Grimacing with glee at how well his disguise was working, Pipernortin throws himself into the second act.
With a mouth like a pickled prune sucking on a sour lemon, he strode north towards the hall the two administrators went into and peered around the corner(s), trying to find the useless pair. Throwing his voice down the hall, he muttered his disapproval. "Told ya to keep yer dang coin. These homes ain't nothing but a crock!"
"Crock indeed! I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this. The assistants don't know what paperwork is, service is slow, and even hefting an ink utensil is beyond our greeter." She shakes her head, then looks at the others.
"I'd like to speak to some of the residents here to see how satisfied they are."
While the administrators disappeared from site, the party quickly took this opportunity to scan the building hoping to find any clues of their missing friend's whereabouts.
It appears that you entered what looks like a nurses station. There is a large long chair that rests in the middle of the room where the walls are lined with cabinets and shelves. Blood stains mark much of the counters, and the tiles upon the walls seem to be grimy and barely hanging in place. Clearly, this room saw a lot of use.
Slowly moving within the Care home, you took upon the guise of a blur and hugged the eastern wall while making your inward progress. From your vantage, it seems that the eastern side of the chamber serves as a dining hall, though cobwebs and a fine layer of dust have collected from there. You're quite certain that beyond the hearth lies a kitchen, but it is obscured from view.
Something strikes you odd about the administrators, as if they weren't used to non-invalids. Judging by their erratic behavior, you're quite certain that they're hiding something.
In your search, you notice something disturbing about the pile of papers...they were blanks!
In your disguise, you slowly hobble over towards the hallway that marked the far end of the building at gentle rested as its intersection hoping to catch anything of interest. Because of your cover, you didn't see it, but you're quite certain that you just missed which room the male administrator had entered.
As the party were taking in the details, the sounds of the care home become apparent. Mumblings, moans, and screams fill the building, letting the party know that this isn't a care home, it's a hospice!
Rafaello grimaces at the sight of the bloodstains and cautiously presses onward into the room, perusing it for any clues. As he proceeds inward, he calls out: "Oh, would you have a look in here, Gal? This place does have a certain rustic charm to it, doesn't it?"
Maintaining the facade proves difficult considering the dire state of the place.
A shiver runs down Pip's spine at the strange sight of the children down the hallway. If this was an old folk's home, what in the gods' good names were they doing here? Smiling?
He peered over his shoulder at his companions, composing himself and trying to keep to his ruse. He tries to project his voice, hoping the attendants would hear and reconsider their obvious lack of commitment to this place. "Well, I'll be damned. Seems they've run off. Scared stiff of you youngin's and your armaments, I'm sure. Back in my day, a man didn't have to carry ten swords and a pocketful of magical doohickeys to be a man! Now maybe one of ya little murder hobos'd care to grab these darned folks back so I can share my displeasure with them personally!"
Having been undisturbed for the past few minutes, you took this opportunity to scan the room for its contents. Being careful not to touch the bloodstains, you check all available cupboards, shelves, and cabinets, and notice that there are three that seem to be locked.
Maybe the old man's disguise had really effected you, or perhaps there was something bigger at play. Focusing your attention down the hall, you scan the room for the possibility of magical auras. Afraid that either the attendants or someone else would come, you worked with great haste to make sure your eyes weren't playing tricks.
You detected 1*Two faint auras, their residue like fresh stains on a carpet. As you gathered this knowledge 2*Two doors, opened and closed and a woman appeared from one. Her eyes were downcast, and she seemed to make inaudible sobs as she walked towards your direction.
"Who leaves a place in this state? I daresay I've seen orphans take better care of their bedmat's surroundings than the workers do with this "care" house!" She lowers a voice to a whisper with Rafaello. "You might be a priest and hesitant to harm, but I'm not waiting for them to stick a knife in me and add my fluid to the floor."
Taking a reflexive step backward, Pipernortin begins to reconsider his plan.
"Whoa, missy, watch where you're walking," he said, practically yelling while casting a nervous glance towards his friends, "Maybe you know where those danged administrators ran off to?"
