Neya whirled at the sound of the dead thing gasping, quickly dashing back towards the party to attack the thing at Ilsa's feet, her jaws lashing out to rip the thing apart. Quickly Shirok let the body he carried fall and readied his spear, lashing out at whatever abomination dared to show itself.


Shirok acts on Init 4, Neya acts on Init 21

Neya attacks the undead going for Ilsa, moving to hopefully get a flank. Without bard song or flank, Atk 21, Dmg 17, Trip 25

Shirok attacks nearest undead. Atk 12, Dmg 5

12:01, Today: Shirok Rezkala rolled 4,21 using 1d20,1d20+2. Shirok/Neya Init.
12:03, Today: Neya rolled 21,17,25 using 1d20+9,1d8+9,1d20+10. Atk/Dmg/Trip.
12:05, Today: Shirok Rezkala rolled 12,5 using 1d20+5,1d8+1. Atk/Dmg.

Sorry for the delay!  You would not believe how many times I had sat down to finish hammering this update out just to be called away for something else.  Here it is.

---

::Surprise!::
With amazing speed the undead creature on the floor slams its fist hard on Ilsa, her tough armor absorbing much of the blow.  It snarls in protest, revealing to the party a higher intelligence than that of the expected zombie.
Added to their surprise, three more creatures crawl down the walls of the corridor, taking places around the party!  They appear more bestial than the clothed corpse posed on the flagstone, beneath Ilsa.  They are smaller and appear more putrefied than their compatriot.  Still, they lash out against the party members!  Stan suffers a bite; however Henessey and Chubbs evade the ghoul's hunger—for now.

::Round One::
The ghoulish creature engaged with Henessey presses its animalistic attack!  It bites him for minor damage, and he begins to feel the familiar death-magic that goes along with their bites, like poison to a spider but at the same time, not.

Stan shifts backward and out of the creature's reach.  He quickly casts an easy yet effective arcane spell, blasting forth two shimmery orbs of arcane energy, which each slam into the monster before him!  The wounds are grievous, but the creature remains standing.

Neya snaps at the creature engaged with Ilsa, and sinks her teeth into the beast's foul-tasting flesh!  Her bite is felt by the creature, yet it remains with hate burning in its eyes.

Chubbs begins another one of his many inspirational songs, urging his companions to fight on.

With impossibly speed and dexterity, the creature (flanked by Ilsa & Neya) tumbles through Ilsa's legs and comes up behind her!  It slams its fists into her back powerfully, causing an explosion of pain to erupt from the barbarian's back.  She also feels a chill-touch of necrotic power tugging on her inner consciousness.  She takes a moment herself, steeling herself and pushing the feeling away.

The ghoul pressing Chubbs doesn't relent!  It lunges as if to bite the halfling; but the nimble little bard dances himself out of danger.

"Wight!" Garret cries as he draws his beautiful sword.  For the first time in the time you have spent with the clam cleric, he seems cold yet intently focused only on the wight behind Ilsa.  He gives another shout and charges the undead monstrosity—or tries to, given the rough terrain of the hallway.  The closed quarters and refuse that litters the floor aids in the creature's defense more than its toughened skin and tattered rags ever could.  Garret misses his attack, gouging a deep line in the mortared wall beside him.

Roth retrieves his magical blade and dagger.  As he does, he wades over to assist Chubbs, positioning himself directly behind the ghoul pestering the bard.  Once in position, he thrusts his magical longsword at the ghoul, but misses his attack.

Ilsa spins around and kicks at the wight, striking the monster squarely in the abdomen!  The force of her blow buckles the monster's knees and causes it to fall over her extended leg.  Ilsa isn't as skilled in unarmed combat as one might expect, and the folly of her attack isn't realized until she sees that the wight may have over-exaggerated the impact a bit to better position itself for an opportunity to counter-attack the thrashing half-orc.  It slams it's fists onto her mithral greaves, finding her too well protected for such an underhanded attack.

Hennesey holds his great axe out before him, threatening to hack the ghouls to pieces if they continue to assail him and the others, or if they try to take his slain friends.  Following his brief warning, he swings his two-handed axe with great force; but unfortunately misses his mark.

Shirok, seeing Neya reinforcing Ilsa, spins to lend his assistance to Stan.  With a practiced movement, the druid finds himself flanking the ghoul.  Taking the combat advantage, he skewers the undead creature!  The blow would have without doubt killed a living combatant; but fails to drop the fiend.

The ghoul grunts absently at Shirok's attack and continues to focus on the wizard.  It defeats Stan's meager physical defenses and delivers to him another bite!  Beyond the initial pain of being bitten by the ghoul, he too can feel the ongoing necrotic energies battling with his internal self.  Beads of sweat immediately form upon his brow as he feels the attack subside.

