Zazaria, perhaps driven by the thought that more and greater dangers are drawing near - and that the fear will soon return - raises her Pharasmin symbol and screams the name of her deity with such force that her homely face contorts, becoming almost bestial.
Leeoli glances at his fallen friend. Dead? I failed them. We were unprepa... Fool!
The scroll of detect undead! Leeoli whirls.
We must use it or else die here.
I think I remember Zazaria snatching up the scrolls, but could be mistaken.
And, just to keep track - I think you have 3 haunt siphons left, before Anyi opens one. Let me know if anyone has it different.
Leeoli, hearing the power in Zazaria's prayer, feels a renewed sense of hope.
Perhaps Rufus isn't dead, and can be saved.
Zazaria, having sent a blast of blue light around the room, watches as it scathes and scours the assembled Undead, then begins fumbling for the scroll in her pack.
How could I forget that? And not have it ready? Leeoli's comrade-in-arms is already defeated. And all because of my folly.
Leeoli lashes out with his rapier, skewering the undead creature's skull. As he retracts the blade, the moldy old bones crack and fall apart, quite literally opening the thing's head wide open. The skeleton drops into a clattering pile once more, and Leeoli steps into its place.
The power of Zazaria's patron hits the skeletons as an unstoppable force, and they shudder then fall back into unlife. All around the group, the bones of the creatures fall to the ground where they lay, unmoving.
The man indicates the coffin walls, and waves at the open top. You can come out at any time, of course, just take your time...you've been inactive for quite some time.. You can see now that the coffin sides only confine you; the man is leaning over the open-topped box. The room beyond is well lit by the natural light of day. It's plain, but clean to the point of being sanitized...a morgue or surgical room, you'd wager.
The man, instead of addressing your question, puts out a hand. Please, take my hand...I'll help you out.
In the void of silence created by Zazaria's spell, thrashing can be heard. A look to the ground indicates the source - heavy chains dotted with various holy symbols have appeared - seemingly from nowhere, and are now wrapped about Rufus's body, tightening their grip.
Leeoli strikes at the heavy chains with his blessed rapier.
but anything is better than being inside the coffin.
He reaches up with a hand and takes the man's hand, pulling himself upright. The flesh feels real enough, anyway.
"My gods..." he repeats meekly, trying to recall what he believes in. "Are we in Ravengro? Tell me, where have Leeoli and the others gone?"
He realizes he hasn't asked the most pertinent question. "How did I die?"
Vrilli swings a well-timed blow at the chains.
Vrilli's sword passes ineffectually through the ghostly chains, as if they weren't even there. Thankfully, he took an angle that wouldn't cut into poor Rufus, but the chains are only as solid as smoke.
Anyi closes her eyes comically, her distrust of this type of magic evident, as she holds the haint siphon out towards Rufus. She opens it, and immediately, a strange lack of sound and feeling of pressure enters the cellblock.
The chains around Rufus seem to blur slightly, then reform.
The priest eyes you with concern, and steadies you as you regain your footing. Pharasma's fates, dear boy! Are you alright?
As sound returns to the cellblock, the siphon is empty of the green vapors it had once held. The eerie dirge returns, and now much louder flapping wings...this time from the east.
Suddenly, a boom sounds from above as if from thunder. Something crashes in the cellblock at the northeastern end of the corridor.
Vrilli is shaken by the effects of the song, but is able to stave off any further effects. At the song's call, the bloodthirsty, crazed form of a stirge bursts out of the northeastern room and into the corridor. It flies on batlike wings, with a network of thin, scrabbling legs underneath. a needle-sharp proboscis juts out from its insectoid face as it seeks out blood.
Around the corner to the south, four more of the beasts - smaller, but still dangerous, fly out of the corridor - apparently they were the source of the sound, and now they've come to answer their master's call.
He smiles warmly. Your friends have gone on....to Lepistadt from what I gather. They left a few days after you passed. After attending your funeral, Leeoli was quite sad, but your friends are strong, and they gathered themselves up to continue their mission.
He brings up an ornate chalice...seemingly decorated with the golden key of Abadar, filled with water. Please, have a drink - just water, I promise you. This will soothe your nerves.
If Vrilli is able to get to F20 this round and attack the nearest Stirge, he does so.
Vrilli attempts to sever the wing of a flapping Stirge.
"My funeral was held here, in Ravengro, and now they've gone on to Lepidstadt? Why didn't they take my body with them, then? Leeoli would have known my mother would have wished it..."
He reflexively jerks back as the priest offers him the chalice, now well rattled.
"Pharasma? Desna? Abadar? Which deity did you say you worship, exactly?"
We must not get flanked.
Leeoli breaks first, running toward the largest stirge. Leeoli's rapier trails behind to parry and riposte the attack his retreating maneuver would afford the smaller stirge.
Leeoli tries to think of whether he has heard of spirits taking the form of the chain upon Rufus, or something similar, that might help him identify what is happening to Rufus and where the danger might be located.
As Leeoli darts away, one of the smaller stirges dashes forward to try and land on his back.
The little creature latches onto its target, and goes for a fine ride as Leeoli streaks down the corridor. Leeoli feels a painful stab as the beast begins to drink.
The little creature releases its grip as Leeoli rushes away and it falls aside, its efforts for naught.
