"I think they are being affected by a mind affecting enchantment. Let me see what kind we are dealing with here."
She stops for a moment to see what kind of spell is used.
Enchantment [Mind-affecting]
The subject's mind recognizes only familiar faces and environment. It filters out anything and anyone not routine.
You get the feeling it's been cast recently and its potential duration could be a day.
Left!
"We should hurry if we want to leave this place alive. Gotta find oout if and where a person is that speaks Aklo. I hope it's all worth it though."
"Uhu... I'll be quite pissed if this was all for naught..."
Lyssa follows the others to the left.
Left a good a direction as any, you pass by several dull eyed staff.
Several of the rooms are open and show, like the gloomy version earlier, a breakroom and supplies for the staff. Only two are closed.
One is labeled 'Veranda & Garden'. Ahead is yet again a double door, this one labeled "East wing general archives."
Arrivals
Releases/Cured
Wing transfers
Deaths
Employees
1 "Did you hear? The little druid escaped several days ago. Apparantly the anti-magic ward within her cell was distorted, the guards say she must have escaped into the air vents. Sarenrae knows where the poor confused soul is now."
2 "I know, but more than being a poor confused soul, she's a poor confused soul with mental scars. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd pop up somewhere in the garden, she liked flowers and plants."
3 "Suzy was her name i recall. It would really take a skilled tongue to ease her mind, she's so suspicious and wary of everyone to the point of a fit if you rub her wrong."
"The staff is enchanted with a spell I have never encountered before. I think they only recognize familiar faces and environments. They seem to filter out anything that is out of the ordinary. It has been recently cast too, it should last for about a day still."
This Sabel says as she walks with the others towards the new room. She overhears a conversation considering an escapee.
"The gardens. I overheard someone say that there is an escapee who would likely be there. I have the feeling it might be her we are seeking."
Sabel will try and open the garden door after casting detect magic and looking for traps.
Elsa shrugs her lack of understanding away and follows.
Opening the, surprisingly unlocked, door to the veranda and its view on the garden reveals a contrast to the feeling one usually gets from an asylum.
Lush ankle-high grass, bushes of arious sizes, stumps and trees, along with a large pond with a small island in its middle form the garden. When staying absolutely silent, one even hears small birds in the trees.
A table has a bunch of papers saying "observations"
The garden therapy sessions with our halfling resident Suzy are slow, she's extremely wary of humans, showing hostility if we come too close.
From what i could make out, this halfling lived all her life within an elven druidic commune and speaks only elven and perhaps even sylvan. I've discovered this commune had been beset by humans, hence the intense distrust.
------------------------------
Sister Patrice was clearly told not to go into the garden between midday and early afternoon. I had thought an Iroran had more discipline. We had to get her out and patched up after she came within Suzy's zone of comfort, whose element is within nature. Damn, i was making progress.
Head sister (the one Sabel saw earlier in West wing)
Across the 100 by 100ft garden, you notice entrances to the other two wings. Still, you'd be coming relatively close to the center.
A gentle humming of a voice comes from the garden.
"Hey, from out here you could get to the other wings. I'm actually quite surprised at this tranquil garden amidst all the madness going on inside. Though I suspect this must be very soothing to whoever needs to get better."
Lyssa picks up the observations and scans through them.
"We need the non-human members of our company up front," she states when done reading, and puts the papers back on the table. "There's a strong patient with a hatred for humans in this garden. The observations make me suspect she killed the last human she saw."
"Shall I try and go up front?"
She looks a bit doubtful of the idea.
"I can stay at your side if you need be, lass.", Burdock nodding with affirmation.
Opening the door to the garden you notice finer details.
The island in the middle features purple blossomed thick bushes, along with an orange leafed large tree in the middle, they form what could be considered a mini-grove. Several flowerbeds can be seen as well as to the south what looks like a table with two stools. Little birds are singing within the trees. No visual sign of a person yet.
Lyssa points at the door in the building's western wall. "You know... there ought to be another way to get there, besides crossing the garden. I refuse to believe we can't get there from within the building, if we just move around the garden."
