"Well, rest would be great," Volar said in agreement with Andrezi's suggestion. "A fresh start with a clear mind would be a good thing."
Volkar followed the group and felt for Daelric when he mentioned the lack of clues in his quest for his family. Volkar patted him on the back, "if we could get the chance, maybe you could go over the clues you have, and we could come up with a few ideas as to where we could help you. Once this situation is figured out."
"Hey Volkar, you were asking about the Old Light, right? Brodert Quink and I have had some chats about it. He thinks it was some kind of defensive tower - a siege fortification, maybe one from which wizards could cast their spells. I think his theory holds a little more weight now that we've seen that it's connected to those tunnels leading to the old Thassilonian ruins below the town," says Kiera conversationally.
"Anyway, we can check it out any time you like. Nobody really owns it so nobody will stop us from going to look and see what kind of runes or art or engineering clues we can find on it."
"I would like to do that. Really," Volkar nodded his head as Kiera mentioned the Old Light. "Plus, a few dwarves looking over the place might help to get a sense of the purpose and stone work. Be interesting if there were tunnels below it that lead to other places too."
The group troops out of the office, weary in spirit and in heart. Kiera tries to keep things to the lighter side, but is only partially successful. You spend the afternoon pursuing your own ends before grabbing a supper and bedding down for the night.
Rising early the next morning, the team gets up and saddles their horses for the ride out to the Sanitarium. On horse, it is a relatively short jaunt south of town to the secluded dale that houses the squat, three story stone building and its surely caretaker.
You pass the cottage used by the live in assistants and the reclusive Dr. Habe, and ride to the top of a small ridge where the sanitarium itself sits in the lee of an escarpment known as Ashed Rise. A clean and well kept building, everything gives off a sense of being well ordered and clean.
"Well, so we should be seeing someone about right? Or do they keep everyone in the house here?" Volkar asked as he dismounted from his pony and looped its reigns about a post. "Do we just knock?"
I nod in gratitude to everyone, "That'd be a huge help, thanks." I look on at the building and smile, "At Last, something with a semblance of order."
"Don't fret, Daelric. I'll work on studying spells to help locate your father with divination. I may not have it cracked yet, but it's a problem that can be solved!"
As the team advances to the sanatorium, she becomes serious again, and says, "All right, let's be on our best behavior." She adjusts her bodice, makes sure her skirt is fitted smoothly, and clears her throat. "Uh... who's the best talker?"
"I suppose knocking would be in order." Andrezi says to Volkar's question.
With a shrug, Andrezi walks up to the front door and knocks. "Hello? Is there anyone available. We come on the authority of Sheriff Hemlock. We'd like to ask a few questions."
Several moments go by after Andrezi knocks on the door, before someone can be heard moving towards the door. Eventually, a well kept older gentleman in well cut but sensible clothing opens the door and glares at the assortment gathered on the doorstep, sizing you up. "I'm busy, and have no need to purchase anything.. good day." the man says, before pulling back into the door and beginning to close it.
[ooc]Diplomacy rolls with your post please?"[/b]
"What, wait," Volkar said as the man began to shut the door.
"Excuse me, good sir, but did you not hear that we were here on behalf of the sheriff of Sandpoint?"
"I heard you quite clearly. But you obviously did not hear me. I am quite busy at the moment with my patients, and I don't care who sent you.. You are not the sheriff, so I will not waste my time with you!" he says in a rather grumpy and querulous tone. Once again, the man begins to pull back into the building.
I thank Kiera profusely and continue to walk with everyone with a large smile playing across my face and my hopes high. When the man at the door tries to pull back into the building I put my armoured foot in the way of the door, "How's about we come in and talk with you quietly, rather than speak loudly about such a gruesome account. I'm sure your patients can be without you for a brief conversation."
Kiera adds, "Please, Doctor, it should just take a moment." She looks up at the building's many rooms and says, "You have a very impressive facility, and I'm very grateful for the work you're doing. We're sorry for the interruption."
The man scowls even harder, if that is possible, but finally gives an almighty harrumph and steps back with a bow and an inviting gesture towards the inside of the building that is just shy of mocking.
"Fine. Come in if you are not going to leave me alone. Now, what do you want from me? I am a very important man, and my patients and research are my utmost priority. I don't have time to dally with you." he says, closing the door behind you and turning to face you with arms crossed and eyes looking you up and down in obvious dismay.
