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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1747412" data-attributes="member: 1210">Things Get Out of Control at the Asylum9:30 p.m., 5/24/368 O.L.G., just outside the Asylum for Advanced Mental TreatmentJawbreaker grins to himself as he scales the wall of the Asylum.  There are lots of ledges and sills for him to grab onto; it’s certainly no more difficult than some of the cliffs he scaled as a lad with his tribe.His dead tribe.  Once more, under his breath he curses all giant-kind. Finally his groping fingers reach the sill of the broken window.  Jawbreaker grunts as his hand grasps a glass shard, slicing his hand, but he ignores the pain.  His muscles bunch as he easily hoists himself into the chamber with the bondage swing.  He glances around warily before moving quickly to lock the door.  Then, chortling softly to himself, he secures his rope to the frame of the swing and throws the other end out the window.  A glance down reveals his friends starting to ascend.  First Martini, then Roscoe, then a reluctant Timothy work their way up.  Finally only Federico remains below.“Can you pull me up?” the kobold whines quietly.  “And maybe Ethel?”  Jawbreaker and Martini haul the rope up, first bringing Feddie’s riding dog tied in a harness and then bringing up Federico himself.  He clings to it with all of his meager strength, and when he reaches safety at the top he lets go with a groan and shakes his tired arms.*  Then they look around, Roscoe pulling out his bow nervously.“Well,” Federico says nervously, “I guess we need to find Sandy’s friend Norman now, right?”Martini nods.  “I’m guessing he’s on the second floor somewhere.”“Yeah, that’s where we stay,” Timothy mutters vacantly.“All right, then,” Federico whispers.  “We’ll need to go down a level....”Ethel suddenly starts growling, and Roscoe whips out an arrow and fits it to the string of his bow.  With an inarticulate cry he lets it fly!  Federico whirls to face the direction Martini’s cousin shot, and he sees a terrifying creature seemingly forming from the air itself!  It looks like a roughly spherical blob of sickly pink and grey fleshy material, covered in gold eyes and sharp-fanged mouths!  Tentacles trail from its body, with two particularly large ones seemingly serving as legs.  The arrow strikes it and it quivers for a moment, but it is difficult to tell whether it is actually harmed.  The things starts moving forward, biting for Timothy but missing, and Jawbreaker gives out a wordless scream of terror and cowers back in a corner.Ethel and Martini spring forward, the dog biting savagely while the halfling swings his greatsword into it.  Roscoe keeps up his barrage of arrows, landing another deeply in the monster.  It lets out a wet squealing sound and surges at Timothy again, but he manages to dodge it, hurling a series of acid splashes before and after.Finally Martini lands a severe blow, cutting deeply into it and slicing it almost in two.  The oily monster collapses and starts to smoke; in less than a minute it has bubbled and evaporated into nothing, leaving only a greasy stain on the floor to mark its passing. “What the hell was that?” Martini growls, but nobody knows.  “Have you seen those things here before, Timothy?”“No...”The ranger shakes his head.  This place is not good, he thinks firmly.Jawbreaker doesn’t say anything, but he’s embarrassed by his fright against the monster.    The group cautiously moves to the door and unlocks it.  Jawbreaker throws it open, axe in hand, and springs immediately at the orderly outside.  The human never even has time to draw his sword.  His axe sinks deeply into the chest of the orderly, and blood fountains.  With only a minimum amount of noise, the orderly crumples.The group eases itself into the hall.  Timothy looks away from the bloody body of the orderly.  “The stairs are that way,” Federico whispers, gesturing to the right.  The party begins to move down the hall, and then down the stairs.  The hall below is shaped like a U; along it are doors to all the cells.  There are small windows at eye level for a human- which means our heroes can’t see through them due to their short stature.  Jawbreaker moves next to the stairs down to the first level, his bloody axe at the ready.“Do you know which room is Norman’s, Timothy?” Martini asks.  Timothy shakes his head.  Martini purses his lips.  “We’ll have to find him another way.”  He moves over to one of the rooms.  “Hello in there!” he calls.He hears the sounds of movement, but there is no reply.  “We’re looking for someone,” Martini continues.  “Um, someone held against his will.  We want to help him.”“I am held against my will.”Martini’s interest is piqued.  “Who are you?”“I am the Emperor of Forinthia!”“Um, sure you are.  Well, thanks, but we’re not looking for you.”“Who are you looking for?” the patient asks.“Someone named Norman.”  Martini sighs. “I am Norman!” the voice claims from within his cell.“Really?”“No!  He lies!” cries another voice from a different cell.  Obviously someone else is listening.  “I am Norman!”“No, it is I- Emperor Norman of Forinthia!  If you free me, I will reward you with a million gold pieces!”“No!” cries a woman’s voice from yet another cell.  “I’m Norman.  Me, me, me, me...”And then a cacophony of voices from dozens of cells: “No, it’s me!”  “I’m the real Norman!”  “No, they’re lying, you want me!”  “Free me, I’m Norman!” “No, I’m Norman!” “Please, I am the real Norman!”“Oh no,” Federico moans, “we’ve roused the loonies.”“They’re making a lot of noise,” Roscoe comments pointedly, and just in time.Suddenly an orderly rushes up from below, a sap in his hand.  As he sees our heroes his eyes widen.  “Stop!” he shouts.  “Intruder- AAGH!”Jawbreaker’s axe crashes into his chest and the orderly drops in another spray of blood.  His body rolls down the stairs.  “Uh oh,” Jawbreaker grunts, and glances at the others.  “More coming, hurry up!” he calls.“Oh man, what do we do now?” Federico groans.Next Time: What will our heroes do?  How will they find Norman?  And who else will they let free in the process?*Never forget that Federico’s strength is 1.  Just for the record, Timothy’s wisdom is 3 and there are several other very low wisdom and strength scores in the party...</blockquote>

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