For but a moment, the sylph's eyes go wide when the creature appears, but it quickly turns into a frown. She steps closer to the pale woman. The sylph reaches for the woman's arm. Just to touch her.
6/8 HP
Remaining spells:
Cantrips - Detect Magic, Stabilise, Touch of Fatigue, Message
Level 1 - 1 x Unseen Servant
Enoch's blue eyes widen as the formerly invisible creature reveals itself. The Tortured Crusader then Steps into a Flank with Ethyl before bringing the longsword down on her!
Ethyl grins at the doppelganger with no amount of self reflection and says, "Such arrogance." She aims for where her kidney would likely be.
Alvar takes in the reappeared doppelgänger, hops over the nearby table, and invokes their protective magics, which swirl up to defend their comrades and themself.
The doppelganger grunts as a bullet and a dagger carve away at her grey-yellow flesh, dodging the reach of the witch. She takes a step back, slashing with her weapons as she goes.
"Why struggle? We are all going to die in this gods forsaken nightmare."
"Simple. To affect the world as much as we can while we are still here."
He fires, then reloads again. Luckily, he's had no misfires in a while.
Enoch ignores the scratch as The Tortured Crusader then Steps into a Flank again with Ethyl before bringing the longsword down on her!
"So stop struggling and keel over." the sylph retorts before stepping back, her eyes and shawl glowing softly.
Ethyl explains to her opponent, "You will die. Your own choices led you to a fight where you're outnumbered five to one. Pharasma will not judge me today."
In the back of her mind Ethyl takes note of her injury for later treatment.
Alvar shakes their head at the doppelgänger, then pauses - a nightmare? Is this place tied to the Dimension of Dreams? Or was that simply a coincidental turn of phrase? No. It doesn't matter. Focusing, they take a few quick steps southwards, careful to keep their warding magics around Enoch and Ethyl.
Should I disarm - no. She's probably just as dangerous if she's not using the knife. Keep her off her feet. They lay a hand on their amulet, drawing out the power that dwells inside to cast a spell that they hadn't prepared... whenever they'd last done that. With a flick of butter and a snap of their fingers, they summon up a pool of grease around the doppelgänger.
The doppelganger squawks as she suddenly slips and falls prone to the tile floor, taking grievous hits from the party. She flounders for a moment before dropping her knife into the magical grease, holding up her long claws in a show of resignation.
"Oh fine, you damned fools. I surrender." Whether or not the group accepts her surrender, she lies there, wiping her claws clean on her apron.
That voice from the southern tub groans incoherently, perhaps in protest.
The Pharasman Paladin seems ready to send her to Pharasma for judgment....
Iosif doesn't lower his musket, ready to fire since they need three bodies.
The sylph walks up to Enoch, not moving her gaze from the doppelganger. She puts a hand on the crusader's shoulder and pats the man reassuringly.
"Do it." she whispers. "It only surrenders to make a play on your guilt. Do you think it would hesitate if the roles swapped?"
Ethyl screams, her cool exterior breaking, "I said you will die today!" Not stopping for a moment the vivisectionist cuts into the vulnerable doppelganger.
Iosif joins in. "We need three bodies." To the bastard you go.
He then reloads his musket with a proper bullet and powder, no paper cartridge involved.
Saddened blue eyes lower in consent to Nyarai. Enoch forcibly plunges his longsword into the prone monster!
Pharasma take thee!
There is a brief look of horror on its face as the party shows no mercy, but it makes no sound as the killing blows land, instead twisting in morbid amusement as the life is torn from it.
There is a moment of silence before that secondary voice whispers: "Help ... me." There is a pitiful shuffling sound inside the southern tub.
Enoch's blue eyes follow the multiple trails of seeping blood being exited from the dead doppelganger.
Pharasma. Yes. Definitely I am Hers.
The Tortured Crusader cleans his blade off on her cloak before placing it away.
He turns to the group.
So, we have a third corpse to show these...who are they? And why the blazes did you agree to that?
The Wanderer's faculties seem to be a bit...stronger, focused, leveled....
His blood boils as he hears Pharasma's name over and over, he has vague inklings of why he hates the god of the Boneyard, but he doesn't remember the specifics due to the amnesia.
He does remember being in the service of a god enough that he can cast a few spells, mostly to ensure death is by proper weapons such as his own... so he can heal now. Given what appears to be a holy or... unholy -- given how much anger boils at the name of Pharasma -- symbol around his chest, he's presumably also a Cleric or Warpriest of a god of invention, and certainly not a kind one.
