Anna glances around for immediate threats. Scowling at the cruelty on display and the foul stench, she steps inside the room. "Books and parchment. Your area, Tolvan," she says while turning her attention to the screeching animals in them.
Yes, Tolvan... what Hellish menagerie is this, pray tell.
Danica moves around the room as part of her investigation. She uses the tip of her temple sword to move parchments and other items that wont break.
"Tolvan, you have any spells that can mask this stench?"
Tolvan sets to work, first casting Detect Magic and looking over everything then beginning to look at the scrolls and books. Before he touches anything he asks Anna, No traps, right? Once Anna gives her go-ahead he adds Someone see to the animals. Make sure they all have food and water.
Anna walks over to the cages. Inside she sees multiples monkeys. Some appears dead, others very sick, and a few quite undead and ghoulish. The undead one are the one screeching and rattling the cages. The is one set appart from the others. That one seems to be just lying, looking weak. Under the cage there is a single sign that says control.
Tolvan inspect some of the parchment. It seem that someone was experimenting with something called Vorel's phage. Tolvan can't quite understand all of it, but it seems they where looking in a way to weaponize it.
Anna gives the cages with the ghoulish monkeys a wide berth and a disgusted look, but she feels drawn to the one set apart. A reckless feeling comes upon her, and heedless of her usual common sense, she pulls open the cage and takes the poor animal in her arms, cradling it like it was an infant.
Seeing what Anna is about Tolvan quickly voices a concern. Anna, I think that creature may be diseased!
Anna freezes, looking wide-eyed at Tolvan. She looks over to Danica and Sonny. "Can you check? You can cure it, right?"
"We need to dispatch the undead regardless. Sonny, can you channel the Bright Lady to destroy these creatures?"
"If these creatures are diseased then we need to burn this place. Gather whatever documents then burn it. We can't allow any of this getting out."
Sonny nods and say "I can destroy the undead. Let me check you over Anna after you put that creature back. Maybe I can figure out what they are trying to do. If you would let me look over those papers. I have some knowledge of diseases."
Sonny then raises his holy symbol and unleashes a wave of positive energy removing Andjela from the effect.
Anna closes her eyes as the energy washes over her, then checks checks the the poor creature cradled in her arms to see if it was affected by the burst of positive energy.
She shakes her head vigorously when Danica and Sonny suggest putting it back in its cage. "No, I'm not going to put this monkey in a cage and let you burn this place down around it! We're keeping him. Her?" She looks at it closer. "Him."
Sonny's burst of energy deal with all the undead monkeys, solving a good part of the problem. The only thing now remaining are the diseased ones. Studying Anna and her monkey, he sees no sign of sickness. Once that is done, he walks over the papers but can't make more sense of them that what Tolvan deduced earlier.
Anna continues to dote upon the monkey in her arms. "I'm going to call you Gilliam. You like that, right?"
Relieved that Anna's new interest seems to be disease free Tolvan continues to explore the lab. It seems like they might have been trying to develop and weapponize a disease. He shudders at the concept.
Anna regards the diseased monkeys in the cages sadly, but doesn't get near them. "Poor things." With the one in her arms given a relatively clean bill of health, she wants to keep him away from any chance of picking up the disease.
"When I was a girl in Roycraft, a traveling entertainer came through once who had a monkey. I'd never seen one before then, and really haven't seen one since. I loved it; it would go into the crowd and snatch hats and bonnets off heads. We all laughed so hard..."
"Turns out the monkey and entertainer also pickpocketed a bunch of valuables too while they were in town. The adults were furious, but I just thought it was the coolest thing. Heh. I was probably only six or seven. I got in so much trouble pretending to be a monkey after that." Smiling at the memory, she coos at Gilliam in her arms.
Sonny takes the papers and puts them in his pack for later perusal. He looks to the cages and says "We need to to burn these bodies and the diseased ones as well. We don't want whatever they were doing to get loose in the city."
The only thing that is magical is the moss like fungi in a few of the jars. It looks like it is the source of the disease. From the notes and the look of the healthy monkey, it would seem that who ever was working here hasn't been there for a couple days.
"I hate to be cold hearted but let's gather the evidence and burn everything. The ones that were not undead can not be left loose. We can not take the chance. Fireball everything." Danica offers a nod to Tolvan.
Danica looks over at Anna's new pet. "Please keep it close by. It may be healthy for now but some sicknesses can show up days or even weeks later. I pray that your new little friend does not show any signs."
Anna holds him protectively from any imagined diseases. "He won't. He'll be fine. I'm sure of it," she says as if her own certainty will keep it from happening.
She looks at the diseased monkeys from a distance. "Just... make sure they don't suffer. Any more, I mean."
Sonny looks around and says "Let's make sure there is nothing and no one else down here and then we can burn it all as we leave."
