DM Bloodgargler's Serpent's Skull
Game Master BinkyBo

Gatherine tore her eyes from Iolana's limp form after Keekaw siezed her with one claw and Mugambi channeled seething healing energies that brought her back to consciouness. Then she noticed the only zombie that possessed legs lock its cloudly,blank eyes onto her after her shot from Sneezy Dragon almost knocked it to the ground.

A feeling of dread crawled up her spine as it hurled itself onto the lowered crab claw,scrambling clumsily onto it and proceeded to haul itself onto the crab's carapace towards her.

Bolka's nipples!! Come get some, you decayed piece of jerky!

The dwarf maid leveled Twinbellows at the advancing cadaver's rotting features,arm steady as she focused on hitting it so it wouldn't be getting up a second time.

Point-Blank Shot: +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.

Ears ringing from both shots,the smoke from the ignited gunpowder sting her eyes as it wafted back into her face, Gatherine fumbled for her powder horn and a handful of pellets for Sneezy Dragon.

Actions:Attack walker. Reload Sneezy Dragon with pellets for scatter shot.

The walker climbing toward Gatherine gets blown back by the force of her shot, and explodes before hitting the ground.
The crawlers continue their assault, becoming more wildly ferocious with their pummeling strikes. The one in front of Kekkaw seems to go into a mad bloodlust - his prey now blocked by Kekkaw.

slam vs Syndlara 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
slam vs Kekkaw 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
slam vs Tol 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
slam vs Mugambi 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage to Syndlara
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage to Mugambi

Kekkaw goes berserk. Matching the frenzy of the crawling zombie, he plows into it, driving it back, and pushes forward.
bullrush 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Bottom of the 4th
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

Correction: After Mugambi's channel, Syndlara would be at 13/15, and the 9 would bring her back down to 4/15 HP.

Struggling hard against the pain in her limbs and chest Iolana pulls herself back on her feet then concentrates on defending herself.

Total defense,no attack.AC 24,touch 20,FF 18. HP 2/15

Tol focuses on his axe and presses forward against the zombies; the sharp blade finds a mark and hacks a chunk of flesh from one of the crawling corpses. "Their line is broken, try to surround them! Make room for Gorra!"

Drops of sweat start to drop from Mugambi's forehead as he sidesteps to open ground for the horse while still focusing his mind outwardly.

Cant...keep...forever...focus...oneattime...cull...their...numbers.

Channel heal and 5ft step to Q9
Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Iolana is able to get to her feet with only the echo of throbbing pain in her chest.
Mugambi pushes the claw as far as it can move laterally to steparound the crawler after channeling positive energy.
Tol's axe nearly cleaves the injured crawler in front of him... It twitches and the drops flat in the sand.

Round 5
Syndlara
Gatherine
crawlers
Kekkaw
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 - 2 = 5
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Syndlara attempts to tumble past the zombie that Kekkaw bullrushed, but stumbles slightly during the setup for her roundoff. Recovering quickly, she tumbles behind the zombie and slashes at it.

Tumble to O6, but she draws an attack of opportunity, and then attack the zombie at P6.

Status: HP 10/15; AC 17; Battle Dance 3/7

Gatherine reloaded Twinbellows as she clambered out atop the crabs carapace. Judging the height,the dwarf maid waddled and leaped off----except her one of the heels of her boot crunched thru a soft soft in the crab shell and sent her tumbling sideways into the sand below.

Acrobatics check
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
1d6 ⇒ 3Non-lethal damage

She landed directly in front of Tol,sending up a burst of sand and between the three remaining zombies that crawled.Jarred by the clumsy fall,she shook herself and raised Sneezy Dragon at the pair of zombies clumped together attacking Keekaw and Mugambi.The pistol vomited a gout of flame and sprayed pellets at both Undead despite the space between them.

#1crawler at p6
1d20 + 5 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 - 2 = 8Attack
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6dmg
#2crawler at q8
1d20 + 5 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 - 2 = 21Attack
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2dmg

HP 15/18,Grit 1/2,1 Grit point regained from killing walker

The crawlers take a couple moments to adjust to the movement of the group, and then strike again with ferocity.

(P,6) vs Kekkaw 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
crit confirm vs Kekkaw 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

(Q,5) vs Syndlara 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
(Q,8) vs Tol 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

I can't miss...

Kekkaw grits his beak and slashes. "Yes woodface man... kek kek can't keep this up, buurrip."

