Pinkie's sleight of hand is so good that he draws a small crowd to watch as he conjures coins from the air. Some wonder if he is using real magic, and only the most perceptive can see the trick for what it is. But even more impressive is his story. In a short time he has thoroughly captured Maeve's attention and calmed her frayed nerves.
Brother Butterfly's spell detects no magic upon Juglan, but senses a minor aura beyond the curtain where The Twin and Cats have found the strange eye.
Pinkie finally notices all the attention and starts to get a little nervous so he whispers to Maeve.
"Don't worry None are gonna let anything happen here.
he points to Brother Butterfly
"That man there is some sort of holyman"
Then pointing to the Mariner
"And that on is a good fighter and kills monsters
And nodding twords Fearless
"That one has more courage than he thinks. He always gets things done"
motioning down the hall to the Twin and Cats
"Those 2, while however odd, are handy to have around in a scrape also"
getting up he gives her a smile and says
"I'll be around also"
Then he slinks back to his corner and crouches down trying once again to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible and just watches while having a conversation wiith someone unseen.
"Your right.....I know I know too much attention...yes a thousand times...Whatever"
The Twin sees the throbbing, yellow protrusions along the hall and finds himself intrigued. "Guys..." he yells back to the group as he and the Snake disappear behind the hanging cloth that flirts close one the Twin releases it.
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Gathering at the makeshift curtain, the group stares at the strange eye. Showing a little bravery, or perhaps foolishness, The Twin retrieves one of Cats' 3 foot poles and pokes at it. Immediately the eye’s pupil sprouts fangs surges forward, stretching from the door to snap at the rude man.
The fangs come up short, but as it sinks back into the fungus the eye screams in overlapping echoes, sounding like people drowning at the bottom of a well.
Tears begin to well up in the eye, then drip in a pool on the floor. The sharp smell of ammonia rises from the liquid.
At the sound York comes running. "What are you fools doing down here! We got a lot of scared people here, and that sure as hell isn't helping!"
You can hear faint sobbing coming from the Eye.
This is some sort of haunt bound to the door. (If you roll 18 or higher you can open the secret spoiler below.)
Because it has a physical form it can be defeated by physical attacks. Based upon it's words, there may also be a way to dispel it without violence.
"Well at least we doing something instead of waiting to be attacked. We gotta go on the offensive."
Then looking at the Twin he adds giggling a little
"That means attack first not offend people."
rolling his eyes "Kate I told you not to do that i'll tell them what you say..... Please excuse her."
"Did you...Did you hear it sobbing?" Fearless asks as he peers back into the eye and shudders.
"How long has it been here? We need to find out more about it." His Halfling inquisitive nature and upbringing kicks in as he hops all around the eye checking it out from each and every angle.
"Any of you ever seen anything like it?" He looks around quickly for any sign of an answer to any of his many questions.
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Brother Butterfly - with the urging of a very excited Cats gets up from his desk. His eyes seem a bit odd. It is a noticable difference as his pupils are almost the size of pinpricks. Extra small, and that makes the white of his eyes so dominating.
BB moves slowly around the desk, staring at Juglan -rather intently for 10-15 seconds as he makes his way towards the barricade corridor that Cats is hyperactively motioning them towards.
Not seeing what he expected on Juglan, he is taken a back when the curtain is moved. Slipping and falling and scrambling back. His mind seizing at the monstrous sight. When it bites at The Twin, BB can only sputter.
Yes, Yes you were right Cats. This IS something I needed to see.
When he smells the ammonia, his thoughts just can't focus on The Eye.
Ammonia=clean. I need a jug to collect the ammonia.
Cats first gogs, then additionally looks agog, at the speaking eye. He wants to recoil, but his curiosity might get him killed.
Perception
"Is it crying? And how is it speaking?" Cats looks, not yet drawing his bow. "This is catting weird."
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Captain York - Try to get the people in the sanctuary and ask Loic to play something on the Viol that he now has. Maybe the noise can be muffled. Move them to the statue of Pharasma and that should resolve your objections.
This thing does need to be handled, as it's a barrier to our eventual escape.
Lastly, can you get me a jug or bottle or container? The liquid it's dripping needs to be studied.
Guys, let's pause a few moments so Captain York can organize the Sanctuary and then we will see about defeating it.
Lastly, anyone understand what it means by "Who am I become?"
I'd think it was a riddle, but I'm not so sure.
