A Light in the Darkness [closed]

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Cleric

With a look of resignation, Trinark follows behind the Lizardkin Druid.

"You have my support, my friend. Lead the way and I will follow."

He pauses for a moment, then adds, "If its all the same to you, I would prefer not to die today."

[Spaz]

Yix

Yix continues to fly around above the group. He will move back and forth trying to give them advance warnings when there are zombies up ahead.

[Dr._Bob]

The party edges past the zombies cautiously, then continues the journey onward and upward with Yix flying ahead as a scout.

There is a flurry of ferocious growling and hissing behind you as the lizardman tears the six zombies to shreds. After a few minutes, he rejoins the party. He is breathing heavily and his armor and shield are covered in zombie gore.

OOC: The zombies surround the lizardman and pummel him mercilessly. It takes 16 rounds for the lizardman to destroy all 6 zombies. He takes a total of 20 points of damage.

[hr]
Eventually, the passage changes from a rough natural tunnel, to hewn rock, then to a wide, but low ceilinged tunnel with niches carved in the walls. Many of the niches still contain decrepit skeletons. You seem to have found your way into some ancient catacombs.

The catacomb passages intersect at irregular intervals, forming a maze-like warren of tunnels.

You periodically catch sight of groups of zombies, but they shuffle away as rapidly as they can (being zombies, they are rather slow moving), leaving your party undisturbed.

After wandering the catacombs for an endless, dizzying time, you eventually spot a light in the distance, coming from the end of the passage up ahead ...

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel murmers to herself, "So far it's been easy, maybe now it'll get more interesting." before speaking at a more audible levle, "Now is probably the time for caution."

[runehawk]

Lizardkin Druid

friend...
The word had no meaning in the lizardkin dialect but the reptilian was beginning to understand....

The meaning behind the word and the bond it implied. As strong as that of a packmate. Possibly stronger. Cloudhair(Trinark) had been a stranger days before. A completely different race. One whom he had suspected harbouring Sethra as well. And who had come to his rescue when he was chained as a sacrifice.

The word had echoed in his head as the undead tore at him. Trinark had valiantly rushed and hit some aside and killed a few although it hadn't prevented them from surrounding him.

Looking into his dark worried face examining his wounds as he walked out, he stretched out an arm. Placing it on his shoulder, he says
"Friend"

The two trudged off side by side. The lizardman looking much more at ease. Trinark assumed that the imbalance his comrade had sensed had been corrected.

As the lizardman caught sight of the new undead, he bared his teeth and prepared to start off after them.
He turns to look at Trinark when he feels his arm being grabbed.Shaking his head, the drow warrior points towards the light with his sword-tip and utters,
"The source"
Ssathiya pauses then nods in understanding. He gives a last look in the direction of the undead and then places a hand in his chest chanting a spell of healing before marching behind Trinark.

OO: CLW on self (7 +3= 10)

[Soluna]

Si'rene

Familiar with her friends body movements, she could tell what she was going to say before she even said it. Si'rene smiles to herself and begins to move into shadows, watching all around as she keeps up with the group, although a few paces behind to make sure nothing unexpected happens, her hand on her oathbow, she keeps quiet.

[Dr._Bob]

As you move forward toward the light, you hear a soft shuffling from behind you.

Looking backward, you see that the passage is filled with zombies. They appear to be keeping their distance from you (at least 60'), but they are clearly trying to prevent you from retreating back the way you came. Their shadowy forms sway back and forth, and one or two make low groaning noises.

[hr]
Ahead, the passageway opens into a large square (40' x 40') chamber with a towering arched ceiling. Dim torches sputter at the four corners of the room, each held by a motionless zombie. There is a dark passage in the center of each wall.

An intricately carved slab of stone lies in the center of the room. The table or altar is bare, but the stone appears to have been deeply stained by some kind of dark fluid.

Besides the 4 torchbearers, there are 24 other zombies lining the walls of the chamber, 8 per wall.

You hesitate at the entrance to the room. None of the zombies make any aggressive movements towards you.

[Rei_Jin]

Tychus


Tychus swallows reflexively. He hasn't been this freaked out in a long, long time.

This can't be good, this REALLY can't be good.

He looks around, there should be someone here besides the party and the zombies. Zombies don't make zombies, after all...

This doesn't make any sense guys. What's going on?

[blackfox]

Ginevra

Damn... that's not good. Ginevra looks back and forth between the zombies and the room, trying figure out what best to do. That table... that's for sacrafices. Someone must have put these zombies here for something. But... why? Ginevra decides to try to do what she does best, and slips into the shadows. She will try to estimate the number of zombies blocking the passageway and look at the passages leading out of the altar room to try and determine if anything is in them, and if the party could easily escape through them.

[Spaz]

Yix

Yix lets out what appears to be a sigh, or as close to a sigh as can be had by a pseudodragon. He is not a fan of feeling useless, and the walk towards the surface has just seemed like a long string of that. Even scouting was not exhilirating knowing that the zombies couldn't attack him. He merely floats in the room, and looks for a suitable perch as the events unfold.