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

bottom of the 5th
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

The tribesman focus his mind to keep the energy flowing. His limbs tremble with the effort as his face become a mask of sweat.
1d6 ⇒ 2

+1scimitar round 5/10
Shield round 5/20

Iolana, angered and desperate gives all she has left in this attack,slashing at the zombie menacing Kekkaw with her scimitar while at the same time releasing a burst of small lightnings from her other hand.
ma por** put*** no critical :(

Tol steps behind the zombie at his feet, trapping it between himself and Gorra. He slashes at it with his axe, ripping a deep gash in the already decaying flesh, and whistles for Gorra to attack as well. The normally fierce mare is spooked by the unnatural presence of the undead, and balks. Tol points more insistently, "Come on girl, steady now, give it a kick!" but Gorra simply shakes her head and neighs, prancing skittishly.

I was looking up the DC to order Gorra to attack, and I saw this: "Normally, an animal will attack only humanoids, monstrous humanoids, giants, or other animals. Teaching an animal to attack all creatures (including such unnatural creatures as undead and aberrations) counts as two tricks." Guess I know what my level 3 bonus trick will be...

I don't know what happened;when i posted this morning my touch attack roll for shocking grasp was around 13-14, but now i look at it and it changed . WTF???????

Round 6
Syndlara
Gatherine
crawlers
Kekkaw
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Syndlara winces in pain as her parry is battered aside and claws rake through her chain shirt. Retaliating, she spins under the zombie's outstretched arms and lunges, impaling it upon her scimitar. Kicking it off of her blade, she then tumbles back out of its immediate reach.

5 foot step to N6 after attacking the zombie at P6.

HP 2/15; AC 17; Battle Dance 4/7

Hp 18/18,Grit 1/2
Attack 11d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage1d8 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10
Attack 2 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage 1d8 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 = 7

Point-Blank Shot: +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.

Gatherine fired Twinbellows at the zombie (p6) after the elf stabbed into it and danced away. She stuck it into her belt and took out her haevy pick.

Round 6 cont'd
The crawlers attack again... Kekkaw yelps out as he gets clocked in the kidney.
The one just injured by Syndlara and Gatherine spins toward the dwarf maid and slams her square in the chin.

Kekkaw slashes at the crawler who just struck him.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Bottom of the 6th
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

Iolana keeps slashing at the zomnbie near Kekkaw

+1 scimitar round 6/10
Shield round 6/20

Mugambi wills what is left of the force inside himself to heal the group... his labored breathing and sweat continue as his energy is sapped.
1d6 ⇒ 5

Tol continues to exhort Gorra to attack the zombie, but she merely rears up and neighs in frustration. Tol is so distracted that his swing against the zombie is not well-placed, and the blade fails to bite into the creature's decaying flesh.

Behind him, Tol sees Gatherine attacked by one of the other zombies. "For the love of Torag, lass, get back!"

Round 7

Syndlara
Gatherine
crawlers
Kekkaw
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

Breathing heavily, Syndlara's dance ends with her tumble away from the zombie. Raising her free hand now, she goes through the motions of a spell as she murmurs soothing words. Her chant ends, and she looks more ready to fight again as wounds close.

Cast Cure Light Wounds.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

HP 11/15; AC 17; Battle Dance 4/7

Gatherine reeled from the clumsy yet powerful blow that cracked into her chin.She felt a tooth crack and it rolled through her skull like thunder.Blood spilled from her split lip as she felt the fall and the punch take their toll.

She reached into her sash across her chest and retrieved a bottle.Plucking the cork out with her teeth,she drank it.Tossing the bottle at the legless undead's grimacing face in contempt,feeling the rush of healing from the potion and Mugambi's energies,she chopped at its face with her pick.

Punch me in the face,will you?! Here's a pick for yours!

1d8 ⇒ 8Potion

Hp 16/18,Grit 1/2. I hear that music from Pokemon when your Pokemon is about to faint and you forgot to save...I was at 15,then 6 at the punch,then regained 2 from Mugambi then 8 from my potion.All I have is waterbreathing left.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10Attk 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6dmg

Round 7 cont'd
There is a sound from deep in the jungle. A loud crack like a distant gunshot. A blue green glow shoots out from the treeline near the path, and surges toward the surf like a crashing wave of diaphanous eerie light. Under the rushing screeching sound is a scream.

slam vs Kekkaw 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
slam vs Gatherine 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
slam vs Tol 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Kekkaw continues to hack at the same zombie.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

bottom of the 7th
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

"Kekkaw, do you know whose voice was that?"
Iolana slashes again at Kekkaw's foe
+1 scimitar 7/10
Shield 7/20

The crawler attacking Kekkaw stops moving after Iolana's strike.
"Aye. That's the shredded man, buurrip. Kek kek Captain kills him with a gunshot... but .. never this early... Usually right before dawn."

