York nods to Campus, his face a grim reflection of the cleric's. You know...without Winter here, we'd be long since dead. When all of...this...happened, no one knew what to do. She's got a cool head. She knows just like you do that we can't stay here. So...whatever you need to go out there...well. He finishes with that unspoken promise and heads back to his station at the barricade.
Naysa smiles, her eyes warm and genuine. That may be one of the wisest things I've heard, Klassalka. I'm certainly glad you stumbled upon this place. She glances at Loic, who has settled considerably. We're all better for it.
Immediately after being attacked by Ulfric, the fangs in the center of the eye grow and it lashes out to bite at Ulfric.
After that, it screams Who am I become? in three overlapping, drowned-sounding voices. Then, a massive tear spills out onto the floor, bearing the strong smell of ammonia.
Campus nods at York, then freezes. Come again, what was that?!
Campus grabs her cold iron spear, and looks out. I think that came from near the barricade. She meets Yorks eyes, and sprints out without another word..
Ramul jerks back as the eye lashes out at Ulfric. This experience was a little too much like the alleyway filled with yellow fog. It needed to end and it needed to end now.
"Hold on, Ulfric! We will see to this thing's unbecoming!"
Summoning his kinetic blade once more, Ramul stabs at the thing.
Feeling the sting of the bite, Ulfric braces and prepares to attack again.
"We will with pleasure Ramul!" Ulfric says as he strikes again.
York looks pale suddenly, and follows Campus, saying to himself as they run. Not this again.
When they reach the curtained off area, they see the frightening wall, and Ulfric and Ramul savagely wailing away at it.
York yells out, his eyes wide. No! Leave it be, you're scaring the children!
Ulfric and Ramul batter the thing, but their strikes are akin to hitting a solid wall. The eye seems to quiver at Ulfric's hit, but it shakes off Ramul's attack, and swiftly bites back, at Ramul this time.
It screams out again, and sheds another giant tear.
Campus is amazed by the sight of the two men whacking away at an animated wall. York's reaction was confusing, but then it dawned on her that York obviously knew about this wall, and hence the drawn curtain.
Hold Paladin! Hold Kineticist! Have you no subtlety to you? Why would this wall be here, behind a curtain, within the held territory? Obviously its presence would be known to these people, and yet here it is..re you not curious why? There is obviously something more subtle going on here. than you are allowing.
Perhaps I should try to look through that wall.
At Captain York and Campus's words, Ramul is momentarily distracted, giving the eye a chance to bite him.
Curses! This thing must be destroyed!
Looking back at Captain York and Campus, Ramul wonders, Kineticist? Is she referring to me? Is that what I am?
"It is evil, Ulfric has declared it so. Therefore, it must be purged from existence!"
Turning back to the eye, Ramul tries to stab it again.
Campus is clearly irritated. Fine. But you won't bother me about healing you after; I won't keep cleaning up your mess to the detriment of everyone else.
Turning to York with a questioning look. What is going on here. she mouths.
Though Ramul's attack seems to hit the thing with quite an impressive amount of force, it doesn't seem to register the damage.
Captain York turns to Campus, pleadingly. Winter will explain, but please...the sound will make some of the patients in the chapel lose their composure. We've tried this before.
As if he had called her, Winter comes running. She immediately puts a hand on Ramul's arm. She looks into half-elf's eyes without anger. Please, Ramul, I'll explain. Ulfric, if you'd stay your hand as well and come with me, I'll be happy to fill you in.
Already, the effect of the odd wall's voices can be seen in the chapel. One patient has to be restrained so that he doesn't gouge out his own eyes. Another goes into terrible convulsions, while several cry out in anguish.
These two are incredibly stubborn, especially the oath-bound Paladin. Campus shrugs apologetically.
Varinder smiles slyly at Campus' dudgeon - and the inability of the two warriors to even hurt the monstrosity in the wall.
