Looking to the building, Dagor nods. "Should save time checkin' from that. Let us go together."
Andreas follows the everyone's gaze and Nods "that building looks good, let's go." Andreas looks up "What do we do about our shadow?" Gesturing to the figure on the roof
"Well, if it is not one of de restless dead, I say we leave it alone for the moment. No need to attract attention to ourselves with needless conflict..."
The Wayang has managed to keep up with the group, traveling across the roofs. Many of the roofs were joined by planks laid across the alleys.
As the group discussed their plans for scouting the docks and gesturing at a chosen building, the Wayang stood on yet another roof top above their heads, this time the porch roof of an abandoned tavern.
Breaking his silence after an afternoon of quiet accompaniment, he walks to the edge of the porch roof, hands held lightly and empty at his sides. A small unloaded crossbow hung beneath the left side of his cloak.
"That building would be a bad choice, the next one over is more likely to be less inhabited, at least until nightfall."
Seeing a lack of comprehension, the Wayang sighs, and abrubtly disappears, as he reappears on the ground in front of the porch roof he had just shifted from.
"Not that building, that one." He points to the building next to the one the group had discussed.
Finally, "That building has many undead, better to try that one."
upon hearing Varisian "Looking at the rest of the group, He says not that building there are undead." Andreas points to the building the Wayang referenced "Try that one?" Andreas looks back at the Wayang "thank you, but we do need the height."
Haundo looks at the strange one on the roof and tilts his armored head. "Fallen or not we need the height... Join us if you wish, because we need to make this quick."
Haundo looks for any entry doors that appear close to each other so that they could get inside quickly and take the building before the fallen could react.
There is a door at the front entrance, and another door around the back. They are not what I would call close though since the building is a decent size. The back door is more of an emergency exit than a typical doorway used to enter/exit the building.
"Ready yourselves, I will seal the back door so it cannot open. Then there will only be one way in and out. It will be loud and stir up the fallen inside. When you hear the hammer open the front door and do what we did in the town before..." Haundo nods and moves to the back entrance. He pulls out an iron spike and his hammer, proceeding to use the ironspike to wedge the door so it cannot open.
He covers the spikes top with a piece of clothing to deafening the noise and gives the spike a hard hit to wedge it in the door jam. Once satisfied with the door firmly wedged, Haundo moves to rejoin the others.
Tobin stands at the edge of the group, seeking a clear line of fire. He readies Disrupt Undead, prepared to blast the first zombie to walk out.
Sighing, De'ohge stands near the back of the group, one wary eye on the windows of the building while he quickly loads a crossbow bolt. With the loaded crossbow in his left hand, he dips the other into his belt pouch and waits patiently.
Haundo seals he rear door, and makes it back to the front without incident. The first floor is pretty much cleared out except for a few mundane items.
You were able to find 20 feet of hemp rope, and 100 sheets of paper, 4 ink pens, and 10 vials of black ink.
Searching the 1st floor takes about 35 minutes.
"Now isn't the time to loot, just grab what you can on the way if you want. Come on lads, we've far more important things to break in!"
Dagor impatiently heads up the stairs after the first floor is cleared, provided another in his company agrees with the notion. Axe still in hand, proceeding at a stealthy pace.
Sneak:
Andreas looks at the paper, ink and pens he smiles, and starts to put them into his bag when Dagor says now isn't the time.
Stealth:
Haundo holds his ground on the first floor and barricades the door while the others head to the second floor.
Haundo gives a low growl and moves up the stairs until he reaches the top. He then whispers urgently. "Someone closed a door up here, watch your backs."
Haundo still has axe drawn as he looks around watching for any movement.
Uchendu mutters a prayer under his breath to whatever spirits may be in the vicinity as Haundo seems to everything he can to wake the dead...
Pointing at the writing materials, De'ohge holds out his hand. If given the choice, he takes one bottle, one pen, and 10 sheets of paper, carefully placing them into his own bag, and nodding in thanks to Andreas.
