OOC: Anything else you all want to do before we move forward?

Roth pulls out the knight's sword and another scroll from his belt  before nodding to Ilsa, "Just ... give them a chance to not fight and die?  They could be friendly."

"Fine," Ilsa lied. She resented that he wouldn't tell her who they were, exactly, or what they were doing that needed interrupting.

Stan gathers the others around him while he details a loose plan before the party moves through the doors.  It seems that, given their current situation, they cannot take anything for granted and are ready to defend themselves as they make their way to the surface.
Their preparations complete, and with everyone understanding what will be expected of them, they are ready to push forward.  Shirok and Garret begin chanting the beginnings of different spells, each playing their part in their initial plan.  Shirok's first spell causes a blue light to appear on Neya, slightly augmenting the wolf's jaws.  Garret's spell hits Stan in the chest, and flashes a violet image of a small feline.
Shirok casts another spell, also aimed at Stan, which leaves a brief contoured image of a bull's head imprinted in the air above the wizard.  Roth retrieves two scrolls and hands one to Stan.  The elf nods to the others, signaling the call for them to open the doors; but not before issuing one last piece of advice, on the chance whatever is on the other side be friendly.
"Nothing that hails below Tharür is friendly," Hennessy remarks as he readies his weapons, not even looking up.

Ilsa and Shirok slam the large double-doors hard, bursting them wide open and nearly flying off their ancient hinges.  If it were not for the unparalleled quality, they surly would have!  In a flash, the adventurers flood into the darkened chamber beyond and the sounds of the ritual presently taking place assails them.
To their credit, none of them broke their pace or stride; but the horrific rite they interrupted was not lost to them.  The chamber is roughly circular in shape; the center of the room is raised 15-feet above the floor.  A wide, staircase wrought of stone rise along the western edge of the room, no doubt leading to the raised center piece.  Although the layout of the room was undoubtedly unexpected, Ilsa and Neya lead the charge to the top of the stairs!
As they sprint, no one can avoid the oppressive gaze of the massive stained-glass window that dominates the western wall, just above the staircase.  The most notable feature from the window is the image of a great tree.
Once atop the stairs, the grizzly scene of the ritual comes within full view.  A marble altar is situated on the raised dais, upon a humanoid body lies in a horrifying stage of evisceration.  Two more bodies litter the floor around the altar.  Just to the side of the altar is a large statue of a man.  Flanking the statues are two make-shift torture implements, one of which is still occupied by a slain dwarf.  Behind the altar stands two iron chairs, and behind them sits a single, large chest.  Another double-door adorns the northern wall.
In front of the altar stands a figure dressed in tattered leather armor.  It must have once been a elf; however its skin is deathly pale and pulled tight over its bone structure.  It holds a dagger and a strange-looking rod in its clawed hands.
But the most unnerving thing about the room, presently, is the figure hovering above the altar.   It is cloaked in darkness, wearing it like a long robe.  Its face lies behind a cowl of shadow, but it is definitely humanoid in shape.  As Ilsa and Neya crest the top of the stairs, it howls a chilly screech that freezes the blood in your veins.

Please roll Initiative + First Round action(s)
Active Spells:
Stan – cat's grace (10-mins), bull's strength (4-mins),
Neya – magic fang (4-mins)

Map Update Pending

14:06, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 17 using 1d20+2. Initiative.

Ilsa matches the howl with one of her own, using her voice to deafen her ears and steel her nerves against the horror before her. Her bloody eye begins to tear and a line of crimson is down down her cheek. Her bloody, enraged scream continues as she charges the altar and swings her greatsword at the elven target before her.

Rage (+4 STR, +4 CON, +2 Will, -2 AC)
Charge Altar
14:12, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 20 using 1d20+8. Power Attack, -4/+4. (Possibly another +2 from Charge).
14:13, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 18 using 2d6+13. Damage, Power Attack.

Stan felt the various spells coursing through his being, and for a moment the animal instincts tore at his own personality. Bull wrestled with Tiger in an inner fight for dominance, but eventually the Human spirit suborned both.

Then the doors were being kicked open and the novice wizard had no time to think, only to follow the fighters up the stairs and try to ignore the grisly scene.

For a moment he was distracted by the wanton violence of his situation. Quickly he realized this was life-or-death and he began to do his arcane work.

In an effort to win his allies time, he called on one of his most powerful spells. Bits of dark material, like ink, floated from the wizard's hands and leeched onto the elf-thing's face, straining to rob the creature of vision. The other caster would probably shrug off the attempt, but it was worth a shot.

