The sight before him is a frightening one. Or at least it would be to the average man and Finn is no average man. As he enters the room his eyes take in the scene. Before him is a mass of his friends and the undead. Horrible flesless boney things that move in an unnatural way. But what Razzel does not see is the mad apprentice. He's either turned invisible or he's lost in the crowd on the far side of the cavern. It doesn't take the plucky mercenary long to realize that if he plowed through the middle of this cavern he'd likely wind up one of Mika'il's mindless servants.


OOC:
Castings spells.

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:31, Wed 23 Oct 2019.

Judoc struggles to keep himself up, flailing out with his staff to strike the skeleton clinging at his foot but the blow goes awry as Judoc flinches with pain that shoots through his neck and his body.  His mind barely manages to keep him airborne as he attempts to retreat back within the cave, his body aching with the weight of several forms pulling him back down to the ground!  Bony fingers cling over the eye holes in Judoc's mask, obscuring his vision as the mage flails out again, this time connecting with something, though the blow is glancing rather than a bracing impact.

Finn too, attempts to use his magic, halting his run in his tracks as the plucky thief uses his empty hand to aid in his spellcasting.  The skeleton ahead of him reaches out, both arms gripping towards Finn as the other retreats, his concentration for the spell foiled.  Again the thing advances, and again Finn abandons his spell, intent only on keeping himself from being grappled by the abomination.

Yards ahead, Magnus scrambles to a knee, though even before he can stand he feels the hands of the skeletons reaching out to grab him.  His positioning and his shield impeding his own movement, Magnus is unable to keep the things at bay, forcing himself up to his feet as he feels one grip at his shoulders from the left, and another from the right!  Though in an instant, Bjorn is there, his axe smashing downwards in a blow that makes one of the skeletons explode into a shower of chalky white!

OOC:  Sorry guys, no map for time.  Finn, you were attacked both turns, and with your defense you are required to make a Will roll at -3 to continue to cast, which you missed on both turns.  No spells are cast and no fatigue expended.  You still have both hands empty if I remember correctly.  Magnus, you are grappled by the skeleton to your left.  You are in close combat, which renders a -4 to attack for your weapon, not to mention an additional -2 for your shield.  You can attempt to break free with only the -2 affecting you if you wish.  Bjorn is standing in our aft right hex and taking on another skeleton that has stepped up in front of him.

Judoc seems to be in quite a pickle, with three or four skeletons now hanging off him and dragging him to the ground as they essentially drive his move to 0.  His vision is obscured, he's being slowly eaten alive and all his attempts to use his staff have come to little real effect.

Let's do 4 rounds this time.

Despite his best efforts, Judoc is slowly being gnawed to death by these unholy abominations. For once, his flying has not given him the edge it normally has, and his staff does not seem to be making much of a dent in the undead horde. He longs to conjure up some flame magic to scour these skeletons, but it is impossible to concentrate on spellcasting in such conditions. Desperately, he reaches out to Aiah.


OOC: All-Out Defense.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:07, Thu 24 Oct 2019.

Magnus, increasingly frustrated with the predicament, reared back his broad head and tried his utmost to headbutt the offending skeleton in the skull. Dimly re realized that Judoc had not taken priority over catching the fleeing Mik'ail, and so Magnus did his utmost to fight his way towards him in before he was ripped apart.

Finn is growing frustrated.  He prides himself on the kind of man who makes a difference and right now, for all his talent and gifts he is about as helpful as a fish out of water.  Gritting his teeth the mage-thief tries again.

Judoc is living the stuff of nightmares, his eyes shuttered with bony fingers that grasp at his face, the feel of the undead's skull pressings against his own, its teeth scraping against his body as he feel the throbbing pain of his accumulated wounds.  He pulls himself upwards with the force of his spell, though it seems he has little left to give and is still being drug under by the weight of the several skeletons that are now (judging by the weight clinging on his feet and legs) climbing on top of each other to mount him like some flying steed.  Ahead, Judoc hears the receding cackle of Mika'il, reduced now to mere echoes that reverberate off the tunnel ahead.  Judoc thrusts his staff over his shoulder, trying to find leverage between himself and the unseen, deathly face, though with nothing to see by the effort proves fruitless.

Meanwhile, Finn is likewise having difficulties, staggering backwards as the skeleton lurches forward again, Finn's spell fizzling on his fingers even as he attempts to cast.  The thing lurches forward again, this time stumbling on the cave floor, forcing Finn to step to the side, a lucky break as he did not realize how close he was to the cave wall.  Again Finn tries to cast and fails, beads of sweat now forming on his head from either stress or fatigue...