"One of your patients witnessed a most horrible murder in Sandpoint. We were hoping we could ask him a few questions? If he's lucid?" says Kiera hopefully. "I would imagine it was very traumatic, if it caused his mind to snap so suddenly."
"Grayst? He is in a very fragile state right now, and is the main subject of my research and care at the moment.. Lucid could be a bit much to ask for. I am Doctor Erin Habe, I am sure that you have heard of my and my work.." the man starts off in a disgruntled tone, and as he introduces himself, his inflections leave no doubt that he assumes his name has stretched far and wide. "And most of my work out here relies upon the quiet atmosphere that is all but insured by this remote location."
The man dithers for a moment, before caving. "You will be permitted to speak to the man, but for only a very short time. And, of course, my orderlies and I will have to be present at all times. When I say your time is up, then you must leave. Understood?" Habe waits for your agreement before turning over his shoulder and calling deeper into the house. "Jeseph! Tain! Come here!"
Eventually, two larger men dressed in white uniforms appear from their other duties.
"That would seem to be a fair arrangement, Doctor Habe."
Habe leads the way through a door and into a larger sitting room. Ignoring the rest of the room, he winds his way up the flight of stairs to the second floor. Here is an open floor with 5 closed and barred doors to either side. Across the open middle Habe leads you to another staircase going up. At the top of this flight, a small landing quickly becomes crowded as everyone files in. Stepping out of the way down a short hall, Habe gestures at the door before you and says. "That's him. He is secured in a jacket for his own safety so things should be ok."
Opening the door reveals a man huddled up in the far corner, apparently unaware of your entry. He is crouched down and sobbing helplessly in his straight jacket, muttering in incoherent bursts. Occasionally, you are able to pick out words such as "razors", "Too many teeth", and how "The Skinsaw man is coming!"
As the light from the hall falls upon the patient, you can see that his skin is pale and looks gangrenous, hair wild and eyes milky white.
Kiera nods somberly to the doctor. "We understand. Thank you again, doctor. I apologize for interrupting your important work."
As the patient is revealed, she hangs back behind the rest of the team. "I hope... it's not contagious. Whatever it is that's wrong with him, I mean." She frowns slightly and looks concerned.
Dr. Habe shakes his head at Kiera. "I do not believe his condition is contagious from proximity, no. You are welcome to attempt to communicate as you wish.."
Andrezi whispers to the others, "We need to be quick about this...this man is more than just menatally ill. I doubt he survives the week, if even the day."
Turning his attention to the poor man, "Mr. Grayst...can you hear me? What is the Skinsaw man?"
Volkar let the two humans head in to the room where the man was confined in a thick cloth jacket that sleeves were wrapped and locked down to the man's back. The man's appearance was ghastly. Volkar's dismay was hard to hide and he tried listening to what was being said as he looked at the man's sorry condition.
He felt about trying to find a healing potion to offer the man.
Kiera whispers to Andrezi, "What's wrong with him? Can you do anything for him?"
The team peers within the cell at the pitiful sight before them. Andrezi calls out to the creature, and it lifts its wild and vacant eyes to the priest, still muttering. However, he does a double take as he sees who is hiding behind Daelric. His eyes widen in shock, then in glee before he begins gurgling and cooing, finally saying “He said. He said you would visit me. His Lordship. The one that unmade me said so. He has a place for you. A precious place. I’m so jealous. He has a message for you. He made me remember it. I hope I haven’t forgotten. The master wouldn’t approve if I forgot. Let me see… let… me… see…”
After several horrified moments, the man continues. “He said that if you came to his Misgivings, that if you joined his pack, he would end his harvest in your honor.”
With this, the man collapses in on himself and ends puddled on the floor, moaning.
"Ok, this makes even less sense, who is this Master? Why would anyone want us to head to that ramshackle of a mansion?" Volkar looked back and forth at his colleagues. [b]"Gotta say, if we are going on an expedition, we may need to give some thought to what we brought.
Andrezi shakes his head. "His illness is beyond my powers." he says answering Kiera's question.
After the madman's ramblings, the priest says, "Seems this 'Lordship' fellow really has a thing for Kiera."
Hearing Volkar's comments, he asks, "Ramshackle mansion? Whatever do you mean?"
Daelric takes a close look at the man cowering on the floor of the room, then gives a surprised yelp. "It's Ghoul Fever! He's turning into a Ghoul!!" he exclaims.
