____________
The pit looks like it continues in either direction until one of the branches. It is 10 feet wide and at least 30 feet long, until a branch. He could walk across to the other side and try to climb out, one of the guards will likely help him as long as the zombies are occupied.
One of the guards moves towards the man in the pit and offers the safe side of his pole arm though it will require the alchemist to move to the other side of the pit first, "Here grab this and lets get you to safety."
Dr. Stein Round 2: Dr. Stein quickly moves to the other side of the hole and takes the offered pole arm.
"My thanks good sir. Now if you will excuse me I shall move away from this fight, so that I do not get in your way."
Dr. Stein will then spend the rest of his turn getting to the guardhouse carefully.
Lucas Round 2: Lucas steps back away from the undead. He glares at it and pulls out one of his special arrows to fire at it. He nocks his arrow and fires it at the creature.
Sister Lucia Round 2: Sister Lucia continues to move towards the gatehouse, but she makes sure to stay on the path mentioned by the guards.
Round 2
21 Alchemist* (out of combat)
19 Lucas*
17 Ryada* (out of combat)
12 Savaric
11 Nun* (out of combat)
10 Guards*
9 Hardish* (out of combat)
8 Zombies*
4 Archers*
The blue tinged trog zombie reels back in pain and hisses at Lucas before coming at him again.
The guards stand at their post after collecting the man in the pit. One of them yells over at the two of you, "Make your way back and we can assist you but only on this side of the pits."
One of the archers gets a good shot in and it hits the blue trog zombie's head killing it on the spot, likely due to Lucas softening it up for him.
The zombies begin to rake at Savaric with both claws, most of them just grate on your armor but one of them finds flesh leaving a new wound of 6 damage.
The sounds of the horde get louder, much louder. Three more sprinter zombies break free of the trees, now only 50 feet away from Savaric. A few up along the North and South side break free of the trees and stop, they seem to be smelling the air. Though the three closest to Savaric just keep coming.
Round 3
19 Lucas
12 Savaric
10 Guards
8 Zombies
4 Archers
Brock hears the commotion and moves to a tower to see what's going on. He draws his pistol and watches the zombies...he didn't want to attract more with the sound of gunfire, but from the sounds of the approaching horde he didn't think it would matter much at this point.
Kayla stays with the dog, Jetta, in the corner they had found to rest.
Hardish looks for Fatima amongst the crowd. He is glad to be tall enough to look over most people. Rather than looking for the person, Hardish looks for a stillness amongst the bustle. He knows that she will be standing perfectly still right now, waiting for him to return.
why must women beat around the bush. no names, nothing. ahh well Sarenrea guide me..
Very well... take me to this benefactor of yours.
Maia, the raven flutters.
(in celestial, in as quite a voice as possible)
Don't. I don't like it. This whole place is fishy to me.
Daniel merely shakes his head slightly and does not reply.
That it is.. but for now, we have no choice.
Lucas round 3: Lucas backs across the path behind the guards, but not before he calls upon some divine enervy and heals Savaric.
If you want to get onto the walls you will need to go up one of the staircases in one of the corners, they are labeled. Otherwise you can try opening the door at the gatehouse to be let in.
The wheel above turns and the door ahead finally rises high enough for you all to enter into the complex proper. Hardish and the others see three women on the right and two on the left with daggers out ready to strike if needed.
Fatima is not in sight at the moment.
Hardish makes no aggressive motion, following the instructions of the residents and keeping a close eye out for Fatima. He also has his eye open for anything that might be worth trading or "trading" on the residents.
EDIT 1:
hmmm. Actually, I need a moment to collect myself and rest, I've been dodging the dead for weeks... Since you seem confident that this place is safe I can call at a later time. Do pass the message of the giant horde heading this way along though. Best to know when something like that is on the move. Good day madame.
I don't like this, my gut is tingling, either something isn't right.... or this smoke is getting to me.
After that Daniel will exit the building nodding at the guards on his way out. He will then go around the town talking to people trying to glean what he can. starting with the women and children, then the "witches", then guards, (though he steers away from the 2 guarding the mistress's place).