Tol cajoles ontinues to Gorra once more, but the mare is having none of it. The dwarf shakes his head as he blocks the crippled zombie's slam with his shield, and then swings his axe in retaliation.

Mugambi brings his morningstar down on the nearest foe
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Round 8
Syndlara
Gatherine
crawlers
Kekkaw
Iolana
Mugambi
Tol

map

Syndlara hustles behind the zombie that just struck Gatherine and slashes at it again, her curved blade cutting deep into the creature's back.

1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20 (Flanking.)
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Move to P5 and strike at the one at P6.

HP 11/15; AC 17; Battle Dance 4/7

After her earlier swing with her pick was off by the legless undead's unsteady wobble to keep itself upright in the sand on its stumps,she reared back and swung her pick at it like a carpenter aiming to drive in a nail.

"Why won't you just stay dead?! This is why we dwarves make cairns deep in the rock! Harder for the corpses to crawl out! That's why we don't leave corpses lying about! New rule--no leaving bodies out in the open lest they came after us as undead!!

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22Attk
1d20 ⇒ 4crit confirm
1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7Damage

HP 16/18,Grit 1/2. Attack crawler at P6 .I feel as if we've been holding off these gimpy undead for days but in-game its barely been more than two minutes!

This is round 8, so it is less than 1 minute :/

Both crawlers inch back toward the surf, but do not yet retreat. The crawler between Syndlara and Gatherine brings both fists down at Gatherine's feet... throwing up sand, but missing the dwarf maid.
The second one slams Mugambi in the side of his knee... nearly hard enough to break bone and bring the Mwangi down.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage to Mugambi

Kekkaw hacks at the same zombie again, and finally ends its unnatural life.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

(Q,8)crawler is only one left

GET THAT LAST GIMPY MO@#$! GRRR!

+1 scimitar 8/10
Shield 8/20

Shift his weight between his legs Mugambi hits the undead again in a desperate effort to end the threat.

Dice: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Dmg: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

The last crawler at still-swinging Mugambi's feet stops moving as Iolana pulls her scimitar from it. Kekkaw drops to his knees then plops down on his rump from exhaustion and relief.
"Bur bur buurrip.. Thought we were all goners."

Tol stands over the fallen zombies, breathing heavily, looking around in the darkness for signs of other threats. When he sees none, he wipes the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, and says, "Nice neighborhood you've got here, Mr. Cuckoo. Is everyone alright?"

First things first--who exactly is this Captain and who exactly is the shredded man who tried to have a gang of zombies beat us to death?!That's what I wanna know.

Gatherine turned to Keekaw after she hacked her pick into the zombies,further removing limbs and any recognizing features of their anatomies out of frustration.

After catching her breath, Iolana looks at her damaged clothing and wounds and sighs.
"I think we need to recover before charging in another mystery to solve
head low.My most useful skills are all gone."

I'm outta bullets.And gunpowder.All I have is pellets.I need to make some more.It's not as if I can dig em out with a knife like some folk do with arrows or bolts.

Breathing heavily and bend with his hands on his knees Mugambi wispers.
Yea, what Ma Iolana said. Lets get back inside.

Tol nods his assent. "Aye, let's get inside, and get what rest we can." He shoves the remains of one of the zombies away from the crab with a booted foot, then offers a hand to help their tengu host to his feet. Finally, he takes Gorra by the reins and leads her inside, speaking gently to calm her. "Don't you worry now, lassie, they're gone. In the morning, you can come out and trample them, see they're not so scary after all. That's right, all safe."

Having already had nearly a full night's rest, Kekkaw offers to take care of the bodies and finish the watch... although he does not turn down a little company.

As you turn to the crab hut, you see no torchlight or other signs of activity inland.

"Kek can't quite say who he is. Been here since we crashed, one of my fellow red ma- err... regiment named him Shredded Man. Cuz he is all.. shredded. He went right past us same way first night we were here... buuurrip"