The Deepest Shadows Lie Longest (Inactive)
Game Master Dreaming Warforged

Valiard lunges past Grigor and into the street where he stands bent over double, gasping in gulps of cleaner air. He waves behind himself as he does, seemingly waving them inside the building.

coughcough"Its a hedonist's dream in here...carpets, incense and dancing girls as far as the eye can see. I left a rope in the sluice if anyone wants to join me."cough

messaged to all: "My spider said nothing about that." (A hint of reproach in her voice.) "Crow, you've stopped battering yourself against the door. Are you in?"

Grigor ignores the woman but turns to the slime covered man as he tries to breathe.

Whats in the building that you saw?

"Crow." (More sharply.) "You're not answering me. Why are you not answering me? Priests, has the Crow battered itself to death on the front of the building, or is he just ignoring me?"

Whispered:"Mireza, please come around the front, I have the door open."

cough "Its a working space, like a tannery but more sludge and less liquid...smells just as bad though. Anyways there are a few people working around the three vats on the floor of the building. I didn't see any chains or anything, but I wasn't looking too closely...I was mainly trying not to throw up...there is a little storage area just inside the door here, some stairs down to the vats, then on the opposite side of the building some stairs up, and what looked like two or three rooms. I think that they are located on the wall above the river, but I didn't see any windows or anything, so I can't say if whoever is there has a secret hidey-hole or escape path."

Ok... I think we've hit some confusion here. I thought Mireza was in a position to see the front door open etc and the questions were just her, being, well, her :) - my bad, sorry

Iozef watches stoically as Valiard comes running out and doubles over from sickness. "Mr. Tessar, is that you with such a horrid stench about you? I hope you have something to quell it, if so." Realizing the smell seems to be coming from inside the building, "Ah, I see." Looking back at the doubled over man, Iozef shrugs as he then hears a familiar whispered voice.

"No, Madam Mireza, he has not battered himself to death. That would require successful battering. If he has not answered you then it would appear he's ignoring you. Nevertheless, Mr. Tessar has managed the door from within. Feel free to return this way and be wary of the smell." His voice sounding as a matter of fact.

I'm gonna leave it IC that I didn't reply rather than try to retro - he's a bit of a jerk anyways but it wasn't malicious

After a few moments, Mireza comes around the corner of the building to the street entrance. She looks coldly at Grigor, then wordlessly offers the doubled-over Valiard his sachet of herbs.

Valiard smiles weakly at Mireza and then presses the herbs to his mouth and nose, breathing deeply.

Right... time to kickarse, he straightens himself and tries to get a feel for where the offices are.

Anything that says where the manager would be etc? Thats a modern thing but you never know... or is there something leading to what I think may be offices - is there a map link?

Grigor takes a peek at the vast room. He can feel the smell getting thick as a curtain as he nears the entrance.

The stench and humidity in the air here is cloying and choking. There is no proper floor in this room, only a series of five-footwide middenstone walkways passing along and over a series of pits ten feet below. The ground is obscured by a layer of foul-smelling, bubbling water through which a tangle of violet middenstone pipes weave. Numerous huge metal cauldrons containing a nasty, bubbling violet sludge simmer in the pits, each vat cradled in a nest of steaming pipes. Above, the open ceiling is a tangle of timbers, ropes, chains, and pulleys, many bearing hooks sized for the rings around the cauldron rims below. Ropes and slippery ladders descend into the morass below every five feet along the edges of the slippery walkways, while to the north is a warehouse containing bins of coal, barrels, cages, and other supplies. Beyond this, a huge steaming furnace churns and roars under an upraised observation deck.

As Valiard had mentioned, the floor looks slippery and caution is required for one could slip in the vats...

Map of the Vats

You have the surprise round. Once you're ready that is.

Windle peers over Grigor's shoulder and contemplates the scene with some distaste. "That looks rather less than pleasant, wouldn't you say? I think the observation deck is where we should concentrate our attention, once we reach it." He unlimbers his longbow.

"You might talk to them first...at least ask them to leave." Valiard mentions quietly over Grigor's shoulder, looking out into the steaming morass of the room.

Did Valiard come into the room halfway down the east wall?

Business travel AND a computer thats destroying itself. I may be off line for 3 days or so. Anyone (lets have fun with this) can post for me - lets see who does the best 'Grigor' with a virtual cookie being awarded for best RP and another for funniest line(s)

Valiard took some time as he came from the nearest pipe and waited for workers to move out of the way.

Are these just normal people we're looking at or what?

