The last of the zombies collapses, leaving you glancing around at the rest of the corpses for any sign that they, too, may rise. The words of the strange entity still echo through your minds.

The statue continues to fluctuate in appearance and existence. though now a gash can be seen where Brer struck it.

Amid the rot and decay, the faint smell of smoke can be made upon the light breeze. Like a far off campfire.

Panting after the exertion of the battle, Brer wipes viscera from the zombies from his face with the edge of his tunic, his flaming blade guttering out as the gift from his god fades leaving a gleaming lay clean blade, “Is everyone well,  any injuries that will keep you from the fight?”

While he waits for the report he examines the statue for any markings or clues to its origin.

The statue flickers in and out of existence, its shifting form making details difficult to see.

Mouse slides his bow across his shoulders. "I'm fine," he says in Dara's voice. He started to slowly step closer to the statue.

I am well enough to continue.

Begins looking for two arrows he shot, look around area big bad guy went down for anything of value

Motes of red smoke rise from the crevasse where the strangely armored creature fell in, the motes swirl for a moment before feeding into the statue.

Jamrion starts rummaging through the piles of rotting corpses.

"I think we should break the statue. It seems to be... causing this? Part of it?"

Brer covers his eyes with his hand  as if his eyelids alone aren’t enough to block out the abomination, “You’re right, Mouse.  I don’t know if it will stop this, but it needs to be destroyed.  Let’s see if we can find a maul...  I’d rather not dull my blade on stone or whatever that thing is made of unless there is no other choice.”

He takes a few moments to glance into the nearby buildings in search of a some sort of object he can use to bludgeon the statue.

While Brer and Mouse are searching for things, what are the rest of you folks doing?

Roscoe limps around trying to help find something to break the statue.   "Brer, if it's not too much trouble, do you have any healing magic left?  One of those zombies got me pretty good."

“You won’t like it...  Tempus would rather you not get hit than waste his time fixing your mistakes.”  He shrugs, “But, if your wounds are distracting you from the task at hand.  Come over here with me.  A bit of distance from that rift seems wise for healing.”

He waits for Roscoe to step away before praying aloud.  A moment goes by when Roscoe feels that maybe Brer just being a jerk, then he feels a growing burning sensation from his wounds that quickly overtakes the original pain of the injury.  The wounds are wreathed in an angry orange flame and moments later the pain subsides the wounds closed, knitted over with fresh, hairless skin.

OOC:  casting healing word on the hobbit or whatever.
Healing word: 18:15, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 4 using 1d4+2 ((2)).

Roscoe and Brer shimmer a bit, like the being they fought earlier and then return to solid form.

Brer let's not do that again here, y'all phased a little and let out red smoke.  What do you think about knocking state into rift.

Will not rummage through corpses just eyeing ground around were big guy went down.

“Wasn’t my idea, Jamiron, but thanks for the advice.  Let’s get to the smashing of the statue before we do anything else.”

In reply to Brer Vodraz (msg # 14):

I meant knocking statute into rift

As you search and manage to find some rusted and worn hammers, the smell of smoke gets increasingly stronger.

The statue continues to warp and shift, but the speed in which it does appears to be getting faster. Bits of red smoke flow from outside the village and into the statue.

Wait a minute. 

Bricet examines the statute.  Not touching it though.  Bricet rolls a 19 on History check with Intelligence (fantasy grounds roll)  Bricet is looking for anything that may provide background on the statue.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:55, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

Step away from statue and group observe red smoke

Bricet looks over the statue.



From now on, please make all rolls with the RPOL die roller. You have character sheets now with all the character information in them.

In reply to GM (msg # 19):

Yes sir.  But the dice roller on fantasy grounds is so much cooler.

Guys, I am seeing symbols of Loviatar and Tyr.  They are on the surface of the statue and moving about.  It is really painful to look at.  I think I am going to puke.

Bricet jerks his head away and begins to gag.