If given the all clear signal by York, or if others begin attacking The Eye -BB will cast Channel Energy at the eye. Assuming it's a negative energy thing.
From the back of the group peeking around everyone Pinkie asks "Wonder if its got something to do with my marble.......Yea Yea i know I probably wont get to keep it after this.....there is no such thing...I will not say that and you will not use me to." as he pulls out the Glass eye holding it out and looking at it and then the big eye.
"'Who am I become?'" Cats repeats. "That's really a question we're all asking ourselves, because I do not know myself. I do not recognize cat. Maybe this eye reflects our own questions back to us. Maybe, this eye does not behold beauty, but truth."
Cats stands quiet, reflecting upon the wisdom of the Eye.
York is hesitant to follow orders from Brother Butterfly, but when Winter arrives to check on the disturbance she places a hand on his arm and says, "These men have already done some good work here for us, both in dispatching shape changers and helping the survivors. If they are brave enough to confront that thing, then I think we should give them the chance to deal with it. Help me gather the others in the Chapel and close the doors against the noise."
Having cleared the hall Brother Butterfly channels his holy power against the eye. The thing shrivels slightly and cries out again, but Butterfly's powers seem to be waning after hours of use and the eye seems to recover from the divine energy very quickly.
Pinkie pulls out his small glass eye, but if there is some connection it is not apparent.
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Do I also think it takes physical damage? The picture shows a brick wall with a fungal growth. We'd be beating against a wall. Does the wall give it an AC or other benefit?
I'm assuming a heal check would help me understand the questions. Or is there another skill?
BB is also going to try and detect evil intent from this thing with his detect aura skill.
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Friends that heard it cry, was the sobbing male or female in it's voice? This may be another "haunting" - like the one where we turned the girl-thing into a necklace.
If it is, I do think that Desna's influence could help.
When I asked Desna for her ring of good healing -- it actually damaged the Fang-Eye.
This may be an endeavor that we pursue tomorrow- after a night's rest.
But before we call even think of waiting, let's get our heads together on solutions to destroying this. Do you think that magical pearl might be something useful against this thing.
Cats sits where he can listen to more wisdom coming from the eye while he reflects on the last words spoken.
"Who am *I* become?" Cats repeats. "If I cannot know myself, then what will I becat?" Cats puts his head on this chin, thinking.
Fearless watches the eye closely as he studies it intently. He stumbles back as Brother Butterfly's warm divine energy washes over the area and the eye cringes.
"Whoa! it didn't like that one bit! Did you see that?"
He points excitedly to the eye.
Cats begins to banter and repeat himself next to Fearless who starts swatting both of his hands at Cats to distract him like some kitten playing with a suspended ball of yarn.
"Cut that out! You're distracting. Go sit with Juglan if you are going to keep repeating yourself.... Hit it with another one BB."
The Twin looks at the eye and realizes that the day of killing skin-stealers is quite tiring. The Twin finds the eye to be quite entertaining so he sits near eye, watching it as it watches him. The Snake stays by his side. Occasionally, he will whisper to it.
"What are you..."
"Who are you..."
"Who am I..."
After a while, he dozes off a he leans against the nearby wall and the Snake fades from existence.
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Fearless and his urging to try and do The Eye more harm gets his adrenaline running. He takes a position, and starts to try to form a prayer, but his mind gets fuzzy and his shoulders droop with fatigue.
He doesn't understand what is happening, but he just can't seem to gather the inner spirit.
After a few seconds, he gives up.
Sorry Fearless-- while the mind is willing, the body is weak. I am just too fatigued to try and maintain what will be required to take on this Eye this evening.
I'd like to have someone try to damage it with a normal weapon - because I DO think it can heal itself. I'd like to see if a weapon can hurt it, and how quickly it heals from such wounds.
With that, he tries to prepare and get a bottle or inkpot or canteen filled with ammonia.
"Kill it? Why would we want to kill it? It is wise. We should cat its words," Cats replies. "There is truth in the eye and we should see ourselves within. Might be that true selves can be seen within this eye."
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To Cats-
This "Haunt thing" says the same thing over and over in some cascading voiceover effect. It's not giving you sage advise or philisophical inspiration. It is not even sentient. A Haunt is an after affect of great tragedy or suffering. Unnatural to this world.
In fact, it is dangerous and reacts violently to human contact.
If you go and try to "see your true self within" that eye-fang will bite you something good.
