Jorn drew out his spiked chain, giving Gurgun a simple grunt to show his willingness. Crazed pixie or not, there were more important matters at hand. As the dwarf watched the armies of undead march towards them a slight pang of regret twitched in his gut.

Guess I should I studied a few of them anti-undead spells old Trom was going on about...

"I can use me magics here to increase yer size Gurgun, though that might make going through them tunnels a tad bit tricky."

Thraka's eyes widened in outrage. "What?" he roared. He turned to face his army, flinging his arms in the air, one still holding his sword. "Gather 'round men. The walking dead are coming to slay us. Are we going to lay down like halflings and let them come?" Angry denials rippled through the crowd. "No! We shall slay them, again and again if we must, until we die a glorious death. Today is a good day to die!" The mercenaries roared, clattering their swords and axes, beating on chests and shields.

Previously, the orcs and hobgoblins that they'd seen had been beaten, tired and demoralized. Now the travellers witness a true horde, full of courage and violence, and it was a fearful sight to behold. As one seething mass, the army began to move, and the travellers were swept along with it like foam on a wave.

Thraka, confidence renewed after the time he'd spent dominated by the yochlol, gave orders. "Archers, stone-throwers, bottle-smashers - to the fairy's place, over the bridge. Wait for battle to begin. Scouts - " he rounded on the adventurers "Go through the corridor of small rooms, from the lower stairs. It is narrow. Hold it, let none pass around behind. You do the same." He said it as though he fully expected them to do it, or die trying.

"And the rest - we shall face them in the big room!"

Gurgun nods. Aye. Is all he says in return before turning around to make his way through the corridors. A little ways off from the large and loud horde he pauses and makes sure the small band of adventurers have all been able to follow.
We have little time before attack: what we do? Who go first: Slove, Gurgun, Jorn?

"Whoever is the one taking the blunt of the assault, I will ward him from attacks from creatures of evil, as soon as they get to us. It should help for a few minutes.", replies Garel.

"Also, I was saving my prayers because I didn't want to waste a part of their power, but I think it is important for you, Gurgun, to be in good shape for what is coming at us. Please let me heal you." Suiting the action to the word, the priest joins his hand on Gurgun's chest, and recites his prayer.

"I have two prayers left. They are of the same strength, so I will not use one of them on me until I am in a more critical state, but I will burn through all my minor magic to get in a better shape. As for strategy, I will stay back and try to repel some of them, so that you don't have too many to deal with at once. Then I will jump together with you into the fray."

Suiting the action to the word another time, Garel joins his hands on his chest and recites a number of small prayers.

---

09:35, Today: Garel Astur rolled 11 using 2d8+3. Cure moderate wounds / Gurgun.
Burning 4 0-lvl spells to get +4 hp

"If it be more useful, I shall increase your natural size. Gurgun can stand in tha front while I trip them enemies from behind," nodded Jorn.

"Garel should follow behind me, so me'n the monk can swap places fer healing. Slove, you alright back there?"

The dwarf turned around, searching for the hidden elf now that the crazed faerie was gone.


OOC: If Gurgun turns large can he still fit in the tunnels?

<blue>"It best if I can stand a little back and fire arrows into the dead using the magic bow I now have back.  However I can stand toe to toe with creatures and use my sword but it is not magical so some creature it will be useless against.

Gurgun go first then, we prepare on the way. Now we go, Gurgun thinks time is short.

Gurgun moves to the front once more and marches on through the passage, mindful of what may lay in wait ahead. On the way he pulls out and empties the content of a small flask, his movement seemingly becoming even more fluid.

OOC: drinks last potion of cat's grace (+4 dex, +2 AC)
This message was last edited by the player at 20:24, Fri 09 Oct 2009.

Like an avalanche of muscle and metal, the horde crashed down the stairs and spilled out into the grand hall, where they'd faced the shadows two days before. On the inner balcony, archers and stone-throwers stayed, ready to rain arrows and rocks down on the undead.

On the other side, elven skeletons and the zombies of orcs and hobgoblins spilled forth from a door, accompanied by a few huge and rotten taers. Elven bows in bony hands whipped up a fired a volley of arrows, peppering the warriors who roared and shrugged and charged the undead. They were met by their own risen brothers, and swords and axes met shields and armour and flesh. The bloody battle went up on a ragged line down the once-grand hall.

Spot, the hideous rune-hound that Tolg'byri had brought for far-off planes, let loose an unearthly howled and bounded into battle. The blind snake-head that erupted from its back spew globs of acid and slime at undead attacks.

An undead taer ripped the head from an orc and hurled it another, before two hobgoblins flanked it and brought it down with alternating attacks. They fell to a volley of arrows from skeletal archers.

Thraka cried out for Wickers and the other archers to begin the assault on the bridge, and pointed to a far door. "Go that way! Stop them circling us." With a roar, Thraka raised his two-handed sword and charged into the thick of the battle.