De'ohge sighs softly and shakes his head at the armored tiefling noisily creeping up the stairs.
How in the brazen Shadows did they manage to live this long? De'ohge's silently follows the others up the stairs.
Tobin creeps slowly up the stairs. On the second floor he examinesan doors already open before moving on to those which have been secured. Small flames already dance along his finger tips. If any of the undead appear, Burning Hands will char them to ashes.
As Tobin moves upstairs his foot slips, and lands on his side. No damage is done, but the noise made is not insignificant. He regains his balance, and comes into a hallway that is 10 feet wide. It seems this is some sort of an office building. All of the doors which are closed. There are two doors on your left, which even if they have windows would not give a view of the port. The three doors on the right may lead you to where you want to go.
Softly muttering under his breath in Draconic "you blundering armored miscreants are louder then dragons dancing in an earthquake."
De'ohge moves silently, though a thundering herd of elephants would be silent in comparison to those he is following, darting from one shadowed corner to another, each time stopping and standing for a moment to listen and observe before moving on.
Haundo doesn't wait for the others to creep around and heads to the first door on the left, sheathing his battleaxe and freeing up his hand. He proceeds to open the first door on the left and peers inside the room. "Someone take those doors and I will take these two..."
Andreas heads towards the doors. "All set Haundo."
Perception Door 1:
Perception Door 2:
Tobin stands back, readying a spell to Disrupt any Undead that might appear.
The party goes around checking doors and the hallway in general, but no one is able to see or hear anything.
Haundo wasn't convinced, something moved upstairs. He had heard a door close or being shut. "Dagor and... little observer... look out at the harbor, Tobin stay with me. Andreas gather the supplies you think we need from down stairs and Uchendu watch his back. Stay in pairs, something is not right here..."
He had barred both doors leading into the house and whatever was in here with them was either trapped now or fled. Haundo searched each room again, thoroughly examining them for something they missed. He didn't even try to be quiet as he searched each of the open doorways with his enchanted axe in hand.
After searching each room again he starts looking for an entrance to the attic if there is one...
Opening the middle door on the right side you see a human male in his late 20's, and an Ogre. The human is standing by the window looking out over the docks, and is about 15 feet away from you. The Ogre is standing about 5 feet farther away from you than the human is.
The room at the far end of the hallway has not been checked yet. All of the other rooms that have been searched were empty.
The human turns around.
"May I help you?"
Andreas begins to follow Haundo's orders but stops when he hears the voice coming from the room.
"Oh. We're sorry to have barged in. These days I guess you mostly assume buildings are unoccupied. We don't mean any harm, we were just going to have a look at the harbor. Thought this might be a good spot from which to reconnoiter. Are you with the resistance? And...um...is your ogre friend...um...quite safe?"
Tobin takes a closer look at these two to see if they are armed...or some sort of intelligent, well preserved undead.
Haundo doesn't lower his axe, not a fraction, as everyone starts talking to the odd pair that reside in the building. He doesn't growl threateningly at the pair, merely holds his position until they answer Tobin's questions.
Andreas listening to Tobin begins his way to the door waiting for some sort of signal whether this is going to go wrong or not.
In matter of fact manner he replies, "Yes we are a member of the resistance, and the Ogre is quiet safe. Why is the harbor of importance to you?"
Haundo lowers his axe a fraction, still eyeing the odd pair through his wolfhead visor. "We are seeking to clear out a ship so we may continue our journey." With that he sheathed his axe and looks out the window that overlooked the harbor. "We were paid to escort someone of value and thus have no choice but do what we have to press forward. If you are with the resistance, why haven't you retaken parts of the town? I was surprised to find the gates unprotected... And the streets are deserted. The fallen are not just going to die off or wander away and you have some strong fighters at your back... So forgive me as I am confused."
"The undead are mindless, but their controller is not, and they have us outnumbered so we make use guerrilla tactics. Holding on to any one part of the town is almost impossible.
