"What's the water situation?" Klassalka asks, "If we're on a river, is there access there, and enough to drink?"
An asylum? Had Ramul really gone mad? If so, were his companions mad as well?
"How did you come to be at the asylum, Winter? And what is this Orpiment you speak of? Also, what can you tell us about this Zandalas?"
Campus's mind is tabula rasa.
Unfortunately, Miss Huhl, while there's a river nearby, we cannot access it from within our small domain here. So, we rely on the little rainwater we can collect from the cracked windows...which doesn't exactly provide the most potable water. I try and supplement that with some minor cantrips, but I'm the only one here with any particular abilities in that area. At least...until now. She glances at Campus specifically, knowing her to be a cleric at least in name.
Turning to Ramul, Winter continues. I came here to help a Royal Accuser investigate the current strangeness in Thrushmoor. I am a sister of the Maiden't Choir Cathedral in Caliphas, and we're often called on to help the Accusers.
As for the Orpiment, I have no idea...this must be a new cult that I've never heard of. I've never laid eyes on this Zandalas, but some of the other survivors worked here before the uprising, and they had. They say that Zandalus was a quiet man who suffered from horrible nightmares - a poet and artist whose art was disturbing, but who always seemed peaceful enough himself. All of that apparently changed, though.
"Given the situation, after we rest, our set of skills lends itself to foraging and clearing out a larger area for the survivors to live than in cooking and crafting furniture." Ulfric says. "Though I am sure we could try to help the sick."
Yes I can provide water..I will prepare the spell in the next morning, after I have rested. I do not have the skill yet to make food. I can however provide basic wound healing.
"I agree with Ulfric. Our time would probably be best spent foraging and clearing areas. I can't heal or provide water like Campus, but I can sift through rubble to make sure there's nothing lurking underneath. The ability has already kept us from being taken by surprise by a group of centipedes earlier today.
"What happened to the Royal Accuser you came to help?"
Klassalka wracks her mind and almost remembers something, but doesn't.
Campus leans to whisper to Klassalka It seems there is no natural water source to be had save the rain. Please do not take offense, and I am unfamiliar with the needs of your kind, but I can imagine that to be in a dry place might be especially tough on you. Know that my water spell can be used repeatedly, and although it may take a while, I can conjure quite a quantity.
Winter seems to consider what Ulfric and Ramul said, then nods with a sigh. As I said, our situation here will not last. You sure seem able enough, perhaps if you can find us all a way out of this nightmare, I'd see to it that the Royal Accusers offer you and handsome reward.
There's so much to it though...whatever nightmares you've seen in this place must be found elsewhere as well. Then, there's the way you must go... She shakes her head. Rest first, and help these people, then I'll show you where you'll need to go.
Looking at Ramul, she continues. the accuser that sent me left the asylum before this madness occured, though some of my aides may still roam these halls.
Klassalka waves off Campus, 'Bah, this is no desert, save your magic for one who needs it.'
Then to Winter, she says louder, "A reward? I like the sound of that!"
Campus feeling a little put off bravado. pff and a reward? Who gives a damn about gold when we appear to be in the belly of hell?
"I see. Well, it seems these people are fortunate to have you, Winter. I must admit, rest sounds very good right now. If there's anything else we should know, please tell us. Otherwise, I'll retire for the day and be ready to help these people in the morrow."
Ramul detects no deception or enchantments from or upon Winter, and he has quite a good "gut" feeling about the truth of her words.
Well if that is how you feel Klassalka, I'm sure you can get your water by licking broken like the rest of these folks have done.
This plan seems agreeable to me...
Nodding, Ansgar says to Winter "That sounds like a reasonable plan. I would take my leave now to return and give aid to a lone man in the direction we came from and then rest."
Ansgar will wait for anyone that wishes to come before leaving to give the man with few words some of his rations.
Campus feels strange as she envisions the Paladin as a stern white haired priest. She squeezes her eyes shut, breathes deeply, and realizes she needs sleep, once again seeing Ulfric.
Let us find a place to rest, and do what small chores we may
Ramul was grateful that Winter seemed to be telling them the truth. Considering everyone's lack of memories, it was comforting that at least one person seemed to know what was going on.
To Campus, Ramul says, "Agreed. I'm looking forward to getting some rest."
To Winter, Ramul says, "Where should we sleep for the night?"
Winter inclines her head to Ulfric. Of course. The guards at the barricade will of course watch, should you need assistance.
You can, and I'd suggest you do, rest anywhere within this chapel. You should be able to find floor space, and ample blankets to keep you warm. Should you need anything, let me know as I make my rounds. So you know, mamy here report nightmares when away from the chapel. Under the open arms of Pharasma thpugh, the dreams are banished.
"If need be," Klassalka responds to Campus, "I can make do with the blood of my enemies!
Then with a small pause ...I'd prefer cleaner enemies if it came to that. Anyway, let's get some sleep.
