With Lahrehn out of immediate danger, Saiya slows down and stops next to the Vixen. She's worried about Ci Ci, but hopefully the Tatterman will focus on the potential threats before chasing down fleeing prey.
She's been doing a lot of hoping in this battle. She's not a fan.
Not that she lets any of her worry show. Holding up her sword in a challenging gesture, she smirks instead. "Did you enjoy your little break from being beaten up? I hope so, because break time's over."
"She who hesitates is lost." Saiya yawns, her eyes droop, and then she collapses, alseep.
“Miz! Wake Saiya—cross the hall; step forward!” Vix shouts.
She then goes in for the kill.
And she expects that blow, however powerful, isn’t going to drop a constantly-healing enemy. She awaits the inevitable retaliation…
Ci Ci steels herself against the waves of fear pushing her away from the battle. Keeping her eyes averted, she turns and moves back towards where the Tatterman and the Vixen are fighting. When she is within a half-dozen steps she unleashes a wave of fire in the Tatterman’s direction.
Hearing Vix she hesitates a moment but then nods as she follows her directions moving to the other side of the hall and then stepping forward she begins reaching around, with her non-weapon hand, trying to find Saiya to shake her and wake her up.
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Saiya starts awake at the hand on her shoulder. For a second she blinks blearily, Miz's face swimming and interposed with that of the Keleshite woman from her dream.
”Trust the silvery light of Desna's stars.”
"The silvery light..."
"Silvery..."
Saiya wasn't religious, and didn't think she ever had been. She wasn't much inclined to trust in dreams either. But in this desperate moment, she'd take whatever help she could get, no matter how dubious the source.
"Thanks." She nods at Mizuko, resolving to thank her more thoroughly later. If they survived.
For now she focuses on just that, survival. Dropping Red Destiny carelessly to the floor, she pulls out another weapon. A silver dagger she'd obtained from the visiting rooms.
Gods I hope I'm right about this.
No more words. No more bravado. Just her, running forward and and trying to slam a tiny dagger into the Tatterman's chest.
Vixen high kicks the Tatterman again and his flesh squeeks against the heels as it penetrates his chest. Ci Ci and Mizuko close their eyes in an effort to quell their fear and listen to the direction of the battle. Mizuko is able to feel her way to Saiya while Ci Ci indiscriminately bathes an area with fire badly burning the nightmare.
The Final Dream collapses and melts into a gooey mess of sickening flesh and finally dissipates into a cloud of noxious yellow vapor. You feel a pressure all around you lift itself with the Tatterman defeated.
You're able to breathe easier for the moment.
Vix drops to her knees.
She looks at the gooey mess and just stares at it.
“Ye gals’re awesome.” The words come out softly, and are practically whimpered. But despite the exhaustion, her gratitude is genuine.
When the sound of combat stops and Vix tells the group how awesome they are Miz, slowly lifts the cloth tied over her eyes to take in her surroundings, seeing nothing left of the Tatterman except a gooey mess on the ground she grins for a brief moment but then frowns. "My apologies to you all for not being of too much assistance with him."
She puts away her blade, but then perks up a bit as she realizes "With that monster dead, maybe... maybe the mist has cleared and we can get out of here finally?"
Vix says, “Ye’ve nothing to apologize for. I’m impressed you and Ci-Ci fought through whatever he did to get in yer head. There was never a doubt about counting on ye.” Her gaze falls to the place Lahrehn seeped away, but Vix doesn’t comment. She says to Ci-Ci, “I don’t think Tatterman expected to go down in a fiery crash.”
She laughs droplets of blood from her split lip, then meekly gets up on a wobbly heel.
She removes the healing talisman and offers it back to Saiya. “I believe I’m wearing yer health insurance? How about we get Dr. Wren, then have Winter fix us up?
“And yeah, Miz. Maybe we can get outta here now.”
"I guess it's a good thing I can throw fire without aiming," Ci Ci replies, "and lucky that I didn't burn up any of you in the process. I just didn't know what else to do. I couldn't look a that thing without going into hysterics. I'm sorry I didn't stand and fight the first time."
Miz looks around a moment and doesn't see Lahrehn anywhere and her eyes go wide "What happened to Lahrehn?"
"I...didn't kill her...did I?" Ci Ci asks in a worried tone.