But something else catches on Finn's attention, running footfalls from his left, down the tunnel they had all recently entered.  His head cocks to the side even as he begins to concentrate again.

""Fiends!"  Rondald's voice shouts from the entrance of the cave, his axe already in motion, slicing cleanly through the skeleton ahead of Finn without even slowing his stride.

Magnus too seems to make quick work of his skeleton, rocking backwards and then thrusting forward with his horns, spearing the thing through the ribcage before it even has a chance to make good on it's own grapple.  The jangle of bones drapes down over Magnus's head, flailing with unlife though it cannot seem to clear itself from the Minotaur's horns.  Magnus's neck throbs with the added weight, though he turns immediately towards their mage who still languishes with four skeletons hanging all over his body.

Bjorn swings his axe, cleaving an arm from his own foe, then slashing the thing again until it clatters to the ground.

Begging to his familiar for help, Judoc prepares himself for death... though it turns out that is not to be.  Crash!  Magnus's mace shatters through bone as it swings through not one but two of the skeletons clinging from Judoc's leg.  Rondald's axe smashes through another and all of a sudden the load on Judoc shaves in half, his effort sending him spiraling upward as he crashes into the roof of the cave!  Bones crunch as Judoc, disoriented lowers himself again, his eyes still obscured by the last of the monsters hanging from his body.

Crack!  End over end, Bjorn's axe flies through the air until it smacks straight into the last skeleton's ribcage, severing it cleanly through the spinal column.  The foe falls away in two pieces, its fingers scrabbling away from Judoc's mask as it falls to the ground...

OOC:  My apologies for asking for 4 seconds on that one.  It was intended because I was pretty sure that was about the amount of time you needed to turn the tide and for us to get out of combat.  I'm also trying to keep things moving with my limited time for posting.  There are yet some "living" skeletons, one that's acting as a sort of hat for Magnus and a couple others that have fallen to the ground and are easy pickings for Magnus and Rondald.  Mika'il now has a 4 or 5 second lead on the rest of you if someone wants to give chase again.  If not, you guys can feel free to post general intentions again rather than second by second action.

Finn, your Block spell was successful, and did not require the use of a hero point (as you weren't attacked that turn).  You have the invisibility potion in your left hand, your knife in your right and another 58 seconds to go with your spell on.

Judoc, You managed not to sustain any further damage these four turns based on some fortunate rolls.  I would imagine however, that you are still a little stressed out over the whole situation.  Make a fright check roll.  You have also had no response from Aiah and you aren't sure if she heard you (she didn't seem interested in coming underground at all in the first place).

"God damn it!" Magnus bellowed as he flailed wildly in circles in an attempt to force off the skeleton that was wedged firmly onto the curvature of his horns.

The skeleton too, flailed helplessly in response. Whatever poor accursed soul had inhabited that mortal form, who knew how many long years ago, could surely never have imagined that their mortal remains would one day suffer the indignity of adorning a Minotaurs head like some kind of morbid decoration.

"Go get'em! I got this!" he insisted, and bent forward at the waist to jiggle his horns vigorously, to no avail.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Sun 27 Oct 2019.

Have you ever had a nightmare where you are being consumed alive and simultaneously buried under writhing, rotting cadavers? Judoc is a brave man, but right now a better moniker for him than the Merciful would be the Rash, for he has very nearly thrown away his life in his pell-mell pursuit of the necromancer’s apprentice, Mika’il.

However, this moment is not fated to be Judoc’s death, for he is saved at the last moment by Magnus and Bjorn. Judoc has never been more grateful to see anyone in his life. His eyes full of gratitude, he says ”Magnus, Bjorn—I owe you my life.”

But Mika’il is still running away. Who knows what tricks and turns the apprentice can still throw at them? But Judoc knows he can still catch Mika’il. ”Let’s go get him!” he says, and launches himself after the necromancer.

OOC: Judoc will take off after Mika’il once more.

Finn was a man who prided himself in seeing the big picture.  He rarely lost sight of it.  Here, they are all alive, found some nice treasures to take home and at last, and despite some set backs, have found the head of the snake as Khladun put it.  But in this moment Razzel cannot see outside of the small space he feels stuck in.  His efforts have come to nothing.  He is impotent, useless.  This is a strange and dirty sensation that the young mage-thief loathes.  Ahead he can see that Judoc is in serious trouble and for all his wily ways the leader has no tricks now to get him past his bony foe.  Try as he might his spell work is foiled time and time again.  Then, as he is as close to loosing hope as he can remember being, out of no where the cavalry arrives to hack and chop their way to save the day.

