Three Goddesses - IC (Thread #2)

[Debbie_D]

DM controlled PC: As the party begins to talk to the ghost figure, Melinda moves among the injured, using Heal on them.

As they talk to the ghost woman
My name is… she giggles, and then tries to compose herself My name is… more giggles, they are almost becoming hysterical, and then she fights for more composure My name is… giggles, regains composure, giggles again, regains composure and appears to be fighting for a memory My name is….my name is...my name is...I CANT RE-MEM-BER more giggles…
At Atareth’s words, she turns to him Tishtina?...Sabrina?...Nocticula?... she clutches her head as it bows in pain theyre in my head, theyre in my head, get them out, GET THEM OUT
She suddenly goes blank, shuts her eyes, and then re-opens them to look at you….
Are you...are you...are you...amazons? Have you come to take me to the City of Gardens?

[Toliudar]

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Debbie, does this person register on Blindsense? In other words, are they corporeally present in the room?

Dot frowns. Their mission remained no less valuable, but mentally she adjusts down the odds of getting information relevant to their quest from this woman from 'strong' to 'nearly nil.'

"Listen, we don't mean to cause you distress. It seems that something odd is happening inside your head, if you know what I mean. Can you tell us anything about that? And...do you think that this would be easier for you if you were in a physical body?"

[Debbie_D]

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Im not sure I understand your question, so I will provide this for you...all of your detection spells and such are telling you the same thing, you are literally speaking to a soul, not a ghost (although it might look like one)

Inside my head? Nothing is happening inside my head, why do you ask? And what do you mean about being in a physical body? I have a body and she lifts her hand to show it to you. Why did you kill that woman?

[Toliudar]

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In the game, creatures are either corporeal - having a physical body - or not corporeal, like ghosts or shadows. I was asking whether this woman registers as corporeal.

Also, in the many days of research that Dot did on the Prophet's personal history and writings, were there any pictures of her? Does this figure resemble her?

Dot nods patiently and gestures over to the remains of the Marilith.

"We killed her because she would have killed us in order to prevent us from having this conversation.

"I ask if something is happening inside your head because you can't seem to remember your own name. You recognize that that's unusual, right?

"By a physical body, I mean something different from the way that you and I currently are. That woman, the snake-woman. She had a physical body. She couldn't move it through objects. Whereas I -"

Dot's projected image crouches down on the floor and puts a hand through the floor. She rises and smiles.

"-I can. I bet you can too. Do you go in there sometimes?"

She gestured to the sarcophagus.

"If you do, I'm willing to guess that you don't have to open the lid to go inside. That means that you don't have a physical body - at least, not one that you're using right now. Does that make sense?"

[Ason]

Before she disappears, Tallesin has his summed Bralani cast Cure Serious Wounds on Atareth and himself (the two most injured party members).

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Atareth: (3d8+6)[18]
Tallesin: (3d8+6)[21]

Looking at the woman, Tallesin absorbs one of his Greater Prying Eyes to see if True Sight picks up anything about her. Now that the battle is over, he also glances around nervously to see if there are any other doors in the room besides the one the party burst through. After battling such a fierce opponent, he is not excited about the possibility of reinforcements. However, as a male, Tallesin also knows this isn't his time or place to speak... at least not just yet.

[Debbie_D]

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In the game, creatures are either corporeal - having a physical body - or not corporeal, like ghosts or shadows. I was asking whether this woman registers as corporeal.

Also, in the many days of research that Dot did on the Prophet's personal history and writings, were there any pictures of her? Does this figure resemble her?

Dot nods patiently and gestures over to the remains of the Marilith.

"We killed her because she would have killed us in order to prevent us from having this conversation.

"I ask if something is happening inside your head because you can't seem to remember your own name. You recognize that that's unusual, right?

"By a physical body, I mean something different from the way that you and I currently are. That woman, the snake-woman. She had a physical body. She couldn't move it through objects. Whereas I -"

Dot's projected image crouches down on the floor and puts a hand through the floor. She rises and smiles.

"-I can. I bet you can too. Do you go in there sometimes?"

She gestured to the sarcophagus.

"If you do, I'm willing to guess that you don't have to open the lid to go inside. That means that you don't have a physical body - at least, not one that you're using right now. Does that make sense?"

