As the rat swarm surrounded Newt, the other group members were attacked with books from the top of the bookshelves. Wanda used her staff to swipe the top of a bookshelf knocking books and a strange looking rat down. This rat had tiny human hands instead of front paws with a face reminiscent of the face of a leering old man. Within the mouth were long, yellow incisors akin to that of a rat.
Orator identified the creatures as ratlings, magical beasts of some kind. He warned that they could cause bleed damage could Dimension Door and turn invisible. Newt attacked the swarm with her book and moved back as Blondie move up to the swarm. Laughing man moved up the opposite side of the Library to try and attack from behind. There is found more books on the floor and another swarm moved out to attack.
Orator suddenly found himself flanked by two ratlings who appeared on either side of him. Wanda was attacked by a ratling and started to bleed. A quick battle continued as the group dispatched the first swarm, then one ratling. The other swarm followed Laughing Man as he retreated to the rest of the group. Various attacks reigned down on the ratlings and they expired followed shortly by the second rat swarm.
After staunching the bleed damage taken by party members, the group moved further into the library. In the center of large room brooded an heavily worn table surrounded by uncomfortable chairs. A chandelier of iron vines dangled above. There were no candles in the chandelier so it was presumed magic of some kind lit the room. Finally at the far end of the hall were double doors leading north.
Laughing man looked where the swarms had emerged from the bottom shelves. The backs of the shelves were gnawed through revealing tiny tunnels bored through the wood and stone. At the north end of the library there was a well used tunnel breaking through into the another room.
Wanda started pulling books from the shelves looking for anything to help the group learn their identity, or place in the world. She found books covering advanced psychological theories, psychological treatments, common medical practices and matters of regional interest. Other books offered Briarstone and Versex history. Some of the medical books bore the stamp of the Sincomakti School of Sciences in Rozenport.
Orator broke into a large grin as he surveyed all the books, "We can research the Asylum and maybe more about the history of the area here. Research takes time but it may take some time this is a large library." He started pulling out books and said "Does anyone have local or history knowledge? I might need some help examining and cross referencing all these books."
Laughing Man spoke up saying he could help in the local area "What area do you want me to look for?"
"Check out Briarstone Isle, while I focus on the Asylum," responded Orator.
The rest of the group took time to block the doors to the north with some of the chairs. Wanda went around plugging the holes in the floor and walls where the swarms had emerged. "We don't want any more of those swarms interrupting us here." she stated.
As the group members helped retrieve books from the library shelves or just laid down to rest, Orator and the Laughing man spend 8 hours pouring over the texts. At the end of the 8 hours they had discerned the following information.
"Located on Briarstone Isle, Briarstone Asylum was founded in 4585 with the support of Count Haserton Lowls I and Rozenport’s Sincomakti School of Sciences. The asylum devotes itself to the treatment of patients with mental diseases and those in need of psychological care. Its staff also pursues humane, non-magical treatments of such disorders. With the exception of restraints, most physical and surgical treatment methods were phased out at Briarstone over a century ago.
Briarstone was originally intended to be a fort, positioned to protect Thrushmoor and trade along the Danver River from pirates sailing Lake Encarthan. The fort’s construction began in 4315 and was plagued by accidents, culminating in the death of its overseer, Captain Anoch Atherton. Construction on the fort was halted and rumors spread that Briarstone Isle was haunted. To expunge the taint of urban legends, Count Haserton Lowls I convinced the church of Pharasma to perform a successful, island-wide exorcism in 4584."
After a short rest period Orator asked the group "Should we continue the research? We can possibly find more information about the Isle and the exorcism/haunting. Perhaps that is related to the strangeness going on here now."
The group agreed that they should continue with the research but noted that Orator and Laughing man would probably need to rest after that.
Another 8 hours passed and an exhausted Orator related the newly discovered information.
"Captain Anoch Atherton didn’t die in a construction accident. The overseer of Fort Briar’s construction disappeared, only to be discovered a week later, his entrails strewn across the site. After Atherton’s death, work halted on the fort’s construction, but locals still reported seeing lights in the deserted, half-constructed structure. Rumors attributed the tragedy to the Briarstone Witch and claimed that she’d curse or kill any who trespassed upon her home."
"Well that certainly is enough for today," stated Orator stifling a yawn. The group took their new found information back to the chapel and reported to Winter.
"Have you found a way out or opened the front doors?" were Winter's first words.
"The doors seem to be stuck and we may not be able to open them without breaking the panels or frame. That would allow the mist and anything in it into the Asylum. Probably not a good idea at this point." was Laughing Man's reply.
“That’s disappointing, but not a complete surprise. There must be some way to get out of here, though. Maybe Doctor Losandro’s still alive out there and knows what’s caused all of this. Her office is at the very heart of the asylum. That’s a good place to start. She might even able to tell you who why you are here. If the worst has befallen her, though, perhaps there are other survivors out there. If you find any, bring them back here and we’ll shelter them as best we can. Goddess watch over you.” said Winter.
