Dumah rests one hand on a wall to catch his breath. He winces in pain from the damage to his ribs, but says "If undead are active in the city, we must go to help!"
back to max.
The shop keeper is horrified to learn of the outbreak of the dead. Thank you for the help and the warning. Who are you that I may report your good deeds?
El approaches, stowing away her scrolls again now that the scuffle is over. "The Delvers," she says with a raised eyebrow directed at the more senior members.
Dumah starts edging toward the street, listening for sounds of further conflict. He looks to the other members of the Delvers for movement toward the undead crisis before he goes to engage. "We must help. I must help."
Kheled walks over and puts his hand on the big Half-Orcs shoulder, looking back at the others, We stay together, all of us. We should continue to head towards the area where this most likely started...the Necropolis. We are all in danger and we shouldn't hide from this. We can help to end this rise of the dead!
The musetouched elf nods. "That does seem to be the area this mess likely started from. But do we go there, or look around the city proper to see whether others are in need of help first?"
I think we gamble either way with ours and other people's lives. The bigger threat may be what is causing all of this undead though. Maybe we can stop the undead or at least stop any others from being created.
"Yes, we should target the source. Staunch the wound before cleaning up the blood."
While the others agree on a course of action Rakara uses the time to check herself for injury and rest a moment before readjusting her weapons and gear. She then leans against a wall while listening to the discussion. She smiles wryly and shakes her head at Dumah's attempt to run off but Kheled brings him to heel readily enough.
The plan set, she pulls herself straight and indicates her readiness.
The musetouched elf shrugs, acquiescing to Kheled's argument. "Then we should probably get moving." She pauses a moment, then adds, "Although it would be nice to know what we were up against before we go charging in."
Rakara nods at El's comment.
I will go on ahead and check things out
As the group makes ready to head directly to the Necropolis, the shopkeeper, Bahtep, rushes into his shop and back out again. I don't have much to give you, but perhaps these will reveal the right path and help you make an important decision, he says as he presses two small packets of tea into your hand. May the blessings of the gods be with you!
Hurrying north along the avenue that leads to the nearest gate into the Necropolis, you arrive without any other incidents to draw your attentions away from your intended task.
You find the gate closed and guarded by a small contingent of the town guard and a young female acolyte of Pharasma. The guards look extremely uneasy and the reason is obvious. Through the barred windows in the barricaded gate, hundreds of skeletons, zombies, ghouls and more are gathered behind the sturdy iron and bronze doors. The mass of undead, groaning and pounding on the door are, for the time being at least, clearly unable to break through, though that seems to be little comfort to the guardsmen.
The cleric, spying your approach, calls out, You there! Can you lend us a hand?
That's why we're here! What can we do to help? Myron responds, hurrying forward to help brace the gate.
Dumah's eyes go wide at the sight of the undead horde. Release them! he yearns to cry, wanting to battle each and every one of them. It is only a moment later that he puts together the pieces. What if one gets past? Who might it harm before I could track it down?
Dumah lends his shoulder to the effort to hold the gate while the others work on a more permanent solution.
The musetouched elf silently nods her head in agreement with Myron.
And what can you tell us about how this all started?
Rakara lends her weight to the gate as they wait for moreinformation.
The young acolyte of Pharasma seems eager to talk. I am Bal Themm, and in command here. The dead have been gathering behind the gate for a while now, but they seem mindless and undirected so far. I have no idea what has caused so many to animate at once! None have managed to break through, but if they they do we will surely be lost! Nearly half of the gate guards have deserted their posts. We have to hold this gate, and all the others, until something can be done!
What is happening elsewhere in the city?
This assumes Elrisiel and I discussed what the tea does on the way over and the shop keeper also could give us the needed material components.
The situation is worse than you think, there is some powerful magic at work here causing anyone dying to rise from the dead as a wight right now. There are some undead that are in the city but it will hold for the moment.
We have some seers tea, do you happen to know the spell augury? If not we will have to do with the more limited knowledge. We must find out what is causing this and try to stop it before it gets worse...it will get much worse if we end up having a bunch of wights running around.
The seers tea should help us. We must brew it and then imbibe it to try and give us some idea of where this might be coming from.
I have not achieved that level of enlightenment yet I am afraid. Dead roam other parts of the city? That is not good. Regardless, our duty remain here. Could I make a request of you? To deliver a letter to the temple for me?
Looking to the others for confirmation, We can do that. Going to the temple might get us someone who can use the tea as well.
Myron looks sceptically at the barricaded gate.
We are better equipped than most to fight back this horde, if the gate should fail. Perhaps it would be prudent for us to stay here, and see if we can find another messenger.
Kheled waives them away from the guards, I am not sure how long we could hold back that horde. I think we should still be looking at how to stop what is happening. Our best chance may be at the temple. I knows you want to help them, so do I, but this may be our best chance.
Dumah watched on as they discussed their course of action.
He nodded in agreement when Myron said we should stay and fight this horde!
He nodded in agreement when Kheled said we should go to the temple to get to the heart of things.
He looked at the others to see if there was anyone else whose thoughts he should agree with.
Elrisiel nods in agreement with Kheled. "We want to get to the heart of this problem. The temple seems like the best place to figure out how we get to the heart of the matter."
Rakara shrugs, Whatever it is we do, let's do it quickly before all hell breaks loose.
She thinks for a second, Or looser anyway,
So you will take my message to the temple then?
"Yes."
Dumah is a little reluctant to leave behind a horde of undead to be slain, but has grown to trust the judgment of the others. He moves to join them in going to the temple, but is very careful to keep himself between the undead and his friends.
Bal Themm produces a bit of parchment and passes it to you. It is a report and a request for additional supplies and directives. Please see that it is delivered with all haste.
As you reach for the message something moves in the darkness behind the priestess. Before you can even comprehend what is happening a shadowy figure lashes out with a limb seemingly comprised of darkness itself!
The attack passes right through Bal's armor and she lets out an involuntary gasp as she is struck. The blow leaves no visible wound but Bal's shoulders slump slightly.
El cries out in alarm and quickly retrieves a scroll from her belt. "Watch out! The shadows are alive!"
Though he can't react to the quick creature, Kheled believes he knows what it might be.
With little knowledge of the undead, Myron looks to the others for guidance as he reaches for his weapons.
What is it, and how do we kill it?