Ramul takes Winter's advice, finds a blanket, and lays down in the chapel. He doesn't venerate Pharasma, but he can see why people would.
Thank you for getting us through this day, Milani. May we continue to fight for good tomorrow.
With that simple prayer, Ramul closes his eyes and does his best to sleep through the night.
I'll take first watch, switch every two hours through the night.
Ulfric will head out to find the man to give him three of his trail rations.
Once in the chapel, and out of earshot of the others not in the party, Klassalka says to Campus, "You wanna help? Good, warriors help each other. But these people are terrified, and they're already looking to us as strength. So I'm the big bad warrior, and they need to believe that."
I am not so confident in Winter's leadership, if after this while she still hadn't secured rooms less than a hundred feet from her barricade. Campus thinks out loud.
Turning to Klassalka, So your bravado and arrogance was a show for them, eh? Fine. I sensed you were troubled by something, and was making a guess at what it was. So why don't you tell me now?
"Not just bravado, I really am this tough, but this place is weird and if we're going to work with these people we need them as brave as they can be. Battlefield smarts. And... if there's something wrong with them too, then it's still better they think us too strong."
The evening...or day, as it seems impossible to tell time with the dark mist outside...progresses without incident, though some of the survivors do offer a quick greeting.
Of note are Airwynn Savoia - a former asylum staff member with a splinted, but broken leg, Bates - a human child with regular seizures, Naysa Walike - a veteran nurse with full figured beauty and according to rumor a tremendous singing voice, and Maeve Kostenbau - a troubled young girl who throws tantrums if not sufficiently distracted from her desire to go outside and play. Many others cast wary glances your way, but keep a distance.
In the morning, Captain York greets you with his normal charm, the grizzled man civil but direct. Hope you slept well. I'm hoping you can help out a bit today...many hands make light work.
We need turns watching the barricade, firewood cut...err, broken as it were, some calmed and medicated, the wounded tended to, and food prepared. Can you help out?
"I will help keep watch on the barricades, unless others would prefer to do that." Ulfric says to York.
Klassalka is the last one up, and it takes some poking. Even then, she's rather sleepy-seeming.
"Barricades or breaking, I'm good at both." Then she yawns.
This somehow ends up with people moving her to a place where stuff needs breaking rather than attentiveness.
In her desire for more sleep, even breaking things isn't her proudest moment.
"I can probably be most useful at the barricades with Ulfric. As a half-elf, Milani has gifted me with very good sight, even in dimly-lit areas."
Ramul walks over to the barricade and begins scanning the surrounding areas.
I suppose I can try to cut some wood
Campus rolls her sleeves, pumps a couple of biceps, and chops wood.
Artemis, for his part, seems to blend in with the community, spending time away from the group that had already shared so much through their dark journey from the basement. His lack of memory obviously sill bothered him as he tried to discuss his life with his new audience, to no avail. He somehow seemed...home.
Naysa, the nurse, sees Klassalka's failed attempt at breaking up furniture and approaches the intimidating woman. You know...if you're not up to this task, I could sure use help with Loic. I can't get him to take his medicine, and its the only thing that will keep him calm.
Ulfric and Ramul both excel at guard duty, their steady demeanors and absolute awareness males each of those sharing duty feel a bit better, and more friendly. One such man, Denman - a former cook at the asylum who boasts that he's exceptional with a knife, approaches and motions for them to get close. He points to the southeast, where a curtain sections off...something...from the rest of the room.
I sure don' know whats back there, but lemme tell ya...walked past it once and heard cryin...but it was a queer sound...like 'un cryin' in a tunnel, lemme tell ya. I never got that close to it again, and don' wanna'.
Campus gets through her wood very quickly, creating tide little piles that Captain York takes away, to divide among the fires. He seems much more civil as Campus works, and stops her afger a few hours. Mighty fine job...a cleric did you say? I'd have thought you were a barbarian, cutting through the wood like that. What do you think about helping out with something else?
He points to two pallets near the altar, upom which a woman and a child of no more than ten rest. Their woumds seem quite bad enough - the boy is cut badly in mamy places and the woman looks to have a broken arm and damaged ribs.
Ramul listens closely as Denman speaks of the curtained-of section of the room.
Once the man finishes, Ramul turns to Ulfric and says, "Do you think we should investigate the area he spoke of? Winter seemed completely trustworthy, but we've been among these people less than a day. If someone is in danger or pain, I feel we have an obligation to help them if we can."
Captain York, I am no surgeon, but Cayden has given me power to heal wounds, at least to some degree. However, I am limited in the number of healings I can perform in a day. Gather any of your men, women, or children who carry wounds, and have them come to me. I can perform a healing on all that stand near me in a single prayer.
Klassalka wipes sleep from her eyes, and responds to Naysa, "Might as well, Campus is getting it all done before I have a chance anyway! So, what do I do?"
"I think we should take a quick look. Lets not leave sight of this area though." Ulfric says to Ramul.
Ulfric will draw his weapon and shield and move forward cautiously.
