The talk describes the action.

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: We haven't decided yet. Probably go away and tell someone we smelled smoke, but at the moment, we're trying to talk one another out of investigating I think.]

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[Private to Zer-wedula: In a low voice, "So do you want a distraction or do you want me to use my sophisticated charms?"  (Diplomacy, bluff, etc...)]
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:43, Mon 22 Feb 2010.

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[Private to DM; Glum: Cat looks at Glum,"We could tie string to one another to tell who was real?"]

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[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: "First of all, let's ask other people if they smell smoke."]

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[Private to Talis Revain; Zer-wedula: So they lead you through a groundfloor that looks like a general meeting room, with a table, chairs and large water basin.  There are a few doors around the room and a set of stairs heading up.  The doctor leads you up the stairs.

ooc:The place is clean and orderly (like a hospital).  It is well lite by continual flame spells.  The inside has apparently been enchanted to keep an even temperature.

The 2nd floor has 10 doors that can be barred from this side (like jail cells) and have small doors in them for someone to look through.  Only 2 are in use.  1 door is locked and there is an old man's voice singing behind it (a song neither of you know).  The other door is open and a blind man is sitting on a clean bed, "Doctor is that you, the noise is disturbing my nap."  On the far side of the room are stairs leading up and from upstairs there is a constant sobbing.  The Doctor carefully comforts the old man and closes the door, but doesn't lock it.

As you enter the top floor the sobbing is punctuated with a scream, then back to wailing.  The Doctor goes to a door and looks in before having an orderly unlock the door.  The Doctor steps back looking expectantly at Zer-wedula, "I really wonder how you expect to get anything from him."  Inside the room is a nice bed that hasn't been touched.  Over in a corner is a man in a straight jacket huddle in a corner.  It is evident to even an unskilled person that the man is dreadfully sick and perhaps close to death.]

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Glum: The first person you run across is a child running an errand.  He claims to not smell any smoke.]

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[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: Glum whispers to Catessa, "Should we just assume it's an illusion?  We didn't kill it last time did we?"]

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[Private to Zer-wedula:
With a little twist of a smile, "Enlighten us Zer, how are we going to get anything out of him."

ooc; What exactly do you want me to do?  I think the Doctor will let you cast anything short of a lethal spell on him.]

[Private to DM; Glum: Cat sighs softly, "Last time, when I finally heard you and went up to get you, a boy fell down the stairs. By the time we came down, he was gone. If we assume it's all an illusion. what do we do if it's not? And should we not stop what ever is causing all this?"]
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This message was last edited by the GM at 20:32, Tue 23 Feb 2010.

I like to bring thing's up from a characters past.  Deeds/actions have consequences (good and bad).
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Glum: ooc: Cat's comments seem to imply that she thinks the dead boy was an illusion.

Quick refresher (from 1.2 Naomi Glum and Talis/pg4), Tanrov was a real boy who fell under the influence of an undead thing called an Attic Whisperer that preys on lonely children.  While battling it, the boy Tanrov fell down the ladder and went to negative hps.  Cat came up, saw the still form of a bleeding boy and ignored him in favor of climbing a ladder.  This allowed the boy to bleed out (over the course of at least 3 rounds, during which a cure spell would have saved him).  Through her inaction Cat allowed a child to die.  And yes, the Attic Whisperer survived.

As Glum and Cat are talking both begin to smell smoke again, the boy they were talking to suddenly looks at Cat and in a voice that is not his own says, "You let me die, please don't kill me again" and runs away around a corner.  The voice was Tanrov's!
You were surprised, so no actions during the surprise round.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:48, Wed 24 Feb 2010.

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[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: "The easiest way", suggested Glum, "Would be to evacuate the place and seal it up. so the creature can starve... assuming they DO starve and not just lie dormant".  He sighed.  "But I suppose we have to do this."]

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[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Glum: You do realize
1- the authorities know about the Attic Whisperer and have sealed off the attic.  But that is about all they can do for now (the kids have to live somewhere).  If they were going to seal up the Academy, they would have done so by now (though the ghost of a dead kid might change their minds, but probably not).

2- a kid has just been possessed by a ghost and run off.]

Joy

[Private to DM; Glum: Cat shakes her head at Glum, "I don't think that will work. Anyways, we must release that  spirit." She heads off, following the boy.]

Yeah we know.

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: Glum casts Protection from Evil on himself and then follows after Catessa.]

[Private to Talis Revain: Zer-wedula will apply his mighty spellcraft to try to determine if  magic caused or in the past caused the man's condition.  He will then try again to determine if Charming the man might help.

(Going to roller)]pm

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Glum: ooc:Good, I wasn't sure from your post, I thought I might have been too subtle. :)

Cat and Glum follow the kid, which proves surprisingly difficult.  He is quick and knows the Academy better than you.  You manage to chase him outside and around a corner to Festival Street where it seems, you aren't the only ones having a bad day.  You see Garth fighting a Varisian man, "You wife stealing bastard, I'm going to gut you" in the middle of the street in front of Madame Mvashti’s (#28).  Even though Garth only has his shorts on and is fighting unarmed, he is still winning.  Near the fight are a couple of Varisian toughs (armed and armored) holding Mara (Garth's married ex-girlfriend) who is wearing nothing but a sheet.  The man he is fighting is Rauno, Mara's husband, who is armed with Garth's own sword and studded leather armor.  There are several people watching the fight.  It doesn't take a wizard to figure out what happened.  The boy is running down the street toward the fight.