"Who leaves a place in this state? I daresay I've seen orphans take better care of their bedmat's surroundings than the workers do with this "care" house!" She lowers a voice to a whisper with Rafaello. "You might be a priest and hesitant to harm, but I'm not waiting for them to stick a knife in me and add my fluid to the floor."
"Well, we shall see," Rafaello says quietly. "In the meantime, it is my priestly duty to inform you that there are a couple of locked drawers in this room that I may or may not be suggesting you see if you can crack open."
Galoria smiled. "Whatever it takes to please the goddess."
She located the drawers and had a crack at them.
As you took a step back, you noticed that the young woman didn't seem to react to your statement, as if she was consumed with guilt or preoccupied. While you dismissed her, a sudden realization came to you.
3 separate locked drawers stood before you. It seemed like a simple task. Afterall, who would try to steal medical supplies in a facility as decrepit as this. While you plied your talents against the 1st lock, you noticed that it didn't give way to your methods, and remained lock.
While all of this is happening, a young woman rounds the corner from the hallway where a disguised Pipernortin stood. She moved towards the entrance of the facility, and entered the dining area. Her face was wrought with guilt, and she looked shabby, like a citizen of Hope's Hollow.
"More difficult than I would have expected. What could they be hiding in here?"
The not-so nimble ranger tried her fingers again.
You could hear several tumblers moving, but it seems that you cannot find the right timing to release the pin.
want me to break it Galoria?"
Zinthar makes his way back toward the rest of the group, the magical haze still surrounding him. He points a blurry arm toward the east.
"Dining hall and kitchen that way. Sounds like there's people in the kitchen but I didn't see anyone. Find anything interesting in here?"
"I would never propose the ruining of such an innocent piece of furniture, especially if such destruction revealed its contents."
Her sarcasm was clear.
"Aye, that would be a shame."
As Kien lays into the locked drawers, Rafaello smirks and answers Zinthar's question: "No, nothing interesting here. You?"
Amid the sound of wood cracking and glass breaking, you find the following items.
3 Doses of Alchemist's Kindness
PADZAHR
1 Dose Padzaher
Weight —
Drinking this crystal-clear liquid accelerates the natural process of healing Constitution damage. Resting for 1 hour after drinking a vial heals you of 1 point of Constitution damage as if you had benefited from a full night's rest. Taking multiple doses in an hour does not increase the rate of healing; you must take each individually, followed by an hour of rest, for it to have any effect. Using more than 4 doses of padzahr in 1 day has no effect.
9 Doses of Indigo Dreams Poison
Indigo dreams Ingested Fort DC13, Onset 10 min., Frequency 1/min. for 6 min. effect: 1d3 Wis Cure 2 saves
2 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
1 Potion of Lesser Restoration
The roguish woman was disappointed in the findings. "I can't make fang or fanny of these."
With a shrug, Pipernortin disregards the strange and apparently entirely oblivious woman passing him by and turns to the right. If the door over there had just slammed shut, it probably meant the administrator had run off into there.
And regardless of whether or not he had the appearance of an ornery old guy, Pipernortin didn't take kindly to being ignored.
That was just rude!
"...An interesting selection," Rafaello says, glancing over the wares. His eyes narrow at the sight of the poison. "Let us keep in mind that very clearly these are not being used to aid the ailing."
After the group gathers up the supplies, Rafaello makes his way out of the room, hoping to keep up with Pip. He notes the young woman in the dining area and says, "Good evening to you, ma'am."
As the group continues to explore, Zinthar stays close to the wall as he follows Rafaello into the dining area. He knows the illusion spell does not completely hide him but he still stays silent to draw as little attention to himself as possible.
While Rafaello speaks to the woman in the dining area, Galoria peruses the scene, looking at the make of the building and its adornments. Her casual gait places her some distance on the other side of the woman.
While an elderly Pipernortin had motioned towards the door on the right, you were fixated that the door closest to you the 1st door on the left, held importance. Confident that the incompetent administrators weren't around to see you or your team search the building, you proceeded into the room. It took you no time to realize that this was a storage room of some kind. Cabinents, boxes, and shelves marked marked the walls. Since your entry provided no distubance, you dediced a quick peruse wouldn't harm anyone. Afterall, you're trying to get your ailing father enrolled into Mother's Care.