My question is did our headless friend interrupt the on-going work here or were they somehow allied. The fact that they have been gone for a couple days could indicate that they were successful at whatever they were about. I had better take this one jar of magical fungus for further study. He looks over at Edjureus and adds I suspect the order might be interested/
Before we go burning the place there is a pile of bodies that need to be examined. I am hoping there-in lies those responsible for the disease research. Edjureus can you enlighten us as to who they all were? We still need to hear more about how you came to be here and what you might know. And then I need to introduce you to our new friend Quinley and let you know what we are about. I mean you can hardey be expected to be helpful if you do now know all the details.
Danica nods and respects Tolvans response. "You are one of the most intelligent and wisest of people I have known. Tolvan, Sonny, I am at your disposal to get whatever answers you need."
Danica imagination takes the best of her. She then moves over to her friends and whispers so the others do not hear her next few words. "Being that they were experimenting with these monkeys, do you think these folks were also infected? Is there any way we can be certain?" Danica looks over to Sonny hoping to get some comfort from her possible negative imagination.
Sonny nods to Danica and says "I can check." He then approaches the other two and says "It looks like they were experimenting with a disease. Would you allow me to check you to make sure you don't have it?"
Andjela continues to surveil the horrific scene, speechless.
Perhaps it was our headless friend that did this before being transformed. Or perhaps whoever was carrying these experiments out, transformed him.
Or what if we were meant to triumph, and we ourselves will be passing the disease along?
Sonny sees no sign of any diseases on the two members of the order.
"Yes, grabbing one of the jar of the fungus might be a good idea. If only to find a cure for what ever disease it spread."
You walk back into the torture chamber to take a look at the bodies. "Some of them I have no idea who they are. Those three however, they were part of the order. We saw them at our last meeting and then we were capture the day before the next one. So I would assume that they were capture in the gap between the two meetings. That is about a month time. Hard to be more precise. We keep to ourselves between meetings to not attract attention unless there is something really bad happening."
The bodies also show no signs of disease. They were all killed by blood loss due to multiple cuts on their body. For as bad as the researcher were, they at least made sure to keep the disease in one room.
Edjureus and Aubra look very uncomfortable being in this room again. "Would you mind if we get out of here. We just can really stand being in here longer then needed. If you feel like burning the bodies is better in the long run, go ahead. If not, then I will have someone come and get them to give them a proper burial. But for us, this room is nothing but one long nightmare."
Yes, our members deserve a proper burial. I am ready to leave myself. I had hoped to turn to the order here as a resource and source of information. I'd still like to do that. Edjureus, you need to hear our plan to meet with the vampires in this town and let us know what you think. Then please go and assess the Order's status here and get back with us.
Anna heartily agrees with leaving. After giving the place a last glance for valuables, she heads to the trick stairs. She keeps Gilliam in her arms as she climbs them, this time not trying to stay silent except out of habit. She still makes sure to avoid (and point out) any steps that contain traps as she ascends.
Once up top, she turns to the group. "What do you think? Should we go to Stenen's place to regroup?" She makes a face when Tolvan brings up the meeting with the vampires. "Oh, yeah. We're still doing that. Okay, but Stenen's place first. I'm ready for a drink."
"Stenen's place it is. I have a souvenir that would bring a smile to Stenen's face." Danica still has the helmet of the Dullahan.
I Think we're already outside the city walls, so Stenen's shouldn't be far.
Anna smiles at the thought of giving the ex-gladiator the helmet for a trophy. It falters immediately as she recalls his story about an acting troupe that he had rescued. Her stomach twists in knots as she walks and thinks. Gilliam looks up with a questioning expression. "Nothing. Old ghosts, that's all."
While you are past the curfew, you are still able to make your way to the city. Once there, you are intercepted a few times by guards, but since you mention that you are making your way straight to an specific inn and that you are visibly coming from out of the city limits, the guards hurry you along. You finally reach Stenen's place and make your way inside. While still closed, the inn is in better state. You find the owner, still dress in his armor, behind the bar. He seems to be placing mugs and glasses away. As you enter, he turns to face you. "Well, looks who we have here. I was getting worried. Sit at a table, I'll bring some drinks."
Sonny smiles at Stenen as he sits "It turns out we took care of that headless problem you had. I believe Anna has a present for you."
Anna looks up from doting on the monkey in her arms and holds him protectively. She glances between Sonny and Stenen and Danica. "Um, no. Danica, I think you've got it. Gilliam's staying with me."
Anna gives a pointed look at the helmet in Danica's hands. "That's your gift." She then sets Gilliam on the bar and pulls a bowl of nuts to him. The primate immediately perks up, and starts scarfing down the bar treats.
Anna picks out a couple nuts and tosses them up to catch them in her mouth. "So, hopefully there won't be anything stopping your grand reopening. I think that calls for celebration, don't you?"