[Dr._Bob]

There must be at least 20 zombies filling the passageway behind you. There might be more, but in the darkness it is hard to tell.

Ginevra almost instinctively vanishes into the shadows and peers into the darkness of the three other passages leaving the chamber. They appear to be empty, but there could easily be more zombies waiting down those passageways.

The pseudodragon finds a carved alcove to perch in, and watches the room from above. He looks almost bored, feeling completely unthreatened by the slow moving earthbound zombies.

Andrea rubs his chin thoughtfully and answers Tychus. "It looks like they are waiting for us. The undead don't need light. I assume that the torches are for our benefit."

The Harper looks behind the group uneasily. "I don't know whether I'd prefer to take my chances with the 'welcoming committee' ahead or our 'fan club' hanging out back there ..."

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Cleric

Looking behind to the zombies gathered there, Trinark's look of resignation turns to one of determination.

Fortune favors the bold...

He pushes past the Druid and steps into the room, fulling expecting all hell to break loose...

[Soluna]

Si'rene

Thinking that she will never see the light of day again, Si'rene turn to face the zombies behind and brings her hands in front of her. By the fire inside my soul! she says quietly as she casts Burning hands.

Smirking she then readies her longbow for action.

[ooc]Any creature in the area of the flames takes 1d4 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 5d4).[/ooc]

[Dr._Bob]

Trinark strides boldly into the illuminated chamber, expecting an imminent attack, but the zombies lining the walls sway impassively without reacting to his presence. The lizardman is close behind the drow. His claws and teeth are bared threateningly.

The others cautiously step into the chamber, looking about themselves suspiciously.

As you enter the chamber, the zombies behind you shuffle forward to prevent any attempt to escape the way you came.

Si'rene, guarding the rear of the party, has had enough. Flames radiate from Si'rene's outstretched fingers, searing the front ranks of the zombie horde. The smell of charred, necrotic flesh is nauseating, but the elf hardly seems to notice as she nocks an arrow in one smooth motion.

The zombies in the passageway groan and shuffle forward. Andrea, who had also been lingering near the back of the party, goes down with a cry as he is overwhelmed by a dozen zombies.



OOC: Trinark, the lizardman, Ginevra and Yix are in the main chamber. Si'rene and Andrea are at the rear of the party (still in the passageway). The others are somewhere in the middle.

Those who wish to attack the horde in the passageway may make their own attack and damage rolls. Each zombie has AC 11 and DR 5/slashing.

[Rei_Jin]

Tychus

Seeing his comrade fall, Tychus becomes hysterical. This situation just goes from bad to worse.

NOOOO! ANDREA!!!

Quick, we've got to save him!



EDIT: Stupid non-gender specific names!

[runehawk]

Lizardkin Druid
Spinning around, seeing the fair-haired human going down, his nostrils flare as he lets out a ferocious snarl.

He braces his shield in front of him and holds out a hand and chants. The large tooth hanging on his neck catches fire which does not burn him. It roars out to his hand coalescing into a burning scimitar of flame. He twirls it experimentally but with the flourish of an experienced swordsman.

His own widened eyes betray his surprise. Then looking at the zombies pouring forth at the archer, his eyes narrow.

"Find the ssource...."
He barks at Trinark and then pausing , in a lower tone he hisses, "...and.. sstay alive"

His expression sets into one of determination and he lumbers forward.

One more... one more ..obstacle in my hunt for Sethra..

OOC: Flame Blade (30 rounds duration) melee touch
1d8 +1 fire dmg.. {crap that slashing dmg resis explains the 25 dmg i took. well lesse how well they burn} + move action

[Spaz]

Yix

From his perch Yix notices the swarm of zombies. He growls loudly as his discontent at the situation. He flies full force into one of the zombies hoping to give Andrea a chance to escape.

[Soluna]

Si'rene

Smiling, Si'rene knocks another arrow, aiming at the closest zombie. Thinking about all that have done her wrong, she draws back gracefully, and lets another arrow fly.

[blackfox]

Ginevra

From her position in the main room, Ginevra sees Andrea fall. Whispering curses in more than a few different languages, and making sure her back could be against the wall, Ginevra quietly draws her shortsword and attacks the nearest zombie from the shadows.

(OOC: Attack Roll (1d20+8=12)
Damage Roll (1d6+2=4))

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel hisses out a colorful discription about those who act without thinking as her two companions charge into the hoard. She notices the exchange that the lizardman and drow cleric had. Making a descion she hopes she won't regret, she will quickly join Trinark hoping that her friends can hold their own...

ooc: damn langauge barrier!!!! the translators are in battle!

[Dr._Bob]

For a moment, Andrea's face appears, twisted into a grotesque mask of pain and fear, then he is swallowed up again by the zombie horde. His screams are silenced abruptly, sending a chill up your spine.

