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With a crash he slams into the metal headboard and wall. The bedframe shifts and gouges a strip off the wall. His shaking hand points at all three off them as it moves left and right.
"You...y...you did this to me! You put these dreams in my mind! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!?"
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Brother Butterfly hears Fearless and laughs a hearty good natured laugh, HAHAHAHAHA. Oh Thank The Eight Good Gods that we have our old Fearless back. Had you woken up and said something akin to: "Thanks Guys", I'd have KNOWN something was wrong. That the dreams messed you up, but with his fiery accusations quick out of his mouth, we can all tell that good ole' Fearless is here and right as rain - or at least as right as he can be.
He looks at the facial expressions of each member of The Watchmen (his new name for the group) and says (if appropriate),
If it would make people feel better, Desna will grant her spiritual guideance and test for Ghouls once again.
Cats holds the chair in clobbering position and is surprised (but probably shouldn't have been) when Fearless self-clobbers with it.
He looks at Brother Butterfly for confirmation to clobbber or not-clobber and shows little emotion when the 'no-clobber' signal is given.
Cats slowly lowers the chair behind him, then slowly sits down. He passes his hand between his butt and chair just before he sits as if to shoo any stray cats away who might have jumped upon the chair in the brief seconds it had been on the ground.
He slowly begins to rock as Brother begins to detail his ideas on escape.
"...plansplansplans..."
Cats strokes his bushy beard and mustache, again wishing he had a razor as he ponders.
"Not sure that we want to escape, nor need to escape. We ain't done nothing wrong...and surely they see cat. And once we get our memories back, they are sure to let us go. And *if* we done did something wrong, then we want to be here...don't want anyone we wronged to come get at us, you see? Might as well cat put."
Cats begins to rock in his chair, thinking.
Fearless squints his eyes as he doesn't quite trust any of them yet. He rubs his head, feeling a knot beginning to swell up he frowns.
"So we just sit here until we starve?! They still haven't brought us supper... or second supper" His small halfling stomach grumbles as if he has missed five meals.
"Obviously something has gone wrong. They are never late." He glares back. "Unless, you did something to them while I was gone?" He asks accusingly.
"They still haven't brought us supper..."
Cats nods, worried about supper as well, but uncertain if this was the usual practice around here or something to worry about.
"Loic, ever miss a meal before?" Cats asks. "I don't think that pretty Dr. LoveCat would forget about us, about me, so easily. I'm sure we'll be just fine if we just cat it out."
Cats begins to rock in his chair.
"Maybe give it a bit longer. Another day or so."
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Yes , Fearless. The lack of food and visits vexes me greatly. That is why I think we should come up with plans on how to possibly escape from this room. I don't plan on trying to escape from Briarstone all together.
I look to the four of you to present ideas or your abilities so we can take prudent action. I already gave a few options.
With that said, Cats is right in that we don't want to be rash. We should give it some more time. But not another day. There's no guarentee any of our plans might work, or they may take a lot of time to put into effect. Being hungry and weak and afflicted by nightmares is not a good combination. We can't wait another day or two.
A happy medium is 1/2 a day, but lets brainstorm ideas and at least have a Plan A and Plan B ---- but let's hope the doctors arrive soon and let us out. I'd be very happy if we never have to put our plans into action.
Come on Watchmen, let's get motivated!
Loic watches the conversation like a bystander watching a Galtan game of palm ball. Back and forth, back and forth. At last he nods a few times to himself.
"I agree with Lucy. We should stay here for now. Breaking down the door and causing trouble will get us sent to the Ward of the Wicked, and I'm not that hungry yet."
Settling in for the night, you return to your sleep rotation. The misty streets of the ruined city haunt your dreams, as does the feeling of being hunted by something within the mists, but your watchmen are vigilant for signs of distress now, waking the sleepers before true nightmares unfold.
Sometime around midnight there is a sharp knocking at your door. Upon hearing a reply that doesn't sound deranged or ghoulish, the lock turns and the door opens. Doctor Losandro stands beyond with "Captain" York at her side.
