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El cries out in alarm and quickly retrieves a scroll from her belt. "Watch out! The shadows are alive!"
Elrisiel moves swiftly out from behind Kheled and toward a group of shadows. Brandishing the scroll in her hands like a weapon, she reads the words of power from the page. As she finishes the spell, the scroll crumbles to dust in her hands and a fan of flames spreads out to engulf several of the living shadows.
A creature of Shadow, don't let it touch you, it will drain your strength. We should...wuh?
Kheled suddenly feels something building within him...he bursts into pure light, Pharasma granting him a power to battle creatures such as this.
He then moves next to the creature, trying to lure it into attacking him.
El hesitates to see what happens next, as Bal steps out of reach of the shadowy form. Grabbing her holy symbol, see holds it before her and a flash of pure energy pulses out...
...but the evil thing seems hardly affected.
Kheled's body then glows with a similar energy as he rushes forward recklessly in a bit of a gambit. The shadow lashes out as hoped...
...and the clash of energies wound both.
The rest off Bal's soldiers realize the fight is beyond them and they flee...
Myron stands ready to engage the incorporeal undead.
Dumah steps forward with confidence, knowing that his god will protect him. He lets his weapon drop to his side in one hand, as the other hand draws a vial from his bandolier. With a snarl he whips the vial at the shadow, letting its contents splash out at the undead. Alas, his thick fingers fumble the vial, and it tumbles to the ground and shatters.
5' step to H12, ready vial of holy water, 'pour' it on the shadow.
Touch attack with poured holy water,
To hit
Damage
Armor class is 16 vs. the shadow due to class feature.
Not wishing to waste a scroll on a single shadow, El continues to hesitate.
Hoping his enchanted kukri will be able to harm the insubstantial undead, Myron maneuvers carefully into flanking position and slashes it with all his skill.
Rakara is not sure her cold iron falchion will damage the shadow before them but moves in to strike anyways. Her disgust at the undead thing guiding her arm.
Dumah fumbles his holy water as Myron goes on the attack. His magical kukri carves into the dark wispy form of the shadow, slicing some tiny bit of its dark essence away.
Rakara joins the fight, but her weapon passes harmlessly through the inky figure.
El holds up the scroll and awaits further shadows' animation.
Kheled shifts back 5' and calls on Pharasma to send the creature back to the darkness from which it came!
Elrisiel continues to see how the battle unfolds before committing her resources as Kheled steps back and sends forth another wave of positive energy...
...but it does little to diminish the shadow's essence.
Seeing Rakara's weapon do no harm to the undead despite an accurate strike, Bal calls out to her, Let me help you! Hold out your weapon! before reciting a short prayer and touching the blade.
The falchion begins to glow with a soft blue light.
Leery of touching the glowing Kheled again, the dark form turns its attention to Myron, lashing out with a indistinct limb...
...and the brave halfling feels its icy touch sap his life energy and strength. His weapons sag in his hands, suddenly feeling much heavier.
Dumah steps between Kheled and the vile spirit. With more care this time, he retrieves another vial and pours it over the undead creature.
5' step to I12, ready vial of holy water, 'pour' it on the shadow.
Touch attack with poured holy water,
To hit
Damage
Armor class is 16 vs. the shadow due to class feature.
With a nod of thanks Rakara attacks with her magically improved blade. Her obvious hatred of the shadow before them inspires her allies to attack with similar fury.
Feeling his already modest strength drain away, Myron realizes that there is little he can do against the shadow and fallls back, leaving the fight to the divine warriors.
Dumah manages to get some holy water on the shadow just before Rakara's now enhanced weapon rips into its form pulling a bit more of its essence away, leaving it noticeably less than it was moments ago. Myron decides to take no chances and backs away cautiously after feeling the chilling touch of the unholy abomination.
Bal continues to assist the group as they battle the shadow, reciting a short prayer for the group, Blessed Lady of the Graves, please extend your favor to those that would do thy will, assist a faithful servant, and destroy this unholy abomination that stands before us now! In answer to her devotion, everyone feels uplifted and invigorated.
The glowing form of Kheled bursts with energy again, Die abomination!
Another wave of positive energy washes over the shadow...
...and the dim figure is swept away like smoke on a gust of wind.
With no immediate threat apparent, the never having ceased sound of the vast army of undead on the other side of the gate returns to your ears.
Bal thanks the group for defeating the shadow. Without your help, I wouldn't be here. Please, take this wand as a token of my appreciation. She offers the group a slender grey wood wand with a softly glowing blue stripe winding its way down the length ending in the familiar spiral pattern of Pharasma. I believe your assistance will be sorely needed in the coming days and this should keep you going in the face of adversity.
I must rally my troops and hold the gate as long as we can. Now, more than before, my message must get to the Grand Mausoleum. Will you still deliver it?
Bal, you can count on us to get you're message through!
Anyone need healing?
Myron slumps to the ground in relief, barely able to hold up his pack in his weakened state.
I have no wounds or cuts, but that thing stole the strenght from me with it’s foul touch. I can barely move and fear I may slow you down unless we can find some way to restore it.
