with a notch.
Does the key fit the cylinder?
"We still need to find the brother. Is there another exit around here? A secret door, perhaps?."
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"One shall see. Patience..." Absinthe murmurs as she goes over the room again, searching every surface for signs of a secret door.
Melianthe wanders besides Absinthe, looking at the image of the antelope and the various bubbling phials. She also Detects Magic as she goes about the room, and also Detects Poison.
Despite searching thoroughly, you find no secret door, panels or hidden things in this room.
Elevator?! Well that sounds promising. Let's do that.
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There was a little room where we first came in. I thought it might be a privy. Segang notes.
Several cubbies and wooden lockers line the walls of this small workroom. Four rickety chairs surround a water-damaged dable, and a well-used but solid-looking cargo lift rises up through the ceiling.
The actual lift is currently on the ground floor. You head downstairs to the workroom to investigate. The lift two buttons, basic controls for ascending or descending, and a lever to activate. Absinthe searches and finds no traps, but there is a concealed round hole on the bottom of the button panel. It appears as though the wooden cylinder would fit perfectly as a third button.
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"Perhaps we could deliver these miscreants to Marshall Kroft and get some rest before exploring further. I for one am exhausted."
Resting is fine, but as I have suggested we might not be greeted warmly by the marshall now that we have attacked these queen's guards. And speaking of that, there is a small fortune in the armor those guards wore. Can we take their arms and armor when we depart? And what of the sick here. We cannot just depart and leave them, can we?