Amara found it suspicious that the undead fled before battle was even enjoined. She looked around cautiously, taking advantage of our levitated position, to see if there might be any more approaching from any direction - especially of the types that might be incorporeal and not make noise when moving.

Kali grimaced as her flaming sphere missed the Ghast, but allowed herself a brief smile as Nolan's fireball Destroyed a fair chunk of the enemies. She concentrated on the sphere, willing the sphere to change directions and follow one of the ghasts.

Standard action: Mentally move the sphere to chase Ghast 5
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Tue 25 Oct 2016.

Twiggy sends another stone at the undead but it falls short, he is not used to these long distances with a sling "Are we going to go after them? As long as the clerics stay back these things will not fight back until the turning wears off."




14:05, Today: Twiggy Flinch rolled 9 using 1d20+8.  sling magic bullet to undead 5

"I would suggest we finish doing whatever we are planning on doing with the room and what is within," Amara replied to Twiggy, but with the sort of tone that made it clear she did not consider that a requirement and that discussion, or being overruled, was certainly possible.

"Well, Byron," Myarra sighs, lowering her sword slightly while looking around in all directions.  Assuming there are no more enemies approaching, she continues, "It would appear our services are not required.  Shall we finish searching the bodies.  I think the others can take care of these last two stragglers."

Fury burns in Lennox's eyes as he remains on one knee, his own mighty greatsword barely clutched in a sweaty fist. The sweat beads along his temples, and his breathing is ragged. He was humiliated, and enraged. Culver, by all that's Holy and not... He mentally directs his fury to the man presently responsible for everything in his life at that moment. The coldness wracking his body is bone deep. He know's that the sensations are unnatural, but as he empties himself again... That only makes him angrier and angrier.

Round 4 Results----------

Lennox doesn't feel well at all due to the horrid stench of the Ghast, dry heaving and cursing Culver at the same time. Nolan casts a Magic Missile spell and keeps hitting Ghast 6 until it fell, then to Ghast 5, who took the last of the missiles. Kalliyan rams the last Ghast with her Flaming Sphere and the abomination falls to the ground in a burning heap.

Battle is over.

Experience has been updated: link to a message in this game

Name        Initiative        Health       Misc.
Lennox          27            37/37        ^Protection Devotion feat, $Sickened
Nolan           24            67/67        Levitated, Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Kalliyan         21            29/29        Mass Conviction! Flaming Sphere^ ^Protection Devotion feat
Panther         21            ??/??        Mass Conviction! Magic Fang ^Protection Devotion feat
Byron           20            53/53        Shield of Faith*, Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Myarra          20            65/65        Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Twiggy          14            24/24        Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Iron Golem      12            129/129
Roenthelm       07            44/44        Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Aliana          05            38/38        Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Khayyim         04            46/46        Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat
Amara           01            37/37        Mass Conviction! ^Protection Devotion feat, Levitated

Undead destroyed: 5 Ghoul, 4 Wights, 3 Ghast

*Shield of Faith = +2 to AC for 7 rounds
!Mass Conviction = +2 Morale bonus on all saves for 497 rounds
^Flaming Sphere = Red Circle FS on Battle Map
Magic Fang = +1 Enchantment bonus to Hit and Damage for 37 Rounds
^Protection Devotion feat, all allies within 30' burst gain +3 Sacred bonus to AC for 8 rounds.
$Sickened: -2 penalty on all rolls for ?? Rounds

Battle Map #1 has been updated
#2 and #3 are pictures of what the undead look like.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:16, Tue 25 Oct 2016.

Amara pulled her legs up, to sit cross-legged in the air, levitating near the ceiling. "I shall keep watch."

In reply to Myarra (msg # 7):

Byron sighs a long sigh himself.  Teasing both Nolan and Myarra a little.  Nolan's fireball took all our fun out of this.  Then in a much more serious tone directed at Nolan.  Then again a good fireball can save a lot of lives and effort.

Looking at Twiggy.  Myarra and I had little sparring match a few days ago.  I wouldn't want to get in the way of her sword and so I moved so that we'd both have room to swing our swords without interfering with each other. As we both prefer the same type of sword it made it easier for me to know how much room we both needed in this hallway.  Since we lost Alstadin, I trust Myarra to watch one of my flanks and I hope she trusts me the same way in combat.

Looking at Kali and her panther.  Ry makes a very good guardian for you both in and out of combat.

Byron then helps with the burying of the bodies who deserve to be buried with respect.

Looking around and making sure everyone was OK, "Is anyone hurt? I can't heal much, but what I do have is yours."

Roenthelm seemed very concerned for the party's well being, making sure everyone was doing alright.

Khayyim wiped his blade clean of the blood and ichor using a rag on one of the creature's corpses, then turned to Lennox.

"Will you be alright? This smell can be quite unsettling to the unprepared, but the unease will not last very long. Breathe quietly, walk around a bit, it will subside quickly."

Returning to his comrades, the cleric frowned, a grim look upon his face.

"Well, that was over quickly. I gather you lot have not had much opportunity to face such creatures? Their touch and smell can be awful to the weak of constitution, but trained warriors can dispatch them with ease. In addition, the spells I cast would have protected you against their foul curse. Quite frankly, I would have expected more... vigor. You don't look like rookies. But maybe I just misunderstood your tactics. If staying back and waiting is more your style, I shall use different spells next time."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Wed 26 Oct 2016.

