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The dwarf continues to frown, but prepares to watch carefully if one of his comrades samples the wine.
Ensu confirms that the liquid is not deadly acid.
Anyone that samples the wine finds it to be sweet and incredibly decadent but there's no immediate effects for good or ill.
Siolad turns down the offer of testing the wine. "Don't really like drinking that much. Tends to make me forget my spells."
Krojun samples the wine carefully, then drinks down a glass. "Good stuff. Aged well." He nods and looks to the others. "Where to now?"
"Well, if the wine's not doing anything, maybe we should see what else is here?"
The party returns to the crossroads and then heads east.
The scene in this room is appalling, a half-dozen brutally savaged human bodies dressed in light blue, bloodstained robes lie sprawled about the place. Several of the bodies seem to have had limbs or organs removed.
Ensu taps Pirknok with a wand.
And then himself.
"Well, that's gross," Jessamy notes. "I wonder how long they've been here?"
She looks around the room for any other signs of habitation or threats or ... well, anything.
She heads toward the southern door once everyone is ready to move on.
Pirknok shudders at the gruesome sight, prepared to move on immediately.
Siolad grimaces when he sees the corpses. "I think we have a necromancer around here. And a fairly competent one, too."
This chamber appears to be some sort of laboratory. Tables made of stacked sarcophagi support alchemical apparatuses, books, carved bones, scrolls, and various pieces of anatomy that have been dissected and preserved in dozens of ways.
Jessamy looks around to see if there's anything of interest, though this is likely more up Siolad's alley than hers.
Once everyone's ready, she gestures toward the north door, checking it to make sure there's nothing on the far side and it's safe to go through.
"Someone very sick worked here." Krojun mutters as he grips his axe and looks around the room. "There is great disrespect for the dead. The Skoan-Quah would not approve."
Jessamy detects no signs of traps within the room or the northern doors. Deeming them safe, the party moves north.
The bookshelf-lined walls of this room contain a large collection of dog-eared tomes, manuals, and scrolls, as well as jars of fluid in which float humanoid organs and bits of flesh. A dissected human torso sits atop the room’s stone table.
When the party enters they interrupt a hideous undead figure standing over the dissected remains. The creature hisses in anger and prepares to attack!
Before the heroes can strike the creature scoops out the exposed liver before it and gobbles it up. It seems to surge with new vigor.
HP 89/93
AC 26, touch 20, flat-footed 26
Fort +6, Ref +13 (+3 vs. traps), Will +5
CMD 20
Touch of good: 1/5; Hunter's Howl: 1/3
Effects: Combat expertise (-3 to hit, +3 AC)
"Ew!" Jessamy says, as she surges into the room. "What is that?!"
She flicks one sword out at it experimentally.
Krojun begins to chant the litany of those who battled the animate dead.
He then moves in, his axe drawn and ready.
Pirknok walks grimly up to the liver-eater, hoists his katana solemnly, and sends its blade swishing through the air toward the "man's" head.
Siolad nervously moves behind the berserker dwarf and taps him on the shoulder after speaking a magical incantation, trying to channel a surge of arcane strength into him.
Jessamy's blade is turned aside but Pirknok lands a blow. His katana cuts cleanly through the undead creature's stringy flesh but it hardly seems to notice.
Despite the dwarf being responsible for its injury the creature lunges for Jessamy with a filthy knife!
HP 53/93
AC 26, touch 20, flat-footed 26
Fort +6, Ref +13 (+3 vs. traps), Will +5
CMD 20
Touch of good: 1/5; Hunter's Howl: 1/3
Effects: Combat expertise (-3 to hit, +3 AC), courageously inspired (+2/+2); Total -1 to hit, +2 damage, +3 AC
Jessamy grunts as she moves to block the creature's attack only to realize too late that it's a feint. She manages to twist just enough to prevent the blade from going through her chest, but still feels a lance of white-hot pain as it scores a deep gash along her side.
