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Eveline takes a breather whilst picking up her scimitar, trying to avoid touching the many bones on the floor. She backs out of the room towards Nigel and Deris, unintentionally checking her suit for any damage. Still somewhat intact, good, she thinks to herself, glad her clothes didn't get anymore ripped than they already are.
"Huh, lucky shot that one was," the halfling woman says quietly, "not a surprise I like. Then again, it's a necropolis, what else to expect?" Eveline smiles briefly, checking if anyone else is on higher moods.
She's about to go look the funerary chamber in the east, but won't go there alone.
The parte checks the eastern chamber. It is a crypt much like the other but a rutinary search reveals one of the nooks is from an ancient Gebbite general.
Althera easily recognises the shield as one piece of art the Liberty's Edge faction has been looking for. The armor is also of excellent manufacture and she easily identifies it as a +1 full plate made of bronze.
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Lionel looks at the dead body turning to ashes on the floor, then turns to Eveline and whistles. "Damn, girl, you can shoot, alright! Expecting the dead to lay to rest, that'd be a surprise we'd like, aight?" As Althera comments about the tomb, he says, "Well, I ain't the best person to bring along to a place like this either. Too much dank dungeons. And that ain't the fun type a dungeon eitha.", he says, looking at the woman analyzing the shield and armor.
As Reed is given the potion, Lionel interrupts the gnome just as he finishes his sentence. "Doncha worry 'bout this. I got just the thing.", as he focuses. A buzz of insect wings flows in the air, as the smell of exotic perfume tickles the nose.
Seeing Reed's wounds close, Lionel gives his signature grin and starts looking at the remaining path.
"So, I guess there's only one way ta decide which way ta go, folks.", says Lionel, reaching for a die in his pocket. The worn surfaces of the dice are barely legible, as he throws it on the floor.
As the dice lands on a worn face, wearing an Osirian crown, Lionel says, "Well, The Favored Sting is as wise as always. Ain't no point in leavin' a door unopened. At least down the corridors, we can see somethin' comin' for us. Demario, brother, shall ya do your magic?", he says, as he turns down to recover his die, grinning at the gnome.
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Reed pauses while Althera looks over the found treasures, determining their properties. "Not what we seek, but a treasured find, nevertheless. Would anyone like to wear the armor, before we proceed?"
The ranger nods his thanks to Lionel, returning the Calistrian's smile. "Random is a good a way as any." He allows Demario an opportunity to inspect the door before giving it a look himself.
If he finds nothing untoward, he opens the portal.
Seeing no danger through the already opened door, Reed proceeds into the next chamber.
The area has brown stone walls, faded paint, and crumbling plaster. Water seeps through the walls and collects in floor cracks and ankle-deep puddles.
There is a door made of heavy stone, and different than others it remains closed.
While the party still decides about the armor and shield, they notice Marlinchen does not follow the party anymore and remains with the spirits in the previous room.
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Hold on everybody. Nigel says in a low voice, I know this sounds a little strange, but I would rather not leave the crazy guy by himself. I'm going to try and convince him to come with us.
With that, the little gnome goes back to Deris and asks him a question.
What's wrong? You seemed fine, almost completely unconcerned, when we fought the zombie and that giant bug? What's wrong with us taking down a few ghouls? Nigel says to Deris. (Marlinchen?)
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Before moving on:
"This artwork is very important to those of us who fight for freedom and defend liberty. Let's please retrieve it on our way back to the lodge. As to the armor, bronze is quite pretty to look at. I imagine Reed or Lionel would cut a dashing figure in it. But it is very heavy, and it might impede your fighting skills unless you have special training. I won't be able to work my magic while wearing it."
She turns back after Nigel, curious to hear Deris Marlinchen's response.
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Deris looks to Nigel and says "Thank you friends for helping Casiel. Now we can stay together after so much waiting. Truly, go ahead with your business, you have done enough for this poor soul."
The man turns again towards the children circle and observes mesmerized the girl recounting a story.
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"Thanks, Lionel," Eveline says absent-mindly, trying to follow both Althera's findings and Nigel's conversation with Deris. "We better move once we're done here, we don't know if there're more ghouls coming somewhere. Good fighting everyone."
