The Crusade Against the Shade [IC] (GROUP 1)

[Another_Poet]

Wiping his lance as best he can Plumm shakes some of the filth off of his face and pats Gruffix apologetically. "We'll get a bath one of these days, boy..."

He follows the bard to the next door and opens it.

[Regord_Silentflame]

Actually, there is no other door in this room.

You do notice though, that you no longer hear any sounds in the cave, aside from those of your own footsteps

[LatemYvaeh]

--- William ---

Once finished tending to the dead William walks slowly around the room torch held high and when he finishes he steps out into the hall looking carefully for more undead or signs of goblins.

[Another_Poet]

Plumm escorts him, making sure he is not taken by surprise.

[Regord_Silentflame]

You guys see no signs of any animate creatures, living or otherwise, aside from your own group. The undead you (some of you at least) defeated are still 'dead' on the ground.

[Another_Poet]

"We'll need to do some backtracking to find anything else," Plumm calls back to the others. "I don't think we've found everything yet. But..."

He wheels his dog around and looks at them. "We do have a defensible location if anyone needs to rest. I didn't bring much in the way of snacks, so it won't be much of a slumber party." He looks disappointed.

[MountainKing]

"It can't be that much backtracking, Plumm... our coin toss wasn't so far back, really." Robilard trailed off, and looked at the others, "How do you fare?"

[anIceFan]

Vardin

I am ok to keep moving. It appears that the two of you are more familiar with these caves. Why don't you tell us what you have found.

[MountainKing]

"Thus far... darkness, and the undead. No goblins," Robilard tossed a weary gaze at the cleric and his female companion, who'd been adamant that this cave was inhabited by goblins, something that still sounded ridiculous to the bard, "Just... the dead... and those that walk with them."

[LatemYvaeh]

---- William ----

Walks along staying towards the middle of the group so that his torch provides illumination to the largest number of people. He listens intently as they discuss the inhabitants of the crypts So just undead no sign or markings of goblins how about any other groups? I know that this is supposed to be a Dwarven Crypt but at the entrance below the dwarven script naming the place there is goblin graffiti claiming that they own the place. We also spoke to the leader of the goblin tribes in the area he also has marked his map of the region showing he claims this area in the name of the goblin tribes. That leads me to believe that there is something here beyond the dead be they walking or not.

[Another_Poet]

Plumm

Just... the dead... and those that walk with them."

Something about this stands out to the paladin. Those that walk with them... He glances at the newly met companions. How strange to find them in such a place, and not a scrap of evidence of their alleged target.

The paladin stays close by his bard friend, and keeps his eye on his surroundings - the people beside him as much as the darkness before him.

When they reach the fork in the road where they tossed a coin earlier, Plumm will check the other door (if there is a door, sorry I don't remember).

search for traps - (1d20+1)[2]

If clear, I open it.

[anIceFan]

Vardin

Vardin will stay towards the middle of the group. He wants to make sure there are those better equipped to handle combat between himself and any uglies.

Maybe the goblin chief was just claiming territory to see if he got any kickback. It is easy to make a mark on a map, or put graffiti on a wall. Besides, what would walk with undead?

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Nice, a little possible internal conflict. I wonder what the rest of us will need to do to ease Plumm's concerns. We DID just help "kill" some undead.

[LatemYvaeh]

---- William ----

Well not counting other more powerful undead such as liches and vampires, you have your various cults, those who worship dark gods such as hextor William spits after saying the name necromancers are fairly common as well. Beyond that I have heard tales of what might be termed good undead a defender of a holy site, a wizard that wants to preserve a library and bothers no one as long as they don't attempt to harm the books. I have never run into this type but the rumors persist and they very well may be true or just have been created to cause Holy Crusaders to pause long enough to get killed. And then you have the outer planer beings such as demons, devils, imps and others that use corpreal undead has guards and servents and the intangeible dead as spies,

[MountainKing]

Robilard groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"Please, why are you taking me so very, very literally? What's another term for the undead? The "walking dead", isn't it? So... since normal dead people don't walk... and the undead do... the undead would be those who walk with the dead..."

[Regord_Silentflame]

The other fork isn't a door, it's just another passage through the cave, looking very much like the others. After 60 or 70 feet down the passage, there's another door, propped open.

[Another_Poet]

Plumm will peek through said door, with his lowlight vision...

(1d20+2)[15]

If he sees no one he will enter.

[Regord_Silentflame]

The door, being only opened slightly, only dimly lights the small room on the other side. Even with his excellent sight, Plumm can only see the shadows, and dull colors of the room inside. There are bodies on the floor, and one figure still standing near the center, that remains frigid, and unmoving.

[Another_Poet]

Plumm

Looking back at his companions Plumm tilts his head toward the door to indicate someone's inside.

Then he uses the tip of his lance to fling open the door and charges the standing figure.

