DMDM's Strange Aeons

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Glancing a the yellow robed man, Mrakala frowns and looks toward the door. "Prophet, speak to me of your Zandalus."

The wizard looks nervous as he asks. Almost as if he expects the yellow-robed man's words alone to cause problems.

Glancing a the yellow robed man, Mrakala frowns and looks toward the door. "Prophet, speak to me of your Zandalus."

The wizard looks nervous as he asks. Almost as if he expects the yellow-robed man's words alone to cause problems.

The man's eyes glow with fervor. He leans forward against his chains. "Zandalus..." He chokes, and seems to have difficulty speaking. But he manages to get out a few more words: "Zandalus... saves! Praise him!"

On the other side of the mutilated, half-gnawed corpse, the ghoul snarls and throws itself against its chains as the rogue and the paladin cautiously jab at it.

Yordan is still guarding the rear, but yells over his shoulder, "Saves from what?"

can I cut again?

Is there any knowledge check we could roll to figure out any of the following information:
Who or what Zandalus is? Is there any check or (non magical) medicine or such that we could cast/use/whatever to "cure" the crazed man? Does Ghoul poison/paralysis have any impact on crazy people other than the normal?

"Kill the ghoul, leave the man. Let's get what we came for then."

"No argument on ghouls -- if he is a ghoul instead of something else. With all this trickery amd shapechanging around, who can tell who anyone is? The man might be worth rescuing, if we can release him safely. I wonder who chained him here and why. I remember a story about a lord who chained his enemies to posts in the wilderness, just far enough apart to be out of reach, and let the wolves take them..."

Why do I even remember things like this?

Yordan is just a fount of stories like this one.

can I cut again?

I don't see anyone stopping you.

Is there any knowledge check we could roll to figure out any of the following information:

Who or what Zandalus is? Is there any check or (non magical) medicine or such that we could cast/use/whatever to "cure" the crazed man? Does Ghoul poison/paralysis have any impact on crazy people other than the normal?

Zandalus ia a new name to all of you.

Curing the crazed guy: that would require some time to figure out just what might be wrong with him.

Ghoul poison / paralysis: undead are Knowledge (religion).

1d20 + 3 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 1 - 1 = 16 for 1d8 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 2 + 2 = 14

Knowledge(religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 <-- not sure if I need to roll again since I rolled a few posts ago

"Are you suuuuure your stab-happy Fritzy should be stabbing away?"

Nameless gasps at the re-emergence of the disembodied voice. Ah! Wha - ... where have you ...? Shaking her head, she peers at the ghoul.

Quite sure, yes. Kill the abomination! She punctuates this last statement with a spear thrust in the direction of the chained undead.

Slowly becoming accustomed to the insanity...Mrakala goes about getting together some linens.

1d20+3+1-1 for 1d8+2+2+2

Yikes!

Well, that seems to have done it. With a flash of holy light,you cleave through the tainted flesh of the undead horror. It snarls defiance for the last time, then sags in its chains.

"Praise him! Praise!" cries the yellow-robed man.

...Well, good job at killing the chained ghoul. I, for one, have no desire to delve into whatever rantings this fool is shouting. Let's get what we came here for and get out!"

Yordan steps through the door, checks the ceiling, and looks quizzically at Mrakala.

"When you are tracking dangerous prey, it's always important to see what traces are left behind. Besides that, if the man is safe, we shouldn't leave him chained up in here with more of these dopplegangers. If he is a threat, we should not leave him free behind us."

He turns to the chained man. "Who is Zandalus, and why should we praise him? Who are you, and how did you get here?"

Kind of blunt, but Yordan has never read Machiavelli Carnegie's How to Make Friends and Dominate People.

Fritz steps back and shakes the gore off his blade. He then detects evil on the remaining folks.

I know if they are just normal evil they wont show up

He turns to the chained man. "Who is Zandalus, and why should we praise him? Who are you, and how did you get here?"

The man screws up his face as if in pain. "Words... words fail. Words... fail." He seems to be having difficulty speaking, and almost seems to choke for a moment. Then he brightens. "Zandalus sees! Praise!"

Fritz steps back and shakes the gore off his blade. He then detects evil on the remaining folks.

