Razorback's Strange Aeons - In Search of Sanity

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 11 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 10, CMD: 15 Conditions: - Vadok only felt like this twice before. Once after a heavy night of drinking and laying with Korgak, his lover. And another night, when he recuperated from a blunt head trauma. By the Lord in Iron, they will pay... he growls in a low timbre. Standing up shakily he realizes he is mostly undressed and without weapon. Now standing, you realize the half-orc is not as emaciated as the other inmates. He kind of melds into the dark, making his grey, almost black skin tone even more intimidating as you struggle to make out his form. Various blood red tattoos cover his body, mostly orcish tribal marks. The half-orc might have considered talking to these strangers but as they are torturing another poor soul after fighting the doctor, Vadok assumes they lost it. He whispers to Ebert: I don't know who you are, but if we want to leave, we must help each other. Let's say you coax them here, and I will strangle the guard that opens the cell.

[u-b]

The senses were coming together slowly. A nightmare? It must have been ages since Ebert has his last nightmare. He thought he could have a nightmare, but why the cell then? It did not make much sense. He did not remember being put in a cell. Hm, for that matter, he did not remember much of anything... the half-orc interrupts the feeble train of thought. Wanting to leave... did Ebert want to leave? He was not sure. He did not have objections, though. He stands up on his feet.

"I'd like to leave this cell, if you would be so kind."

[PeacefulOak]

Lizbeth

The young white-robed woman pauses as she moves towards the cabinet, looking towards the newly wakened prisoners.

"You. Did you dream, then? Something in me calls to freedom, to unleash your chains. Who has the keys? Let them out, none should be bound as we were." She shakes her head suddenly, eyes lost again as though unsure of where such thoughts may have come from. She moves again towards the cabinet, steps certain and strange in contrast to her face and eyes.

Laying hands on it, she opens it and looks within.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 11 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 10, CMD: 15 Conditions: - Vadok spits on the floor, frustrated at the prospect of not having a worthy opponent to fight. Unable to get his warm-up with a proper murder, he flexes his back and steps out of the cell. A wise decision. Are you inmates here as well? We could help each other escape. And bring down everyone trying to stop us. Vadok inquires while looking around for some weapons and armor. While he would feel most comfortable in a suit of iron, his brash nature is dampened by being mostly in his birthday suit, without as much as a hard stick or club to break open skulls. He was still a bit unwell, but the rush of battle would do away with such feelings quickly.

[Ghostfoot]

Hazel

White from the shock of the next room, Hazel steps back mouth set firmly. Leaning against a table she notices the other folk.

"Oh snap, there are some others alive. Who's got the keys?"

She grabs the keys and wanders over, opening the cell. "Hope you guys are ready for a scrap." she looks over the muscled half-orc and the much slighter human man. "Grab a weapon or whatever you can. You're going to need it."

She gestures to the door onward. "It ain't good through there. Lots of bodies. Let's not add ourselves to the pile."

[u-b]

"Dream... funny you ask that. Not very good kind of dream. Seems not very good kind of reality either. Bodies, hm?" Being freed, Ebert nods and goes to take a look. Then he's back. "So things are serious, aren't they? Give me a couple of minutes if we are not in hurry." Being pointed where he should "grab a weapon", Ebert finds sacks with various equipment, some of which seems too familiar to just pass. He dons a decorated black lamellar cuirass, puts on a cestus and a backpack, rummages through the sacks looking for something else... it's only when he does not find it he makes his mind about what he was looking for - an adequately sized light crossbow was not there.

Having himself equipped, Ebert again goes to the next room, the one with the bodies. Specifically, northern part of it. There, he takes a piece of chalk and begins to draw something complex, geometrical and mostly radially-symmetric. It takes about a minute of drawing and chanting and there is a dim flash of light in the end, but the process and the result remain mostly not visible to those in the western room. You hear arcane mumbling, then there is silence. After some time Ebert is back. "I'm ready, but we should not hurry just yet. We might learn some more."

