"Dreaming of? Like in nightmares?" asked Gavril.
"No, No I have seen you in my dreams that last few nights," answered Lelwyn. "I was immediately inspired to put brush to canvas. I couldn't quite get the details right for your faces."
"Have we met you before?" queried Ciprian.
"No I have never seen you previously, are you from Thrushmoor?" Lelwyn responded.
"Technically, I guess we are from Thrushmoor," replied Ciprian. Then Ciprian went into his story about Briarstone Isle, the Asylum, the earthquake, and so on and so on. Gavril's eyes started to roll back in his head.
"I have the sensation that Thrushmoor's destiny somehow depends upon you! My visions are incomplete and I can't recall all the details, but you are definitely involved." stated Lelwyn.
Further discussion continued with the party asking what kind of role they played, good or not. Lelwyn said that they were heroes of some fashion. Lelwyn confirmed that the Priestess Trillis Mavaine had not been seen for a few days and the chapel was almost abandoned. Ciprian explained again about the patients coming from Briarstone and Lelwyn, who had been asked by Cesadia to act as the de facto custodian, was concerned that he would have to get supplies and such. The group learned that Lelwyn had painted portraits of some of Thrushmoor's wealthiest citizens. He had also been contacted by Administrator Losandro to come and paint her portrait at the Asylum. He was sorry to learn of her fate during the unrest at Briarstone.
"I will pay you 10 gp each to return and sit for me to finish the triptych," Lelwyn offered.
Gavril took him up on the offer immediately, removing his clothes and exposing a few of his shortcomings. Armania pretended not to notice but was soon disgusted by the small display and chided Gavril to put his pants back on.
Lelwyn wanted to get to the chapel to prepare for the coming patients and the party was eager to head off into town to see if they could find the other standing stone and then see about hiring a boat to help transport the patients and especially Winter.
On the route towards the docks a man passing them by suddenly spoke, "Ursina! Hey there! I haven't seen you around in a while. Where'd you get off to? Was if fun? Do you know what's going on with the Count?"
Shocked Ursina responded, "Do I know you, I'm having a little memory lapse.?"
"Know me sure, I'm Keldrin, we have some ales at the Stain and take some hikes in the forest. Where did you go?" replied the man.
"I can't quite recall you but we all have a touch of the fugue state, can't remember our past," said Ursina.
"I see Ciprian and Armania too. They were usually with you. Sorry to hear of your troubles. Are you still working for the count?" asked Keldrin.
"We don't actually know," said Ciprian. "Do you know what we did for him?"
"I am not sure, you all lived up there at Iris Hill. I thought you were his priestess, Ursina, and the others were doing some research," added Keldrin. "Of course most people know the others here, Erevel, Paullus and Gavril. I think they were just muscle. You certainly got into enough trouble around town."
"We are just trying to get our bearings. What has been going on?" queried Ciprian.
"There is something really different about you. Your little trip must have been something. Ol' Meb said you got shipped off to Briarstone Asylum, but he's always making up stories about folks." Keldrin finished with a questioning hesitation, "That's not true, is it?"
Again Ciprian started in with his story about Briarstone, Armania kicked him in the shins to get him to stop. "We just happened by Briarstone when we noticed the troubles there." she related. "No big deal."
"Well I can help you in any way if you need it." Keldrin responded.
Keldrin relates information about the current events in Thrushmoor, the count’s absence, the magistrate’s disappearance, and the kidnappings that have been going on in town. He also mentions that there have been some new people in town aside from the new staff at Iris Hill. He says that a few folks who seem like minor nobles have come to Thrushmoor, and he suspects these people are here to take some of the count’s flailing power after his departure.
Just as they were saying their goodbyes, Keldrin remembered the last time he saw the group poking around Pier 19. “It looked like you were stuffing something up underneath the dock. That’s a pretty good place for safekeeping if you knew you were going to leave town for a few days. Everyone’s still scared of that pier after that creature melted Jano, Mernil, and Keyrn a few years ago, so no one was going to go poking around your stuff.”
"Melted?" queried Ciprian.
"Yeah, you remember, they were fishing and then ... Oh of course you don't remember. Well they were just blobs of liquid flesh found in that little boat." answered Keldrin.
And off the group went to find pier 19. On the way they found the other standing stone, which was very similar to the first one they found. A semicircular piece of dark stone, nearly 12 feet tall. One side facing the center of town, ground down to a flat surface, with enigmatic symbols. A star etched on the flat section. As it was still raining it was difficult to determine when or how many prints surrounded the stela.
The driving rain pounded onto the decrepit dock’s boards, with a sound like a score of out-of-sync drummers. Gentle waves lapped against the barnacle-studded posts that held up the sagging dock. A metal pail sat rusting at the end of the pier. A gravel path led from the road to the pier. A nearly
collapsed shack sat at the edge of the water near the pier.
After scouting the building and the pier from the shore, Ursina and Erevel headed out onto the pier, Ursina searching for magic. The timbers creaked and bowed as they walked further onto the wooden structure. Gavril and Armania followed 15 feet or so behind the first two while Paullus and Ciprian stood on shore with their bows at the ready.
Ursina sensed magic at under the very end of the pier close to the rusty bucket. Erevel and Ursina strode right to the edge where Erevel leaned down and felt under the end of the pier. Gavril and Ursina saw a horrid mass of eyes, mouths and formless flesh climb one of the posts and slither onto the dock. It's countless maws yammering ceaselessly. Armania yelled out a warning just before a cacophony of
maddening sound erupted from the monster. Then in a wink of an eye the creature emitted a stream of acidic spittle that struck Armania in the face and blinded her.