"Who is Doctor Losandro and where is her office?" asked Wanda.
"She is the administrator of the Asylum. She seemed like a capable administrator ... but then the revolt happened. Her office is in the hallway north of the library." responded Winter.
Just then the bookish man brought the two children back into the chapel. The young boy was still clutching his lantern, while the girl started ranting again about going outside to play.
Laughing man sidled over to her. "What is your name little one?" he queried.
"Maeve," she replied shyly.
"I can take you outside, then you can play. There are monsters and horrible creature outside who would love to suck out your blood, eat your eyeballs and rip your limbs from your body. They are just playing, maybe we could go now!" he related.
As he was saying this Maeve started backing away looking frightened and terrorized. The bookish man intervened, "Why would you say that the this children? They are frightened patients here at the asylum. They had enough problems before this horrible revolt. Now you want to scare them even more? What is wrong with you?"
"I'm just telling her the truth. She needs to know what would actually happen," replied Laughing man.
"Tolman, take the children and get them some food." ordered Winter with a sigh. "Could you just leave the children alone for The Lady's sake?"
After another pleasant night of rest in the chapel the group headed back to the library to research about the Briarstone Witch. Laughing man was heard exclaiming "Death to all witches. Damned be all of them."
Wanda recalled that witches were most times misunderstood crones that had some magical or evil powers. At times they wanted to kidnap children for their own purposes, experimentation or maybe just food.
After another grueling 8 hour period Orator related the following information and said "I think this is all we can gather on these subjects from this library."
"Folklore attributes many disappearances and spates of bad luck in the Thrushmoor region to the Briarstone Witch, an elusive crone said to inhabit Briarstone Isle. The first reports of the Briarstone Witch date to the early 4000s, soon after the founding of Thrushmoor by a congregation of psychopomp-worshiping homesteaders. These tales attribute many good works to the witch and present her as a figure who helped the settlers survive their hard early years. Some tales refer to the witch’s servant, called the Tatterman.
The Briarstone Witch was not a legend. She was a Kellid interested in lesser-known cults and occult knowledge. As she shared her esoteric knowledge with Thrushmoor’s settlers, she joined them, and as she exhibited her power, she eventually came to lead them. However, in 4050, the report of a Pharasmin
inquisitor accused the people of Thrushmoor of engaging in 'perverted rites in mockery of Pharasma and her servants’ names.'
Encouraged by the Briarstone Witch, the people of Thrushmoor split from both the church and the national government. When emissaries of the state marched to retake control of the town, they found the entire population had disappeared. Although a few gruesome stains marked buildings across the empty town, no other evidence of the people was ever found. The unsettling event became known as the Thrushmoor Vanishing and hundreds of years passed before Thrushmoor was resettled.
The partial journal of the daughter of one of Thrushmoor’s homesteaders holds an account of life in
the town. She refers to the Briarstone Witch as Mother Ariadnah and notes her sitting in council with other town leaders: Father Gierde, Father Weavewood, and Mother Zandalus. The precocious youth directly asks about the Tatterman. While her parents fearfully hush her, Ariadnah tells her not to be afraid, saying that 'The Tatterman is only a dream, and a dream can’t hurt a good girl like you.'"
Laughing man said "I had a dream being chased through the streets of some city by a Tattered creature. In fact all of you were there also. Did anyone else have this dream?"
The rest of the party replied that they too had had this dream. "I wonder if that was the Tatterman?" said Bowman.
"Let's continue north to see if we can find this administrators office," offered Blondie moving to the doors, moving the chairs and listening for noises on the far side. Hearing none she counted to three and opened the doors revealing two hallways, one north and one west. There were two doors to the north in the western hall, which ended just beyond the second door in a pile of rubble. To the north there were two doors on the east, one on the west and one to the north.
Blondie moved in to the first door on the western hall. Again she heard no noises from the inside and opened the door revealing a small office. Two desks were crammed int the crowded area. More space was dedicated to cabinets, bookshelves and stacks of loose papers. Two bodies in white lab coats lay slumped over the desks. Blondie said they appeared to have taken blows to the back of their heads. The bodies legs had been savaged, as if by something small but vicious.
Bowman and Orator noted that mucus like smear on the floor of the hall leading from a door on the east to the now open door to the door by the collapsed rubble. Blondie entered the office and found that the skull wound seem to have been made by small claws, digging into the base of the skulls. The two doctors were clearly dead.
Examination of the room found papers with mundane asylum duties and unremarkable psychological evaluations. Orator noticed magic somewhere in the eastern desk. Opening the drawers he found a thick yew wand etched with the symbol of Sarenrae hidden in the back. A piece of twine was wrapped around the it, connecting a note which read: "Mr. Lantz, this is a place of science, not faith. Please keep your religion at home."
