Chapter 4: Lyrie's Sendoff

Brodert Quink

"Oh hello," Brodert answers the doors adjusting his glasses. "To what do I owe this visit?"

He is shocked to hear the news, though it smells like he hasn't left his house in days. All over his study is cluttered with opened books and several half written scrolls. "Still digesting the Thistletop ruins find," he explains.


Habe's Sanitorium

The squat, stone building that serves as the sanatorium has three floors under a stout, stone-flagged roof, and is built in the lee of the limestone escarpment known as Ashen Rise.

Walking up the steps to a veranda that leads to the front door, you think you may have announced your presence already as the steps make a horrible creaking sound. Though opening the front door you find yourself in a reception area with a desk and three chairs. A cord hangs from a hole in the southern wall above a sign that reads, 'Ring for service.'

There is a door to the north and to the south (next to the cord).

Some time passes before you suddenly hear steps coming closer. You hear the clatter of a keychain and then the southern door unlocks. Entering is a tall man with a wool shawl around his head.

"Sorry you had to wait," the man says and hold out his hand to shake. "Doctor Erin Habe at your service."

"So how can I help you today? Anyone of you in need of my services?"

"I can tell by your appearance that you are of the adventuring type," Dr. Habe explains. "Your profession isn't the... let's say... calmest of professions. I have found many in your line of work need a refreshment after surviving a fireball too many."

He takes out a book from a drawer and opens it up to back half, you can see a long list of names, though most of the names have both a check in and check out date. "Which patient did you have in mind?"

Brodert Quink

"I think it the connection worked both ways. From what we read of her journal she seemed to be pregnated in the smuggler caves and it somehow warped her... fetus. But we check in on it daily, it has not shown any sign of acting back up."

"Perhaps the murders are an attempt to reawaken it. Nualia was trying to figure out how, maybe someone has succeeded where she failed."

Habe's Sanitarium

Dr. Habe sighs. "Well I suppose I will make an exception this once... for the town's well being."

He takes out his keys and motions for you to follow him. He lead you into the southern door which lead into a big, mostly empty room, which seems to serve as a kitchen in one end. Some tables are set up but stands empty right now. The tables are thick with dust, indicating they haven't seen use in quite some time.

Three doors stand on the western side of the room, one bear the sign: 'Storage. Authorized personnel only'

In the southern end waits another door. Dr. Habe unlocks it and reveal a stairwell going up to the second floor. The stair lead up to a small room where another door stands. This one is secured with iron bands that the doctor once again unlocks and opens.

He lead you into what looks like a small common room with 5 cells around it. As the sound of the door opens two voices can be heard. One just makes a high pitched shrieking sound, the other sounds far older and can be understood. "Where am I? Get me out of here!"

"Poor Wald," Dr. Habe explains. "Seen some horrible tragedy. Every day he's back to the same day. His mind refuses to move on. Just keep following, the one you want is on the third floor."

So he lead you to another stairwell going up into a room with four more doors. One to the east has once again a sign of only authorized personell, but no explanation of what's behind it. The last three doors sits on the southern wall. Habe walks over to one of them and unlocks it. "Your mysterious stranger."

The man inside is pale and looks gangrenous, his hair wild and eyes milky white. He is secured in a straitjacket and he sits on a small uncomfortable looking bed, his upper body swaying back and forth. He's muttering some words under his breath, but you are unable to pick up the words.