"Good evening." Losandro says. "It would seem that all of you are still... all of you? Good. Doctor Chawaar has been working day and night on the epidemic, and he feels you may not be the source of it. Nevertheless, he wishes to perform one more examination and administer an anti-plague. Afterwards I would like to discuss your... condition. His workspace is small, so I will take you two at a time. Who would like to be first?"
A happy medium is 1/2 a day, but lets brainstorm ideas and at least have a Plan A and Plan B ---- but let's hope the doctors arrive soon and let us out. I'd be very happy if we never have to put our plans into action.
Fearless nods his head in reluctant agreement. "Fine, but how are we supposed to escape without battering the door down? The windows are too small and barred. We are surrounded by stone. Our only chance is through the door and sneaking out."
Around midnight as Fearless begins to get anxious and hangry from missing Supper #3. He paces the room, eyes wild as he waits and formulates plans. His fingers claw into his hair as his bare feet slap against the floor.
As the knock sounds on the door he lets out another shrill scream into the night air, waking everyone in the room as the Doctor comes in.
"We told you we aren't ghouls! Your tests shown that also. Why are we still here?" He demands answers.
Cats rounds behind the clobbering/rocking chair when he hears the doors rattle. When it is opened and doctors are there, he moves forward, looking for dinner.
"Did you bring food? There has been no dinner. Or lunch. Or catfast. We are hungry," Cats asks, trying to focus on the important stuff.
'I don't mind another catxamination...but I do want food. Do you have any food?" Cats says returning to his chair and waiting for his turn. "Yeah, about the food. Where is the food?"
"We've been a little busy." York snaps at Fearless. "If you'd like to complain, maybe you can just stay here."
Doctor Losandro casts a sideways glance at York. "They haven't been fed today?"
York shrugs. "That isn't my responsibility."
Losandro looks a bit annoyed. "Well, we will arrange for something. First come, first served."
Loic's hand shoots up. "If it gets me food quicker, I'm in!"
Doctor Losandro nods. "One more."
Cats races ahead with Loic, wanting food and thinking food would come quicker if he got examined first.
"Too slow, catpokes!" Cats says playfully at Flealess and ButtherFly.
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Doctor Losandro and Captain York, you admit that you have been occupied by this epidemic. Can we all not go at once? Separating our team of Watchmen can never lead to good tidings. We promise to be well behaved and follow the doctor’s instructions. See, you are currently parting Loic and his confidant Lucy. I am certain that Lucy and Loic don’t want to be parted, and the 5 (he holds up his fingers to show 4 fingers to the Dr. and Captain York that he isn’t crazy and doesn’t consider Lucy as a real person) of us have done an exceptional job of looking out for each other. We are The Watchmen. I KNOW that we can be of help. Desna has granted her blessing to this place and sent me here to be a protector. Let’s go to the other doctor’s office together.
Evening comes and with it a reprieve from the disturbing dreams that have plagued your sleep. Unfortunately, with no food your hunger pangs continue to grow.
As twilight descends you become aware of the sound of voices down the hall. It appears someone has chosen your out-of-the way section of the asylum to have a private conversation, and it would seem they are unaware that a two rooms are currently in use.
"Ok, I brought him, though I don't see the point. He's gone back to being a silent zombie." A man asks.
"Let me talk to him." A woman says. You recognize her voice as belonging to the scarred woman with Aggra in the dining hall. "Zandalus? Can you hear me? It's Lasena. Zan?"
"Hello child." A new voice speaks. Aged and raspy, like a man who has just woken with a throat dry from disuse.
"So you do speak now?" The first man chuckles, though he sounds uneasy. "Ok, you're looking at me like I'm the crazy one. Look, I heard you can help with the nightmares. My shift is nearly over and I'd like nothing more then to find my pillow and sleep through the night."
Lasena answers with a zealous intensity. "If you ever want a peaceful night again, he can give it to you. He protects his Apostles."