18:10, Today: Stan Fetchin rolled 8 using 1d20+5. Init.
Move: Behind the fighters
Standard: blindness

Druid and wolf alike added their own howls to the din, a cry of rage at the abominations before them. Neya charged forward at Ilsa's heels, the pair of them coming from opposite sides to surround the foul thing that might once have been an elf. Shirok hung back, flinging his arm out at the darkness above the altar. A massive sphere of flame burst into existence in front of the darkness, light and flame searing all they touched.

Shirok acts on Init 5, Neya on Init 17

Neya attacks the elf, moving to flank with Ilsa. W/out flank, Atk 18, Dmg 15, Trip 26. (Forgot Magic Fang in roll)

Shirok will cast Flaming Sphere upon the floating figure. Ref DC 16, or 6 fire dmg to anyone/thing in its space.

20:12, Today: Shirok Rezkala rolled 5,17 using 1d20,1d20+2. Shirok/Neya Init.
20:14, Today: Shirok Rezkala rolled 6 using 2d6. Flaming Sphere.
20:16, Today: Neya rolled 17,14,26 using 1d20+9,1d8+9,1d20+10. Atk/Dmg/Trip.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Wed 08 Dec 2010.

Porto allows all those who wish to rush up ahead of him to do so. He begins to sing a magical rhyme to keep their courage up and thoughts focused on the task at hand and not the horrors around them all.

Move Action: Move up stairs
Standard Action: Inspire Confidence+1

21:35, Today: Porto 'Chubbs' Brandybuck rolled 13 using 1d20+4. init.

Roth hesitated, slightly unnerved by the gruesome sight, but soon followed the others in charging up the stairway once he had regained his senses.

20:48, Today: Roth Daos rolled 7 using 1d20+4. Init.
Double Move action.

Hennesy joins the large and brutish half-orc in letting out a type of war cry to break up the demonic ritual.  He tightens his grip on his great axe and charges after Ilsa and Neya towards the former elf. As Ilsa and Neya take up flanking positions around it, Hennesey charges the dark creature straight up the middle and trys to cleave it in two with a little inspiration from Chubbs.

09:59, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 12 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 5. Init

Full Round Action: Charge elf
10:08, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 27 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 18.  Charge Elf[charge+2,Chubbs+1,pa-4].
10:11, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 22 using 1d12+14 with rolls of 8.  Damage

hp 36/36  |  AC  17(13); t 14(10), ff 14(10) | Special Inspired+1^Attack, Charging +2^Attack/-4AC
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Fri 10 Dec 2010.

The two bodies lying on the floor beside the altar slowly raise to their feet, ready to defend their master though undeath.  As they rise, the body of the dwarf shambles forth, leaving a large chunk of torn tissue hanging on the torture rack.  It strides upto Neya and snarls, intent on biting the large wolf.
Ilsa issues a roar of her own to meet that of the floating apparition and charges headlong to the elven wight.  Her reckless maneuver is unstoppable, and she nearly runs the creature through!  Although the barbarian does bury her blade deep into the monster's flesh, it returns her a growl of its own.
Neya clamors along, only a half-second behind Ilsa.  As she rushes around the wight, the dwarf reaches out for her, slamming her with its withered, boney claw-like fingers.  On the large wolf sprints, ignoring the attack and sweeping around the impaled wight.  She skirts around it, flanking the creature with Ilsa, all the while nearly accepting another strike from the wight!  Once in position, she delivers a massive bite which seizes the wretched creature!  It stiffens as if in pain, and Neya begins to jerk back-and-forth, as if to trip it.  Instead, Ilsa's blade continues to slice the creature as Neya shakes it like a ragdoll, effectively cutting the wight into several pieces.  It drops the dagger and rod to the floor.
The specter above the altar turns its attention to Garret, whom also seems to have taken particular interest in the wraith.
"Burzgûl," the cleric mutters, speaking an old and nearly forgotten dialect of Elvish.  His face pales slightly.  The large spirit glides toward the stairs and over the party.  It reaches down as of to touch Garret, and does so with ease!  Garret groans and becomes a little paler.
By this time, the body on the altar slides off and is also standing on two feet.  Its abdomen has been cut open and disemboweled, but the undead abomination appears ready to feed on the party members.
Chubbs continues the song he begun on their flight up the stairs, all the while silently praying that they all would turn around and retreat back into the depths of Tharür Castle's dungeons.  He waves that notion away presently, knowing that their only chance for escape lay beyond the northern doors.  On and on he sings, calling upon the magics of music he was trained to invoke.
Hennessey was about to follow along with Ilsa's charge with a charge of his own, but seeing her and Neya kill it too quickly, he turns his attention to the nearest zombie—the dwarf.  He wades closer to it and administers a high-chop to its upper torso, cleaving the monster in two.
Stan quickly switches tactics once he sees the wight dealt with.  He meant to blind it, but now that he was sure it's eyes were no longer working anyway, he focused on the mass of evil hovering over them!  He blurted a string of arcane sylabols and pointed at the evil entity above, launching two balls of force-energy at it.  They slam into it, but it doesn't seem to notice.  The young wizard is sure his spell was effective, only it seemed to be too focused on Garret to show any discomfort his attack no doubt caused.
Roth sprints up the stairs, preparing his weapons as he moves.
Shirok remains near the back of the pack, and shifts back further once the wraith moves over them.  He casts a spell that calls forth a ball of fire.  The ball begins in the air at the phantom's back, but quickly falls away and lands beside the altar, near one of the zombies.  The wraith and zombie both feel the magical flame's bite; but both remain standing.
"Back to the Hells with you!" Garret says as he extends his hand to expose his open palm.  Seeing this, the wraith reacts, striking out again to touch the cleric.  This time, Garret dodges the counter-attack and issues forth a ray of bright sunlight!  It seems to pierce the creature and causing it to momentarily fade away until the light subsides.  The creature erupts in a terrible scream, a violent and shrill cry that won't likely be forgotten.
Battle Map

