"You know, that can actually wait. "
Drafton said to Dhamis.
Looking outside he took a deep intake of breath.
"Perhaps we can hurry to the other doorway. Wait, what's that?" he said halfway closing the door and looking up.
"Carter, you were able to call forth some strange creature before, weren't you? Do you think you could do that again. I think whatever you thought you saw through the windows outside may be there."
"Uh, I don't... know?" Carter blinked, thinking about how he'd done that. Or if it was even something he had done.
You called. We answered.
"What?" Carter looked around, confused. "Did anyone else hear..." his brows furrowed. He sighed as he saw the confused looks on everyone else's face.
"Apparently the voice in my head thinks I can." he said, sounding flat and resigned.
So he's insane after all.
Drafton blinked at the man before speaking.
"Well ... Better to get a grasp on it now rather than not at all. If you think you can do it, then do so." Drafton said unapologetically to the resigned Carter.
I still don't know anything about how I ended up here myself, or the other two for that matter. He glanced briefly over toward Nova and Dhamis.
But perhaps he did belong here after all.
"What do you want me to do again? Summon... something? And then what?" Carder didn't look thrilled about where the conversation was going, but he was willing to give it a shot.
"You say you thought you saw something outside the window just a little bit ago and I know I heard something flapping around just now. Better to send something out there to check rather than one of us."
Carter shrugged. "Alright."
He stared out the window and said "Uh... come... here!
Almost immediately something dropped from the roof and latched onto the outside of the window with a stuttering shriek that sounded like an even higher pitched hyena.
Carter scrabbled backwards, diving for cover again, then peeked out to look at the thing.
It was bird-like, but if half an eagle's feathers were missing and it had an extra set of claws at the wing joint. It seemed to have no eyes. Instead it's head was just entirely a serrated sideways beak.
"You gotta be f!#!ing kidding me," he muttered.
He looked at Drafton uncertainly and then back at the creature scraping and screamign at the window. "Go... look for anything... dangerous in the fog."
The creature flapped off and vanished in the yellow haze.
Carter looked like he might throw up.
Dhamiskeanus had been standing before the others, self occupied. His finger traced over his teeth, feeling for anything unordinary. As the creature landed on the roof with a thud, he was startled out of his little exploration and looked up to see if just outside the window.
"Fascinating" he remarked. "And it seems to understand you...no, not just understand you, but be commanded by you. Amazing. Truly amazing. Tell me, are you able to...feel it? I've read that some have a connection to such creatures. That they can actually mentally feel a tether to them of sorts, even feel their emotions in some cases. What are you feeling right now?"
"Uh, no." Carter looked disgusted. "Good lords of Elysium, no."
Yes
Carter went whiter. Then a bit green. "How's... that whole mental tether thing work, exactly?"
Nova recoils at the sight of such a monster. When it flies away, shivers are sent down her spine, and then she looks at Beast.
"Don't look at me like that! I'm far better than that freak of nature. Maybe that Carter guy's insane, and hasn't figured out how to bond with something as good looking as me. Hahaha!"
Nova answers Carter's question (while ignoring Beast). "I can hear all his thoughts. It's usually something like "I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I'm bored, chase! chase! chase!" I can't shut him out, and neither can he to me ...We will never be alone..."
"Really..." Dhamiskeanus inquired. "Well that doesn't sound so bad. Never...being...alone." The last few words he muttered as he stood watching the ectoplasmic beast. He had seen the creature rip things apart in a particularly violent fashion.
"Then again..." as he continued to muttered to himself.
Carter looked at Beast and considered Nova's words. He nodded. "Yeah, it's like that. It's rarely words though. Sometimes it is, but mostly it's just... feelings that aren't mine. The hungry thing is spot on, but I don't think it's hunger is actually about food."
Drafton looked between Carter and Nova, he adjusted his shoulders and mostly closed the door.
"Both of you? That is more unsettling than you realize."
"Maybe that's why we were here?" Carter said uncertainly.
"The weft and weave of fate guides... oh... how did that poem go again?" She shakes her head. "I can't remember, but I think fate will guide us to the truth."
"I don't really care, so long as I can have some fun in the meantime."
"I think we have very different definitions of fun." Carter said flatly, still looking out the window to see what was happening to the weird bird thing.