I'd like to hear this abomination explained also...might not this be the sort of thing you might have mentioned earlier?
At Winter's words, Ramul hesitates. She had been nothing but truthful before, so perhaps there was an explanation for the monstrosity in the wall.
Ramul cringes when he sees the patients begin to respond to the wall's voices. Perhaps his and Ulfric's actions were harming more than helping.
When Varinder mentions that the wall might should have been something Winter explained before, Ramul finds himself nodding in agreement.
Slowly, he lowers his hand from preparing for another thrust with his kinetic blade.
"Very well. I will hear what you have to say, Winter. Perhaps we should stay our hands, Ulfric. For the moment, at least."
Hearing the commotion, Klassalka says, "Sounds like someone's calling!" hefts her sword visibly, then rushing over to the din of combat as quick as she can.
Winter sighs deeply, and nods, her eyes downcast. She leads the group away from the wall, and pulls the curtain back across the disgusting eye. I'm sorry...this isn't the type of thing that would come up when first bringing in new survivors. The situation here is not good, and many of the people here - yourselves included - are patients. This sort of thing... She gestures at the curtain. ...this can drive a mind teetering on the brink over into a dark abyss.
She leads the group away from the curtain, as Captain York sets to calming down the patients. The truth is...I, I don't know what this thing is. We've left it alone and it hasn't bothered us, save for being so incredibly disturbing to look upon. Please don't tell the others of it - I don't want to upset the children any more than we already have. As far as I've seen, its nearly impenetrable - it basically is the wall.
But...I think there's more to it - based upon what I know of the original layout of the asylum, I think that there used to be a door there - behind that...thing. I think that it's a ward of sorts to keep us from going into the rest of the asylum. Now, though, I'm not sure if that's for our good or someone else's
Ramul listens closely as Winter explains what she knows about the eye, or rather, what she doesn't know about the eye.
Once she finishes, Ramul says, "Thank you for the explanation. Are there any other impenetrable evils here that we should know about?"
Despite her irritation, Campus snorts at Ramul's sarcastic rejoinder. Ramul means--let us be plain with each other. What are the outstanding problems, mysteries, and other conundrums that we face?
Campus pauses, draws a quick breath and interrupts before Winter might respond. but before you answer, let me have your opinion on the current matter. Does the walled eye bite at all those who come near, or only those that come with weapons drawn looking for glory??
Winter sighs, and lowers her eyes, almost sheepishly. This place is full of such mysteries - the fog, the nightmares, the crazed patients, the creatures, and now this wall. Even the tremors here that served to damage some of the crumbling walls you've seen may have not been normal geological occurences. No, Cleric Campus, nothing about this place is now normal; we're just trying to keep it together for as long as we can.
She lowers her voice, almost conspiratorially. When I first came here, I was a healer, yes, and working for the Royal Accuser. I was here to investigate why the count of Versex, Hasterton Lowls, abandoned his duties. It was said that he had regular business here at Briarstone. It certainly seems coincidental that such investigation and this madness we find ourselves in came at nearly the same time.
Look, I'm sorry I can't tell you more...I just know that, as you said, we cannot stay here. We need a way out. That...thing in there... She points at the curtain. It may be barring our way out of here for all I know. If there's a way beyond it, then I think it should lead towards the asylum's entry hall.
Do not take my questioning as disrespect, but I find myself confused. Last time we spoke, you told us that outside the asylum was a heavy mist that keeps us trapped within the asylum. Now you tell us that this eyed wall might be an exit from the asylum. I am now assuming there are other exits from the asylum?
"How long has that thing been there? Since this place's troubles started? Or did it appear later?"
Ramul pauses for a moment to give Winter a chance to respond before continuing.
"Perhaps attacking it directly was unwise, but there must be another way to get past it. Perhaps it's time we try to find this Zandalas and see what he knows about the horrors of this place."