“Nah,” Vix says. “She seeped into the cracks in the ground. I suspect her intent was to flee, but she did disrupt the fight enough that the distraction worked in our favor. What’s to do but wish her well?”
The hypnotic pages revert back to normal and Ci Ci is able to gather them without problem. After reordering them she discovers they are instructions on how to summon creatures more effectively. On the corpse of Zandalus the party discovers the following items: a potion of bear’s endurance, a potion of cure moderate wounds, a potion of invisibility, masterwork light mace. From the remains of the Tatterman a rusted war razor that fills you with dread. A ring with an engraving on the side that resembles an open maw. Hidden in the mattresses Zandalus used as a makeshift throne is 400 gold in various coins, a wand of command (38 charges), an elixir of truth, a scroll of summon monster III.
The most significant find is a tome titled, The Chain of Nights written by the Keleshite doctor and seer Valhadis in the late 1200s. It explores the brain as an organ, as the lens of perception, and as the throne of something more. It is first and foremost a text on the anatomy and workings of the brain, and the first several hundred pages concern themselves with diagnosing, analyzing, and treating numerous physiological and psychological afflictions via therapy, drugs, and basic surgeries. Only in the final third does the tome turn toward more esoteric topics, such as the source of nightmares, accounts of the Dimension of Dreams, and descriptions of the creatures that live there. Most notoriously, it contains an elaborate and flawed ritual for releasing one’s dreams.
School conjuration (creation); Level 6
Casting Time 60 minutes
Components V, S, M, F (a candle flame flickering in a darkened room), SC (up to 12)
Skill Checks Heal DC 28, 4 successes; Knowledge (planes) DC 28, 2 successes
Range touch
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will save; SR yes
Backlash The primary caster is targeted by the spell nightmare every day for the next 1d6 days. The effect has the same DC as this ritual.
Failure The target takes 2d10 points of damage. If this kills thetarget, the target becomes an oneirogen rather than dying.
EFFECT
This ritual creates a small rift between the Dimension of Dreams and the target’s mind. If the target suffers from natural, recurring nightmares, the ritual conjures them into a viscous, physical substance that boils forth from the target’s mouth and nose, then congeals into an inert, coal-like lump of dead dreamstuff. After this, the target has no natural nightmares for a year and never has those specific nightmares again. This ritual dispels the effect of the nightmare spell and makes the target immune to that spell for 1 week. If the target is the victim of an outsider that can cast nightmare as a supernatural or spell-like ability, this ritual attempts to conjure that outsider. The target must have been affected by the outsider’s nightmare ability within the last 3 days. In this case, upon the ritual’s completion, the outsider must succeed at a Will saving throw or be summoned into a space adjacent to the target. If the target has been affected by multiple outsiders’ nightmare ability, the outsider with the lowest Hit Dice is conjured. The outsider is in no way controlled by the target or the ritual’s casters, and likely either attacks those who conjured it or attempts to flee. Outsiders having an ability similar to nightmare—such as a night hag with its dream haunting ability—might also be conjured by this effect.
When Saiya or someone else with an academic interest and knowledge of the events of what transpired in Briarstone Asylum consult the Chain of Nights they realize it was the Release Nightmare ritual that instigated the events. Administrator Losandro used the book and the ritual to try and cure Zandalus of his recurring nightmares not realizing the monstrous Tatterman was tormenting him. Because Losandro botched the ritual she didn’t fully summon the Tatterman, but instead caused Zandalus to become possessed.
The Tatterman as Zandalus formed the Apostles in Orpiment and incited the patient revolt. He then used the ritual to make Oneirogens which drew the island closer and closer to the Dimension of Dreams, his ultimate goal is unknown. The Tatterman was also the source of the doppelgangers and ghouls, murder victims of the Tatterman hunting them in their dreams. Why the party was not transformed is also a mystery, but possibly related to their unique condition. The source of the earthquake is never discovered.
The party discovered that they were recently in the employ of Count Pragmus Haserton Lows IV ruler of Versex county in Ustalav. They’ve served him for several years at least. His estate is in the nearby town of Thrushmoor. Winter Klaczka, priestess of Pharasama and fellow Briarstone survivor has mentioned that she was drafted by Ustalav’s royal accusers to investigate Lowls.
