The Necromancer's Pact IX: City of Weeping Ghosts

[Dr._Bob]

Zeodoras reports that Lady Valentine sleeps below the ruined keep at the center of Shandaular. At night, she commands from a chamber on one of the tower's intact upper levels.

The quasit assumes that this labyrinth of tunnels surrounds the tower and underlies the heart of the city, but he is not sure of the way to the actual center of the maze.

The minotaur slows to a halt as Callos redirects him to the "center" of the city. He slowly rotates to his right and begins leading your party in a different direction.

...

When the conversation drifts to Khazrael's and Elthan's experience with familiars, Aeroz nudges Khazrael, "Whatever you do, don't agree to be locked in a room alone with the half-elf." Aeroz winks.

...

The tunnels change subtly, becoming straighter and demonstrating improving workmanship. The stones are now fit together tightly, without obvious mortaring. Even without a dwarf in the party, the quality of the masonry is noticed by all.

A low moaning becomes audible, the soft sighing of several, if not many creatures up ahead ...

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika slows her pace and frowns. "Does anyone else hear that? It sounds like wailing or singing or something like that... up ahead of us."

[Naleh]

Retay

The barbarian frowns, but, he tells himself, he couldn't expect any more. Fizahn is trustworthy, and he said it was alright... He forces himself to relax and follow the zombie, despite all his instincts.

...

Retay shrugs at Anika. "We're in the heart of a city controlled by demons and undead. We were going to find something odd at some point." Hefting his greataxe, he continues towards the sound.

[Matticus]

Grynde

Oh, GOOD! he says enthusiastically. I was afraid that Retriever was the only decent fight we'd get in these tunnels.
Drawing both swords, he follows Retay's example without hesitation.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn looks at Grynde with an expression of disgust. Bloodthirsty idiot. Except whatever it is probably doesn't actually have blood... "Callos, send the zombie up there. I'd rather it got killed instead of us being hurt. Of course, that's only if Zedoras knows where we should be going. Otherwise, I'd rather be hurt than without a guide." Fizahn fits a bolt to his crossbow and peers into the dark.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

"Fantastic." Tiriel mutters under her breath when the sound reaches her ears. She had kept her sword unsheathed since coming up on the other side of the gate. The large zombie made her nervous, friendly or not, it brought back some unpleasant memories.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"...Why does that sound so very familiar?" It was the only puzzled question that Callos could voice. It sounded so very very familiar too...Probably more zombies though if the minotaur was any indication and in that case that might be problematic...after all it did sound like there was quite a few of them.

"I'd really rather not send it ahead, in case we lose it which means we lose our guide. I would however suggest that meleers go to the front." Heeding his own advice the necromancer retreated back away from the minotaur and from where he had been speaking to Tryntha from, pulling his spellbook into hand and holding unto it loosely.

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Tryntha had ideas of her own, but again she was torn between voicing her opinion or hoping that the current ones would be heeded without too much discussion.

[Dr._Bob]

The passageway suddenly opens up into a large dry cistern. The chamber is filled with zombies - dozens of zombies - swaying side to side and moaning softly.

They stand in formation as though awaiting orders to deploy to the surface. Your light does not disturb them.

A dark opening on the other end of the cistern marks the only way forward.

Your zombie minotaur snorts and heft his battleaxe.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"Tell him not to attack them yet." Fizahn says motioning at Callos's minotaur. "Zombies can only handle basic instructions, right? Like, wait for deployment, or guard this cavern. Is there any way you can find out what their instructions are. We might be able to avoid a fight. It's possible we could sneak around them." Fizahn pauses a moment to look at Tiriel. "Or perhaps we could fly above them. Zedoras and the minotaur might be able to walk right past them because they're not what Valentine would have specified as enemies. Of course if Grynde decides to attack them, I say we just wander past while they kill him... Except none of you can understand what I'm saying! Where are Thokk and Lissa?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"Hmm...it's impossible to know what their orders are. They look like the run of the mill mindless zombies, generally harmless except in large quantities...which is what we have here. But if their orders don't include attacking creatures who walk through this way, which is likely since they probably wouldn't consider an attack from below, then they'll ignore us completely."

