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Post by Gwendolyn on Apr 26, 2023 16:02:14 GMT -5
It was the middle of the afternoon as Gwendolyn wandered through Lilicors on the instruction of the Mage’s Guild. The muggy air and insects biting at her skin had certainly turned her mood sour in the short amount of time since her arrival. Ramshackle swamp building nearly falling apart, dirty and unwashed populace. This was truly one of the worst cities in Charon. Luckily, the guild had assigned her to meet up with her spa buddy Cirice, certain to be a welcome bit of civility in an otherwise barbarous environment. Apparently some local physician got the bright idea that graverobbing was the next brilliant advancement in medical science. If it were truly that easy, surely the graveyards would be empty and the populace full of sutures. Abominable, Gravedigging was already a filthy untouchable profession, Graverobbing was absolutely deplorable. Unfortunately, to her all the buildings looked the same. The signs painted on with a similar shade of local red dye. Withdrawing a set of silver rimmed glasses, she began squinting at signs. Butcher, Tanner, Herbalist, the doctor had to be around here somewhere. Did they call doctors something else here in the swamp? Like… Meat stapler or something? Alvina only knows. Quest Name: The Great Work (Mage's Guild) Participants: Two or more (Only guild members get the reward) Location: Marsh Flats Post Requirements: 6 post per person, 200 words per post Reward: +1 Renown Description: The guild has recovered all of the stolen bodies from the academy, but upon further investigation into who stole them, we have uncovered something far more sinister. It appears as if several different types of doctors and scientist have been working on foul and horrible experiments beneath the swamp. Rumors report that they are stealing bodies from graves all across Charon and are stitching them together. We have no idea why this is, but we need to figure it out. Go in, deal with one of these doctors and uncover any clues that might explain why they are fusing bodies together.
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Apr 26, 2023 16:40:57 GMT -5
It had been an awfully long time since Cirice had been to the Marsh Flats and walking around Lillicors Village she remembered why. Traversing the swamp wasn’t easy, especially in a big heavy wagon, but she’d finally made it and now she just had to find her friend Lady Gwen. She hoped there was a nice spa here they could try together, since every time she saw Gwen they toured Charon’s spas. It was nice to have a friend that cares about fashion and luxury for once. It was wonderful that she’d also joined the Mage’s Guild and they had been assigned this mission together.
Unfortunately the mission was sure to be messy. If some doctor is playing around with dead bodies there’s sure to be blood and viscera she’ll need to wash out of her clothes later.
Strolling down the narrow street she lifts the hem of her skirt slightly to keep the muck off. She turns a corner and sees Lady Gwen and hurries over to her, excited.
“Lady Gwen! Hello!” She gives her a small curtsey and a wide smile as they meet, “Its a pleasure to see you again, I’m glad for the chance to speak to you after our last mission together. I think it went really well!”
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Post by Gwendolyn on Apr 26, 2023 17:02:39 GMT -5
She turned to see her greeter, and the trademark scowl quickly turned into a smile. A pleasant curtsy returned in full, greeting the moon elf with sincerity “Cirice! Very much a pleasure to see you as well! Heard anything about the fleet?” Gwen asked with an upbeat tone. After but a few moments of catching up, she brought the conversation to the task at hand. Exasperating it was trying to navigate this hellish swamp-scape. “So…Do you know anything about the doctor we’ve been sent to find here? I’ve been looking around a bit, and haven’t found anything…” Almost as the words escaped her mouth, a long slow creak interrupted her train of thought. Looking towards it’s source, an ancient door slowly opening on an ancient building. She was nearly certain that it hadn’t been there before, having walked this street twice already, and yet there it was. “Doktor” Painted in scrawled script of deep crimson above the doorframe. “That’s… odd. I swear I couldn’t find anything like it, but… new glasses and all. Must have missed it. Many apologies… Anyway, shall we? I’m sure that many great mysteries and adventures await us in the dank spooky “Doktors” Hut” said with as straight a face as she could muster.