Let me see what I can do. My powers have increased and this is something I can try to counteract.
Lesser restoration
How does that feel or do you need more?
He also uses a wand charge on himself.
Reinvigorated, Myron jumps back to his feet with his usual ease.
Thanks, Kheled. I feel fit as a fiddle again.
I am fine.
El nods to Bal. "We will make sure it gets there."
The group makes decent time back to the temple, running into nothing extraordinary along the way. As you round the last corner and the Grand Mausoleum comes into view, even from a bit of a distance you can tell there is significant activity. Throngs of Wati residents have flocked to the temple, presumably looking for help, protection and or an explanation as to what is happening.
Drawing nearer the main entrance, you make out a mix of city guards and priests of Pharasma attempting to keep the assembled mob from overrunning the building.
A few of you also spy a few members of the Voices of the Spire in full battle armor congregating near the main doors.
Striding up the steps you make out the familiar face of Sabu among the militant clerics.
Seeing your approach he waves you towards him as he leaves the group moving to intercept.
Delvers! I am glad to see you! I assume your presence here means you are here to help?
We are and have been where we can already. We were at the necropolis and things there are grim. Here is a letter from the officer in charge.
We have also found out that those who die now return as wights, there is a powerful force behind this.
Have you found anything out? If so how can we help?
Sabu takes the letter and quickly reads it before summoning over an acolyte. Gather what you can of this list and return here as soon as possible! As the junior priest runs off to retrieve the requested items Sabu turns back to you. Many blessings upon you for you assistance! We have had other reports corroborating your observations. It is very worrisome indeed, and unfortunately we have no idea at the moment what is causing the uprising! If we don't get a handle on this soon the entire city could be at risk!
If you could return Bal's requested supplies and then, for now, do what you can to figure out what is happening and report back to me I would be in your debt. He steals a glance at the gathered group of Voices of the Spire before adding in a hushed tone, Nakht Shepses, the Voices' commander in Wati, is considering summoning esobok psychopomps, near-mindless hunters who feed on negative energy, to counter the undead horde but High Priestess Sebti isn't sure it is a good idea to introduce them into such a highly populated area.
Pulling out a scroll tube he offers it to you. Here are two scrolls of sending. All I have left at the moment I am afraid. Use them to contact me if you learn anything, or if I can provide assistance or additional supplies.
I will contact you the same should I learn anything. Is there anything else you need or I can do to help?
Once we return to Bal we should consider sneaking into the necropolis. I think there is a good chance whatever is causing this could be there. I have nothing but my gut feeling on this but I think we should use a scroll of seers tea to see if good will come out of it.
When the acolyte comes back with the supplies, Dumah will accept them and add them to his backpack (assuming there isn't anything too heavy or awkward to fit).
Dumah considers what Kheled says for a moment, and then nods. "That does make sense. With all of the activity there recently, someone may have inadvertently caused this."
Elrisiel frowns, feeling like she should know something about the 'esobok' creatures to which Sabu refers, but coming up with nothing.
The thought of all the undead creatures waiting to be sent back where they belong has Rakara raring to go. Let's get to it!
Kheled is sure to ask Sabu for what they need for the two uses of seers tea and they head off back to the necropolis.
Can anyone else cast healing spells? If so toy should hold the second wand of healing.
Myron nods in agreement at the suggestion to return to the Necropolis and seek out the cause of the undead menace.
I can’t cast any spells, healing or otherwise. However, I would like some form of protection against undead draining my life force like the shadow we just encountered. Does such magic or relic exsist?
There are spells that can protect you, though I am unable to cast any of them yet.
As far as the other, I am no expert on magical items so I am unaware of anything specific, though I am sure they exist.
All right. We don’t have time to search for protective magic items right now, so let’s move out
Rakara leads the way back to the necropolis, moving like a shadow ahead of the group, on the look out for any trouble.
When the acolyte returns, the supplies are already loaded into a large sack, which Dumah takes. With no more to discuss with Sabu, he sees you off with a blessing, May Pharasma guide and protect you this night, and all nights to come! while drawing a swirling spiral with his finger in the air before you.
The return trip is quick and without event. Reaching the gate you are relieved to see that Bal and her rounded up troops are back guarding the gate. A growing number of civilians have also gathered, some armed with an assortment of tools and makeshift weapons.
Excellent! You have returned! Bal exalts at your arrival. And you brought the supplies! The crowd gives out a small cheer. Bal takes the supplies and hands them off to one of her soldiers to distribute.
Any news from the mausoleum?
Oh, and this is for you. The crowd has donated a reward for your actions, she adds handing over an outlandish silk hat full of assorted coins and a ring.
You can keep the hat! calls out an obviously enthusiastic haberdasher in the crowd.
El's curiosity gets the better of her and she incants a cantrip to detect magical auras before turning her gaze on the outlandish hat and its contents.
The city is slowly fighting back but we still don't know what is causing this. We were thinking of a foray into the Necropolis to try and find out if something in there is causing this. Is there another, more discrete way we can get in away from this gate and these masses of undead?