Strange Aeons: In Search of Sanity II [IC - Group #1]

[lostsole31]

R5T16: Björn, not seeing any enemies, and having neither magic nor a mere mote of skill in first aid, backs away a few feet to let those more knowledgeable in to help the two stricken party members.

R5T15: Gaye is no longer paralyzed, but she barely stands. "Help me," she says weakly as she barely stands (she is disabled).

R5T9: Haru, no enemies in sight nor sounds of battle. Gaye is bleeding and disabled in front of you. What do you do?

Zoo on deck, Jean/ Javert in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Haru digs into his bag and pulls a potion out of it, getting ready to feed it to Gaye.

Spoiler

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Haru will spend a standard action to dig out his Potion of CLW. Since he cannot use it on her without using a full round action, he will wait until his next turn to use it. Hopefully she doesn't die before then.

[lostsole31]

R5T9: Haru digs into his bag and pulls a potion out of it, getting ready to feed it to Gaye.

R5T3: Jean, you know that the vial Haru just pulled out is a healing potion. Assuming Haru doesn't fight you, you could take it from him as a MA, and then feed it to Gaye as a SA. What do you do?

Javert on deck, Lord Hanley in the hole ...

[pfm1995]

Already holding a potion, Jean approaches Gaye and tips it into her mouth.

[lostsole31]

R5T3: Already holding a potion, Jean approaches Gaye and tips it into her mouth. The bleeding stops, she gets 6 healing, and she is no longer disabled.

Combat Ends ...

Gaye, a white necromancer, casts CLW on herself for 6 healing. Assuming folks gather together so she can see what's what, she will give Akbar a CLW for 6 healing. Looking at herself, Zoo, and Akbar, she looks around to the others. "This is my last one." She casts CLW one last time on Akbar for 8 healing. A little trickle of blood comes down her nose as she feels the tickle and wipes it off. "I am out. I have no more healing or spells left to give but my cantrips."

She looks around. "Akbar, Zoo, and myself are too wounded to dare attempt any more battle - let alone exposing ourselves to danger. I vote we go back to Winter and the sanctuary to recover and ask her for what healing she is willing to give us - perhaps a good couple of channels will be effective. I don't think we should go to the Apostles' camp, in case a dangerous situation pops up."

How does the rest of the party feel about the bloodied Gaye's suggestion, especially given half of your party is beat up and one admits to having no more spells?

[SwordChucks]

Zoo drops back to his human shape and nods his agreement with Gaye's suggestion.
"Any idea why the horse thing disappeared when it died? I was hoping to bring its meat back to the chapel."

[BuckGodot]

Björn will nod his agreement to the suggestion to return.

[lostsole31]

Lord Hanley says, "Listen, that makes sense. But, I think since we are here we should check the rest of the courtyard before heading back."

Do you check the rest of the courtyard, or head right back to the sanctuary?

[pfm1995]

"I do not think it was truly a 'unicorn' - in the tales, they are peaceful creatures disinclined to random violence and they do not disappear when they die. Perhaps it was a mere creation of this mist?" Jean replies to Zoo. "As for the Lord Hanley's suggestion, I agree - anything else here will have likely been attracted by our fighting already."

[BuckGodot]

"That being said... Let us proceed checking the rest of the courtyard with caution."

[lostsole31]

The group does a much more focused search of the north courtyard, hoping that nothing else will bother them. As they do so, it begins to rain.

Left amid the rubble in the southwestern corner of the courtyard is the body of a young man whose attractiveness is only marred by his painful thinness ... and, of course, about a week-and-a-half of decomposition. He wears the body of a briarstone patient. His body is checked, and the party notes that he wears a simple silver band with a design of grassy fields. Detect Magic shows that it is magic. Lord Hanley, the only one with detect magic and knowledge of arcane matters studies the rings, and notes it has an aura of faint conjuration. Gaye assists Jean, and together they determine that the ring is a ring of sustenance.

Lord Hanley concentrates on the area as the rain picks up. "This is my hypothesis, as I detect psychic energy faintly around this man's body. He died horribly, but probably had a fondness for storybook creatures. Perhaps at the moment of his death, he had hoped that a such a creature - a unicorn - would come and save him. The mists themselves don't form anything, but I have been thinking that if we are not on the Dimension of Dreams, then that dimension is currently coterminous with our normal reality. So, this man's dying 'dream,' as it were, gave energy to the psychically charged nature of this place. I think the unicorn was a haunt, and one that is tied to this dead man."

There is a tremendous peal of thunder right at this point, but unlike the thunder that Haru and others briefly experienced before (some time ago), which then sounded like regular thunder, this thunder almost sounds like it spoke the word, "Björn!" at incredible volume, with the trailing thunder sounding like maniacal laughter.

The thunder is loud enough to deafen Gaye, Javert, and Lord Hanley for 1 round. Lord Hanley has everyone follow him back into the facing external doors in the northwestern corridors while he, Gaye, and Javert recover from the post-deafened ringing.