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Apr 26, 2023 17:26:40 GMT -5
Catching up was nice and she was pleased to report that the fleet had begun pulling out of the Isles. She’s glad to hear that Gwen’s being doing well and she finds the new glasses very stylish.
She follows Gwen’s gaze to the Doktor door and grimaces at the dilapidated building. “No need to apologize. I like your glasses. Any adventure with you is sure to be a great time, even if it is in a spooky possible necromancer’s lair.”
She pulls a cloak out of her bottomless bag and pulls the hood up over her face to hide her features and the shimmering gem nestled in the center of the moon tattoo on her forehead. Before the door can decide to shut itself just as abruptly as it had opened she hurries over and holds it, gesturing for Gwen to head on in.
The dimly-lit hallway within is not terribly narrow and theres enough room for the pair to walk side by side. As soon as they’ve both crossed the threshold the door slams behind them with a creak and shudder. Too late to turn back now.
“I don’t like this. Anything could come at us in the dark… So here.” The runes under her eyes and on her left arm begin glowing and she gently touches Lady Gwen, granting both of them the ability to see in the dark. "Right... Onward." 1 Night Sight
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Post by Gwendolyn on Apr 26, 2023 17:43:33 GMT -5
The world illuminates slightly as the magic takes affect over her vision. It was an odd feeling, that certain species lived like this forever. Offering Cirice a small curtsy, she entered the shack. Within was a dank, empty hall that seemed to go for about fifty feet back. The wood of the floor was rotten and creaky, and there was a pervasive scent of mildew and decay. Gwen added a bit more oil to the censer on her hip to counteract the smells, but it did little to help. Doors lined the hall, each in different stage’s of disrepair. It honestly didn’t quite give off “Doctor” vibes, more what she had imagined the doctors office looked like as a little girl. Turning to the first door on the left, she gave the handle a turn. A wet, rusty, metallic sound creaked throughout the hall as the lock moved, opening the doorway. Within was seemingly an old waiting room, filled with ancient chairs and moldy copies of the Lore Gazette. The place had a persistent covering of dust about just every object. Further inspection revealed a sign in sheet, with the last entry 12928. “That’s almost… what… three thousand years ago? What kind of place is this?”
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Apr 26, 2023 18:08:52 GMT -5
“This is… Really creepy.” Cirice says as they creep down the hall. As Gwen goes into the dusty, decrepit waiting room she stands at the door, watching the hall. “Three thousand years? What in the world… I thought the strange happenings and bodies going missing were a recent development, but if they’ve been here that long maybe not.”
The smell of mildew was strong, but she hadn’t detected the scent of rotting corpses yet at least. But this was just the first room. She waits for Gwen to leave the room and tries the door across the hall. The handle turns but the door stays firmly shut. She gives it a hard tug before realizing the doorframe itself was deformed.
“A shithole is what it is. Pardon me saying so. One with a secret magic door. Do you think there might be some kind of cult or secret society that uses this place as a base?”
Two doors down, many more to go.
As they step forward the floorboard creak and moan below them, and Cirice winces at the sound. The next door opens with another squeal of rusty hinges, but this time it isn’t empty. A sort of examination room is within and on the table lies an unmoving body. Beakers and vials sit atop a large, moldering desk in the corner and a small table full of surgeon’s tools sits ready and waiting to be used. Strangely the tools seem pristine.
“What is all this? Should we take some of it back to the Guild to study?” She asks, stepping into the room towards the desk and picking up a stoppered vial filled with deep green liquid.