Perception Iozef

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Iozef looks at them curiously. "Who are all these people? Why do they seem so... lifeless? Regardless, I agree with Mr. Tessar. We should just ask them to leave. Simple enough and it results in no bloodshed." Iozef states plainly.

Please note I'll be mostly away Monday and Tuesday.

Grigor grunts in acknowledgement.

Best to know the facts so I know how to hang the bastard later.

Grigor moves cautiously down among the vats to the men.

You have a surprise round (standard action). Please describe your actions.

Moves to the workers and calls out Who's in charge here?

Windle activates his detect evil ability and looks around the area.

Valiard unobtrusivly moves to the back of the group. With a small motion, he tries to catch Mireza's eye, then mouths: "going around the building" to her, noislessly. He then eels his way out the door. As soon as he is outside, Valiard takes off in a full sprint towards the other main door. West wall, north side. Reaching it, he skids to a halt beside the door, arms pinwheeling.

Grigor's perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Grigor's knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

As Grigor is about to open his mouth and step down the stairs, he freezes as he catches sight of something off in one of the worker's face. He mutters to the rest of you: "They're not slaves... They're zombies!"

At that moment, the closest seem to have notice you and moves towards Grigor.

Meanwhile, Valiard is making his way through the pipe. Climb roll please.

Updated map.

Unless I'm misreading his last post, Valiard decided to try to get in the door at e 2 rather than going back through the pipe.

As soon as he is outside, Valiard takes off in a full sprint towards the other main door. West wall, north side.

Mireza rolls her eyes at Valiard's pantomime. "I can still hear you if you whisper," she reminds him (and everyone else) via her message after he has disappeared out the front door. "Undead again," she sighs to the group to keep Valiard in the loop. "And not the interesting kind you can carry on a conversation with this time, either. Did anyone know the Middenstone Man to be a necromancer?"

Indeed. I read on autopilot... Thanks Mireza. I'll update the next map. Valiard is about a third of the way there. You can all post round 1actions.

Grigor draws both swords as he moves back to the group rather than trying single handledly to take on a zombie horde.

Is the party on a balcony overlooking the production floor, or is the line between U and V a wall?

Round 1:

Windle whispers to his bow, "Peace to the spawn of Urgathoa." Activating bane ability, keyed to undead. Then he fires a pair of arrows at the zombie on the stairs. One glances off the creature's unnaturally-tough flesh, but the second sticks slightly.

To hit (base attack, +1 for point-blank shot, -2 for rapid shot, +2 for bane): 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 10
To hit (base attack, +1 for point-blank shot, -2 for rapid shot, +2 for bane): 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 13

Damage for second arrow (base, +1 for point-blank shot, +2d6 for bane): 1d8 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 1 + (5, 3) = 13

Grigor draws both swords as he moves back to the group rather than trying single handledly to take on a zombie horde.

Held action - hit any zombie coming with range.

"Stupid...long...stinky...building..."

Huff, huff, huff

Windle, it's a wall.

Windle's arrow sinks deep, but does not stop the zombie. You can now make how they've been covered with make up...

You all act before they do.

new round or same one

Just as with the ghouls, Mireza finds her particular skill set useless in this fight. She stays away from both sets of stairs that could funnel the undead into the midst of the party.

No action at this time

Same round.

"Well, now I know why they are so lifeless. Will do what I can to keep them occupied on this side, gentleman." Iozef draws out his staff, preparing for the abominations.

That's it. I'm done.

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33 Know check on zombies.

Round 1
All but Windle hold their action, waiting for the zombies to commit themselves.

The zombie wails loudly, a inhuman shrill that wraps around your bone like cold water, shilling your soul, as the other zombies turn their head slowly towards you.

The zombie then approaches Grigor, who stands ready for him, fists flailing.

Updated Map

All are up. Valiard can run to the door next round.

Attack
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

If Crit
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Urg!, Grigor grunts, stunned by the strength of the blow.

Valiard keeps running up the street.

Grigor's attack was so well aimed that it cut the zombie before it had a chance to attack. You haven't been hit.

The zombie only had 4 hp and no DR? That wasn't a crit, only a natural 16. Remember, he rolls confirmations whether they're applicable or not; you still have to read the natural result of his attack die before applying the confirm.

Did the zombie fall with only 4 hp's? Seriously? This ought to be easy enough then. I think even Iozef can kill a few of them then. Especially without the DR. Cool.

Mireza continues to delay.

Windle had shot that one.

Ah. I see. Gotcha.