"Before I was so rudely interrupted," Lord Hanley continues, "I think we need to bury that man as soon as we can tomorrow. I am not convinced that his was a haunt we just beat up in battle and it is done. Since we don't have an actual priest among our company, I shall try to convince Winter to at least accompany us this far tomorrow so that we may affect a proper cairn burial .... still by rubble, but this time with respect."

Does anyone have anything they wish to say before I fast forward through the evening and into the next day?

[BuckGodot]

Björn looks around the group with confusion... "Erm... Did anyone else hear... Uhhh..."

[lostsole31]

Gaye looks sideways at Björn and nods quickly, but says nothing more about it.

Any dissension or other things to do before fast-forward?

[BuckGodot]

Björn looks around and then prepares to move out.

[pfm1995]

Jean picks Javert back up and nods at Hanley. "Yes, that all sounds fine. Best to put these ghosts to rest."

[lostsole31]

The party returns to Winter, bloodied and drained as they are. A debriefing is given to Winter, including Lord Hanley's theory that the deceased patient's mental state + the overlap with the Dimension of Dreams (if that is what is happening) + the disappearance of the unicorn = a likely haunt.

But before taking further action, she wants to heal the terrible wounds on the party, so she will channel energy. Her first channel will fully heal Björn and Haru. But Gaye is not healed at all. She has to channel energy three more times to fully heal Akbar, and almost fully heal Zoo (who can heal with some rest).

Gaye, unfortunately, is not truly human. She will admit that she is a dhampir, a woman born of a human woman and possibly a vampire father, and so the effects of positive and negative energy are reversed on her. That is one of the reasons that she looked into studies of white necromancy .... so she could find a way to heal wounds done to her magically. Otherwise, traditional, "mundane" medicine works, and so she will be sent right to bed for rest after Winter looks over her and Zoo. To that end, Winter will also patch up Zoo's ingrown nail.

Once Gaye is put to rest, and instead of waiting until the morning, Winter sets out immediately to conduct a proper burial rite for the deceased patient, with the rest of the party in tow. Her reasoning is that if it is a haunt, many haunts reform after a period of time - often 24 hours - and waiting until tomorrow might have the group facing a powerful threat a second time.

When the party gets outside, it is still raining, and still thundering. And the thunder is still excruciatingly loud. Loud enough to deafen folks from time-to-time (for a few rounds at a time), but still Gaye performs a quick Pharasmin burial rite on the cairn to the deceased and the party retreats back to the sanctuary, with everyone's ears ringing from having been deafened so often. The party does make a quick library stop, however.

Winter takes out a book on the performance of various burial rites for the observation of multiple religions, not just Pharasmin. Jean reads up on the effects of grief and depression on varying psychologies. Having such a brush with death today in the form of more tribals and an unlikely haunt, Björn puts down his sword and gives into psychic meditation. Haru reads up on "adrenaline" and the ways it affects the body, most notably regarding enhanced speed. Zoo conducts psychometabolic meditations.

Akbar and Lord Hanley have a good time just chewing the fat, though the latter does query the former on psychic meditation techniques. Akbar, on the other hand, is transfixed in some ways by Lord Hanley's surprisingly engaging personality.

Spoiler: Akbar

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Akbar has no lack of confidence or sense of self for the areas that are his strengths, and is fascinated to find that Lord Hanley actually seems even more of that without actually being arrogant. Actually, he might come off as arrogant to some, but his sense of self is so strong, Akbar finds he can learn from Lord Hanley if he can observe and interact with him more.

They get along enough, or seemingly so, that Lord Hanley says his name is Lord Hector Hanley, and his friends call him "Heck" ... Heck Hanely. He offers you [Akbar] the right to refer to him by that familiar.

The group finally settles for the night and goes to sleep.

[lostsole31]

Day 14(?)

Throughout the night, the party all internalizes some minor dream aspect that is eroding to their sanity regardling the unicorn, with some affected more than others, but nothing that anyone can quite remember when they wake up.

Upon waking up, Björn and Zoo find that while not yet cured of filth fever, they (with Winter's ministrations) have fought the disease enough that it hasn't progressed.

Jean, Javert/ Asarale has gotten worse. He is disabled, and any strenuous activity could kill him. He is still impaired as well. What do you do with him?

[pfm1995]

Jean cuddled Javert's limp and only barely-breathing body, not willing to leave him alone to explore the Asylum. It had been a long night and he'd been so consumed with worry he'd barely slept. Javert - Asarale - was hardly the kindest, or the most merciful thing in this nightmare place but he and Jean shared a connection deep and powerful. And there was nothing Jean could do. "Without some kind of relief... this does not look good." He murmured, looking at the rest of the party. "None of you have magic that might help? Or... that man, in the Apostle's camp. He said he was a doctor, yes?"

[lostsole31]

With what she healed from a night of rest after Winter's ministrations, Gaye still has to cast inflict light wounds (after her morning meditations) on herself thrice to be fully healed. She looks to Jean, "Yes. Wren Elbourne is his name, if I recall correctly."

