The Floating World [IC]

[Recherché]

Ryoko turns to dig through her bag uncertainly.

I don't think so. Not something I usually- She pauses mid sentence and turns to her imp clenching something in her hands.

Why didn't you say you packed these earlier?

You didn't ask and I thought I was supposed to be invisible and incognito.

First, you can actually trust these people. If we don't we're dead. Ryoko's voice rises steadily Second, you could have just told me telepathically

The witch turns back to Carlisle offering him a small handful of vials filled with concentrated acid.

I'd warn you to never let your infernal familiar pack your emergency bag, but I'm not sure how I'd get anything done without him most of the time.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle chuckles lightly at Ryoko's frustration and dips his head slightly as he accepts a vial of the acid. He begins to unscrew the top, then pauses a moment and glances back at the troll. "You know, its mind may be gone but I'd rather not deal with the possibility of its body instinctively reacting to the acid. If one of you would be so kind as to tie the brute down?"

[The Hellbug]

"A number on it's brain you say?" Ennius confirms, "that explains the scarring, at least."--he waves his hand in front of the creature's blank stare and shudders--"this is...wrong. Far wronger, I would guess, than whatever they did to that churl."

"I can't even imagine..." he mutters, and nods at Carlisle, moving to help restrain the troll.

[ylvathrall]

The troll puts up no resistance as Ennius moves to pin it down. It doesn't even seem to realize that it's being moved.

Spoiler: Ennius Heal OR Knowledge (nature OR local) DC 15 (only roll one)

Show

The troll's flesh feels strangely rubbery in your grip, even more so than is normal for trolls. The bones underneath, as well, feel odd, as though they're fit together strangely. It doesn't seem that the damage to its brain is all that was done to it.

Spoiler: DC 20

Show

It's hard to be sure, but you think this might be the result of pushing the troll's natural regenerative properties to the limit. The flesh and bones have been damaged so extensively, and so many times, that tiny flaws in the replication process have begun to accumulate. Its body has continued to heal, but has done so in ways which are slightly imperfect, leading to the subtly unnatural creature in front of you.

Given how potent trolls' regenerative capacities are, this must have required truly extreme injury.

[TheOneHawk]

Once Ennius has the troll restrained, Carlisle unstops one vial of the acid, pushes the troll's head back to expose its throat and then pours it as neatly as he can over the bare flesh. Once it is empty, he carefully restoppers the vial and places it on the ground next to him. He pauses for a moment to let the acid do its work, then murmurs something quietly to himself and slices his blade deeply through the creature's throat, the weapon pulsing briefly with a black glow. A ghost of a smile crosses his face as blood splatters on the floor and he takes a deep breath, letting it out with a soft, contented sigh as he reaches down to ensure the troll is, in fact, dead.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Coup de grace

(2d6+8)[18] damage

DC on fort save is +4 because wakizashi. He's using his conductive blade and using touch of chaos on the troll as well so it'll roll twice take the lower on that save.

[ylvathrall]

The troll thrashes briefly as the acid begins to eat into it, but can't manage to dislodge Ennius. It's only moments later that it collapses to the ground, its throat laid open to the bone by Carlisle's blade. It twitches feebly a few times more, and then goes still in a slowly spreading pool of its own blood.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Yep, it's dead.

[TheOneHawk]

Not nearly as satisfying when they're already mindless. Alas. Carlisle muses before pulling a cloth out of his pack and cleaning the blood off of his blade. Once it is completely spotless he walks back out to the hallway. "Well that wasn't very helpful, shall we try another?"

[Recherché]

Mmmm I wouldn't say completely useless. Ryoko closes her eyes looking thoughtful The churl mentioned being "cut up." Someone lobotomized this troll. I'm guessing that the creatures in this space might have been used for some kind of surgery. Maybe to experiment on the. Maybe to just learn about them. Either way it gives credence to the idea that this place was some kind of research facility or school. I don't think its a zoo. Either way it suggests that we should be able to find a lab if we look and possibly more information. The last lab was just golems I think so we're looking for a second one.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle dips his head to concede the point. "Correct you are, Ryoko. Do remember, however,
how large this place is. I'm reticent to leave this area without at least some more information. I'll wager behind one of these doors there's something smart enough to answer some questions. If it comes down to it, we can just try that damned churl again."

