Kayleigh sees an opening to contribute, so she takes a 5-foot step back and casts sound burst .
HP 38/48
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 2/-
Fort +7, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 2/16; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 1/1
Effects: Totally poisoned but maybe not anymore, -1 Str
Ignoring the slight pain of the cut, Nebbin steps up again and swings at the derro in front of him, though the poison makes his sword feel strangely heavy and more difficult to make do what he wants.
"I told you to stop!" he orders.
Kayleigh's channeling fills the room with focused sonic energy. Glassware shatters on both tables and a torrent of broken pieces spills onto the floor. The necromancer screws his face up against the pain as he pulls a slender bone wand out of an inner pocket and waves it around in the air.
Nebbin strikes at his enemy but the little monster slips away, momentarily ducking under the glassware table to avoid the blow. Behind him, the insidious spectral hand gropes at the warrior, its fingers exuding the stench of dripping green filth. As the fingers close around Nebbin's ankle he can feel a sudden flood of paralysis surging up his limb.
Tassira channels more magical energy into her fingertips, causing her hands to crackle with electricity. She points two fingers at the necromancer and fires again!
Nebbin shakes off the sudden stiffness.
Tassira's bolt pierces the flying derro but appears to have no effect whatsoever. Inured to modern magics through exposure over centuries to the sanity-stealing energies of the Darklands, the freakish physique of the derro species defies her lightning, and again she sees the fruits of her rage spilled out across the ceiling in an impotent pyrotechnic dazzle. The flying necromancer remains focused on Nebbin and its face registers its frustration that the barbarian is not brought to heel by his magic.
Shayla prays fervently for Pharasma's blessings. Her chanting prayers echo from the chamber behind you, adding a haunting musical backdrop to the party's dance with death.
His face a mask of concentration, Regeris ignores that he missed his last two shots and tries again. His first shot is terrible but he manages to redeem himself with a far more accurate shot. He pauses to scan the battlefield but decides to stay silent for now and just focus on his quarry.
Although it makes her uneasy, Emi ignores the fleeing derro. She continues to move toward the necromancer, figuring there's little the runaway could do if he returned that would be worse than the danger from the spellcaster. As soon as he's within her reach she attacks.
Emi's attack is way short of the necromancer. Regeris's first shot is also well wide of the mark. His second arrow gets deflected off its path by a magical barrier that surrounds the wizard.
Samuel presses his attacks against the derro that Emi first laid low and lands a solid blow of his own. His opponent careens between the two tables, dropping the empty vial he'd just consumed.
The noseless derro apparently didn't learn its lesson the first time it fought Nebbin. It lands its blow but fails to penetrate Nebbin's tough hide.
The derro who fled can be heard fumbling with locks on the door at the end of the hall. The fumbling gives way to a door opening, and then getting ripped off its hinges. There's a guttural, sub-human wail followed by a squeal of terror.
HP 37/48
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 2/-
Fort +7, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 2/16; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 1/1
Effects: Totally poisoned but maybe not anymore, -1 Str
Nebbin ignores the scratch and swings again at the derro as he steps forward, blade hitting home with a dreadful think.
He glances toward the strange noise, trying to make out what it is in the gloom.
"I think something else is coming," he calls out.
"Got it!" Kayleigh tells Nebbin. "I'll try to hold the fort; you finish off those little creeps!"
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When Kayleigh gets to the tunnel and looks down it, she sees a bizarre and disturbing sight. The derro is being throttled by a misshapen lump of humanity. The attacker wears robes that were once white, but are now badly stained with dirt and gore. Below the monster's chin, a string of stitches stretches as far around the throat as you can see, and the flesh below the stitches is a different hue than its head.
It looks up for a moment from its task of squeezing the last life out of the little derro to take in Kayleigh with its hungry, dead eyes. Even in its advanced stage of decomposition, Kayleigh recognizes the face of her friend Amistan. These are his burial robes, the sign of Aroden stands out among the offal, a mockery of the dead god.
Nebbin chops down the enemy in front of him.
The sorcerer backs himself into the side tunnel, tossing at Emileva's feet another bone from his sleeve as he does so. The bone smokes and hisses on the ground and then resolves into a very real zombie. The conjured undead immediately moves to attack Emileva.
Regeris sees the expression on Kayleigh's face, unable to spot quite what she's looking at. "The Everbloom is with us! This evil shall fall and we shall restore light and justice to this place!"
He charges southwards, realizing he may be putting himself in some danger, and fires off another arrow down the hallway at the fleeing necromancer.