[lostsole31]

Jean, what do you intend to do with Javert?

[pfm1995]

"Then let us go to him. Maybe he can help." Tucking Javert under one arm, he nods to the others that he's ready to set out.

[lostsole31]

As far as the rest of the morning preparations ....

Akbar spends an hour in psychic meditation, followed by an hour meditating on the mysteries of fire and energy.

Björn meditates for an hour in the formation of his strange protective suit's abilities, and general psionics. He keeps the hardened strikes, but ever the tinker he changes the form of it, discovering that he can use it to do slashing damage. Seeing as slashing is more utilitarian overall than simply bludgeoning, he keeps it in the new slashing configuration. He releases the internal electrical insulation to free up space for more mechanical. He creates a ecto-hydraulic system and pistons at his gauntlets and even lower arms, so that when he strikes in combat, he might be able to knock around his opponents. The second hour, of course, is in psychic meditation.

Spoiler: Björn

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You have now unlocked all three forms of Hardened Strikes - bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing.

You have unlocked the Push configuration .... The aegis gains the ability to push creatures away with a successful attack. Whenever the aegis makes a successful melee attack, he can attempt a free combat maneuver check. If successful, the target of the attack is pushed 5 feet directly away from the aegis. This ability only works on creatures of a size equal to or smaller than the aegis. Creatures pushed in this way do not provoke attacks of opportunity. If there is insufficient room for the target to be pushed away, the attempt automatically fails.

Gaye had spent an hour meditating over medical notes combined with metaphysical understanding of the spirit and body before she cast those three spells above. She then spends an hour in swordwork. She will mention to the group that half of her spells were spent healing herself, so she will be more swordswoman than spellcaster.

Haru spends two hours in a variety of physical and mental meditations and kata before he is ready. Zoo also spends two hours in quiet reflection. Lord Hanley spends two hours in meditation, writing various notes and thoughts on things, and doing some type of finger drills you don't recognize.

Björn then gathers everyone (except Javert, who convalesces to the side) and conducts a seance, calling on the Sheriff to fill the party with strength once again to overcome what enemies there are. The seance complete, the party heads out, taking the northern route to go through what is known as "cleared" areas before coming to the Apostles' camp.

On the way, however, Akbar admits to the group, that he has become intuitively aware a portion of the magic in his blood could be more powerful when given to others that "wish" for a specific effect. "So, these are the things that I can give to you as you need them, and as long as you state explicitly (in a language I understand) that you 'WISH' for that effect or ability, when I cast that spell, it is a bit stronger for you than I could do simply for myself. The spells I can give to you or your possessions at this time, costing the normal amount of spell power are as follows: light, resistance, anticipate peril, enlarge person, & mage armor."

For thost that don't know what these spells do, he tells you (so please see the appropriate entry on the SRD).

[pfm1995]

"Does it function even with a language you don't speak?" Jean asks, intrigued despite himself and wanting something to distract him as they walk down the hallways.

[lostsole31]

"Well, no," he answers, perplexed by the question. "The request sets up an arcane rapport between the wisher and myself, but I still have to understand what they want so I know what to cast. Oh, and it has to be spoken, because the wish-speech has power like an arcane spell's verbal requirements, so it doesn't work through telepathy, sign language, smoke signals, signal flags, tribal drums, pheromones, or what-have-you."

The party gets to the Apostles' camp, and is quickly herded to the little mini-clinic by Dr. Wren Elbourne.

Now what?

[SwordChucks]

Once he's sure no one is listening in that shouldn't, Zoo says "Doctor, to clarify, you believe that if we go upstairs, make our way past any horrors that have been summoned by the fog, and 'talk' with Zandalus, that will end this nightmare?" He gives an exaggerated wink when he says "talk".

[lostsole31]

Wren whispers to Zoo, which is to get everyone to whisper since there are patients in his little clinic there. "Zandalus and the oneirogens are up the north set of stairs; the Bag Lady and some guards are up the south. I am sure you won't finish Zandalus and the oneirogens immediately, so it is likely they will call for the guards. On the other hand, if you take care of the guards, it is unlikely Zandalus will come to their aid. You are better off taking the south stairs first to limit what you have to fight at once."

[pfm1995]

"Doctor, please." Jean approaches the man. "Do you know anything about birds? Mine, he appears to be very sick."

[lostsole31]

"Uh, no," he says nervously putting his hands up so as not to be exposed to whatever the bird has. "But if your bird is really sick, take him out of here, please. There are sick people here. My advice? Euthanasia."

[SwordChucks]

"I'm ready to go on then. Let's settle this with the Bag Lady and the guards while we're still fresh."

[lostsole31]

Jean, Wren Elbourne wants the sick bird out of his clinic now. The patients he has in here cannot be exposed to whatever your bird has, and should be taken away from the main camp as well. That said, your raven is not a Tiny familiar, but a Small creature, so carting it around on your adventures is problematic.

What do you do?