Eli shakes his head. He nearly shivers from the terror of this house. "But where did the dead man... Iago, get to?" he asks before going to look at the workshop equipment and books.
"He shud be comin' through thuh floor thet way," says Pirknok, pointing at the west door. He follows up by approaching it and opening the door quietly.
Piles of broken stone, dirt, and a few ruined pickaxes line the edges of this room. The floor in the middle of the room has been torn up to reveal an ancient set of stone spiral stairs, obviously of much older construction than the surrounding basement, winding deep into the bedrock below. A foul stink, like that of rotten meat, wafts up on a cold breeze from the darkness.
No sooner does the group step into the area than the undead man above come crashing through the ceiling. Landing on his feet, he doesn’t waste a second and he darts down the stairs.
"Here he is!" calls the dwarf to the others, before bolting toward the stairs after the dead man.
As Pirknok takes a step closer to the stairs a powerful vision fills his mind. He sees Ada, sweaty, filthy, and wild-eyed, digging away at the stone floor of this room with a pickaxe. With each swing, she grunts out two words: “For you.” Pirknok somehow knows that Ada is speaking of Ventus. As the vision ends, Ada breaks through into the room beyond, and a horde of shrieking ghouls rises up to pull her into the darkness below before they turn their lambent eyes to him.
As the ghouls of the vision charges at Pirknok, he shakes it away.
Pirknok cries out in surprise and fear, jumping back and putting one hand up before his face. A moment later he shakes his head and lets out a breath, his eyebrows contracting in a puzzled frown.
Continuing forward to keep the dead man in sight, he simultaneously glances back at the others. "Ventus... it's thet Ada wummin. She... she dug in here an' killed herself thinkin' uhbout you, an' ah don't unnerstan' it et all. C'mon... we need ta hurry."
Re-collecting Betheda, Ysme matches pace with Pirknok as the three of them plunge after Iago.
The stairs end in a limestone cavern. The walls drip with moisture, and swaths of black and dark blue mold grow in spiraling, tangled patterns on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Rubble and broken bones clutter the floor, and a rhythmic sound—like the breathing of some immense creature—echoes through the cave from three tunnels, one to the north and two to the west. Of the two western tunnels, the southernmost one seems to be a relatively new creation.
Heading further in, the party enters a long cave that stinks of rotten meat. The source of the horrific smell is readily apparent — a swath of carcasses is strewn about the floor of this place.
The undead man pays them little mind as he darts through the cave. As the party tries to follow on his heels, a horrific screech fills the space. From above a monstrous bat covered in partially decomposed flesh descends on the party.
Betheda sneezes & coughs as the stench of deliquescent flesh overcomes her momentarily.
Eli holds his head as the creature's shriek overcomes him.
Jessamy lets out a little cry, the bat's screech seeming to split her skull.
Pirknok prepares to slice the thing in two if it comes into range.
Ysme cries as her eyes glow with a lambent effulgence. Suddenly, once more, a pulse of vital force flashes out from her.
Ventus gags and retches at the smell even as the sharp screech grates upon his already taxed mind.
The monstrous bat resists the bulk of Ysme's holy power but some parts of it still burn under her divine light.
As the party is busy reeling from the undead monster's shriek, it darts down at Ysme with dripping fangs.
Eli, his head still ringing, draws a vial from his bandolier and hurls it at the creature.
"Igen, chi FÓLIA velem az arcát a föld." Ysme whispers as her intended result plays out. Briefly, the now-familiar glowing tendril pulses between her & the fetid, rotting monstrosity. As it nears, she times her response & slashes at it's closest point.
The dwarf prepares to strike again if the bat comes into range.
Jessamy clutches her head.
Ysme pulls out & begins stringing her bow.
Betheda crouches, her legs coiled beneath her, ready to leap at the flying monstrosity the next time it swoops in.
Eli’s explosive connects filling the cavern with the stink of burning rotted flesh. The giant undead bat swoops around for another pass, this time at Pirknok!
As it does Pirknok lands a solid blow but the bat continues its flight.
Pirknok glares at the thing and keeps swinging, then gets ready to swing yet again if necessary.
Lunging forward, Betheda snaps at the bat-thing.
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15
Fort +3, Ref +7 (+1 vs. traps), Will +2
CMD 18
HP 38/38
Effects:
Her head finally done hurting, Jessamy snatches her blades from their hilt, also readying herself for the bat to swoop again.
Ventus picks up his sword from where it dropped and readies it in a two-handed grip.
Pirknok lands two massive blows as the foul bat flies in again, shearing one wing off completely. The monster hits the ground and flops weakly giving Ventus the opportunity to step in and run it through, re-killing it for good.
"What was that?"
The dwarf grunts. "Don't know, but it's dedd now. C'mon, we gotta hurry an' ketch up ta thet guy. Evrybuddy okay?"
"Rattled, but fine," Ventus said, collecting his shield as well and shaking the last of his headache off.
Sighing, Ysme nods as well, though she does hold out her hand to Eli, nodding to the wand she so recently offered him. In the other, she keeps her bow, now strung.
Eli wrinkles his nose at the stench in the chamber and pulls out the wand. He fiddles with is until he is able to get it to function.
"Thanks. Where'd the zombie go?"
"We better go find him..." mutters the dwarf, checking to make sure everyone's okay before heading off in the direction the dead man took.
Dare I attempt this again?
Ysme eyes the walls & ceiling of the chamber cautiously as she follows Pirknok, an arrow knocked in her bow.
The party takes off and arrives in another long cavern just in time to see Iago turn a corner. Before they can pursue further three thin undead figures move to block their path with hunger in their cold feral eyes.
Instinctively, Ysme looses an arrow at the nearest, before dropping the bow to free both her hands for the inevitable melee.
Eli draws a bomb and throws it. "Are they running interference for Iago?" he wonders aloud.
Jessamy whips a pair of daggers at the nearest creature, hoping to catch it before it has time to react.