"Is that why it ate your magic? We should still destroy it right?" Mouse turns his head so he doesn't have to look at it. "Or push it in the rift?"

In reply to Mouse Squeak (msg # 22):

I would not touch it with your flesh.  Maybe push or pull it into the rift.

"Thanks Brer, I feel one hundred percent better.  It may be that the symbols of Tyr only appeared after Brer healed me and the statue absorbed some of the magic.  Perhaps our foe worshipped Loviatar?   Anyway, I have some rope if we want to try pulling the statue into the hole.  But I suspect the effect will continue if we do not destroy it.   Brer's sword managed to damage it.  We may need to use our weapons if we cannot find anything around."

“The symbols were there before I healed Roscoe.”   He looks to the others, “My sword hurt it once, but I would just rather use something intended for smashing rather than my sword to destroy that thing.  I’m guessing that it is somehow thinning the veil between here and...  well wherever and probably doing the same with magic.  That’s why my spell was strange.  If smashing it doesn’t do the trick then we can push the pieces into the rift.”

He puts hands on hips, “As for the symbols...  It is simply blasphemy of the highest order.  I don’t know if they worshiped either god, truly.”

OOC:  any luck finding a hammer or other smashing device?

The smell of smoke grows stronger, far stronger than the unscented wisps of red smoke feeding the statue would warrant.

Yep. Old rusted hammers were found a few posts back.

Grand an old hammer and whacks statute

Hey y'all watch this

The hammer hits the statue, the sound of the impact less like stone and more like flesh. A sickening bruise forms on the spot, but no effect on the maddening shape changing of the statue is discernible.

something's wrong felt like I got flesh not done pulled rope of back pack loops around waist and pulls statue away from rift

Make a Strength Ability Check

In reply to GM (msg # 30):

23:12, Today: Jamrion rolled 13 using 1d20+2.  Strength check

The statue doesn't budge, though the shifting seems to slow down.

Clouds of white smoke, smelling of grass fire are flowing through the village from the direction of the caravan.

"Faster!" he says in the voice of surely taskmaster. Mouse dashes forward and slides his short sword into the base of the statue's neck. If it were a living person it would surely be a deathblow. Then he saws back and forth trying to decapitate it.

Mouse finds it impossible to get his sword around a specific part of the statue thanks to it constantly changing size and shape.

As he grabs it, however, his eyes roll back into his head and small teeth line up along his arms and legs to hold him in place.

Please make a Will Save.

09:18, Today: Mouse Squeak rolled 9 using 1d20+3.  Will Save.

"We are the 1000 children of death!" Mouse screams as he tumbles from the statue. His right eye evaporating into a red mist that feeds into the statue.


The statue stops shifting and changing, it's final form, a massive fang jutting up from the ground thirty feet into the air. A low rumble issues from the crevasse as it closes, disturbingly similar to a sinister laugh.

crap something else must have attacked caravan, the red smoke was coming from the people dying and now there is a grass fire.  should we go there, or fight whatever is coming here.picks hammer back up and whacks fang

The hammer strike appears to be as futile as the effort behind it.

Mouse twitches and seizes on the ground before going limp and gasping for air.

Brer picks up the bird man, “Let’s get away from here and check on the caravan.  I’ll try to heal mouse when we get some distance.”  He spits in the direction of the statue.  “We can destroy that thing later.”

Is everyone following?

Roscoe is tempted to see what would happen if he cast Chill Touch at the fang, but a quick look at Mouse's missing eye quashes that notion.  He hurries after Brer, taking three steps for every two of the taller man's.

Attempt to get in front of them, stashing hammer in belt and pulling bow. right with ya

Bricet examines the fang from twenty feet away before turning and moving to join his companions heading to the caravan.

Pulls potion of healing out.
Would this be better?
Keeps moving scanning for any hostiles

You quickly start making your way out of the village, Roscoe quickly realizes that whatever Brer cast on him, it didn't heal him at all.