Some moments pass, and unlike before, you uncovered written documents that addressed the facility's roster, drug administering, as well as other housekeeping records. You're startled that the current paperwork is significantly shorter, and less...thorough as is a record dating back to several months ago. Clearly, something has become afoul.
As your pressed with your nascent discover, a loud piercing wail shakes your very coil. It seems to have come from beyond the room.
Just as mysterious as the lone visitor had been, something had been gnawing at your curiosity. If the administrators had gone to take care of paperwork, why would they have taken this long? In addition, if this is a care home, where are the workers and other patients?
As you pondered these questions, you decided that the best way to derive an answer would be to confront someone who's incharge!
Remember that , had closed just as you entered the hallway earlier, you're quite certain there had to be someone in there! As your aged hand went to touch the door handle, something caught your attention. A blood curdling scream erupted from the chamber you're about to enter. A cry of pure terror, as if the madness from this place, and Hope's Hollow had manifested into an audible entity.
There seemed to be a beacon of hope in that Mother's Care did have a visitor, albeit a quiet one. Hoping to strike conversation, you tried your best to be charming - after all, you speak for the Goddess of the Arts, Romance, and the joys of life. Your attempts were in vain as the woman seemed to ignore your approaches. As you neared to see if she was perhaps troubled with something, something caught your eye.
As if she made a motion to sit down, her arm had gone through the chair she was attempting to interact with. The situation didn't seem right, and a chill ran down your spine.
While you were certain that your spell had rendered any chance of individuals recognizing you anything more than a blur, something caught your interest. The woman who had entered the central chamber did something...odd. It seemed as if her arm had gone through a nearby chair.
You weren't quite interested into the woman who had entered the main lobby. After all, Mother's Care, is a hospice, albeit a poorly managed one. Thinking nothing of the situation, you took a spot not far from the visitor, and would have said nothing until you realized that she didn't respond to Rafaello.
Infact, it seemed as her arm had gone through a nearby chair as if nothing was wrong.
While your contemporaries were occupied with searching for the lost Cleric, and trying to find out why Mother's Care was in its current poor shape, something else took interest to you.
Coming from the kitchen, your half elven senses picked up a strange conversation that sounded like forced whispers.
A wail of pure terror had erupted from the building, coming somewhere from the back hallway, stirring the adventurers from their tasks!
Kien ignores the whispers, quickly moving to where the wail of terror came from.
"Ah. Pardon my intrusion, ma'am. It seems one of your fellow... inmates, is that the word? Seems one of them is in distress. I shall return, should it please you."
With that, Rafaello rushes toward the sound of the scream, coming up right behind Kien. "Got those fists of fury ready, friend? Something tells me we may have need of them again before this night is through!"
"those fists might not cut it - looks like more incorporeal enemies!"
Pip stops abruptly, looks at Stephen, and frowns.
"I have no idea."
Without another word, he throws open the door.
<used Death Knell on Patient #1>
<used Death Knell on Patient #2>
HP Tracker
Male Admin HP: 23 / 23(1 temporary HP)
Female Admin HP: 29 / 29 (7 temporary HP)
Vulnadaemon #1 HP: 39 / 39
Vulnadaemon #2 HP: 39 / 39
Left to their devices within Mother's Care Home for Invalids, it was Pipernortin who threw open the door and was unsure what lay beyond. The Male Administrator stood before him clutching a wicked curved knife. Bright red crimson dripped from his blade. At his feet was a battered old man. His palor rivaled marble stone, and a fresh pool of blood had formed under his stained smock. The man's face bore a painful expression. Before Pipernortin could make sense of the situation, the Male Administrator rushed forth with supernatural grace, and sliced at the disguised Pipernortin.
”Time to die, Old Man! You saw too much!!!”
Zinthar 16
Captain 14
Pip 12
Kien 11
Monsters 11
Galoria 10
Rafaello 6
As a disguised Pip was waylaid, another ear piercing shriek filled the Care Home. This time, the sound of an old woman, her blood curdling cry echoe pierced the very masonry of the building.