Kayleigh, again, is horrified. The zombified Lamb had been like a punch to the gut. Seeing Amistan's head atop this monstrosity...it was too much. Her mind's eye cycled through images of the dead man's face: happy and smiling during his last days of life, head smashed in by the sledge hammer goon, and now...the head somewhat reformed and yet...so very wrong. Though she heard Regeris's words, they failed to penetrate the haze of despair overtaking her.
I've failed to protect so many....
"...This evil shall fall and we shall restore light and justice to this place!"
Regeris's words finally penetrated Kayleigh's mind-gloom. Setting her feet and raising her morningstar, she stared down the abomination before her. She would do her part to protect her friends and the Pharasmins from this horror.
Emi's mood is turning foul. She's making a lot of mistakes and they're starting to pile up. The derro she didn't pursue has loosed something nasty, she can hear enough to know it. Her attempt to pin down the necromancer has failed. She didn't notice he was close to a passage to slip away into. Now her efforts have been rewarded with a surprise zombie out of nowhere.
She holds her ground and gives the zombie the once over before slashing at it.
Seeing as her offensive efforts were almost useless, Tassira opts for a different approach once the zombie-thing arrives.
She yanks out her spellbook and flips it open to a page, her eyes flashing blue as a new spell appears in place of a protective one in her mind--that of a fine coating of grease.
Emileva cuts down the zombie, again opening a lane to the necromancer.
Like his last effort, Regeris's shot is defeated by the wizard's magical shielding. The derro laughs maniacally as it slowly floats backwards down the dark tunnel.
Samuel misses with his various swipes at the last derro guard still standing. His opponent twists away from the Pharasmin's mace and drives his little sword at Emi. The derro's sword is deflected by the plating of Emileva's coat.
The monstrosity down the hall breaks the little derro in its grasp and tosses it away. It looks hungrily at Kayleigh as it starts forward.
HP 37/48
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 2/-
Fort +7, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 2/16; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 1/1
Effects: Probably not poisoned anymore, -1 Str
"You stay away from her!" Nebbin orders, though he can't see a way to get in position to protect the cleric with the derro in the way.
He closes, shifting his attention to the nearer threat.
Get out of the way, Kayleigh!" he calls out as he chops at the derro, distracted by what seems like the much greater threat.
Kayleigh stares slack-jawed at the hulking monstrosity as it snaps the derro's spine with minimal effort. Is this thing undead or some kind of amalgamated construct? the cleric wonders, not having a clue (as usual). Several plans of action cycle through her mind, none of them particularly good.
"Nebbin! Help! BIG trouble!" she calls out, knowing she can't hope to match the monster's inhuman strength. At the same time, however, she doesn't want Nebbin fighting it alone. Time for an educated gamble she decides.
Kayleigh turns to face the table of broken glassware and realizes there's no climbing on top of it without getting cut. There's a corner where much of the glass was pulverized by her sonic spell, though. If she were to lay her shield on the table and vault onto it she could climb out of the way. But when she starts to do this, she realizes the table is not likely to bear the weight of her and her possessions.
Nebbin's halfhearted attempt fails to connect with his enemy. He watches in dismay as the beast advances on the cleric.
The necromancer makes more arcane signs in the darkness and croaks out some vile incantation.
Regeris' stern facade is beginning to crack. He somehow keeps it together, whispers another prayer to his goddess, and fires again, desperate to hit the damn derro.
"Nebbin something nasty is coming get up front!"
With her new spell firmly in mind, Tassira moves over to get a better look at the oncoming zombie-beast and throws a magical patch of grease under its feet.
Then she tries to identify just what it is.
Kayleigh sees that there's no Nebbin coming to save her--at least not in the short term--so she again turns to face the monstrosity, knowing in her heart this isn't a foe she can defeat but also knowing that she doesn't need to: if she can buy a little time, Nebbin, Emi, Regeris, and Tassira have the firepower to take it down.
She drops into a defensive crouch and waits for the lumbering horror to come to her.
When the horror looms above her, Kayleigh ducks, raises her shield high, and tries to viciously kneecap the thing.
for
Suddenly the world goes completely dark on Emileva as the little wizard's magic steals her sight. All her other senses remain intact, but her sight is completely gone.
The thing advancing on Kayleigh is a golem. Perhaps the creator set out to make a flesh golem because it looks like some preservative efforts were made. But it wasn't an effective regimen and the flesh is now sloughing off in places.
The disgusting horror slips and falls in the flood of grease that washes over the floor of the tunnel. Its robes aren't white anymore and its visage is more monstrous than ever as it splatters itself with the conjured stuff.
Regeris's second arrow finally finds its mark sinking firmly into the hovering enemy's thigh.