Let me give you advise, if you want to "see yourselves", you'd be safer using a nice and polished mirror. With it, you'd see what I see --- an amazing man that shows a kind heart and a fidelity to his friends.
Pinkie watches as everyone settles down for the night from his corner and as his eyes start to feel heavy he says "Good night everyone" But you have a feeling he is talking to someone besides the ones in the room and he settles in for a long night expecting more bad dreams.
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After deciding to leave The Eye alone until tomorrow morning.
Brother Butterfly walks up to Fearless and The Mariner.
But, they are missing something just a step below what you have provided. I am hoping to give them what they are lacking. I desire to give them hope, direction and inspiration -- to lift their spirits.
I am going to preach a sermon in a little bit and because I promised not to try to convert you -- I wanted to tell you in advance. If you do not want to hear the sermon, that is okay and your absence will not be an insult to me.
I respect the both of you.
The Desnian Cleric then goes to Cats
Very soon I'm going to preach to the refugees. My desire is to hopefully warm them on the inside. A book end effect since you warmed them on the outside.
If I use the right words, I want to inspire this group to BE survivors.
It is not my intent to convert you or any of my friends to the philosophy of Desna -- so if you wish to do other things while I am preaching, I will fully understand.
He walks up to The Twins , but notices that he is fast asleep. No sign of MegaSnake and his body curled up close (but not within striking distance) to The Eye. BB looks like he was about to tell him something also, but seeing that The Twin is sleeping makes his conversation moot.
We will have to wake him up and get him into the sanctuary so we can monitor his dreams later. We still have to be Watchmen.
Instead of waking The Twins, he walks up to Pinky.
After speaking with you, I'm going to preach. I am hoping that my words will help the refugees survive. I know there are children here and I feel the need to bolster their resolve. So, if any of your relatives revere Desna, I hope they will listen and enjoy. But I respect you- Pinkie- and did not try to convert you.
So if you want to go someplace else or do something else, I will understand.
Last but important for his main goal this evening is Loic,
Loic -- that Viol is like magic in your hands and I am hoping that you can help me. In a few minutes, I’d like your help with a sermon I’d like to perform. Your part in this important service is if you would be so kind as to help in rounding people up and having an introductory type of Worship song.
Do you know any worship type songs? Specifically the song called, “The caterpillar changes”? That seems an appropriate Hymnal for the mood and tone today.
----------------------------------
And luck
When all is ready Brother Butterfly smiles his warm and practiced smile and launches into his sermon titled Mutually Beneficial Survival.
The sermon is short –about a total of 15 minutes. Inserting stories and parables about group tragedy. Examples of where everyone banded together to help each other and succeed. There is also a subtle “Desna is great” tone to the sermon and has mild “convert to Desna” type slogans wrapped in the overall message.
BUT, most importantly, at the end Brother Butterfly promises to lead a team to find an escape and return to normalcy. A promise to save everyone in this room, so THEY may be the inspiring story that another preacher gives to a mass of people in the future.
..........
With the sermon done, he reflects on the hectic past two days. Wondering what tomorrow will hold. He does this for a few hours as he holds watch over the sleep and dreams of his fellows. Waking those that show even initial signs of distressful sleep.
Fearless smiles as Brother Butterfly banters on and tries toget closer to him.
I know what you are trying to do....
Thanking BB he leaves to his corner of the room as he and lays down to sleep while Brother Butterfly begins his rousing speech to glory and mumbles to himself under the noise.
"I am watching you. Trying to get closer to me so I drop my guards. This one is a dangerous one. Especially if he gains enough followers."
Fearless lays down and sleeps with one eye open.
"Spring your trap already. I will be ready for you Shape-shifter."
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Well into the morning Fearless awakens and stretches, scratching his bare calloused feet his joints crack as he walks across the debris littered floor to over to York's sleeping form.
"Shhhh! You got any more bolts? I need more bolts. There are some shape-shifters among us that I need to keep an eye on and I need bolts for this."
Pinkie watches and listens to Brother Butterflys sermon from his corner. Not knowing if he was ever religious in the past he is strangely comforted by the mans good intentions. After a while he starts to laugh out loud as if just getting the meaning of a joke told long ago and remarks to Brother
Butterfly as he walks past
"Well look at me sitting here just watching everyone. I guess watchman does fit after all.
