"I found Milijov fitfully asleep in a back bedroom. The floor was covered in dirt, and there was a shovel at the base of the bed. It’s possible that these are simply the incidental trappings of a teenage gravedigger, but I suspect there is something more nefarious at work within this orphanage. The boy himself is clearly at death’s door, and his symptoms do not resemble any illness I’ve come across. The headmistress initially seemed overcome with concern, but when I indicated I had questions she became as cold and rigid as ice. But of most concern, there is an evil force emanating from behind the double doors of the room along the right side of the hallway right inside the door. If we were looking for leads on the sacred remains of Saint Andal, I think we could do little better than this orphanage that bears his name."
The room was not actually upstairs. When you entered the front door, there was a long hall. Closed double doors to your right concealed an evil presence.
There were stairs in the hallway, but you went through the large parlor on your left, where children were playing, and went through a door toward the back of that room. Milijov was back there.
Blue: I’m not sure if tulip was at the edge of her range or out of it.
Not blue: If the head mistress is coming within sight of the door as lucento leaves, Barnaby drops tulip vision and casts detect thoughts prior to her appearing, otherwise:
You say a great evil? Let us go around that side of the orphanage and see if perhaps there is an open window. Tulip does not excel at opening doors young Fope.
You are about 50’ away from her as she stands in the doorway. The range on your spell is 30’. She is looking cross, but also not like she is about to fight or to run away.
How do you want to proceed with your spell?
edit: The way it was working before in the theater of my own mind was, you approached the building to stay close when necessary. So I let you see further into the building. Now that the action is back out front, I backed you out to a polite distance from the front door. So you're in the street.
Though, now that I think of it, 50' seems too far. I will give you your Detect Thoughts, because this is an urban setting without large front yards. So I will give you your Detect Thoughts. As I understand the spell, you get surface thoughts without a save. The headmistress is experiencing irritation. If there's malevolence or impatience behind it, you can't tell. You have one minute, and you're on the clock.
edit 2: I think you’d also detect no surface malevolence.
"We may have a few moments for quick reconnaissance, but I believe we have an open invitation from the headmistress to re-enter the orphanage. I'm not sure how long that invitation will remain open, and it may narrow if we are seen casing the building. Again, the headmistress did seem genuinely concerned about Milijov's well being when I first arrived. Her knowledge of the evil and her concern for her ward may not be mutually exclusive. Perhaps we can gain more information through discussion than peering through windows?"
I'm with Lucento on this, let's go in and see what more we can find out, although my skillset is weak in these matters. Lucento, do you think the boy could be roused enough to give us any information?
"It's possible, Kif, but far from a sure thing. Between his fever, the blood and bile on his lips, and the yellowing of his skin, the affliction has clearly progressed to its later stages. Lesser restoration may relieve some of the symptoms temporarily, but this assumes that the disease is of the body rather than the mind or the soul. Perhaps Barnaby would have better luck searching the boy's thoughts than I would have bringing him to speech. This assumes, of course, that we could gain a private audience or the headmistress's permission; neither of which seems clear at this point."
"There are also other children inside, I'm not so cynical to think that flames as small as they could be involved without some evidence, but perhaps they have seen people or activities which would seem out-of-place, even to innocent eyes of a child."
Perhaps the headmistress would be more inviting if one of us stays outside with all the weapons. She might not like having these things around the kids. But then again, with the evil in there, we may have need.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
My friend lucento, I have no healing arts. There is nothing I can do for the boy. But, perhaps he can still help us. Barnaby would like to go in and encourage Lucento to join him in a medicine check to determine if the boy is in a state where his mind would have active thoughts. If he is or if it it’s unclear, then Barnaby will cast detect thoughts on the child. Medicine check: 6
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"I'm more than willing to try, Barnaby." Medicine Check: 14
"Otherwise, I think we should try to ask some of the children if they know what is wrong with Milijov. The priest indicated that Milijov cared for his younger siblings, and I know of no reason that the affection would not be mutual. If we tell them that it could help to cure him, I think it's reasonable to believe they'd tell us what they know. Failing that, we may have to take a more direct approach with the headmistress once we are inside. I did not want to appear overbearing earlier, but it no longer appears that Milijov is her foremost priority, and time is of the essence."
Lucento looks subtlety over his shoulder toward the orphanage. "I think that approaching the evil presence directly should be last resort, until we can collect more information as to its origin."
That sounds like a fine plan lucento. Let’s question the children first to preserve resources. I will try the arcane approach afterwards if we get nothing.
