The raven flies over to the Eastern door to get a closer look...
Hey, there's blood on this door! It seems like it's seeping through the boards. I'm guessing there's bad stuff on the other side here. I vote for "records" first, too!
She sighs and follows along with the group when they ultimately decide on personal effects.
You're all going to regret this decision! Spooky noises often have bad sources, not good!
Jevar heads into the room to see the situation, and rolls his eyes when he sees the chalk markings on their foreheads.
Hey! Zombies, where's your boss "Ulver"? We might have a little chat with him.
He draws one of the alchemists fires from his pack.
Say, are you folks missing these? Here...
Jevar chucks a bottle at one of the apostles and the glass cracks, igniting the bottle’s contents into flame!
Round 1
=============
Jevar
Shakur
Red (-1)
Green (-3) {1 persistent fire}
Blue
Pink
Boodiddly
Urzok
=============
The half-elf follows Jevar into the room, drawing his dagger and raising his shield.
”Sacrilege!” Green Strides up next to Jevar, a small flame having ignited on his “robe.” ”You shall not speak the name of the great Zandalus!”
The apostle then swings the crowbar in his hands at the human!
Green then notices his clothes are on fire and tries to put it out.
Pink Strides twice and swings at Urzok!
Red Strides up to flank Shakur and swings his crowbar while the half-elf is momentarily distracted by Pink!
Blue Strides up and growls at Shakur!
”Blasphemers shall be met with the divine punishment of Zandalus!”
He then follows up with a swing of his crowbar!
Round 1/2
=============
Jevar
Shakur
Red (-1)
Green (-4) {1 persistent fire}
Blue
Pink
Boodiddly
Urzok (-12)
=============
Sacrilege? Blasphemy? We just want to talk to him!
Jevar hops over the nearby table to get some distance and flings some flame at the same cultist.
"Divine fervor is giving them strength beyond their size!" Urzok calls out, head still ringing from the crowbar strike. Haphazardly, he raises his shield to ward off any follow up strikes before swinging his sword for the cultist's arm.
________
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”Um... Praise praise PRAISE praise?” Boodiddly tries his best to remember the speaking patterns of the group’s former companion as he walks closer to the sounds of scuffle. ”Oh, but these ones are at least using full sentences. And big words too - don’t know if that’s better or worse.” The gnome twangs his jaw harp encouragingly before studying the symbol on each of the cultists’ heads. Does that make any more sense after seeing the rest of this place...?
Shakur Strikes Pink!
He stabs into the man’s thigh and brings him to the ground! Shakur Steps into Pink’s previous space then Raises his Shield.
Jevar chucks fire at Green and sets the man ablaze!
Red and Blue glance at one another for a moment before turning back and growling! They Step up and swing twice, but their first strike doesn’t follow through as they unexpectedly follow up.
Round 2/3
=============
Jevar (-7)
Shakur (-8)
Red (-1)
Blue
Boodiddly
Urzok (-12)
=============
"A meat shield, thanks Elf!" Urzok says wryly as he hacks around Shakur from the doorway as often as he can.
________
With two slices of his sword, Urzok downs the remaining apostles!
The amnesiacs search the room, but find nothing of use other than the padded armor and crowbars that each of the apostles had.
After the last apostle falls, Jevar places his hand on his chest to assess the bruises and breaks from the last slam.
That... kind of hurt. Does one of you trained in medicine have a few moments to my ?
The wizard and his raven then set about the room, checking shelves for anything interesting. On finding nothing, he exclaims I don't understand, what were they doing in here? Biding their time?
After shaking off the pain from his deep bruises, and taking treatment, Jevar heads across the hall and opens the door to "Records."
Boodiddly shakes his head, both at Jevar’s question and at the waste of life before them. ”Did you see that? They recognized us. Nobody else here has...” His voice trails off as his gaze wanders down the hallway, not focusing on anything in particular.
Everyone remembers the Count... Patients admitted without record... and now these cultists recognizing us... What if we’re the ones who broke the world? And that’s why the Shredman’s after us?
"These nutters pack a punch, you'd think with all the time they waste on fanaticism that wouldn't be the case..." Urzok says, worrying at the leg that was struck with a crowbar.
While the party sorts itself out, he gives the room a look over.
________
The handles of dozens of drawers frown from the faces of numerous matching cabinets. Many of the drawers are open and their contents—volumes’ worth of stray parchments—blanket the floor.
The amnesiacs begin to file into the room and as Shakur comes into the room, his eyes settle on a file on the ground next to him with a single name on it:
Shakur Hektat
Before the half-elf can reach down to pick it up, though, Boodiddly notices the long file cabinets seem to be a bit pulled away from the wall! When he says something about it, people move out from behind them!