Campus,who sometimes is given to talking at long spans continues
You've done well with what was available, but you've reinforcements now that we've joined you, and I see that there is still much to do to secure this compound. Campus breathes. Take for example, this eyed wall. If it is a gate, then it is a gate for our enemies. Therefore, leaving it unguarded is asking for trouble.
Klassalka slides in, not hearing most of the context.
Well-said, we must be ready for treacherous enemies.
Yes, good cleric, the mist keeps us in here, as in we can't break out through the windows. The rubble to the north keeps us trapped there, and this...thing...keeps us trapped to the east. We're blocked in at every turn, by different obstacles. Were you to find a way past this thing, I have no idea what you'll find. It could be that there is no way past the mists...or maybe there's no outside world left to go to - I simply don't know.
But we both know we can't stay here. And, getting past this wall is our best bet, as far as I can tell. It was here from the first sign of trouble, but has since grown and continues to do so.
She looks towards the curtain in thought, then nods to it. If you do get past it, perhaps the office of Doctor Losandro could provide some insight. If nothing else, she kept records of patients, so it may be that you can rebuild some of your memories there. Unfortunately, her office is in the center of the Asylum, but ic could be that there's some knowledge therein to help us.
Ramul finds himself growing frustrated, but also sympathizing more with Winter at the same time. It seemed that they were well and truly trapped. There had to be some way forward.
"I would like to visit this Doctor Losandro's office you speak of. But till we can reach it, we need to do something else. Is Zandalas reachable from where we are now? If not, is there somewhere else you haven't been able to visit yet, perhaps just because of some freakish denizen of this place?"
Winter shakes her head slowly. No, as far as we know, we've explored to the limits of our reach, given the barriers I told you about. I've no idea where Zandalas is, but can give you a rough map of the asylum and pinpoint the Doctor's office. I've only met her once, and in passing, but I, and many others here know the grounds rather well. I fear that the only way to move in is to pass the eye, or clear the rubble. And, we've tried the rubble with several able bodied men...it's quite insurmountable the task.
Having been silent most of this time, thinking of how to better affect the eye wall, Ulfric speaks up now.
"If we are limited primarily by this eye, we should seek to remove it. Physical attacks did not seem to have much use against it, but we should try one more time with Campus at our side. She can channel the energy of her god, which may harm it."
"What forces have you tried to break this down?"
I can try a channel, but I doubt it is undead
I almost know the answer already, but why not dig through an adjacent wall. It appears that just below the eye is a room the extends further east than the wall.
Winter shakes her head. I doubt it would have an effect; I examined it as well, and attempted to use the power of Pharasma to send it away, to no avail. We have tried physical damage only; once it first issued that hideous sound, we left it be, so as not to disturb the former patients. They're unstable at best.
I don't think that would be wise; the walls that run through the center of the Asylum aren't as strong as they once were. Whatever damaged the structure of the Asylum did its work well, and we've had more than our fair share of bumps and bruises from crumbling foundations or loose bricks. It could be that there's a mundane way to force the thing to leave, but I've never seen its like.
"If that's the only way forward, perhaps we should try again. Except, this time, we should move the patients as far away from the wall as possible, securing them as much as possible to prevent them from harming themselves."
Ramul rubs the place where the wall bit him before continuing. "Then, instead of attacking the thing in melee range, have those with ranged abilities attack it at a safe distance. It only seemed to possess a bite attack when Ulfric and I attacked it before."
Ramul looks at Campus and hesitates for a moment before saying, "Would you... would you mind channeling a bit before we try again?"
Ignoring Ramul for a bit ahh well, yeah the ceiling does look a little dangerous. Campus lets her eyes slide sideways. Have you tried...umm...talking to it? Perhaps evil, but it seems to lament what it has become...whatever that means.
Winter looks repulsed by the idea, and she swallows loudly. Not in any lengthy conversations, no.
"If it can be communicated with, maybe I can give it a scare..."
"Let us go try talking to this thing then. I suggest we start with reasoned words before allowing Klassalka to try and terrify it."