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She is not corporeal. In your research, you saw one or two pictures that you surmised were drawn by the prophet herself. If they were self portraits, then this is her

I have a name. Its...its...its she shakes her head and looks to in deep concentration its...its...its...I cant remember...why cant I remember?

I go in that thing all the time. To rest. The lid is always open when I go in. Then the woman closes it. When she opens it, I come out

Before she disappears, Tallesin has his summed Bralani cast Cure Serious Wounds on Atareth and himself (the two most injured party members).

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Atareth: [roll0]
Tallesin: [roll1]

Looking at the woman, Tallesin absorbs one of his Greater Prying Eyes to see if True Sight picks up anything about her. Now that the battle is over, he also glances around nervously to see if there are any other doors in the room besides the one the party burst through. After battling such a fierce opponent, he is not excited about the possibility of reinforcements. However, as a male, Tallesin also knows this isn't his time or place to speak... at least not just yet.

There are no other entrances into the room.

[Toliudar]

Dot nods encouragingly. She sends mentally to her companions.

"Based on our research, this is either Cassiopeia, or else someone else forced to assume her likeness. I'm hoping that Melinda's powerful healing magic will be able to help with her affliction, but I think that Melinda needs to be able to touch her in order for that to happen."

Dot swiftly turns her attention back to the spirit, not wanting to alarm her with any long pauses.

"Right. Well, I don't really know why you can't remember your name, but it's a very good sign that you recognize that that information is missing. It means that you're still there, still thinking clearly, but there are gaps to fill in. Or blocks to remove, possibly. Still, a very good sign."

She ponders briefly, deeply wishing that she could tap her toes at the moment.

"Several of us here are gifted in the magics of the mind. Would you consent to allowing us to look inside your thoughts. We wouldn't be able to change the thoughts, and you might not even feel anything. I'm hoping that it might give us some insight into what's going on. What do you say?"

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I'm essentially suggesting that someone cast Detect Thoughts, if Cassiopeia voluntarily fails her will save. It can be Dot who casts the spell, but it doesn't by any means have to be.

[Debbie_D]

"Right. Well, I don't really know why you can't remember your name, but it's a very good sign that you recognize that that information is missing. It means that you're still there, still thinking clearly, but there are gaps to fill in. Or blocks to remove, possibly. Still, a very good sign."

I dont notice any gaps

"Several of us here are gifted in the magics of the mind. Would you consent to allowing us to look inside your thoughts. We wouldn't be able to change the thoughts, and you might not even feel anything. I'm hoping that it might give us some insight into what's going on. What do you say?"

Ohhh, you can do magic? No one at Belmont could do magic. What will it feel like? Is it amazon magic?

[Toliudar]

Dot tries opting for brevity.

"Yes. Good. No."

She focuses on the spirit's face, and tries to be very clear.

"I would like to use that magic to better understand why you can't remember your name. Do I have your permission to do that?"

[Debbie_D]

Yes, you do

[Toliudar]

"Thank you. Now...let's see what we shall see. Let me know if this causes any discomfort. It might take a while."

Quickly positioning her image so that she's not picking up background 'noise' from any of their companions, Dot casts a simple magic.

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Dot will get to a place where the cone of Detect Thoughts doesn't include anyone except the spirit, then casts the spell. If the soul resists, Dot immediately ends the spell. Otherwise, she'll let the divination, and hopefully the soul's thoughts, wash over her for a while.

Everyone, sorry for monopolizing - please feel free to jump in.

[Debbie_D]

The spell works and you begin to be able to read the woman's thoughts.
What are you looking for?

[Toliudar]

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Dot's curious about a lot right now.

First, she's trying to get a sense of whether there's any discrepancy between what the woman is thinking about and what she's saying.

Also, a general emotional state. Afraid, excited, detached, etc. How did she feel about the Marilith? She doesn't seem upset by her death, but the reference is to a fairly intimate relationship. How did she feel about the demon?

So far, all of Cassie's comments have referenced her early life. There's been no indication of her later life. Dot's trying to get a sense of whether the mental processes and thoughts are those of a mature woman, or a younger girl.

