The Devil's Dreams, Chapter Five

[ewancummins]

As Zandor tries to help Alain, Rotwang says-

''Wait, be careful! It's quite obvious the man is dangerously insane, perhaps driven mad the the devil's horn fungus. Yes, we should give him first aid, but let's think to protect ourselves at the same time. If he comes to, he may attack someone again. We should tie him up and gag him. He has powerful magic, and he might kill one of us in his blind rage!"

[JMaytr]

"I agree. Evil magic can warp a man's mind...this devil fungus can only make it worse. Yes, lets bind him. From what I know of wizards they sometimes require a pouch of arcane ingredients or a tome of spells. Perhaps someone should take custody of such things if he possesses them. If he doesn't have such things...he could have demon blood within him that manifests the magic."

Zandor holds off on his spell and administers first aid to Alain, moving his clothes and weapons when need be.

[Ail]

Eustace thanks Dorgio for his spell and laughs with him

"Indeed you can! Who would say? I'm so glad, I thought I was done for down there!"


He then thanks warmly for Dorgio's promise of help.

BEfore Gennifer can react to his words, though, he is shocked by the sudden fracas that emerges and the apparent insanity in Alain's mind. He reacts to it as fast as he can, but can not avoid the confrontation and the fungus that falls on Alain's face. As Toddlestone helps Thom, he approaches and says


"Please, let me do this."

and he casts a healing prayer on the bookseller.

OOC: he loses Blessed Aim and casts Cure Light Wounds.
1d8+4 (+2 due to Augment Healing) = 12
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3063347/

[ewancummins]

Thom opens his eyes. He groans. He sits up...

[RocEter]

Groaning Thom uses the wall as brace while stands up. Looking at Eustace he nods to him "Thank you." He says. Seeing Alain down on the ground and not moving he shakes his head. "Is he dead?" He says to no one in particular as he free moves for yet another potion.

Thom groans a little more as he moves his arm around and drinks the potion.

[ewancummins]

Zandor holds off on his spell and administers first aid to Alain, moving his clothes and weapons when need be.

The others see Zandor remove some of Alain's weapons and gear and set it aside. Alain wears a fine shirt of mail under his clothes. Zandor removes that to check for burns and other injuries. At one point, the bard peeks inside a bag he has found hidden inside Alain's clothes. He also examines Alain's hands.

[Ail]

Eustace nods at Thom

"No problem, that's what I do anyway."


Then, looking at Alain, he asks


"Anything intersting?"


He looks around to see how the others are doing, in particular Everline, Gennifer, Toddlestone and Rotwang. He is surprised at how the two sages have performed down there. He despaired much sooner than them, and is till afraid.


"I think we should wrap everything ready and get out of these tunnels. This environment is not good for our health and we have Lady Gennifer.
As for Gauderic, I suspect it is either a family business that will be settled down here with no winner, or they will both leave the caves at the other side, where we entered earlier today. But I think we should go, and put safe those that shouldn't need to risk their lives here."

[ewancummins]

(Alain doesn't answer Eustace, of course. Zandor might...)

[RocEter]

Still using the wall as his brace Thom looks around some more to gather his bearings. "Did the madness take hold him?" His says his voice filled part concern and part anger.

Turning away from Alain he responds to Eustace. "You are right we should return back to the manor as soon as possible. Benn, Dorgio I am sorry you had to lose yet another friend to these damned caverns!"

[Ail]

(deleted)

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"No," Everline says. She walks up to the downed Alain and does something odd; holding her index and middle fingers together, she starts to rapidly tap his back. Once that is done with, she straightens up again, lifting the fungoid if it does not fight her.

"Go back if you must," the girl says, "but Theophile is a murderer - he'll be a mass-murderer if we don't do something about the devil-horn. We can't just let him walk. Also, we can't abandon Gauderic down here; he walked into the dark to give us a chance, all alone and into the clutches of rats, demons and who knows what else. We should see him back to the light. I'm not leaving here yet."

The girl wraps the fungoid in a fold of her coat and presses the wand to her own throat.

"If anyone else needs some healing, speak up now," she says, watching you all through a narrowed, blue-eyed gaze. "Because once I'm going... I may not be back."

[Adam]

Benn stands, too shocked (apparently) to respond to any of the actions of his friends. As things finally wind down, Benn steps forward, arms up.

"That is quite enough of this madness!" Benn firmly states, eyes moving back and forth between the squabbling party members. "Thom, before we leave you're showing us whatever that note stated. I am more than willing to go help Gauderic, but I am damned tired of risking my life without knowing why. If you want my aid and, if I don't overstep myself, the aid of my allies, you'll grant this small request. There are more important matters at stake than whatever privacy concerns of the DeLapore's you're apparently trying to maintain."

He looks at Alain's belongings, spying something that causes his eyes to narrow in confusion. "That bag," Benn says, pointing at a small embroidered bag found amongst the possessions. "Let me see it. It would appear Alain was more deranged than I believed."

He turns back to the group. "With permission, Frau Everline, I would recommend the group split up. Those who wish to pursue Gauderic and Theophile will help remove this brown mold and then move forward. Those who do not will escort Lady Weathermay and, I would ask, Professors Rotwang and Toddlestone back to the surface. You've done enough. And frankly, raving though he was, that thing just attacked one of my friends. I would not see the same result repeated again. As for me, if Herr Thom feels like allowing my simple request, I tend to agree with Eve that the effort must at least be made to find and stop Theophile and rescue Gauderic."

[Ail]

Eustace mutters a prayer to Belenus. Not a spell of any kind, just a small prayer for confidence, of the regular kind. He continues shaken with all the events and feels his courage faltering. He tries to recall the sufferings of brave heroes from the canon of his religion, in search of support. He feels Benn and Everline have strong points, but he wants to see what the others will do.


"Whatever the group chooses, I will try to be the most useful. But I reserve my decision until I've heard everyone."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio frowns and kneels next to Alain's unmoving form. If Alain's condition appears to still be unstable, Dorgio will utter a brief prayer to stabilize him.* "Zandor, that was ill-thought. The situation had to be stopped, but a blade through the back?" He shakes his head. "Still, he was the instigator. Perhaps we should be tying him up until we can get some answers."

He squints his eyes, looking at the bag in Benn's hands. "Yes...that is looking like Cirdan's pouch! Benn, are Cirdan's belongings in the bag?"

Turning to address Everline and Thom, he says, "Yes, Theophile is on the loose, but we must be knowing more before we chase on to our deaths. Thom, what was in that note? What could possibly make you and Gauderic seek an escape so quickly?"


[[ooc: cure minor wounds if Alain is still alive but not yet stabilized]]

[Ail]

"Who is Cirdan?"

Eustace asks.