Carter sends the strange, deformed creature off into the yellow mist and immediately the party loses sight of it. You can feel a strange connection to this... thing... as it flies and while you cannot see through its eyes or feel the rush of air through its feathers you know that it is out there. A few moments pass and suddenly you feel a sickening pang in your stomach as the connection is abruptly severed!
"Uh... it's gone." Carter said. "I don't know how I know that, but it isn't... I can't feel it out there now."
"Okay, so now we know that the other thing you saw is out there, somewhere. Or maybe there's something else too. If we're going to try and make our way to the other side of the building, we're either going to have to run fast, or move stealthily. I'm in favor of the latter of the two options."
Dhamiskeanus looked down at his own swollen body. Running fast did not seem like a viable option for him. Stealth didn't seem like a much better option either, but maybe with the fog they could pull it off. The fog. It scared him more than whatever creature was out there waiting for them.
"Should...should I go first?" he asked nervously. "If it catches me..." he gulped hard, "you could probably still make a run for it."
Drafton looked at the nervous face of the rotund man for several long seconds. The Halfling's expression suddenly becoming a mask without any emotion until he spoke. "What? No, that's a terrible thought process. Instead..." He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath with a small sigh of resignation. "I'll go to the other door, stealthily. My odds of success are much higher if I go alone and the rest of you would just get in my way. If I see or hear anything on my way that seems as though it's found me, I'll come back immediately. The three of you will stay here and cover me as best you can from this doorway."
His monotone voice brooked no argument from the others.
Then without another word, he stepped out into the fog making sure to keep an eye out for any disturbances in sky and moved as quietly as he could allow himself.
Nova clasps her hands together in admiration of Drafton's bravery.
"Should the worst happen, we will remember your sacrifice..."
Through heartfelt emotion, Nova casts Guidance on Drafton.
Beast snickers
Carter watched Drafton venture out. The intrepid halfling was proving very capable.
"I don't think he's... like us." Carter said as he watched Drafton sneak along the path.
Drafton quickly moves through the yellow mists to the door across the courtyard... All around you the mists swirl and caress you, like a wicked lover that seeks to take their pleasure out upon you. Something about the way it feels upon your skin feels almost... sadist. In the distance awful retching sounds echo weirdly in the mist. Above the sound of flapping wings can still be heard, but thus far nothing seems to be interested in the small halfling rushing across the grounds. You reach the door, but find it locked!
Drafton shifted uncomfortably from the clinging yellow mist. As he reached the door, he found himself disappointed that the it was locked.
The proper tools and knowledge escaped him. But he thought he might at least attempt to unlock the door. With only his small dagger, his mess kit, a flask of oil, and although he did not wish to risk them, his painter tools, he attempted to make an impromptu lock picking kit.
Unfortunately, he had no chance.
"I'm going to have to ask someone about that later."
Having neither the key he needed, any skill or proper tools in the art of unlocking things with finesse, and lacking the physical prowess to force the door open, he was forced to admit to himself that he'd been defeated by a simple locking mechanism.
With a sigh he turned back to the courtyard. He hoped whatever it was in the air above would not come for him. He hoped that the mist did not have any twisted secrets or creatures hiding within. Without another word, he retreated back to his companions once more.
You return to the others unmolested.
Letting himself feel a bit better upon returning to the fancy room, Drafton shook his head at his companions. "It's no good, the door is locked that way. We'll need to find a key or be a lot better at disarming locks than I was.
There were several other doors we could go through, perhaps the double doors right outside the way we came in the entrance hall? Or maybe the single door directly to the north of this room?"
Beast wriggles in delight as he laughs. "Hahaha! You risked your life, but I can walk through doors and walls like a hot knife through but-Ouch!" He flinches as Nova smacks him.
"One more word from you Beast and I'll put you back into my brain." Says Nova as she scolds him like a little kid.
After a moment she replies to Drafton. "I'm glad you're safe Drafton. I suppose we could use Beast to scout, but otherwise I'm perfectly fine with any of the doors. Maybe the one to the north?"
Drafton smiled when Nova struck Beast on the head. "Yes, well this place is dangerous after all. Perhaps I'll take you up on your offer for Beast to go first from now on. Well if there's no other objections, let's head to the north room."
