Kaley slashes downward at the zombie that slammed into her.
Coglen takes a step and slashes at the zombie on Kaley.
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With a single swing of her blade, Kaley is able to cleave the zombie's head off in one blow, sending it bouncing along the ground nearby until rolling to a stop.
One of the remaining zombies next to Kaley swings at her wildly...
Were the goblin not undead, one would think it was dancing, for how ineffectual it's efforts are against Kaley's armor.
Coglen slashes through one of the zombies, effluvia gushing out of the wound like an over-ripe fruit, but still the zombie remains standing, albeit in a significantly deflated stated.
Grunting as the zombie slammed into his joints, Petros turned the energy into a stumbling back step. As soon as he regained his balance, he whipped a vial from his pocket at the undead, hoping to burn it from existence.
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Petros's bomb lands left of the zombie, and as flames jet out towards it...
The zombie stumbles, the majority of the flames missing it. The smell of cooked meat however still fills the air.
Meanwhile, the zombie engaged with both Kaley and Coglen swings at Coglen...
The zombie slams into Coglen, it's flesh squelching against his robes.
Briar takes aim with his crossbow at a lone zombie away from everyone else, the only one he has a shot at and lets a bolt fly.
Then loads another bolt into his crossbow.
Dorin dashed forward, throwing himself in to combat alongside his compatriots, lashing out with all of his might with his axe, sending it slashing down towards the forehead of the Zombie.
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With a popping squelch, Dorin's axe slices through the zombie's head, sending a spray of brain to the ground as the zombie collapses.
Meanwhile, the zombie Dorin had been fighting has long since forgotten about him, and instead stumbles toward Petros and flails wildly.
The zombie catches Petros in the leg.
Kaley efficiently decapitates the remaining adjacent zombie before crossing over to flank with Petros.
Coglen attempts to finish off the same one as before.
Once more forced back by the approach of the undead, Petros grit his teeth against the pain and whipped a vial from his pocket at the creature.
"How are these things so much better at this than me!?"
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While Petros' bomb lands wide of its target, the ensuing blast ensconces the undead goblin, baking it in fire that, in life, the goblin would have surely thought was a really awesome way to die.
As the flames of Petros' bomb die away, eyes turn upwards to the cage dangling some thirty feet above the ground, held up by a large chain bound to the upper reaches of the ruined spire jutting from the earth, within which stands a man, crossbow in hand and small lizard by his side...
Briar pauses, watching the explosion.
"That was a neat trick. Say, mind letting me and Raddicus hear down? I'd rather not be hear when that blasted Wizard wannabe comes back to find all of his minions actually dead. Of course I could have handled him myself if he hadn't jumped me in the first place...."
Raddicus looks at Briar, chirping in confusion.
Clearing his throat, and giving Raddicus a somewhat dirty look out of the corner of his eye.
"Of course, having some help with my zombie problem was greatly appreciated."
Kaley looks up curiously at the man in the cage.
"I'd be happy to help you get down from there...
Any suggestions on how?"
Coglen looks around for some kind of lever to lower the chain that holds the cage up.
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Coglen looks around for some kind of lever to lower the chain that holds the cage up.
[dice=perception]1d20+4
Looking up and down the length of the spire, Coglen spots two things of note: one, the point at which the cage is attached to the spire is near a passage leading into the spire, above the level where the group had explored the previous day.
The second, he notices a portion of the spire wall with jutting vertical bands of emerald, wide enough to grip and shimmy up with some effort.
Kaley looks up curiously at the man in the cage.
"I'd be happy to help you get down from there...
Any suggestions on how?"
"There's a spot you could climb up, if you were decent at climbing." Coglen says, pointing to the spot where one could shimmy up. "Doing so, you could get to the spot, you see there, where the chain is attached in that passage on the upper level."
Kaley glances around at the others, none of whom look like they've climbed a day in their life, before giving a sigh that's halfway between exasperated and amused. "Give me a minute," she calls up to the man in the cage, "and I can put together an extract that will let me climb up there."