Leeoli's mad rush stops just short of the giant stirge, which immediately lashes out with its proboscis.
Leeoli deftly turns aside the spearing member and slashes back, but his blow glances off of the creature's insectoid hide.
The man winces as if burned, but quickly regains his composure. He waves his hands in a placating gesture. Now, my son, let's not be hasty..you've just awoken from a long ordeal now doubt filled with horrible dreams. He pauses, and you notice wafting smoke from nearby, and the scent of lavender. Ahh, smell that? Such a lovely, calming scent.
Rufus pauses. "Yes, I-I suppose you're right, father. I must just be terribly confused by the magic." He takes a deep breath of the lavender, trying to calm his nerves. "What will we do from here? Will I be returned home?"
Time for these beasts to taste their own medicine.
Zazaria raises her hands anew and issues a skirling cry. Know thou the fear of Pharasma's holy judgment, vile creature!
Anyi grins as she finally has an enemy she understands; she slips over in front of Zazaria, either to protect the woman or to line up a better shot, then fires two arrows towards the foremost stirge.
Anyi's second arrow buries itself in a stirge's belly, forcing the insect to wobble in its flight. It rights itself and rushes at the woman, proboscis leading.
Vrilli slips into place before Anyi, deftly swinging his sword in a downward arc as he does. He completely severs the wing of one of the stirges, and the creature flies into the wall before crumpling down to the floor, where it lay dying.
The two other stirges rush in, trying to gain purchase on Vrilli's back and begin to draw the life from him.
All three of the beasts attach themselves to their targets, and begin to suck the blood from their victims.
As the stirges launch their attacks, the sad dirge gains strength and gets louder, filling the halls with its haunting notes.
Agony rips through your body as you speak to the priest; your vision blurs and it seems as if you can't breathe for a moment. Your body is worn and tired, your energy sapped.
The priest puts hands out to steady you again. As he does, chains clink under his robes. My son, you're just in shock! Please, if you relax, these feelings will go away. They're all in your head, I assure you.
You wipe your lip, and the back of your hand comes away slick and red with blood. The priest doesn't take note of it. Now? Why, now you're a new man! Remade, resurrected; the world is yours to take, my son! The church always needs good men like you, if you'd like to work for the patron that saved you. What do you think?
Rufus cries out from the pain. "Saved? Is this what it means to be saved? And to which deity do I owe thanks, Father? There seems to be so many vying for my devotion."
His own blood is at odds with the white sterility of the room. "I feel I shall return to the grave any time now.."
Through gritted teeth We must find the dirge!
Despite being shaken, Leeoli focuses his mind for a strike!
Leeoli prepares to parry and riposte.
The Giant stirge lashes out at Leeoli again, attempting to gain a hold to begin feeding.
The proboscis stabs into Leeoli, and the creature attempts to hold him as it begins to drain blood.
After Leeoli's stab into the creature, the stirge latches onto him, avoiding Leeoli's attempt to parry.
This fight is not going all that well. I'd say make a run for it, but I still have some hope for Rufus.
Read the scroll! Use another siphon! I don't know how long we can hold out... Leeoli feels his vitality dwindling.
Anyi grits her teeth against the pain of the creature's proboscis, and steps back from Vrilli, raising her bow. She fires one shot at one of the creatures on Vrilli's back, wincing as the stirge on hers takes the opportunity to take more of her life's fluid from her.
Alas, her arrow flies wide of its mark.
These are not creatures of Undeath!Zazaria barks. The scroll would avail us nothing! But perhaps... She trails off. It must be done...we have to get to the Piper. But first, Leeoli must be given the means to escape.
Zazaria draws herself erect and lurches to Leeoli and presses her hand to his back. Mother of Rest, succour your servant! The now-familiar blue radiance flares around her hand. Leeoli feels a sudden loosening of limbs as Pharasma's magic floods through him.
Leeoli feels awesome.
Leeoli twists a long arm into the air and sends his rapier straight downwards in front oh his chest.
Leeoli tries to remember what his mentor taught him about stirges.
Vrilli attempts to block out the pain on his back and uses spell combat to slice and acid splash the stirge on Anyis back. Turn around! he moans through gritted teeth
After messing up the concentration check he just tries using hi sword to detach Anyi's stirge.
Leeoli slashes down at the stirge, cutting deeply into the beast just about where its shoulder would be, were it humanoid. The thing lets out a terrible squeal, but does not release its hold through the pulsing proboscis.
Zazaria buffs Leeoli with the power of her Patron, as Anyi and Vrilli attempt to fight off the beasts that are drinking their blood. Anyi misses her target, but Vrilli slashes the beast on Anyi's back, cutting it nearly in half and sending it away from its target to die.
The stirges on Vrilli attempt to continue to drink, but Vrilli's thrashing forces them off and away.
The frightening sound of the dirge starts again, not only forcing its weight on the gathered living, but sending the stirges into a frenzy.
Anyi is shaken by the dirge, but takes no other ill effects.
The priest winces again, and he clutches his chest for a moment. My...I'm sorry, my friend, I don't know what came over me. Blood trickles from his nose, but he seems not to notice. Why, your god of course....your chosen patron, who holds all servants so dear. You've no doubt forgotten due to your trauma. Do you not remember to whom you pay devotion?
He seems to waiver a bit on his feet, and his left eye twitches.