From Across the Multiverse to Barovia: Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (IC)

[Mahrke]

Isaac peers into the fog...shambling creatures. They looked like the Simchip addicts of his own time, driven into catatonia, but still moving. He swallows, gripping his cane tightly, and closing his eyes.

A chalkboard rises up in his mind's eye, formulae scribbled across its expanse, unintelligible to the layman, but perfectly understandable to him. A grand theory of time modulation that he himself had been the architect of. The sum total of the efforts of countless minds, memorized. One merely had to alter the variables to achieve the desired effect; an impossible task for the common man...but with the Awakening's gifts?

He draws phantom geometry in the air before him with his left hand, a faint glowing trailing behind his fingers. Gone is any uncertainty when he speaks, his voice more firm; if there was one thing in this world that he was sure of, that he -knew-, it was this.

"Haste."

He points to three of his companions, one after the other, and for them, the entire world around them seems to slow. The movements of the shambling bipeds before them are reduced to a crawl. Every breath seems more crisp, and sounds seem deeper and distorted.

His final gesture indicates Triss, and though his lips do not move for this one, his voice sounds, distorted, echoing, as if a broken recorder had captured his utterance.

"Opp-ortunity!"

Spoiler

Standard Action: Haste, linked Opportunity

Spoiler

Cost: 6 power points, expend psionic focus.
Aswin, Arya, and Triss gain the benefits of Haste for six rounds (+1 attack, AC, and Reflex, 30' extra movement speed, and an extra attack on a full attack action. In addition, the linked Opportunity will allow Triss to take a single basic attack at the beginning of the professor's next turn.

Move Action: Gain Psionic Focus

Free Action: 5' step to e17

[Sallera]

"Ah, here are the first of them. Forward, Artax!" Not waiting for his mount, August moves up to stand behind Arya, raising the orb of light high. Its cloudy contents swirl and align themselves, and for a brief moment the street goes dark as all of the sphere's illumination is focused into a brilliant beam targeting one of the walking corpses. The recalcitrant horse moves forward to stand in front of August only after its master's display is finished, clearly acknowledging the dead creatures as enemies only reluctantly.

Spoiler

August will move to G14 and fire one charge from the Radiant Sphere at C2.
Ranged touch: (1d20+5)[9]
Damage: (4d6)[10]
Concealment (miss on 1): (1d5)[3]
Artax will move to E12/F13 (he's a Large creature).

[Fireheart]

"Ssussun." T'riss curses as she draws her rapier and sprints toward the closest zombie.

Spoiler

OOC:

Moving to E9 and holding action. If one of the undead move within in her range, she'll attack.

attack (1d20+9)[20]
dmg (1d6+5)[9] (+4 dmg favored enemy)
crystal (1d6)[4]
skirmish (2d6)[3]

AC 21

[stack]

Arthos pauses, eyes straining into the mists to watch their foes reaction, studying them for any familiar signs.

Spoiler

know religion (1d20+1)[14]

delay action until after enemies

.

[Jeff the Green]

August's ray hits some spot in the darkness, missing its target. As the others move to position, the corpses advance on them.

One or two have clearly been dead less than a day, while the others all show signs of decomposition: skin that has split after bloating, places where skin has been gnawed off by some undiscerning diner, and one has even lost its arm. Three more appear out of houses further up the road.

Two of the animated corpses reach T'riss, and she's nearly caught off guard by their attack—no such undead she's ever encountered has been able to close and attack so quickly—but she manages to land a solid blow on it. One other reaches Arya and brings its heavy arms down on her.

The two smaller creatures also rush at T'riss, and you're able to see now that they are not undead at all, but some sort of small animal. Streaked with blood and with gaping jaws that seem impossible for their size, they each take turns trying to tear at her legs.

T'riss senses someone attacking her mind, but can't discern the source.

@Stack

Spoiler

They're zombies, but they move differently from the ones you've seen. They get a normal full round of actions, but can't move more than their speed in a turn or charge.

You're not familiar with the rat-like creatures.

