Bellowing vigorously, Belgrin spins his maulaxe around to the bladed head and charges right into zombie #4.
-2 AC for the round.
Tranche #3 actions then:
Silently Hezar draws and fires at Zombie #4
1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 11 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Hezar's shot misses, just whizzing over the undead abomination's head!
Bellowing vigorously, Belgrin spins his maulaxe around to the bladed head and charges right into zombie #4.
charge: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
slashing damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Belgrin's blow catches the zombie in the midsection. It would have eviscerated any normal man. The zombie, however, still stands!
Marius charges to E16 and slashes at Zombie #1 with his scimitar:
Attack:
Damage:
Marius' cut is surpisingly deft, cutting deeply into the Zombies chest. It still stands, though, it's horrid moaning continuing unabated!
Tranche 4 is up next - Duvall, Landon, and Tethys!
A swing at number three.
Duvall sets up alongside Landon and attacks zombie 3.
Tranche 4:
Landon swings his bastard sword at the Zombie:
attack roll: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
confirmation: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6:-(
The blow looks promising, and does hit the Zombie hard, but it still stands!
Duvall moves up to J14 and attacks zombie #3:
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 31d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
His blow goes well wide of the mark, missing the undead horror altogether!
Tethys charges up to C14, flanking Zombie #1, then attacks with his bite!
Attack:
Damage:
Trip Attack:
Tethys bites the Zombie, doing only a little damage, and fails to drag the monster off it's feet!
Tranche 5 (the Zombies) are up next!
Zombie #1 attacks Marius:
Attack:
Damage:
The Zombie hits Marius hard over the head, dropping him to the ground unconscious and dying!
Zombie #3 switches targets and attacks Duvall:
Attack:
Damage:
The Zombie strikes with inhuman strength, but Duvall deftly avoids the blow with his shield!
Zombie #4 attacks Belgrin:
Attack:
Damage:
Belgrin laughs as the clumsy brute fails to strike him down!
Okay, that's round two complete. Marius is down and dying, but everyone else still stands!
Tranche #1 (Ariael, Janiries) are up next!
Janiries again would fire at the Zombies, aiming at the one Belgrin was fighting and hoping that her height advantage (from on-top of the horse, of course) would help prevent her arrow hitting the dwarf.
Deciding to end the zombie closes to him, Ariael lets loose a bolt of magical force that hits the undead straight in the chest
Tranche #1:
Janiries takes aim at Zombie #4 and looses an arrow:
Attack Roll with Composite Longbow on Zombie #4: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage Roll with Composite Longbow: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
The arrow strikes the monster directly between the eyes, and it drops to the ground, silent and still!
Ariael casts magic missile at Zombie #3:
Magic Missile 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
The magical bolt of energy catches the Zombie in the chest, leaving a sizeable hole as it passes through. The Zombie pitches forward and lies unmoving on the ground.
Tranche #3 is up next - Hezar and Belgrin!
Hezar fires at a wounded zombie. for
Belgrin sets his feet, and rushes headlong into the zombie that assaulted Marius...
And probably trips over him over something.
Hezar takes aim and fires - his arrow finding its mark in the Zombies forehead. It pitches over, not moving.
Combat finished! Everyone gets 211 XP (please keep track!). Marius is down and dying. Landon took 6 HP of damage.
In the gathering dusk, you can still see further up the road. The way to Tilver's Folly seems to be heavily patrolled by shambling, humanoid forms. Further progress up the road will definitely be met by resistance.
Duvall gathers his wounded companions and channels healing energy in the name of Helm.
Hezar quickly moves out of the way of the healers. He goes back to the pack animals and restocks his regular arrows from those that took from the bandits. Hezar does a search of the Zombies incase they have anything useful.
Perhaps we should go off the beaten path. Shall I attempt to find us a safe path around these beasts? It might make little difference if we have to fight them on the way back.
"Might be best. Good odds if anyone's runnin' this orchestra they've sent some corpses to fill the roads and slow folks down. Once we've cut off the source, killin 'em one by one'll actually mean somethin."
Belgrin takes a moment to make sure the heads are removed from any remaining corspes. "Not that ah don't feel better puttin' em down meself, but we got a job to do and cousins to save."
Dismounting from her horse, Janiries would scan the immediate area, arrows ready inbetween her fingers. Once confident that no threat is about to jump out at her, the sun elf would examine the undead, checking to see if she can find anything of interest about them, perhaps some explanation as to how or why they turned.
"Agreed. Always better to go through the second floor window than the front door."
Marius groans as he rubs his still-aching head. Hell's teeth, those things hit hard! I don't suppose there's any more healing to be had? Tethys gives him a loving headbutt as the young druid lays back down on the ground. He does seem to be nursing several injuries despite Duvall's channeled healing.
@ Hezar, and anyone else with the skill to help: a DC 15 geography check will help in the scouting out of an alternate route. Marius may be able to help with that as well.
@ Janiries and Hezar: your search turns up nothing unusual on the Zombies or the Skeletons. The Zombies each seem to have been dead for roughly a week or so, and are all adult male humans, not unusual for a mining village. The skeletons are more interesting; the state of the bones would seem to indicate significant age (hundreds of years?) and each bonewalker had been buried in a shallow depression, from which it rose when alerted by the shrieking abomination hanging from the tree.
Neither Janiries nor Hezar find anything of value on the Zombies or Skeletons.
"Looks like the skeletons were left here as a trap, sprung by that thing.."
Janiries would point over to the shrieker hanging from the tree as she spoke.
"I'm no expert on the undead, but that seems like a sign of some intelligence behind this infestation. Which isn't good."
