Bridge C Defense Point
Time Unknown

Some time later, the adventurers awoke. It wasn't morning, it wasn't still night, just the same eternal twilight in between the two. Perhaps it had been the raucous celebrations of the night before, or the battle weariness, or the strange half-light messing with their body clocks, but they woke up just as tired as they'd gone to sleep. There was a growing lethargy all around, talking less and acting slower. And it was surely getting worse.

They dragged themselves through their morning routines, and Allessandra healed them of the rest of their injuries using her renewed magic. Intent on scouting the mausoleum tower of the dread lich Mourel Duskwalker, they gathered at the new defensive position constructed in the room they'd seized from the undead the day before.

It was well defended, with archers and throwers on the balcony, more at the doors below, with beefy warriors blocking the bridge. Any undead who attempted to cross would be steadily picked off before they ever reached the wall of spears and swords.

The orcs had done some redecorating as well, with elven skulls mounted on spears propped around as a warning. The fact that undead were mindless and didn't care made little difference, nor that several elves had fought on their side.

Mister Wickers and Mister Lumpkin had been quietly reassigned to watch over another bridge. Antisocial to begin with, an elaborate and careful ruse had been developed to conceal the presence of elves. The greasy odour of burning flesh disguised the elf-scent well.



OOC: You begin on the bottom right end of Bridge C, heading towards the bridge Nexus structure.

They were surprised to find Duladora waiting there for them. The young half-elf historian was still just as haggard as she'd been when they'd found her, her silver hair dulled and stringy, her eyes still showing fear. But she held herself up well.

"I'm coming with you." she announced. "I know the star elf legends and their ways. You may need me." she said, as much to convince herself as the others. Her curiosity was warring with her sense of self-preservation, and had won by allying with necessity. She still didn't like it.

She was wearing hobgoblin leather armour, looking strange on a half-elf girl. It was the smallest size she could find, but she'd still needed to belt it up tighter. The bloodstains had been harder to deal. She had a knife, but it was clearly a defense of last resort.


OOC: NPC Rogue and Sage for you.

Gurgun nodded a tired greeting at the half-elven girl. He wasn't sorry for the absence of Nicodemus, whom he had found a coward and untrustworthy.

Depleted of magic potions Gurgun was as ready as he could be. Taking the lead across the narrow bridge, under the cover of the archers, he moves swiftly forward.

Slove turns to girl.
"If you can put up with one so ugly you welcome to stay by my side.  The others like to stand toe to toe with enermy.  Myself I like put load arrows in them at distance."

Slove leaves it to her.  Few female want be close to him that he sees no reason this one would be any different.  It would however be best for others is slove looked after her.

Looking towards the Nexus, Gurgun tries to spot any movement ahead through the incessant rain and wind.

OOC: Spot 17

"Uh, thank you. I'll just keep well away from everything, until you need me." Dula replied meekly.

Gurgun couldn't see much from here. The Nexus appeared to be an inverted three-sided pyramid; flat at the top, pointed at the bottom. The bridge they were on entered in the upper part, and the other two bridges seemed to leave at the lower part.


OOC: Bridge C is 40 feet high (above sea level), Bridges D and E are 20 feet high. The flat top of the pyramid is 60 feet above sea level. The Nexus seems about 15-10 feet wide on the inside.

Each bridge is 10 feet wide.

We go closer. Gurgun suggests, moving swiftly across the bridge.

Buffeted by the cold winds, they marched along the bridge towards the Nexus, careful not slip on the damp glass floor. The Nexus door was open; it was dark within, but appeared to be a small bare chamber. There were stairs descending in a triangular spiral, and slick with rain.


OOC: You're at the door. Listen checks, please, with a -4 penalty for the weather. Which wasn't so bad until Gurgun added it in. ;)

Listen (13)

OOC:
06:14, Today: Slove rolled 19 using 1d20+7. Listern.

14:07, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 9 using 1d20+8. Familiar Listen.

[Private to DM BadCatMan: Been kinda busy lately, sorry for not posting much.]

It all seemed clear. The adventurers approached the open door of the Nexus, and entered with Gurgun and Jorn side-by-side.

A gurgling growl to the side caught their attention. Turning, they saw a lone orcish zombie waiting at the first corner of the stairs, armed with a two-handed axe and wearing rust-spotted full-plate.


OOC: Orc Zombie Initiative 14, beat that and you may act

I assume the travelling order is Gurgun & Jorn out front, Slove and Garel behind, with Duladora some distance back. Garel seems to be AWOL.

Gurgun feels unfocused and still tired from the battles the previous day... or was it night? The appearance of the zombie seems to catch him by surprise.

OOC:
15:58, Today: Slove rolled 25 using 1d20+9. Initiative.

So is 25 high enough? he he

An I able move and fire at it without hitting others.

OOC: You could push past them and fire, sure.

Having let down his guard after the previous day's battle, Jorn had been too occupied in searching for treasure to react in time. The zombies caught him by surprise, even as his familiar squeaked a high-pitched warning;


10:02, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 7 using 1d20+2. Initiative.

Slove pushed his way through the group, an arrow nocked in his bow. He fired, striking the zombie in the head. [Slove NPCed. Bow attack 26, damage 8, Zombie slightly damaged]

Garel followed, and thought he'd try something different. From his belt he plucked a metal star-shaped object, with razor-sharp edges. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it at the zombie, slicing across the head. [Garel NPCed. Shuriken attack 20 (rolled a 20), damage 1, Zombie slightly damaged]

Round 1:

Battle is too simple for map and stuff

The Orc Zombie is down a flight of stairs from you. The stairs are wet and slippery.

Initiative:
25 - Slove
14 - Orc Zombie
 9 - Garel
7 - Jorn
 5 - Gurgun

Rather than challenge his luck fighting on the slippery stairs Gurgun stands his ground and quickly loads and fires a stone from his sling. The aim is true and there is a satisfying thud as the bullet strikes home.

Attack 22, damage 7 (b)

"Agh! Another one of these foul beasts. Here Slove, lemme give it a go..."

Jorn moves forward and hurls his axe at the creature, sending it straight into the creature's chest;

[Standard] Throw Axe

20:27, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 9 using 1d6+3. Axe Damage.
20:26, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 22 using 1d20+5. Jorn, Axe Throw.

OOC: Huh, I forgot to run my orc last round. Okay, I'll rearrange the init order and add the move action now.


The orc zombie faltered beneath the wounding blows, but marched steadily up the stairs regardless. [Both attack hits, Gurgun deals 2 after DR, Jorn deals full]

It heaved the greataxe at Jorn, a heavy blow that slammed into the dwarf's armour, shaking him badly. [Attack 21, damage 11 @ Jorn]


Round 2:

Battle is too simple for map and stuff

Orc Zombie is critically damaged

Initiative:
14 - Orc Zombie
25 - Slove
 9 - Garel
 7 - Jorn
 5 - Gurgun
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:43, Sun 18 Apr 2010.

OOC: Ack, my bad. Alter Self has ended. Forgot to alter the values on my character to reflect the end of the spell. That blow should have hit.