-5HP
Take 10?
The bodies are all ghostly white, you can see bite marks on the necks of the 5 bodies where the dire bat was feeding on them, but those are not the only injuries. You feel confident that the humans were either wounded or killed by rats prior to being fed on by the bat. The humans definitely look like surface dwellers, you can see the remains of several burnt out torches on the ground. There is also some miscellaneous gear strewn about.
Look for anything of value.
and cast Detect Magic around the area
Dolgrin finds 17 silver pieces, 23 copper pieces, and a gold bracelet worth 25 gold.
There are also 2 clubs and 2 short swords that have seen better days.
Maqej detects magic and finds a scroll that radiates faintly with witchcraft.
"Char, come take a look at this."
Char: "Ahh, this scroll contains 3 cure spells i can use as well as an arcane armor spell for witches that could come in handy. And that reminds me that you took a wound from the bat Dolgrin."
She places a hex on Dolgrin:
-2HP
Look for more rat tracks and follow if found.
Follow the freshest rat tracks as above. If none found, take the passage back towards our base.
You move past the area where the bodies are located, the group scans the ground for tracks as you move forward for about 10 minutes without finding any tracks. You have not seen any branches in the tunnel since leaving the area of the bodies so you are pretty confident the rats must have come this way unless they turned around after slaying the 5 humans and while you were in the side passage.
Dagnir: "If we travel the rest of the day we will come to a large area where the cavern opens up several hundred feet across. Many paths lead out from the cavern, there will be a dozen different ways the rats could go from there. One of the paths leads up to the lower part of the Ironstrike halls. I have not been beyond the great cavern."
-2HP
To Dagnir-At what point do we need to go back to the camp? We'll want to drop off some of this equipment eventually, and I'm not sure we are ever going to catch up to these rats or find their primary lair. You know me-I love wandering around the dark halls and observing their beauty and wonder, but at some point it's good to have a plan. Let's continue to this large cavern and see where the rats go. I'd be interested to head up into the Halls and see if we can find any survivors or equipment.
Dagnir: "I have been out for up to 4 days in the past so we can be gone a few more nights without anyone becoming concerned. I have gone back to the lower halls once, it is dangerous there, the big wryms can't get down there unless things have changed but some of the younger ones surely can as well as whatever else may have creeped in since we were driven out."
Maqej give me perception and survival rolls.
As you head towards the large cavern, Char points out some faint tracks that Dolgrin and Maqej overlook:
"Look, the rats did continue this way."
You have keen eyes Char. I can't believed I missed them myself. Must be more tired than I thought...
You arrive at the large cavern which has 12 different paths branching off from it. Dagnir points at the second path to the left which heads upward. "That path leads up to the lower section of the Halls, I haven't explored the others."
Survival checks if you want to try to find which path was taken by the rats.
see if anything is watching us or anything unusual in this cavern
take 10 or 20 if possible
As you enter the huge cavern the ground shakes and there are some large falling rocks on the far side but the just some dust on your side of the cavern.
As the quake subsides and you look around you notice some differences in the rock that indicate that parts the cavern and several of the paths branching from it are relatively new, the result of the recent quakes, this includes the path going up to the lower Ironstrike Halls. This makes sense since you pretty much knew all the existing caverns and passages beneath the Halls.
You don't see any rat tracks and the falling rock and dust are surely going to make tracking even more difficult.
Maqej: perception and survival check please
Maqej, Char, and Dagnir also look around for tracks but the entire cavern floor has just been covered in dust. If any tracks remained they have been completely concealed.
Party's action.
As I see it we have 3 choices: 1. Wait here and see if the rats come back this way. 2. Go back to the camp. 3. Explore the Halls. I vote for option 3.
Unless the group says no, start exploring the lower Halls.
I'm with you Dolgrin.
Dagnir: "Ok let's go, the lower Halls are still a couple hours ahead, but be ready to turn tail and run like mad if we run into one of them wyrms."
Char: "Sounds line good advice."
Give me some rolls Maqej, already got Dolgrin's.
Make sure the way behind is clear Maqej. If we have to leave...we are going to have to leave in a HURRY.
Maqej bot
Char and Dagnir
You move up the passageway towards the lower Halls. There are definitely no rat tracks in this direction but Char and Dolgrin find various humanoid tracks headed in both directions on the path, none look particularly fresh. Dolgrin also spots some edible mushrooms which take a few minutes to gather but will be delicious.
A while later you round a bend in the passage and stumble into a group of shambling humanoids. Dolgrin recognizes their true nature first, shouting out: "Zombies!"
Party action.
Cast Elemental Ray
and keep an eye out behind me!!
ZOMBIES!
What do I know about this filth?
How many are there and any choke points we can use?
Oh yeah, suck chain flail death filth.... PA
You all know slashing weapons work best against zombies. The passage is about 15 feet wide, no obvious choke points.