Ramul nods at Ulfric. He moves forward by the paladin's side, ready to summon his kinetic blade if the need arises.
Naysa leads Klassalka to Loic, explaining as she goes. See, Loic is a patient with frequent auditory hallucinations. He claims that its his sister calling for him, but his sister - a twin - died when they were eight. Usually, he takes his medicine by tincture easily enough, but today he's more than a little out of sorts. Naysa currently has Loic hedged into a corner, and as soon as she and Klassalka approach, he looks about like a rabbit getting ready to run from its hollow.
York nods at Campus...and very nearly smiles, though no doubt he'd never admit to it. He leads Campus toward the altar, explaining that the injured can't be moved too comfortably. On pallets just in front of the altar lie two survivors - Airwynn Savoia and Bates Yopchick, he explains. You had met them last night from a distance, and merely assumed that they'd been resting off their wounds. York gestures to Bates. From what the boy there said, he was set upon by patients that were whipped into a frenzy by this Zandalus fellow. Mura rescured him, but he has bites all over. Airwynn over there was almost crushed by a falling wall in the wake of those violent tremors we had.
Ramul and Ulfric wait until their scheduled break from post, and make their way over to where Denman had indicated - the southeast corner of the room. As they near a curtain that sections off another room or hallway, they can hear definite weeping and silent moans of sorrow. An immediate sense of loss and dread seems to seep out of the room like an oily vapor as they move the curtain aside. The hall ends just beyond the dingy curtain, but the wall here suffers some sort of otherwordly parasitism. A mass of stringy, yellow fungus stretches across the stone blocks. At its heart bulges and blinks a watery eye the size of a wagon wheel. The wall itself seems to be the source of the weeping moans.
Klassalka sizes up Loic, then loudly says, "HEY! I don't care if your sister is calling you, you need to take your medicine, and if she's got a problem with it she'll have to answer to me, and if you've got a problem with that, sit down and take your medicine!"
Hello Campus smiles. Let us drink from Cayden's Cup
Dismayed by the sight of the eye, Ulfric will use detect evil on the eye to either confirm or assuage his fears.
Along with Ulfric, Ramul is dismayed by the eye. What was it doing there? Had Winter and the others purposefully tried to hide it? Did it have something to do with whatever was going on at the asylum and in the surrounding areas? So many questions ran through Ramul's head.
Looking at the paladin, Ramul says, "Is it evil?"
As the kineticist waits for Ulfric's answer, he feels the beginnings of elemental energy forming in his hand. If it was evil, Ramul wouldn't hesitate. He would shut the eye. Permanently.
Varinder, having been lost in a sullen reverie since waking up, suddenly casts about himself looking for his comrades. Eventually, having asked for Ramul's whereabouts he finds himself directed towards a curtained-off section of the guardpost. As he approaches, he hears Ramul's voice: "Is it evil?"
He pauses to draw a dagger and waits, listening for the answer to Ramul's question.
Naysa shrinks back a bit from Klassalka, shock and fear on her face. Once she sees the merfolk's intention though, she calms and watches Loic for a perceptable change. Loic, for his part, appears more curious than afraid, as if happy to finally have confirmation that the voices are his sister - at least, that appears to be what he thinks that Klassalka's words mean.
The man settles himself, and slumps to the floor, where he sits with his eyes on the floor as Naysa cares for him. Naysa flashes a grin at Klassalka. Got a knack for that...sort of. Even been a nurse by chance? It's hard to tell if the question is serious or in jest.
Campus's call to her god is immensely effective. Airwynn and Bates both immediately begin to feel better, and it's evident on their bodies as well as in their grateful grins. York, as well, grins, and nods as he turns to Campus. You have my thanks, good Cleric. It's not a great situation we have here - by no stretch of the imagination. But, you've at least taken one concern off of our list.
He looks to be finished, then turns back. So...I hear you and your friends plan on going back out there?
Ulfric does, indeed, detect an evil presence at the wall. As he focuses, he senses one moderate aura, centered on the eye itself of course.
The world cannot all be like this now. And we cannot spend the rest of our days huddle behind a barricade. Campus looks outward, grim.
We shall campaign, and secure these grounds in their entirety.
Breaking into a fierce smile.
How else shall I drink ale to Cayden?
"Aye, it is evil friends." Ulfric says to them. "Let us remove its presence from near the settlement."
Ulfric will move forward and attack the eye with his blade.
At Ulfric's words, Ramul follows suit in moving forward and attacking the eye.
"Yes, let's purge it from existence. This place needs to be free of its presence."
Varinder lurches into motion, shrugging aside the curtain and confronting the disgusting eye set in the wall. The ugly - and despairing - gaze causes him to pause briefly. Let us see what it makes of Ramul and Ulfric before I play my meager part. Or before I have to haul out their corpses.
Hah, we didn't have nurses where I came from. We had grandmothers, who're twenty times as scary! Klassalka sends back to Naysa