Perhaps Ulfric and Ramul can leave the talking to the gnome
Ramul decides to ignore the fact that Campus refused his request for healing. He has to believe she would do so if he is in dire need. She is a cleric of a good deity after all.
He nods at Campus's request to have Varinder do the talking. "Yes, I think it would be good to have Varinder do the talking." Ramul puts emphasis on his name to let Campus know that Varinder wasn't just a gnome. He is a person like the rest of them.
Campus rolls her eyes, but rises. Grabbing her cold iron spear, Let us then observe the eye and find out what we can.
Varinder notes the exchange between Campus and Ramul rather coolly. So kind of you to volunteer me he murmurs, just at the edge of hearing, then bustles forward. The gnome is uncertain just how much he can achieve, but is happy to make the attempt.
A little theatrically, he moves uncomfortably before the abomination in the wall. How best to handle this?
He looks at the strange eye, maintaining a safe distance.
You poor, damned creature... he sighs, with an unfeigned pity - much to his surprise. He straightens slightly, and then sketches a tiny bow. Who are you? I am unhappy with the discourtesy of speaking to you without giving you your proper name...but if I may say so, you seem as unhappy in your predicament as we in ours. What say you?
But his fear betrays him, and his discomfort rings through his awkward tones.
Nodding in acknowledgment to the Gnomish rogue Varinder, Campus follows him out to the eyed wall.
m feud with these two should end now. I've made my point
Turning to Ramul, Campus whispers Of course I will heal you, but I want you to appreciate that I have limited healing ability and that is from the same resource as my cabilities against the undead, and now I have promised those abilities not just to our group, but this whole encampment. So I must be strategic.
Campus then sits on the ground, pours a small beer into a ceremonial flask, and prepares a spell.
Ramul merely nods when Campus finally explains her hesitation in healing him.
That seems reasonable, I suppose, he thinks.
As she sat down and poured herself a beer, Ramul couldn't help but note how... unorthodox... some of the Caydenite's practices would seem to clerics of other deities. Still, Cayden answered her calls, so she seemed capable of currying favor at least with him.
Ramul stands back and waits to see how the eye responds to Varinder. He hopes that the thing is intelligent enough to understand Varinder's words.
Walking over with the others Ulfric studies the eye and prepares to defend his companions if needed.
Klassalka gets near the front, but doesn't even try to figure anything out.
Ulfric examines the thing as he moves closer, and can tell that, just beyond the ropy strings of fungus, there is a slight seam about the "wall", which appears to be wood. The seam between the wood and stone is most likely the door that Winter assumed was there. However, the wood has been twisted and warped so much that it holds the portal tightly shut - perhaps permanently so.
The eye tracks Varinder as it approaches, and some foul yellow fluid leaks from several of the pores on the stretched membranes to patter on the floor. It listens to Varinder's question, then says again...this time not a scream. Who am I become?
The smell of ammonia is strong once again as a tear leaks.
A riddle? Campus answers
Frustrated with his lack of knowledge, but curious about what lies behind the door, Ulfric waits for other to try and answer the riddle.
A riddle, indeed, Ramul thinks.
Despite the cryptic question, Ramul decides to try to reason with the thing. Perhaps he could explain what the thing had become.
"It seems... it seems you have become part of a wall. Is there something we can do to help you transition out of your current state? We would really like to get access to that door behind you."
Campus says half to herself, Are you a wailing wall?
Varinder sniggers incongruously at Campus' question. It certainly matches the name, good Campus. He squares his shoulders and faces the thing once more, looking to take a different tack. I know not what you have become, other than what I can see...and that is most disturbing. I am saddened by your predicament, of that you may be sure. We would like to help you, but you must be able to answer our questions that we may better do so. So I ask: not what have you become, but what were you? And who were you? Speak, creature, or we will leave you in your current state! Yet again, his tone quavers weakly, as he feels himself unmanned by the exotic horror before him.