Um, excuse me headmistress, would it be alright with you if we talk to the other children? Perhaps they have some knowledge of what the lad has gotten into.
Kif is going to try and look as much like a benevolent hero warrior as he can rather than a scruffy murder dwarf with 2 giant axes caked with green, red, and black blood
If we're actually inside he will keep an eye of what he believes is the door to evil as Lucento described it, and try and see if anything else might be amiss.
Burning inspiration to try and break the curse of the crap perception rolls 17
Ok. Just to be clear, Barnaby is not trying to get a deeper read on the headmistress. Just get back to Milivoj’s room while the spell is still up. Correct?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
They always ignore me. Føpé follows them inside. If, and only if, he gets a chance when he thinks no one is looking, he'll try to peak into the room of evil. Stealth with inspiration (though this feels especially uninspired) 27, if there is no such opportune moment then he'll do nothing and save his inspiration for later.
It only lasts a minute, so if Barnaby can casually get in range of some of the other children then he will check surface thoughts. If not, he will proceed with backing Lucento up as he goes to talk to the other children.
Fope, the door is closed. You do get a fraction of a second in which you can test it to determine whether it is locked, and you discover (with that excellent stealth check) that it is. But you also know that opening the door, no matter how good your stealth check, and disappearing to the other side, would likely attract attention. And you wished to be discrete. If you wish to abandon discretion and try to sneak off and explore, then say so, and roll another Stealth check.
The headmistress walks the party back to Milivoj's room and gives you all leave to speak with the children in the main room. The children upstairs are asleep or engaged in their studies, she explains.
Those of you speaking with the other children, roll Perception and Persuasion checks.
Barnaby, with your Detect Thoughts spell, you discern that (1) Milivoj has no discernible thoughts, from which you deduce that he is in a coma-like state, and (2) the other children are nervous and uncomfortable but trying to be helpful, in their different ways, in whatever they tell you (depending on your Persuasion roll).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception: 9
Persuasion: 8
Lucento, still bristling with frustration from the standoffish stance of the headmistress, is glad he has Barnaby’s back up when it comes to speaking to the children, who already appear on edge.
Pete, you are welcome to say something like "Lucento describes the last page of posts." Or something like that.
(I think you guys can all treat this as if Lucento described to you what you can read in the posts above.)
"I found Milijov fitfully asleep in a back bedroom. The floor was covered in dirt, and there was a shovel at the base of the bed. It’s possible that these are simply the incidental trappings of a teenage gravedigger, but I suspect there is something more nefarious at work within this orphanage. The boy himself is clearly at death’s door, and his symptoms do not resemble any illness I’ve come across. The headmistress initially seemed overcome with concern, but when I indicated I had questions she became as cold and rigid as ice. But of most concern, there is an evil force emanating from behind the double doors of the room along the right side of the hallway right inside the door. If we were looking for leads on the sacred remains of Saint Andal, I think we could do little better than this orphanage that bears his name."
Edit: Fixed bedroom location.
Honored Elder, Can Tulip stealthily scout the evil room? Føpé emerged from his hiding place, hoping that a stealth mission might be afoot.
The room was not actually upstairs. When you entered the front door, there was a long hall. Closed double doors to your right concealed an evil presence.
There were stairs in the hallway, but you went through the large parlor on your left, where children were playing, and went through a door toward the back of that room. Milijov was back there.
Blue: I’m not sure if tulip was at the edge of her range or out of it.
Not blue: If the head mistress is coming within sight of the door as lucento leaves, Barnaby drops tulip vision and casts detect thoughts prior to her appearing, otherwise:
You say a great evil? Let us go around that side of the orphanage and see if perhaps there is an open window. Tulip does not excel at opening doors young Fope.
You are about 50’ away from her as she stands in the doorway. The range on your spell is 30’.She is looking cross, but also not like she is about to fight or to run away.How do you want to proceed with your spell?
edit: The way it was working before in the theater of my own mind was, you approached the building to stay close when necessary. So I let you see further into the building. Now that the action is back out front, I backed you out to a polite distance from the front door. So you're in the street.
Though, now that I think of it, 50' seems too far. I will give you your Detect Thoughts, because this is an urban setting without large front yards. So I will give you your Detect Thoughts. As I understand the spell, you get surface thoughts without a save. The headmistress is experiencing irritation. If there's malevolence or impatience behind it, you can't tell. You have one minute, and you're on the clock.
edit 2: I think you’d also detect no surface malevolence.
