Strange Aeons: In Search of Sanity II [IC - Group #2]

[silphael]

Spoiler: SAN check

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Will check for SAN !(1d20+6)[7]

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Maeni

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A terrifying ordeal, as you take 2 SAN damage!

Spoiler: Everyone Who Joined the Seance

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Everyone who joined the seance, except Bjorn (who gets a greater and more complete list of bonuses - and penalties), enjoys a Seance bonus: +2 to all non-spell (or psionic) damage rolls. This has been updated on your sheets. It is printed on the spells section, but also your weapons charts have been adjusted.

Caveat for Zoo, but I've reprinted it here in case through the course of play it involves someone else ...
If an attack form is granted through the use of a spell (or psionics), i.e., you would not have access to that attack form without recourse to spell (or psionics), then even though you are making a "natural attack" with whatever attack (or other attack form) you have at the time, for the purposes of the seance it is spell-damage. The seance bonus is not going to increase what is effectively base damage granted by the effects of a spell.
* For the purposes of seance boon, a SLA (spell-like ability) counts as a spell, as does a PLA (psi-like ability) count as a psionic power.
* Supernaturally-granted attack forms are not so constrained, so if Flair gets a natural attack from a spirit he learns to bind later, that would not be limited. However, if in binding a spirit he gains an SLA that conjures a natural attack, that SLA-granted form DOES get limited.
* This constraint does NOT apply to normally-possessed weapons and natural attacks that are currently enjoying some manner of magically- or psionically-enhanced bonus. So, if a person is using a sword with the spell magic weapon on it, that does not disqualify them from enjoying this bonus.

The seance complete, what does the party do now?

[bcool999]

Bangs

Finding the Seance interesting, even if the benefit is outside of Bangs' wheelhouse, Bangs turns to those from 'this version' of this accursed asylum and asks, "So before we showed up, what were you all planning to do? I have a personal grudge against some people in the kitchen... assuming that all still exists. Personal vendettas aside, the stock of food supplies here seems lower than I recall it being, there might be a chance to replenish it."

[lostsole31]

"We, however, don't have an axe to grind with such people," says Gaye sharply. She is surprised at herself and relaxes. "I am sorry for snapping at you. We still seem to have a couple weeks available. What's more important is that for the first time we have a request from Winter for a specific focus. As for the people you mention, if they are actual people, then giving them a few more days to deal with isolation may make them more desperately amenable to alliance. For now, it seems that they have the power to hold a grudge.

"That said, where is the kitchen, so we know? We should put together what we know ... or think we know ... about this place. If there are any gaps in knowledge, we should deal with that now."

[bcool999]

Bangs

Realizing he hadn't even paid attention to the briefing this morning, Bangs shakes his head and tries to focus before a moment of carelessness sees him dead (Again?). Responding to Gaye, Bangs says, "Yes... if I remember correctly it was to the northwest? We had to fight a large lizard like creature called a Vantooth or something close to that. It was hiding in fog like you can see outside so we had to fight it in close quarters with no visability to speak of. We returned the next day after healing to explore beyond that point to find the kitchens."

"Which way is it to this Administrative area? I don't think we came across it on our end." Bangs asks as he checks his megre gear to make sure he is ready.

[BuckGodot]

Björn shakes his head as if to clear a fog and stands gesturing to the south, saying "The Administrative Area is in that direction and it would be best to go as soon as we can. Idle hender er djevelens verksted." and he begins readying his gear for travel.

[digiman619]

Flair came into the seance with a bit of a cocky attitude; his own connection to otherworldly spirits, but it ended as soon as he felt the presence of "The Sheriff", for he was one of the few who remembered him as Sam Schenk. Flair was really hoping that he'd made it somewhere else when the first shift happened, but it clearly wasn't the case.

Still, he had to focus on those of us who were still among the living. After hearing Björn's suggestion (and being slightly annoyed that he didn't understand the last bit), he loads his crossbow and gestures for him to lead.

[meemaas]

Haru calmly checks his gear before preparing himself to go. "Lets get going."

[lostsole31]

The party makes its way out to where the Argus Wall was, and where a nervous Dennomar Winnoparess now stands with a loaded crossbow looking into the darkness that is the main Admissions Hall.

What do you do? What is the plan? Where do you go?