"Yes." The other man rasps. "With the sign of the flame, I can protect you."
"Sign of the what..? Ok, I really don't care. What do we do?"
"I'll need my chalk."
"Lasena mentioned that. I have some here."
There is the popping sound of a jar opening, and the rattle of wood against ceramic.
"Awaken, my Apostle in Orpiment." Rasps the older man.
"Is that it?"
Silence.
"Oookay." The man sounds dubious. "Back to space he goes."
"He is enlightened." Lasena fawns. "You'll see. Tonight, you'll see."
"Well, let's get everyone back to their rooms before someone notices."
The group exits the hallway.
Doctor Losandro stares at Brother Butterfly for a long uncomfortable moment before replying. "I suppose this would expedite the process. Come along now."
Stepping from the room, Losandro and York lead the way through the asylum. York seems uncomfortable with the change in plans, and watches your group with a wary eye. On the way to see Doctor Chawaar you pass through new areas of Briarstone.
Not far from your private room is an admitting are where a night nurse and orderly talk softly at a receiving desk to log records of patients and visitors. The two stop and look on silently as your procession walks by. Both wear weary haunted expressions.
Moving on you enter wide corridor that opens into a cathedral-like entrance hall adorned with white tile floor and lofty windows, gridded by bars. Wooden benches and portraits of somber doctors line the walls and regal stairs ascend toward a second floor. A pair of double doors lead outside, and another leads further into the asylum.
�
Crossing the entrance hall you pass through a third set of double doors and enter a hallway that passes a chapel. Through the open doors you see a half dozen armed men and woman camped out. Two stand watch at the doors, the heraldry on their shields matching the symbol of the Royal Accusers.
Turning a corner, you are lead down a long corridor, passing a few single doors before coming to a one that Doctor Losandro opens with a key from a ring she carries in a pocket of her gown, one that looks much more simple this evening then what you've seen before.
Losandro leads the way in, York ushering the group in after her. Beyond the door is space that looks more like a storage room then a doctor's office. Buckets, mops, brooms, and other cleaning supplies are crammed onto wall-mounted racks. Spare linens lie stacked in cabinets. A trap door sits near the far wall and set of stairs lead down to your right. Doctor Chawaar does not appear to be here.
"Doctor!?" Losandro calls down the stairs. "Doctor, are you there?"
There is no immediate answer.
Dreams torture you.
You stumble through mist filled streets, chased by something you cannot see...
You wake... and find yourself under water, drowning...
You wake... and see Doctor Lovelan standing over a bound and gagged patient in the dungeons, giggling as she cuts into their skin with a razor. Turning to you, her face ripples, becoming the face of someone else for a moment. Smiling, she takes a syringe and plunges it into your leg...
You wake... and find yourself once more in the streets of that ruined city, the voice crying out endlessly...
"Iä! Iä!"
You wake...
Fearless leaps up and quickly follows close behind the Doctor. He keeps his mouth shut as he wishes not to invoke her wrath anymore or his promised meal taken away.
His eyes dart all about the Asylum as he is led through new parts he has yet to have seen before. He pays keen attention to the Accusers.
As he walks past he gives them a small bashful wave as he soaks in his surroundings.
He nearly bumps right into the Doctor as she stops to open her office?
"Say Doctor. Why are we going to a closet?"
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Things just don't seem right.
Captain York and Loic, you have known Dr. Losandro for a long time. Has she ever dressed down like she is dressed today? I only ask because it is better to be wary and embarrassed but alive. Then the opposite and to be in a dangerous situation and then dead because I didn't speak my mind. I also ask questions because it seems entirely out of character for Dr. Lossandro to actually have agreed with me and let the Watchmen come together. She ACTUALLY changed plans she had put into motion. Lastly, Dr. Chawaar is focused on Prestige and Honorifics, why would HE of all people be practicing medicine out of a linen closet when there are finer rooms? We just passed six great rooms in this Asylum that would be better places for Dr. Chawaar.