     A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 3 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 4 |   |HEN|   |ILS|   |NEY|   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 5 |GAR|   |   |Z 2|Z 1|   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+Wraith-+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 6 |RTH|   | x |   |   |Z 3|   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 7 |STN|CHU|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 8 |SHR|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 9 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
10 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:37, Tue 14 Dec 2010.

Emboldened by her success, Ilsa raised her sword high to hack at the zombies before her and Neya (Z1). She squealed in delight at the carnage, tempered only by the fact that these things were already dead and didn't bleed and cry out in pain. She snatched her teeth and wagged her tongue at her opponents, matching their grotesque visage with her own.


21:08, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 16 using 1d20+9. Power Attack, -4/+4 Z1, +InspCourage.
21:10, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 20 using 2d6+17. Damage, PA, +Rage, +InspCourage.
Ugh, I really need my Raging combat stats worked out on my character sheet.

21:12, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 15 using 1d20+9. Cleave Z2?.
21:12, Today: Ilsa Redeye rolled 25 using 2d6+17. Damage Z2.

Seeing the wrath downed and Ilsa dealing with two of the other zombies, Porto pulls out his handy rope and calls upon it's abilities once more to tie up the third and separated zombie(Z3).

Standard Action: Use rope to tie up zombie

00:17, Today: Porto 'Chubbs' Brandybuck rolled 14 using 1d20+3. touch attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:18, Tue 14 Dec 2010.

Hennesey wasn't exactly an undead expert by anymeans, even given what he learned from his brother. But he did know, however, that he wanted to out some distance between himself and the wraith. He drops his axe into the fallen zombie and takes one step away from both the wraith and Ilsa. He also was able to hanger weapons to his  Darkwood composite longbow and fire.orrow.two shots at the zombie currently accounted for by Ilsa or Neya(Z1).

Free Action: Drop Axe in dwarf corpse
Move Action: 5ft Step to A3
  -Free Action Draw Bow
Full Round Action: Rapid Shot vs Z2
08:15, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 10 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 4.  Rapid Shot 1 .
08:15, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 23 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 17.  Rapid Shot2.

08:24, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 7 using 1d8+5 with rolls of 2.  Damage 1.
08:24, Today: Hennesey Rydell rolled 13 using 1d8+5 with rolls of 8.  Damage 2.

This message was last edited by the player at 21:05, Thu 16 Dec 2010.

Stan unleashed another blast of magical force. As he did so, he spoke, though the words seemed distant and alien.

"Zurück zu Ashema-Daeva, unruhig sein. Zurück zu Ihrer Domäne und die Lebenden stören nicht mehr. Der Prinz von Krähen fleht dich. Zurück!"

Standard: magic missile (8 damage)

Roth didn't like the dead ... they never fell from a stab to the heart or kidney, and he wasn't sure he could damage the wraith at all.  But for the hell of it, the elf thrust his blade up at the ghost before ducking low and weaving deeper into the fray, hoping to lend support and make room for others to join.

Standard:  Attack Wraith
Move: Tumble 15ft to D6 (flanking for Ilsa, Neya, and maybe Garret ... next round)
      ...if Roth can get around the Flaming Sphere.

09:17, Today: Roth Daos rolled 60 using 1d100. Under 50 for hit.
09:16, Today: Roth Daos rolled 23 using 1d20+6. Attack.