From behind the cabinets move out three more apostles in orpiment, crowbars in hand! They move up to the amnesiacs and swing their crowbars!
Round 1
=============
Red
Green
Blue
Jevar
Shakur
Boodiddly
Urzok (-9)
=============
Heard us roughing up your friends in the other room, I assume? I don't suppose you'd be willing to talk it through before hitting us with those crow bars? No...?
”Watch out! There’s- oof, that looks like it hurt!” Boodiddly winces as Urzok takes another crowbar to the face, then gives his jawharp a few twangs. ”Steady on there, folks! They might knock us down, but we’ll get up again - they’re never going to keep us down!” His words seem to be mostly directed at the half-orc, who strangely finds them rather soothing amidst the chaos and utter nonsense of the hospital.
"WHY THE FACE?!" Urzok shouts as another cultist successfully goes at him with a crowbar. Keeping his shield up, he swings back at the cultist between the cabinets. "I've never been so happy to slaughter a foe before!"
________
Jevar chucks a mass of fire at Blue and hits him, causing the apostle to grunt in pain!
Blue sees Urzok’s strike coming and narrowly ducks under the half-orc’s sword!
Shakur Raises his Shield and casts telekinetic projectile, sending one of the silver daggers flying toward Blue!
The knife flies at the apostle and slices deep into his chest, sending Blue spiraling to the ground!
Red and Green look at one another and smirk. Red rushes toward Shakur and attempts to Tumble Through the Pharasmin’s space!
But the apostle runs straight into Shakur’s shield!
Red grunts as Urzok’s sword chops into his shoulder! He looks up, determination in his eyes.
”Zandalus guide me to complete your will! In the name of Zandalus I will not fall!”
The chalk mark of a flame on Red’s forehead glows a sickly yellow as the wound on his shoulder begins to stitch together and close!
Suddenly revitalized, Red rushes toward Shakur once again!
At the last second, the apostle leapfrogs over the Pharasmin and lands next to Urzok, flanking with his fellow apostle!
Green raises her crowbar up in the air and screams at Urzok!
”Die blasphemers of the will of Zandalus!”
Green then swings her crowbar twice at the half-orc!
Round 2
=============
Red (-1)
Green
Jevar
Shakur
Boodiddly {Lingering: Round 1 of 3}
Urzok (+5)
=============
"Oh no, no, no, I'm ready for you freaks now!" Urzok shouts at the cultists as they twist and weave around him. Shifting his weight on his back foot, he holds his shield tight and pivots quickly with his sword extended. Let's see if they can dodge this!
________
The wizard gasps as one of the cultist lands right in front of him, though he's relieved it's focused on Urzok.
Yeah, see, the thing is, you keep saying we need to "die for Zandalus,", but you haven't even made the case for us to convert. Some cultists you are! Isn't it join first, or die? You guys aren't going to last this century!
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"But why do they think we're blasphemers?" Boodiddly asks curiously. "Unless Zandalus's will is 'Thou Shalt Not Open Doors', then there's very little we could have done just now to make them upset."
Which would imply you did something before... Something that you don't remember, but they do...
Shaking his head, the gnome tries to focus on the here and now. He grabs a stone from the ground and chucks it at the closest cultist's head. "Maybe we can ask these ones some questions if we don't kill them!" he calls to his companions.
"Blasphemy? You think I'm the blasphemous one here? Let's have the Mother of Souls tell you who's really blasphemous!"
Shakur again raises his shield and waves his hand in the general direction of red.
Urzok slashes Red’s chest, and then the apostle ducks under Jevar’s attack right into the oncoming pebble from Boodiddly that pierced through his forehead and out the other side!
”Zandalus guide my hand!”
The chalk mark on Green’s forehead glows.
He then moves to elbow Shakur in the face, but stops just before hitting and swings with his crowbar at Urzok!
Round 3
=============
Green (-8)
Jevar
Shakur
Boodiddly {Lingering: Round 2 of 3}
Urzok (+1)
=============
Arg, it's getting crowded in here!
Jevar snarls.
Urzok! Duck!
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Pfft. He's an orc, not a duck!
Shakur once again raises his shield and then takes a slash straight upwards from the ground with his telekinetic projectile.
"Zandalus Zandalus Zandalus. You're more devoted to your puppet God than most clerics are to the real gods."
"Whoops!" Boodiddly gasps in horror as the cultist's head explodes from his pebble. We can't take them alive if you keep killing them like that!
"Shakur, that's pretty rich coming from someone who's every other sentence references death, dying, or the Lady of Graves," the gnome jokes as he tosses another fallen piece of the hospital at the remaining cultist. Maybe aim for the arm this time?
"I said MOST Clerics, gnome! I'm not like other clerics!"