Spoiler

Zombie 1: move to F8, standard action attack T'riss:

Attack: (1d20+8)[13]
Damage: [roll]1d6+4, plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 2: move to G9, standard action attack T'riss:

Attack: (1d20+8)[15]
Damage: [roll]1d6+4, plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 3: move to H12, standard action attack Arya:

Attack: (1d20+8)[17]
Damage: [roll]1d6+4, plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 4: open door, move to H8
Zombie 5: open door, move to D8
Zombie 6: move to H6
Carcass eater 1: move to D9, standard action attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+6)[26] (flanking)
Damage: (1d2+1)[3]

Carcass eater 2: Charge (move to E8, standard action attack T'riss)

Attack: (1d20+6)[25]
Damage: (1d2+1)[2]

_____________

New effective initiative:

1. Arthros
2. Aswin
3. Isaac
4. August
5. T'riss
6. Arya
7. Baddies

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya Skye, Catfolk Knight

Spoiler

Do I get my readied action against Zombie 3 when it cae within range?

[Jeff the Green]

Spoiler

Yes. Remember that you do all your own rolls; go ahead and do them in the OOC thread. In the future, if you ready an action, do your rolls ahead of time when you post that you're readying it. It saves time that way.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya Skye, Catfolk Knight

Arya easily evades the attacking creature and then strikes it with her blade, her mind perfectly honed and her strike true [Sapphire Nightmare Blade, 21 Damage, creature flatfooted].

If the Zombie is dead then Arya will move to G10 and use Burning Blade to add to her blade's fire. She will then use the Stone Bones Strike to attack Z2.

Spoiler

Attack roll, with 2 points in power attack(1d20+8)[10]
Damage: (5d6+13)[36] (Strength x1.5, Power Attack x2, Burning blade, Truedeath crystal, Flaming)

She then gains DR 5/Adamantium for 1 round

If Zombie 3 'lives', she will attack it normally.

Spoiler

Attack roll with 2 points in power attack (1d20+8)[11]
Damage: (4d6+9)[21]

[stack]

Seeing his new companion succumbing to an unknown lethargy, Arthros wastes no time pushing his way past the crowd. He points to Triss, "Be freed."

Spoiler

I don't think anyone is in need of healing yet, so I'll try to keep it that way.

Move to E11
Remove paralysis on Triss (range 40')

As a standing rule, he will caste close wound as an immediate action whenever anyone is going to go below 0 HP

[TheFallenOne]

Drawing a massive hammer he effortlessly wielded in one hand, Aswin guided his fierce mount forward towards the shambling undead and then suddenly... he began to sing. In a deep, melodic voice he told tales of ancient heroes standing bravely against vile foes, filling his newfound allies with courage and resolve. The prose seems strange at first, but after a moment it becomes clear it lacks rhymes and instead uses alitterations as structury device.

Spoiler

everyone gets +1 Morale bonus on attack and damage

Ride to G10/H11, taking an AoO from Z3

Drifa bites Z2
(1d20+15)[27] (1d8+12)[19] all three damage types trip if hit - (1d20+12)[15]

oops, damage should be 1 higher

[Sallera]

"Lady T'rissaste! Hold a moment, I may be able to create a small distraction." Lowering the orb of light, August looks inward, seeking the balance between light and dark. He had been drawing from the light too much since he arrived here, and it is a little while before he achieves the proper mindset.

"Wait... this is not right..." A shiver runs through him, and his eyes shut as he tries to look closer. "There is something there..." In the gap defined only by its absence, a dark mirror lurks, shape and definition granted for the first time to an abstract. Confronted with the unknown and unknowable, August reaches out a hand, grasping desperately at the force as if to prove it is only an illusion, and his fingers come away coated in potential.

It is not something he can stop, or control. It is a revelation he could never have prepared for, mixed with a need that cannot be forgotten. All he can do is hold to the one image he had in his mind, and channel what he has stolen into its shape. What had started as wisps of flame to confuse the dead creatures manifests as a wall of black fire five feet high, throwing off no heat, but draining the warmth from the flesh it licks with an ominous crackle. And then the power is gone, although the fire remains, and August drops to his knees, golden eyes half-open and barely seeing. "This is not Faerie..."

"There is something there, but how?"

"It is not supposed to exist!"

Spoiler

Maximized Black Fire, in squares D9, D8, E8, F8, F9, and G9. 18 cold damage per round to anything entering or standing there, lasts 6... rounds, I think.

[Fireheart]

Feeling her mind release from it's paralyzing hold, T'riss starts to attack but at August's shout, she hesitates.

In that second, a wall of black flame appears around her covering the creatures in it's unreal not-light.

"Huh...that's different." T'riss says. Then smiling fiercely, she looks at the undead. "Let's dance."