Daniel your diplomacy check for gathering information will have to wait as the complex takes up arms just in case of the oncoming horde.
Round 1 to 3
Savaric is having a tough time. He first had troubles getting his bow out, and as he moves not much can be done he cuts at one of them with his dagger but takes more than he gives. Then he falls into the pit and the zombies follow him. His cries loud as he is becoming a meal to the undead.
The guards look at Lucas and give him an order, "leave him, he will be a good diversion."
The guards at the front enter into the gatehouse and close the doors after Lucas joins them. They secure the door with extra timbers.
One of the women standing with the others says in a rather direct and authoritative voice, "Two rations each, otherwise you stay in the gatehouse to fend off any undead that get in."
Rayda quickly pulls out four rations and puts them on the ground, then looking around she doesn't see Savaric, "Where is my brother! Don't close the gate until he is in, we have the rations!"
Brock looks down from the wall at the events transpiring outside, then glances inside the compound. Leaving the man in the pit with the zombies was a hard but necessary decision. He didn't know if that was the brother the woman at the gate was hysterically talking about or not, but he hoped she would see the truth before she had to be subdued.
The teen girl also hears the commotion at the gate, and listens as Rayda desperately cries out. Kayla gets up from her place near the wall, looks up at Brock, then moves towards the woman.
Jetta, Brock's dog, stands and looks after the girl, then up at his master, then at the girl again. After a moment of dog-decision-making, he follows after the girl.
Kayla tries to get Rayda's attention. "Miss, I heard the guards - they kept the gates open as long as they could to get everyone inside safely. If they closed them it means the zombies are almost here and they have to protect all of these people. Come with me - that man over there on the wall helped me - he can tell you what's going on outside. please, before these people get ugly..."
The crone takes the mule's reigns from Ryada, the elf maiden, who is almost in hysterics at this point. The woman standing to the side waves Kayla in to handle the elf so she won't have to.
She recognizes that people do what they have to but she is so distraught that her brother is left behind. She breaks down crying falling to her knees and hugging herself. She lets Kayla help her to her feet and lets the girl comfort her and take her away from the gate.
Daniel walks up to the woman and places a gentle hand on her.
He survived this long out there, what makes you think he won't survive further? Have faith in him. Don't do anything brash, its not what he would want, having gotten you in here for your safety after all.
The undead begin to pile up at the tree line, walkers, sprinters, other zombies types, human and wolf skeletons, ghouls, large zombiefied ogres, and creatures that have been put together by multiple human bodies, abominations.
About 10 minutes after the gates are closed a regiment of armored skeletons moves in surrounding several cultists. They just stand there waiting for something to happen.
She nods at Daniel's words, "Thank your for that, I am sure he just led them away, like he always has done. He will find a way to survive." She still is upset at the situation.
The guard next to Brock quietly tells him as he uses his off hand to help the Brock lower the gun, "Don't shoot even if it is a mercy killing. He was not under our protection and luck was not on his side."
Later as the squad of skeletons approach he gives Brock another set of instructions, "This will be handled by our benefactor, only shoot if you are told to shoot, also aim for the cultists. Their spells can be horrible."
Lucas pulls out two Rations and hands it to the woman before stepping outside of the guardhouse.
Lucas stands a bit to the side and begin muttering as he casts his spell to heal himself.
"Try to save a man, and what does he do? Goes and gets himself eaten."
Lucas then looks around for a way up the wall so that he can assist with his bow.
Daniel, understanding the predicament, quickly makes sure to remain as unnoticeable as possible.
Hardish hands in 4 rations as payment for himself and Fatima. Nonetheless, he offers to assist by shooting the cultists. He also offers the use of his bear-trap to slow down any of the first wave that break through.
Hardish knocks an arrow as he looks out onto the sea of undead. He leans to one of the guards. "Your benefactor? I hope that they are strong enough to beat this. I've never seen this many all at once. Have you dealt with this sort of thing before?"
Fatima hears the cries of the people around her and grows concerned that her friend has not returned yet. She is unsure where to look for him though, so she begins making her way silently up the tower as far as she can to get a better view.
EDIT 1:
The guards at ground level accept the bear trap offer of assistance and ask him to set it up before they close the vertical door.