I know if they are just normal evil they wont show up

Okay, the ghoul is destroyed. Now what?

Gobsmacked Grapes! Guys there is something very very evil behind the doors there. It is very strong.

He points to the Southern Doors

"Then keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't interrupt us."

Mrakala moves to stand next to Yordan and scowls. "I didn't think we could get anything...useful..from this individual. I suspect his mind is mostly lost due to something. Possibly whatever it is Fitz is detecting beyond the other doors."

He lifts a hand to his chin, watching the yellow-robed man's change in demeanor. "But chained. That indicates he is either resisting the effect or someone is seeking treatment. I doubt there are any other...'friendly' individuals in this hospital other than Winter's people."

He'll pull out a piece of parchment, using a stub of charcoal to make a few notations and grumbling to himself. "Nothing about this in any of the texts I can remember. If only we had a library and a week to research.."

Glancing up, Mrakala arches an eyebrow. "Ghelik, are you able to pick locks? You seem to have various...talents. Could you see how complex the locks on that one's manacles are? And no, I'm not suggesting we set the insane cultist free. Please, humor me."

Eh, just picked up sum stuff frum livin' on the streets. Let me check it out.

Evaluate locks... 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Nuthin' I can elp with. Looks like ee stays. Sorry bub.

Ghelik shrugs his shoulders and keeps his eyes and weapon focused on the door at the mentions of a great evil.

Lets git the clothes and git outta ere.

Kyleen walks up and examines the man.
I wonder what is affecting his mind. In this place it could be magical, or some natural insanity caused by all the strange and vile things that have happened around here.

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 <-- checking the bound man

Unfortunately, Kyleen realizes that she has no experience whatsoever with crazy people.

"The Brat, or possibly one of the guards, mentioned this phenomena. It is not a singular case, from what I understand. I believe they are dangerous, not just a natural insanity, Kyleen."

With a sigh and a shrug, he nods at Ghelik. "Thank you for trying. I agree, let us get what we need."

just leaving them chained seems cruel. We should release them or end their suffering.

Yordan looks at the doors, then at the chained man. "Whatever is there has left this man alive, so far. No need to kill him ourselves. Perhaps it will not come here -- but let us get what we came for, and quickly." He grips his glaive more tightly.

"Fritz, we do not know a current cure and he is dangerous. But there may yet be one in the future. Perhaps if we slay whatever turned him, he will heal. Perhaps we will stumble upon a secret here. It would be cruel to slay him with that hope. It would be unwise to release him. Leaving him is the best option."

Let us take him chained then.

"Why? We do not know if his madness can spread in some way. That is an unnecessary risk."

Leaving man to slowly die of starvation makes us no better than those that chained him here.

Nuthin' I can elp with. Looks like ee stays. Sorry bub.

Smashing the chains is an option. There are seven of you, and you have various weapons and whatnot.

Good-aligned characters would reasonably have a problem with leaving a mental patient chained up without care to die of thirst or starvation. (Or, quite possibly, to be eaten by monsters.) I'm not saying you *can't*. I am saying, insofar as alignment is an issue for you, it's a non-good act.

Yes, this calculation changes if he's a threat, or if you reasonably believe he's a threat. Good alignment doesn't require you to do obviously stupid and risky things. Does your character reasonably believe that? How paranoid are you now?

Having stood to the rear, listening to the debate and keeping a watch around the party, Nameless approaches the man in chains. To him, directly, she asks two questions: 1) Is it Zandalus behind those doors? 2) If we allow you to go free, will you aid us or hinder us?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

I realize he's mentally unstable or insane, but figured it's worth a shot.

Not good, and very paranoid.

"I hadn't thought of the starvation..we do not want to let him perish. I do not believe it to be wise to let him free, and if there is a possibility of helping him in the future I do not think we should kill him either. If you are concerned, we can bring him food and water--as well as try and destroy whatever is beyond that door."

Stepping back from the man, Kyleen turns and looks at Mrakala.
We cannot leave him here. He was either a patient or an employee of the hospital. If he is not a threat to the hospital, we must protect him. At least until we know whether he is a threat to us and the other survivors.

Can we break the chain on the wall without unchaining his arms?

Having stood to the rear, listening to the debate and keeping a watch around the party, Nameless approaches the man in chains. To him, directly, she asks two questions: 1) Is it Zandalus behind those doors?