Finn smiles as again he can see the wide scope.  Their quarry is within sight, if only they have the courage and guts to go get him.


OOC:
Take off running to follow Judoc and the others in pursuit of Mika'il.

Finn and Judoc along with Rondald forsake the remains of the battle and the pair of their comrades to chase after Mika'il who already has several precious seconds of head start before them.  Judoc flies fastest, accelerating to harrowing speeds as he darts through the small tunnel that leads on.  His necklace bobbling just over his leathers radiates light ahead, illuminating the steel grey walls and the soft purple fungus that seem to line the caverns.  In a moment, Judoc bursts into the next chamber, his eyes scouring the walls ahead for clues as to Mika'il's whereabouts.  And for a moment, Judoc thinks he sees it, the flash of a heel going around a corner ahead... but when he hurries on to get a better view the tunnel curves around to the left, obscuring Judoc's view of anything beyond.

Seconds behind him, Finn and Rondald rush in, though when they see Judoc hovering midair in the middle of the chamber with no trace of the wizard, the two slow, their ire rising at the tantalizingly close encounter which could have meant the end of their mission.

Instead of chasing on, the three slow and gain their bearings.

The cavern is moderate sized, some forty feet long and twenty wide, the walls lined with burial niches, some of which are complete with bones or entire skeletons resting in their eternal slumber.  Others seem empty, or worse, defiled as there are various bones shattered and strewn about the room...  Odder still, the acrid smell of flame and charred skin hang in the air which take a moment to place before the three find another set of corpses, these like monstrous and massive gophers, just over knee height.  Giant char marks cover the bodies, their thick fur burned back to the skin which blisters and bleeds, marking the recent injury.

After a few moments of looking around, Magnus, Bjorn, Gustav, and Terri walk in the room behind them, Terri limping slightly and favoring her left leg.

"I may need a minute."  Terri says, slumping back against a wall to rest.

OOC:  Ok, the two rooms are a little complicated, so I added a map to clear up the details.  You guys entered room 2 from the bottom left and fought there with the skeletons.  Mika'il ran into room three from there, which is where you guys lost him.  Additionally, there is a tunnel that goes out of room 2 on the bottom right of the map, that seems to be filled with the same sticky tar you guys encountered earlier on the other side of the complex.

Of the two tunnels going out of room 3, only one is passable.  The one on the right side of the map is only just over a foot wide and even Terri's shoulders would have a hard time passing through if she crawled.  The tunnel at the top of the map turns to the left ahead and after a private with Judoc, he ensured me he wasn't willing to chase Mika'il on without some decent information.

Terri rolled her ankle on the jump down the staircase, which is temporarily crippled, though will be fine in about 15 minutes.  You also have several members of the group who are significantly fatigued.

Burning to catch up to Mika’il and eliminate the threat the necromancer poses, Judoc pushes himself to follow as fast as he can. The young mage silently curses their adversary for covering the retreat so well with skeletons behind and who knows what ahead.  As much as Judoc longs to pursue the apprentice, the Templar students knows he is stronger with his allies’ support.

Immediately, he drops into that peculiar state mages adopt when recovering their magical capabilities, his pace slower, his breathing quieter.

”I’m sorry, my friends,” he says, frowning, in a rare moment of humility. ”I thought I could catch Mika’il, but I wasn’t prepared for his undead minions. We are stronger together, and I was reckless I  my haste. I am particularly in debt to Magnus and Bjorn for rescuing me.”

He looks at the others, plainly out of breath, and knows from the after-effects of the Great Haste spell that Magnus in particular will be bushed. ”I can help take away some of your fatigue if you wish, though I will need to rest to recover from my tiredness afterward. Terri, if you need healing, I can help. I know it’s harder for the weaker sex to keep up with the rest of us.” He says this last without malice, indeed, even apologetically with a touch of respect for Terri’s capabilities.

”So, Finn, do we rest, or shall we pursue Mika’il? I still have the Blur wand, though I do not know if it has any more magical juice left.”

OOC: Begin resting to regain fatigue. Judoc will wait for Finn’s directions, but Judoc can continue to pursue Mika’il or wait for the others.

I can scout ahead a short ways if you like.

Magnus staggered to a snails pace, and then bent over slightly as he tried to catch his breath. There was a slight froth around his nostrils and lips and his chest heaved under his armor with every labored breath. For a time he said nothing, and just shook his head as he paced back and forth.

Finally, after he had taken a few sips of tepid water and experienced a spasm of dry coughing, he spoke.