The guard responds to Hardish's question, "She should be able to assuage them. Though we have never seen the undead converge like this before. Just cultists and a few pets."
Fatima would need a climb check DC 25 to get up the tower or to get around the guards at the only door. I could see her hiding up against a lean to.
Then a great winged humanoid emerges from the top level of the tower blocking enough of the light above to be noticeable. She appears to be glowing in celestial radiance, her white feathered wings and a halo above her head. She wears a silvery dress that is tight around her body secured with a belt around her waist.
She circles above for a few laps before she descends and hovers over the gatehouse. With no verbal cues given she stays aloft as the undead stand their ground. Then she lands before the gatehouse and one of the cultists leaves the safety of the skeleton wall. They speak in hushed tones for a minute or so.
Angel, "What do you want and why bring your army, I thought we had an agreement?"
Cultist, "Sorry we had little control over what has happened, we have come to reign the undead some. Some of us had a slave stolen from us, though the main reason all the undead came was a magical aura that attracted them. You may do what you want but I would suggest getting rid of such an item. We could pay you with extra rations or magic if that would help."
Angel, "I will see what I can learn from my newest guests. Pull back what you can."
The cultist retreats keeping her head below the angel and turned slightly away from her at all times.
Then the angel takes to the sky again and hovers above the gatehouse. "This is my haven and my protection only goes so far. I want all of the new guests to come into the tower. If they resist kill them. Bring me their corpses if it comes to that." If no one says anything or does anything overtly violent she flies higher and eventually goes to the top of the tower again.
Brock comes down from the wall and meets up with Kayla. He still felt responsible for her, and something just felt a little off about this place. Telling Jetta to stay at the entrance to the tower, the man and girl enter the tower and head up with the other newcomers.
Daniel's draw literally drops.
wah, who? but.... HUH?!?!
I would suggest against that latter course of action... quite capable of going myself.
Hardish hear's the guard's response and feels calm. He sees the Angel appear and circle about. Hardish is in awe by the spectacle, and he feels a fear in the pit of his stomache. A voice inside his head tells him to avoid the angel at all costs, but he doesn't quite understand why.
Hardish attempts to listen in on the conversation of the two side's leaders.
When asked to go into the tower, Hardish thinks for a moment, and then complies. He assumes that Fatima will be led there as well. Hardish's stomache ache grows as he complies with the commands of the angel, and he feels a bit enclosed, but he can't see a better way out.
"Listen, sorry about trying to trick you earlier, I am just trying to make it by. "
Lucas seems in awe of the angel at first, but then as he sees it talking to a cultist instead of slaying them all he gets suspicious of this 'angel'. He tries to hear what might be said by the two, but he fails to hear anything. As he comes along as one of the new arrivals he glares at Hardish.
"Your trick just got someone killed and eaten by the undead horde. Don't just say sorry make things right by stopping these crimes and working to repay those you have wronged."
Fatima had slipped into the general populace before the women became alert to a threat. She even avoids being plucked out from the populace, hiding from everyone. Though if she wants to go with the other newcomers she easy can.
The guards let the group into the tower and makes sure that they go straight to the back room. Each of them has a polearm but also a pistol at their sides. One of them speaks up with a bellowing voice, "Go on in and go straight then ask for Mistress Kodavi."
The room at the end of the short hallway is filled with a visible miasma of drugs. Many man are strung out around the room with hookas and other glass instruments to produce the noxious cloud that you are standing in now. A bar of sorts is across the room and stairs there as well. There is a woman on the other side of the room sitting on the bar smoking something and two bartenders behind her.
Most of these people here appear to be men. The opposite of outside, as if the sexes have been segregated.
They seem to be gaunt appear to be competely out of it. The have no focus. Most have their eyes closed or open looking at the air or fire of one of the torches.
The men seem to be strung out with drugs but also a bit malnourished and sickly.
The lady with the long green and black dress which seems rather formal with multiple layers as if she were a noblewoman, greets each of you as you come into the room, "Welcome to the tower of Babel. I am Mistress Kodavi and you will be my guests, only one of you get to go up at a time. Who will be first? Cedric or perhaps you still need to rest, a bed for you? Ask your questions and you will likely get answers but be wary of what you ask for you might not like the answers."