The sun elf would then try and cut down the shrieking skeleton, not wanting to leave such a vile sight hanging up there amongst the trees.
Yep that's what I thought these are bones...
Marius pipes up. Maybe I can help?
Knowledge (Geography):
There's a ridgeline, to the east, that we could follow. We could handrail the road up to the village - you know, use it as a navigational marker - but stay out of sight of the undead upon said road. We'd at least get closer that way, maybe find out what the situation is in the village proper? By the way, I am quite badly injured, here. Marius' head falls back down to the ground and he lets out a loud moan. Tethys cocks his head to the side and watches his human carefully for further vocalizations.
"Sorry but my magic is depleted Marius. As much as I don't wish to fight any more of those things in our current state what are the odds that we can get any survivors out with all of them running around? Do we have a plan to get survivors past them?"
"Duvall, can you help Marius any more? If you're running low on healing, then we might be forced to retreat back and rest up, though I think Hezar and myself can sneak up a bit closer to get a better look at things in the village."
"My magickal reserves are also running low. How much help are we going to be running in not at our best, and dying?"
"Much as I want to cleave each rotting head from it's shoulders, the point is made. Empty on resources and worn out, we'd just be joinin' ranks with the bodies. If we need to rest, then we need to rest. Anyone wants to do any scoutin', fine. I'll stay to guard the injured. For the love of ale, though, don't lead em back to us if ye get spotted."
Belgrin pulls his waterskin from his pack and take a couple gulps before replacing it. "If we get there in time to save me cousins, then we'll just have proved how tough dwarves really are to endure that madness so long. If not, then whoever's behind this is gonna learn a whole new kind of pain before I'm done with 'em."
Duvall converts one of his spells into healing and lays hands upon Marius.
Then he says, "Rest...I won't lie that we need it, but I sure hate to stop now." Grimacing at his own wounds he takes a draw on his waterskin and agrees with Belgrin.
Marius sits up, still battered and bruised but definitely looking healthier. Many thanks, Duvall! I agree with those who advise caution - if we run headlong into this thing, we will be quickly overwhelmed. If you want a bit of extra security for a stealthy approach to the village, Tethys can accompany you - he's as quiet and stealthy as they come.
Are you folks thinking a tactical withdrawal to regain your strength? A recon mission? A combination of the two?
"Now that's interesting..Saw some sort of mist in the gem, along a watching eye. Not really a good sign."
Prying out the green gem with a dagger, Janiries would bring it to the attention of the group.
"Maybe one of you holy men should look after it for now and head back to the watchtower to regroup. Hezar, Tethys and I can scout out the village and get some information."
I have no complaint with that plan.
Okay, so Janiries and Hezar will go and scout the village out (accompanied by Tethys), whilst everyone else will move back and establish a defensible position to allow for some rest.
@ Janiries, Hezar and Tethys: Please make a stealth roll against DC 15. For Janiries and Hezar, please also make a Perception roll DC 15.
Tethys stealth roll:
Marius survival roll (to find defensible resting site):
Marius finds a very good (albeit temporary) resting spot along the ridgeline to the east of the road. It's well off the road and well-obscured by now-dead thicket. You won't be able to light a fire without drawing attention, however.
Hezar stumbles and bumbles about but manages to keep quiet, and his eyes off the ground.
More used to sneaking in an urban environment, Janiries just about manages to keep quite after a bit of stumbling about. Her eyesight, on the other hand, is keen as ever, her elven eyes helping a lot in the low light.
After about an hour, you find an excellent vantage point and can take in the village itself. Link here Please forgive the cruddy map, I have no artistic abilities whatsoever :-(
To the west of the village, a stream running from the foothills trickles quietly. The buildings on the west side of the road appear mainly as family homes, and a larger building appears to be a trading post and perhaps a smithy. To the east are stark, rectangular bunkhouses, likely used to house temporary workers.
The big surprise, however, is the chapel at the far east of the village. Surrounded by a wide ditch, you can see signs of life within - fire, and the occasional movement within, seen through the now broken stained glass windows. It appears there are survivors after all! The village itself, however, is overrun by the dead. The majority mill around the chapel, unable to cross the ditch but waiting for anyone to sally forth. Other forms walk amongst the homes, some with a shambling gait, others crawling and stealthy, like humanoid insects. Ghouls, most likely.
Hezar whispers...barely audible
"Aim well, Hezar."
Everyone needs to make another DC 15 stealth roll to get back safely to the resting area.
Tethys:
Be brave brothers...be brave
Upon returning Hezar will inform those awake of the discovery, as well as sketch out in the dirt the map of the area.
Belgrin it looks as if your cousins might still be holding on.
Then Hezar replaces his fired arrow from the extra on the pack horses.
@ everyone: Village map
Once back at the camp, Janiries would speak quietly to the group.
"We found survivors at the church, a good number of them but couldn't get a precise figure. They are surrounded by undead, and the rest of the village is pretty overrun."
As soon as the camp is made, Ariael meditates, refreshing his mind, body and spirit, as well as his mystickal energies.
"Then they still hold. Good. nothin' like fresh reinforcements to reinvigorate exhausted defenders. Come mornin', you'll see what makes Dwarves famous: resolve. Soon as they see us carve through the masses, we'll have a small army on our side."
Belgrin Take the opportunity to inspect his gear, cleaning off dust and grime, checking crossbow strings for wear, and the like. Can't have anythin' givin out on me just when we move to the rescue. Hope me cousins managed to keep hold of some weapons in there.
"Shoulda asked that quartermaster for some spare axes. either a you notice if they've armed themselves in there?"