As you run after the boy you see Garth disarm the guy and take his sword back.  With a quick punch Rauno falls to his knees with a defeated look and Garth starts to swing at his neck, but stops inches short, "I will not be a murderer, but you must never hurt Mara again" and he turns away.  Mara pulls away from the men and throws her arms around Garth, kissing him (dropping the sheet in the process), "My hero."

This display sets Rauno off and before anyone can react, he pulls out a dagger and stabs Garth in the back with it.  Garth tries to react but Mara gets in his way and the point goes all the way through and sticks out of his bare chest.  Mara screams, "You killed him".  The boy stops 20' from Garth and stares, allowing Glum/Cat to catch up.  Garth crumples to the ground with surprised look on his face (if he isn't dead, then he is at -9).

Glum and Cat/Garious are next to the possessed boy, 20' away from a dead/dying Garth and his attacker, who has friends nearby.  What do Glum and Cat/Garious do?]

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[Private to Talis Revain; Zer-wedula:
ooc:Zer-wedula determines that it is a magical diesase (which requres the heal skill to diagnose).
Charming would make him friendly, but you would still have to deal with the insanity.

While Zer-wedula observes, Tallis will move up to the man talking softly, "Tell us what happened, it will be all right." But gets nothing.  He turns him over so Zer-wedula can get a look at the mans face.  The man opens his eyes and looks around, focusing first on Tallis until he sees Zer-wedula.  Grayst’s eyes bulge and stiffens, "He said. He said you would visit me. His Lordship. The one that unmade me said so. He has a place for you. A precious place. I’m so jealous. He has a message for you. He made me remember it. I hope I haven’t forgotten. The master wouldn’t approve if I forgot. Let me see… let… me… see…He said you should come to the Misgivings soon, to meet the Pack, for they have something wonderful to show you."  He seems to collapse at this point, but a moment later with a mighty heave he rips free from the straightjacket and lunges to his feet, eyes fixed on Zer-wedula, hands flexing like claws.

Your turn, what do Tallis and Zer-wedula do.]

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[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: Glum tries to tumble toward Garth, aiming to land gracefully on his feet.  Unfortunately, he seems to trip over his own feet, then stumble toward Garth, who he examines.  If Garth is still alive, Glum casts a cure light wounds spell to stabilise him.  Otherwise, he announces, "He's dead."]

[Private to DM; Glum: Cat follows Glum, ready to heal as needed. She returns to the boy, "Are you all right?"]
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Glum, give me a heal check.

[Private to Talis Revain; Zer-wedula:
Talis pulls out a sap as he adjusts 5' for tactical advantage and whacks the man a solid blow, but misses the head and hits the base of the neck (15 nonlethal damage- but Grayst is still up).

Zer-wedula craftily steps back to put Talis between him and the miscreant and then casts Daze (DC13) on the man.

The orderlies push the Doctor back and stand between him and the patient.  The Doctor says "Don't kill him, there is so much I can learn from some with gh..." then he shuts up as if he has said too much.

Grayst shakes off the spell (got lucky and made his save) and heads toward Zer, giving Talis another chance (Aoo - hi, 8 damage).  This time he makes a solid hit behind the head, but Grayst keeps on coming, "Kill you, the Master will love me the best".  He appears staggered, but continues his charge on Zer.  He hits for 4 damage (This is real damage).

Talis casually steps behind the man, and whacks him with the sap a 3rd time...and the man crumples to the ground, unconscious.  After a couple of heart beats, the man stays down and the orderlies rush forward and grab the blanket off the bed to use as an improvised straightjacket while the Doctor examines his patient.  Doctor, "I am so sorry, I had no idea he would go off like that."]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:40, Fri 26 Feb 2010.

Anticipated.[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: 23:45, Yesterday: Glum rolled 16 using 1d20+2. examine Garth. ]

[Private to Talis Revain: "Doctor, you are a learned man, and certainly have some insight into the man's condition.  Perhaps you would share your diagnosis with us in private?" Zer-wedula gives a look to Talis.  "We could certainly put in a good word for you in Sandpoint."

13:29, Today: Zer-wedula rolled 17 using 1d20+5. Diplomacy on doctor. ]
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[Private to Zer-wedula: Talis looks at the orderlies wrapping the man up, "Do you have anything stronger?"]
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This message was last edited by the GM at 07:40, Mon 01 Mar 2010.

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Glum: The boy just stares at Garth seemingly entranced by Glums actions.  Glum tries to stop the bleeding with his skill in healing, but is to late.  Perhaps a spell might have saved him, perhaps not.  With Glum concentrating on Garth and Cat on the boy, Rauno gets up and starts to run away with his cronies.  Mara screams theatrically, "Help."  Most of the witnesses just stare, to shocked for action.  A girl, Mvashti's assistant, sobs and runs into Madame Mvashti's house.]
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[Private to Talis Revain; Zer-wedula: The doctor says "Yes, fetch the manacles and another straight jacket."  He seems to be having an internal struggle before saying, "I think the man has ghoul fever.  It's contracted by contact with a ghoul or some spells."]

Oh dear!

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; DM: Glum sighed.  "It could be any one of them now.  I don't know what to do."  He frowned and then after a while smiled.  "We need more research", he said.]

[Private to Zer-wedula: Talis will look at the man with an incredulous look, "He has what?  Doesn't that turn you into a ghoul?  I am going to get Father Zanthus."  Tallis will hop on his horse and quickly ride into town and to find Father Zanthus.  He will tell him, "There is a man desperately ill with ghoul fever at Habe's Sanatorium, can you cure him?"]pm

[Private to DM; Glum: Hearing  the cry for help, Cat attempts to take the boy in hand and go investigate. She gives Glum a confused look, "Huh?"]
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