Ilsa dropped the two bodies she carried. The landed unceremoniously on the floor. She didn't care about their fate and wasn't about to die for them. She drew her greatsword and let out a high-pitched howl as she brought it down on the undead in one mighty hack.

12:57, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 14 using 1d20+6. Power Attack, -4/+4.
12:57, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 22 using 2d6+15. Damage, Power Attack.

after a fair warning, granted they needed noir deserved one, Hennesey descides to end this as quickly as possible. He swing his axe with all his might at the ghoul before him.

Attack Action: Power Attack vs Ghoul
15:36, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 11 using 1d12+8. Damage vs Ghoul.
15:34, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 12 using 1d20+8. Attack vs Ghoul[PA -2].
 

Porto continues his song as he takes a step back and pulls out his rope. He lets his rope coil around the undead creature hoping that Roth may cut off it's head soon so that he can tie up the other undead.

5-foot step back
Ranged Touch Attack
18:14, Today: Porto 'Chubbs' Brandybuck rolled 22 using 1d20+3. touch attack.

Stan recoiled at the two bites.

"Ouch, that really hurt you know."

He again searched his mind for the arcane patterns writhing there, selecting one to set free upon the material world.

Another pair of blasts struck the ghoul, like blows from some invisible boxer.

18:19, Today: Stan Fetchin rolled 9 using 2d4+2. Magic Missile.

"The rope again?"  Roth asks in amazement at the halfling's preferred tactic as he hacks again at the ghoul.

17:29, Today: Roth Daos rolled 10 using 1d8+2. Damage?.
17:29, Today: Roth Daos rolled 11 using 1d20+8. Attack w/ Flanking.

"It's the only way he can get ghouls to come home with him."

::Round Two::
The ghoul bites again at Hennesey, but this time the man deftly evades the bite and is poised to counter.

Stan shifts backward a bit further, giving ground to the monster in order to afford enough room to cast his spell.  The blasts batter the undead creature, a one-two combination that leaves the vile menace in a heap on the floor with arcane energies crackling about it.

Neya snaps at the wight, but narrowly misses the nimble undead.

Chubbs shifts backward a fair distance, given his smaller size, and tosses his length of rope at the advancing ghoul's feet.  As it lands in a heap he shouts, "Tie and knot!" causing it to constrict about the monster's lower limbs.  The ghoul struggles against the magical rope to find its struggle futile.  It slumps to the flagstone, thrashing and growling, but unable to break the rope's hold.

The wight slams into Ilsa once more, but her armor protects her against the primitive attack.

The tied-up ghoul continues thrashing about, trying in vain to escape the rope's hold.

Garret impales the wight through its back with his bastard sword.  With the abomination momentarily distracted, the cleric executes a fluid maneuver that leaves the monster decapitated on the floor.

Roth falls over the held ghoul, intent on returning it to death's embrace.  He administers a well-placed and powerful blow upon the monster, and the blade cuts deep.  The elf feels the magic in Chubbs' song, forcing the blade deeper, effectively killing it.

With the wight dealt with, Ilsa turns her attention to the last remaining ghoul engaged with Hennesey.  She closes the distance between them with only two of her long strides, her sword raised high over her head.  She brings it down with a blood-roar that reverberates off the walls of the dungeons.  Her sword tears through the monster, cutting cleanly from neck to waist.  It falls to the floor with a sickly groan.

XP awarded

---

A few moments after the last ghoul is destroyed, the party takes a moment to catch their breath and number their sores.  Garret wastes no time in tending to the bites and bruises many have received, fearing that, in a hellish dungeon such as this, another attack could be just around the corner.
As he is tending Hennesey's wounds, he also notes the man mounting sweat and shortness of breath.  Having anticipated such things to be found here after speaking with the man upon their meeting yesterday, the cleric had prepared just the right prayer to aid their newest companion.  He prays over Hennesey for a short while, and the man can honestly feel the lingering pain from the ghoul's bite leave his tired body.  For the first time in over a week, Hennesey is without physical pain.
"Thank you," he says after offering the cleric with a curt nod.
While Garret is purging Hennessy of the ghoul's fever, Roth takes note of the grand double doors at the end of the corridor.
"Those doors," Hennessy proclaims after the elf has pointed them out to the party.  As he speaks, Hennessy moves closer to the doors with grace and ease, something he had taken for granted before entering the ruins of Tharür.  "I remember passing through them on my way down here, after Ansel and the others.  That's the way out!"
Those looking to Neya for confirmation notice the wolf moving toward the door.  It appears she agrees.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:42, Mon 29 Nov 2010.

"I believe you that it's the only way in or out. That's why Roth's going to check the doors for traps - twice."