[ClockworkCorvid]

"Eh, let me take the lead. No point in me staying in the back since my crossbow... disappeared." He looks rather dejected as he says this.

[BuckGodot]

"Than I shall follow up and cover our backs.", Björn says, looking back behind him...

[lostsole31]

Gaye blinks. Thrice. "That's the worst idea I've heard yet," she says. "Corbin seems to have a light step, and that's great for stealth. But do we need it right now? Is it useful? But you are the most heavily armored of all of us. If something surprises you, it still has to cut through that strange armor of yours. Unless someone says some other type of why, I think Björn is our best point-man. He's hard to hit and tough as they come, so if something jumps us, he's the least likely to fall."

[BuckGodot]

Björn smiles at her and moves to take the point position, sword drawn.

[lostsole31]

"I'll take rear," says Gaye. "Maybe Corbin can protect the squishies-among-us in the center."

[bcool999]

Bangs

"I'll stay safely in the middle if no one minds." Bangs informs the group.

[lostsole31]

As the group steps into the Admissions hall, darkness shows no easy way forth. The group will need at least one light source (preferably) two. How do you want to do that?

[BuckGodot]

"I have recently discovered I can see well in the dark. I know that doesn't help all of you, but as the point man I should be okay without light. Plus it adds an element of surprise for us." says Björn with a big toothy smile.

[meemaas]

"I can make people or objects light up like torches. Any volunteers?" Haru smiles as he demonstrates by activating a glow on his Nunchaku. He will light up anyone who volunteers, or any item they request, and he'll refresh it whenever needed.

[SwordChucks]

"I'm not very stealthy. It shouldn't hurt to have me lit up. I'll lead the rest of the group after Björn and Corbin have a chance to scout."

Zoo begins the chant to become arm-dog, but catches himself. He rubs the spot where the frying pan last struck him and says "Don't hit me, s'il vous plait."

Spoiler: ooc

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Once we're clear of the camp, Zoo will use concentration to become arm-dog.

[lostsole31]

The party gets into a vague marching order...

Spoiler: Marching Order

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5'-Wide Formation
Björn
Corbin
Zoo
Bangs
(Gap)
Haru
Maeni
Flair
Gaye

10'-Wide Formation
Björn + Corbin
(gap)
Zoo + Bangs
Maeni + Flair
Haru + Gaye

[BuckGodot]

"Right... Off we go." and Björn begins to move into the dark space, his eyes scanning the room and secretly hoping he finds nothing... Or that nothing finds him...

[lostsole31]

C2 was barricaded from the inside. IIRC, the barricade wasn't removed (did it need to be?).

C3: The room is partially collapsed, destroying most of the buckets, mops, and feather dusters that were stored here. A portion of the western wall had fallen away.

C2 (from C3): A long desk, several chairs, a sideboard, and numerous once-stately landscape paintings barricade the door of this somber conference room. A toppled wall opposite the barrier undermines the room’s defenses, a point driven home by the formerly-masked bodies littering the ground (the party had removed the masks to investigate previously). Six bodies, battered by a variety of blunt implements. Their faces were previously wrapped in sheets, shirts, or grain bags and cinched tight around the neck. The corpses consist of Briarstone staff and patients alike, and that not all the residents succumbed to the taint of this strange place (Tribals, Grays, etc.).

Those who were in G1 previously never actually checked this room, but glossed past it when you [G1] couldn't open the door easily before going to the Library and ... shiny objects, it was forgotten.

Do the G1 folk (or G2, for that matter), do anything in here?

[bcool999]

Bangs

Drawing close to one of the bodies, Bangs addresses those who had explored this area previously, "Did you find who or what killed these people? Zoo come over here and let me take a look at the wounds."

Spoiler: OOC

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Heal check to determine Cause of Death and estimated time of death. (I forget if this is one of those rolls that the GM does, or I roll. I will put one here for just in case though it may or may not be used) Heal (1d20+10)[29]

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Regarding Heal checks

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"Active" Heal checks made to combat wounds and diseases are rolled by the player. Heal, when used for the purpose of gaining knowledge, is rolled by me.

The bodies have undergone two weeks of decomp, so you cannot tell actual cause of death from a quick check. Bludgeoned or suffocation, for all six had to deal with both.