Spoiler

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Summon the eidolon. Cast mage armor on the eidolon. Zapka is instructed to climb up chute, take a look and report back what she sees while she's still there. She's taking 10 on climb for a total of 10, taking 10 on stealth for a total of 29 and taking 10 on perception for a total of 14.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - Dreams are nothing but distractions. Whoever puts us in here wants us guessing. Thinking. We should not cave. Keep your mind free of such weakness. They are weak and will be broken by my hands. Following his smaller allies' example, Vadok also finds his weapon and travel bag. Unfortunately, his armor is nowhere to be seen. Grimly, he ventures east to the pile of dead bodies and takes a very sturdy leather jacket. It has seen better days. He pulls out a knife to scrape the inside of the armor, but nonetheless it smells like decay. Finding his sword however infuses him with a warm sense of safety, and an eagerness to slaughter. He checks the blade with a few test swings. Not knowing how long the human magic user needs, he starts whetting the blade, but it is honestly just as good a weapon to crush one's bones as it is to cleave one. The name's Vadok, faithful of Gorum. Who might you be? are the only words he utters while preparing for combat.

[razorback]

"I'd be careful with that one... wouldn't be the first time hadn't tried to eat someone who tried to help him before." the Doctor says with a completely impassive face but everyone can hear the subtle mocking in her voice.

[infomatic]

"Nobody asked you," Elia snaps, then nods to Hazel and Lizbeth. "If she doesn't like him, that's good news to me."

She flips through a notebook as the other prisoners introduce themselves. "Elia … Faustus," she says. That doesn't sound quite right, but there it is, written on the inside cover.

[Ghostfoot]

Hazel

"The name's Hazel. Vadok, eh? Whatever. You look good with a blade. Good, let's do this. Hey, what's he doing?" Hazel looks over at Ebert as he summons the eidolon. "Enough of that snooping about, let's just go man! You wanna end up like the rest of them?!" she flashes him a wry grin that hints at six parts bravado and perhaps more than a dash of ignorance as she starts up the stairs.

Spoiler: actions

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Hazel is in a hurry. Ghostfoot is not...feel free to scout around & take as long as you want. Hazel will go to S7 but is not totally suicidal so will stop there and wait for everyone to follow her.

[u-b]

"Ebert Malkovich and... well, that's Zapka. She's with me." seeing Hazel starting up the stairs, Ebert just sighs. So much for making it all nice and quiet. Interrogating the doctor also seems out of question by the look of it. "I'll let you two fighter types decide how much info you need before you charge, just don't expect much of me when the action begins. And if you ask me, the less people we murder, the better. Some might be just doing their jobs and I cannot really use that kind of reputation."

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - It looks like he is binding a spirit to his will. I am rather impressed. Keeping such a beast in line with the power of his mind alone... Vadok is interrupted by the doctor. You can keep your thoughts to yourself. These ones bested you and put you in there. You should be humbled. And glad you are still alive. If you wish, I can change that... With that, Vadok drowns the jeering shapechanger out. You don't look like much, woman, but your confidence is what makes me assume you are more than you appear. He looks at the others. I propose a temporary alliance. If we want to get out of here, we need to know each other's strengths. Hazel and me will keep the front. Ebert should keep back, and guard our rear with his beast. You two he points at Elia and Liz I pray to the Lord of Iron you have at least some combat abilities, because we cannot afford to defend civilians.

[razorback]

The doctor just smiles at all the comments directed at her as she moves back against the back wall and sits.

As Lizbeth moves to the cabinet, it takes a harder pull than expected to make the doors open. With quick reflexes she manages to catch two bottles that fall out but a third crashes to the floor. The strong smell of formaldehyde wafts up causing Lizbeth's nose to wrinkle a bit. The bottles she saves both have a clear liquid in each. Bandages and other medical items are also in the cabinet, including some small knives and a bone saw.