Shortly after the Tatterman’s defeat the mist slowly but surely dissipates and Saiya no longer feels the strong presence of planar energies on the island. With the cult’s leadership destroyed and the mist no longer confining them the Apostles in Orpiment quickly dissolves. Many former patients race onto the grounds reveling in the return of familiar sky and dawning sun. Some attempt to flee the island, but have no place to go. Fortunately, Winter and her survivors, as well as Dr.Elbourne, quickly rise to lead the refugees and provide critical medical attention.
Following the road in front of the asylum to a dock on the southern end of the island a single boat that remains tied to the pier. York volunteers to ferry survivors to nearby Thrushmoor. You’re asked to be the last group to travel due to fears of lingering doppelgangers, ghouls, or other horrors attacking.
As the group spends some time waiting as survivors are ferried off the island, Miz goes missing. After a search and asking around Winter present the group with a small note that she said Miz asked her to give to you all. Opening it, it reads
"My dear friends,
I apologize for sneaking off, but I had to get out of this place as quickly as I could and I feel so ashamed for having failed you all during our final fight. Perhaps we will meet again one day, but for now I need some time alone to get my head straight. I hope you understand and please be safe.
Sincerely,
Miz"
Of the other side is another note penned in strange symbols that Vix immediately recognizes
Thank you for putting your faith in me, if only I had that same faith in myself. I feel like a liability and I think, at least for now, you all will be better off without me. Please forgive me for abandoning you all, but I think we are safe now and we can hopefully find our way back to a normal life. Stay safe and protect the others.
~Mizuko"
Vix is able to keep her composure, until she reads the Tien words. Then the tears fall.
She says something in Tien, as if in reply. Maybe Winter can tell it’s a prayer.
Going back to see Winter there is a woman there, one who had been injured and lying unconscious, covered in wraps and salves to try and treat her. Now that she is up and about, the wraps and salves removed, she seems vaguely familiar and when she sees you, it is apparent she thinks she might recognize you all as well.
The woman is a beauty to be sure, but there are some distinct oddities. Her hair is a mess, but you see she actually has furry ears poking through her disheveled blonde hair. More concerning is the tiger striped tail dragging behind her and her furry hands and feet. If it weren't for these oddities she would look almost completely human but she most definitely is not.
She struggles but eventually gets to her feet, her long legs a bit wobbly at first. Beads of sweat on her brow, it is apparent she is struggling but she slowly makes her way over to the group "Uh... um... sorry I think I know you all. You look so familiar but I just... I can't place it. I uh... I'm Lily." She pauses a moment as if trying to make sure that is right and then nods to herself as she continues "At least, I'm pretty sure that's my name... I don't know what is going on or where I am but... something doesn't feel right. I have clothes on but..." She looks down at the clothes and almost sneers as she notes "Well.. if you could consider these rags clothes..." She huffs and turns her attention back to the group "Anyway... I feel so naked, like something important is missing. Could you um... maybe help me?" She looks to you pleadingly, and you almost can't help but feel pity for the young, beautiful, odd woman.
Vix wipes her tears, gets a good look at the new girl, and finds her plea for help a welcome distraction. She reaches into her handbag, and pulls out her artisan kit.
“Naked’s the best state o’ dress for having yer measurements taken.”
Vix is still a little shocked from the letter, but at the very least, she’s a gifted enough speaker she hopefully doesn’t come off as making light of Lily’s apparent embarrassment.
Just in case, she says, “I can work around the rags. Ye can call me Vix. Among other things, I’m a bit of a fashionista. If I can find suitable materials, I’m sure I can find a means of enhancing yer beauty while leaving much to the imagination.”
Vix’s own taste seems to be to keep herself covered up top. Her dress fits snugly above the waist, but with a high neckline (no cleavage). From the waist down, it is almost ankle length but with high side-slits. The boots are up to mid-thigh. Her arms are bare but for a pair of amazonian bracers. She also has a headband poking out from under her vermilion hair.
Well… her outfit does leave much to the imagination. What little skin is revealed is muscular and heavily-freckled but for streaks of pink, likely from several recent healing spells.
”Hi Lily,” Ci Ci says, giving a small wave. ”I’m Cerise, but you can call me Ci Ci if you prefer. I feel like I know you, but I don’t remember when or where we met. Anyway, I’m glad you seem to be feeling better. It looks like you might have been a few days shy of becoming a ghoul.”
Lily gives Vix a hesitant, but polite smile but when Cerise mentions turning into a ghoul her eyebrows crinkle in concern "What? A ghoul? Like those nasty things that walk around after they are dead and eat people?" She shivers as her face turns to pure disgust "Ew! That would be so nasty not to mention really unappealing..."