Paullus fired an arrow which struck home but did not seem to inflict the usual damage. Gavril stood babbling incoherently, while Armania tried Acid Dart which hit home even in her blinded condition. Ursina spun around and moved up to the creature but missed with her mace. Ciprian fired an arrow also, which likewise did not seem to fully damage the creature. Erevel pushed herself to her feet spun and attacked from distance. No one had seen that before, the attack was successful but again failed to do complete damage.
Spittle flew at Erevel but somehow missed blinding her. The mouths though attacked Ursina and hit hard as four mouths attached themselves to her skin and successfully grappled her.
Paullus moved up the pier to try and close, firing another arrow which missed. Gavril continued to babble while Armania tried another Acid Dart which missed completely. Ursina tried to attack from her grappled condition but was unsuccessful. Ciprian and Erevel both managed to hit the beast again but it still was sloughing off some of the damage.
Spittle now flew at Paullus who also successfully averted blindness. Ursina was not so lucky as the mouths again dug into her flesh. Ursina fell to the pier, her chest barely moving as the creature turned toward Erevel.
Paullus drew his mace and advanced to the creature, hitting and doing full damage. "Bludgeoning weapons seem to work," he cried. Gavril shook himself out of his confusion and heard Erevel and Ciprian cry for him to help Ursina. In a rare display of group concern, Gavril pulled a potion out of his pack and rushed to Ursina, even taking a opportunity attack from the monster, and poured it down her throat.
Armania also freed from confusion and blindness fired magic missiles at the monster. Ciprian with new found knowledge advanced with his mace at the ready and smashed a few eyes of the creature. Erevel took one last swing with her mighty sword and downed the quivering flesh.
Erevel leaned over the end of the pier again and found a leather bundled stuffed up underneath. "Let's go open this in that building," she suggested.
Meanwhile Ciprian was attending to Ursina who was still unconscious on the boards. Using healing spells he brought her back to a conscious state and the whole party made their way to the abandoned shack.
Inside the bundle were a scroll, a potion, a ring, a wand and 120 gp and 6 pp. As Ursina saw the items unwrapped she had a brief flash of memory. She recalled a more fond relationship with Keldrin, but the details were still foggy. She also recalled bundling up the equipment and sneaking down to the dock after sunset to stash it, but was left with and unclear recollection of why.
While Ursina continued to tend to her wounds, Ciprian and Armania were busy identifying the items. One interesting note was that the ring had a Elvish E etched inside the band. Erevel recalled seeing a ring on her hand at some point but wasn't sure it was hers but she gladly accepted it.
With Ursina feeling healthier the group headed on to the docks and found Sgt. York leading a group of patients off a larger boat. Several of the Asylum staff were helping with the youngsters and Winter departing the boat last.
Ciprian walked up to the York and asked what had happened. York replied that someone had been telling the townsfolk that help was needed at the Asylum and suddenly this larger boat had showed up at the dock. They were able to load everyone on the boat and transport them quickly. "Still raining here as much as on the Isle, though," he remarked.
The group headed toward Winter and started talking all at once wanting to inform her of the sorry state of the town, kidnappings, disappearances of several notable people, Cesadia's desire to talk to her, the group's lack of memory, their treatment in town, at least by some people. It was a cacophony of sound that soon made Winter cover her ears and motion them away from the patients.
"What do you mean you don't have a memory? I thought you knew who you were. You never mentioned this at the Asylum." she asked sternly.
Ciprian kept saying 'full disclosure' and then relaying a bit of information about the groups discovering their names, their submission to the Asylum's care, their 'jobs' working for Count Lowls, apparently. He kept having to amend his 'full disclosure' with more disclosure of the party's treatment by most locals, including Cesadia and the Silver Wagon. He also added the strangeness at the Fort and Iris Hill.
Winter was glassy eyed from all the information and after a few minutes regathering her thoughts, she said "Let's get these people to the chapel, I hope you at least got that started!"
Snivelingly Ciprian divulged that they had gotten the chapel set up. He hoped that Lelwyn and Naysa had been able to set up the temporary shelter.
Off to the chapel the group went with all the patients in tow. At the chapel enough had been set up to allow Winter to feel good about leaving with the party to talk with Cesadia, she was concerned about Accuser Omari's status.
The party arrived at the Sleepless Detective Agency led by Winter who rapped on the locked door. The same female opened the door and was relieved to see Winter.
"Oh Winter, so glad to see you. Are you alright?" she asked.
"Meg, I am fine as you can see. I need to talk with Cesadia about what has occurred at the Asylum. Is she available?" responded Winter.
Meg having noted the adventurers again, her face turning into a frown said, "Yes she wants to talk with you right away. I suppose you are going to want to bring those people with you?"
"Yes, we need to inform everyone about the happenings and I need to talk with Omari," Winter replied.
Reluctantly, Meg let all of the group into the building leading them to a large conference room. "Cesadia will see you presently," she said as she left.
What followed was a long discussion between Cesadia, Winter and the adventurers. Cesadia was still suspicious of the the party given their long association as flunkies of Count Lowls. Given that the party cannot recall their past Cesadia asked them for some help in solving some of Thrushmoor's problems to convince her of their change of heart.
First, she is concerned with the story of the Briarstone Witch returning. The fisherman Toli Remsatter has been spreading a rumor that he saw the Witch in a seashore cave about a mile out of town. Could the party go with Toli to set the story straight?
Second, Dena Gallegos of the Silver Wagon and Emman Gulston of the Stain had been asking her to stop Elgrior from scaring their clientele. Can the party convince Elgrior to stop his doomsaying?
Third, the rash of kidnappings has her concerned. After solving the above problems can the party patrol the streets at night to find the source of the kidnappings?
DM's Notes: The party earned 600 XP for the night.
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