He tries to calm his visceral hatred down a tad, "It's the only means we seem to have to safety. Would you rather we just let doppelgangers walk around and not investigate the individuals there?" He decides not to mention his healing abilities now that they have access to, presumably, a place of respite.
Ethyl takes a deep satisfied breath as the creature dies powerless against the group. She raises an eyebrow at Iosif's irritation but doesn't comment on it. Curious.
She turns to the tub and regards the figure so pitifully trapped. "Who and what are you?"
Later she took a good long look through the area to find anything of value, whether something other than her pyjamas to wear or something more practical such as a healer's kit. She didn't flinch from searching their felled foe.
The sylph slides her hand off Enoch's shoulder as he buries the blade in the creature. She watches and waits until the death throes stop. Then she kneels down and starts searching body. When Enoch asks his questions, she responds without turning around. "We are to bring three corpses to the people blocking access to other sections of the building. We were hoping to find out who we are and break free." she sighs. "Though after seeing what wanders in the fog outside, we are having second thoughts."
The sylph finds nothing, dips her finger in the blood and draws a frowning face on the doppelganger before standing up and shifting her gaze towards Ethyl.
"She couldn't be contained." Alvar agrees quietly, gazing down at the doppelgänger to ensure her demise. Something about the death has clicked in their mind. I have... I remember something? I need to write it in my grimoire soon, ere I forget.
"You saw something outside, in the fog?" They ask the witch, realizing what she'd just said. Their tail lashes in anticipation as they continue with utter focus on the other planestouched. "What was it? Can you give me a general description? Anything you know might help me discern what exactly is going on in this place, and possibly even how we came to be here." They pause, the intensity in their voice startling even them. "Of course," they add dryly, "we could also attempt to take the corpses back to those guards, as you say."
The tiefling turns to look at the source of the voice requesting help, striving to identify whether or not it is actually a living creature, and not another illusion.
Using the step ladders next to the tub anyone can easily peer into the tubs.
The creature in the tub is pitiful indeed. He has thin gray skin stained in filth and blood. He has a human's facial structure but his ears are long and pointed like an elf's. A long red tongue hangs from his broken sharp teeth.
The worst part about him is his limbs. His forearms and lower legs have been amputated, leaving him with rough stumps.
He looks up at those peering into the tub with a mixture of shame and hunger. "I do hope this isn't another elaborate joke by you, "Doctor" Oathsday. Have I not suffered enough?" He wiggles a stump to emphasize his point.
The tiefling frowns. "A ghoul." They observe to their companions. "Not yet incoherent, but I doubt it can be trusted to be harmless. We should probably interrogate it before putting it out of its misery."
They raise their voice, turning to look back at the undead creature. "Oathsday? Is that the doppelgänger's name?"
Enoch only nods a bit numbly at the response offered. The White robe clad Paladin stands a bit silent. His eyes closed as if in...prayer? Men's Meditation? In Rahadoum probably be categorized as delirium....
"It's what she called herself. I don't know who she was before." He coughed. "I heard someone making battle cries to Pharasma, mat I speak with that individual?"
On the table the doppelganger was lying on, there is a case of reasonably well-kept surgeon's tools. Against the southern wall rests a six foot tall standing mirror, behind which is a satchel.
"You saw something outside, in the fog?" They ask the witch, realizing what she'd just said. Their tail lashes in anticipation as they continue with utter focus on the other planestouched. "What was it? Can you give me a general description? Anything you know might help me discern what exactly is going on in this place, and possibly even how we came to be here."
The sylph looks at Alvar, then seemingly through them. Her eyes drift along the walls, out of focus. "We're not sure. A large shape moving thorugh the yellow mist. With too many legs to count." she pauses and tilts her head, focusing on the cambion again. "Watching us, maybe? It moved away before we could pick up details. For better or worse."
Alvar nods slowly at the sylph's words, considering them carefully. 'We?' Is that a royal affectation, or another reason she might've been put here? Doesn't matter right now. We'll have time to talk more later. "I see... Well, absent other evidence, we have two real options - something's happened to the area around the asylum, or possibly the whole world, that has caused this mist, and brought forth giant monsters. Or... the sanitarium has been brought somewhere where giant monsters and yellow fog are common." They pause, then shrug. "Or it could be something else entirely. We still don't know enough..."