All of a sudden another wave of sickness hits her and she nearly doubles over "Ugh... I still don't feel one hundred percent." She looks back to Vix as she notes "You all look like you have all your belongings, maybe my stuff is here somewhere too? Is there like a storage place or something? I bet I have some better clothes and things among me possessions wherever they are." She waves her hands dismissively at the perfectly fine, but not very fashionable, patient clothing she is wearing "I know at the least there has to be something better than this mess..."
Vix looks through her own record to see if possessions were mentioned. If so, she checks Lily’s file.
In either case, she asks Winter where Lily was discovered, suggesting her belongings might be nearby.
“Tell me about yerself. For example, while there’s a lot I’ve forgotten, I know I fight in Milani’s name. I remember tossing a rose and…” She’s about to share the same memory she told Miz about, but she cuts herself off. She instead points to the headband. “I think if I stray from Milani’s ways, this’ll gimme a headache or something.
“As for me stuff, these Silver-Age Combat Stilettos’re me prized possession. And me bracers’re a close second. Me qioao’s a cheap knock-off. If I could get a hold o’ some spider silk…
“Oh, enough about me.”
Vix lets Lily finally get a word in. If Winter was able to point her in the right direction, she tries to urge the party toward Lily’s belongings while they converse.
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Saiya is exceptionally quiet as they leave the Tatterman, (and Zandulus' corpse), behind. If asked she'll vaguely explain what she thinks happened in regards to the nightmare ritual, but otherwise keeps to herself, something clearly weighing on her mind.
She doesn't remember much of her previous life, but she knows she was a survivor. All kayal are, to greater or lesser extents. They have to be. For the entire time they'd been exploring the asylum she'd convinced herself that sure, she'd stick with these people for now. They were strong enough to serve as protectors for someone who really didn't think she'd been much of a fighter. That didn't mean she wouldn't leave them behind in a heartbeat if necessary.
But 'if necessary' had arrived, and she hadn't run. No matter how many justifications she'd told herself, (the Tatterman would just catch her later, better to fight while they had some small advantage, it wasn't logical to run), she's self-aware enough to know that wasn't the primary reason she'd stayed.
She'd stayed because she hadn't wanted to leave the others behind. That, more than anything they'd experienced, was what frightened her.
They were out, the asylum was once more firmly in the Material Plane, she could go anywhere and do anything she wanted. She could leave, just like Mizuko had, (albeit for very different reasons). No reason to stick around a bunch of people that had proven themselves to be self-sacrificing idiots. It would probably just get her killed.
She still didn't want to leave them behind. She...liked them. And not just because they'd saved her ass more than once.
Was this what it meant to have real friends?
When she rejoins the group, she's surprised to see a new face even as that same sense of familiarity washes over her. "I see we have another addition to the 'We All Got F+%#ed By Count Lohs Club.' Hello, nice to meet you again, etc etc." Her eyebrows raise as Lily doubles over. "Maybe you should sit down for a minute. You really don't look so good."
When Vix lets her get a word in she strikes a slightly provocative pose that accentuates her beauty as she notes "I am one of the chosen of Shelyn. Aside from helping where I can, I try to bring art, love and beauty..." As she says beauty she moves her hands down her body to highlight her curves, but then notices the 'rags' she is wearing once again and cringes before almost dry heaving.
After a moment to recover she looks up with a frown "Sorry... I really need to find my stuff..."
When Saiya gives her brief introduction Lily is only half paying attention and she almost agrees to sit down but Winter tells them of the storage room where the can find her possessions and Lily immediately perks up "Let's go then, lead the way!"
She is almost skipping behind the others at the prospect of getting her belongings back, with brief moments having to stop and brace against a nearby wall, still obviously not feeling well.
When they reach the storage room she quickly starts scanning over things until she finds a pack that looks familiar. She grabs the pack and quickly starts pulling items out. In addition to a lovely, flowing green dress, she pulls out a small bag with very expensive looking jewelry and a really nice golden holy symbol of Shelyn. No concern for the rest of you standing there she promptly strips down and changes into her dress, puts on her necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings, then slides the holy symbol over her head to display it prominently. Whatever had been ailing her seems to immediately dissipate, as she smooths out her dress.
