The Necromancer's Pact IX: City of Weeping Ghosts

[Koji]

Khazrael

With a smirk, Khazrael says, "Well of course the water's clean. Nobody lives there now."

He shakes his head. "So we drown, we get gutted, or we fall. I say door number two. Those stains are probably blood, but I feel better about monsters than I do about insurmountable obstacles."

[Matticus]

Grynde

Water, blood, or lots of water and height. I like the idea of blood better myself. Although water's cleaner, and doesn't stain clothing.
He gazes at the three paths before turning to Zeodoras. Hey, demon thing. Zeodoras. Didn't you say something about a portcullis before? Or have we cut through to a different place entirely?

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"I don't think the one with the breeze is right. Valentine's probably camped in a building and that one likely leads to an outside area. Possibly even in the middle of the battlefield. I'd rather avoid the water if we can. Water never seems to go well..."

[namo]

Adalmar

He shakes his head in reply to Damian's silent query. He looks a bit distressed too. I warned them, but it seems they were counting on me anyway. "I don't remember being there...

The center one seems as good as any."

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika scowls briefly when Khazrael points out her error. "Wonderful. Thanks for making me feel better."

In an attempt to regain her pride, she says "I agree with Khazrael, though I'd like to point out that if there's bloodstains on the floor, there must have been something living there sometime recently."

And it's probably waiting in the shadows to drink our blood...

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

"The only reason I think we should use the left tunnel is that the water is flowing down, which means that it leads up, which is where we need to go. I'm not sure about the middle one. Anyone else have any ideas?"

ooc: Dr.Bob, how high are the ceilings in these tunnels?

[Dr._Bob]

Adalmar admits that as a teen, he and his friends had never penetrated this far underground. Zeodoras did not come this way previously. The portcullis he squeezed through was located in a different place.

It does appear that the tunnels form a basic sewer system taking advantage of an underground stream running to the Lake. Here, the ceilings are about 8' tall.

The dark brown staining appears to be very old. If sewage once ran through the tunnel, it has probably been centuries since the system was actively used.

"I bet the undead don't need to crap," observes Aeroz.

The portcullises are old and rusted, but still solid. Up to three of you can stand in front of a given gate to try to lift it ...


OOC: Once a gate is (or gates are) chosen, up to three people can make STR checks to lift them ...

[Koji]

Khazrael

With a quick gesture to Anika, Khazrael says, "Hey, before anyone tries anything, why don't you check to see if the portcullis is going to work right, or if there's an easier way to open it. I doubt it'd be trapped, but you never know--maybe Valentine or the demons got down here and messed with it."

He gives her an apologetic shrug.

"Not to order you around, I just mean you seem to know how this kind of stuff works."

[namo]

Adalmar

"Good idea. Then perhaps, err, Tiriel, Retay and... Gala ? could lift it up ? We should be ready to pass it fast in case it's hard to keep it up."

[blackfox]

Anika

"Hm. That's a good idea, actually..." Although I'd be more worried about traps, myself...

Anika walks up to the portcullises, calling over her shoulder, "Didn't Zeodoras say something about a switch to open a portcullis?"

(OOC: Search Check (1d20+6=20))

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

(if Anika doesn't find a switch then Tiriel will volunteer to help open the gate)
Strength check - (1d20+5)[6]
(ooc: ARGHH! see ooc thread for second attempt)

[barawn]

Damian

Damian looks over to Khazrael with a slight, yet amused, frown on his face. "What, and you think my previous employers gave me the keys to go get what they wanted?"

(OOC: if Anika doesn't find anything, Damian'll quick search them as well.)

Spoiler

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Search - (1d20+7)[10]

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael laughs, "Well no, Damian, I just didn't want to presume you'd been involved in anything shady."

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Despite the environment, she couldnt help but smile to herself behind her mask at the banter between Damian and Khazreal. No, these were not the courageous, strong warriors of her lands...but in the face of enormous peril..they were relaxed.

She found a calm solace in that as new rays of hope settled on her heart and mind for the task at hand.

She did her best to stay out of the way as the portcullis is dealt with.

[Dr._Bob]

Looking over the iron gate, and at one point climbing the gate to inspect its upper margin, Anika finds no traps nor locks.

Unlike the portcullis described by Zeodoras, this gate does not appear to have a hidden lever. It appears that the gate is held closed simply by its own weight.

Tiriel attempts to lift the gate, but her hands slide off ineffectually. She is joined by Gala and Retay. Together the three warriors strain against the iron bars. With an ear-splitting SCREEEEEEEEEK! the gate grinds open, leaving a opening approximately two feet high - just high enough to roll or squirm under.

The metallic screech echoes up and down the tunnels.

Sweat breaks out on Retay's and Gala's brow as they strain to keep the gate up.

[Koji]

Khazrael

With a grunt, Khazrael attempts to squirm under the gate while the others hold it up.

Once on the other side, he gives the bars a meager effort of his own, trying to ease the burden of the others holding it up.

Spoiler

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1d20-1=13

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika scoots under the gate as fast as she can. She follows Khazrael's lead and grabs the gate from her side as well. "Someone strong should come over here next, to hold it up from this side..."

(OOC: Strength Check (1d20+2=8) Joy.)

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn dives under the gate. He comes up in a roll with his crossbow at the ready. He aims down the passage and peers into the gloom. "It might be that we want to scout a little further before we get everyone through the gate?"