When everything in front of her goes completely dark, Emi first thinks the necromancer has cast some sort of darkness spell. It doesn't matter much to her since she isn't foolish enough to think running after him by herself is a good idea.
But when she turns around and takes a couple of steps back into the room she begins to wonder. She can't see any light in that direction either, and moving didn't change things. She bumps into a table in front of her, and when she turns her feet come up against a body on the floor. She puts a hand over her eyes to see if things could be darker, and takes it away to discover they couldn't.
Emi begins to feel a wave of nauseous fear sweep through her. "Can anybody see me?" she cries out. "I can't see anything!"
The golem attempts to stand but slips again in the grease and falls prone again.
The last derro grunt swings wildly at Brother Samuel in an attempt to cut his way out of the ring of enemies forming around him. Samuel stands his ground, turning each swing aside.
"The thing's fallen and can't seem to get back up!" Kayleigh calls over her shoulder to Regeris while giving Tassira a thankful nod for her timely and effective spell. "Maybe you can put an arrow or three into it!"
Putting her off hand on Emileva's shoulder, she says, "Emi, it's me. I'm coming through!" before squeezing past her friend . "I've got the caster!"
Gritting her teeth in a growing fury, the priestess swings her spiky weapon at the necromancer's pale head, planning on bloodying it.
for
for
HP 37/48
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 2/-
Fort +7, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 2/16; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 1/1
Effects: Probably not poisoned anymore, -1 Str
"I'm coming, Kayleigh!" Nebbin cries, a note of panic in his voice. "Hold on! I mean, get out of there!"
He slashes again at the derro in front of him, but is more concerned about the priestess' fate and swings wildly again.
"Look out, Emi!" he cries as he barely misses hitting her instead. "I can see you, though it's dark in here! Try squinting!"
Kayleigh's attack lands and hurts the little wizard. Nebbin's attack goes wide again as the derro ducks behind the upturned vat.
The necromancer floats a little farther down the passage, easily passing through a tight spot that anyone in the party will have to squeeze through. He snaps his hands together and wriggles his fingers, whispering more magic in his abhorrent tongue.
Three glowing missiles of magical force fly from his hands and impact on Kayleigh.
"Emi! Stay calm, we'll get you out of this!" Tassira calls out as she raises her crossbow and takes aim at the surrounded derro.
"By the way, there's a carrion golem to the south! Smash it or cut it apart--shooting it won't work well enough!"
Kayleigh grunts in pain as the three magical missiles smash into her, but a moment later the pain's (mostly) gone and she's still standing. She's determined to take care of the necromancer and keep herself between him and the blinded Emileva...ar least until she hears Tassira state that the fallen golem's unlikely to fall to Regeris's arrows.
Every move I've made in this battle has been the wrong one!
Regeris sighs. "Of course shooting it won't work well. Don't chase the necromancer into the tunnel - he's only at an advantage over there!"
Turning his bow on the remaining derro in the room, Regeris fires twice.
Tassira's shot goes well wide of her mark. Regeris only hits with one of his, but he makes that one shot count. The arrow takes the last derro in the upper chest and punches right through whatever protection its wearing. It falls back against the wall behind the vats, dying of its wounds. Much of the magical darkness in the room is gradually lifted, though the tunnel where the necromancer retreated is still filled with shadow.
Suddenly free of his adversary, Brother Samuel drifts back to guard the lane against the right wall, closing off Tassira's flank in case the golem attacks.
Down the hall, the dead thing again fails to gain its footing. Tassira can still just see the golem from her vantage across the room. It occurs to her that its lower body is out of scale to its head and arms. Its arms practically touch the floor and it's not over-tall. Its legs are that of a child, or a small woman. Then she notices with a start that it also has a vaguely feline tail.
At the edge of her peripheral vision, Kayleigh sees Regeris shoot down the last derro in the room. That means that Nebbin's free to engage one of the Big-Bads...but which one? Unable to see if the golem's regained its footing, the cleric decides to disregard Regeris's order and try to neutralize the derro necromancer while she has the chance. She squeezes awkwardly into the narrow tunnel and attempts something she's seen Nebbin do in the past--grab and grapple the smaller creep! She drops her silver morningstar and tries to grab the floating caster, but the tight quarters and her own uncertainty work against her attempt.
As Tassira reloads her crossbow, she finally notices the golem's lower half.
She gasps, her eyes widening in shock.
"...Neziana?"
HP 37/48
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 2/-
Fort +7, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 2/16; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 1/1
Effects: Probably not poisoned anymore, -1 Str
"Wait, where are you going, Kayleigh?" Nebbin calls as he moves past Emileva -- "It's just me, Emileva, don't try to hit me, please" -- and heads to the hall where the golem fights for footing.
