Savarend wait.... bah Abadar's Oath I'm going to regret this... crazy dwarf..
Unwilling to see Savarend munched on alone, Marcus does his heavily armoured best to slide down the wall beside the dwarf.
Sorry Gwennn!
Acrobatics
Hearing the "crunch" following Marcus's slide, Gwen winces, expecting to feel waves of pain radiate through her body. She is pleasantly surprised when none do, but she still leans over the hole, hands on hips in a matronly fashion.
You know, that's all well and good for you, Mr. "I looooooove pain", but considering that I'm the one who ends up closing your wounds, I'd appreciate a little more tact next time.
Although her words are sharp, the tone of her voice remains light and jovial as she sticks her tongue out at the warrior.
Now then...rope? Anyone?
Tun'ada laughs at Gwen's statement...
"Here, I have some rope. Though I do not fear pain, I am not quite as fond of it as Marcus."
Acrobatics 1d20 - 2
"Ooooh, what are you doing Marcus!!!......" as Chi watches Marcus follow Savarend down the hole. "You forgot this.." as she retrieves a rope from her back and holds it high in the air so Marcus can see, sorry where Marcus could have seen it, if he hadn't jumped down the hole. "It's OK Gwen here, I've a rope. Now lets look to find somewhere to tie to so we can all get down that hole if we have to. Perhaps one of the others can guard the rope, whilst we all go down." She shrugs her shoulders in the way that female elves do, when some people just rush into things without thinking about it properly as she ties off the rope. "I'll go first Gwen, after Tun'ada has gone down, that way if you slip, we might just be able to stop you falling all the way down."
Looking around, Savarend and Marcus see no threats, although the sunlight from the trapdoor won't serve as a light source beyond this room, that much is clear. Aside from scraps of flesh, bone and dried pools of blood, there is little to attract the eye here. A small tunnel leads eastward; narrow enough so that you will need to proceed single file...
Perceotion
Marcus looks increasingly sheepish when nothing runs out of the darkness to eat Savarend. He rubs an injured leg until anyone looks his way then tries to pretend it is fine.
He will stay back while others scout but learning the lesson from last time will try and not let them get too far ahead.
Ambroze's mouth drops open in surprise as he sees Savarend and then Marcus jump down into the hole. Shaking his head, the scholarly gnome helps the others secure the rope and then clambers down after Gwen.
Once at the bottom, Ambroze takes up position with Gwen in the rear of the group, trying to be as quiet as possible as Marcus and Savarend scout ahead.
Tun'ada climbs down the rope and takes a position near Marcus. In a situation where single file is required, he will go first unless Marcus has strong opinions otherwise.
Climb (Take 10) => 17
Stealth:
Perception: (listen only unless a light source is available)
You proceed cautiously through the narrow tunnel, leading downwards on a gentle slope and emerging into another cavern. The smell of decay is thick in the air of this wide but low ceilinged cavern. To one side, the ceiling drops down to little more than three feet in height over a region strewn with bones and bits of old flesh, while to the other, the ceiling bulges upward in a dome shape—six circular, pod-like alcoves line the walls of the cave at this side.
The group is stealthy enough to get into the room and beyond tne narrow confines of the tunnel before Savarend shouts a warning, as three gaunt creatures emerge on all fours from the tunnels leading further east. They lick their lips and snarl as they make ready to attack...
Chi-
Savarend-
Ambroze-
Tun'ada-
Marcus-
Gwenyth-
???-
Savarend- 22
Tun'ada- 21
Gwenyth- 15
???- 12
Chi- 12
Marcus- 9
Ambroze- 5
These foul undead creatures are Festrogs, foul and diseased undeads. They are mutations of ghoul fever and magic, effectively undead mutations when magic interacts with ghoul fever in an adverse manner. Feeding on the flesh with their bite invigorates them, allowing them to shrug off blows (Temp HP 5).
In addition, their disease ridden pustulent flesh sprays out pus when attacked by slashing or piercing natural weapons, light weapons and one handed weapons. This can potentially sicken an attacker, and possibly infect them with filth fever.
"FESTROGS!" Ambroze shouts. "Mutant ghouls!"
Depths of hell Chi! Depths of hell!
Chi moves quietly into the shadows trying to keep out of the way of the evil, nasty, revolting, viscous looking things from hell. As she does this she takes out her red mantis assassin blade. Using the shadows she will moves to be ready to flank a creature.