I promised to be a good boy and follow directions, and I'm fine with that, but something strange and odd is going on.
looking at Fearless Fearless, I am NOT advocating anything rash or aggressive. We are all cool here.
looking back at Capt York
Captain York? Can I get permission to pick up a mop in case something jumps out at us and attacks?
Cats stops when Brother Butterfly and Fearless echo the questions ringing in his own head.
"Yeah, this seems off...but I can't put my finger on it..." Cats questions calmly. "Oh, oh yeah...there doesn't seem to be any food this direction. Shouldn't we be going back to the catchens...you know? For food?"
Cats had thought he had made himself very clear about food and the need for food as part and parcel to any examination.
Cats edges closer to a nice, sturdy broom of clobbering but doesn't make a move on it...he just wants to know where it is, just in case.
Letting a little time pass Pinkie moves to the door of his sell and calls out. "Is there no one else here the hears this craziness going on?"
"What is going on..." he wonders aloud as he looks around, trying to get a grasp of his surroundings.
Doctor Losandro brushes a hand against the fabric of her gown and raises her chin. "It is late, and I am more interested in handling affairs of the asylum then wearing my finest garments. As for this 'closet', Doctor Chawaar needed a secure place to work, but the infirmary was compromised earlier today. The basement was the next best option."
Glancing at the stairs again, she calls a little more impatiently. "Doctor?! You are needed above!"
York has been watching events unfold with a frown. He considers Brother Butterfly's request for a moment, then nods. "Go ahead. You might be on to something. Briarstone's not been right lately. Ghouls on the loose, people acting strange. I'm not sure you can trust anyone." Closing the door behind him, he uses a key from his ring to lock it.
Losandro narrows her eyes at the old orderly. "What do you think you are doing?"
"I think we'll stay here and see who comes up those stairs." He replies, drawing his club.
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Brother Butterfly springs into action as soon as Captain York gives him the okay to protect himself. Great Goddess Desna, let us protect each other with your divine intervention and lend favor to my friend Cats.
BB casts luck on Cats.
He then moves to grab a mop to use as an improvised staff.
Loic hang near Cats, and help in anyway that you can; I may have a task for you to assist with. Fearless, Give York space but move to a spot where your back is against a wall. Be defensive, but ready to help him if anything bad comes up those stairs.
Watchmen - if we have a minute - Desna has promised to protect Two of us with armor. The problem is that you then have to strap and position the armor on, or I could douse the person with water to speed things up.
In the meantime, I'd like permission to touch Captain York and grant a bit of Desna's good luck. It's short term luck, but if things are bad, we will need all the luck we can get!
Cats looks at York, then snatches up a broom. He put the broom against the wall and gives a quick kick to the short end to snap off the bristles, leaving him with a mighty clobbering stick.
"If you say so, York," Cats says, holding up his stick. "Not sure what the cat is going on around here. But I have a c-a-t feeling about this...and that spells 'bad' and that's how I feel."
Cats crosses the room to find a place out of sight of the stairs.
Stealth
Fearless does what is recommended and places his back far against the wall as he cowers down behind a mop bucket.
The metal bucket clatters loudly against the wall as he shakes, making quite the racket. "What's going on York? What's out there? Sure as hell ain't dinner. AGAIN!"
Doctor Losandro looks on with disdain as Brother Butterfly and Cats arm themselves for the undead apocalypse and Fearless finds a bad hiding spot.
As Brother Butterfly considers what to do next, York interrupts. "Something's coming." He says, pointing to the stairs. "If you have something for me, I'll take it."
Footsteps echo up from below...
As twilight comes upon the asylum you hear the sound of footsteps in the hallway outside your cells. The window opens and an orderly peers inside for a moment.
"Dinnertime." He says, unlocking Pinkie's door. "Stay back or get the club." Cracking the door he slides a tray with a chicken leg, potato, bread, and a large tankard, just inside.
You find yourself in the dungeon below Briarstone. Your head is fuzzy, your mind sluggish. The gate to your cell is open. Beyond, a light yellow mist curls upon the floor.