"I've seen enough crazy patients for today and suggest we take another route."
"The sisters were talking about an escapee here in the gardens. I think she might be able to help us. Could you stay hidden for a bit? We will see if we are able to talk to her."
Sabel starts walking into the garden looking for the halfling. If she comes across her she will stay at a distance while addressing her.
Elsa does whatever Sabel asks, she is confused as all heck.
Dwarves [cautious (-1)]
Elves [Druids: Likes (+3)] [Strangers: neutral(+1)]
Humans [Asylum: hostile (-3)] [Strangers: unfriendly (-2)]
This influences social rolls accordingly. Her being in conversation also gives +4 circumstance bonus to stealth checks.
Sabel opens the door to the garden and takes a walk.
The birds in the tree south fall silent. A voice is heard, but Sabel can't pinpoint it yet.
"ທ່ານມີຫົວຫນ້າຄືນ້ອງສາວ, ແຕ່ວ່າຄົນແປກຫນ້າ, ຜູ້ທີ່ມີທ່ານ? ເປັນຫຍັງທ່ານໃນສວນຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ?"
"You are like the head sister, but a stranger, who are you? Why are you in my garden?"
Sabel stops upon hearing the voice.
"I am Sabel. I was just walking in the gardens. Curious How such a lovely place could exist in such a horrible place. We are looking for someone to translate something."
She looks around her to see if she can find the person talking to her.
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As the voice answers, there's a hint of pride.
"You like it? There was nothing but a little pond and a bit of grass to start with. It's my safe place, nobody will harm me here. They'd be stupid to try. But you're very right, this is a bad place, bad humans attacked my home. I was only defending the grove, they took me and locked me here, i didn't understand their speaking. Different humans here, but they look weird at me. Humans...this place is full of them, i hate them."
....."Translating? What for?"
While waiting, you notice a small almost inconspicuous map on the wall.
Obviously for convenience and shortcuts, it details a few general symbols of general directions rooms in the north & west wing.
Crates, beds, stairs, plates and cutlery.
But both north & west have a room crossed out. West being a room on 2nd floor showing beds.
North has a room with a scalpel and siringe crossed out.
While waiting for Sabel to return, Lyssa studies the map for another route to the west wing.
"There ought to be one," she whispers to no one in particular. "Maybe this Suzy isn't who we're looking for and we still need to go there..."
Sabel keeps looking around for the halfling. The moment she spoke elven to her she motions for Burdock to go back to the others.
"Humans tortured me when I was young too. They chained me to the floor and mutilated me."
She rolls up her sleeves for the hiding halfling to see.
"I am looking for someone who is able to translate Aklo. Someone is doing bad things and we are trying to catch the person."
Despite still being able to hide from Sabel, the voice sounds more social.
"Is Aklo a speach? I don't know it. But what are you specifically looking for? A room, *humans?* Because i've seen lots of rooms, i fit in and traveled in the air tunnels, not nice things to see."
"Who's 'we' you mentioned, you came with others?"
Jenny looks at the map a bit worried.
"Cro-ss-ed out r-r-rooms? Aband-d-doned? I don't l-like th-the sc-scalpel, it gives th-the i-d-dea of a m-medic-cal r-room."
Lynnen stays as stoic as ever.
She's shifting her eyes between those of you whom speak. Perhaps she understands more common than she's letting on?
Sabel doesn't move while she is in the garden, afraid to scare off the halfling.
"I am here with a group of people searching for the person who speaks Aklo. Apparently there is someone in this prison who will be able to translate a written note, do you know someone who speaks in a devilish tongue? The people in this place told us this person might be in the vaults. Do you know how to get to that place? It has been said that this person has 9 escape attempts on his name, hence the reason he got into the hardest to reach place. If you do know how to get there might you consider helping us to get there?"
"Nuh-uh, i don't speak human tongue. Only person i speak to is big sister.
You do now notice a face showing from a bush nearby, a lightbrown haired halfling. A young woman.