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Post by Gwendolyn on Apr 26, 2023 18:28:00 GMT -5
“An understatement if anything. What kind of weirdo secret society cares this much about cadavers…” She says as Cirice moves on. The next room is truly revolting. A body, surrounded by old antique medical equipment. “Disgusting…” Said whilst sliding on her gloves. “So are we putting all this stuff in your bottomless bag oooorrr……”
The thought was interrupted by the loud slamming of a door further down the hall. The sound of leather boots stomped closer as Gwen jumped a bit with fright. “Shit, shit, hide!” She whispered. Who knew why hiding was her first instinct, maybe it was a lingering fear brought about by their location. She had fought roided out furniture gorillas before, so what was some scrawny doctor. Looking around the room, there was only cabinets, the table, and a small decorative fern sitting atop the cabinets to hide behind. Her armour wouldn’t allow her much leeway in that department, so she grit her teeth and did the first thing that came to mind. Throwing the body off the examination table onto the floor, where it crumpled anticlimactically. After which she laid down in it’s place, and whispered one last thing to cirice. “Don’t Let them eat me!” She popped out a potion, and swallowed it all in one gulp (1). Passing out, her skin grew pale and clammy. By all indications, she had just died for naught but a hiding place. Cadavaberry Potion
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Apr 26, 2023 19:17:56 GMT -5
“Yeah I’ll carry it- Shit.” Cirice responds, stuffing the vial in her hand into the bag and looking around frantically. Luckily for her the dimness of the room made sure there was ample shadow for her to dive within and in mere moments she’d disappeared into the shadows as if she’d never been there at all1. But what about Gwen?
She turns around just in time to see the body fall from the table and Gwen take its place. Eat her? What does she mea-oh. Gwen grow cold and stiff as the grave. Oh fuck. Was she dead? Was she okay? What was that potion she’d drank? She didn’t have a chance to check on her friend before the stomping stopped and a figure appeared in the doorway. Instinctively, Cirice held her breath even though she knew she was imperceptible in the darkness.
“Huh…” Comes a scratchy voice from the doorway, clipped and pitched like that of an elder. “Coulda sworn I closed this door behind me… Musta been those fool kids fucking around with my stuff.” He rambles and complains aloud to no one in particular. “Just bring me what I need and leave me alone, I says but no, they want to see. THere ain’t nothing to see until I get more bodies!”
He scratches his face and steps into the room proper, a lanky man in an apron and long gloves with scowl etched into his features. He stomps over to the desk and fumbles around for a moment before lighting a candle. Cirice ducks down to make sure she’s still within the shadows and tries to make herself as small as possible. The man then turns and pushes a pair of thick glasses with a variety of lenses on them onto his face before looking down at Gwen on the table.
“Eh? What’s this?” He says, brows scrunching, “A fresh one? They didn’t even peel off the useless bits. Idiots. I hafta do everything around here, its a waste of my godsdamned time. ‘Oh no Doktor Wayland, we’ll do the dirty work you just stitch em up and get em ready.’” He immitates another’s voice sarcastically, “Bullshit.”
He leans in and starts fiddling with the fasteners on Gwen’s cuirass and Cirice gasps.
“Stop.” She commands from the shadows, her voice suffused with magic2.
The man freezes and teeters in place unsteadily.
“Step away.” She continues. He stands up straight and starts backing away from the exam table. “Be still.”
She reaches out and touches the man’s greasy face gently with her gloved hand, the runes beneath her glove glowing with soft violet light. A wealth of information flows into her mind, Wayland’s entire history playing out in her head like a movie. He’s a weaselly man with no real redeeming qualities. His only useful qualities are his medical and magical skills.