Cassie has claimed to experience no gaps, but her language is pretty jaggy and disjointed. Dot's trying to figure out if her thoughts are the same way.

[Debbie_D]

1) There is no discrepancy between what she says, and what she thinks.

2) She seems to be happy about being "rescued". Shes been here for a long time, but she has no idea of just how long its been. The marilith was a jailer, but not a cruel one. Of course, thats partly because she had no way to attack her.

3) Her thoughts seem to be those of a young girl. The memories start in Belmont, and lead to New Kroy. At that point though, they stop. Dot doesnt see a block that has been placed by someone else, or that its really a block. Its as if she refuses to think about New Kroy and its very hard, at least now, for Dot to access those thoughts, because she is refusing to access them. They are there, but she wont think of them.

[Debbie_D]

The woman looks around in wonder as Dot casts her magic on her.

Is it working? I dont feel anything, are you sure its doing what you want it to. By the way, how long have I been here? And are you really here to rescue me?

[Toliudar]

Dot nods reassuringly.

"You're doing beautifully. Keep it up. It's working fine."

She pauses to communicate her findings to her colleagues via the necklaces, ending with the following assessment:

"I see no reason to doubt that this is in fact the soul of our prophet, but it is a bewildered and wounded soul, beyond my powers to fix. Maybe someone else would have better luck?"

[Debbie_D]

DM controls PC

Melinda telepathically replies to Dot. A heal would probably cure her insanity, but Im not sure if I can make it work on her. Ive never used healing on a soul. But what heal can cure, Limited Wish could also cure. Does someone have that....if not, I will try the heal

[PSinger]

Atareth - "I have heal, and I don't have to trade anything out like you do."

Atareth walks up to the soul. "If it please you, mortal soul, I shall attempt to heal you as I may."

She casts heal on the soul.

[Debbie_D]

Atareth casts her Heal spell and at first, there is no visible sign that anything has happened. But then, it seems as if the woman's eyes clear a bit.

He killed me. Kotep, or at least his agents. And he has kept me here ever since. Why? What did I ever do to him?

[Toliudar]

Dot smiles, relieved that there seemed to be some hope for Cassie yet.

"It could be that he was worried not about what you did to him, but what you could do for Tishtina. How do you feel? Do you remember more?"

[Debbie_D]

Cassiopia appears troubled for just a moment when Dot mentions the name of Tishtina, but it passes, without the hysterics that the names brought on the last time they were mentioned.

I do remember my time in New Kroy, and the voices of the goddesses in my head. After a while, I just couldnt handle it anymore. I forced myself to forget, because remembering it was too confusing, too overwhelming. I know that I tried to write down what they were showing me, but I couldnt understand it at all. But why would Kotep care about that?

[Toliudar]

Dot purses her lips in thought.

"An excellent question, but not one that we necessarily need to answer right now."

The image turns to her companions.

"I can't sense any enchantments on this sarcophagus, and it should be safe to open but, well..."

She dips a foot through the floor.

"If this box was in some way important to her imprisonment, we should probably take a look inside."

[PSinger]

Atareth, with 44 Strength, tears off the lid without much need for ceremony.

[Debbie_D]

The lid is easily opened, its not locked or enchanted in any way. Inside, it would appear as any royal coffin would, velvet lined floors and walls, a pillow underneath the velvet on the floor, the normal sort of thing you would see when a body was lain to rest.

[lostsole31]

.... and the body?

[Debbie_D]

.... and the body?

There is no body

[Kalirren]

A confused Melinda takes a while to regain her senses. Her nervous heart was already pulling her in five directions at once - Atareth battered, Taleira rejoicing on the floor, Tallesin nearly ripped to shreds, and that was Cassiopeia all right, a hapless and confused young girl of seventeen summers. And now everyone, yes, everyone whom the girl had ever knew was dead. Even the ancient Ka' Rishta.

"The Master must know by now that Ka' Rishta is dead. We don't have much time. We have to safely escape this place with the Prophet's soul intact." Melinda tepes with unrushed but unyielding urgency.

"Dot, Lil - search for a gem, a phylactery, anything that might be anchoring her here. Be careful for wards.

"Atareth. See if you can move the base of the sarcophagus. Let's see if there's anything behind this or under it. We may need to try escaping with the sarcophagus to Arborea.