They turn back to the ghoul, still looking pensive, but the mention of Pharasma prompts them to glance at Enoch. My celestial counterpart. That should, they realize, provoke some sort of stab of envy, but there's nothing there. At least, not yet. Or perhaps... not anymore? "Yes, you're looking for the gentleman with the sword." They say aloud.
Should Enoch take the chance to speak with the ghoul, the wizard busies themself studying the magical dagger, incanting a cantrip to illuminate its nature. Need to focus, though. Might forget what I've remembered about my spells if I don't get them into the book soon.
Ethyl takes the potion in hand and wafts any fumes to her nose. She notes the color, opacity, viscosity, and other pertinent details.
If she is unable to ID it she passes it to Alvar so they might use magic.
She doesn't engage the ghoul in conversation but she keeps her keen ears focused on the conversation.
She moves to the mirror and examines the contents of the satchel. She also collects the surgical tools and organizes them properly.
Semi-glazed blue eyes turn slowly at the voice inquires of the Pharasman. His mouth moves, but the words that are brought forth sound... different than his previous tone, tenor, directivenes.
As the goddess of death and rebirth, she abhors the undead and considers them a disruptive perversion of the natural cycle of souls. She commands her followers and servants to destroy all undead beings.
The Tortured Crusader (seemingly in a controlled? way) approaches the ghoul in a box, drawing his battered longsword as he slowly moves...
Iosif winces again... but surprisingly not at the mention of slaying undead.
So, whoever I serve... opposes Pharasma in some other way. That rules out any deity with connections to the undead. He files this away for later. Hopefully, being some target of Pharasma other than her main shtick is useful. He isn't exactly a walking skeleton.
While Enoch and the creature int he well have their conversation, the sylph looks on, listening to the cambion. "Yeah, well... Or our presence here is justified and the simply took over." she shrugs again, and walks closer to the tub to look at whatever is inside. She frowns and steps back. She looks at the doppelganger on the ground and seems confused. "Wonder what's all that about." she points over her shoulder towards the tub while keeping her gaze locked on the doppelganger. "We wouldn't really call that a disarming smile."
Her lips curl up into a hint of a grin.
Alvar nods at the sylph witch's words, scratching their forehead behind one of their horns. "Undead. We've encountered them several times now. I wonder whether the survivors behind the barricade are aware they're about." They bite their lower lip. There's just not enough information. I need to know more.
The wizard turns briefly to Enoch. "Hold a moment. Can you tell us anything about what's been happening here?" They ask the ghoul.
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The ghoul sighs in relief. "Precisely. In life I was the chaplain to this Asylum, a priest to the Lady of Graves. However, I do not know what has happened here to us. My memory grows foggy, no thanks to the doppelganger. She fed me regularly with flesh from other doppelganger and former patients and staff. She had recently fed me before the sounds of your strange weapon alerted her to your presence. She wanted to see the effects of the different flesh on me, I think."
"Some days ago there was an earthquake, followed by everyone living here to suffer monstrous nightmares. All I remember of it was being pursued by something in sickly yellow fog. When it killed me, I rose as this anathema of my faith. I'm not sure what else has occurred, she kept me in here and didn't speak to me save to take the form of those she fed to me and degrade my ironic condition."
Tears of gore well in his eyes as he looks up at Enoch and the others. "Please, if you are a servant of Pharasma or have any mercy in your hearts, kill me and pray the Lady of Graves will not judge my weakness too harshly."
Ethyl comments without any pity for the undead Pharasman's plight, "An earthquake would explain why this structure is somewhat destroyed. It's curious that you would turn into such a thing after you were killed in a dream. Though I don't know the normal mechanism that transforms one into such creatures, I take it yours was not the usual method?"
She pauses thinking for a moment, "I suggest that we do not sleep until we can gather evidence that it is safe to do so, lest we undergo the same transformation."
Iosif asks the man one question, before Enoch does the inevitable.
"I do have one question. Who are Pharasma's enemies, besides... well, the undead?"
Alvar considers the ghoul's words, trusting the servant of Pharasma to deal with the undead. "An earthquake? A new factor. Relevant to the strange mists?" They think aloud. "Something might've been unleashed by the earthquake. Perhaps just the mist, perhaps something that generates the fog... and dreams again. Slain in a dream to be transformed in reality?"