Jamrion notices that all of the bodies on the outskirts of the village are no longer there. Once out of the village everyone sees a fire raging on either side of the road, burning outwards from where the caravan is camped.

The faint sounds of screams can be heard on the wind. The caravan is under attack.

be ready looks like we will be fighting more zombies
Looking for targets keep running to caravan with group

"Brer, hold up a moment.  If this is about to be another fight, we need all hands on deck.  The fact that Mouse said something we have never heard before instead of just mimicking something makes me think he needs more help immediately."

Once Brer slows down, Roscoe will cast Protection From Good and Evil on Mousesqueak.
(Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, Fiends and Undead have disadvantage on attacks against Mouse.  He also cannot be charmed, frightened or possessed by them.  If he is already charmed, frightened or possessed, he gets advantage on any new saving throw against the relevant effect).

"It's not much, but it is the best I can do for now."

Mouse pats Brer on the shoulder and says, "Down. Put me down. We need to protect the caravan."

So Mouse do you need this potion of healing or should I keep for later
Holds potion of to him

"Brer's healing spell didn't do anything, maybe potions won't work either.  We don't know the radius of the effect.   I mean, drink it if you absolutely need to.  But it could be wasted."

Roscoe follows the others toward the caravan to deal with the latest threat.  (Emphasis on "follow")

Mouse pats where his eye was. "No, I don't think it would help," he says in the voice of a tired house wife

Reminded of the Desecration effect that Bricet had mentioned earlier, Roscoe will drink his Potion of Healing once he judges that he is a safe distance from the village.

He will then use his last spell slot to cast Mage Armor on himself and move at the pace set by the party fighter types toward the caravan.


Potion of Healing: 11:37, Today: Roscoe Porridgepot rolled 6 using 2d4+2 ((3,1)).
Brings me back to 10 HP if successful.
Let me know if I need a Religion/Arcana check to determine when it is safe to use.

Mage Armor gives me an AC of 15 and lasts for 8 hours.

Maintaining Concentration on Protection From Good and Evil on Mousesqueak.

Advance with party to within 150 meters of caravan.
Looking for zombies attacking caravan.

Brer shakes his head at the whole situation, “Let’s be smart about this.  Bricet and I will take the lead, roscoe you and mouse come behind  and Jamiron, you too.  We proceed quickly, but keep together. Once we see what is going on we will have to be careful that we don’t push so hard that we get enveloped.”

I need one Athletics roll and one Perception roll. Please discuss in Discord who is making the rolls and if anyone is aiding them. If you have Abilities, Spells, Equipment, or Traits you feel can help, explain what they are and how they can help. please do all of this in Discord before the characters who are making the rolls, make them here.

OOC: athletics(+5, help from bricet) - 06:19, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 19 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  athletics, advsntage.

09:25, Today: Mouse Squeak rolled 16 using 2d20+5 ((1,10)). Perception with Help

Readying your weapons and courage, you take-off towards the caravan, attempting to get to their defense before before many more refugee's can be slain. Mouse and Jamrion watch the grasslands for danger while Brer and Bricet set the pace, their years of soldiering allowing the party to make haste without wearing themselves out before the coming battle. The occasional zombie lumbers out from the thickening smoke but are easily handled by the ranger and rogues sharp eyes and aim.

The caravan is in disarray, and they are certainly losing the battle. Zombies are everywhere, some with the characteristic burned out eyes and mouths as is expected, others are far more fresh and retain those features. Hastrine stands atop a wagon, launching bolt after bolt from her crossbow, alongside several other scouts. A flask of alchemists fire is tossed out from their center with his trademark cough, Billiam is still alive.

Dara is leaning against another wagon, her right side covered in blood as she tends to a wounded guard. Ghorin and his goat are all that separates her from several zombies, his staff and the goats horns doing a fair job of handling the corpses.