Laughing man moved to the rubble choked door which opened into a apparent conference room. A once handsome wood conference table sat marred by the partially toppled southern wall. Between heaps of collapsed stone, a door still stood to the northwest. The smear on the floor continued into the room leading to the door. Boxes and papers were strewn across the room.
At the next door Blondie heard some faint scratching noises and since this room the hole from the library led to, the party moved to the next door. There were no noise from this room so Blondie opened the door. Again this appeared to be an office, and it would have seemed typical were it not for the preponderance of grotesque anatomical sketches, most depicting traumas and deformities of the head and brain. A sturdy display case stood open and completely empty. The slime trail led to this display case.
Newt was searching for magic, while Blondie moved into the room to search the desk. She found notes on the desk belonging to Doctor Arosh Chawaar, who pursued treatments for something called hydrocephalus. Many of the notes included marginalia from a Doctor Anya Chawaar, apparently his sister. Blondie could not make head nor tails of the information and called Newt to look closer. Newt examined the worn rust-colored notebook, determined that it was valuable even though it would take months to verify. Most medical institutions of scholars or medicine would pay for this information.
The final door to the west led to a ruined lounge. The ceiling had collapsed, crushing a table and well worn couch. Blondie saw a pale hand extending from the rubble.
Wanda exclaimed, "The last time a hand in the rubble attacked me."
Bowman fired a couple of arrows into the hand to make sure it was dead(?). Orator found that there was some magic in the rubble. After moving the rubble, a crushed body was found, with a capped syringe in a pocket. The fluid was magic and surely must be injected.
The final door to the north held a nameplate that read "Administrator Eliege Losandro". Blondie again listened at the door and hearing nothing opened it.
Yellow fog soundlessly roiled against the cathedral-like windows on the north and west walls of the opulent, two story office. The ground floor featured overstuffed furnishings, elegant side tables, and an altar-like desk of dark marble. A delicate spiral staircase and balcony of dark rose to a lofty library overhead. Both floor's features frame the lake of blood spread across the floor of the room. In the
center of the blood a body knelt, her back straight, her mouth gaping at the ceiling. From her soundlessly screaming mouth and unsteady torrent of colored mist spurts like a fountain of gritty sludge. Orator identified this creature as a Oneirogen, some kind of gate between the Material Plane and the Dreamlands. They were once normal humans who suffered a rare but terrible curse.
The group moved in cautiously, Bowman training his bow on the creature and firing an arrow. On two of the tables there were a total of six small but powerful images sketched with coal upon torn parchments and set in fine frames. They depicted eerie vistas of an endless, empty city under a sky of whirling mist. In the corner of each, a delicate copperplate records a year from 4708 to 4715 and the name Ulver Zandalus. A quick study of the images found that they felt familiar, finding them quite similar to the city from the shared nightmare they experienced.
Meanwhile Blondie charged directly at the rainbow mist generating creature and as she entered the fog surrounding her, she fell to the floor. Newt moved to Blondie, careful not to get too close, and dragged her away. Blondie was just asleep and was easily roused. Bowman fired another arrow after which the creature slumped to the floor and the mist stopped flowing from her mouth.
Orator moved around toward the marble desk, avoiding the creature and found the top held a few items, a brain-shaped sculpted wooden box, bookends depicting twin screaming and crying figures and a brass sculpture of a pyramid. The desk's many drawers filled with mundane writing supplies and extensive but uninteresting documents. One drawer was locked and as Laughing man moved to the body and fell asleep, Orator noted a ring of keys on the body. Using mage hand he grabbed the keys while Newt again dragged Laughing man away from the body.
Using a key from the key ring, Orator opened the drawer which was filled with many items. One of the most interesting was Losandro's journal a concise record of her daily duties and observations. Upon reading it Orator found it to be largely mundane -- filled with notes from staff meetings and interviews with the families of would be patients -- but in the entries written during the last year the names Haserton Lowls and Count Lowls appear with increasing regularity. Wanda noted that those names must refer to Count Haserton Pragmus Lowls IV, rule of the County of Versex. The final entries from last week proved to be of particular interest.
Additionally in the drawer Orator found, a magnifying glass, two vials of Alchemists kindness, a vial of smelling salts, two vials of soothe syrup, 4 doses of antitoxin, 2 doses of opium, a scroll of fox's cunning, two scrolls of remove paralysis. Some other magic items included a candle, a tin of incense, a talisman on a thin silver chain and two more talismans on a braided leather cord.
In the library were a number of mundane but remarkable texts: On the Treatment of Ambitions, Disappointments, and Regrets by Doctor Beaurigmand Trice, On Violent Sands, by Doctor Henri Meirtmane, and a signed copy of Ailson Kindler's Caldyce's Guest: Feast of the Nosferatu.
Newt was busy collecting all the interesting items into the Haversack as Orator approached the only other door in the office.
DM's Notes: The group earned 700 XP for the nights work. The discovery of their provenance leads to many questions about who they are.
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