If no one proposes an alternate plan, Kaley pulls out her alchemy crafting kit and begins to make an extract of Monkey Fish, removing her scale mail while waiting for the reagents to combine.
"Don't go too far down that passageway, we won't be able to back you up immediately"
"Sure. Once I'm up there I'll just see what I can do to get that man out of his cage and then I'll let down a rope for the rest of you."
"Oh yes, this sounds like a splendid plan! I wish I could do more to help, but unfortunately I find myself without any way to really do so."
Briar thinks to himself momentarily before trying the door on the cage.
"For the record, the cage does appear to be locked."
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Taking some time to scale the spire from the outside, Kaley is eventually able to reach the outcropping, from which she is soon able to secure a rope for her companions to follow. The chain leading down to the cage has thick links, looking to be a relatively easy climb.
On the cage however, it becomes apparent that the way in is locked.
After securing the rope, Kaley swiftly climbs down the chain until she is lying flat on the top of the cage. Gripping tightly to a bar, she peers over the edge in time to hear the man's comment.
"No problem," Kaley responds. "I brought a key."
She draws her greatsword and attacks the lock.
Coglen will climb the rope Kaley secured for them, and then looks for a mechanism that could lower the cage. He will not stray far from his companions, however.
Briar looks relieved hearing the lady had a key.
"Splendid, I was worried you wouldn't have one. Now if you wouldn't mind... HEY!"
At the sight of the sword he stumbles quickly backwards, tripping over his pack and falling down partially upon Raddicus, who lets out a semi-loud screech in pain.
Pressing his ring to his side, Petros set to work healing himself before returning his attention to his comrades.
He immediately burst out laughing as he noticed Kaley swinging at the lock with her sword.
"Wh-what are you even doing?!" he barked, still chuckling.
Dorin stared up at the man in the cage and grins, before calling up, "It nay do be often ye find a man kept in a cage like a bird. How do you be lad, well? No wounds on ye?"
Dorin begins to follow his companions, keeping towards the back, to keep an eye on things.
"Unlocking the cage. What does it look like?" Kaley responds to Petros cheerfully.
After giving the man a boost to the top of the cage, Kaley begins to ascend the chain to return to the outcropping. "I'm Kaley, by the way. I don't think you mentioned your name." she calls over her shoulder without pausing for a response.
Bringing his stuff up with him, Briar stands at the top of the cage watching Kaley climb down.
"I will be much better once I'm on the ground, thank you."
Briar responds to Dorrin with a touch of curtness mixed with fear in his voice as he surveys the rope.
With much reservation he stuffs Raddicus into his pack, a somewhat displeased chirp being heard in the process, and attempts to climb down the rope. First casting on himself.
Lowering himself onto the ground, and almost prostrating out in the process. Briar finally collects himself before standing and bowing.
"My name is Briar, Briar Thor, sorcerer extraordinaire. This here is my familiar and long-time companion, Raddicus."
The Compy pops itself out of Briar's pack before doing its best to (poorly) mimic Briar's bow.
"I thank you all much for your assistance. I found myself locked in yon "bird cage" with a bit of unfortunate business. I had made it into the entrance of the tower when some sort of larger goblin-esque creature surprised me and knocked me out. Sometimes luck works out that way it seems. I awoke up there.
Apparently a local resident of the tower deemed me unfit to be one of his zombies. Though fit enough to be their entertainment."
Briar adds dryly.
"So what brings you all to this tower? I presume you aren't here for the locals?"
Whistling low, Petros clapped lightly to applaud Kaley's freeing of the man.
"Well, don't I look dumb" he muttered.
Leaving any explanation of what they were going to be doing to the others, Petros nodded at Briar and then began to keep an eye on the surroundings; he was keen on not getting caught off guard by anything wandering in the area.
"So what brings you all to this tower? I presume you aren't here for the locals?"
"Actually, we are. We heard about the undead that have been showing up lately and wanted to see what we could do to help deal with them.
You don't happen to have seen a symbol of a skull with a crown on it anywhere around here, do you?"
