Teos pins the esobok he's grappling!
Seherab finds a weak spot and stabs the pinned creature!
Ankhef jockeys for position and stabs the esobok!
SE-8
Harkuf lands a mighty blow on the northern creature, ending it!
The other esobok stands and attacks!
The creature bites Teos and clamps its jaws on the monk!
Teos huffs in annoyance.
Seherab steps into flank and stabs!
Teos goes for a butterfly into a double underhanded suplex...
As the esobok struggles to break free from Teos' iron grip, the party descend on the psycopomp, kicking and stabbing it to death!
Seherab moves back to the woman to check on her. "Should we wake her? Take her to the priests? Brother Teos, Ankhef, why don't you have a look at her?"
Ankhef will assist in looking her over.
Twos shrugs, having displayed no affinity for the healing arts in the past. Nevertheless he looks the woman over.
Both Teos and Ankhef have a look at the woman. She appears to be unconscious from her wounds, but stabilized from Ankhef's spell.
"Let's take her back to the temple then," Seherab says as he starts to pull the woman up into a fireman's carry.
"Better to get her on her own feet with the countless dangers.."
Ankhef will pull out the clw wand and tap her until awake.
Teos nods and follows.
Tell holy men of servants? he hesitantly signs to the others, dubious of the wisdom of making such a revelation.
|
Harkuf gives Teos a nod. "Aye, I think we ought to alert someone. Yeah, once she's up an feelin' alright, I say we get her to a temple, or somewhere else that may be safer."
Harkuf spits on the ground and takes a few steps to peek outside through the door. "Ain't no way just the for of us can handle whatever is happening. We need some help."
Carrying the woman back to the temple, you find a priest who heals her and brings her back to consciousness. She thanks the party profusely for saving her, then bids you goodbye.
Heading back out into the city, you move toward the gate between the Living City and the Necropolis. Sturdy doors of iron and bronze stand in the high sandstone wall, barring entry to and egress from the city's necropolis. Barred windows in the gates offer brief glimpses of what lies beyond.
A young acolyte of Pharasma and several town guards currently watch the necropolis gates, behind which a mob of undead creatures can be heard groaning and pounding on the metal. The acolyte holds up a hand as the party approaches. "Citizens, please return to your homes. This is no place for the inexperienced."
"Sounds like exactly the place we should be then." Seherab adds.
The woman frowns in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Ankhef explains patiently.
"We are experienced explorers and adventurers. We have been helping where we can, but are yet to understand the breadth of the situation or where we can do more beyond helping what citizens we come across."
Teos silently flexes to show the groups commitment to the cause of slaying undead, looking slightly like the caricatures of the pharaohs that are prevalent upon the walls of Osirion tombs.
The woman nods, finally understanding. "Ah, I see. Welcome then. At the moment, we are merely monitoring the gate. It seems to be holding againt the mass of undead on the other side." As she says this, you notice a shadow pass through the gate and floats toward the acolyte. She stumbles backward. "Wha...what is that!?"
The shadow crosses the courtyard and moves directly toward the woman, touching her. She screams in pain as the strength is sucked form her body!
Ankhef steps forward "You have no power here shadow."
Command Undead Will DC 15
Teos waits to see if Ankhef's will is strong enough to bind the shadow.
Seherab works around to cut the shadow off, pulling out his magical dagger. He studies it for a moment before leaping, also waiting to see if Ankhef can take control of it.
Ankhef tries to command the undead, but it continues to act on its own volition.
Seherab draws his weapon and studies the shadow!
Seeing the shade break free, Teos rushes up quickly to strike the abomination. He centers himself as he does, and wreathes his fist in fire as well.
plus
Teos darts forward and just manages to punch the shadowy creature!
Karkuf casts a spell!
The acolyte stumbles backward and channels positive energy to harm the undead!
The raging shadow turns on Teos, reaching out to touch the monk with it strength draining, icy grasp!
Teos feeling the icyness of death brush his soul, goes on the defensive, focusing on dodging blows as he throws his punches.
Seherab notes a weak spot in the shadow's defenses and leaps forward to stab with his dagger.
Teos punches twice at the shadow, but misses, twice!
Seherab sees an opening and his blade snakes forward, striking the shadow! Seherab realizes this creature is a shadow, though it seems to be of an advanced species of undead. He knows that aside from being incorporeal, shadows are resistant to channeling, and if one completely drains the strength from its target, the target will die, then shortly after rise as a shadow itself.
if one completely drains the strength from its target, the target will die, then shortly after rise as a shadow itself.
Ankhef will cast Cure moderate wounds and walk up and touch the creature.
Ankhef casts a spell and boldly strides up to the shadow, passing his hand through the incorporeal form and burning it with positive energy!
Cupping the small ball of flame in his hand, Harkuf moves up to touch the shadow!
The flames lick up the side of the shadow, causing it shirk away!
The acolyte channel positive energy once more, but once more, it has little effect on the shadow.
The shadow reaches out touch Teos, but misses!
Seherab stabs the shadow from behind again!
Ankhef steps back and stabs with his magical spear.
Seherab stabs the shadow again!
Ankhef stabs with his spear, but narrowly misses the shadow!
The monk continues to whirl and lash out at the ghostly figure, his fists striking the nothingess - and causing it to dissolve!
-> 3 vs. incorp
-> 2 vs. incorp
Teos punches twice, but misses!
Harkuf tries to burn the shadow, but misses!
The acolyte channels one more, this time harming the shadow greatly!
The shadow dissipates with a moaning roar of fury!
The acolyte nearly collapses to her knees as the shadow disappears. "Thank you all! I could not have handled the creature myself." She reaches into her pack and withdraws a letter and a wand. "This wand is for you, in thanks. It is a fully charged wand of healing. I ask that you deliver this letter to the Grand Mausoleum, while I see to my men."
After delivering the letter, the priests give the party a package of supplies to return to Bal, the acolyte. Delivering the supplies to her, she smiles and thanks you. "While you were gone, some of the local residents gathered together a reward for your heroic efforts." She hands over the reward consisting of 5 pp, 483 gp, 358 sp, a gold ring worth 35 gp, and an outlandish silk hat, donated by the local haberdasher, worth 75 gp.
------------
Returning to the streets, you find the level of panic has somewhat subsided as you occasionally spot residents beginning to clean up the wreckage wrought by the undead. The residents wave and occasionally give you a half-smile of hope. As you turn a corner, you are greeted with a confused, frenzied flurry of motion as a small bird wearing a plaque mask twitters around you. It exclaims in a variety of languages and occasional babble.
Teos swats uselessly at the annoying messenger.
"A nosoi pyschopomp!" Seherab exclaims under his breath.
Ankhef nods to his cousin "Agreed, perhaps the familiar of another Pharasmite? If so I would be quite upset as well"
Ankhef turns to the bird "Are you sent to us as a messenger? We already know the city is crumbling under the might of the undead, what more can you tell us?"
The nosoi continues to babble incoherently, appearing to become even more agitated.
After what seems to an eternity, Ankhef manages to calm down the little nosoi enough that it can be understood. She eventually manages to tell you a tale of Ptemenib's investigation into a gang called the Silver Chain, starting with his recognition of an agent at the auction. He eventually discovered their hideout, and subsequently was captured by masked figures and dragged away to an underground complex. She begs you to help and rescue her friend.