"Surrender if you live!" He bellows in his high-pitched voice. Unless the standign figure throws down weapons, kneels submissively, or happens to be a child or obvious peasant he lances it and rides past.

attack - (1d20+11)[16] +2 charge
damage - (3d6+6)[18]
ride - (1d20+9)[10] replaces Gruffix's AC if higher than 21
initiative - (1d20+0)[11]

-2 to AC from the charge, end turn 10' beyond the figure I just struck, wheel to face the door.

((You guys are lucky none of you pinged evil... but don't think Plumm trusts you just yet :P ))

[Regord_Silentflame]

(I'm assuming that the light on Plumm's lance is still there)

Plumm flings open the door, light shedding over the room. Inside everyone can see the bodies of goblins, strewn about the floor. In the middle of the room, stands a lone figure, it's body draped in a black and gray cape that shrouds most of his body.. A hood lies about his shoulders, leaving his face exposed. His skin is dark, but not naturally, more of an ashen black color. His eyes are a brilliant red color, and upon close inspection, two horns protrude from the top of his forehead, and lead back, through his jet black hair. He holds a greatsword in both hands, the blade pressed against the ground, the hands that hold it are covered in spiked black gauntlets.

As the door opens, he smiles out at you all, seemingly not to hear the shouts of the gnomish paladin. He remains still as Plumm charges him, his lance passing straight through the figure, causing his form to disperse, but slowly forms back again as Plumm rides past, and turns to face him again.

"good, you have arrived. I know not who you are, but that is no matter, soon we will have a more proper introduction. I have cleared this silly tomb and the surrounding countryside of their pesky undead menace, and in the process, have rid the self-proclaimed "goblin king" of his most trusted and powerful shaman. If you wish to thank me personally for this, I will be here again upon the coming of the next full moon."
His smile turns to a grin as he speaks his last sentence, and soon afterwards, returns his face to a smile, and stands still once more, staring you all.

Spoiler

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Plumm, you're allowed a Will Save

[Another_Poet]

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(1d20+7)[13]

Let me know how that turns out and then I will respond to him :)

[LatemYvaeh]

William stops at the edge of the door and raises his holy symbol in defence and prepares to turn undead but upon seeing the charge pass harmlessly through the apperation he wracks his brains to see if he recongnizes the creature or the signifigance of the next full moon, as well as how long away that is. He wonders what the being wants with this place why would a dwarven tomb become so important to so many people all of a sudden?

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Knowledge Religon (1d20+6)[13]
Knowledge the planes (1d20+6)[15]
Knowledge History (1d20+6)[16]
Knowledge Arcana (1d20+5)[12]
Sense Motive (1d20+4)[13]

[anIceFan]

Vardin

Off to the side a little, Vardin is taken off guard when Plumm charges into the room. He tries to move to a spot where he can see in, and spots the "demon" as it finishes it's speech.

[Regord_Silentflame]

For Plumm

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nothing special happens.

For William

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The person in front of you is a half-fiend, half-orc blackguard. You don't know him specifically though.

[MountainKing]

Robilard didn't bother trying to figure out what was going on... he didn't remember any sort of goblin graffiti on the entrance when he and Plumm had arrived, and now, they were facing the first sign of goblins that either he or Plumm had encountered... maybe he'd missed it? The bard simply stared at the being, who so casually declared that he had dealt with the problem... a problem that supposedly was long standing and recurring enough that the village he and Plumm were here to save had actually made habits that centered around the coming and going of the undead.

"Who are you? What of the legions of walking dead that threaten the countryside without? Explain yourself!"

[Another_Poet]

When he charges through the fiend, Pumm shoots it an angry look but holds his ground as it speaks.

Since Plumm charged past it and it is presumably addressing the party as a whole, Plumm should now be behind it and can make gestures toward the others without worrying about being seen.

He waves at William to get the cleric's attention, then makes a gesture like he's casting a spell, and points at his own lance. He also mouths the words:

"Enchant my lance! I can't hit it without magic!"

@Regord: I am deteting evil on this thing. It pings, right?

[Regord_Silentflame]

Plumm

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There is a faint evil aura about the room in general, but the figure its self does not ping.

The figure continues to stand, ignoring your words and actions.

[LatemYvaeh]

William walks into the room dropping his torch near the door and pulling his longsword. Fiend I don't know who you server but you will not succeed in your evil design. Know that I am William Cleric of Heironeous and that I will stop you either here at the rising of the full moon or sooner if possible. Now be gone with you! With that he swings his sword through the figure.

Attack (1d20+6)[20]
Damage (1d8+2)[5]

[Regord_Silentflame]

your sword passes through the figure, similar to what happened to Plumm, you make a will save as well.

[LatemYvaeh]

William

Will Save (1d20+8)[25]

[Regord_Silentflame]

For William

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He disappears