Dolgrin crushes one despite the fact that he's using a bludgeoning weapon. Maqej damages one with his ray and Dagnir finishes it off with a chop of her sword.
Char damages all the zombies with a wave of divine energy.
There are 4 zombies still attacking you. 2 on Dolgrin, 2 on Dagnir, Maqej and Char are standing behind you two. One of the zombies lands a solid hit on Dolgrin for 6 damage. Dagnir exposes herself chopping down one zombie and another slams both its fists into either side of her head slamming her to the ground with blood flowing from her ears. She is down hard and doesn't give any sign of trying to rise.
Party's action.
-11HP
Dagnir, NO! Char, Maqej keep them off her!
Free action-drop DD
Move action-draw dwarven waraxe (slashing)
5' step (if no AOO) to try and cover Dagnir.
Standard action- rekill zombie!
RAAAAAHR!
Cast Elemental Ray
Take that you Deadder!!
Dolgrin moves to stand over Dagnir's prone body while Maqej blasts the zombie that struck her with a ray to the head, then Dolgrin finishes it off with his waraxe.
Char again channels a wave of divine energy damaging the zombies further as the 3 remaining zombies converge on Dolgrin.
One of the zombies viciously slams Dolgrin in his midsection rupturing something inside him and dropping him to the ground, his form protectively covering Dagnir.
*Used crit generator for last 2 crits, zombies got crazy lucky.
Dagnir got double damage and deafness.
Dolgrin got normal damage plus 1d6 damage from ruptured spleen.
Time to bring the pain Maqej.
Cast Color Spray on the three zombies Will save DC 17
Maqej blasts the zombies with color spray but it seems to have no effect as Char shouts out:
"Sarenrae, aid me now!"
Divine energy blasts the undead and they slump to the ground.
End of combat.
*undead are immune to mind affecting and pattern spells like color spray
Char turns Dolgrin's body over sends healing energy through his body.
Dolgrin is at 8hp.
She then sends healing energy coursing through Dagnir.
Again she beseeches Sarenrae.
Dagnir is at 2hp.
Char slumps down exhausted.
Search the area
Maqej spots something out of the ordinary, one of the zombies is wearing 2 rings.
Detect magic and collect them.
Both the rings detect magic, after studying them for a bit you determine they are a ring of climbing and ring of feather falling.
Recovering-Tongs! I feel like pig iron in the smelter... It's like some baleful force continues to direct the blows of our enemies right at my weakest points... Dark times... Char, have I mentioned how much I appreciate having you around?
Who wants some jewlery? I'm a fan of falling like a feather, but it may be more useful for someone else.
Dagnir wakes with Char standing watch over her. She touches her head and groans.
"What the hell hit me? I remember cutting down one of the zombies and then darkness. Thank you Char, I am grateful for your healing."
Char: "One of the zombies gave you quite a slam."
"I think we should stay here and rest, Dolgrin and Dagnir are wounded and Maqej and I need to rest to regain spells. I have one more spell I can burn for a cure that I can use on Dagnir as she is worse off than Dolgrin. I also have the scroll that Maqej found with some cure spells but I would rather save those if we can."
Dagnir at 7hp
Dagnir: "I am all for resting, I don't think I would be much use if we had another encounter like that. And we should be wary of more undead as we continue toward the Halls, the encounter with these zombies made me recall something that I once heard about Icemaul and Frostmane. I remember hearing that once they ate their fill of their victims, they would animate the dead that were left as guardians of their lair."
There is a time to strike the metal and a time to let it rest. I'm for resting.
I'll take the climbing ring Dol.
I've gotta remember that my color spray doesn't work against them deadders.
You make it through the night.
Dagnir=8hp
Dolgrin=9hp
Dagnir: "I think we are very close to the lower Halls now, be wary."
Party's action.
"In that case maybe we should be better prepared."
Dagnir: full hp
Dolgrin: 13hp
I'll cast magearmor
Char I'll not be a whiner, but I'd feel a lot better with just a touch more of your healing. Hate to go and die on you all and leave you to the tender mercies of the dragon dead. We should scout for a full day in this area and then start making our way back to the camp to resupply.
Continue to search the area for survivors or any useful loot for a full day.
tracks?
Don't succumb to the tender mercies Dol!
Dolgrin: the DM is always right, look back at posts you were at -2 when battle began, then inexplicably you put yourself at -5. You took 6 and 9 damage from zombies for -17, healed for 10, sleep for 1, pulse for 4. Puts you at -2, which is 13hp.
You come to the end of the passage, there you see some chunks of worked stone that lie in a great pile of rubble. You will have to climb vertically about 15-20 feet up to a portion of the lower Halls from here. You do not sense anything that immediately alarms you.
DC18 climb check.