A look of terror comes over the man's face, and he cringes away. He looks towards the southern doors, tries to speak several times, but seems to choke on his words. Finally he simply shakes his head.

2) If we allow you to go free, will you aid us or hinder us?

He brightens. "Praise him! Praise!"

Stepping back from the man, Kyleen turns and looks at Mrakala.

We cannot leave him here. He was either a patient or an employee of the hospital. If he is not a threat to the hospital, we must protect him. At least until we know whether he is a threat to us and the other survivors.

Note that now you're away from the Refuge, you can call out the Doctor freely if you want to.

"I do not think he is a threat to us -- we are a pack of seven, and he only one. We should release him."

Yordan looks around for anything that might be useful in breaking chains or prying them from the wall -- there's a lot of debris lying around here, perhaps there's something that could be used as a prybar or a crowbar. Or, who knows, maybe a set of keys on a peg just out of reach?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

And -- how did they come to have manacles in a laundry room? Did someone recently fasten these here, or are they old construction?

Knowledge (arch & eng) (untrained, so max 10): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Finally, how did the dead guy in the middle die? "Ghoul bite" is the obvious answer, but Yordan distrusts the obvious in this madhouse of horror.

Heal check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Can we break the chain on the wall without unchaining his arms?

No -- he's got a cuff on either arm.

Yordan looks around for anything that might be useful in breaking chains or prying them from the wall -- there's a lot of debris lying around here, perhaps there's something that could be used as a prybar or a crowbar. Or, who knows, maybe a set of keys on a peg just out of reach?

Perception: 1d20+7

There is, in fact, a set of keys. They're sitting almost in plain sight, on top of a pile of several books on a side table next to the southern doors, along with a few coins and a handkerchief. And yes, they will fit the manacles. As a DM it's hard to say what's more surprising -- the times PCs compulsively roll repeat Perception checks to search for things that aren't there, or the times they don't bother looking for things that are.

And -- how did they come to have manacles in a laundry room?

What a reasonable question!

Did someone recently fasten these here, or are they old construction?

Recent, it looks like.

To Fritz, Don't like it. Smells like a trap or a sacrifice. If we free im, I feel like whutever is behind the door or what put im here may awaken or try ta stop us.
We gotta be careful.

Finally, how did the dead guy in the middle die? "Ghoul bite" is the obvious answer, but Yordan distrusts the obvious in this madhouse of horror.

Heal check: 1d20+6

"Agreed, Ghelik. I understand some of you are less inclined to survival over your curiosity. I do so insist that this time we aim for an edge of caution? Have we not encountered enough traps between mirrors and shapeshifters?"

Mrakala sighs and runs a hand over his face. "We should likely face whatever is behind that door. I'd rather not do so with this cultist, possibly deranged, possibly dangerous, individual free from those chains."

I am prepared to face evil. But I do fear that what is behind that door may be beyond us.

"We could just walk away from that door," Yordan points out, with a sardonic air. He lifts the corpse's arm, displaying four. blackened finger marks, and explains their meaning.

.You can read the spoiler above. Yordan doesn't realize he's giving away the last paragraph.

"Something ate that man's soul with a single touch, before the ghoul had breakfast. Maybe the same thing Fritz smells behind that door. Get what we came for, release this man, and get back to shelter. We can't leave him chained up for a soul-sucker, even if he is a madman. If Winter wants, she can let hm, or he can take his own chances."

Yordan reaches over and picks up the keys, then looks over at the others, waiting for a response.

The books can wait.

Looking into the eyes of the man chained to the wall, Nameless speaks to the group behind and around her. There is a spark of ... someone ... left in this man. Let's get him to the chapel - we can then discuss what to do about the laundry. Turning to the group, she looks at the paladin. Perhaps Winter will be interested in your assessment of the evil, Fritz.

Agreed. Can anyone put him unconscious?

Recalling his dreams of insidious virus-like magics spreading through text and speech, Mrakala can only grumble and shake his head.

"If something terrible results from this, I want nothing to do with it."

Yordan may ignore the books, but Mrakala will take a look through them quickly.

Oh! We should have Kyleen ask the doctor if he recognizes the man.