"Quick little bastard..." he cursed. "And smart...setting up those skeletons like that. Damn clever" he admitted.

When Judoc mentioned rent, Magnus nodded. "Yeah, I need a minute, my knees are killing me" he admitted, then stood on one leg than the other as he bent them slowly.

Finn enters the next room and he visibly sinks at the realization that again their foe has eluded them.  Not now but in the days to come Razzel will console himself in that his failures are not born out of some mundane inferior human traits.  No, Mika'il is possessed and enhanced by a daemonic spirit.

As Judoc sits to rest so too does Finn.  He hadn't wanted to.  His instinct is to pursue their hated enemy now that they have him in their sights.  But so too is to stay alive.  And running off into the unknown as they had with the room full of skeletons...what other traps has the apprentice prepared?  What other chambers of horrors can Mika'il flee into thereby knocking the party down one bony hand at a time until nothing remains?

Finn dwells on it a moment.  Most of them looked winded, himself included after his failed and then successful casting.  And poor Terri.  A bum ankle is no way to fight.


OOC:
Not sure what I want to do quite yet.  I'm tempted to go chasing after Mika'il but given that half of us are winded and the wand may be empty.  I'll ask OOC.

Gustav Sheathes his sword and reloads the cross bow, cocking it for the next surprise.

Would a Healing Potion help Terri?

Her hand prodding and massaging her ankle, Terri is only listening halfheartedly, shaking her head slowly at the offer of assistance.  When Judoc mentions about her being of the weaker sex however, she immediately glances up, shooting Judoc a look of surprise before glancing daggers over at Rondald, who seems to be paying little more attention as he glances through the various dug out nooks in the walls where the buried corpses rest.

"Oh, aren't you just heroic."  Terri nearly spits the words out at Rondald who then turns his head surprised by the sudden attack.

"What?"  The mariner asks, though Terri is already turning her head to Gustav to respond to his offer.

"No, I'll be fine Gustav, thank you for your concern - really, I think it's just rolled... It'll be fine in a minute."

OOC:  I'm following along in the OOC thread, though please post actions here when you guys are ready to decide how long to rest and who is going to move out when.

"You criticized me for stopping to help, then criticized me for rushing ahead to help the others. Make up you mind, woman."

He took her pack to take what load off her ankle that he could. (Is she carrying one?)
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:00, Thu 07 Nov 2019.

Terri, who has only just finished thanking Gustav, takes Rondald's retort like a slap in the face.  She doubles back, her mouth agape and her eyes wide, unable even to come up with a response for several moments.  It is only when Rondald approaches, attempting to take her pack from her when she manages to say anything back.

"No."  The word is cut like the jagged edge of a glacier, cold and final and perhaps more cutting than she intended.  Her eyes flash steel for the briefest of moments, her expression softening just barely as she stands up, though she turns her head to Finn rather than addressing Rondald again.  "Come on, let's just go... We've almost got this asshole."

Finn is a little taken aback by the comment, though in truth it is in line with his own thinking, Tired as he is, Finn pops the cork on his own vial of healing and downs the potion in one, glancing over at Judoc.  "You too.""

Getting his own things together, Judoc firsts casts a spell to heal his various wounds, the massive welts on his neck receding, the skin forming over again and finally the purple evening out to that of normal flesh tones.  He takes his own potion out, downing it in one, though his face is still pale and clammy.  "I may still need..."  The wizard barely gets out of his mouth before Terri interrupts him.

"Here."  She hands over her own potion, pulling it from her hip pouch in a single fluid movement.  "I know how exhausted you can get and we wouldn't want you to not be able to keep up."

Judoc takes the potion and downs it as well, finally asserting that he is ready.

But it's barely a handful of steps before the party has stopped again.  Finn glances ahead of him and to the right, stopped in his tracks, thought Magnus takes a few more steps before he realizes the group is stopped.

"Anybody else see...?"  Finn starts, his tone confused, though Judoc cuts him off mid-sentence.

"I see it too."  The mage states quite plainly, looking at the same patch of wall.

It isn't anything specific about it, but rather a feel...  Something is off.  The mushrooms sprouting from the wall, bright purple and vibrant just there seem to be less so for a span of five to ten feet...  It's odd, for they are exactly the same color.  If it had been Finn alone he might have thought he was just seeing things...

OOC:  Thanks for the IC banter Rondald, obviously I'm just roleplaying a frustrated character here.  Good luck figuring it all out to get her back on your side.  I went along and moved everyone ahead slightly.  You are still standing in the same room, though you are near the exit to the top of the previous map.  The bit of wall is ahead and to the right just opposite the tunnel leading ahead to the left.