He hefts his sword, ready should the thing manage to move forward.
"Just trying to keep the necromancer occupied!" Kayleigh calls over her shoulder to Nebbin.
TRYING being the operative word..., she reflects in frustration. There's a momentary spike of hope inside her when Kayleigh hears Tassira mention Neziana's name: What excellent timing for an ally to come to their aid! But something about the tone in which the wizardess says the name instead sends a shiver of dread down the priestess's spine.
Emi keeps her hand on the table on in front of her and fight back panic as she tries to think of what to do. She had been so focused to getting across the room to the necromancer that she hadn't paid much attention to it as she passed through. She only remembers the last small part of it, mostly because it was along a wall.
If I'm touching the table, I'm now turned the opposite direction from the tunnel. Going toward the tunnel, the table was on my left."
All the things everyone is saying are too confusing to make sense of, so she tries to ignore them. Whatever has been unlocked by that derro was very noisy in its own way though.
Not loud enough to be in the room yet I think. It was in a narrow tunnel too. The table was on my left when it was on my right. Maybe I can keep it in the tunnel by listening to it. Turned this direction my left is now my right.
She begins working her way around the table, using her hand to find the edge. When she finds it, she uses the fingers of her right hand to follow along its edge. She stretches her falchion out in her left hand to touch its tip to the wall. Then she walks forward.
When my blade runs out of wall, I'm there.
"Where is the loud thing?" Emi calls out as she walks.
Emi reaches the hall first, but yields to Nebbin when he suddenly appears at her elbow. Her darkness is total and unyielding.
The necromancer darts back and up to the top of the tunnel, flattening himself against the ceiling and evading Kayleigh's lunge. He extends his skinny, three fingered hand directly at the priestess, palm thrusting in and out as he punctuates the obscene syllables. A coruscating red beam shoots from the center of his palm on the last thrust and strikes Kayleigh.
The derro screeches out in victory as his spell strikes Kayleigh.
"Keeebbaage HEEED! Come!" it screams.
From somewhere down the dark tunnels behind it comes and answering grunt.
Kayleigh grits her teeth in anticipation of fiery pain when the red beam strikes her but is surprised that it doesn't sting in the least. When she feels her strength start to sap away, she raises her buckler and steels her inner strength to fight it off as best she can.
Tassira freezes in place, staring at the golem in horror.
"There's something down this tunnel other than the necromancer!" Kayleigh calls over her shoulder to the others.
Biting her lip in frustration, the girl mentally admonishes herself, And you've gone and disarmed yourself!
Emi isn't doesn't know what to do aside from standing next to Nebbin and holding her sword at guard. Before long she begins to understand they're still waiting for the thing in the tunnel to arrive. She's not so sure she can tell Nebbin from it when the time comes though.
When she hears Kayleigh's comment she decides what to do.
"Nebbin, go help Kayleigh. Move me directly in front of the tunnel, and I'll keep what's down there blocked."
Although it doesn't make any physical difference, Emi closes her eyes. It's a habit that helps her concentrate as she listens for sounds from the tunnel.
Hold Action until the carrion golem gets to the end of the hall
=====================
=====================
Regeris runs around the table, leaping onto the little desk in teh southeast before crouching and firing an arrow into the tunnel.
=================
=================
Regeris moves to the centre of the room to get a bead on the golem, but then enchants his bow.
Regeris only has a sliver of space to squeeze a shot through to the flying necromancer. His timing is right, the derro becomes momentarily visible through the gap, but his aim is off. The arrow shatters itself to splinters as it caroms down the twisting tunnel.
Hearing Emileva's instructions to Nebbin, Samuel cries fowl.
"No, Nebbin! Go help your friend and I'll hold the tunnel mouth against this abomination!" He steps up behind Emileva, ready to spring into the spot when Nebbin moves.
To Kayleigh's horror, the passage behind the flying derro is suddenly filled with knotted human flesh. It's an enormously thick and hideously white humanoid. It's flesh fairly oozes out between the straps of its armor in all its pockmarked and pustuled glory. It carries no weapon, but its meaty hands look menacing enough as it comes lumbering down the tunnel towards Kayleigh. When it sees the cleric stooping there trying to shake off the strength loss, it begins laughing at her, its tongue lolling out of its mouth like a dog's, and a line of spit hanging near to the floor.
To complicate Nebbin's life, the golem finally stands back up and begins carefully advancing down the hall.
Nebbin's wild swing sends chips of masonry flying but fails to do any real damage to the golem.