1.3 - In Search of Sanity - Never-Ending Nightmare

Grim grins and tugs at his beard. "That does sound like an excellent plan, Doc. Is there a way to get to this oneirogen watching from the northwest tower without everyone down here seeing our progress to get there?"

Wren shakes his head, "Sadly not. Your presence is already known here as it is, but as long as you don't pose a threat, they shouldn't bother you. Most of the folk here are just trying to survive. The ones you may have to worry about more so would be the properly-armed, more dogmatic of Zandalus's followers. Most of them are stationed either at the barricades, sent out for supplies, or upstairs. The ones at the barricades shouldn't be a bother either, unless you attempt to disable the barricades in some way."
 
 

While the others talked, Axon whispered arcane words to open his third eye.

Elias pays close attention to the man's words, trying to understand if there is any way this might end without a bloodbath. Something tells him that won't be the case... "What's up with these barricades? Can we avoid them? and..." Elias pauses for a moment considering the options "... if the ...more dogmatic of Zandalus's followers were to be taken care of... do you think the others would put their weapons down? "

"I can sense magic, Elbourne. Do you think it wise that I perform the ritual and have a look around?"

"In here?" he asks, only a little bit of suspicion in his voice, "I suppose. But do me no harm, mage - for I wish none upon you."

Axon casts his spell focusing around the room. Given several moments of focusing he notes a cabinet nearby as well as something in Wren's pocket that radiates magic. Both auras are faint. "As far as the barricades are concerned, I'm afraid there is no real way to avoid them completely if you are to leave this compound, particularly to the west. I do not think they will both you, however. They are intent on keeping attackers out, not us in. Of course, yes, if the zealots protecting Zandalus are removed, the people here would simply turn to the closest route of escape or protection. However, with the threat of the mist looming, I fear how many of the less-devout would flock to help. Best to take care of the mist first before provoking a war here."

He catches Axon's attention on his pocket and the nearby cupboard. "Curative items, nothing more, I assure you. There are some ills even my skills cannot cure."

He looks the rest of you up and down. "If you want to be sure, we could tie a bit of yellow cloth around your wrist or arm - surely the guards would be even more likely to let you come and go as you please if they think you're one of them, at least for now."

"If it makes it easier to trace the origin of this mist, so be it" Elias agrees with the doctor and grabs a piece of yellow cloth, hesitating for a brief moment unsure if the color itself isn't cursed in this damned place. "The lady knows my time" he says to himself as he finishes tying the cloth to his wrist.

The doctor nods and walks over to the cabinet. He removes several torn pieces of yellow cloth. "I boiled these, to use as makeshift rags, but they would do well enough." He lays them out on the nearby table. "The people here trust me, at least well enough. Their fear of the others just outwieighs that trust. You end the mist and Zandalus, I'll do what's necessary to get the people in this camp to fall in line and let you do your work. Any other questions? If you leave now, you might put an end to this whole sordid affair by nightfall. "

"No more questions from me, Doc." Grim tells him. He picks up one of the yellow strips and ties it around his arm.

'Many my friend. But I doubt you or I could answer them.' The mist, Zandalus, the past. So many question and very few answers. The half-elf follows Grim, tying the cloth on his wrist as well.

"By nightfall..." Elias repeats the man's words to himself "All this darkness ... I can only hope the night can will really end after Zandalus' dreams end."

Once you're prepared, Dr. Elbourne leads you out of the makeshift medical ward, through the camp to the west, to a set of doors. "Just through there is the kitchen. It's a mess. There's a prep room, south of the kitchen, where all the cooking now happens, and where our western barricade is positioned. Some odd things happening in the western half of the kitchen itself and everyone here has been staying clear of it. Good luck."

You step inside and find pretty much what you would expect: a row of fireplaces among heaps of barrel-sized pots and cooking implements, rubble everywhere. Numerous doors lead to the south, east, and west, while multiple corners of the L-shaped room have collapsed. A line of large rocks deliberately cordons off the westernmost door.

Elias says a blessing as Wren wishes then luck and checks the other room. Seeing the line of large rocks which seems to have been deliberately placed there to block the way, he looks back at the others "You guys think... that looks suspicious?"

Elias moves to inspect the rocks to the western side of the kitchen. He doesn't notice anything particularly odd about them. There seems to be a draft coming from the western side of the kitchen, though, and he feels a slight chill.

Grim looks over to Elias. "Suspicious? Yes. Though, what in this fog-enshrouded crazy house doesn't?" He grabs up something from one of the tables nearby and tosses it onto the floor beyond the line of guardian rocks to see what happens.

Grim tosses the stone and it patters across the floor in front of the large cooking pot. To those watching nothing happens, but Grim feels the faint stirring of psychic energy as something, a spirit perhaps, reacts on some level to the disturbance.

Grim carefully drop to one knee and focuses his ability to sense spirits. He pulls off one glove and places the palm on the floor just beyond the ring of stones. "Are you there spirit? Show me what you will."

EDIT: Rerolling Psychometry with a Hero point.

Grim focuses on the spiritual energy in the room. His vision flickers momentarily as he sees an apparition materialize before him in a chef's apron. The others see only Grim kneeling and his eyes drifting as he watches something unseen, but Grim takes note as the lean man stands over the cooking pot, stirring a ghostly spoon. It turns its head and looks directly at Grim. It points to the rubble filling the northeast corner of the room as its mouth opens. It lets out a sickening scream then turns and heaves black goo into the pot. It's body contorts as if under pressure as the goo spews from its mouth, crumpling and crushing into a distorted version of itself before fading out.

Grim nods and stands, as the apparition departs. "There is an unsettled spirit here. It wants us to check out something over in that corner." he points to the rubble in the northeast corner.