She beams a smile at you all, looking almost like nobility with her dress and at least a couple hundred gold worth of jewelry as she notes "Oh my goodness... that is so much better... Thank you for helping me find my stuff!" She grabs a set of leather armor, a longbow and a quiver of arrows, that was next to the pack. She slips into the green leather armor, that stylishly matches with her dress and slings the quiver and bow over her shoulders, letting out a sigh of relief.
She pulls out a small mirror from her pack and uses it, along with a brush, to fix her hair and cover her furry ears, then slides on elegant, elbow high leather gloves before turning back to the group once more. With her hair fixed, the long dress and gloves covering her tail and fury paws she almost looks completely human aside from her eyes which are much more feline than human looking. With a grin she notes "Okay... so, can someone fill me in on where we are and what is going on? Oh... and why I feel like I know you all?"
Vix says, “I was gonna say we’ve a silver necklace o’ Shelyn, but gold’s yer color. And I think I’m gonna take back what I said about leaving something to the imagination. Imagination’s o’errated.”
As for what they’ve all been through. “We were in a wide-awake nightmare. Not the kind everyone got to wake up from. I’d be among the dead meself if not for Saiya, Ci-Ci and…” She’s saddened by the loss of some friends more than others, but doesn’t specify. “…other survivors who’ve already left.“
With a shrug, she turns to Saiya. “Well, how would you explain what went down?”
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"Long story very short, we've discovered that we were all sent to Briarstone Asylum, supposedly all suffering from total amnesia, by our 'employer' Count Lowls." Saiya coughs, more for dramatic effect than to clear her throat. "Which is why we all recognize each other without actually knowing each other, or ourselves for that matter. Needless to say complete amnesia in...I've actually lost count of how many people at this point, is not an usual affair and likely indicates some magic was used on us."
"Anyway, we all woke up here at one time or another, with 'here' being 'an asylum continually pulled closer to the Dreamlands for gods know what reason.' Apparently Administrator Losandro was doing some unorthodox procedures on a patient suffering from severe nightmares, I'm sure with the best of intentions." Saiya's voice couldn't be more sarcastic if she'd tried. Which, to be fair, was the point. "That resulted in an infestation of ghouls, doppelgangers, strange monsters from our dreams...you name it, we fought it. Killed it." She remembers Voonith, (hope the little critter made it back home}, and amends, "Mostly killed it. We killed the one who started it at least, and made it back to the Material Plane."
"Anyway, now here we are. No longer asylum residents, at least I'd hope not, and nothing to go on but a name. 'Count Pragmus Haserton Lowls IV.'" Her smile is predatory. "I've got some questions I'd like to ask the good Count. I don't like people f$$+ing around in my head. Which catches us up to the present."
"Like I said, that's the short version, but I think I hit the highlights."
Lily's eyes gloss over about half way through Saiya's recap and when she finishes she hesitantly smiles and nods like she understood everything and was completely following along although it is pretty apparent she did not "Wow... yeah that sounds like a lot... I'm kind of glad I was unconscious for all of that because that does not really sound fun at all." With a happy shrug and a bob of her head she offers a true smile "Oh well... so we are like going to go find this count or something now? I can help, I mean I'm pretty good with a bow and I can heal people, oh and of course I can dance oh... oh!"
She jumps up and down a couple time so she can see on the shelf where her stuff was and then stands on her tippy toes reaching toward the very back of the shelf pulling out an instrument case. She pops it open where you can see a violin inside and grins "I can play us music too!"
She frowns a bit as she holds her finger up to clarify "I'm not some wandering minstrel though and don't even think to ask me to dance and play at the same time, that is just like way too complicated, but you know whenever we need to relax or something I can totally help with that too!"
Though you have escaped the strangness of Briarstone Isle, the poor weather has only changed color. Deep gray clouds loom like a low ceiling in a dark room, and driving rain soaks you through. The wind and rain make for choppy conditions on the water and limit visibility even during the day. As the small boat draws near Thrushmoor, one of the survivors points to the shore, calling out that they see lights glowing in the town’s windows. Other survivors issue sighs of relief, hoping that their ordeal is over.