"What?" Judoc's eyes momentarily flare with anger. Exhausted? Not being able to keep up? "Listen, Terri, I was beginning to..." Women. The gift that just keeps on giving. He swallows the potion angrily, and relief washes through his body, and with it, a feeling of--remorse? He knows that if the situation were reversed, he would not have given up a precious healing potion for another person, and here Terri is just giving hers away.

"Look, I'm sorry. That wasn't called for. I..." He leaves the thought unfinished, furious at himself for his momentary weakness. Did he just apologize to a woman? Unbelievable! Not that Terri hasn't proved herself at every turn to be the equal of a man on this expedition. She reminds him of Mariana in some ways. Terri's reasonable, intelligent, capable in a fight--Judoc realizes with growing horror that he is actually envious of Rondald! How could Judoc be so stupid? Finn had already lambasted Bjorn, and now here Judoc is... He's not sure what he thinks now. Growling, he turns and stalks away.

He keeps his thoughts to himself as they walk toward the next chamber. They've already bested Mika'il outright once and handled everything the necromancer's men have been able to throw at them, so Judoc is not concerned about their chances in catching the rogue apprentice, but he also knows that if they are going to be at their most efficient, they need to preserve their team unity, such as it is. As he walks, he thinks of Mariana again and the last time he saw her alive, before Elliot wreathed her in flames. Mariana had taken some time to get used to, but she had been talented and pretty, and Judoc knows that if he could transport himself to that time now, he could save her, undue the fiery spell he had heard described. Elliot, who could barely channel mana, save to summon demons or cremate friends.

Such were his thoughts that he nearly bumped into Finn when the other wizard stopped, and then looks in the direction Finn is looking in.

"Curious," he says. "I wonder..." Reaching out with his staff, he gently tests the area that seems anomalous.

OOC: Poke the area of the wall that seems unusual.

Knowing little about magic, Rondald only stops after he realizes everyone else is stopped. He follows their eyes, trying to work out what they are looking at.

OOC: In such situations Rondald is better to present his side, then shut up and let her think about it. That would be his approach now. Let actions talk. I do not recall Rondald had a potion, but if he did, he would pass it to Terri, saying that she also should not fall behind.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:52, Thu 07 Nov 2019.

Gustav hands one of his potions to Terri ... best to keep them spread around, not all in one pack.

He steps toward the spot everyone is looking at and comes  on guard, then pokes it with the tip of his sword. A fake wall he thinks.

Magnus hung back a few steps and continued to catch his breath the natural way. He had his reasons, not of which he had the energy to explain, and so he kept an eye on the rear of the group and enjoyed a few more moments of rest while he could.

Terri smiles and accepts Gustav's potion, stowing it away in a pouch, her hard set features relaxing, though she presses herself forward to fallow along with the group.

Ahead it seems the whole group has stopped however, each of them waiting and wondering exactly what and where it is that Gustav and Finn are looking at.

Judoc steps forward from the rear of the formation, his staff readied ahead of him with both hands.  Keeping himself well back, Judoc jabs the tip forward, striking directly into the bit of wall which shudders and then disappears entirely...

Five feet wide is the gap leading forward in a tunnel to the right, opening on into a long and wide chamber which has bones littered everywhere across the floor.  More pressing, now just two paces from where Finn and Judoc stands, the pale form of Mika'il stands, paled in the bright light of Judoc and Finn's magical necklaces.  On his shoulder is perched the demonic bird, Sadda, its faux beak filled with razor sharp teeth and its eyes reflecting back like beacons.

Before Judoc can even pull his staff back to ready the demon takes to flight, launching itself forward directly towards Finn!  Mika'il eyes swell even as they are swimming the deep pools of black that seem sunken just above his cheeks.  His hands come up reflexively just in front of him as he fixates not on Finn or Judoc, but somewhere amidst them or just behind...

OOC:  Just one second of action.  Sorry for no map again - I'm limited on time.  Finn and Judoc are two hexes away from Mika'il.  Finn has a readied long knife and Judoc a readied staff.  Magnus is a few steps ahead and into another widened part of the cave which seems less disturbed than the others, with a few bones littering the floor, though most of the burial niches are in tact.  Gustav and Bjorn are three hexes away, Terri and Rondald four.  I'm assuming everyone has their weapons ready, Rondald, you may choose crossbow or axe, though you will have to move to get a clear shot.

This message was deleted by the player at 19:04, Sat 09 Nov 2019.