Its the End of the World (as we know it)

"Endless iterations. No cost. About the only thing I'm good for right now -- I'm cut to pieces and becoming arcanely depleted."

He turns back to Daktani after he's reacted to Zashier's question. Stepping next to Zashier, he motions up for the paladin to bend down so he can whisper in his large ear. "Going to try to see if we can find out if we already know Skreed. Thistle's idea. Good one. Try to ascertain falsehood in his responses."

He'll then begin to use minor illusion to create statue-like busts of all the half-orcs he's seen in town over the years, limiting to ones he's seen semi-recently. "Tell me if you see Skreed. The big guy will know if you're telling the truth."

If he doesn't recognize any of them, Lem will try to do what he did at the Ramblehouse, trying some basic half-orc faces and eliciting and listening to Daktani's feedback of "rounder face, smaller nose, longer tusks" to hone in on what he looks like.

Thistle will also observe the half-orc to ascertain truthfulness. Insight with Ear for Deceit: 14

"Show him the human that Grubet described first," Yokini says to Lem.

Lem gives an impressed look to Yokini, and does so. "Thought I remembered to do that."

Daktani tells Lem that its just the cube down here that is dangerous, then turns to Zashier to say that he doesnt know how many others have lost their way.

As Lem begins to show illusions of the half-orcs around town that he knows, like an old slideshow projector, you see Daktani shake his head time and time again. He says No, no, no to every face that appears. When you show him the human, he again says no, and Thistle you can tell that he is telling the truth.

If you work with him to try and get an illusion of Skreed, he tells you he is probably around 6 feet tall, though skinny and rather frail looking. Says that Skreed "likes messing with chemicals, and always had a sack of potions and tinctures with him". He has dark blonde hair, and his face is covered in tattoos, thin hairline-type tattoos covering every inch of his face and neck.

Lem, after several iterations, you feel pretty confident you have a fairly accurate representation of Skreed Gorewillow, the half-orc, and Daktani says as much.

Lem says to the others: "looks like I may have it. So. What's the plan here, do we head back to town?"

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable leaving this place unexplored, whatever he said, but we might need to come back. That picture of Skreed is too important,” Thistle says.

Though yet still confused over Lem needing to whisper ahead of time the last time, and having frankly been sidetracked overthinking about it for a while now, Zashier eventually comes out of still looking confused, and yet somehow satisfied with something. "I would most certainly wish to return, as there is that statue in the other room that... I dunno. Something's funny with it. Don't suppose you got enough juice in you to have a look into that one, would you?" He asked, looking between Yokini and Lem.

Following their response to it, at least, Zashier dusts off his hands and say as he dusts off his hands. "Well, it looks like either way we aughta be gearing up for that dusty trail back to the city. Though before we do, there's one bit of business yet to do, as we all know." It is as those last words leave his mouth that he looks to Daktani. Without a word, he hefts up his axe, and strolled behind the half-orc. "What is to come will be painful, I imagine. The most painful thing your likely to experience for the rest of your days, however long or short though they may be. But-..." He kneels and says, "We all have the power in us to endure any pain, so long as we remember that every experience is but the stones meant to make a greater foundation." 

He pauses for a moment, letting the words sink in, and then chuckles softly as he begun at least untying the half-orc. "Or something along those lines, as I cannot that I can say that I have a particular way with words."

"I can take a look at the statue, but I'll need ten minutes to figure out its arcane nature," Lem says, walking into the room to begin a ritual casting of identify on the statue.

Thistle watches as Zashier unties the half-orc, one hand on the pommel of one of her swords. “We’ll have to bring you back to Fallcrest with us,” she tells him. “Best in a cloak with the hood up. You’ll need to tell your story again. Probably more than once.”

Yokini gives Zashier a sideways grin. "Were you always this way? With words and thoughts, I mean. Or did your transformation make you so ... philosophical?"

Then, the gnome sidles up to Thistle. "So, do we just leave that cube down here? What if it gets loose? Or what if somebody else happens upon it accidentally? Should we ... clean it up before we go?"

"That's fine. Gives us some time to start stretch'n our legs a bit, 'n all that. So long as I'm near, there shouldn't be much of a rat problem as well." Zashier said to Lem, struggling somewhat at the time with the rope, but eventually continued to make progress again. "A couple of years spent reflecting and recovering will do that to you, as I would know, seeing as there wasn't much else to do except far less productive things." Zashier replied, returning Yokini's grin with a ghost of one.