Cats maintains his be-stealthed watch, holding his clobbering broom and looking for something to throw.
He stays silent as a cat as he waits.
PERCEPTION
INITIATIVE
Brother Butterfly touches York, granting him a bit of luck. Cats grabs a throwing bedpan. Loic is against the wall, doing his best impression of wall paper.
And stepping from the stairs is...
A very startled looking Doctor Lovelan!
"Oh dear!" She says putting a hand to her mouth.
A chuckle draws your attention back to Doctor Losandro. An alien expression has possessed her face in a most disturbing way. She is smiling.
"You poor mad fools." She says, drawing a long, wickedly curved knife from under her doctor's gown. Holding it up a change comes over her as her fingernails grow into claws and the color of her eyes fades to white.
INITIATIVE
Fearless <-Up
Doctor Losandro
Doctor Lovelan
Cats
York
Brother Butterfly
You notice dark stains on the hem of Doctor Lovelan's dress, and a subtle trail of red that she has tracked in behind her.
Fearless grabs ahold of a nearby mop handle and places it between himself and Doctor McClaws. He looks on in horror as her hands continue to extend into something fearsome.
"Did you know about this York?"
"Of course he did." Losandro says, her tone dripping pity. For a moment it seems like she might show it too, but then she lunges forward with her dagger at Brother Butterfly, stabbing him in the stomach!
Doctor Lovelan gives a squeak and shuffles back behind York.
INITIATIVE
Fearless
Doctor Losandro
Doctor Lovelan
Cats <-Up
York
Brother Butterfly (2/10 HP)
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Round 1, Init 10
Cats watches Brother Butterfly get skewed like a butterball. Cats tosses the bedpan in his hand at the back of the Doctor.
"Cat-ch!" Cats says weirdly as the bedpan leaves his fingers.
to hit vs. FF; (+luck)
damage.
After watching his s$&@ miss the fan, Cats readies to charge the doctor next round, circling to find a flank.
AC: 14
HP: 10/10
Not wanting to get caught off guard, he spends a minute to gather his thoughts and summons up his eidolon.
With the sound of shuffling cards filling the room, a snake-like creature erupts from the aether. Slithering from the void, he wraps himself around The Twin. The oddly light creature's head rests next to The Twin's with its forked tongue occasionally flicking out.
"Ssss-seems you called, massss-ster." it utters as The Twin feels protected by its presence.
"It seems we've traded down in accommodations." The Twin says with a smirk as they look out into the yellowish smoke. "Should we venture out there?" he asks to the otherworldly being.
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Horrified at seeing the transformation by Dr. Losandro, Brother Butterfly’s double chin jiggles as his jaw drops open far enough for a stirge to fly straight into his mouth. Then, As the wicked knife cuts into his stomach, he closes him mouth and exclaims, LAMASHTU’S DUNG PILE! The doctors aren’t ghouls! They are something horrific, but certainly not ghouls.
Fearless – Look at the hem of Dr Lovelan’s dress, she is trailing blood, and it’s not hers! These b+##&es hurt or killed someone downstairs and they will do the same to us. You are cornered and can’t escape this locked room, YOU need to help York and I and fight for your life!
You too Loic, Lucy is in grave danger—if you don’t act for yourself, spring to action for her sake. Snap out of it and SING!
Brother Butterfly then changes his tone to a more reverent vocal tone. Madame Butterfly, Your Watchmen are in their darkest spot, with two terrible enemies and the blood of innocents being spilled. Our soft flesh rends easily as they brandish their knives. Grant us divine protection and allow us to continue to fight this evil. Let ME be the crucible that mixes your justice and sprinkles it on the good folk.
BB takes a 5 foot step back and heals himself with a cure light wounds.
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Doctor Losandro easily dodges Cats' flying guillotoire.
York looks down at Lovelan's bloody hem and hesitates for a moment. Brother Butterfly is about halfway through his prayer when the old orderly turns and thumps him squarely on the head, laying him out cold.