Winter explains her plans, ”I need to rendezvous with Accuser Omari straight away. She’ll need to be updated about the events at Briarstone Asylum and informed about those of her team that didn’t make it, Pharasma guide their souls. We’re operating out of the Sleepless Detective Agency’s headquarters here in Thrushmoor. I would like you to meet with her at some point to explain your predicament. No matter your past with the count I will vouch for your current character. Hopefully she will see what I see in you. Once I have met with Accuser Omari I will see if New Chapel, the local chapel to Pharasma, can provide housing for myself. I know York and Dr. Elbourne we’re going to see if Priestess Trilliss Mavaine could provide temporary shelter from the church for the surviving patients.”
York eavesdropping, suggests to the party, ”The Silver Wagon would be a good place to seek a bed for yerself.”
When you walk through the dreary town of Thrushmoor people quicken their pace in your wake or take pains to avoid you altogether. No one has a smile or a kind word for you. No one wants to look you in the eye and openly show fear or anger as you approach. You can't be sure if the mostly human town is extremely xenophobic or if you did something to justify their reaction.
Oblivious to the fact that her own body has been teeming with disease, Vix looks at Saiya with concern. “Ye look sea sick or something. How about ye lay down? I’ll massage yer back. I’m probably really awesome at that sort o’ thing.”
In Vix’s memory, she’s had a pretty wild life with other heroines like herself. But even if Saiya accepts, there’s an awkwardness… as if Vix has never been so familiar with another person. Which is odd, since it’s just a massage, everyone’s got their clothes on…
On the upside, the tension in Vix’s mind seems to steady her arms. Her calloused knuckles do give an effective massage. Hopefully, Saiya feels better by the end of it. Vix looks pretty tense herself.
…
Once at the Silver Wagon, Vix asks the others, “So, who’s up for a drink? And from the looks o’ pretty much every total stranger, who’s got a means to make sure whatever we drink ain’t poisoned?”
She’s half joking… which technically means she’s also half not-joking.
"I'll go with you," Ci Ci says. "We're gonna need to watch each other's backs in this town."
As they get ready to leave Lily notices Saiya struggling a bit she comes over and gives some advice on how to feel better. Even though the woman is trained in healing she isn't all that great at it and her advice is barely helpful but with Saiya's own efforts should be enough to see her through.
When they reach the town Lily comments "This place is like super dreary... could use a bit of an artistic touch, you know a bit more color and liveliness..."
As Winter explains things Lily kind of stares at her blankly for most of the explanation and then just nods happily. As they head toward the inn and Vix comments about drinks and poison Lily looks at her aghast "Wait... what?!? Why would someone want to poison us? That is like so rude and uncalled for. I don't think I've ever given someone a reason to poison me so did one of you do something that would make someone want to poison us all?" She looks really concerned as she asks "Are we sure this is a good place to stay if people want to poison us?"
"It might not be poison, it might be a knife in the ribs, or an angry mob with torches and pitchforks," Ci Ci replies. "They clearly don't like or trust strangers in this town."
Does Vix know what’s up with the looks? Does she recognize the place?
Vix says, “I might just be paranoid. I’m sure poisoning customers is bad for business, so long as we’re ordering from a licensed bartender, all should be fine.”
Vix heads over to the barkeep.
Unfazed, Vixen turns on the charm.
“How ye doing? Me name’s Vix. Ye’ve a lovely place, and I’ve a hole in me belly that needs filling—” Get it? ’Cause I’ve been stabbed repeatedly in the torso? “—and am so dry, I’d be unsurprised if all I got in me veins is air.” Blood loss. Write it down. Good one. “So I’m thinking a proper meal, not just for meself, but me dear sweet friends. And while we’re celebrating our reunion, and gracing the joint with our ravishing beauty—” She gestures toward Lily, since the cat-girl can’t not flaunt it. “—I don’t suppose we could arrange a proper bed and proper bath?”
Wait. How the f%#& we gonna…?
Not even knowing if Saiya looted money off the dead, or if so, whether dried blood and such had been prestidigitated off of the coins, Vix simply brings up money by asking, “And what’ll the charge be?”
Aw, hell… worth an ask.
With a grin, Vix adds, “Normally I’d offer to trade skills. I do oral performances, and trust me pretty blonde friend’s talents far exceed me own. But, to be honest, there’s a lot o’ sour pusses about. Not sure our best efforts’d crack a single smile on those stone faces.”