Bangs' check of the bodies does require the group to look more carefully than G2 had previously (or G1 in "their reality" for that matter.) One of the bodies was a formerly orderly that wore a suit of padded armor and had a sap. Tucked inside his armor are two thunderstones and a golden ring. Between Corbins and Bangs (the latter seems to have a keener understanding of economics than the former, but Corbin is the only other member of this group "trained" in such), they determine the gold ring is worth ~ 150 gp.

Padded armor (with two weeks decomp body inside ruining some of the armor at that) has no good resale. Ring into treasury. Who takes the thunderstones? Gaye isn't really interested in them.

[BuckGodot]

Björn peers at the Thunderstones... "I have one of those... I could add these to the collection." He looks around at the group as reaches for them.

[bcool999]

Bangs

Gesturing for Björn to go ahead with the Thunderstones, Bangs turns to the others and says, "Sorry for the delay. While we found some things of value only the thunderstones could be considered useful while we are cut off from any form of trading."

After his apology, Bangs returns to his position in the group and says, "Shall we continue on? Where to next?"

[lostsole31]

Gaye looks to the northman. "Björn, we should show them the Visitor's Office, and make sure for ourselves that the taxidermed bird-haunt squawker-thingwhatsit is well and truly destroyed."

The group continues east until the corridor comes to a "T." To the north is a cross-shaped hub with one external door facing west, and an internal door facing east.

"The outer door goes to a courtyard we didn't explore. The other door we opened and there was a hallway and ruin, but we didn't really give it a good look since we didn't want to go too far off track."

There is a set of double doors to the south: The Visitors' Room. It's a good time to practice door protocol for the group, even though (hopefully) this room has remained "handled." Björn and Corbin open the doors.

C4: Visitor's Room ... As though it had been plucked from the halls of some warm, country estate, this room is filled with inviting furnishings, a hearth ready for a fire, artwork populated by picnicking families, and a mansion-shaped cage with colorful taxidermic birds inside. Large windows might have once looked out over colorful flowerbeds, but now show only yellow mist. A battered corpse (formerly impaled on the antlers of a stuffed elk head hanging above the hearth) is below the head, decomposing. To those of you coming from G1, this is a new sight for you.

Briarstone’s staff knew the stigma associated with medical institutions, with stories of the cruelties propagated at Ashcliff Asylum in the hills outside Hyannis remaining common even decades after that sanitarium’s terrible end. To combat such misperceptions, Briarstone’s staff created a welcoming, homey space where family and visitors could meet with patients. There is a garden path outside the only other exit that is quickly swallowed up by the yellow mist. That path was not explored, and the door was kept closed the last time G2 was here. The smell of decomposition and death here is pretty rank.

Two bodies here wearing stained yellow robes and tattered yellow veils are dead in this room. One lies beaten to death on the ground, the other under the elk head. Gaye can explain that the group took the body down so it wasn't so macabre. They could do nothing for these unfortunates, but at least keeping the one from being a grizzly display. The cage with the taxidermed songbird is still destroyed, courtesy of G2's previous visit. G2 is confident they fully searched this place, including getting good equipment from these people. At two weeks of decomp now, the bodies are getting pretty juicy and quite awful. (I won't force you to make Fort saves, but feel free to RP your PC appropriately with that level of death ... that was glossed over in the other room.)

Those artists formerly known as G1 ... these yellow robes are similar to something you've seen before. In all of the madness that jump-started the hostilities that nearly took the lives of three of you, the people in the preparation room were all wearing yellow robes. They were dingy, dirty, and ill-kept, and you were so busy fighting for your lives that you didn't bother noticing that they wore something as interesting as these yellow robes. Way back when, there was a chained up main in yellow who one group failed to save, and the other group managed to save (can't remember which group was which right now), who was wearing a yellow robe.

[Cue minor chord. Dunh-dunh-dunh! ]

[BuckGodot]

Björn covers his nose... "Gud i himmelen! That's worse than the last time we were here. Cannot we dispose of the bodies now? Burn them in the fireplace? Or at least put them outside?"

[digiman619]

"Das ist eine untertreibung." Flair says, continuing his habit of returning odd language in reply (even a temporary one like German Dwarven is currently). "My concern is how to move them without them" Flair paused ever so slightly "falling apart in transit."

[ClockworkCorvid]

"Why the hell does every corner of this place need to be so creepy?" Corbin gives the stink eye to the taxidermy, then answers Flair's question. "An axe and a sack, I suppose."