He also holes up in the biggest ship, most likely to handle any incoming ships, and to prevent escape by ship. We are trying to see if there is pattern to when he comes out and/or how he moves the."
[spoiler=Haundo]You see some a few zombies exiting the ship.
"The undead have a controller? Living or is he too dead?" Tobin hustles over to a window to look out at the ship in question. I may finally have my vengeance.
Haundo looks at the man when he says something about a controller, he snaps open his wolfhead helm and growls out towards the docks. His fur stood rigid as he thought furiously as to what they should do. A learned is here! By all that is holy it cannot be allowed to live! Haundo's hands were balled into fists as he watched the ship where the dead were moving next to. "Is there no inner wall or keep you can fall back to? Somewhere where you can bait them and destroy them while protected? Or do you lack arms and armor to make a larger stand against them? Because alive or fallen if we kill the controller we will weaken the fallen and save this town. Has anyone seen this controller? Or what it is capable of?"
"We've already got what we need, Haundo. He is in the biggest one. So its simple! Burn that one, make sure he doesn't escape as it melts him like a blade left in the forge. Of course, you're going to tell us why that won't work, eh, resistance man? What's it going to take to dig our way through this tunnel?"
Dagor holds unto his axe, peering out to find which is the target.
Haundo shakes his head at Dagor. "Setting fire to that large of a ship could cause a large fire to destroy the entire dock and part of the town as well. If the learned is a Caster..." He spits the last part like a curse. "then it could escape. No if we are to take it we need to know what lies inside, if their numbers are few we could storm it. We will have to hurry, the other are waiting..."
The replies to your queries.
"Burning that ship would cause a fire big enough that we could not control it. The one in charge also has decayed skin. It has one eye in the center of its forehead. Whether it is a caster or it has some other magic is unknown that allows it to control the other undead is unknown. He is also very large. I estimate him to be about 10 feet tall. He does not come out often so baiting him even if it is possible will be difficult."
He then get a look on his phase as if he just had a profound thought.
"You have a sailor among your people than, a captain even? We don't normally work with others, but I am sure there a few people who would like to leave this place. I will speak on your behalf."
Uchendu frowns.
Dis... is troubling.
"Is he responsible for de entire plague, or has he just taken advantage of the situation?"
The man replies:
"The city was doing well until about a year ago, which is 2 years after the plague started. Sitting around in a boat seems like a strange activity if he were the problem. I do think he is involved with whoever did start it though.
Oh, my name is William. I should have mentioned that earlier."
Uchendu draws himself up, and then bows.
"Greetings, William. Hopefully, de spirits will look kindly upon dis meeting. I am Uchendu Kybwa'ka. It sounds like both our problems have a common origin; we would like to get a ship, and send de restless dead back to deir graves, while yo want yo city back. Perhaps, if we joined forces, we would be able to accomplish both..."
"The decision even though it makes sense, is beyond me. I will contact my people and see if they are willing to accept your help. I will return to you sometime tomorrow. It will probably be dark withing the next 2 hours, not that the zombies are any more active at night, but seeing gets harder for most of us at night, and that gives them an advantage."
Uchendu nods.
"Fair enough. Where do yo wish to meet? We have a wagon outside de city gates. Tell me, is dere anywhere yo know of that we could safely hide for de night with it, or should we try to hole-up in a building within de walls?"
"I would try to hole-up in a building. We can meet back here if you want unless you want to meet somewhere else. I know where all the magor buildings in the city are."
"Well, we have already cleared-out one of de gatehouse towers, so we could probably hole-up in dere for the night..."
Uchendu then turns to the others.
"What do yo think?"
"Stone walls, aye, far better than the plant-hewn rest. Make haste, and let us inform our own." Dagor looks to the ogre again, trusting this pair hardly more than if they bore rotted flesh themselves- for now. "Watchin' out for the Caster, William? If yer doin' that, perhaps we should find your kin so ye don't leave your post without good reason. Could just tell us where to find 'em."