She takes a single step and her rapier flashes twice at the closest Zombie wreathed in black flames.

Spoiler

Five foot to E10

Attacks on Z2

(1d20+9)[20]
(1d6+5)[9] (+4 for favored enemy)

Hasted attack
(1d20+9)[29]
(1d6+5)[8] (+4 for favored enemy)

IF/THEN
if Z2 is dead from Arya's attacks, she'll 5 step to F9 and attack Z1

[Jeff the Green]

Isaac considers the battlefield, and then glances at Arya. She shimmers and her outline blurs slightly.

Spoiler

Mahrke's AWOL at the moment, so I'm NPCing him for the turn. He stays put, manifesting Parallax. Enemies striking Arya have a 20% miss chance. Opportunity also resolves this round, so T'riss gets a free attack.

Arya's attack misses, and T'riss's strikes draw no blood from the dead flesh, but Drifa's fangs rip the head off one one of the zombies. The zombie shudders for a moment, but then recovers, apparently unaffected by the loss.

August's cold fire instantly slays one of the rat-like creatures and its companion instantly falls on it, tearing the flesh and devouring it with great gulping swallows. It then charges at Arya

The zombies continue their attack, unhindered and apparently unaware of August's fire or their wounds. They hurl their scabrous and putrifacted flesh at anyone they can get close to—at this point only T'riss and Aswin—with absolute abandon.

At some point, another undead creature steps out of the door previously opened by the zombies. Unlike the freshly dead or rotting zombies, this one has pale papery skin drawn across its bones, all its muscle and sinews seemingly melted away. It wears good quality, clean robes, as if it was a wizard in life. With eyeless sockets it glares at the melee, and a badger appears behind Aswin. At the same time, T'riss feels the same hostile force attacking her mind.

Spoiler

Zombie 1: move to F11 (provoking AoOs from Aswin, Drifa, and T'riss), if survives, attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+8)[21]
Damage: (1d6+4)[10], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 2: Attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[15]
Damage: (1d6+4)[9], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 3: Attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+10)[24] (flanking)
Damage: (1d6+4)[8], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 4: move to H9, standard action attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+10)[27] (flanking)
Damage: (1d6+4)[7], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 5: move to E9, standard action attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[19]
Damage: (1d6+4)[9], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 6: Move to H8
Carcass eater 2: Free rend on fallen CE 1 (2d6+2)[10] damage
Charge (move to F10, attack Aswin) (provoking AoO from T'riss)

Attack: (1d20+6)[14]
Damage: (1d2+1)[2]

Celestial Badger: Full attack on Aswin

Claw attack (1d20+6)[8] (flanking)
Claw damage 1d2-1 = 1
Claw attack (1d20+6)[8]
Claw damage 1d2-1 = 1
Bite attack (1d20+1)[4]
Bite damage (1d3-1)[1]

[TheFallenOne]

Hammer and fangs fell the first zombie, making Aswin and Drifa turn to the next target as the shambling corpses attacked them from all sides. Summoning the strength of Thor, lightning trailed behind his hammer as he swung it in a wide arc, and when it connected with the undead creature a resounding thunderclap echoed through the mist.

Spoiler

Drifa bites Z4
(1d20+15)[16] (1d8+13)[21] trip - (1d20+12)[20]

SMITE EVIL! Z4
(1d20+17)[32] (2d6+14)[22] Demolishing Smite: ignores first 6 points of DR other than /- and /Epic

(1d20+9)[18] (2d6+8)[15] if Z4 down or tripped, attack C2 instead with Aswin's second attack

PA for 1

edit: as per OOC, because of Drifa's miss change Demolishing Smite to Overwhelming Smite(trip check 32) and direct Aswin's second attack on the carcass eater

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya Skye, Catfolk Knight

Seeing the enemies beginning to swarm she lays about herself with reckless abandon. Her enhanced speed and blurring form allowing her to fight all out.
She focusses on her blade, feeding it with her hatred and anger, and the fires surrounding it burn brighter, wreathing the whole sword in shimmering fire.

Spoiler

Burning Blade (Boost)

Two attacks, the first against Z3, and if he dies, the second will be against the Carcass eater.
Flanking bonus +2 if any attacks are against Carcass eater.
(1 point in power attack) Attack roll 1: (1d20+9)[12] Edit: +1 on attack roll for Inspire Courage
Damage: (5d6+11)[31] - Edit: +1 damage for inspire courage

(1 point in power attack) Attack roll 2: (1d20+9)[16] Edit +1
Damage: (5d6+11)[36] Edit +1

[stack]

Seeing T'riss stiffen yet again, Arthros steps back into the shelter of the building, reaching his hand out again to relieve the affliction. "We need you in this fight. Next time I would ask you not to run so far ahead of your allies."