[The Hellbug]

Ennius stands back up with a grunt. The troll's death may have been a mercy, but it wasn't one the druid had to enjoy. Lacking any words for the recently departed, he merely turns back to his companions. "On the contrary," Ennius reminds Carlisle, "we've further confirmed that whoever built this place was mad. After that, I'm thinking that whatever wiped this fortress's curators out probably served them right."

"Oh, and about the churl--" the druid takes a couple steps back towards its door "--unless anybody has any specific concerns, I'm going to let it out."

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle quickly steps forward and places a hand on Ennius's shoulder. "I do, in fact. On the off chance that churl is the smartest thing in here we may well need to question it more. It can wait. Come on, let's do this properly." With that, he pats Ennius on the shoulder once and begins striding down the hall back towards the first door.

[The Hellbug]

Ennius removes his companion's hand from his shoulder with a shrug. "Even better to release it now then," the druid replies, "as a show of good will. Or would you rather run into the same problem we did with it last time? The risk of it wandering off is worth it if it means it'll actually speak to us."

[Recherché]

Ryoko raises her hand.

I also have an objection.
The churl may not be dangerous to us itself, but it has hands to open doors and I don't think it has the intelligence to know what's dangerous. It could let loose something that would be a much higher bigger problem for us like that unnumbered creature. Alternatively it could easily get itself killed by opening the wrong door.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle nods at Ryoko before chiming in again, "It's survived just fine in that cell thus far, it'll continue to be fine until we've completed our investigation."

[The Hellbug]

"Hmm, as you wish, then," Ennius replies with a shrug and begins to move down the hallway, "the next door, then?"

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle nods and heads back towards the beginning of the hallway. "Let's be orderly about this,
then. Door one, first." He says, casually unbarring the door and throwing it open as soon as he reaches it.

[ylvathrall]

Carlisle passes numerous doors on his way back to the first, as well as two staircases leading downwards and a hallway branching off to his left. The door labeled 1 is, itself, apparently unremarkable, standing at the end of the hallway. Another closet, much like the one in which you found the earplugs and other protective equipment, is across the hall from the door. It is otherwise a dead end.

As the bar drops to the floor and he throws the door open, he is greeted by a sight which is strange to say the very least. The creature within bears a rough resemblance to an animal, specifically a large bear. It is difficult to identify precisely, though, as its flesh is very different from any natural animal. Pale and smooth, it has a texture which more closely resembles a mushroom's skin than an animal's. This impression is reinforced by the mushroom caps growing from its back, and the shelf fungi on its sides.

The strange mushroom-creature is lying on a bed of dirt within a wooden container. It does not appear to have noticed your presence yet.

Spoiler: Knowledge (nature) DC 17

Show

This is a fungal creature. These odd plantlike entities are parasitic in nature, growing from spores within a corpse. Their intellect and basic behaviors are loosely modeled upon the creature whose corpse they grew from, as is their general shape; this one likely grew from a bear. Their interests, however, are very different. Fungal creatures are driven to reproduce, and upon encountering a living creature will usually attempt to infect and kill it. In addition to their poison spores, the flesh of a fungal creature is also highly toxic.

[Recherché]

It's not intelligent and it might be contagious. We're not getting any answers from talking to it and I don't fancy becoming fungus infected. Lets leave it and head to the next one

Ryoko shuts the door and starts looking for door #2

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle looks curiously at the fungus...bear...thing for a few moments, rather unsure what to make of the thing. He nods along with Ryoko's assessment and replaces the bar on the door before heading towards door two.

[ylvathrall]

The first door is barely secured before you hear a loud crash against it, as the fungal bear throws itself at the door. It was clearly built to withstand just such a sort of attack, though, and it doesn't so much as tremble. After several more such attacks, the creature apparently gives up, as you don't hear any more sounds of movement coming from within.

The second door opens to reveal a very different sort of sight. The cell is divided into two portions by a fine wire-mesh curtain, which doesn't obstruct sight but prevents anything much larger than a grain of rice from passing through it. The smaller section of the room is the side near the door, which is much the same as the previous cells.