More refugees are scattered about, fending off the attacking zombies and their own rising dead. Mouse points to a freshly fallen refugee and everyone watches as a series of small fangs rise up from the ground, quickly piercing the corpse before withdrawing back into the soil. The body twitches and begins to rise as its eyes, teeth and tongue vaporize into a small cloud of red smoke that drifts towards the massive fang behind you.






We are now in a Skill Challenge. There are two possible goals:

• Gather the remaining refugee's and escape.
• Fight the overwhelming number of zombies until the bitter end, hoping to survive.

You will need a certain number of successful skill checks before you reach a certain number of failures to succeed in the challenge. Rapidly posting skill checks without consulting the party in Discord will be a recipe for quick defeat.

How you approach either of the two goals is up to you and I will be expecting and allowing creative uses of Skills, Abilities, Spells, etc.

However, attempting to achieve both goals or switching goals mid challenge, will likely result in failure. Pick a goal and focus on it.

Those of you that cast spells will need to read the 'Spell Slots Expended' cell backwards. The character exporter does it weird. Instead of showing how many slots you've used, which makes sense, it shows how many slots you have left, which doesn't make sense...but there you go.

This message was last edited by the GM at 16:53, Tue 16 Mar 2021.

Seeing the situation, Brer quickly confers with his companions.  “Bricet, Roscoe connect with Dara and do what you can to get the wounded moving and the non combatants going in the right direction.  Mouse, you and Jamiron pick a line for the caravan to retreat.  Something that uses the grasses to our advantage to keep out of sight and pushes through a minimum of zombies.  Once you get some distance keep the caravan moving but drop back to meet up with my blocking force.  We might need someone to get the zombies off of us.  I’ll try to split off some of the hunters for you. 

He draws his sword, looking into their eyes one last time, “We will buy you time.  Don’t waste it.  If we get separated, i will do what I can to follow your tracks, but otherwise I’ll see you in Baldurs Gate.  It has been a pleasure to fight with you at my side, but Tempus calls.”

He grins as he charges fearlessly to organize the defense, a column of light incinerating a nearby zombie as he does. His demeanor seems strangely calm as he rallies the remaining fighters to the cause even if they don’t seem to listen.

OOC:  persuasion to gather the defenses:  20:06, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 5 using 2d20+1, dropping the lowest dice only ((4,2)).

Mouse rushes forward and hops on a wagon to get a better view. After a moment, he turns and whistles to a person fending off a zombie at the next wagon. "We are going down the path next to the fifth wagon in the column!" he screams as he points.

Action: Survival to find a path we can escape through that an unorganized horde would have difficultly following.

20:27, Today: Mouse Squeak rolled 23 using 1d20+5 ((18)).

Roscoe follows Bricet toward where Dara is.  Using Chill Touch at range to try to pick off zombies before they get on us.(120 foot range)  Will Also try to use Prestigitation to create a shower of sparks above us to get Dara and other survivors' attention.

here are a couple of attack rolls (just because) (and damage if needed)


21:16, Today: Roscoe Porridgepot rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Chill Touch .

21:18, Today: Roscoe Porridgepot rolled 3 using 1d8.  necrotic damage.

21:17, Today: Roscoe Porridgepot rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Chill Touch .

21:18, Today: Roscoe Porridgepot rolled 4 using 1d8.  necrotic damage.

If nothing else, it might get them to focus on us instead of the refugees.

Roscoe will let Bricet do the talking to convince Dara and the others of our plan and to follow us.  (rolling for Ira)


21:22, Today: Roscoe Porridgepot rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Bricet Persuasion check.

(Hopefully, it's a low DC seeing how the other choice is 'stay and die')

Brer charges in and almost immediately engulfed in a tangle of zombies, his words are lost in the noise of the ongoing assault and he soon has to focus on his own defense rather than moving forward.

Mouse and Jamrion move through the combat with practiced ease, the half-elf offering cover fire as Mouse finds a path that the caravan can take.