"Escape? 9 tries?" her eyes grow big. "Hmm, there has been noise in the past....oh...OOOOHH!, she recalls something. "I was in an air tunnel north and saw several uniformed humans head north. North only has one floor, and a floor underground. There was a cell, it gave me the creeps. In that cell was a human i think, pretty chained up too. Were it not for that one being a human, i'd almost feel sorry. The stairway down is in the center of the north."
Elsa's eyes narrow as she listens to Jenny.
"What's going on?", Burdock still worried, although pleased the garden hasn't mauled Sabel.
Jenny turns from the map, to see Elsa's eyes, taking a spot next to her to see the outside, she leans in.
"Is something wrong, miss Elsa? You look...troubled?"
Why would something be the matter child? We are only in a hospital full of deranged patients and mad doctors. Truly, you jump at shadows.
O_O'? ..."B-but you n-n-narr-owed your eyes, m-miss El-s-sa."
She says as she taps her index fingers'tops against each other.
Sabel smiles at the half hiding halfling.
"Thank you for the information. You have helped me a lot."
She looks doubtful for a moment.
"Do you mind if my friends cross the garden? There are three humans and a dwarf amongst them. They have been very kind towards me and we would like to solve this problem as soon as possible."
Sabel will move back to the group and tell them what happened in the gardens whilst walking through them to the northern door.
You got on her good side so far, so the penalty on the topic isn't that big. But it obviously shows.
"You are friends with 'humans'? You must be crazy...."
She ponders on the request.
"Keep them against the wall and stay with them, i'm not the only one living in my garden. But don't make it a habit."
Before you walk away;
"You can come back for a talk anytime, if evil humans come for you, you can send them here, they won't easily leave...or at all.
And could you.....if you find a elven grove, take me there or send elves to get me? I don't want to stay here all my life."
"Thank you! You could come with us if you like. They are humans but good ones. If we get outside you may leave us and go your own way. Away from this place. Or you could stick around for a bit, whatever you like."
Sabel smiles at the halfling. A while later she returns to the group.
Sabel returns to the group.
"That was a fine talk I have to admit. I found out where we need to go next. We need to go to the northern wing and in the middle of that place is a way down to the vault. On that lower floor is the person we seek."
She pauses for a moment and adds.
"We may go through the garden but you guys will have to stay close to the wall and I will have to go with you. If we travel this way we will pass unharmed."
Burdock smiles. "Thank you, Miss Sabel. Sounded like things went by well between you two."
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Lyssa nods when Burdock speaks. "Indeed. I know I don't usually say this, but I'm glad we were able to avoid a fight."
With Sabel's diplomatic stance, you are able to get through the garden unharmed. Pushing open the double door to the north wing, you find it much in an average state. No gloomy version, but nothing posh either.
Jenny wasn't pushing Elsa, but did pay some more attention to everyone.
To the left is a door with a big plus/cross.
It's been sealed firmly by carpentry, which would likely give way with appropriate force.
To the right is a longer hallway.
You notice the young woman you saw earlier, in the reception and at the morgue's door, walk past you and disappears/fades when she gets to the intersection. More clearly do you now notice she is missing an eye and scars on her throat. Again you are the only to see her.
Elsa sees the strange apparition again We need to be finished in this place, before I am forced to join the wretches in here.
Elsa uses the Wand to refresh her mage armor spell and Lyssa's.
"Could someone use a scroll of cure light wounds on me?" Lyssa asks as she puts one of the potions of the same spell in her pocket.
"It seems best if we use the scrolls first, because we can all use the potions."
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"You're not the only one who could use some healing Lyssa, if anyone could use a scroll on me I'd be much obliged. Especially if we face that barbed wire maniac again, we'd need to be in good health."
Father Burdock uses the scrolls:
1st scroll , Lyssa's back to full.
2nd scroll on Grint for , he's at 17hp again.
The hallway to the right shows several grates on the floor.
Whatever is underneath is unclear, it's dark, but it there's sound of running water. 2 spaces suggest doors and on the far end is a firm double door.