Although disgusted by the ghouls, she quickly searches them for any interesting clues. Maybe something that'd explain what exactly happened in the necropolis during the earthquake.
Once Eveline has searched the bodies she hurries over to the rest of the group, ready to continue through the door and beyond. She takes position naer front, longbow drawn.
Deris Marlinchen nods in agreement to Nigel "Good luck"
Eveline searches through the ghoul remains but finds nothing.
She then join the rest of the party in the western chamber.
Not noticing anything, Reed proceeds to open the door. As soon as he does, the sounds of the ocean hitting the cliffs are heard.
With the frequency of storm waves approaching the shore, salt water erupts from cracks in the floor of this large hexagonal room. Foamy, blinding spray jumps in every direction, then drains from calf-height to ankle-deep before the next wave hits.
Occasionally a length of black-brown seaweed shoots in and adds one more strand to a room that already appears draped in long wet hair. In each of the chamber’s six corners, a fluted pillar rises to the fify-foot ceiling. Between each pair of pillars, an open arch connects the chamber to an attached space. Beyond the northwest and southwest arches, three tiers of recessed spaces form three massive steps. A stone sarcophagus rests on each step.
The west alcove of this room is home to a undead creature, similar to the ones you just defeated. This particular one is dressed in rotting finery, wisps of fetid, expensive cloth still dangling from its limbs. Perched atop its head is a golden crown, resplendent with a dozen glittering gems, while its putrid fngers each bear extravagant rings made from a dozen diferent precious gems and metals.
This undead is a ghast, a particularly powerful ghoul whom paralysis attack the elves are not immune. It also has a particularly powerful stench that can sicken those with a weaker stomach.
The creature turns towards you as the door opens, it has seen you!
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Lets kill this one fast. It looks like it's got some great loot on it. Nigel says, his eyes focusing more on the jewelry than the zombie.
When it's Nigel's turn: Nigel will step into a free space behind the group and begins his familiar chant to make Reed extra big.
move action: step into the closest unoccupied space to Reed (I'm guessing people will move in by the time it reaches my turn.)
Standard action: Start the Embiggining Process!
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Althera moves a bit closer and magically creates a pool of grease under the creature!
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"Heh. I'd be more respectful than that, but I like the way ya think.", says Lionel, looking at the ghoul.
Looking more carefully, he notices the telling details, and groans. "Oh, hell... This one gonna paralyze ya as well. And it stinks ta high heaven too... What is it with the Venture Capt'n and stinkin' critters, eh?"
Reed moves to the middle of the chamber and readies one of his axes against the undead.
Althera approaches the creature to were she can have enough range to cast a grease spell under its feet.
The ghast is surprised by the slippery surface and falls prone to the floor.
The creature moves up, then tries to go out of the grease.
The ghast succeeds without problem and moves over Reed. The movement though made it to lose the opportunity to attack, and the creature seems intelligent enough to hide behind the walls cover.
Nigel starts casting an enlarge spell over Reed.
Short after, the waves crack through the floor and salty water cover your eyes!
But you manage to reposition yourself and maintain eye contact with the current danger.
A shiny ball of force goes from Althera hands towards the ghast breast striking with a strong sound. The creature shouts in pain.
Lionel sets his spear in the floor and waits for the ghast. The ghast looks at him also waiting, with a cracking voice it says in Common "Yoooooou, creatures of the Sun, what aaaare you doing in my place? Yoooou came to stick me with your pointy thing? Came here brave, came..."
Eveline shots a couple of arrows, the first one is too high, but the second one nearly shots the creature that hides behind the wall in the last moment.
Reed moves behind Lionel and readies an attack.
Seeing the pointy long stick at Lionel's hands the ghast says "You have a nice spear. I guess if you would be that brave if not pointing with it at Bazuk." the creature hisses as he steps out of the wall's protection.
As he does so Lionel launches an attack with his spear, the creature avoids the attack and profits the opportunity to try disarm the cleric, the cleric answers with an attack of opportunity that hits the creature in the waist.
The ghast seems readied against the attack because it smiles as the extreme goes deep into the creature's belly. It grabs the spear with his claws before Lionel can retrieve it, and pulls it towards him removing it from Lionel's grasp.
The hold though is not firm and the spear fells to the ground in between both foes.