Once Daktani is freed one callused and meaty elephantine hand awaits to help him back up. The gnome's question to Thistle is perhaps not lost on Zashier, but seeing to 'guard' detail for Lem for the next ten minutes take priority. Because strangely, the whole talk of some cube... doesn't quite register as a threat to him. Before walking off to soon, Zashier looks to his sister with a look of concern and curiosity. "You good?"

"I think the cube is pretty well contained, we can tell the guard about it and they can come clean it up," Thistle suggests. "We should get this man and his story to town, not to mention Lem's image of our murderer."

Zashier, you untie Daktani’s wrists, and he pulls his hands in front of him, rubbing his wrists, and says “Thank you”. Thistle, as you explain what will be happening next for the half-orc, he nods, understanding what is to come. Zashier helps Daktani stand up, and the party begins to make their way safely back to the stairs, making sure to steer clear of the trapped hallway and the Ooze room. Zashier, you turn to make sure Yashiera is still ok throughout all of this. It obvious to you that she is struggling internally with you releasing the half-orc, but you don’t know why. Something inside of her, past experience perhaps, things you know nothing about because during your transformation and recovery/rehabilitation into life as an elephant man, most conversation naturally was about you. Your sisters past is still very much a mystery to you as to what her experience was during the war and after as she spent some time on her own, experiencing the world.

The party meets up with Lem, who has been at the statue during the last bit of conversation in the other room.

(Backtracking a bit) Lem, you walk back around the corner, assuming someone tells you where the statue is, because it is in the area at the bottom of the stairs, which you haven’t been to - remember you came down the ladder in the center of the basement. You spent the next few minutes connecting with the arcane, and walking around the statue, here and there, squatting down, investigating at all angles as you identify what is special about this statue.

As the party joins you, Lem are able to communicate the following to them:

This is a holy sword, known through history as a Healers Sword. It was used by some of the ancient followers of Pelor. It has been blessed by his presence, as the god of life and hope and the sun. It appears to the eye to be part of the statue, a rock or stone carving, but the sword and sheath come off of the statue, and though it seems to be a carving, and is not sharp, it can be used as a weapon. Lem, able to commune with the arcane, tells you this sword does bludgeoning damage instead of piercing or slashing damage, but it also offers healing. If used on an ally, gently touched to their body (as if knighting them), it offers 2d6 of healing. If swung against a foe, it deals 2d6 (ONLY non-lethal) bludgeoning damage.

Lem tells Zashier this in a slightly awed tone. "This is... a very powerful weapon. It is more than a weapon. It is almost as if it was made for you. It cannot kill, but it can subdue things very effectively. And it can heal people." (Is there a limit on healing? If not, he will ask Zashier to use it on him, as he is still rather beat up from the fight.)

Zashier looked as if he wished to say more. And yet, like so many other times before, he simply patting her on the shoulder or trying to at least, before moving on to Lem's discovery.

"Made for me?" Zashier asked with something a mirthful tone behind his voice. "I don't know all about, as I don't recall commissioning any sort of weapon, let alone having it left here. Though granted, I've never had all that strong of a memory mind. A likely unfortunate carry over from me father's side, if you can believe it. But, you said that it comes off and it heals people?" He cocked his head to the side at the last part. "Sounds kind of counter productive. But, I suppose if all your doing is healing said person your swinging at, it subdues via confusion, which can be quite effective, as my sister would know." He adds, rambling on somewhat.

"Oh hey. You're pretty injured still. Should I try it out on you, or you planning to stab yourself with it?"

Thistle is going to set herself to keep an eye on our half-orc prisoner from now until we hand him off to some authority. She is not intending to let him get away (though he does not seem to want to). But that includes his well-being, too.

Lem blinks at Zashier. "It was a figure... I didn't mean..." He sighs. "I know you didn't commission it. But you don't enjoy killing, and you enjoy healing. Such a weapon is a powerful and meaningful thing. You can't stab with it, I think it only wallops. And you can ALSO heal with it. Different things. You can try to heal me with it, perhaps. But what do I know..." He wanders off to a corner, muttering to himself in frustration, swearing a bit.

Good question about limits. It has 6 healing charges per day, and renews 1d6 charges each morning (up to its max of 6 of course). If you attempt to use it beyond its capacity of available charges, instead of 2d6 healing, it does 1d6 damage and 1d6 healing. 

Thistle, you are keeping an eye on Daktani, but it is clear he is broken half-orc, and currently shows no sign of attempted escape. But If that changes, you will be on your guard against it.

I assume you guys are going to make your way back to town?