Callos rubbed his skeletal hand thoughtfully against his chin, looking down on the horde with a thoughtful look. What plans could be taken with all of this lot down there?...Perhaps it'd be best to see just what sort of orders the other zombies had first. If they weren't ordered to attack undead or anything walking through, then there was only slight problems.

Pointing to the bottom of the cistern, the necromancer looked at the zombie minotaur and spoke authoritatively. "Walk down there, stand there for ten seconds, then walk back up. Attack nothing unless attacked first."

[Naleh]

Retay, necromanerist

The barbarian stops at the lip of the cistern, staring at the massed zombies, his hands white on his axe. Predictably, he breathes heavily and his face is contorted much as it is during his battle-rages.

No... I must not lose control... We have bigger game to hunt... While the others try constructive means to solve the problem, Retay turns away from the zombies, staring at solid masonary instead.

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael frowns at the zombie mob, and says, "I don't like this. Why would she be hiding them? I say we find some easy way to get rid of them all, and fast."

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

"Are zombies flammable? Because I've got some oil we could use..." Tiriel breaks off, waiting to see what happens to the minotaur zombie.

[Dr._Bob]

Obediently, the zombie minotaur steps down into the cistern, wading through the once-human zombies. It stops in the center of the cistern, surrounded by gently swaying undead.

It turns 180 degrees and walks back to the stairs, then climbs back up and stands before Callos impassively.

The only way forward will require a descent down a half a dozen steps, moving through the hundred or more zombies, then climbing the opposite stairs and exiting through the dark opening ahead. The length of the cistern is approximately 100 feet. Its width is approximately 40 feet.

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan puts his hand to his off-set chin and posses a thought back to Tiriel. "If you'd like I could take the vials then pour it onto them from above with little risk. Once doused, someone would only need to throw a torch to lite them. If need be, I could control one of the zombies to help spread the fire..."

[Koji]

Khazrael

The sorcerer grins at Tiriel and suggests, "Everyone's flammable if you bring oil into the mix."

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika is hesitant at first. "Do you think that they'd attack us if we just went through? I mean, they'd certainly attack us if we attacked them... Although I suppose if one of us approached and they were supposed to destroy anything alive then they could just grab us and eat us or something..."

She shrugs. "I just don't want to repeat what happened last time we tried to kill a hundred zombies."

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel gives Khaz a forced grin then looks back over the hoard of zombies. "Sure, but will they burn fast enough? We don't have all day to wait."

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"Right. Will they attack us? The answer comes Anika." Fizahn dives into the zombies. Staying low, he dodges around them towards the exit. I might be dead. If I can get to the exit...

Tumble: - (1d20+11)[29]
AC: 19
HP: 57

[barawn]

Damian

Damian's eyes widen as Fizahn dives into the zombie horde, and he immediately ducks into a crevice, preparing for the worst. His eyes look to the top of the cistern and back down to the dragonfly ring on his finger. Turning to Tiriel, he speaks quickly. "If Fizahn has just completely torched us like I think he has, how many of us do you think you can carry? Who else can fly besides myself, Tiriel, and Khazrael? I can pass the dragonfly ring off to someone stronger - Gala, probably. Think quickly!"

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Fizahn's action takes Tiriel by surprise. After a few choice curse words, on the halfling's rashness and the failure of all to stop him , she answers Damian's question.
"As we are now, in armor, maybe one. Two at most, and not for long."

[ooc: I'm basing this off the fact that you have to only have a light load to fly and Tiriel has some 60 lbs of gear and her light load maxes out at 153 lbs. if someone wants to tell me that I'm wrong, please go ahead!]