They scratch their chin with both their right thumbs, eyes falling half-shut. But why undead? Is it because he's a chaplain of Pharasma, and it was his nightmare? Then why would there be others?And why would some - especially patients with delusions of doctorates - become doppelgängers? Is there some sort of relationship to their fears? They look at the ghoul. "You are the only chaplain here?"
Once they have their questions answered, they look at Ethyl. "Perhaps. But there's only so long one can remain awake before the body fails. There is a spell that mitigates that, but I don't know it." And it would take a lot of effort to memorize it.
"Pharasma's enemies - not including the undead - are those who'd prey upon the passage of souls unto their just rewards: fiends, night hags, necromancers." The chaplain croaked, his voice growing more hoarse. "I was the chaplain on duty, my name was Setrakian, but there was a visitor from Caliphas who is a cleric to Pharasma before things ... happened. I do not know her fate, however."
A bell or two rings in the forgotten recesses of Alvar's mind as they tried to recall any spells or rituals that might accomplish or be a result of their circumstances. However, no titles or names come to their mind.
As for the satchel - which is magical - there are 3 platinum pieces inside, along with a magical pearl and a magical phylactery. The mirror it was stashed behind looks like it would weight 8 pounds.
Iosif's eyes light up, as if he's remembering something. A fiend. But just as soon as they light up, they dull again. "Thank you. Enoch, if you will?"
Ethyl tuts, ”Of course our bodies will enforce sleep eventually. It can be mitigated with stimulants such as pesh, but not indefinitely. Unfortunately that point is moot since we don’t possess anything like that. We need more information of that much I am certain. Perhaps York and the others with him will be more amenable now that we have done as they’ve asked and they can answer our questions.”
Ethyl demonstrates the satchel’s magical power by placing her arm fully within one of the compartments and pulls out the contents for all to see.
Enoch's blue eyes peer down at the appendage challenged former priest. His face expressionless. In a monotonous tone, he recites
Pharasma makes no decision on whether a death is just or not; she views all with a cold and uncaring attitude, and decides on which of the Outer Planes a soul will spend eternity.
Before plunging his battered longsword into the ghoul's heart....
The Paladin then absently cleans his blade with any cloth in easy reach, before putting it back into its home at his hip.
The Tortured Crusader does crinkle his eyes a bit in wary amusement at noticing the Phylactery of Faithfulness....
The sylph does not pay much attention while the limbless ghoul is being euthanised. Instead, she slowly saunters back to the door leading to the northerh room. She watches the man tied to the pipes from a distance, wondering whether his rhetoric changed or it's still the same.
Iosif takes the phylactery of faithfulness (assuming the Pharasmin Paladin doesn't want it), and places it around his head. His tone, his demeanor changes a bit as he puts it on. "We should bring the three doppelgangers to the checkpoint now. There are still probably more that need to be taken out. We don't want to spend too long letting them roam free."
Definitely work for a fiend. Eagerness at blowing holes in doppelgangers
Alvar ignores the destruction of the ghoul, their curiosity somewhat sated. "So the relation between becoming a ghoul and one's nightmares isn't quite so direct..." They muse aloud. "Curiouser and curiouser. What is happening here?" There is something nigglingly familiar about this, but no names arise in their mind.
Sighing, they gesture at the items they've identified, sharing their natures with the others. "Unless I miss my guess, the pearl would be of greatest use to myself or our sylph ally." They gesture at the woman. "As to the rest, I leave it up to you to decide."
Once the spoils are divided, they glance down at the corpse of the doppelgänger and nod at Iosif's suggestion. "You're correct, of course... but don't ask me to help get the one in the basement out. I'm not exactly physically mighty."
Ethyl rolls up her sleeves and takes two of the limbs of the nearest doppelganger. She looked at Enoch and asked as sweetly as she could muster, "Would you kindly?"
Once at the barricade she warned the guards as they approached, "We have done as you asked. We've also located a peculiar man in yellow robes. I tested him as best I could manage and verified his humanity. He seems to be suffering from some kind of aphasia. Shall we bring him?"
Later she helped tie spare sheets and clothing together to make a rope with which she helped hoist the doppelganger up the furnace chute.
Barely even aware of the conversations around him, Enoch stands silently still. At the prompting from Ethyl, the Paladin absently nods. His blue eyes roam the chamber.
Perhaps, we just pile them all onto a few spread out sheets and drag them.
The Tortured Crusader even manages a slight grin-like appearance.
I could fire person that other one up.