“Gwen? Are you okay? Wake up, I’ve got him.” 1 Shadow Dancer pass without trace & shadow hiding 2 Fae Aura
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Post by Gwendolyn on Apr 26, 2023 21:50:54 GMT -5
She could feel the gross fingers on her fasteners, working their latches before Cirice intervened. She could only imagine which useless bits the doktor referred to. Logic says the armour, fear says the skin. She shudders, tensing her muscles to burn off the poison as colour returns to her body. With a gasp, she sat back up to Cirice and the doktor standing there. “N…N…Nice work. I…I’ll tie him up.” She says, looking at Doktor Wayland. There was a small amount of tubing laying around, only imagination could say what they were for, but they would make for good manacles in a pinch. She grabbed it, wrapping it around the doctors wrists and trying it with as strong a knot as she could muster. “Ugh, weirdo. I’m guessing the kids that he was talking about are lackeys of some sort. Do we need to interrogate the old fashioned way? Or have you uncovered anything with more magical means?” She asks, cracking her knuckles. The doctors eyes betray a small amount of fear. Understandable, a woman risen from the dead now threatening to beat the shit out of her would scare her too. A small amount of giggling could be head down the hallway, indicating the presence of possibly more enemies. "Might be time to leave if you've got the info."
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Apr 26, 2023 22:39:16 GMT -5
“I got a lot of information from him with magic but if you wanna rough him up that’s fine.” Cirice winks at her, “They’re not his lackeys, they’re lackeys for his boss. He doesn’t know his real name but he’s called The Undertaker. That’s a bit on the nose, isn’t it?”
She gets up and starts collecting the bottles and vials off the desk and rifles through the only drawer and collects some notes and adds them to her hoard. The giggling comes under the door and she agrees that they should get out. She touches the Doktor once more and erases his memories of them1.
“Okay third door on the left theres a staircase down. We need to take that and there’s another door that leads to an alley a few blocks over. The door we came in only opens one way. Care to knock him out and we’ll get the fuck out of here.”
She looks out into the hallway and sees it empty. “I’ll scout ahead.”
Once more she melds into the shadows and silently creeps down the hallway. The voices are still rather faint as she passes the door they’ll need to escape through. She keeps going until she reaches the room the doctor presumably just left. The door is closed and the voices behind sound younger. The lackeys. She sneaks back to Gwen.
“We should be good, they aren’t coming. Sounds like they're playing cards. Let’s go!” 1 Fade from Memory
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Post by Gwendolyn on Apr 26, 2023 22:51:43 GMT -5
“Alright, good” She says as Cirice comes back to the room. The Moon elf catches the last few drops of Blixt Tm Sleeping juice slide down the doctors throat.(1) The man collapsed to the ground shortly afterwards, in which Gwen took the opportunity to kick him in the stomach. “Alright, he’s out, lets boogey” She said, striding out the door and down the hallway. Another potion she drinks take’s the sound out of her armour (2) and crept down, three doors. The voices didn’t seem to take notice, and the light from under the door showed no shadows. Luckily, the potion she had taken also affects the things that she touches, so she summons her maul in hand. A silent crack as the door implodes from a hammersmack. “Wait…. You didn’t say it was locked. Oh well, I’m not paying for it.” She says as she sneaks down the debris strewn stairway out to the alley. The doorway creaks open, revealling the street outside. It was the dead of night now, odd since it had been daylight out when they had entered. But no matter, it wasn’t like she had a date or anything. Looking around to ensure noone guarded the entrance, she beckoned to Cirice to follow behind.
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Apr 26, 2023 23:07:33 GMT -5
Cirice follows after Gwen silently, mystified by how powerful her friend is. They creep down the stairs and out into the night, taking a deep breath of the dank, humid air.
“Well I suppose we should get back to the Guild. I’ll be heading to Moonglade first, I have another errand to run.” She smiles at Gwen and gives her a gentle hug. “It was wonderful to see you again. Next time you should come to the Crescent Isles and try our spas there. They’re very nice. If you’re ever out there let me know and I’ll take you to my home!”
She lets Gwen go and waves, parting ways with her friend and heading back to her wagon outside of town. She pulls the stolen papers out of her bag and looks over them as Hitia starts moving toward Moonglade and towards the next adventure. There’s enough information here to help the Guild uncover the rest of the Undertaker’s plans, even if Doktor Wayland only had a small part in it. From what she learned this goes way deeper, they’ll surely need to root out more of the organization in the future. Maybe she and Gwen can work together then too, she'd love that.
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