"You two are very sloppy." York twirls his club, then sights down the length at Cats. "Hello there, handsome."
INITIATIVE
Fearless <-Up
Doctor Losandro
Doctor Lovelan
Cats
York
Brother Butterfly (-3/10 HP [5 nonlethal]) unconscious!
The area outside the cell is empty.
Your eidolon swings its head left and right. It speaks softly in your ear. "How did you get here? Wasss it you that opened my cage?"
After digging in to his food
"HEY MARINER DID YOU GET SOME FOOD?"
Once Pinkie has been served his dinner without incident the orderly moves to The Mariner's door and repeats the process of offering him food and drink as well.
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Fearless blanches as brother Butterfly falls to the ground. "York! Are you f&#%ing nuts?"
The mop handle wavers in his hand as York moves in towards Cats. Fearless leaps in and swings the mop handle in York's path so as to help Cat's deflect the blow as best as he can.
The mop hooks on the bucket and Fearless does little more than wheel the bucket around the room.
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York breaks character completely and giggles as Fearless wipes the floor with his enemies.
Doctor Losandro moves in on the bedpan thrower, slashing again with her dagger and cutting a long gash along Cats' ribs.
Doctor Lovelan looks down at the blood on her gown and stamps her foot in irritation. "I must have cut too deep on the last one." She says, then pulls a syringe from her pocket and moves to circle behind Fearless. "Hold still now, this might sting..."
INITIATIVE
Fearless
Doctor Losandro
Doctor Lovelan
Cats (3/10 HP)
York
Brother Butterfly (-3/10 HP [5 nonlethal]) unconscious!
Round 2, Init 10
"What the cat are you doing!?" Cats tries to avoid getting taken out by Fearless.
Cats blinks as Brother Butterfly is taken out, then twice again as Fearless does something...something he can't even explain.
"What is wrong with you people!? Are you ghouls!?" Cats tries to whack the doctor that hit him.
to hit;
damage.
AC: 14
HP: 10/10
"Ghouls?" Doctor Losandro replies with disgust. "Not hardly."
"We are saving this place from those nasty creatures. " York adds, swinging his club and catching Cats across the face and taking him out of the fight too.
"Run, Lucy! Run!!" Loic cries from the corner of the room where he cowers.
INITIATIVE
Fearless <-Up!
Doctor Losandro
Doctor Lovelan
Cats (3/10 HP [9 nonlethal]) unconscious!
York
Brother Butterfly (2/10 HP [5 nonlethal]) unconscious!
"S#~&...S@+~...S$~%!" Fearless trembles in terror. What could he possibly do against all three of them. He swings the mop handle down at York.
Realizing his back is against the wall he drops the mop.
"Alright! Alright! Sorry bout that. What is it you want. I'll go peacefully."
"HEY MARINER DID YOU GET SOME FOOD?"
"Who's that? Oh, Little One. Yea I got food", the Mariner rips the chicken flesh off the bone in one meaty bite. He suddenly pauses and stares at the small leg bone, "Did you get a chicken leg too?" Grabbing both ends of the drumstick, he quickly twists it at an angle, then admires the sharp edge and pointy tip. "Save your bone for me will ya?"...
As he enters the main area, he looks around to see if any of the bodies are still around as well as if there are any new bodies or objects.
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Doctor Losandro observes as York and Lovelan close in on Fearless. "What we want is to continue our experiments, and for you to be a good little subject."
York presses his club against Fearless while Lovelan uses the distraction to plunge her syringe into his arm.
"Now, we'd like you to count backwards from 10." York grins.
Fearless feels woozy, then everything seems to fall away down a long tunnel. As he slumps to the ground he sees Loic in the corner, Losandro closing in with her bloodied dagger...
The food is good, but the watered down ale in is somewhat bitter. As The Mariner is contemplating the sharpness of the bones you both begin to feel sluggish. A short time later you succumb to unnatural sleep.