Moving around the people in her group, Aliana smiled.
"If anyone was hurt, I can help them.  The healing light of Oghma is with me."

Having the Golem changed our tactics somewhat.  Without the Golem, I would have, and I'm pretty sure that Myarra would have charged right into the middle of them without too much of a second thought.  With the Golem, we would have allowed them to get between us because the Golem is immune to some of their effects and would have been able to attack from behind enhancing its effectiveness.

Scratching his beardless chin, Khayyim gave Byron's reply some thoughts.

"Hmm... There is value to this proposal, undoutbtedly. Though I would rather say that having the golem gives front line combatants an opportunity to completely block the path towards the back line, enabling them to act freely. Letting the enemy come this close to the back line, especially an enemy that is rather imposing on the weaker stomach, sounds like a precarious gambit."

Turning towards the succubus, he tilted his head and asked:

"Your thoughts, Milady?"

I am fine. Thank you for asking.

Turning to the group,

The golem will not be coming with us. It stays here to protect the doorway back there. We were lucky that it was here with us when the undead appeared. The fight might have turned ugly if it wasn't. But, if my memory serves me right, we usually wait for the enemy to come to us, unless we know we can take them out quickly, or have to take them out quickly.

This encounter we had didn't surprise me at all. Adventurers come in here looking for treasure and perhaps let the undead out. There are many areas where we haven't explored yet, so I suggest we take the time to bury all these bodies so they don't come back as undead and block our path back to the portal.

Roen looked through the doorway at the doomed inside the room with the shattered mirror, then at the undead burning in the hallway. "I don't have anything to carry the bodies with or any tools to dig their graves, but I will do my best to put these people to rest."

In reply to Roenthelm (msg # 18):

Aliana nodded to the man.
"I'll help if I can.  Either with words of blessing, or with hands to carry."

"Keep calling me weak priest." Lennox growls, feeling the target of various comments. Knuckles of both hands tightly clenched on his greatsword. Still, the advice was sound and already something that he was trying to do. For being a front-line combatant, he surely wasn't feeling like one... And that pissed him off almost as much as his rage at Culver. Mixing Steel and Spell was no easy feat, but it was more and more feeling inadequate in the face of things his companions were capable of. Even the new folk were making increasing his feeling of inadequacy.

Roen turned at the words of Lennox, thinking that they were meant for him, but it appeared they were meant for Khayyim. Not wanting a fight between party members, Roen quickly thought of something to make the party chuckle, "So, I heard it's the year 1372? I've been trapped in that mirror for about 40 years. What's new on the outside?"

"I am uninjured. Thank you," Amara replied to the offers for healing. "As for tactics, generally the spellcasters are allowed to cast area damaging spells first and then the combatants move in - with or without the golem. Assuming there is time. If there is not, then the combatants may just move in." She looked at Nolan thoughtfully for a moment, "Bury them where? Are you suggesting going back and forth through the portal several times? Do you really think they will reanimate in a few hours? Otherwise, I would suggest we return with them for burial - that is fine - but right now I suggest we continue to look for the Stone of Balance. Unless you had a different plan?"

Twiggy shrugged at Byron when he was telling of their fighting tactics "Good to know. I will not get in the middle of a good thing.  I will be in the room gatering the rest of the trinkets. I am sure it will take a bit but I will learn when snd where to help." looking in the room he sighs then goes to work not wanting to get in the middle of the heated words but adds "You smarter cleric types know how to stop a body from turning not that I think these will since they have been here for a long while."

The young druid looked at the corpses of the undead with a mixture of sadness, horror and anger. With the discussion of burial, she turned to the group.

"They will be burried or burnt, of that there is no doubt. If they are likely to come back, a pyre may be prudent." she looks back at the bodies with a look, then to the rest. "...but they will not remain as they are. This mission is important, but so is the balance of life and death. These things may slow us, but the fallen deserve respect."

Kali places a hand on Lennox's shoulder with a half smile. "...And maybe save the infighting for later too. We have many more obstacles ahead Lennox....your skills, like the rest of ours, will be tested." From her tone, she wasn't condescending or taking side, just pointing out that every person's skills were unique

....and she knew all their skills would be needed to keep them alive

"No one is saying they won't be buried or burned, or that they should not be given final rest," Amara said. "Only that it does not seem necessary nor prudent to do so immediately. They have been waiting for... some time. I see no reason that they can not wait another day or two."

Amara, I disagree with you about waiting a day or two.  I believe it is in our best interests that we take care of these bodies; and as much as I hate to say and do this, I believe the bodies should be burned in a funeral pyre.  Yes our missions on finding the stones of balance and stopping Culver are the most important missions in our lives currently, however taking care of these dead individuals will not delay us too long.

Looking at Twiggy.

Are you done acquiring objects of interest to you?  If so Aliana and I have some work to do if no one else is going to help us.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:56, Fri 28 Oct 2016.

Aliana, the librarian, paused and pursed her lips in thought.
"I've been living in a library up until the last few months, so I might not be the best one to talk about current events, though I have learned a bit of history in that time."