As Ebert summons his friend and looks through the collection of bodies for his equipment, he notices that the majority of the bodies are wearing the same outfit - a plain, white uniform that buttons up the front, which is identical to what the doctor is wearing. Zapka, once directed, needs help getting to the chute, which is 8 feet of the ground. Once up there she manages to climb up fairly easily. Once up to the top she communicates back that she see trampled flowerbeds that are smeared and squashed across a muddy courtyard. On all sides, stark gray walls climb toward a narrow gap of sunless sky that rain drizzles down through.

The rest of the group, making introductions as Vadok find familiar equipment, also notice that, besides the noises they make that the place is eerily quite. Even the furnace, giving off no heat, lays dormant.

[u-b]

"The chute leads to the courtyard. Nothing too interesting in there. What's interesting here is that most bodies are dressed in the same white uniforms as the doc you have jailed." Shortly thereafter Zapka jumps back from the chute onto the pile of bodies and, making almost no sound, moves up the stairs.

Spoiler

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Zapka is instructed to look at the building side of the courtyard (the side from which she initially observed the courtyard) for info like the number of stories, number and type of windows (barred, shuttered, open, glass, etc.) and report what she sees. Then she is to go back and sneak up the stairs, taking 10 on stealth for a total of 29 and taking 10 on perception for a total of 14.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - The priest goes over to the dear Doctor, gauging her state of mind, and the truthfulness of her words. Why are you the one that is alive? he asks, pausing and takes in the stillness of the place. This silence is deafening. Quietness often a prelude to battle. Vadok finishes. Spoiler Show Sense Motive on the doctor taking 10 for a 17.

[infomatic]

Elia calls out from the other room, where she's slinging pack over her shoulder and hefting a crossbow. "I know what she'll say …" she calls.

"She'll swear that we killed all those people; us and the madness we're carrying. She barely managed to escape, I'll bet. Am I close, doctor?"

She steps closer to the bodies, peering at them. "I really don't know what her game is, but I don't think we did this. I, at least, don't feel this dangerous."

Spoiler: OOC

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Checking bodies to see cause of death -- not trying to do an autopsy, just looking for obvious wounds, burns, etc.

Heal (1d20+5)[11]
Perception (1d20+5)[17]

[PeacefulOak]

Lizbeth

Turning back from the cabinet: "Speak for yourself!" She giggles and then snorts, the latter putting a look of surprise on her face. "This cabinet appears to have the materials for surgery or the preservation of a corpse. What have you been up to, good doctor?"

Hands nervously moving about her body, Lizbeth follows the group towards the door that might perhaps lead to freedom.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - It does not take much to break a neck, that is for sure. But Vadok's weak mother diluted his noble orc blood so at least he would not leave bite marks. Vadok was not that atavistic. He moved towards the chute. If this is the way out, so be it. There were more glorious outlets, but a devout of Gorum was not concernd with grace or cleanliness.

[razorback]

Spoiler: Zapka

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Zapka checks out the area, noting that the warm rain makes it a bit hard to note what is happening. I'm having trouble logging into my imgbox account. The area looks like a this -
#= out of view, @ = rubble, * = walls, ^ = door, & = the chute he came up, { = open area in the room, | = open, muddy area. North is up.
###@@@*
#{*|||*
#{*|||*
#{*|||*
#&*|||*
*^*|||*
^|||||*
*|||||*
*|||||*
*|||||*
*|||||*
*||||*
*||||*
*||||*
*****
The garden area is trampled and as Zapka searches the area, he notices there are divots in the that lead from the west door through the open north door near the chute and there is much blood on the ground.

"Indead." says the doctor to Vadok. "Just try not to do battle with this group of friends like you did the last group, ok." in a sickly, sweet voice before her head turns towards Lizbeth's voice. With a heavy sigh and a shake of her head. "Finding the cure... trying to save the lives of those that can be saved, that the madness hasn't taken over yet."

Spoiler: Vadok

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You know she is partially telling the truth and partially lying but you can't tell what part she is lying about or if she is omitting/distorting the truth until her last comment. Vadok thinks her "Finding the cure... trying to save the lives of those that can be saved, that the madness hasn't taken over yet." comment is 100% BS.

