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I'm very sorry to hear about your job. By all means do what you have to do. Good luck in your search. Best wishes and thanks for everything.
I'm only down my mage armor spell. I'm good to keep moving forward.
"Well then...which we do we go now?" Dhamiskeanus asked nervously. While his head would normally be darting this way and that, now it continued to stare straight ahead towards the ratlings. "I wonder if they have any food" he wondered aloud.
Still here.
You could always flip a coin. This is basically a game of chance after all.
"Fascinating, I must say" Dhamiskeanus muttered to himself. His hand raised up as if to interrupt but quickly thought better of it when Drafton began speaking. I wonder what kind of creature they are... he couldn't help but wonder.
"Well, see. No escalation of hostilities. They seemed quite reasonable, although I don't understand their overprotection of such invaluable literature. Books are meant to be read, after all" Dhamiskeanus said with a blush. "Well then. Onward? I suppose?"
Hey, I don't know why I feel the need to touch everything, but I do! Oh well, onward for the story! I rather enjoy our flaws.
The large man sighed. "Oh very well. I hardly see what all of the fuss is. I will endeavor to keep my hands to myself. Perhaps they will let us pass into the next room unaccosted? Hmm, they also like magical items. Maybe you can use that to bargain with them?"
"Talking rats? No, no, no...not rats. No elongated snout, no whiskers, why I'm not even sure it's qualifiable as a rodent at all, especially since they can speak. I think I may have read about these once..."
Startled at the sudden shouting from the other end of the room, Dhamiskeanus recoiled with a pained expression on his face. "What? What's wrong? What did I...oh, the books!" His round face started to turn red and sweat began to bead on his forehead. "I'm sorry! I just, I mean they're books. How can books be dangerous? I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself. I can't remember the last time I was in a library, much less one I was unfamiliar with."
"Oh splendid. I would not have thought to find such an extensive library in such a place." For the first time since awakening in this place, Dhamiskeanus relaxed somewhat. Being back in a library made him feel more secure, as if the terrors they had witnessed first hand were no more. The conversations going on around him didn't even register to the big man. "Oh I haven't seen one of those in years" he remarked about one book. "Amazing. This one is in the best condition I've ever seen" he remarked about another. "Do you think anyone would mind if we borrowed some of these? I would be thrilled to read quite a few of these, oh, especially this one" he said as he reached for one book in particular.
Dhamiskeanus's mouth hung open as his eyes wandered from shelf to shelf. He appreciated the library, or what was left of it, until the amount of neglect and disrepair sunk in. "A pity" he remarked, to no one in particular. He started to walk forward, stopping just shy of bumping into Drafton. "Oh, pardon me" he excused, flushing with a little embarrassment. Suddenly, the smell hit him. "Oh, what is that smell? Ugh, it's terrible."
"Its hard to tell. They've been smashed up pretty well, quite possibly to conceal their true identities. I'd have to check them all though, to be sure. I don't mind really. I...I think I'm sort of used to it for some reason, as awful as that sounds. I'm no artist though. If we could take paintings of them for reference...I'm sorry, that probably sounded very morbid." "I wonder if their uniforms may prove of use. They're dirty, filthy really, but a little magic could take care of that pretty quickly...if any of you know the spell."
Slowly poking and prodding among the bodies, Dhamiskeanus continued to investigate the deceased. It didn't take long for the smell of decay to waft across his nose. While the stench was awful, it combined with the smell of the blood in the room and stirred something primal within him. "They appear to be the remains of orderlies, people that previously worked here. Possibly killed by those shapeshifters so they could take their places, but to what end I wonder..."
"Certainly not for these poor souls" he sighed. "They all appear to have been beaten to death, and not just by one weapon, but several. It would seem like mob justice, and they did not go quietly. They resisted, until the end." With his dagger, he tried to open the makeshift hood on the nearest body.
His curiosity getting the better of him, Dhamiskeanus almost couldn't help himself around the corpses. He slowly approached them, not out of fear or disgust, but almost like a hunter approaching a trapped quarry, a scientist approaching his experiment. He approached with genuine interest and caution, his dagger out in front of him just in case. He focused his eyes to look for magical auras, a trick he almost didn't know he could do. Still, as he squinted and looked around, shadows melted away.
"I guess I'm a little like Drafton, just bigger" Dhamiskeanus said with a nervous chuckle. "I remember a lot of information and seem to know some magic. I believe I have studied magic, and possibly the undead." "I'm no fighter either, and I'm rather scared of this place. I think I like reading too. I will try not to let my fear dictate my actions and help however I can. I'm not graceful or coordinated so sneaking or opening things isn't my forte."
Dhamiskeanus looked down at his own swollen body. Running fast did not seem like a viable option for him. Stealth didn't seem like a much better option either, but maybe with the fog they could pull it off. The fog. It scared him more than whatever creature was out there waiting for them. "Should...should I go first?" he asked nervously. "If it catches me..." he gulped hard, "you could probably still make a run for it."