The Mariner had avoided the Eye altogether; earlier having looked, stared at it, then said "Nope", then turned back to finishing up the hot stew next to Baisily like he never saw it. Whatever words were being offered by Brother was oddly soothing, putting him quickly asleep to dream of rowing dingy in a big thingy.
"Yeah, dessert is great. I could cat some dessert right now," Cats replies to Brother, not really hearing for he is a bit distracted. Cats leaves to get a chair...and returns to watch the eye, rocking in his chair as he does so.
Cats continues to watch the big eye, only briefly smiling at Brother to acknowledge the compliment, but hoping the eyes will speak more truths.
While he rocks, Cats might sharpen his sword or check out his arrows or re-string his bow. But mostly he rocks.
Leaving the Eye for the morning the group settles in among the other survivors. Approaching Loic, Brother Butterfly learns that the storyteller has little experience with music, and even if he was proficient the lack of a bow for the instrument renders the point moot. Still, Brother Butterfly gives a well-delivered and well-received sermon that offers some hope, and everyone beds down with a belly full of stew.
***
The Watchmen in the Chapel suffer from bad dreams, but they are of the normal variety rather then the lucid nightmares of previous nights.
Out in the hall near the Eye Cats is rocking in his chair when The Twin suddenly shudders and groans in his sleep.
One more, you are chased through the fog-shrouded streets of the ruined city by the creature in tattered clothes...
During the night while the other sleep Pinkie slips out and rummages through the areas that him and his friends have cleared picking out things from the debris and bodies finally coming back with a small pile which he carefully organizes and places next to where Brother Butterfly is sleeping.
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The Twin yawns as he awakes to find the eye still staring at him but he seems unaffected by the gaze of the weird creature. "Hmm... I should summon my friend back to this plane." he states to no one in particular as he works on his ritual, creating the Snake out of an ethereal deck of Harrow cards.
Once the Snake has returned, the Twin realizes that he has barely eaten and moves to scrounge up food, deftly moving past Cats in the chair. "He must have liked the Eye too." he says absentmindedly.
The Twin sees Pinkie playing with himself in the corner and nods to the man and his three imaginary friends. "Pink." he says, lifting his chin slightly to the man before regarding the others. "Steve, Bill, uhh..." he forgets the third, but quickly covers it up by making up a third. "Martha."
"Saved it..."
Cats continues to rock in his chair even as he ponders upon the words of the Eye. He assumes that he won't be getting anymore thoughts until he understands the current idea and continues to think about who and what he is.
He sigh...because he does not know.
In the morning, after his watch is over, he will dig into his pack for another load of rations. He will snack and rock, wondering what the new day will bring.
Pinkie scavenges some supplies for Brother Butterfly, including armor, a near-royal purple tunic, and a off-white cloak. He is now officially the best-dressed Watchman.
The Twin wakes from another bad dream but shrugs it off as hunger calls. Checking the food supplies he is rewarded with a large cookie that tastes amazing.
As you prepare for another terrifying day Winter approaches.
"I would like to thank you again for the help you have provided. With you among us perhaps we can do more than survive. I know you have confronted the Eye in the door, and I expect you will tackle that menace today. York and I have gathered some equipment at your request. Ammunition for bow and crossbow, a sturdy mace, a couple daggers. It is not much, but we don't have much. I can also offer healing if you get past the door and venture into the dangers of the asylum. If there is anything else you need, please ask."
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Brother Butterfly wakes up from the wonderful sleep he had last night. Much better than the previous night, where he was cut, gouged, and sliced by the stalker.
He wakes up to the most pleasant of surprises. Seeing that somebody had been kind to him, fills Brother Butterfly with such joy. It's very hard to quantify the impact of such a generous act. How it resonates inside of him. He looks around trying to determine who had helped him so much ---without him asking. Thankfully there are a lot of good-hearted people in this room, so the answer isn't immediately clear.
He smiles to himself thinking he has a good idea who's the friend.
After his prayers and full body shaving (except the mustache) he puts on the new clothes and wears them with pride even taking off the expensive boots he wore and putting them in his backpack. Putting on the ones given as a secret package. He takes some time to draw (with paints or ink) a Butterfly symbol on the outside flap of the cloak - like a lapel pin. A good contrast to the beautiful white cloak and royal purple tunic.
He puts on the Scale Mail. And immediately thinks, ”whoa this is heavy. But, it will protect me from what we are about to do".
To Winter - as he picks up the sturdy mace to use as his primary weapon.