The travellers hurried to the door and into the anteroom, then crossed from there into the room with the transparent stairway, where they'd passed through days before. Peering around, they noticed a door that they'd missed the last time they'd been here. That was where Thraka wished them to go.




OOC: You begin in the stairway room on the bottom right. The big battle takes place in the large room on the bottom left. Last chance for preparation and deciding your positions. The corridors are 5ft wide, so enlarge person won't be the best at this stage (unless you just want to fill the corridor with Gurgun and use him as a shield. :D )

OOC: Rather not fill the corridor just yet!

Gurgun will go first. Now let's hurry!
Gurgun grabs his staff in one hand and pulls out a small flask with the other. He waits to see Jorn fall in behind him and Garel after that with Slove covering their rear. He does not wait to see if the half-elf girl they rescued still wishes to follow them, or wether Nico decided to stay with his clan. Then he opens the door.

OOC: Nico and Dula will wait back at camp, since one is a Rogue and the other an Aristocrat, both useless against undead. :)

OOC: guessed as much...

"We are ready, Gurgun. I will wait till we are engaged to use the protection prayer.", replies Garel. "May Mythra help us in our fight."

OOC: if I understand correctly, we just descended the stairs at U11-V12 and taking a last respite in U13-V14 before descending the stairs T13-R14 and moving through doors S10-11, P7-8 and H1-I1 ?

Jorn nodded at the plan, taking a brief moment to gather arcane energies around himself. For the second time today the dwarf's form seemed to shimmer...

The tren, still dressed in Jorn's armor and weapons clicked its teeth and stretched. Gesturing towards the passage the 'dwarf' now hissed;

"Rrready then. Let's go."

[Cast] Alter Self, Tren form, duration 40 minutes.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Mon 12 Oct 2009.

OOC: Actually, Garel, you descended the central stairs and exited the door at K8/9, then crossed to the bottom of the map (not shown) into another room then came through the door at P14. The rest is correct. You're beginning at the door S11.


With the sounds of battle echoing all around them, Gurgun slid open the door, and they all flinched, fully expecting to be attacked by the undead.

Instead they found an empty office, with a huge and magnificently carved wooden desk at one end, behind which was a glass chair, and a disintegrating carpet in front. They recognised the fine elf woodwork, and knew that it could be worth a fortune - if by some means they could carry the heavy furniture away.

Another door beckoned on the other side of the room.

Gurgun hurries forward towards the next door, pauses slightly to allow the others to take position, then opens it.

Garel encompasses the room in a circular look, and then enters the room and runs to the desk. "Help me. Let's put this desk in front of the door we just passed. It will make sure they don't circle us. It will only slow us down a little to move it if we have to retreat."

Gurgun dooubles back and tentatively tries to move the desk.

OOC: STR check 9
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Tue 13 Oct 2009.

The desk proved to be surprisingly heavy, being constructed of a dense wood with plenty of pieces, shelves and drawers inset into it. Without a good grip or assistance, Gurgun was forced to drop it - and heard the sound of something rolling inside, followed by a soft kthunk!.



OOC: It's a 120 lbs, a medium or heavy load for most of you*, but given the size/bulk, I'd have to treat it as heavier. Let's say a DC 10 Strength check (you can all Aid Another for +2), and it will take a round to move.

However, the clock is ticking. ;)

* Check your encumbrance limits, many of you have the same strength scores, but different limits, and don't all agree with the table.

"Let's look at this... ", says Garel, trying to figure out quickly from which drawer the sound could have come, and trying them in order of probability. "Maybe there is something interesting inside."

While he searches, he will add: "Forget my suggestion of moving the desk. It is going to slow us down".

---

13:58, Today: Garel Astur rolled 13 using 1d20+1. Search desk

Garel quickly pulled drawers out and shoved them back in with a slam in his hurry. Empty. They were all empty. Was the noise inside something loose, or was there a secret compartment?

Gurgun eyed the desk curiously, his mind however couldn't quite focus on this piece of furniture with the sound of battle raging nearby. Getting a better grip around the desk this time however the burly hobgoblin manages to move the cumbersome piece of furniture.

OOC: 21:11, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 12 using 1d20+7. Spot.
21:13, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 11 using 1d20+3. STR DC 10.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:14, Wed 14 Oct 2009.

Garel helps Gurgun move the desk: "Ok, Gurgun. I understand you don't appreciate failure. Let's move this thing and hurry to the fray."

Gurgun and Garel each grabbed an end of the heavy desk, and dragged it with a squeak across the glass floor until it blocked the door. The thought occurred that the undead could still climb over it and spill through the doorway, though it would slow them down. Another thought occurred that they themselves would be slowed if forced to beat a retreat.

Pushing those considerations aside, they turned their attention to what was to come.


OOC: Ready?

Yup

"Ok, Gurgun. Let's open this other door and join the fray ?", asks Garel.