[barawn]

Damian

Damian nods at Fizahn as he ducks quickly under the gate, patting him on the shoulder and whispering a quick joke with a chuckle. "I'll go on ahead as far as the light stretches. I'd be as much help as Fizahn holding that gate up. Get ready, though! Something probably heard that gate move, and when we get through, we'll be trapped on this side."

Waiting for a moment, Damian then slips into the shadows and down the path ahead.

Spoiler

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Hide - (1d20+13)[22]
Move Silently - (1d20+13)[17]

[namo]

Adalmar

He rolls smoothly under the gate and lends his strength as soon as he gets up. With 3 people on the other side holding it, hopefully the strong trio can pass the gate too without it coming to crash down.

Spoiler

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+2 modifier for Str checks

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn mutters something about gnome eyes being better than human eyes before promptly following Damian into the darkness. He whispers a short sentence to Damain followed by a soft laugh before patting him on the back. He strains his eyes into the darkness and listens for a while, but doesn't expect to hear anything other than his companions. With his crossbow still at the ready, he moves over to the side of the tunnel and conceals himself against the wall.

Spoiler

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Move Silently: - (1d20+14)[27]
Sleight of Hand: - (1d20+14)[17]
Spot: - (1d20-1)[5]
Listen: - (1d20+1)[20]
Hide: - (1d20+14)[24]

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

He turned to keep an eye on the corridor behind them, not willing to let something sneak up on them so easily when they were in such a delicate position. Hopefully the guards on the outside of this spot would think it was the guards on the inside...and the guards on the inside wouldn't come to investigate in the first place or assume other guards.

But then again when had anything worked out the best way before? Once it was up high enough and all the others had ducked under, Callos slipped underneath of the gate himself and did as Anika did, try and ease their load some before they came crossing over.

Spoiler

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(1d20-1)[0]
C'mon meager strength score, pull through!

[Dr._Bob]

Khazrael, Callos, Damian, Anika, Adalmar, and Fizahn are the first to squirm under the gate. Damian and Fizahn slip ahead to scout out the gently sloping passage ahead.

Tiriel, Retay, and Gala grit their teeth, muscles straining to keep the gate raised. Anika, Adalmar, and Callos try to assist from the other side, but it is going to be difficult to keep the portcullis up if any of the strong fighters lets go ...

Aeroz, Elthan, Grynde, and Tryntha are getting ready to roll under the gate when it slips an inch or two downward with another piercing SCREEEEEEEEEK!!!

...

Fizahn and Damian sneak forward into the darkness until only a faint glow from the party's torches is perceptible behind them. The passage continues to slope gently upward.

They cringe when they hear the gate screeching. That noise could wake the dead ...

As if responding to their thoughts, a scraping suddenly become audible, coming from up ahead in the darkness. The scraping slowly moves closer and closer toward the rogue and the spellthief ...

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Dropping down to her belly, Tryntha scurries under the gate and peers off into the darkness, her mask piercing the darkness and any illusions that might be waiting for them down the passageway.

"You three should come through one at a time, and each who comes through should replace someone on this side who is helping hold the gate up. Be quick about it though, that noise will likely have alerted the babau we bypassed and we cannot be sure how close their position is to us."

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael starts as the gate begins to inch downward. "Is it that heavy?" He says, "Maybe we can stick something under there to hold it up. Any ideas?"

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Damn! Stay and ambush it, or retreat and warn everyone else? If I ambush it, they'll notice the fighting. Fizahn remains in his hiding place, his finger reassuringly on his crossbow's trigger. I should probably wait until it's halfway between me and the main party. Unless it notices me... Either by sight, or... smell... Damn demons! Never know what to expect.

OOC: Ready attack if creature is coming at Fizahn, or goes 30 ft. past him towards the party (you know, within sneak attack distance).

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

"Would everyone who's not holding up the gate hurry up and go?!" Tiriel hisses through gritted teeth as the gate slips and falls a few inches.

"Yes it's heavy! And no I don't think anything is going to be able to prop it up." Staring at Khazreal and Callos on the other side of the gate, "Move back. If you aren't helping hold it up then you should get away from the gate. Or don't you have any other way of helping?"

ooc: any one have a scroll of bull's strength hidden away somewhere? This gate is ridiculously heavy and I don't want the front liners cut off from everyone else.

[Dr._Bob]

From their hiding place, Damian and Fizahn watch as a large figure approaches. The dessicated, almost mummified, creature is the size of an enormous man, but is topped by a horned bull's skull rather than a normal human one. It drags a massive two handed battle axe behind it which sparks against the dark stone.

Zombie!

...

The remainder of the party squeeze under the gate, leaving Tiriel, Gala and Retay on the other side.

[Koji]

Khazrael

As soon as the creature enters visual range, Khazrael quickly shouts an incantation that sends spears of violet light flying toward the zombie.

Spoiler

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Initiative:
1d20+1=13
Magic Missile Damage:3d4+3=8

[barawn]

Damian

As the creature comes into view, Damian's hand immediately reaches for the newly-purchased wand in his belt. Swearing quietly at his ineffectiveness versus undead, he aims the wand at the zombie, unleashing the meager magic inside. Of course, now I'm the closest one to it. Great.

Spoiler

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Use Magic Device, 1d20+13=21, Ranged Touch Attack 1d20+8(base)+2(hidden)=29, Damage 1d6=3

Glancing down at the wand, his eyes light up slightly. Huh. At least it worked. That's a positive. His eyes turn back to the portcullis, and his face becomes more distraught seeing Retay, Gala, and Tiriel stuck on the other side. Oh, not good...