The eidolon gives you an unreadable look, but you sense something from it. Perhaps gratitude. It then turns and looks down the row of cells in the dungeon. The area seems long abandoned, devoid of life or any sign of the dead. As you move toward the end the walls shift from worked stone to mud brick. The cells here are sealed by sturdy wooden doors with high barred windows.
The eidolon points you to one of the doors, and peering within you see a frail old keleshite woman, bound with a trio of chains and fetters. She meets your gaze and words form in your mind.
"Seek the doctor. Seek her patient."
You find yourself standing in the streets of the strange ruined city once again. This time others stand with you.
The old Mariner.
The young Pinkie.
Bald Brother Butterfly.
The halfling Fearless.
A half-elf called Cats.
The tattooed Twin.
A wall of sickly yellow fog swirls about, tumbling through canyons of buildings made from crumbling, gray brick. A battered bridge arcs overhead, nearly blotting out a bruised twilight sky. From the silent swell of mist, approaching at a steady pace, echoes the sound of shuffling footsteps...
Ssh-shuk ssh-shuk ssh-shuk
The fog surges forward, cold and menacing, hungry and dangerous. You run through the ruins, but the relentless sound of pursuit grows closer...
Ssh-shuk ssh-shuk ssh-shuk
From deeper within the mists a man cries out in a plea of tortured horror, or perhaps fanatic adulation.
"Iä! Iä!"
You run onward, your limbs clumsy and sluggish. Closer and closer, the footsteps come.
Ssh-shuk ssh-shuk ssh-shuk
Closer and closer, the voice cries out.
"Iä! Iä!"
You break from the ruins at the dark chasm ripped through the earth. Trapped, you turn helplessly as the footsteps approach, and the hunter's silhouette begins to form in the mists.
A deep rumbling in the earth rises and the streets begin to tremble, then shake violently beneath your feet. A tower crashes down between you and the hunter.
A thunderous roar splits the air as a massive shape rises from the chasm! Towering over the largest structures in the city, it thrashes about like the freshly severed tail of some colossal lizard.
From somewhere, perhaps within your own minds, an old woman's voice calls out.
"Awaken! Awaken!!"
****
You wake in what can best be described as a dungeon, locked in small cells. The Twin with Fearless, Pinkie with The Mariner, and Brother Butterfly with Cats. Rusty bars separate you from a disturbing scene playing out nearby.
Strapped to a splintery worktable with dark stained heavy ropes is the gap-toothed orderly Campre, his skin covered in a mapwork of fresh red lines. Another figure, the young and pretty Doctor Lovelan, circles the table casually, a blood-smeared white apron over her dark gown. Pooled on the floor below is more blood then any one person could shed and survive. Every so often Doctor Lovelan stops for a moment to scrutinize one of Campre's wounds or select a different object from a sideboard of sharp instruments, none intended for use on living flesh: a gardening trowel, forks, several long pieces of broken glass or metal, and a straight razor. Currently, she spins one blade of a broken pair of pruning shears, which glints in the dull light of a lamp suspended overhead.
With careless cruelty, Doctor Lovelan draws the blade across the bound man’s bare thigh, releasing a tortured wail from his cracked and bloody lips.
A soft rumble shakes the ground and Doctor Lovelan stops her bloody work to glance up at a shower of mortar dust falling from the arched ceiling above.
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Cats slowly picks himself off the ground, a line of drool going from unkempt beard to floor. He looks around slowly, blinking, trying to figure out what happened...what is happening.
He gets to his feet, helping Brother Butterfly to his.
"You o-cat there, buddy? Where are we?" Cats stands up to examine the stare...finally seening Dr. Lovelan and the other cells.
He slicks his matted hair back, trying to make himself presentable.
"Excuse me, Dr. Lovelan? I think there's been some mistake. We're not ghouls like them over there. We're not like them..." Cats points his fingers at the cell holding The Twin & Fearless. "You should get the halfling away from that one...could be trouble. He's a ghoul, probably." He recognizes the Twin and The Mariner from the violent brawl in the mess hall.