Urzok chuckles at Shakur's little scolding, but his brief moment of mirth is cut short by the latest crowbar sent his way. Fortunately, he is able to catch the brunt of this blow on his shield.
"Not as easy as just ducking," Urzok calls back as he tries to drive his sword into the remaining cultist. "Hope your supplication to Zandalus is worth a shitty death!" he taunts.
________
Jevar throws a mass of flame, but the fire catches Urzok’s blade and dissipates .
Shakur misses. Again.
Boodiddly manages to strike the apostle in the arm, but he is still standing!
The apostle ducks under Urzok’s sword and looks him dead in the eye at the half-orc’s threat.
”A death in the service of Zandalus is a worthy death!”
The apostle then Feints Urzok and Strikes.
Round 4
=============
Green (-17)
Jevar
Shakur
Boodiddly
Urzok (+1)
=============
"You don't get to decide the meaning of worthy death, cur!"
Jevar growls again. Urzok! You make a good door, not so great a window!
He looks down at the raven on his shoulder. Oreb, take this flame and carry it to the fanatic.
He then conducts the usual incantation for the spell, but this time after the flames form in his cupped hands, the raven jumps off of his shoulder to bathe in them!
It then flies over to the cultists to pass the flames on.
Oooh, ah! It's like a sauna in here!
The raven darts out of the cupped hands to fly over to the foe. I'm like a phoenix, rising from Osirian!
She flies around his head, darting down several times to catch his hair and tunic on fire.
Oreb sweeps by and catches the apostle in the flame, sending him spiraling to the ground and leaving the record room silent once more
Shakur looks down and once again sees the file with his name on it.
Male, half-human of Kelishite descent (non-human ancestry unknown), approximate age 24
Home suspected to be Thrushmoor, Versex County
Committed: 15 Arodus, 4716
Circumstances: Private admission
Attending Doctor: Trillma Borin
Hektat suffers from an extreme fugue state; he is unable to recall memories of the past several years. Suffers from periodic depressive episodes, usually centered around not knowing his heritage; episodes appear to center around events that predate the fugue state. Non-human ancestry appears to be drow, however initial blood tests prove inconsistent with elven heritage; further tests required.
Treatment: Therapy, observation, weekly blood analysis, antidepressant medication
After Oreb returns to his shoulder, Jevar checks the filing cabinet for additional files with familiar names.
Hero Points have reset for the new month.
Jevar searches through the strewn-about files—the apostles were clearly looking for something but didn’t find it. As he thumbs through the files he finds one that contains his own name.
Male, Nidalese descent, approximate age 30
Home suspected to be Thrushmoor, Versex County
Committed: 15 Arodus, 4716
Circumstances: Private admission
Attending Doctor: Maerliss Oathsday
Shadowmantle suffers from an extreme fugue state; he is unable to recall memories of the past several years. Displays delusions of being able to “speak with birds.” A corvid—whom Shadowmantle refers to as “Oreb”—is present with him at all times; attempts to separate the corvid from Shadowmantle are met with dramatic—sometimes violent and/or magical—outbursts.
Treatment: Animal-assisted therapy, observation
He keeps searching and finds files he recognizes as several of the survivors in the chapel. Among the files on the floor is another file of note:
Male, Fell “descent,” age unknown
Home suspected to be Thrushmoor, Versex County
Committed: 15 Arodus, 4716
Circumstances: Private admission
Attending Doctor: Jornah Zerelith
Boodiddly suffers from an extreme fugue state; he is unable to recall memories of the past several years. Displays lack of remorse, manipulative penchants, and similar sociopathic tendencies.
Treatment: Therapy, observation
Urzok’s file was more difficult to find, as the files are ordered alphabetically by last name where possible, but eventually the human finds it:
Male, Cragkin and Varisian descent, approximate age 21
Home suspected to be Thrushmoor, Versex County
Committed: 15 Arodus, 4716
Circumstances: Private admission
Attending Doctor: Veqiran Dedoric
Goresickle suffers from an extreme fugue state; he is unable to recall memories of the past several years. Occasional bouts of uncontrollable anger and violence, typically triggered at the mention of theology.
Treatment: Therapy, observation, staff supervision at all times
Jevar gets an uncomfortable look on his face as he begins to find what he was looking for, and possibly regrets it.
They have files on all of us. We were admitted the same day. "Private admission." So did we admit ourselves or did our families all do this? They observed all of us with the inability to recall memories of the past several years. So either they didn't do that to us, or they did and covered it up in the files. We have the names of our attending doctors here, so we should look out for them in case any of them can still be questioned. We should keep these files.
He mutters some more to himself.
It appears they never observed Oreb talking, so they believe I'm unwell on that account.