"We may have a few moments for quick reconnaissance, but I believe we have an open invitation from the headmistress to re-enter the orphanage. I'm not sure how long that invitation will remain open, and it may narrow if we are seen casing the building. Again, the headmistress did seem genuinely concerned about Milijov's well being when I first arrived. Her knowledge of the evil and her concern for her ward may not be mutually exclusive. Perhaps we can gain more information through discussion than peering through windows?"
I'm with Lucento on this, let's go in and see what more we can find out, although my skillset is weak in these matters. Lucento, do you think the boy could be roused enough to give us any information?
"It's possible, Kif, but far from a sure thing. Between his fever, the blood and bile on his lips, and the yellowing of his skin, the affliction has clearly progressed to its later stages. Lesser restoration may relieve some of the symptoms temporarily, but this assumes that the disease is of the body rather than the mind or the soul. Perhaps Barnaby would have better luck searching the boy's thoughts than I would have bringing him to speech. This assumes, of course, that we could gain a private audience or the headmistress's permission; neither of which seems clear at this point."
"There are also other children inside, I'm not so cynical to think that flames as small as they could be involved without some evidence, but perhaps they have seen people or activities which would seem out-of-place, even to innocent eyes of a child."
Perhaps the headmistress would be more inviting if one of us stays outside with all the weapons. She might not like having these things around the kids. But then again, with the evil in there, we may have need.
My friend lucento, I have no healing arts. There is nothing I can do for the boy. But, perhaps he can still help us.
Barnaby would like to go in and encourage Lucento to join him in a medicine check to determine if the boy is in a state where his mind would have active thoughts. If he is or if it it’s unclear, then Barnaby will cast detect thoughts on the child. Medicine check: 6
"I'm more than willing to try, Barnaby." Medicine Check: 14
"Otherwise, I think we should try to ask some of the children if they know what is wrong with Milijov. The priest indicated that Milijov cared for his younger siblings, and I know of no reason that the affection would not be mutual. If we tell them that it could help to cure him, I think it's reasonable to believe they'd tell us what they know. Failing that, we may have to take a more direct approach with the headmistress once we are inside. I did not want to appear overbearing earlier, but it no longer appears that Milijov is her foremost priority, and time is of the essence."
Lucento looks subtlety over his shoulder toward the orphanage. "I think that approaching the evil presence directly should be last resort, until we can collect more information as to its origin."
That sounds like a fine plan lucento. Let’s question the children first to preserve resources. I will try the arcane approach afterwards if we get nothing.
Um, excuse me headmistress, would it be alright with you if we talk to the other children? Perhaps they have some knowledge of what the lad has gotten into.
Kif is going to try and look as much like a benevolent hero warrior as he can rather than a scruffy murder dwarf with 2 giant axes caked with green, red, and black blood
If we're actually inside he will keep an eye of what he believes is the door to evil as Lucento described it, and try and see if anything else might be amiss.
Burning inspiration to try and break the curse of the crap perception rolls 17
Edit:(good thing I did)
Ok. Just to be clear, Barnaby is not trying to get a deeper read on the headmistress. Just get back to Milivoj’s room while the spell is still up. Correct?
They always ignore me. Føpé follows them inside. If, and only if, he gets a chance when he thinks no one is looking, he'll try to peak into the room of evil. Stealth with inspiration (though this feels especially uninspired) 27, if there is no such opportune moment then he'll do nothing and save his inspiration for later.
It only lasts a minute, so if Barnaby can casually get in range of some of the other children then he will check surface thoughts. If not, he will proceed with backing Lucento up as he goes to talk to the other children.
Fope, the door is closed. You do get a fraction of a second in which you can test it to determine whether it is locked, and you discover (with that excellent stealth check) that it is. But you also know that opening the door, no matter how good your stealth check, and disappearing to the other side, would likely attract attention. And you wished to be discrete. If you wish to abandon discretion and try to sneak off and explore, then say so, and roll another Stealth check.
The headmistress walks the party back to Milivoj's room and gives you all leave to speak with the children in the main room. The children upstairs are asleep or engaged in their studies, she explains.
Those of you speaking with the other children, roll Perception and Persuasion checks.
Barnaby, with your Detect Thoughts spell, you discern that (1) Milivoj has no discernible thoughts, from which you deduce that he is in a coma-like state, and (2) the other children are nervous and uncomfortable but trying to be helpful, in their different ways, in whatever they tell you (depending on your Persuasion roll).
Perception: 9
Persuasion: 8
Lucento, still bristling with frustration from the standoffish stance of the headmistress, is glad he has Barnaby’s back up when it comes to speaking to the children, who already appear on edge.