Tolvan watches the monkey fondly as the little primate represents Anna's heart to him. It's true. Tolvan encourages. That threat has been removed. Now you only have to worry about martial law, vampires, and the person who is murdering vampires. he adds with a wry smile. Now if I did not have this nagging feeling the such foes can come back to 'unlife' after a time I too would feel better.
After a time Tolvan will move to sit by Sonny. I need to ask you a favor. When you prepare spells again would you prepare a Restoration? This key contains a programmed illusion that I fear we need to watch. But activating that ability of the key, or any other of its abilities confers a negative level to those among the world who follow the gods of good. I propose to activate the key and will need your attention afterward to remove its taint.
Anna scoffs. "Let me do it, then. I'm not one of you holy types. I like to keep all the gods -- good, evil, neutral -- at arm's length. I follow me, not some god," she says with a note of pride. She holds her hand out to Tolvan for the key.
Sonny smiles "Of course I can. We may need some components for it though."
Tolvan surpresses a sigh and nods to Anna. With Sonny standing by I can let you give it a try. Stenen, do you want to witness this illusion playback as well? I do not believe it is dangerous, though it may very well be unwelcome.
Anna takes the magical object in her hand. She frowns slightly at the two red eyes of the center skull and tries to suppress a chill that runs down her neck. What if it effects me? she thinks, remembering the supernatural weakness that filled her after the wraiths nearly killed her.
Not looking to experience that again, she decides. Even though she told herself she wouldn't be affected, how could she know for sure? Something like that... in the hands of an undead monstrosity out to kill them... Anna wasn't going to take that chance.
Gilliam coos at her as she studies the Moribund Key, turning it over and over in her hands as she decides to cheat. To fool it into working for her like she could do with other magical devices. She knew the ways of getting around magic traps, and this was just one more. If it thought she was one of the Whisperers, then it'd work for her just fine.
That was the trick.
Danica takes the helmet and offers it to Stenen, placing it on the bar table. "We came across your friend here. He wasn't really the friendly type. It turns out he didn't like us neither so we put him to rest."
Danica offers to Sonny "I would gladly pitch in with the funding."
Stenen looks at the helmet. "Well, this will be a nice souvenir, and some nice stories for the future." He takes the helmet and install it on a shelve behind the bar.
As he does that, Anna activates the key. Luckily, she suffer no negative effect as a light is projected upward. Seconds later, the shape of a stone gargoyle in a bizarre pose appears. The thing slowly rotate for a moment, doing two full turns and then the projection stop. Aubra looked shocked for a instant. "I know that Gargoyle! Or rather, that statue of a Gargoyle. It used to be at the cemetery on the other side of the town. The city took over the cemetery a few years back to build houses. The tombs and graves where move, but this guy was just a decoration. So he didn't follow to the new cemetery. The thing was such an oddity, that we took it to our vault for studies. We just never got around to do it."
Sonny says "Well, it looks like we need to go and take a look at that statue then. Anna? Did you have any ill effects from that?"
Tolvan is obviously impressed with Anna's total success. I, ... I should not have doubted you Anna. That was amazing. I have never seen do such a thing. Agreeing with Sonny Tolvan wonders Is this statue a hiding place key or more?
Anna smirks after getting the device to work. She's a little underwhelmed at the image of the gargoyle, but is relieved that Aubra recognised it so it's not another dead end.
She tosses it casually in the air with a note of triumph. "Nope. Feel fine," she replies to Sonny, and beams at Tolvan's praise.
Anna looks at the rescued captive. "You said you were nabbed in the street. Any chance they got to your vault while they held you?"
"I would lie if I said that there would be no chance, but the risk was very low. When we get back to the order's headquarter, it will be the first thing that I will verify."
"Is your headquarters inside the city walls, or out here where we can get to it tonight?" Anna asks. She leans back and puts her hands behind her head. "Not that getting into the city would be too tough for us, but my curiosity is up."
"No, it is not far from here. We use the Haraday Theater as our headquarter. The vault is in a secret basement. There are several layers of protections that are hopefully still in place."
But well within the walls and so within the curfew. That means we must wait til morning or risk the wrath of the city watch.
Anna snorts in laughter at the concept of the city watch's "wrath." Gilliam also screeches in what appears to be amusement.
Still smirking, Anna signals to Stennen for drinks to be brought. "I haven't had a good rooftop chase in a while, so if you want to talk me out of going now we need to start celebrating."
She turns to Stenen when he comes back to the table. "Do you have any fresh fruit for my friend here?"
in mock lecture mode Tolvan explains to Anna "Just because you can defeat the city watch does not mean you should defeat the city watch". I suspect what we will eventually be called to do within the city will be difficult enough without the enmity of the city officials. It is worth it to me to stay on their good side, at least for now. That said, I have been to the Haraday theater so we could just teleport over any time. Odds are good that I would be right on target.
I'm used to dealing with matters in a more straight forward manner... Andjela seems concerned about Anna and Tolvan's conversation.
Gargoyles... what are gargoyles? I've always thought of them as guardians.