Spoiler

5' step to D-12 (assuming the door isn't an issue)
casting remove paralysis (cast 1, SLA 1)

[Sallera]

Still on his knees, August sees the dead creatures continue to multiply, and tries to look inward once more - but quickly abandons the effort with a choked cry, covering one eye with his hand as though to stop himself from seeing the truth. Instead, he raises the orb again, and the ambient light focuses itself into a weapon once more, sending a thin ray at the newest arrival.

Artax, for his part, finally has a natural opponent to vent his uneasiness on, and rears up, lashing out at the summoned badger with both hooves.

Spoiler

August uses another charge of the Radiant Sphere to attack D1.
Ranged touch: (1d20+5)[7]
Damage: (4d6)[9]
Concealment (miss on 1): (1d5)[5]

Artax attacks the celestial badger.
Hoof 1: (1d20+6)[13]
Damage: (1d6+4)[5]
Hoof 2: (1d20+6)[17]
Damage: (1d6+4)[10]
Bite: (1d20+1)[15]
Damage: (1d4+2)[6]

[Mahrke]

Isaac is taken by surprise at just how easily this comes. This was not so different that his experiments, or his practice. He did not have blades seeking his throat, or beasts bearing down upon him: the historic warriors in front had seen to it, making a wall of flesh, muscle, and blood to shield the elderly man. He would not fail them.

Old eyes cast to Arya...and for a moment, an epiphany. He had seen her...the feline warrior, in a dream. The cloudy fog had parted, and he had witnessed her strike a vicious blow against a rotting husk of a foe. She might've missed on any other day...but not right here, and not right now. Fate had fortold her mighty strike.

The professor rushes forward, and gestures to the great wolf that tears through the foes before them. "Opportunity!" The word is said with great force, and moments after, it sounds again, as if distant; an echo of a future that -will- be. Simultaneously, he points to the mighty Norse warrior. He had been slow to react to the presence of these creature, but truly fierce in beating them back. He needs no words for his next manifestation of temporal might, granting Aswin a brief breather as time around him seems to stop for a fraction of a second, and then start...not enough time passes for him to strike out...but it is enough to allow him to change the tempo of battle in his favor.

Spoiler

Free Action: Presience Die on Arya.

Spoiler

Replace Arya's die result on her first attack with a 15, instead of a 3, bringing her total result to 25. This leave me with two more prescience dice for the day (a 17 and 20).

Swift Action: Manifest Swiftness on Aswin.

Spoiler

Cost: 3 power points.
Increase Aswin's current initiative by 6, allowing him to act again before our foes.

Move Action: Step forward 15 feet to e14, directly behind Artax.

Standard Action:Opportunity, linked Opportunity, targeting Drifa.

Spoiler

Cost: 2 power points, Expend Psionic Focus.
Drifa may immediately make a single basic attack, and may make an additional basic attack at the beginning of my next turn.

Sidenote: Down to 51 power points out of 65 maximum.

[TheFallenOne]

For an instant, everything around Aswin seemed to slow down, giving him a moment to get his hammer into position again after his previous strikes. He didn't know what strange magics could achieve such an effect, but he was determined to let the effort not be wasted and directed his faithful wolf to the left, coming to support the beleaguered T'riss.

Spoiler

5 ft step to F10/G11. Assuming the carcass eater is down by that point, if not direct Drifa's Opportunity attack against it, hopefully finishing it, then step

Opportunity: Drifa bites Z3
(1d20+15)[19] (1d8+13)[20] trip - (1d20+12)[21]

Proper turn: Drifa bites Z5
(1d20+15)[17] (1d8+13)[19] trip - (1d20+12)[24]
Aswin pounds Z5, full Power Attack
SMITE EVIL! (1d20+12)[32] (2d6+19)[29] ignores first 6 points of DR
(1d20+4)[14] (2d6+13)[20]

[Fireheart]

Originally Posted by stack

"We need you in this fight. Next time I would ask you not to run so far ahead of your allies."

T'riss glances back at Arthros.