[Koji]

Khazrael

Inwardly, Khazrael smiles at Fizahn's impatient rashness. That's how I feel around these people half the time. Nicely done. His hands move up, fingers relaxed, and he sets himself almost as if he is about to begin a dance. He freezes in place, watching the gnome go, and says to Zeodoras, "Y'see, Zed, one of the benefits of our line of work is that this is a learning experience. We're about to see just how much being dead dulls a human's reflexes."

[Matticus]

Grynde

Speechless, and angry, at Fizahn's rash action, Grynde glances at his swordblades. Yeah, you all criticise me for rash actions...

[Dr._Bob]

Fizahn takes a running leap off of the low set of stairs into the mass of zombies. Dodging, rolling, and sliding, he ducks around and between the zombies' legs, weaving his way across the cistern toward the exit.

The zombies are slow to respond at first. By the time the first zombies begin to reach downward, Fizahn is already beyond them. Unfortunately, the cistern is packed with zombies standing practically shoulder to shoulder. As though acting with one mind, the entire mass of zombies begins to stir, focusing on the tumbling gnome. The hundred (or more) zombies lurch into action, their low moaning rising in intensity and echoing off of the arched ceiling of the cistern, creating a dissonant roar that sets your teeth on edge.

About twenty feet in, Fizahn's luck and skill run out. The gnome disappears under a pack of clumsy zombies that throw themselves on him in a scrum.

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

A slight gasp escapes the Rashemi woman's lips as Fizahn dives into the throng of undead. She stutters through trying to ask if he will be ok and bewildering wondering why he would do such a thing until her heart drops and she can no longer see him moving through the mess.

"We have to do something!"

She steps toward Tiriel and begins casting a spell.

Spoiler

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Initiative - (1d20)[10] (If necessary)

Begin casting Hide from Undead on Tiriel.

After casting her spell, she briefly explains,

"This spell should keep the zombies from noticing you unless you touch them....please go and pull him to safety.."

Her voice is pleading with the woman whose true form is clear to her and she knows has the ability to do what she is asking.

[barawn]

Damian

Damian swears as Fizahn gets swarmed by the zombies, then turns to Tryntha as she pleads with Tiriel. "Tryntha, I think they'll notice her when she tries to pull Fizahn free. It's a little hard not to notice that. You should go with her, and clear the zombies around Fizahn the same way you did outside of Immilmar. I know you've only got a certain amount of times you can channel energy like that, but this is certainly one of them!"

Quickly slipping off the dragonfly ring, he offers it to Tryntha. "Here, take this, activate it, and fly along with Tiriel. Clear the zombies, have Tiriel pull Fizahn to safety, and then bring him back here so we can beat him senseless. And pray that they don't follow you!"

His eyes turn back to the mass of zombies swarming Fizahn. "And hurry. I don't think Fizahn has a lot of time."

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Taking the ring from Damian, she slips it onto her finger.

"How do I activate it?

Nodding at the response (assuming he tells her), she speaks the draconic word and turns to Tiriel.

"Please, follow me."

Flying over the mass of undead, she estimates where the gnome is and reaches inward towards her center and embraces the source of power she draws from. Spreading her arms wide, she lets the power escape her in waves that rush over the zombies...washing them in positive energy.

Spoiler

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Turning Check - (1d20+3)[4]
Maximum Hit Die 5
Turning Damage - (2d6+7)[18]

Any undead with 3 or less HD are destroyed rather than turned.

[blackfox]

Anika

In alarm, Anika cries "Fizahn! Don't be stupid, dammit!", but she is too late. Seeing that others are preparing to rescue Fizahn, she pulls a torch from her pack and lights it, preparing to fight. She draws a dagger with her other hand.

(OOC: Dagger in main hand, torch in off hand.)

[Koji]

Khazrael

"Hrmph, oil would have been so much easier...oh well--LIGHT IT UP!"

Staying at least ten feet from the nearest zombie, Khazrael calls forth a dark violet lightning bolt and sends it into the crowd of zombies, trying to hit as many as he can while attempting to narrowly avoid Fizahn's last known location.

Spoiler

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Initiative: 1d20+1=12
Lightning Bolt:
7d6=25 reflex DC 16 for half.