The waves crashes again against the cliff and water pours out from the crackles in the ground. All of the party members avoid the water as good as they can, but some ends in Reed's eyes this time blinding his sight.
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Surprised by the ghast's reaction, Lionel draws his walking cane and gives a gesture to Bazuk with his left hand, for parlay.
As he raises his hand, Lionel says, "Sorry, brother. I thought ya' gonna jump on us on sight like the other... differently existing ones. And sorry 'bout the comment, ya do kinda smell a bit. We ain't gonna fight ya if ya don't wanna fight us, sounds game to ya?" Lionel looks at the ghast with equal parts expectation and suspicion.
The ghast tongue slides over its lips looking at Lionel with desire but looking at the number superiority of the party worried "Come to Bazuk and tell him your story human" he finally hisses.
Reed successfully manages to remove the salt from his eyes.
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"Well, he hasn't attacked anyone back, when you think about it. Though I'm happy tellin ya ma story from where I am, Bazuk.", says Lionel, still ready to strike.
I ain't the most edumacated a folks, but I don't think we should attack now. Especially as Reed isn't ready. Though, I know enough to stay away from them claws.
Eveline shots an arrow that just hits the wall while Nigel readies a holy water flask and Demario hides.
The ghast, seeing Lionel is not moving, suddenly steps towards him claws risen.
The cleric stomps the creature head with his staff breaking some bones underneath, yet the hit does not stop the creature who attacks with rage at the human.
Lionel manages to dodge one of the claws, but the other one and his mouth sinks on the human skin. He fells to the floor unconscious by the damage.
At that point more waves splash all over the room blinding the ghast, Reed and Eveline!
Even if he is blinded again, Reed still has some clear idea of where the ghast is, as he can perfectly feel its stench!
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Horrified at the creature's savagery, Althera steps south of Eveline while fitting a bolt in her crossbow. She sends it towards the ghast.
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As the waves come over the ghast face, Althera steps looking for a clear shot at the creature and sends a bolt towards its breast. The creature, blinded, is unable to dodge the bolt that stabs on its dead skin.
Badly damaged, the creature holds on its feet.
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You vile beast!! Die!! Nigel screams in rage after seeing his friend fall to the ground.
Reacting more on emotion than logic, Nigel rushes right in front of Eveline and hurls his bottle of holy water at the ghast.
Nigel retches from the stench of the creature but manages to get a clean throw off against the ghastly being.
Even if sickened by the horrible stench of the body Nigel manages to hurl a flask of holy water over the creature with a bold action.
As the vial of holy water crashes on the ghast head and the water pours its content, the creature starts to cry on pain "Aaaaaaaaah! Yooou gnome! I will return to..." the dead skin starts to burn without flame and a horrible steam goes out of the body as it falls to the floor turned to ashes.
The crypt becomes quite again, silence only broken by the repeating crash of the waters over the cliff.
You observe the chamber more calmly now. All what you see are some rows of sarcophagus, all of them closed.
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As Lionel is lying on the ground, his memory flashes back in front of his eyes. It seems to focus on the last several minutes, showing him, on a hunch, channeling Calistria's soothing crace, rather than giving a potion to someone.
As the memory speeds again, after the final moment, the light shines ever brighter again, in its center Calistria's smile on him. He raises two fingers to his mouth and waves it at her, his smile catching a glimmer of the sun and sparkling.
As the light grows even lighter, Calistria's face turns into the face of Nigel, shoving a vial in his face.
As the gnome stands up from Lionel's face, he seems to be slightly surprised as to why Lionel is looking so blissful.
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"Damn seawater!" Eveline curses before regaining her vision, seeing the ghast felled and Lionel just getting up.
"Huh, guess it was hostile after all," the halfling states, "I agree with Nigel, let's take a breather." She finds a good spot to sit on, starting to inspect her gear. Although undamaged any further, now her clothes are wet—thanks to the water spray—which really seems to upset her.
Reed searches the ghast room, checking every single tile and brick, but finds nothing of value other than the crown and vestments the ghast was using. There is no track of the salamander ring.
In the other two western alcoves there are two lines of sarcophagi, 3 in each line, and the two eastern alcoves only have ancient niches carefully closed.