Thank You Winter for your words and this partnership. We will also try to do things to help you and the refugees. My first goal is the kitchens to get food stuffs. Food is the basest of needs for everyone.
Turning to the rest of the assembled Watchmen.
Okay friends, how are we going to take out this WallEye?
My suggestion is to have one of us attack it to lure away its bite. I will then slip in and touch it with the divine power of Desna. I will try to damage it a second time – I hope to destroy it. If not, We should have two others -who are strong -- come in and smash it.
Then I will back out and keep attacking it with holy energy until it is destroyed.
"Okay friends, how are we going to take out this WallEye?"
"WHAT?! NO!! WHY!?!? Cats steps between Butterfly and the Eye. "Why? The eye ain't hurting anybody. Ain't catting nothing to you."
Cats looks back at the eye, but then back to Butterfly.
"It's different and weird and don't know who it is, but so are you and you don't know who you are either. Uh uh. Ain't no cat hurting this eye without a good reason."
Brother Butterfly calls upon Desna's guidance to detect evil...
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Well Cats, Desna has shown me that it IS evil. Clear as can be.
Since you can not see what I see, I have a solution to act as proof.
If Lady Winter is also a cleric, she might be able to see the same way I do. If you want to bring her here and ask her to see if this WallEye is an evil energy. That way you have independent collaboration.
I'll stay right here so as not to influence her answer.
One other item of proof. You were there when Desna's ring of energy hurt the Ghoul (in the kitchen/dining area) and you saw that those same energies did hurt WallEye last night.
If this "thing" was good. Desna's power would heal it and not hurt it.
To me, it's a foregone conclusion we have to banish this "Haunt" back to the realm of nightmares. I only wait for your approval and an attack plan.
"Evil? So? So is the Twin, I think, but we're not trying to kill him or his snake. This eye ain't doing anything....it's just sitting there. What makes it evil?" Cats asks.
"Why do you lot keep discussing fish?" asks Twin, confused by their conversation as he takes small bites from his cookie, trying to savor it while also satisfy his roaring appetite. "Is it because he thinks he is a cat?" Twin asks with a slight head nod towards Cats.
Twin listens to their conversation for a bit longer, but decides that he wants out of this loony bin and looks for York. "Hey, whelp." he says with a friendly smile. "Is that eyeball thing blocking the only exit? Are there no other ways out of this building?" he asks, positive that there has to be another way out.
Pinkie decides to throw his 2 cents in and pulls out his marble and picks up a small piece of wood and says as he demonstrates by placing the piece of wood over the front of the marble. "Why don't we get a big table and cover his eye-hole so Brother Butterfly can get close and fill it full of Desnas power"
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Hearing all this speak about food gets Fearless hungry. he peeks his head around the corner.
"Did someone say there was fish? Where did you get a Walleye?"
Realizing it was a pun he gets angry and points up at the lot. "Bunch of a*@%++@s! Don't play with my emotions like that. Hope all of the shapeshifters aren't as evil as you...."
He wanders back to Lady Winter to help about the room. "Just tell the eye who it is already."
Cats maintains his defensive posture on the eye, not sure it needs to die if it's just asking questions and looking around.
"Maybe it's seen things we ain't catted yet. Or maybe it can see the other side too," Cats wonders.
York narrows his eyes at The Twin. "We haven't gone north of the barricade, so I couldn't tell you about that. The dungeon you came from used to have tunnels that went all over the place. The door just north on the right-hand side goes to an isolated inner courtyard. This door here with the Eye is the only route to the main hall and front door I know of."
"I'll go check out what we missed. Cats you wanna come back me up?"
Pinkie starts twords the rooms that they missed.
Cats shrugs and follows Pinkie.
"Brother, if you harm this Eye I'm going to consider that a breach of our trust. I'm just going to try to find a way around it...and unless it starts doing evil things, just cat it be," Cats asks, then thinks more upon it. "Actually, why don't you come with us? Mariner? You coming? Twinkie?"
Checking the first door he sees Cats finds it locked.
"That was the chaplain's private shrine." York explains. "Unfortunately, the keys were dragged off with the chaplain so we haven't been able to open it, and Winter didn't want to use force."
"Ah, cattlespot," Cats bends down to try the door, looking in the lockhole. "Huh. I found one of them kits down the chest..."
Cats fiddle faddles with the thieves tools and the locked door.
Disable Device?