"Taleira, Ireth - search Ka'Rishta. She might be carrying something important.

"Tallesin, get ready to take as many of us out of here as you can on very short notice."

Finally approaching the Prophet, Melinda gasps at her empty sarcophagus. Without a body, there was no way for her soul to be anchored on the Prime, were she to return there. Her naked soul would simply die instantly, and there would ensue a messy Astral tug of war - who knew what sort of hold over her fragile ectoplasm Kotep had secured over a thousand years?

Her thoughts drifted. The woman, who is not a woman, must be found and convinced to join us. Did that mean they had to prepare a body? Had they finally done something out of order?

She banished the possibility from her consideration. It was useless to ponder it. They had to make do with the situation at hand.

"Hello there, young lady. We're here to help you. We're going to take you to see the amazons and the City of the Gardens," she encourages. "And we have a job for you right now. Are you ready?"

"This might hurt. What you have to do is remember now. You don't have to remember anything about what you wrote down before you came here. Just focus on this room and what happened after you came here. Do you understand?" Melinda waits for her response before proceeding.

"Okay. Focus on this." She takes out a tiny silver chime, and rings it once. Its sound is soft, but it clears the air like a knife splitting a billowed sail. "Have you ever been outside this room since you came here? Who took you here? Who kept you here? Did they ever give you anything to hold? Did you feel different after the first time you slept in your sarcophagus?"

[Modify memory - to restore to clarity any of these situations if she's blocking for details.]

[Debbie_D]

"[COLOR="DarkRed"]Dot, Lil - search for a gem, a phylactery, anything that might be anchoring her here. Be careful for wards.

There are no gems or anything like that, in fact, nothing in the room radiates magic

"Atareth. See if you can move the base of the sarcophagus. Let's see if there's anything behind this or under it. We may need to try escaping with the sarcophagus to Arborea.

Either the sarcophagus is just too heavy to move (unlikely, given Atareth's STR) or its completely soldered to the floor.

"Taleira, Ireth - search Ka'Rishta. She might be carrying something important.

When the demon was destroyed, the body and anything of value was dispeled with her.

"Hello there, young lady. We're here to help you. We're going to take you to see the amazons and the City of the Gardens," she encourages. "And we have a job for you right now. Are you ready?"

Yes

"This might hurt. What you have to do is remember now. You don't have to remember anything about what you wrote down before you came here. Just focus on this room and what happened after you came here. Do you understand?" Melinda waits for her response before proceeding.

"Okay. Focus on this." She takes out a tiny silver chime, and rings it once. Its sound is soft, but it clears the air like a knife splitting a billowed sail. "Have you ever been outside this room since you came here? Who took you here? Who kept you here? Did they ever give you anything to hold? Did you feel different after the first time you slept in your sarcophagus?"

[Modify memory - to restore to clarity any of these situations if she's blocking for details.]

I can leave this room anytime I like. I used to, but there was rarely anything of interest outside of it, so mostly I began to just stay inside. I read sometimes, Ka'Rishta would recommend books based on what I had read before. It was Kotep who first brought me here, I see him once in a while, but I dont talk to him. Ka'Rishta is the only one I talk to. Sleeping in the sarcophagus doesnt make me feel any different other than the benefit of sleeping

A slight feeling of dread is beginning to permeate all present.

[Kalirren]

"Atareth, try simply taking her to Arborea. You're an Emissary, it might just work. Probably falls under the Pact Primeval as redemption by harrowing or some such. If it does, the rest of us can just get out of here." The idea hadn't occurred to Melinda that Cassiopeia might not be able to leave simply because she didn't know how. "All right, young lady, this is Atareth," Melinda introduces the angel. "Hold on to her hand." Placing her hand in Atareth's, she turns to her deva companion and looks her straight in the eyes. "If it fails, don't come back for us. Go straight to Zanthia. She could be the only other one who knows where this place is."

"Tali, Lil - check the conservatory quickly. Be ready to get out on your own." Melinda returns to Tallesin and touches him on the shoulder. "Tallesin, ready?"

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

Taleira climbs to her feet, shooting Lildorrinene a questioning glance. Shall we just go ethereal for this, Lil?