Hearing copious amounts of screaming Zinthar charges through the tables in the direction of the rest of the party, looking for a position with tactical advantage.
Pip clutches at his arm as blood starts to flow, pain wracking his whole body.
"This place really will kill me at this rate!" Letting his disguise fall away, he nods quickly to Stephen as he turns towards the source of the second scream. Bolting down the hallway, he stops before the closed door and begins to hum a tune he once heard a skald from the Land of the Linnorm Kings play in Almas while simultaneously drinking three casks of ale by himself. An impressive feat, though one that Pip had little intention of repeating.
After a few notes, an oversized, material musical note appeared - hooking itself around the door's knob and impacting itself partway into frame.
Hearing the screams- including Pip's- Rafaello moves closer, glaive in one hand and clutching his holy symbol in the other. "For the record, I really hate this place!" he shouts. As he draws near the corner, he murmurs a prayer: "Eternal Rose, please grant me your favor, that I might purge this unclean place of the ugliness that has fallen upon it..."
"Who was that?!"
It was no longer the thoughts alone giving Galoria chills, but the actual sounds; a woman's scream added adreneline to her unease. "Sounds like it came from that way. I'll check it out!"
She dashed to the intersection of the hallway and saw Pip, bloodied. "What's going on here?!"
As his ears adjusted to the awful and horrendous screaming, a fire awoken within the brawler.
Not today! There will be no more lives lost because of this wretched place!"
Casting away his interests with the illusionary woman who had been in the dining hall, the warrior dashed to join his allies, and enter the fray!
Pipernortin Takes 2 pts of Str Dmg. Poison lasts for 5/6 more rounds.
Vulnaedaemon #1 uses Summon.
Still Invisible for 5 more minutes.
2/3 Spells per day. blur, death knell (DC 15), invisibility, minor image (DC 14)
0/1 Spells left. Summon
Vulnadaemon #2
HP: 47 / 39 (+8 Temporary HP)
+2 Str bonus
visible
*Previously knocked out
Cacodaemons...
#3 polymorphs into a snake and slithers into the room opposite where the Vul #2 went.
#4 Polymorphs into a lizard, and waits in the same room as Vul #1
Dark Slayer#1 “Male Admin”
Misses...
Casts Darkness. 20Ft 4 Minutes...40 Rounds
- - - - -
Dark Slayer #2 “Female Admin”
YES!
Melee Touch Attack against Pipernortin
Zinthar 16
Captain 14
Pip 12
Kien 11
Monsters 11
Galoria 10
Rafaello 6
1. Zinthar rushes towards the source of the outbreak with his wand ready, and looks for a way to assist his allies.
2. Captain Andoran provides cover to Pipernortin!
3. Now visible, Pipernortin steps away and casts magic! Pip contracts an AoO, and takes 2 points of Str dmg!
4. The Male Administrator swings at the gnome's retreat, but his blow was parried by Captain Andoran's Shield! . In moments flat, he cursed out and it seemed like the night sky had obscured not only his room, but much of the hallway that the door opened to.
A loud banging could be heard from the door that Pipernortin stood infront of. The Female Administrator manages to break through Pipernortin's spell with ease, but failed to land a grasp on the wily gnome.
Meanwhile, another blood curdling scream fills the halls! This time, coming from the west, several doors down from Zinthar and Kienyach!
5. Kienyach moves into position!
6. Galoria moves into position!
7. Rafaello Casts Divine Favor, and brings the pain!
Zinthar keeps hearing screams but not seeing targets. Deciding that the group needs to resolve this situation quickly he does his best to help that happen. A few arcane gestures, a few strange words, and suddenly the group can feel themselves affecting the flow of time differently than normal....
Mage Armor active (cast earlier in the day but the duration is 6hrs)
Dancing Lights 3 of 3 remaining
Versatile Evocation: 8 of 8 remaining
Spells Remaining:
0-level (DC15): Ray of Frost, Detect Magic, Message, Prestidigitation
1-level (DC16):
2-level (DC17): Scorching Ray x2, Cats Grace,
3-level (DC18): Fireball (DC20), Fly,
As darkness fell between the portions of their party, Galoria was stuck with a tough choice. She could leave the others to fend for themselves until the magic ended, or she could roll the dice and intervene, hoping the veil was thin.