Elia steps forward and inspects the bodies, finding these in various states of rigor mortis and decay. Most are cut and sliced in various ways, with a certain amount of precision.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - The dear doctor might have struck a nerve. Give me the key and I will rip out every piece of information she has. he says, while his knuckles become almost white while grabbing the steel bars. And if you risk that lip again, I might take your tongue as well. Spoiler Show Intimidate (1d20+12)[30]

[u-b]

Zapka reports and is finally back. "An update to report. A lot of bloodshed up there in the courtyard, but no bodies. I wonder why." says Evert kicking one of the pile a little. "Whatever. Zapka will lead the way upstairs and warn us of anything noteworthy."

Spoiler

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And Zapka is a she.

[Ghostfoot]

Hazel

"Okay then, let's do this. Stick with me if you want to live."

Hazel grips her blade firmly and edges slowly up the staircase to see for herself what lies above.

Spoiler: sneak up the stairs

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Stealth (1d20+1)[6]

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - Looking doubtfully at the doctor if she even HEARD him, Vadok follows. If you want to be silent, take your distance from me. Vadok simply claims. He cracks his back muscles to accentuates this, pushing out the final stiffness it had after his very uncomfortable bedrest. And leave a few enemies for my blade. he says with a hunger in his eyes typically for an orc of Belkzen. Spoiler Show Can I grab the doctor and use Brand on her? Recasting until she fails the save, intentionally or unintentionally. DC 12 Fort.

[razorback]

As Hazel moves up, the stair creak and groan under her weight, defeating her attempts at silence. As she moves up the next landing, there are audible groans from the wood but it continues to support her weight. Further up she can see that the stair above her are blocked, chocked with debris and rubble as the stairs are blocked off about 10 feet above her. As she moves up a few steps more, the platform shifts precariously, though Hazel manages to keep her footing.

As Vadok leaves the doctors view, his last view of her sees a ghost of a smile on her lips as she shrugs her shoulders.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - Vadok meanwhile is pacing up and down like a tiger prone to attack something, anything. He remembers the chute, and pulls himself up and inside it. Almost too small for him, he needs to squeeze through. At times like these, he wishes his body was soaked in sweat and blood of the battlefield. It would make things like these easier.

[razorback]

Moving through, and then climbing, piles of bodies that were deposited from the chute, Vadok looks up and gauges the short distance from his unsure footing. With long arms outstretched and just a slight bend of his leg, the massive half-orc easily catches the lip of the chute and pulls himself up. Noting the blood and gore that covers the bottom half of the chutes cylinder, he can see that the walls of the rough-hewn stone should make easy passage in spite of the gore. He can light coming from an opening about 15 feet up the chute.

Spoiler: Vadok

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Vadok needs a climb check if he is going move up.
Also, roll a fortitude save.

[u-b]

Zapka carefully approaches the door leading out of the room, scans it for anything suspicious and, if nothing suspicious is found, tries to open it.

Spoiler

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Perception 10+4 = 14

[razorback]

Cursing between the slime causing him to slip and getting hung up moving up the chute, Vadok manages to reach the top of the chute, hatch open, and pulls himself in the dilapidated service room.

Zapak, moving towards the door, hears Vadok moving up the chute. Just as she is about to check the door, the very faint sound but can't make out what it is.

[Spore]

Vadok Half-Orc Inquisitor of Gorum AC: 15 HP: 10/10 touch: 11, ff: 14, CMD: 15 Conditions: - The orc looks for a place to bind his rope and then let it go down the hatch. I fixed something for ya. I'll check the service room. he says. And then he checks. Spoiler Show I would appreciate some sort of description of the room.

[Ghostfoot]

Hazel

"Gah, the blazin' stairs are blocked" snaps Hazel. She kicks at the structure in frustration, the whole moving dangerously under her before she stomps back down.

As Vadok's rope drops down the chute she grabs it. "This'll have to do." she climbs over the bodies and starts hauling herself up. "Hold up big fella', I'm coming up too".

Spoiler: ascension

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climb (1d20+2)[16]
fort (1d20+4)[14]