He hands Urzok and Boodiddly their own, and then carefully tucks his away in his pack. He then continues to search the files for other familiar names. I wonder if they have something on Winter in here...
Urzok snatches his file and almost rips it in half with the speed he opens it up. He stumbles over a few of the words he thought he had mastered, causing some involuntary growls, but otherwise makes it through the file. "Just violence. It is fishy, any other names we know? There a Zandalus in here?" He looks around at the other conspiratorially. "What are you in for?"
________
Boodiddly’s face passes from excitement to puzzlement to outrage to sadness in rapid succession as he quickly reads through his file. ”Same day as everyone else - but this says I had sociopathic tendencies and manipulated people. I... I don’t do that, do I?” His face is on the verge of tears now as he looks to his companions for affirmation.
"I'm...apparently depressive. That would explain some things. Jevar, your doctor says Oathsday. Like, the one we killed, right? Probably? I don't recognize any of the other names. But, if Oathsday was actually an assigned doctor, this place was probably always a s#&%show." Shakur slides his file into his pack. "Any other recognizable names in there? Winters? Zandalus? If not, I say we burn them all and move on."
The amnesiacs search, but they do not find any files with the names “Winter” or “Zandalus.”
Well, I think it's safe to assume Oathsday wasn't a s#&%show when she was your attending. It goes without saying things have gone horribly wrong here recently. I'm hoping we can find one or two of the remaining doctors in some sane form.
The wizard then drops the last few files he was searching through and heads to the door.
Looks like there aren't any other interesting files in here. Let's venture into that East ward and see what it has in store for us... dog-faced cats, some other kind of fetus, whatever. I can't wait! He throws a very brief, sarcastic grin at his teammates as he continues to the door.
The door leading out of the Records Room to the west is locked, but one of the keys received from Dr. Losandro’s office unlocks the door.
The walls of this crowded room are covered by filing cabinets, except for one space where a battered old painting of a somber, towering structure hangs.
As he searches the room, Boodiddly notices a small brass latch next to the painting. He undoes it and it reveals a hollow in the wall behind the painting. Inside the hollow are three items: a lockbox, a shortsword, and a file.
The lockbox is, obviously, locked, but one of the keys from the administrator’s office opens it. Inside is 25 gold pieces, six pearls worth 5 gp each, and a card for the services of the Thrushmoor offices of the Sleepless Detective Agency that prominently bears an accusatory eye.
The shortsword is sheathed in a crimson scabbard. The pommel is sculpted in the shape of a cardinal and the blade is etched with golden runes and a gold band bears the name Red Destiny.
After a minute of Identifying Magic, Boodiddly determines that Red Destiny is a +1 striking shortsword.
The third item is a patient’s file—the amnesiacs have seen enough of these to recognize them on sight—but this one bears the name of someone they have certainly heard of, but have never met:
Male, Varisian descent, approximate age 47
Home suspected to be Rozenport, Versex County
Committed: 2 Sarenith, 4685
Circumstances: Transferred from Pharasmin lamentations in Rozenport
Attending Doctor: Eliege Losandro
Zandalus exhibits complete withdrawal from society and an inability to care for himself in any but the most basic modes. The symptoms of his passive antisociality chronically present as mutism and blankness. Frequent night terrors result in brief but dramatic nocturnal outbursts—shouting, shaking, fear responses. Zandalus grasps the difference between sleep and wakefulness and typically recovers from nightmares quickly.
Treatment: Therapy, antipsychotic regimen, observation
Development: 2/4687—Zandalus proves to be a gifted and prolific artist. He has enthusiastically taken to using a charcoal drawing set to create dramatic but fanciful works of art, typically of surreal architecture and skyscapes. Art calms him in the wake of nightmare. He will be afforded basic supplies to continue such art therapy.
Development: 11/4702—A shift has occurred in Zandalus’s art. He has repeatedly almost perfectly illustrated one of the ancient standing stones situated at the northwestern corner of the asylum grounds. As the isle’s shores are off-limits to patients, I do not believe he has ever seen the subject of his work. The significance or coincidence of this brooks further study.
Development: 3/4715—Count Haserton Lowls has taken an interest in Zandalus: first his art and now the artist. Lowls has become a repeat visitor, spending hours with my patient, but refuses to explain his interest.
Urzok first steps towards the file, but then decides to bring his attention to the beautiful shortsword. Not really feeling another round of reading, but this!
Pulling the sword from the scabbard, he eyes the blade and then the hilt. "What craftsmanship! Red Destiny, I like the sound of that. Bet I can help it fulfill it's destiny haha! Anyone opposed to that?"
Eventually, his curiosity draws him into taking a peek at the open file. "That's an odd one for sure... Drawing shit he ain't ever seen?"
________