Hardish is likely speaking generally to Ryada, Lucas and his group.
Does Kayla continue to try to reassure and keep Ryada calm? Does Brock try to help as well or let her fend for herself? She still seems to be in shock.
"I will go first. I have nothing to hide and I care not to be in this haze any longer than I need to be." A stout man in what appears to be like blue and black leather armor with robe like material. He walks with unnatural grace and does not touch a single man as he crosses the room. A longbow is strung over his shoulder and a light leather bag at the small of his back. The gauntlets he wears lets his fingers through and bear serrated blades from his knuckles.
Brock walks with Kayla and the elf woman, guiding and offering consoling comments when needed. For a young girl, Kayla is incredibly empathetic and seems to be just what Ryada needed. Brock, a man of service and responsibility, watches over her as well.
As they enter the drug den, Brock is surprised to see all of the men he would have expected based on the number of women in the compound in here, stoned out of their minds. "What the hell is going on here?" he thinks to himself. His internal cr@ptastic meter was rapidly approaching red-line...this wasn't the place he wanted to stay for very long...
He then looks around at the other newcomers, trying to get a feel for their impressions and intentions... He will make his way next to those that seem as uncomfortable as him and say softly, "Does this place seem pretty odd to you? Let's keep our wits about us and don't volunteer anything to them. I don't want to end up in a drug-induced stupor on the floor here..."
Kayla keeps Ryada close, but Brock closer. He was nice old guy so far, funny when you least expected it but deadly serious when anything threatened her. "I think I'll keep him." she thought to herself and smiled. She had come a long way from home, and he was the only family she had now.
Oh, and his dog was soooo cute!!
As she was walking across the room, one of the drugged men actually grabbed at her, mumbling something rude...but she managed to jump out his grasp with a squeak! "Brock - I don't like this place!" she says quietly, but urgently.
Daniel smiles at kodavi.
unfortunately I do not believe I have that pleasure anymore. Tell me.. Why does one such as your misstress deal with the likes of the cultists? Fear? This whole place strikes me as odd... Almost wrong. Though I mean no offence.we all live as we choose.
Daniel decided to throw much of the pleasanties aside.
(Maia the Raven)
hey. Daniel, its that theif and trickstir from outside the walls. The one you caught but still gave our supplies too!
Daniel turns toward hardish and speaks.
ah. So it is. I hope you haven't been causing anymore trouble. Lies, trickery, and theft can only lead to chaos and moroseness in the end. Everyone loses. Tell me. What is your name child?
The words are spoken with a calm sincerity, yet it also seems... Distant.
(Lite, lantern archon)
codfish! You may think you can tallywack whomever you choose but one day you'll bamboozle the wrong bloke! Not all gentlemen are as forgiving as Sir Daniel!
Daniel let's out a sigh.
lite be quiet. I told you to stay hidden.
He turns towards hardish again.
forgive my companions.... The road has been long my friend. Hehmhmh.
He let's out a heartfelt chuckle and ends with a warm smile after saying this.
As Hardish makes his way into the tower, Fatima sees him passing. She runs up to him and holds his hand. "Tu m'as manqué!" She says to him. He chuckles. "Yes, I missed you too." He walks with her by his side going into the drug den, and she begins to cough with the haze.
With Hardish leading her, she is able to just barely avoid all of the men strewn about. Hardish looks to his companion and looks about. When it's his turn he asks. "This place seems to be the most secure that I have seen in a long time. What is the cost for those interested in staying for a longer term?"
When Daniel approaches the Hardish and Fatima with his questions, he pulls her away. "Her name is Fatima, and she's under my protection. As for getting myself into trouble; I believe we all have blood on our hands from this collision of worlds. I am guilty only of preserving my own liberty."
Lucas cannot help but notice all of the men just staring blankly around as they are obviously under the heavy influence of drugs. Hearing Hardish and Daniel speak Lucas laughs at Hardish's words.