The larger portion, in front of you, is filled with butterflies. There are thousands of them, covering every surface. They rest on the walls and the floor, on the mesh curtain, and on what appear to be artificial logs and perches inside the enclosure. Every one looks the same, with large black wings marked with a spiral pattern in vivid crimson. They flutter their wings or flit slowly around the enclosure, producing an effect that is almost hypnotic.

There does not appear to be anything else in the cell, with one exception. Three feeders extend across the mesh, connection to jugs of what looks to be a syrup of sorts. Some of the butterflies are sipping at them before they go back to their slow dance.

Spoiler: Perception DC 44

Show

One of the butterflies is not moving like the rest. It sits on the mesh, completely still, and facing the door. As you watch, you can see that it is at the center of the swarm, with the patterns of their movements all rotating around that one butterfly. Most of them, in fact, are staring at it.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle's gazes at the butterflies for a moment before speaking, "Butterflies. Pretty, but hardly helpful.
We should move on."

[ylvathrall]

As Carlisle speaks, the butterflies shift in unison, the rustling of their wings creating a sound somewhat akin to falling leaves. It appears almost as though a wave passes through them as the insects move with perfect coordination, every single one turning to face the cleric. A faint shimmer of light ripples over them a moment later, something like a heat haze filling the enclosure for a few seconds before fading.

As the light fades, the rustling takes on a different tone, something far more purposeful. It takes a few seconds to realize that the sounds aren't just rustling; the gentle, overlapping tones of the rustling wings combine to form recognizable words in Draconic. It sounds nothing like a voice, but the sounds are comprehensible.

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

"Welcome. It has been some time."

Spoiler: Spellcraft DC 15

Show

That shimmer of light wasn't just light - it was the momentary presence of a spell, specifically detect magic.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle's jaw drops and he blinks a few times in shock before recovering his composure. "Or... perhaps this is exactly what we've been looking for," he says before switching to draconic. "Greetings, I am Carlisle. How may we refer to you?"

[ylvathrall]

The butterflies continue to move without hesitation, apparently responding to Carlisle's words. Their collective movements continue to produce a strange, composite blend of sounds that mimics Draconic words.

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

"We are iteration two attempt four subject two, or subject two-four-two for shorter nomenclature."

[Recherché]

Ryoko allows herself a moment of shock at the butterflies and then another to question why a swarm of butterflies is casting detect magic before speaking.

Do you know what you're intended purpose was? Also what can you tell us about who made you? She pauses thinking through how much information it would be wise to share with strange insects speaking Draconic but its honestly the best lead they've gotten all day. No need to waste it. Whoever built this place is gone now and we're trying to figure out what happened to them.

[ylvathrall]

There is a pause, this time, before the butterflies respond. When they do, the words are a touch more hesitant, almost tentative.

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

"We had...surmised his absence. It is not the first time, but he has not before left for so long. We had already begun to speculate that he would not return." There is a brief pause. "He told us little about his intentions. But we have made some basic deductions as to his purpose. Yes."

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle nods approvingly at Ryoko when she pipes up in Draconic. The girl was proving remarkably useful thus far, certainly better than most of the chaff he'd been sent with. "Interesting, do the golems refill your feeders? Could you,
perhaps, estimate how many times they have been filled since he last visited you?"

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

The butterflies' "voice" carries the slightest hint of dry amusement this time, in both tone and the tonal-suffix markers of the language. "We do not estimate. His creations have filled the feeders fifty-one times since we last detected his presence. Once per day."

[Recherché]

Ryoko moves to lean against the wall, if they're going to be here a while she might as well be comfortable and casts Detect Magic as inconspicuously as possible. No need to go overboard on trusting the butterflies.

By the by, two quick questions. Are you a single mind or collection of minds? And do you have any other names than subject two-four-two? I'm sorry but it feels disrespectful to keep referring to you as an experiment in my mind when you're plainly a sentient creature and number is rather closely related to grammar in my language. Wouldn't want to get terms of address wrong there as well.

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

Once again, the butterfly swarm hesitates before responding. When it does speak, there's a faint trace of what could be either amusement or confusion in its town. "Your questions are invalid. We are one. We are subject two-four-two. We require no other label. The distinction is invalid."

Spoiler: Detect Magic

Show

There are two magical auras on the swarm. The strongest is faint.

Spoiler: Knowledge (arcana) DC 16

Show

Both magical auras are divination effects.