I feel like yelling out. No Chi. Darkvision!
But then without ranks in knowledge religion I don't think Marcus knows anything about undead other than they're yucky and maybe they like brains.
** spoiler omitted **
Tun'ada moves toward one of the creatures, pulling his longspear along the way.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Attack:
Damage:
Confirm?:
Damage:
Savarend surges forward and slams his fist into one of the disgusting creature, bruising the swollen and diseased flesh. Tun'ada runs in on the left flank, lancing his longspear straight through the neck of a Festrog, severing it from its body and destroying it instantly. The two survivors both maneuver to flank Savarend, claws and teeth savaging the marine but not managing to tear him down to the ground, his feet firmly planted and his balance maintained.
Claw #1-
Hit
Claw #2-
Hit
Bite-
CMB Check to Trip if Bite hit-
Claw #1-
Hit
Claw #2-
Bite-
Hit
CMB Check to Trip if Bite hit-
Unwounded 5 THP.
Power Attack
Chi seeing the opportunity to use her dagger against the undead's vital organs, or what whatever takes there place, and help Savarend and Marcus down the evil creature.
"Festrogs are undead mutations of ghoul fever and magic, created when magic interacts with ghoul fever in an adverse manner!" Ambroze calls out to his friends in an attempt to aid their efforts.
"Feeding on flesh with their bites invigorates them, allowing them to shrug off blows," he adds as one of the creatures bites Savarend.
Seeing Marcus's impetuous charge, Gwen resolves to protect him as best as possible for his own good...and hers.
Marcus swiftly dispatches the wounded Festrog, only for Chi to stab the remaining undead in the back.
Tun'ada moves to gain a flank with Savarend and strikes at one of the creatures with his spear.
Attack: (flank, naturalist)
Damage:
Despite the Festrog feeding off Savarend, he and Tun'ada swiftly destroy the last creature. This cave is silent once more...
You notice a small strip of leather armour, with a section of writing on it. The writing is in blood.
Perception
Edit: What do we have here... Marcus calls peoples attention to a strip of leather.
Perception:
Tun'ada looks at the writing on the strip of leather...
"Not exactly the most uplifting of messages, but at least what happened to us is a bit clearer."
...and now she's up on the mountain, doing who knows what. It's sad to see a man fall like the captain did. Still, I do not entirely pity him. It's fine to be penitent, but how many lives were lost that the good captain might have the chance to experience this moment of clarity and remorse? Too many. Even if First Mate Devors had been the only loss, still it would have been too much.
Well, shall we move along then? Marcus will only be protected for so long.
Marcus takes his turn to read the writing but is initially quiet. He doesn't have the same emotional connection to the events aboard the Jenivere and hasn't even met the scholar..no snake woman. But he can connect the dots between the lightning storm and the captain's words.
OK I was wrong before. We need to find out what this .. thing is doing and stop her fast.
Lets finish with whatever else is down here and get moving.
Moving swiftly onwards as to not waste Gwen's protective magic on Marcus, you emerge out into a large, circular cavern with a high ceiling. A dark pool of water lies in the center of this silo-shaped cavern. A five-foot-wide ledge of stone winds down to the pool below, passing several cave entrances along the way. You can see four exits from this chamber, not including the one you entered by, the two western exits requiring a 10 feet climb up to access the ledges by the tunnels.
Gwen approaches the pool and peers into it. Casting Light on a copper piece, she tosses the coin into the murky water.
The coin sinks to the bottom of the water, revealing that the pool is ten feet deep but nothing else.
Marcus gestures at the first exit to the left.
Lets take them in turn. I don't want to get surrounded in this room. If we run into more undead thingys I suggest we move back into a fighting square and let Gwen use her explodey powers on them.
Spear still in hand, Tun'ada silently nods in agreement.
Except I really don't have too many more "explodey powers"...I believe I can channel the energy of the heavens once more today, and that might be best reserved to heal us all. But, I'll see what I can do, and if need be, I may be able to wound some of them.
Chi, knowing that there are dangers lurking within, seeks the shadows to protect her frail body. She does not approach the watery pool with Gwen, but silently her steps take her into the gray shadows of the rocks on the ledge they walk by. She takes out her bow notching an arrow, ready to pierce the heart of any dangers that come out of the dark or pool. She takes in the size of the cave.