Just as Daelric is reaching for his weapons, the mans moans rise in pitch and volume and turn into a shrieking wail of mixed agony and ecstasy. He lurches to his feet, arms tearing free of his confining straight jacket as he reaches towards the group clustered in the doorway.
Habe almost gets buried under his orderlies as the two big burly men try to protect the doctor and move him down the stairs and out of harms way.
Kiera Videns
Volkar Glanral
Daelric Morieth
Grayst
"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Volkar
Daelric
Grayst
Kiera
"Desna, Song of the Spheres, please aid these righteous folk in their ensuing battle against the living dead." Andrezi calls out, in blessing the group.
"So be it," Volkar shifted the axe off his back and swung at the man turned ghoul.
Andrezi calls upon the blessings of Desna to aid the group in this unfortunate circumstances, while Volkar reaches for his ax and moves into the room and takes a swing. The ax bites deeply into the floor, though, and not the man.
Daelric replies to Volkar "Hes not a ghoul just yet.. but hes not far off! He's mad with the disease!"
Grayst manages to get his feet underneath of him, and lashes out at Volkar, eyes only for Kiera as he reaches towards her. It seems that Volkar is just in the way here. The man catches Volkar with a clout, trying to knock him out of the way.
"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Volkar- 6 NL
Daelric
Grayst
Kiera
Kiera hangs back with Volkar and Daelric offering protection, and starts chanting in a low monotone drone.
Andrezi points toward Volkar, granting the dwarf a bit of Desna's Luck.
Volkar pulled the ax out of the wood and swung it at the mad man.
Kiera falls into her spellcasters trance, trying to end this bloodlessly, while Andrezi grants divine assistance to Volkar. Volkar swings his ax hard, easily hitting the unarmed and unarmored man, nearly splitting him in two!
Daelric holds himself in place, ready to jump into the fray if Kieras spell should fail.
Meanwhile, Grayst tries to take another swing at Volkar but misses.
All of a sudden, Grayst sways alarmingly before toppling over like a cut tree..
"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Volkar- 6 NL
Daelric-
Grayst- 9 dmg, Asleep
Kiera
"Dr. Habe, do you have anything stronger than that jacket? He'll be out a few moments as long as he isn't jostled too severely." Andrezi asks, while extricating his silk rope from his pack - in case the doctor responds in the negative.
As the attendings relay Andrezi's question downstairs, the stressed and harried voice of Habe floats back up the stairway from the floor below. "No.. And that was the only one of those that I had! I don't normally keep violent patients here! Please do what you must, but don't hurt him if you can help it!"
You hear Habe ordering his orderlies back up stairs to help you, entreating them that he is fine, and to look after Grayst.
"Andrezi, can you do anything to help him? If he becomes a ghoul, he'll snap out of the spell! Is it too late to save him from that horrible fate?" asks Kiera, wringing her hands.
Daelric pipes in to calm Kiera's urgent pleas. "I don't think hes going to turn just now.. but soon. No more than a day or two. We have some time to figure out what to do with him."
Hearing Dr. Habes response, Andrezi moves into the room and quickly and efficiently ties up the patient. As he does so, Grayst wakes up. He groggily shoves off the remainder of Kiera's spell and begins to struggle helplessly against the bonds as he mutters incomprehensibly.
"Understood." the priest says beginning to bind Grayst with his rope.
"His best bet would be magic beyond my capabilities." Andrezi says regretfully. "That being said, he is still alive, so there is a small chance that he may recover. Once he is secured again, I will see what little I can do to increase his chances."
Kiera says, "We'll have to stay and keep him under your care for a while, won't we? Maybe I should head back to town and see if I can buy a scroll from the temple that will cure his disease."
"Hey, did this guy have anything with him when he came in?" Volkar asked load enough to where the orderlies and Habe could hear him. "Miss Kiera, I think we may need to hold off anyone heading back to town alone, he said something about someone holding a hunt. I don't like the sound of that at all."
Once Andrezi secures Grayst, Dr. Habe timidly comes up the stairs, wringing his hands. "Oh my.. Oh Dear!!" he exclaims, looking around at the tatters of the coat and the effects of the fight. "I am so very sorry about that.. I am so sorry you were hurt! You are quite right.. and it is something I should have done long ago.. but the chances to study him up close!!" He peters off under the hard glares of the party as realization settles over you. "Yes, well. We will take him into town, and Father Zantus will see to him, I have no doubt. But the advances..." If anything, his stammer and hand wringing have become even more prevalent as he peers from face to face.