The road is currently heading northwest. Baldur's Gate is southwest. The river is due south. The zombies are coming from every direction. What direction are you wanting to go?

Bricet and Roscoe battle their way to Dara. Bricet is at a loss for words as he fights off zombies while trying to explain the plan. Eventually he gets his points across and the handful of refugees near him, all agree to it, though they are all wounded enough that they can't fight. Roscoe casts his spell and the small fireworks display is able to draw the attention of the scattered defenders, as well as any zombies that are not currently engaged.

Brer is currently bogged down in a battle. He has to spend this next "round" battling to get free. He has Disadvantage on anything else he tries. If someone 'Aids' him, he can lose the Disadvantage condition.

All refugees that can extricate themselves from battling zombies will attempt to do so and make their way to Bricet and Roscoe, unless instructed otherwise. This includes abandoning whatever duty they were currently performing, such as holding the oxen from running away, or defending a particular area/person/etc.

Over half of the refugees have been slain and turned into zombies. A third of the remaining are injured enough to not be able to fight, many of those cannot travel on foot. There are only three or four wagons left that are useable. Mouse is on one, Hastrine is on one with Billiam and some scouts, Vasha is defending hers with some guards, and Dara is at hers with Ghollin, Ippon and Tomas, and all of the wounded refugees.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:51, Thu 18 Mar 2021.

Mouse snaps the reigns and pulls the oxen as he desperately looks for a path to follow.

Action: Survival to guide the wagon train. 15

Action: Driving the wagon. 17

Brer is almost dragged down into a scrum of zombies when a volley of arrows launched by Jamiron gives him a moment where he might be able to escape If by nothing other than sheer muscle.  He runs, pushing anyone he encounters towards the wagons, “Go!  We will fight another day.”

Reaching the last wagon in the line he hauls on the reigns, demanding the horses move in the direction of the other wagons before climbing on himself.

OOC:

Athletics- 16:18, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 16 using 1d20+5.  Athletics.
 Land vehicles 16:24, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Land vehicles(strength).

Rolling for bricet: 16:40, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 7 using 1d20+4 ((3)).

Mouse gives reign to the oxen he is driving and with expert precision nudges them over to the clearer ground, running over zombies as he goes.

Following right behind is the wagon with the heaviest load of wounded, the refugee driver is an expert and follows the rogues lead, knocking Bricet over as the wagon lurches forward. Bricet forgets about his speech and holds on for dear life while Roscoe slings insults and spells with only the slightest hint of fear cracking his voice.

Not to be outdone, Hastrine's driver fights off a zombie with one hand while steering his wagon with the other, his battle is as epic as his skill and the wagon tears through more zombies as Jamrion finishes of the ones holding Brer back.

Brer scrabbles into Vasha's wagon as she nods and covers the unconscious form of her husband from any assaulting undead. Brer barely has the reigns in his hands when a swirling cloud of teeth and eyes forms out of the ground, causing his draft animals to whinny in terror and careen in a direction that they know all to well Brer did not instruct them to.

15:58, Today: GM rolled 14 using 1d20+2.
15:59, Today: GM rolled 19 using 1d20+2.

You have added 3 more Successes and 1 more Failure. Leaving you at 1 and 1 remaining.

It is now up to Brer to make the deciding roll.

Can he get control of his beasts? Will he die in a fiery wagon crash? Will he become the eyeless, toothless zombie he always knew he could be?

Brer mutters a prayer as he tries to get control of the carriage.

Ooc:  if I can cast guidance I will and it will add the following to the roll: 17:15, Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 1 using 1d4.  Guidance.

Carriage driving: Today: Brer Vodraz rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Carriage driving.

Brer curses under his breath as he utters a prayer to Tempus. His mighty thews bulge as he drags the beasts back into his command, straining the draft harnesses to their limit. He may have taken a more scenic route, but he swings back into the rapidly moving column just the same.