My thanks. Your arts are welcome in this battle and I have heard you. she says quickly. Glancing around, she sees that she is still penned. "Blessed Elistraee, what does it take to get a little room to move in this godsforsaken place!"

Unable to move as much as she'd like, she focuses all her attacks on a single zombie, the rousing cadence of Aswin's chant filling her with courage even as she feels the blood run from her wounds.

Spoiler

Attack Z5

(adding Aswin's singing)
(1d20+10)[19]
(1d6+6)[9]

Hasted attacks
(1d20+10)[18]
(1d6+6)[10]

[Jeff the Green]

Three zombies fall to your attacks, one after another. One falls to Drifa and T'riss's attack, another to Arya's, and still another to Aswin's hammer. Aswin also smoothly crushes the second of the foul carrion eaters.

Artax tramples the enslaved badger, and it is released from its servitude wile Isaac's redirection of August's bolt of light nudges it back on track to hit the undead mage. It snarls silently and fires a burst of black energy at the old man, which hits him squarely on the chest.

This time the unseen presence directs its will at August's mount, impressing fear onto its weak mind.

Spoiler

There is an error in the map. Z1 was destroyed earlier.

Zombie 1: Attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+8)[17]
Damage: (1d6+4)[7], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 1 was destroyed by AoOs earlier.
Zombie 4: Move action to stand (eating an AoO from Aswin and Drifa; see OOC thread) attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+8)[18]
Damage: (1d6+4)[7], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Zombie 6: Move to E9 (taking 18 damage from August's spell) and attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[20]
Damage: (1d6+4)[8], plus disease (Fort DC 13)

Deathlock 1: Magic Missile on Isaac (CL 3)

Damage: (2d4+2)[8]

Deathlock 2: Cause Fear on Artax (Will DC 14 or Frightened, shaken on success)

[Sallera]

August struggles to his feet as a spell flies past his head, targeting the old teacher. This was hardly an unwinnable fight; they were even gaining ground. But still. Wallowing in his own darkness like that, while others gave it the best they had? Too far. Losing the balance.

He takes a deep breath, and risks another glance, just long enough to steal a fingerful of possibility. It was still hard to look at...

Armour of missing reality, a shield of unrealized potential. In this realm, they manifest visibly as a shadowy breastplate and buckler, drawing in the light from the orb so that their form remains ever so slightly indistinct.

...but it got easier every time. A glance at the orb confirms that most of its light is gone; if he used it again, they'd be fighting in the dark, and while that would certainly suit him, with his faerie-forged ring, he doubted it would please his brave companions. He lets it fall to the ground, stopping its roll with one foot; it was much sturdier than it looked. The bow draws smoothly from its sheath, and he nocks a curved arrow, aiming past Aswin's wolf at the spellcaster.

Artax's mind breaks easily, and the warhorse immediately flees south at a full gallop; one gets the impression that in truth, he was just looking for an excuse.

Spoiler

Artax's Will save: (1d20+2)[6]
Failure. Full run action south and ~220 feet off the map.

August channels a Quickened Steel Shadows, draws his longbow, and readies an action to shoot the deathlock if it tries to cast again:
Attack: (1d20+6)[25]
Damage: (1d8+1)[6] (serpentstongue arrow, so slashing and piercing)

[Mahrke]

Pain. It wasn't a sensation that the professor knew very well. He was no warrior, no grand adventurer or sly thief living in the gutter. Indeed, the majority of his long life had been spent with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth; sent to a prestigious university, bought the best things. In general, he had seldom wanted. But that pain brings him back to the night of his mugging...the Southtown Hawks had accosted him, gang-members defending their territory against the then middle-aged scholar that had crossed to the wrong side of town.

He had struck back out of instinct. It was thankful they ran scared from his powers. Now, he is none-the-more stalwart in the face of magical force driving into him, shaking him to frail old bones, and sending him to his knees as he throws up a hand. He has the presence of mind to continue the fight, and, particularly, to try and stop the enemy caster from hurling spells without punishment.
"Transposition." Comes the hoarse invocation of his will.

Spoiler

Triggered Effect: Linked Opportunity, granting Drifa a free basic attack.
Free Action: Drop Prone.
Standard Action: Transposition (Psionic Endowment).

Spoiler

Cost: 1, Vesper's Psionic Focus (Via Psicrystal Containment)
Targeting Artax, and D1. D1 makes his save, meaning this power has no effect.