Lily seems relieved when Cerise says that their might not be poison but concern immediately returns when she mentions knives, broken ribs and pitchforks. By habit she reaches up and makes sure her hair is ok and her furry ears aren't showing. With a sigh of relief she moves close to Cerise and gives her a gentle nudge and a smile, obviously oblivious to the people acting off "Well, they just haven't gotten to know us yet. I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't like me once they knew me. I mean... lots of people like me just from seeing me for the first time, so, like, getting to know me only makes it that much better right?"
When Vix heads over to the barkeep Lily follows behind and shoulders her way next Vix as she is just finishing up "Hiya, I'm Lily. Yeah, like my friend here was saying we are good folk and I'd be happy to help with some entertainment. I mean, no offense but I think this town could use with a little bit of joy and beauty. Luckily, I'm here and I can totally help with that!" She looks around appraisingly "I could even give you some tips on a few pieces of art that would really make this place pop." Looking to the bartender she finally notes "Oh, I almost forgot! Just make sure any food or drink you give us aren't poisoned! My friends were worried that someone might want to use poison on us."
Saiya gratefully accepts both the Vixen's offer of a massage and Lily's somewhat-generic advice. She'll take anything at this point if it makes the headache and fatigue go away.
Which it does. A little, at least.
"Thank you." She rolls her shoulders, relieved to feel that some of the bone-deep ache is gone. "That helped, a lot."
As they dismount, she offers Winter a firm handshake. "Don't know if we would have survived without your help, so...thanks. Let us know when's a good time to talk to Accuser Omari and I'll give my statement, such as it is. I owe you that much." She glances at York with a slight smile. "Apparently we'll be staying at the Silver Wagon for a day or so."
She isn't at all bothered by the sidelong glances. She's pretty sure this is always how humans have looked at her. She is somewhat surprised to see those same dark looks directed at Vix and Ci Ci, the two unquestionably human members of their group. Huh. Interesting.
"Doubt they'd poison us. Ci Ci's angry mob seems much more likely." From her tone she actually thinks that might be a possibility. "If we have to run and get split up, let's meet back at the docks." It's the only landmark she knows, and she makes a mental note to find somewhere less...public.
Is it paranoia when people might actually be out to get you?
Inside the Silver Wagon she leaves talking to the people who are actually good at it. She does loiter close enough that she can overhear the conversation, and hopefully keep the party from getting too ripped off.
As you enter the taproom on the downstairs level, half the room eyes you suspiciously. A plain woman with creases about her mouth and forehead and streaks of steel gray hair stands behind the bar serving drinks to the day drinkers of the town. As soon as she sees Ci Ci her eyes narrow to slits, "Oy! You know you're not welcome here! Unless you're going to pay your tab then you can leave after you pay. Your thrice damned friends too! And don’t try to seduce me with your honeyed words Lady Avenfall, talking to me like I’ve never met you! Bah!"
Looking about the room it smells faintly of wood-smoke and a few tables have charcoaled edges to them.
”I’m sorry, but when was I here, and what did I do to earn your wrath?!?” Ci Ci replies icily. ”What’s this tab have I supposedly not paid?”
Vix is pretty sure the bar lady ain’t nuts, and burnt tables are probably a thing Ci-Ci did.
Still, she shakes her head at the barkeep and says, “Now that’s just rude and embarrassing. I mean for you, not me, since I ain’t the one flinging insults—and inaccurately to boot. Ye can only get damned once.
“Now, if ye don’t need performers, o’ course we intend to pay like normal people. But I don’t see the point in giving ye any of our thrice-damned business. Ye lack the basic skills one’d expect o’ the service industry, yer tables’re overcooked, I don’t see a single satisfied expression on any o’ yer customers’ faces…
“I’m honestly baffled. How do ye stay in business? Are ye the only place in town where a lass can have a bite?” She looks around the room, then back at the barkeep. In a conspiratorial whisper, she asks, “Seriously, are ye? ’Cause I’d be embarrassed for me if I’m all like takin’-me-business-elsewhere, and then find there’s nowhere else.”
She then, after all that, gives the barkeep a look that tells her that this redhead is not the type that takes crap without giving it back thrice-fold—
—as she says, ever so politely, “If me friends can’t have a proper meal, a bed and a bath here, kindly direct us to the nearest competitor. And in case I stuttered or some shit, lemme repeat that word, kindly.”
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Lily just stands there with a dumbfounded look especially as Vix lays into the woman verbally. She looks back to Cerise and asks "Is this why everyone thinks we are going to get poisoned in here because you did something?"