She eases forward and brings her blades to bear again
Krojun continues to INSPIRE COURAGE +2. Stepping into Jess' spot, he attacks!
for plus electricity damage!
for plus electricity damage!
Ensu moves forward with the rest, grimacing as Jessamy takes the blow, but not seeing a way, he holds away from the fight.
He pulls out a magic rod in preparation to save one of his charges if necessary.
The burly dwarf becomes even more burly as Ensu's magic takes hold. Pirknok grins and slices experimentally at the monstrous undead.
The undead creature's flesh proves very durable but its nothing before Pirknok and Jessamy's might. Its rotting form falls to the ground in rotting pieces.
It's filthy but the creature's dagger clatters to the ground along with a shining amulet.
Pirknok glares at the undead monstrosity for a few moments longer, as if daring it to move again. Finally satisfied that it's really dead, he cleans his sword carefully and looks around the room.
Jessamy joins Pirknok in looking around the room.
Krojun accepts the amulet with a word of thanks, though not until he's cleaned it off thoroughly.
Beyond additional signs of the grisly work the ghoul was up to Jessamy finds nothing else of interest.
Returning back the way they came the party ventures south to another long-sealed door. Forcing their way inside the party finds a “U” shaped catacomb lined with carved hollows. Each niche contains a stone burial urn, large enough to contain a crouching human body but suspiciously empty at this time.
Jessamy's sharp eye catches sight of a seam near the back of one of these niches which reveals a push-away wall and a chamber hidden behind it.
Lanterns hang from hooks over three large tables scattered throughout this chamber. Two tables are covered with preserved human body parts stitched together with thick thread to partially form a pair of patchwork human corpses. Stools and small steel work trays covered in slender knives, clamps, hooks, saws, screws, needles, and other less identifiable tools surround each of the large tables.
An ancient figure dressed in fine red robes and an elaborate golden crown is seated on a stool behind the table diligently working when the party enters.
"I had wondered how long it would take you to find your way inside my sanctum. Tell me, what powers rule the surface world these days?"
Despite appearing cordial there's something undeniably sinister in the man's tone.
Pirknok lets out a short growl of disgust at the sight, but otherwise remains quiet, allowing the others to do the pre-killing talking.
"All sorts of powers," Jessamy replies hesitantly. "Who're you?"
Krojun scoffs. "You rule this charnel house? I would not worry overmuch about the surface. Worry instead that we are here to end your reign in this tomb!"
The ancient figure gives the party a predatory grin. "Excellent. I am in need of new test subjects. It's been so long since I had access to fresh bodies."
Krojun begins to chant the litany of unclean bones, a list of necromancers slain by the Skoan-Quah.
He flings his chakram at the undead monster! for damage!
Ensu casts a spell on himself.
Krojun's chakram glances off the ancient figure's cheek bloodlessly revealing long dry bone underneath paper-thin flesh. He sneers and performs two spells in quick succession. The first he completes in a flash which causes his form to blur and shift. The second is longer and sends an arc of deadly lightning through the party's ranks.
Ensu holds his holy symbol and a wave of healing power radiates from him.
Siolad gets electrocuted so badly that his skeleton is briefly visible. He then drops like a dead bird.
Only for Ensu's channelling to bring him back to consciousness. The smell of charred hair and flesh fills the room.
"Ow..."
HP 125/150
Krojun lets out a hissing breath, not pausing his chant. Instead the chant changes to the litany of the resounding thunder!
HP 92/93
AC 29, touch 23, flat-footed 29
Fort +6, Ref +13 (+3 vs. traps), Will +5
CMD 20
Touch of good: 1/5; Hunter's Howl: 1/3
Effects: Combat expertise (-3 to hit, +3 AC), courageously inspired (+2/+2); Total -1 to hit, +2 damage, +3 AC
Jessamy easily ducks under the blast of lightning and then brings her weapons to bear.
"Leave the elf alone! You got other things to worry about!"
Critical: 19-20/x2; Range: 10'; Type: P