As he suggests the search, Stan activates his own sixth sense, the magic wand that allows him to see dweomers.

detect magic

Ilsa gave a disgusted snort and then wiped off her blade. She began to sheath it but stopped. "Not until we see daylight," she said. While she waited for Stan and Roth to do their thing, she moved the bodies she had been carrying away from the other corpses. She then amused herself by stomping on the skulls of the undead. She smiled each time they cracked under the heel of her boot.

Now that the way out had been found, Neya turned away from the massive doors and sat upon the floor, carefully watching the other corridors. The air was fresher behind the door, but most things still stunk of death. If the smell got any stronger, then more of the dead things might be coming; she hated fighting those things. They tasted incredibly bad.

Shirok nodded his agreement with Ilsa and Stan's words, standing by Neya to watch the other corridors carefully.

Porto collects his rope and gives the new guy a little pat and smile. I'm kind of the hard ass in this group. Porto. Porto says trying to lighten the mood with his cocky jest as he extends his hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:52, Thu 02 Dec 2010.

Hennesey again thanks Garret for drawing the foul evil from his soul that the ghoul had so viciously placed there. He stands back and let's Roth and the others do what they do best before continuing on. For once Hennesey feels relieved and optimistic that perhaps he will see the sun once again.

Stan touches his trusty wand to his eyelids once more, imparting on himself the ability to see magical auras.  He moves closer to the double doors as he scans the area, but soon stops cold in his tracks.  After a few moments his vision is assailed by many magical auras bleeding through the thick wood of the double doors.  He knew from his time at the Academy that his spell would be able to penetrate the wooden doors, so long as they were less than three-feet thick—which he felt the odds were pretty good that they were.  But he hadn't expected to really see much of anything, and was silently hoping that the room beyond would be empty.
And in all honesty, it could very well still be empty; however as the practical wizard gazed into the inky darkness of the strong necromantic aura that seemed to overwhelm the others in the room beyond, he began to think otherwise.
His suspicious are confirmed a moment later when Roth, moving closer to the double doors to begin his search for traps and whatnot, also stops before setting to work.  He raises his index finger to his lips, demanding silence from party members.
Closer and closer he moves towards the door; but even this roguish elf has his limits.  He stops a few feet from the door and stands there, listening to something inaudible to the others.  After a moment, he slinks back to the group, his face appearing a bit pale.
"Someone—or something—is in the middle of something important," he says looking to the smashed skulls Ilsa has left scattered on the floor, conceding that whomever is behind the door might no longer be a "someone."
"Sounds like a ritual of some sort," he finishes with a shrug.

Ilsa stopped her skull crushing. "So can we leave or not? Who do I have to kill?" She really didn't care who.

Porto readies his rope and prepares himself to stop whatever the man was doing. But if they did happen to leave, then he wouldn't really mind that either.

Stan pulled the others into a huddle. As he spoke, he kept his voice as low as he could.

"I have a spell ready that could stupefy him - but his mind is likely strong against such things. You must be ready to stop him the old fashioned way.

"Ilsa, Shirok, you two kick down the door and try to clear a path. I have to touch him for the magic to work. Roth, Porto, keep my flanks clear. Oh, and try not to get killed."

"Who is him? The elf never explained what it was." Normally, Ilsa wouldn't care, but since they were taking the time to formulate a plan, she might as well know what she was going up against.

Whoever he is is not as important as what he is doing and how long do we have until he is done. who or whatever it is must know we are here and could very well be preparing for us as we speak. if we attack now we might yet hold the advantage of surprise.

"Garret, if you have any powers to increase my speed or strength, now would be a good time to invoke them. Hennesey, I don't know you very well but I trust you have more at stake in this fight than anyone."

"We don't know who it is or what they're doing, but interrupting them would be our best option."  The elf considered Stan's plan for a moment before shrugging and removing the cap from one of the cases wrapping his belt.  From the scroll case he removed a few scrolls and after shuffling through them handed one to Stan and replaced the other.  "Strike True, if you really want to dumb them, but don't use it until we know they're enemies."  And feeling in a giving mood, Roth pulls out Rabbit's small-sized dagger--the one recovered from Eor's ribcage--and hands it to Porto.

02:19, Today: Roth Daos rolled 16 using 1d20+10. Spellcraft.
To see if Roth can deduce anything from what he heard.

Anything Roth can do, I can do better.
13:39, Today: Stan Fetchin rolled 31 using 1d20+13. Spellcraft.

Shirok nodded in response to the plan, he and Neya moving up to stand near the door. "I have a spell that can increase one's strength; I can also create flame from a distance. Should the caster be using a spellbook or scrolls, than the flame may destroy them with any luck."

OOC: Sorry for not posting, crazy week. Still here!

Right before we go through the door, Shirok will cast Magic Fang on Neya and Bull's Strength on Stan if he's the one going for the enemy caster.

Ilsa looked at Shirok. "Killing counts as interrupting, right?" There was entirely too much discussion and not enough actual interruption. Or killing.