"Really..." Dhamiskeanus inquired. "Well that doesn't sound so bad. Never...being...alone." The last few words he muttered as he stood watching the ectoplasmic beast. He had seen the creature rip things apart in a particularly violent fashion. "Then again..." as he continued to muttered to himself.
Dhamiskeanus had been standing before the others, self occupied. His finger traced over his teeth, feeling for anything unordinary. As the creature landed on the roof with a thud, he was startled out of his little exploration and looked up to see if just outside the window. "Fascinating" he remarked. "And it seems to understand you...no, not just understand you, but be commanded by you. Amazing. Truly amazing. Tell me, are you able to...feel it? I've read that some have a connection to such creatures. That they can actually mentally feel a tether to them of sorts, even feel their emotions in some cases. What are you feeling right now?"
The large man beamed with pride. Never before had he received such adjulations. His smile was almost as wide as his face. "Thank you, you are too kind. I've seen all of you, of us, give everything we can to survive here. I could do no less." "By all means Drafton, I look forward to sharing my knowledge but I think I may be allergic or something to the potions."
"Well that was...I didnt expect that...to, work. How unusual." Dhamiskeanus was taken back at his own success. While he had thought his course of action through, he wasn't actually trusting his assessment to be correct. Even if accurate he wasn't sure he would remember how he had manifested the positive energy and he certainly never thought he would be able to strike another with it. It was all so empowering. "Ah...yes. Uh, thank you" was all he could eek out, lost again in his own train of thought.
Dhamiskeanus tried hard to recall any stories he had read about animated birds or even haunted birdcages. As he shifted about in the doorway, he tried to catch a glimpse of the birds or the birdcage itself. He focused his will to remember the positive energy he summoned earlier and tried to repeat the attempt, aiming at the birdcage.
Waddling closer to the doorway, Dhamiskeanus peered inside. "Remarkable" he muttered to himself. The artwork in the room was wonderful, yet painful. It represented a life he would never have for himself, but one he often dreamed of. His eyes wandered around the room and eventually stopped on the windows. He shuddered. "The mist..." Suddenly he was back on the cobblestone street. Sweat rolled down his face and his legs shook. He glanced back and forth and back again, ready to bolt in an instant.
Dhamiskeanus remained standing a few feet behind the others. Had he been thinking about it, he would have defended his action as not wanting to crowd the others, but truth be told he wasn't thinking about it. He was lost in his own thoughts. He had been thinking back to his dreams and trying to remember anything about who he was or where they were. The longer he tried to think about it though, the more despondent he became. He prided himself on being a scholar of sorts, and not knowing who he himself was almost embarrassing. It was annoying, somewhat frustrating, and downright maddening at times.
"Very impressive." Dhamiskeanus wasn't talking to anyone in particular, more thinking out loud. Still, it was true. Drafton's knowledge and skill with the brush was impressive. Both the rendering and the museum spoke to the large man at a fundamental level. This poor door...creature, whatever it was, didn't know what it's own self was...much like Dhamiskeanus and the others. With their own memories hidden from their view, how much like this "haunt" were they like. Would they shreik in horror at their own reflections? "I would like to buy it...from you. Uh, when you're done of course." The large man blushed. He hadn't really meant to ask, it just came out as the thought occurred to him. He shrugged. "...but we should probably push on."
"Oh my. That's amazing. I've never seen anything like it. It almost looks...otherworldly, and sad. Yes, definitely sad. See there, it looks like a rather large tear." Dhamiskeanus was genuinely intrigued. His curiosity overwhelmed any sense of disgust that he had and he slowly encroached on the giant eye like a child trying to catch a butterfly. "Hmm, it doesn't appear to have any ears" he wondered aloud. "I say, can you hear me?" he asked. "Do you understand me?"
Sitting against the wall, Dhamiskeanus listened to the conversation between Drafton and Winter. He smiled at hearing that she was a cleric. That would prove invaluable to all of them. As she pulled out her holy symbol to channel, Dhamiskeanus tried to climb to his feet but the effort quickly proved too much. He resigned himself to staying put on the floor. He had been somewhat fortunate in life in that he had never really needed medical attention. He had never needed the healing of a cleric before so he wasn't prepared for what happened next. As the positive energy flowed out and washed over him, his eyes opened wide. It burned. Not quite like fire, but more like water that was too hot. He rubbed his exposed flesh desperately, like a cold man trying to stay warm. The feeling faded quickly enough but the sudden expulsion of energy had the large man sweating and breathing heavily again.
It was nice that they had found some solace in this nightmare. Dhamiskeanus sat quietly against the wall, to fretful that his large frame would tax whatever make shift furniture they had that wasn't being used as defenses. No, the floor would do for him. As hungry and as tired as he was, he ate sparingly and refused to rest until the others were. "You guys go ahead...uh, I'm not quiet that tired yet." Truth be told he was as exhausted as the rest of them. They had all been through so much in such a short period of time that they were all drained, physically, mentally, even somewhat spiritually. Still, it seemed like every time he slept, the nightmares came back, and as tired as he was he could just a little longer.