"You're guilty of impersonating a guard, stealing food from others, oh, and causing the death of a man by delaying him so long that the undead horde got to eat him."
"Are you done, sir?" Hardish turns to Lucas. "If you would like an apology from me, I have none to offer. I am working to set things right in the worlds, and sacrifices must be made. If you would like to help me get back your friend, I cannot do that either, but if you would like to help me on my search to return the Dark One to his place, perhaps we can get these worlds back to where they belong."
Daniel glances towards the girl.
I commend you for your efforts and success in protecting the girl. I am also sure that a man that would risk his neck for a child he didn't know cannot be... To bad. Your heart is in the right place. Though perhaps your actions might not always be.
Daniel regards the child and holds out a wooden holy symbol and says a blessing in celestial. take it, through its power, and by the protection of this man you'll live to see the world remade again.
Then as Lucas interrupts. He let's out a soft chuckle.
tricking people out of a little food? Not so great a crime my friend. Besides, he probably would make a kinder guard than many here... Care around them. I also note you have too forsaken the man as dead. There is no reason to believe that unless you saw it no? And even if he has passed. You cannot blame this young rogue alone. For was it not you, or some other party with or near you who made a big fuss of it? If you had merely ignored him and carried on or given him a bit of food, would there have been a commotion? You see these things happen. But rarely is it one mans fault alone.
(Maia, in common. )
ughhh.. Daniel your speeches are killing me! You need to stop preaching your religious and philosophical views at others. Not like they have any sway anymore. Never did in my opinion!
Lite goes to speak but daniel manages to grab him and stuff him away.
Then turns back to Lucas and extends a hand.
well either way, I am, as I am sure you have heard. Daniel, Daniel Cedric paladin of Sarenrea. Who might you be?
Mistress Kadovi responds to Cedric's question about cultists, "I don't deal with cultists, I leave that to my benefactor and the guards if it gets more physical. My benefactor has a deal with the cultists, they leave us alone and bring us food, we leave them alone. Any more details about it and you would have to ask her. The men here provide protection and welcomed the embrace of the benefactor, you would be surprised how quickly the drugs leave their systems when they are called upon to protect."
She then answers Hardish's question, "To stay longer than a day, you must accept the benefactor's blessing and pledge to protect her and then the women of the complex. We all have our place."
At the mention of Hardish's actions that led to a man's death she speaks up still distraught, "What?! Do you mean my brother Savaric, the one with you with the bow and in the chain shirt?"
"Shhh, girl. Settle down. This is not the time nor the place to start a scene..." he says to Ryada, touching her shoulder lightly and looking her directly in the eyes...
"I saw that man Savaric get bitten, and clawed before he fell into a pit with the undead following him into it. Then he started screaming because I can only assume he was being eaten. Even if he survived he would have been in the middle of an undead horde with infected wounds, so forgive me if I feel that his chances of survival are nonexistent. As for letting the man who robbed travelers just go. I am an inquisitor of Desna. My lady promises protection to travelers, and I follow her will."
Lucas will then shake Daniel's hand as he introduces himself.
"I am Lucas inquisitor to Desna's will and her hunter."
Hardish scoffs at Lucas' last comment. "How convenient...We're all travelers now. There is not a person in this world who has not been misplaced after the world changed. You, inquisitor, can pick and choose who you prefer to defend now that the Gods have left us behind. I didn't see you staying behind to protect your friend either. I look out for those who I am attached to, that is all." Hardish pauses. He is making a scene. "I am sorry for your loss, but I will not be made to feel guilty for providing for my companion."
The words tower of Babel wander around in Hardish's mind for a moment, then suddenly information enters into his mind that was not there before.
Lucas, I must agree with Hardish. Most of us these days seem to be travelers of some sort or another, and while I agree with your view on tricking others out of there supplies, it is far away from killing them for their supplies. Save your strength for when it is from those dangers which people need be saved.
To hardish.
Feeling no remorse is not a good thing my friend, do not needlessly blame or guilt yourself, but always let these emotions help you think of ways you could have changed the outcome, should it be less than positive.
Daniel will go up second. Or third, if we count the NPC.
She cries at Lucas's statement and breaks down in Kayla's arms.