The woman looks like she’s about to retort again but one of her patrons says softly, ”Remember Klynn.” The barkeep’s face goes sheet white and stammers, ”The tab is 39 gold and 6 silver, uh, ma’am. For drinks and uh damages. If you can’t pay the Stain might have a few rooms for you.”
Maura slowly opens her eyes to partially completed frescoes that adorn the interior of a wooden chapel. The frescoes depict the Lady of Graves pronouncing prophecies, judging the dead in the Boneyard, and overseeing births as a divine midwife. Maura knows that these scenes are described in Pharasma’s holy book, The Bones Land in a Spiral. Maura has no idea why she knows these things, she remembers very little else. She’s certain of her name and what she’s capable of but the context of these things eludes her.
A raven haired woman with heterochromatic eyes sees Maura wake and comes to her side, ”I wasn’t sure if you were going to come through. You were in a bad way when Dr. Elbourne found you.” A flash of memory, Maura remembers being surrounded by salivating ghouls intent on devouring her, she doesn't remember how she survived.
Maura notices that the woman is wearing a holy symbol dedicated to Pharasma, ”I’m Winter Klazcka formerly of Maiden’s Choir Cathedral in Caliphas. You’re in Thrushmoor’s New Chapel along with a number of refugees from Briarstone Asylum. How are you feeling?”
Klynn. Who the f@~+ is that?
Vix sees how the mention of this Klynn is what softened the barkeep’s tone, but she says nothing of it.
In a calm, almost-businesslike demeanor, Vix replies, “Lemme check with our accountant.”
She sits down with Saiya and says in Sylvan, <I think the bar lady’s telling the truth. Ci-Ci probably burned the place, and that ‘remember’ comment seemed like a reason not to gimme any shit. Which means I’ve done something too.
<Ye saw how the Tatterman got into our heads. Maybe we were controlled by mind magic. How about we just pay the forty gold? We found plenty more than that in the nuthouse, and maybe people might be reasonable to us if we try making things right.>
Ci Ci looks around the room, taking in the charred edges of the tables and the barkeep’s assertion of an unpaid drink tab, trying to estimate the plausibility of the amount being demanded.
Maura sits up slowly, taking in the surrounding murals with a passive curiosity. She brushes her long black hair out of her eyes as she does.
Familiar... strange. I wonder why. The Lady of Graves. I like the sound and look of her.
She looks at the other woman with curiosity. "I... thank you. You will have to excuse me, though. Beyond knowing that you are Winter Klazcka, none of what you said means anything to me. I do not know what Maiden's Choir, Caliphas, Thrushmoor, Briarstone, or Dr. Elbourne are." She looks at the woman's holy symbol, and looks back at the frescoes once more. "I do know that your necklace means you follow the Lady of Graves, Pharasma. That name means something to me, though I do not know why."
As she speaks, the Maura takes out her harrow deck from its box and begins shuffling the cards absentmindedly.
"You said that I was hurt when brought here. Do you think that I have recovered enough to leave? Not that I know where I would go, I am just trying to make sense of this whole situation I find myself in."
As she finishes speaking, she draws a random card off the top of the freshly shuffled deck.
The picture of the bodak, its tongue hanging out of its crooked head, looks back at her. The sword it holds looks more likely to impale itself than anything else... an omen?
Saiya shrugs. Also in Sylvan, she responds <No objections here. She's probably price-gouging us, but if it helps calm the upset townsfolk that'll be worth the money.> She carefully opens the bag of holding, (back turned to the rest of the room so it's not easy to see what she's doing), and fishes out forty-five gold. <Here. That should cover the tab plus a bath, meal, and at least one night's stay for all of us.>
She looks around the room thoughtfully, taking in the damages and the patrons' attitudes. So Ci Ci burned some shit and at least one of us did something bad to 'Klynn,' whoever that is. Some people in this town are pissed at us, some are afraid of us, and most seem to be a combination of both.
Interesting.
"I suspect our interviews with Accuser Omari are going to be extremely enlightening."
Vixen says, <Not sure we’re welcome to stay, but I’ll make nice.>
She takes the 45 gold and approaches the barkeep. “Here’s 40.” After sliding stacks of ten across the bar, Vix opens her hand to reveal an additional 5 gold coins. “Would another 5 cover a meal, bath and a night’s stay? I mean, o’ course, if our money’s good here.”