1.1 - In Search of Sanity - Prison of the Mind

Axon

Naysa looks as if she is ready to raise an alarm, but seeing Loic grow more and more frantic she decides otherwise. "I think it best you leave now, mister. Just give us some space, I'll get him calmed down the best I can." It is clear by the look on her face that she expects you to leave.

---

Razhel

After a few moments, the stranger shares what he knows about chopping wood. Most of it doesn't come as surprising knowledge to Razhel, but some of it is at least a little helpful. By the end of the hour she finds that she has produced likely an excess of firewood, maybe even enough to last them through the entire night.

---

Everyone

After about an hour, Winter comes by and asks you all to come sit and have lunch with her. Everyone is served a bowl of the rather delicious stew concocted by the survivors under Grim's direction. You all take seats near her in front of the central altar. "Now," she says, "We have some time to collect ourselves, thanks to your help. I understand you are all amnesiacs, yes? Can't even remember your names? You must have a lot of questions. Please, go ahead - I'll answer what I can."
 
 
 

Elias accepts his bowl of stew with a gracious smile and sits down across from Winter. As he listens to her speak, Elias goes silent as he decides on what to ask her. You wouldn't by any chance recognize us or know anything about us?

Winter studies each of your faces for a few moments then shakes her head. "No," she says, "Can't say that I do. Though that's not surprising, as I've only arrived here about three days ago myself."

He hadn't looked anyone in the eye since his disastrous encounter with the nurse and patient. He couldn't remember but he somehow felt his life was often like this: trying to help but blundering spectacularly through a combination of fate and his own failings. Perhaps his scars were wounds which would fester forever. Perhaps he really was some kind of monster inside and out.

"Why did you come?" he asked without looking up from his stew. "Why did you come to this place of the broken and insane?"

She takes a long pull of soup from her spoon, careful not to eat the hot, rich broth too quickly lest she burn her mouth, or else just to relish its taste. "My associates and I were helping a Royal Accuser investigate strangeness in Thrushmoor," she answers finally, "I was sent on ahead with a small team to this place, so that I might ask some questions of the staff."

"This strangeness you mention in Thrushmoor, was there no one in the Sleepless Agency available to assist in this problem?" Grim asks of Winter. "I do remember assisting the Agency as a free-lancer in my past. Oh..I occurs to me now. What year is it?"

"Your memories are worse off than I thought, to be asking that," she replies, genuine worry on her face. "It is 4717 AR, sir. Would that I could heal maladies of the mind, I would bring this back to you. As for the Sleepless Agency, we were, in fact, working with them in some fashion. The Accuser had met with the head of the Agency just before sending me and the others here. The Sleepless Building in Thrushmoor is our rendezvous point, should I ever get of this accursed island."

"You remember more than I do," he sadly said to Hat.

"What exactly was this strangeness? And you were helping a Royal Accuser. Who do you trust? Who do you serve?"

Winter takes another bite of stew. "We came to investigate the count. Haserton Lowls, the count of Versex, appears to have abandoned his duties as one of the nation's rulers. Accuser Omari had reason to believe that Lowls had regular business here at Briarstone. She sent me along with other associates to investigate the asylum while she went on to Thrushmoor."

She levels her eyes at Axon and raises her eybrows. "As to who I trust - not many, but we find ourselves limited on allies, so I'll take who I can. I trust York. He's a fine man, and I've seen him nearly give his life to protect these people here. Together we've vetted everyone the best we can. Otherwise, I trust and serve my sisters and High Mother Thestia, those who tend the Maiden's Choir Cathedral with me in Caliphas." she raises a hand up to gently touch the symbol around her neck. "And Pharasma, of course."

"What has caused people to change into monsters?" Razhel asks out of curiosity. "At least one of the doppelgangers was once a doctor here or at least that's what it appears to be."

"I don't know. Wherever they came from, they emerged soon after the revolt. What's strange is that some of the patients and asylum staff say that, in the nights before the uprising, they had nightmares of exactly the sorts of things that stalk the halls now."

"Tell us more of the revolt, please. Do you think it was related to this Count of Versex? And did you discover what business such a man would have on an asylum island?"

"I’m not entirely sure, but a patient led an uprising. It wasn’t like any riot I’ve ever heard of, though. It was more like a religious movement. Most of the northern halls are now held by robed patients who call themselves Apostles in Orpiment. Those we’ve encountered are fanatically devoted to a patient named Ulver Zandalus." She considers as to the possible connection between these events and the Count of Versex, Haserton Lowls. "To be honest, we didn't get far into our investigation before things came apart here, but it is a mighty big coincidence. I was meant to meet with the head administrator to inquire about some patients that, rumor has it, Lowls personally had committed not long ago. It was just one of the several oddities in his behavior that Accuser Omari wanted to look into."

Do you know anything about a creature dressed in rags? It seemed to invade our dreams. Elias says as he works on his bowl of stew.

Grim sqiunts and tugs at his beard. "Recently admitted patients? Any ideas on who these rumored new arrivals were?"

"None, unfortunately," Winter replies to Grim. "Dr. Losandro kept putting off meeting with me, then all this -" she gestures around them, "- happened. I never really got to even start asking my questions. Losandro would know, but we fear the doctor lost."

At the mention of dreams she raises her eyebrows. "This is not the first time I've heard mention of a man in rags or strange dreams," she says, "very curious, that. I don't know much, but some of the other survivors say that sick fog outside is from their dreams, and that they keep expecting it to part and reveal a gloomy city vacant of inhabitants, or a man dress in rags. Some have fallen asleep outside the chapel area and have woken screaming. I don't know what it all means, but here in the chapel, the goddess tends our dreams."

She takes another spoonful of the stew, her bowl now nearly empty.

"The insane man we brought back rambled about Zandalus in fear and adoration, and we have also had such disturbingly vivid dreams. I believe we all even shared the same dream."

He paused and considered for a moment.

"What of rescue? Will anyone ashore in your order come looking for you? Part of me hopes they do not. I shudder to think what they would encounter on the water in this murk. If not, we continue to help each other. How can we best help?"

"Yes, the man you brought back appears to be one of the Apostles, and the dreams are, shall I say, deeply troubling. Something very unnatural is going on at Briarstone.

At first I hoped Accuser Omari would lead a rescue party out here, but its now been days and I've given up that hope. It's as if the outside world has turned against us. I don't even know if it's just Briarstone Isle, or it's the whole world. The entire hospice is surrounded by some repulsive vapor. Worse, the weather beyond is like nothing I've ever seen - thunder like laughter, rain like blood. And that's to say nothing of the shapes that scamper and flap within, vague forms that know when we sleep. Things are terrible here, but at least here we can see doom coming and try to mount a defense."

She gently spoons the last of her stew into her mouth and swallows while her eyes dance across your faces. "Help, yes. I wish I could tell you more about what's going on, but I do know we can't stay here. We need a way out. All things considered, you seem able enough. If you can find some way for us to escape, some route that doesn't lead straight into that terrible fog, I'll see that the Royal Accusers reward you well."

Her gaze lingers upon Axon. "You have offered your aid, but what of your friends?" Her eyes plead with the lot of you.

Before you have a chance to respond you hear yelling out the eastern door, shouts of "Stop! Stop! Drop the weapon!", followed by sounds of a scuffle in the hallway beyond.

Winter stands quickly. "Come friends," she beckons and hurries to the door.

With no hesitation in his movement, Elias quickly follows Winter as she heads towards the shouting.

"What now?!"

As the others rushed off, he took a moment to whisper and focus.

አስማትን ፈልግ።

With his senses open to the arcane, he looked around the chapel as he followed the others.