Carter watched the exchange between beast and Nova, considering the nature of their relationship.
He did not like where this was going at all.
"Uh, you want me to give the door a shot?" Carter asked Drafton? "I'm pretty good with locks. I think."
Drafton paused at Carter's reluctant admittance to skill at unlocking doors. "Perhaps... perhaps it would be good for all of us if we were to discuss what we know we can do. As I brought it up, I will go first.
As you know by now, I am a painter and quite good at it. Because of my attention to detail, I happen to take note of what goes on around me because I don't avert my gaze from anyone... or anything.It's easy to tell what all of you are intending to do just by watching your body language or hearing the inflection of your voice. Because of that, I generally know how to talk to people.
This place is frightening, but I don't let it control me. Despite not being much of a fighter, I do have some limited magic potential. I seek to understand our foes and how they operate. I have a wide array of knowledge, I don't remember acquiring it, but I must have read a great number of books at some point.
The unknown can be terrifying, if you should ever find yourself overwhelmed, just listen to my words. I'll do what I can to help you all understand it."
A painter... perhaps I picked the wrong profession. I should be an orator.
"Oh mememe I'll go next!" Says Beast as he leaps into the middle of the conver... group.
"I like to kill people. I like to chase things. I like to eat stuff. I can't use magic, but I can turn into a ghost. I don't like to though because then I can't use my claws. I can walk through walls and doors and stuff because I'm awesome. Words, friends, and paintings are dumb and boring. I don't think this place is scary, because there's so much killing that can happen. Fighting is the only fun thing."
He sits down and arches his nose in regal fashion. "So yeah. If you need killing, I'll be right there."
"I guess I'm a little like Drafton, just bigger" Dhamiskeanus said with a nervous chuckle. "I remember a lot of information and seem to know some magic. I believe I have studied magic, and possibly the undead."
"I'm no fighter either, and I'm rather scared of this place. I think I like reading too. I will try not to let my fear dictate my actions and help however I can. I'm not graceful or coordinated so sneaking or opening things isn't my forte."
"I'm sorry. I can put him away if you need me to. It's just... when I do, he doesn't just disappear, not for me."
"I have claws, but I don't like using them. I can cast some healing magic, and I can cast magic that helps me see auras of magic or spirits. My eyesight must be really good, because I can see in the dark."
"I'm pretty sure I was insane... or still am. I can summon beast from my thoughts and turn him into a ghost or this goo-y thing. I can't control what he does, but if he does something bad I can just absorb him right away. He can't run away either, at least not without me concentrating really hard. I don't think he's scary, or at least not nearly as scary as this place. He's just... a murderous psychopath."
"And you're a goody two shoes, witch."
"Hard to say what I'm good at. I don't remember much. I think I'm good at puzzles though, and working with my hands. When we found our things, there were a bunch of tools in mine." He unrolled the roll of leather he had slung across his chest. Inside it were a large number of pouches and pockets, full of small tools and other odds and ends.
"I guess I used to make things. I don't seem to be good at anything else, except for this thing with those weird creatures and the voice in my head. I don't know if that counts as useful."
Drafton took in all of the information given by his group.
"Okay,well that's everything We know for the moment, but that makes it a lot easier to know what we're working with.
Nova, you should keep Beast in physical form. His killing ability has helped to save us already. Plus, he's a talker who likes an audience. Might as well let us all deal with him rather than just you.
Carter, we'll head back to that door outside later. Any other doors we find hat are locked we'll let you deal with first. As for the voice in your head... Well it could be the same thing that nova has. Try to call it out if you want. We can help you deal with it.
Dhamis, we already know where most of your skills lie. Your intellect and understanding of magic far exceeds anyone else's. Your command over undead will almost certainly prove invaluable as well.
Well, unless Carter wants to try calling his creature inside his mind, we should probably try heading to the door to the north."
"Well I won't argue with that! Let the chase begin... after some lock picking... bleh."
"Uh, no. I think I'll pass, thanks."
Carter walked over to check the door Drafton had pointed out.
Beast follows Drafton to the door and waits as patiently as possible (not very) before he can charge in. He looks to Nova questioningly.