[TheFallenOne]

Moving with magically enhanced speed, Aswin and Drifa lunged at the last two unholy abominations in front of them. "By Thor's might!" he intoned, hammer raised high. "A vile deed has been done to your mortal shells. Be granted eternal rest by my hammer."

Spoiler

Note: I'm supposed to be in F10/G11

Opportunity: Drifa attacks Z6
(1d20+15)[22] (1d8+13)[16] trip - (1d20+12)[20]

Drifa attacks Z4, or Z6 again if first attack missed
(1d20+15)[21] (1d8+13)[16] trip - (1d20+12)[14]

Aswin attacks Z4, full power attack
SMITE EVIL! (1d20+13)[22] (2d6+19)[26] ignores first 6 DR
Haste bonus attack (1d20+10)[11] (2d6+13)[18]
secondary attack (1d20+5)[11] (2d6+13)[20]

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya Skye, Catfolk Knight

Snarling with the joy of the battle Arya takes stock: the zombies in front of her had crumbled as had the others surrounding Aswin, but the black fire still raged ahead barring the path to whoever, or more likely whatever had just unleashed that magical blast on the professor.

Steeling herself Arya began to run, her lightning speed bolstered by the professors spell, the other creatures becoming a blur as she sped past.

Spoiler

Move to H4- damage from black fire in E9 and AoO from Z6.
She has 70ft movement due to Haste.

Coming face to face with the creature throwing the sorcerous blasts she swung her blade, attempting to plant it in the monster's face.

Spoiler

(1d20+11)[27]
Damage: (3d6+6)[16] + (1d6)[5] if the creature is undead.

[stack]

Arthros steps out of the building. Seeing the drow badly wounded, he moves up behind her. "A moment, let me relive your pain."

He reaches out, touching the worst wound with one hand, warm light radiating outward. He grits his teeth, encountering unexpected resistance, but pushes through, overcoming it.

Spoiler

Move to E11, cast cure light wounds, CL 6, on T'rsst, healing (8 maximized + 5 CL + 6 CHA =19 HP

CL check to beat spell resistance (1d20+6)[20] vs 16

[Fireheart]

The healing arts course through T'riss filling her with energy and vitality.

She smiles back at the healer, a true smile, nothing like the battle grin she gave earlier. "My thanks again."

Looking around the battlefield, she suddenly lets out a yelp of joy. "It's time to dance!" With a graceless move, she backs away and then runs a tight circle toward the zombie.

Spoiler

OOC:
moving from E10-E11-E12-F12-F11-F10 (triggers AOO From Z6) (AC15)
(moving atleast 10 ft from where I started. and trusting that AX was Artax who is currently running away...)


Attacks Z6!

(1d20+11)[19]
(1d6+5)[10]
(2d6)[7] skirmish

(hasted attack)
(1d20+11)[27]
(1d6+5)[6]
(2d6)[2] skirmish

AC 21 at end of attack

[Jeff the Green]

The remaining zombies fall to T'riss's rapier and the combined might of Drifa and Aswin. The undead mage behind the overturned cart appears about to cast another blast of shadow at Isaac when Arya leaps over the cold flames and cuts nearly all the way through the mage's torso. It shudders, and then spews bile and congealed blood on arya before collapsing.

As you survey the crossroads, a volley of the same dark energy comes bursting out of the alley and hits August. Now alerted to the location of the second caster Aswin is able to leap off Drifa and dispatch it with a quick series of blows, crushing its skull, arms, and ribcage. The last blow causes several ribs to puncture its paper-thin skin, and streams of the same ichorous fluid that cover Arya streak Aswin's armor.

With your welcoming party dispatched, you are now free to enter the town—if the burghers' hospitality hasn't overwhelmed you.

Spoiler

Deathlock 2: A parting shot Magic missile at August. (2d4+2)[7] damage.

No treasure this encounter; a couple of the undead wear somewhat rich funerary garments, but they've been completely shredded, and none wear any jewelery worth more than a few silver pieces.

[Jeff the Green]

You are able to see a little further into the fog.

[Mahrke]

Isaac is slowly pushing himself to a shaky stand in the aftermath of the battle. A hand clutches at his chest, where the magical bolts of force had connected. Every breath is a wheeze, his lips tinged red with blood. A hacking cough mists the air with sanguine. "Arthros, I think I...may need your assistance." He leans weight heavily upon his cane, stumbling over to lean against a wall. "What....what were those monstrosities? Like something out of holohorrors..."