Kaley returns to the outcropping by the upper entrance to the spire and waits for the rest of the party to join her.
"I can't say my experience with undead has been pleasant thus far. Nor have I seen any such symbol."
Briar puts away his crossbow for the moment, before rummaging through his pack for a short pole with a flag on it. The Flag carries on it the emblem of a green spire. He moves to follow after Kaley.
"Ahhh, good, it is untouched. This is a flag I had custom made for my planned conquering of the tower. I've heard that great fortune lies within it, fortune I was hoping to claim as my own. As it is, it seems time has played in my favor, running into the lot of you. You wouldn't happen to be in the market for an additional member for the time being? I'm sure we could work together to accomplish our goals."
"Conquering?" Kaley raises an eyebrow. "Okay..."
"I don't really think of us as a membership so much as a group of people who happen to share the particular flavor of insanity necessary to bring them here. If that applies to you, feel free to come along. There was another man with us before, but it looks like he slipped off to the spire last night."
Kaley looks down at the others below her. "Speaking of which, has anyone managed to keep track of those footprints?"
"Well yes, perhaps conquering is a bit strong, but I planned to get to the bottom of it nonetheless. I would be delighted to accompany you all."
Raddicus pops up besides Briar and chirps in agreement.
"Unfortunately tracking isn't really my specialty."
Following behind, thumbing his ring as he did so, Petros said little but paid close attention to the conversation between Kaley and the other Jadwiga.
"Do you get paid if you conquer a spire? Is that how things work in this country?" Petros asked, honestly curious as to the nature of Briar's ambition.
"Paid in fame, glory, and perhaps secrets into the workings of the worlds. Perhaps riches if your lucky. That's what I'm told at least. I hope to find out for myself. Does your home not speak of great and wondrous things to be found out of such places?"
Raddicus chirps at Briar and his new companions, pointing towards the trail, then following it. Approaching the chewed on body he wrinkles his nose before running back to Briar.
Briar follows cautiously, gagging slightly at the sight of things.
"Uh, gahh, that doesn't look good. That wouldn't happen to be who you are looking for would it?"
Briar kneels next to the body holding his breath and doing his best to avert his eyes before using to clean the body up.
"Oh. Looks like it." Kaley bites her lip and stares down at her feet.
"And that could be us soon, if we don't hurry."
Her attention snaps back to the second floor tower entrance. She steps up and tentatively peers inside, scanning for signs of danger..
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Venturing back into the tower by the alcove near which Briar's cage was anchored, the group again enters the supernatural darkness of the tower's interior. At the end of a short tunnel, they find a canvas curtain that upon being pulled back, reveals a circular chamber. By the north wall lies a cage. To the south, a staircase winds down to the floor below.
The chamber has signs of recent occupation, including an archer's target by the eastern wall, and a stout table with a few flecks of dried meat still sitting on it. On the table sit two wands, along with a handful of onyx gemstones.
Kaley quietly crosses to the table and scoops up the gemstones, examining them with a slight frown.
Coglen, when given the opportunity, will observe the wands under the power of Detect Magic.
"What a place this is! Fascinating things are being found and we've barely begun the descent! Before we go much further, I seem to have recently acquired a talent for healing magic if anyone would be in need of it."
Raddicus chirps in agreement as Briar sets the flag down on the table, which immediately falls down. He then sets it back up, and it immediately falls down again. His face glowering in slight annoyance, he finally just holds on to the flag while moving over to see how Coglen's progress is going.
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Carefully studying the wands, Coglen is able to determine that one of the wands is a wand of haste with a solitary charge left on it, while the other is a wand of inflict light wounds with twenty-three charges remaining.
Meanwhile, Kaley is able to recall that onyx is a near-universal reagent in spells that create the undead. The chamber lingers with the stench of undeath.
Coglen will stuff the wand of haste in his belt, and hold the other wand out.
"This wand has the ability to magically inflict wounds, who wants it? I have the ability to use it, though it would require more of my effort than it would from someone whose magic is of divine nature."