It was the second option she opted for, moving her nimble body with a talented jump easily past the wizard in the way.
She plunged into the darkness, hands in front of her face, hoping to take the enemy by surprise with the tactic if her vision wasn't cleared first.
Following Stephen's lead, Pip dives past the madwoman next to him and takes cover inside one of the patient's rooms. Using Stephen as cover, he fishes around in his pack and pulls out his fiddle.
Zinthar 16
Captain 14
Pip 12
Kien 11
Monsters 11
Galoria 10
Rafaello 6
Dark Slayer#1 “Male Admin”
Dark Slayer #2 “Female Admin”
Vulnaedaemon #1
Still Invisible for 5 more minutes.
2/3 Spells per day. blur, death knell (DC 15), invisibility, minor image (DC 14)
0/1 Spells left. Summon
Vulnadaemon #2
HP: 47 / 39 (+8 Temporary HP)
+2 Str bonus
Invisible for 5 minutes.
1/3 Spells per day. blur, death knell (DC 15), invisibility, minor image (DC 14)
1/1 Spells left.
Pipernortin's Black Smear Poison 2 / 6 Rounds
Total 4 points of str dmg.
Cacodaemon #1
Detect Good: Rafaello
Cacodaemon #2
Detect Good: Rafaello
1. Zinthar notices something out of the corner of his eye, but pays little attention to it as he's casting a party wide spell – Haste
2. Captain Andoran provides cover as he escorts Pipernortin into one of the patient's rooms. No AoO
3. Pipernotin takes cover within a patient's room. No AoO
4. A Blanket of Darkness erupts within the hallway, as cackling erupts.
Zinthar is seized by a strange pain, and tries to stave it off!
Seemingly out of no where, two sharp bites reveal a pair of familiar enemies - Cacodaemons - that have taken a bite out of Rafaello.
5. Kien strikes furiously, and manages to land both hits on his target. However, remember how durable Cacodaemons were, he noticed that his claws did little against their flesh.
6. Despite hearing a commotion happening between her allies in the corridor, Galoria was confident that the Priest, Kien, and Zinthar could handle themselves. Throwing caution into the wind, Galoria dove into the darkness, hoping to make it to Stephen. She managed to snake past another person in the darkness. Afraid to give away Stephen's position, she held her dagger ready.
7. Empowered by his God, Rafaello manages to strike at his foe!
HP Tracker
Male Admin HP: 23 / 23(1 temporary HP) +2 Str Bonus
Female Admin HP: 29 / 29 (7 temporary HP)+2 Str Bonus
Vulnadaemon #1 HP: 39 / 39
Vulnadaemon #2 HP: 47 / 39 (+8 Temporary HP) +2 Str bonus
Cacodaemon #1 hp 10 / 19 fast healing 2 DR 5 / Good or Silver ( 2, 5, 3 )
Cacodaemon #2 hp 12 / 19 fast healing 2 DR 5 / Good or Silver (-7)
Cacodaemon #3 hp 19 / 19 fast healing 2 DR 5 / Good or Silver
Cacodaemon #4 hp 19 / 19 fast healing 2 DR 5 / Good or Silver
While everything is happening, Zinthar, Kien, and Rafaello can't help but to feel a certain sense of dread seeping into their very souls...
You need to make 3 Will Saves,
Fort is clearly not your best save.
You take an additional 2pts of STR dmg.
You need to make 2 Will Saves
You sir have gotten the worst of it...
You have taken 6 Points of DMG
You need to make 2 Fort Saves, and 2 Will Saves
As Rafaello yelled in pain, the brutish dark elf brawler turned in half step, and swings wildly, knowing full well how deadly Cacodaemons are!
As teeth appeared out of no where and bit his sacred cloth, Rafaello's senses snapped into him, unlocking the dangerous warrior that the Eternal Rose had endowed.
”To be marred by such creatures, a tragedy for you!!! he said while leaping backward, and finding a space to flank with Kien. At behest by a quick nod, he swung with a graceful strike and tried to assault the Cacodaemon that hadn't been at Kien's mercy...yet.