"So uh, where should we go next?" That question echoed over and over again in Dhamiskeanus's head. It gave him hope, more hope than trying to wrack his brain to remember where they had been. It was a strange sensation not remembering one's past. It was disconcerting to say the least. At least this way, he could focus on moving forward, to recover the past.
I'm always interested in more stuff but I think once we hit 2nd level we'll be okay. That said, suddenly remembering that we know how to do something certainly does fit with the whole amnesia angle.
If there was anything that was going to get Dhamiskeanus off of his large rump, it would be the smell of food cooking. He climbed to his feet quicker than expected and waddled over to where Drafton was busy preparing dishes. When the halfling asked for help cutting the onions, the big man hastily volunteered, happy to be helpful again. He waited patiently for the crepes to finish, his stomach arguing through most of the waiting.
It's been great. Such a break from the norm. It feels like complete strangers who may or may not like each other but are forced to work together to survive and every encounter seems like it could be the one that ends it all for them, it's awesome to not steamroll encounters and to come up with alternate solutions. It's kind of nice not having a cleric around to fall back on or a two-handed swinging barbarian to hide behind.
I remain!
Sitting on the floor sweating, Dhamiskeanus started to grow angry at his own failure. His weight had always been an issue, but never like this. His hermit-like life style meant no one ever depended on him, until now. It was one thing to fail at something, it was quite another when others were depending on you. After a long rest, he finally stood up and grabbed the handaxe again. This time, he was determined not to fail.
While his second effort yielded more success, again his tremendous bulk was more of a hindrance than a help and gain he sat down, flushed and out of breath.
Wasting no time, Dhamiskeanus headed over to the pile splintered furniture. Picking up the handaxe, he immediately set to work with a new found purpose.
Unfortunately, while his great size granted him some strength, his sheer mass worked against him. He quickly tired after a few minutes of heavy exertion and leaned back against the wall, barely any change to the pile of wood. After a moment, he slid down and landed with a heavy thump on the floor, his face red and sweat rolling down his face.
Howdy!
Sounds good. Enjoy the vacation.
"I think it's lovely" Dhamiskeanus blurted out before he knew what he was saying. Almost immediately the big man began blushing and stammering. "I...should, probably go help, with fire wood." He gave a curt nod before turning and starting to walk away. He didn't make it more than a few feet before he turned back around and asked "where do I go to help with firewood?"
This was an all new situation for Dhamiskeanus. He was unused to being asked for his assistance. It was all so exciting, so inspiring. It made him want to help more. Knowing that his own efforts resulted in good fortune for others, it was not something he had ever known before. With a smile on his otherwise tired face, he offered up "I would be happy to help, but we could use a bite to eat first, and a drink as well."
"I am Dhamiskeanus and we don't mean anyone any harm. Quite the opposite really. We'd just like to help, and hopefully leave this place in the process." Carter's proclamation went a long way in reminding Dhamiskeanus about their recent struggles. He was probably reading more into the remark than he should, but it helped to bolster his own confidence. "And may I say that's a lovely necklace you're wearing. Where, praytell, did you get it from, if I may ask?" His stomach rumbled, as if to remind him of more important matters. "Oh, would you happen to have any more food to spare. We've barely eaten...that I can remember."
Following suit, Dhamiskeans walked up and nodded with a slight smile on his face. "Sleeping wall...wait...weeping, weeping wall. Yes, that's it. Of course. Long day" he said with a shrug of his shoulders. He tossed the doppelganger remains in to the boiler room with others and quickly turned over his dagger as instructed. He bobbled it a second as he remembered the severed hand in his pocket but simply shrugged again before following the others. "I don't suppose you have anything to eat, do you" he asked of no one in particular?
I'm not really sure how it will work. How will spells and consumables be tracked? As a player with no knowledge of the adventure, I don't know which encounters are scripted and which are random so I don't know how much it would impact us but I'm not against it.
The heavy set man nodded excitedly, happy to receive such praise. He was unaccustomed it and it served to re-energize him. At the suggestion of carrying the doctor's head, he simple shrugged and nodded again with a smile on his face. "We should hurry though. The thought of a rest is rather appealing. Maybe they'll even have some food to share..."
Smiling as he worked was an unusual phenomon for Dhamiskeanus. Then again, it was unusual work in an unusual place. He was unaccustomed to such exertion but he trusted Drafton's logic so he continued to saw. He wanted to contribute. They had all worked together so far. Fought together, spilled blood together, perhaps even started to trust each other... well maybe a little. Their survival seemed dependent upon each other. Besides, it couldn't have been much different from being a butcher. At least that's what he kept telling himself.
"Ingenious! That would explain a great deal actually. Well, maybe not the nightmare with that mist, but it certainly goes towards explaining the nature of our current environment. Bravo I say. Well done." Holding his dagger in hand, Dhamiskeanus offered up "shall I remove their heads then? The sooner it's done, the sooner we can rest safely, correct?"
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