Cats straightens himself up.
"Maybe you should cat me out of here and I can help you with them ghouls over there." Cats smiles.
Diplomacy
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Fearless grabs ahold of the bars and screams at Cats. "I'M NOT A DAMNED GHOUL! I HAD THE DREAM!" Though deep down inside he still fears he might be a ghoul.
Still angry he turns towards the Doctor. "Plus she promised us dinner and she still has our razor!"
Fearless' eyes widen as he realizes that Doctor Lovelan is cutting into Compre and he steps back to rethink the situaton.
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Brother Butterfly looks around - taking in his surroundings. He is in great pain. Aside from the knife wound administered by Dr. Alessandro, and the haunting dreams where he is clearly hunted. The more painful of wounds is the betrayal by Captain York. Brother Butterfly really thought they had a reasonable chance - and a fair fight -with Captain York on their side. The crimson ropes and the sounds of pain endured by Campre added atop the dungeon atmosphere have stacked one atop each other upon his soul.
He starts to cry a couple of tears. It’s a silent cry , as the tears well in his eyes and start their trek down his cheeks.
All of this physical and emotional pain is hard to take. He feels like a balloon that fills up with air and you can see where the skin on the balloon is getting very thin and ready to pop.
In a quiet mumble
I am going to be tortured like Campre- just for the sake of that monsters pleasure.
How odd is it? How much of a juxtaposition is it that WE are in an asylum and there’s five other people with me that are all considered lunatics , yet the REAL crazy person is the one outside the cells!
Brother Butterfly wipes a couple of the wet teardrops from his cheeks as his rational mind starts thinking more logical again. And just that simple action seems to let a little bit of air out of that balloon that was ready to pop.
He doesn't know why, but an old gambling adiage comes to mind: “ If you sit down at a card table of 8 players, and after 10 minutes you haven't identified ” The Sucker” at the table - - then YOU are “The Sucker”. Applying that philosophy to this situation actually make some levity and it gives him a small laugh. Just a little chuckle as he somehow finds a small amount of comfort in the fact that he's not insane because he can clearly identify how the pseudo doctor Loveland is b%$~!#! crazy.
Seeing Campre scream in agony a couple times causes Butterfly to think to himself, “ I need to lead”. I need to lead. How can I keep myself from being strapped to that table and screaming in agony?
I NEED TO LEAD.
In a quiet whisper.
Cats, my good friend, I'm glad to see you alive. Let me help with your injuries, and then I need your aid in getting a plan to escape. We need to talk with the others, because we know we can't overwhelm Dr. Sadistic just by our two selves. See if we can find a rock and use some of our blood to send a note. You have better aim.
Whatever plan we make, as long as I can touch them then Desna will give them Good Luck in whatever we try.
When Dr. Lovelan is engrossed in her torture I'm going to use selective channeling. To not have her notice, I want to omit the Dr. and Campre. I will heal him later when I can.
Pinkie wakes from his untimely slumber and with his head in his hands starts mumbling
"Stop gabbing at me.....No you didn't tell me not to eat the food......I don't know if thats the one that was sleeping with the ugly Dr......Well at least shes not yellow.....No I don't think thats an option.....We shall see."
Once noticing the others he shakes The Mariner "HEY its not just us in the block anymore"
Soft conversation doesn't seem to attract Doctor Lovelan's attention, but when Fearless begins shouting she wheels on him and demands, “Pipe down! You’ll have your turn soon enough.”
While her back is turned, Campre struggles in his blood-slicked bindings, but is unable to make progress before she goes back about her business, agonizing over where to make the next incision on him.
Just before starting another cut she is interrupted by a deep rumbling in the ground that builds to a sudden jolt.
You notice a ring of keys dangling from a hook at Doctor Lovelan's waist.
Fearless (9/9)
Pinkie (9/9)
The Mariner (16/16)
Brother Butterfly (5/10)
Cats (6/10)
The Twin (8/8)