08:50, Today: Roth Daos rolled 18 using 1d20+11. Tumble vs Z2.
08:50, Today: Roth Daos rolled 19 using 1d20+11. Tumble vs Wraith.

Shirok snarled at the floating wraith, but forced himself to focus upon the zombies. Cut down the weak, then the wraith would stand no chance against all of them. The ball of flame roared as it streaked towards the nearest zombie and engulfed the foul creature, Neya growling loudly as she lashed out at the putrid things.

Shirok will use a move to put the flame sphere in the square with the nearest active zombie. Does 8 fire damage. Second move to go to D8.

Neya will attack the nearest zombie. Atk 30, Dmg 13, Trip 11.

15:57, Today: Neya rolled 30,13,11 using 1d20+11,1d8+11,1d20+10. Atk/Dmg/Trip.
15:55, Today: Shirok Rezkala rolled 8 using 2d6. Flame.

Zombie 2 lunges at Ilsa, but misses.  Zombie 3 shambles toward Neya; but is too slow to also attack.
Ilsa delivers a mighty blow to the first zombie!  Her attack is so devastating and powerful, it cleaves cleanly through the creature's body as it crumbles to the floor.  Her arch also slices through the second zombie nearest it, as if it were made of soft butter.  Both monsters fall to the flagstone in a heap.
There was something about the spirit that Neya didn't like and found it overwhelmingly repulsive.  The wolf wasn't cowardly, but she knew there was little she could do to such an unnatural foe, if anything at all.  Instead, she targeted the final zombie, thinking to free up her allies so they could focus on the wraith.  She lashed out violently at the zombie, tearing deep gashes into it and even knocking it to the floor; but it remained.
Wraith wails frantically as the fiery-red orbs under its hood lock onto Garret.  It points at him and utters something unintelligible.  The cleric is hoisted into the air by unseen hands.  His face is pale, but he remains as calm as one can in his situation.  He doesn't resist or attempt to break free from the monster's pull.  His features contain a level of tranquility the likes many of you have not seen in a long time.  He reaches into his pack as he hovers there for a moment and retrieves a thickly bound book.  As he opens it, however, a black spear explodes from his chest!
 He lets out a deep groan before he is pulled across the room by the spear, dropping the tome on the stone stairs.  In a flash of negative energies, Garret Nachtbrise is torn from the material plane.
Chubbs, more focused on his rope tricks, tosses his enchanted rope over the lip of the raised section, hoping to land it on top of the felled zombie.  Luck is with the quirky little fellow and his aim is true.  The rope wastes no time in wrapping itself around the undead creature and constricting it.
With the zombies either dead or dealt with, Hennessey knows its time to focus on the wraith.  He switches to his bow and looses two arrows in short order.  Although the display is impressive, speaking volumes for the ranger's expertise with the bow, his arrows soar directly through his target and break against the wall on the other side of the chamber.
Stan shouts a challenge of his own at the specter as he launches two more force orbs at it.  They hit unerringly, drawing another shriek from the ghastly being as it abruptly fades away, defeated.

XP awarded
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:42, Thu 16 Dec 2010.

Stan stops fighting and begins to pant a little. He had not exerted himself that hard physically. Is it possible that whatever magic was working in him could bring him physical fatigue? He hoped not.

Momentarily, he straightened up and put on a smile that he didn't really feel.

"Well, this place is in a bit of a right state."

He began to examine the apparatuses, although he already knew their purpose.

Ilsa raised her sword, ready to charge the next thing, then stopped herself. She looked around as she caught her breath. "Where's the priest?"

"He's ... just gone?"  Roth answers in astonishment at the loss of Garret.  "Did the wraith do that?"  The elf puts away the knight's sword and returns his readied scroll to its case on his belt before stepping over to pick Garret's book up from the floor and check it out.  "We needed him, didn't we?"

"We did to get paid," Ilsa grunted. She looked at her sword, sighed, and the starting wiping off the undead goo.

Ilsa if that undead thing wrapped in my rope is still alive, do you want to chop of its head? If she does Porto lets her and then removes his rope, if not he does it himself and retrieves it. He hoped that Garret is all right but losing his awesome rope wouldn't solve that.

Shirok shut his eyes for a few moments once the mockeries of life had fallen, calming himself down before opening them again. "Do you know what might have happened to him?" he asked Stan, moving to recover the rod and dagger dropped by the elven wight.

"I just cleaned off my sword. You do it," Ilsa said to the halfling. She was still winded from the too-short fight and just didn't want to bother. "It will be fun to watch."