With elegant grace, Si'rene buries two arrows into the skull of one of the zombies. The undead rocks backward, but is then pushed forward by the zombies behind. The arrows stick out of its head like a pair of antennae but the creature continues to march forward.

Yix streaks to the attack, flapping his wings and stinging furiously. The lead zombie waves its arms in a futile attempt to bat the pseudodragon away. The zombie is too slow to catch the tiny lizard, but neither is Yix able to do much to stop the monster from continuing its approach.

As the zombies close in, Ginevra darts out of the shadows and impales one of the creatures from behind. Her precise blow would have been instantly fatal to almost any living human, but the zombie is not alive and hardly seems to notice the attack.

With a roar, the lizardman charges into the fray, shouldering aside Tychus and Thallios. His flame blade disembowels the nearest zombie, but the creature keeps on coming, almost tripping on its entrails.

Tiriel joins the druid, her flaming longsword chops into the same zombie the lizardman had injured, slicing the creature neatly in half. Its torso tumbles backward, but its legs and pelvis continue to stumble forward for a few seconds before they collapse as well.

The party falls back into the lighted room. The doorway is only 5 ft wide, so it may provide a critical bottleneck to hold the zombies at bay.

Of course, there are also more than two dozen zombies in the chamber with you, but those zombies continue to sway in place, lining the walls at regular intervals.




OOC: DR 5/slashing means that all damage is reduced by 5, EXCEPT for slashing damage. Si'rene's arrows and Ginevra's piercing attack cause almost no damage. The lizardman hits for 7 damage. Tiriel hits for 10 damage, destroying the zombie.

The zombies in the passageway can only enter the room one at a time.

[Dark_Stalion]

Gnoll

The gnoll starts at the huge hord behind him, but quickly recovers. Finally, a chance to repay some of the debt that he owed these strange creatures, and an honourable, albeit almost certain death that was to follow, attempting to save the life of one who had helped free him.

[Ooc: Charge into zombie hord at the point where Andrea's face was last seen. Charge against Zombies inclusive of the +2 bonus from charging. (1d20+10=29, hit, 1d8+4=7 damage)]

[scene24]

Thallios, elf wizard

[ooc: sorry I was out of it for a few days. After my vacation I came down with a terrible cold...]

The elf in blue robes gasped in surprise as Andrea went down under a torrent of zombies. He'd been thinking of decimating the undead horde with a fireball, but was waiting for just the right moment. Okay, I guess I missed it. Things were quickly getting out of hand.

Thallios lifted his hands, appropriate material pinched between fingertips, and looked for a target that didn't include Andrea. "Friends, NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DUCK!" he shouted.

He picked a spot 20 feet behind the first few ranks of zombies, that would take out as many as possible with minimal risk to his compatriots, and let FIREBALL fly in an arc over the heads of the foremost corpses.

[Rei_Jin]

Tychus

Having little use for himself, Tychus starts up a Battle Hymn to aid his companions, whilst ducking low, behind the rest of the party.

Make it all stop, please make it stop...


[Bardic Music, add +1 to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear.]

[Soluna]

Si'rene

Targeting as she lifts her hands as best she can once more, by the fire in my soul, let these flames hit true!

((OOC I am looking for an angle where my cone of fire does the least damage to those on my side. None if at all possible. Burning hands again. I think i get this 5x per day?))

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel "Ginerva, ask the drow if he can do something about the mass of undead heading our way would you?" Tiriel trys to be as poliet...but she's still shouting.

ooc: I'm still going to use this color for Tiriel's talking...it's always in common anyhow.

[runehawk]

Lizardkin Druid

The lizardkin switches to another zombie beside it and slashs with his flame blade.

OOC: (own) dice roll =12 so hit dmg= 6 +2=8
2 zombies dmg taken: 7, 8
May be those with lower damaging weapons can hit those. More efficient, yeah?..I have a club hanging on my belt if anyone needs it.

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Cleric

At the Druid's urging, Trinark began scanning the room lined with zombies. He was looking for anyone or anything that might be the source for the zombies. He tried ignore the sounds of combat coming from behind him and focus on the task at hand.

Secretly Trinark began a silent prayer to Eilistraee, attempting to focus her positive energy. In the event the zombies decide to attack, he wanted at least the chance to repell them.

[OOC: Search roll = 14, is applicable]

[Spaz]

Yix

Feeling defeated Yix returns to is perch. He scans the area looking for anything strange.

[blackfox]

Ginevra

Hearing Tiriel's shout, Ginevra calls to Trinark, in his own tongue, "Trinark, can you turn these zombies away? With your holy symbol?" Sheathing her ineffective shortsword and muttering under her breath, she draws her dagger and uses its more effective cutting side to slash at the nearest zombie.

(OOC: Attack Roll (1d20+8=16)
Damage Roll (1d4+2=5))