Bytor continues to inspire courage (+2 attack and damage) and moves into the center of the room where he casts haste on his companions.
"With haste, we will put an end to these brutes!"
Bytor lends some further aid to the fighters.
Round II
1. Tess, Augrym (60/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth -8/54 hp, dying), Unrak, John, Bytor
2. Zombies (grey @ 50 dmg, purple @ 36 dmg)
Unrak hears Toths' wail of agony as he drops under the vicious blow. The warrior cannot bear the sight of his friend falling, and he charges at the beast, heedless of the great blade. He then stands over Toth's limp form and rages his vengeance.
Assuming the AoO hits,
<--and it actually does. 3 images still remain.
Effects: charge, bless, Inspire Net +6/+2
The zombie slashes at the incoming beserker, and cuts a red swath across his chest. Unrak, consumed by rage but uncharacteristically distracted by it, is unable to make an effective reply.
HIT
Round II
1. Tess, Augrym (60/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth -8/54 hp, dying), Unrak (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (grey @ 50 dmg, purple @ 36 dmg)
Augrym looks to weapon, willing it to be more effective against the creature in front of him, looks up and strikes!
"Truly, the House of Varn must be great warriors to wield such a weapon. I am honored to now call them kin. Their blade will bathe in the blood of the enemies of HOUSE VARN!!"
Taranis draws a curative wand and closes distance.
Augrym scores a mighty blow while Taranis rushes towards the downed Toth.
Round II
1. Tess, Augrym (60/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth -8/54 hp, stable), Unrak (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (grey @ 50 dmg, purple @ 65 dmg dmg)
Marc plunges his blade into the zombie to the east, providing some support to Augrym. A great mass of gore spills from the wound onto the floor... yet still the zombie fights on.
To the north, the zombie in that alcove does something rather surprising: it reaches down to stem the flow of blood from Toth's wounds.
FAIL
Fortunately, the cat was already likely to survive. Meanwhile, Augrym takes another blow from the battered zombie to the east.
AUTOMISS
HIT
Finally, another massive thud on the wall to the west results in an explosion of stone and dust from that quarter. A third massive zombie steps through the broken rubble and shuffles towards John and Bytor!
Round II
1. Tess, Augrym (40/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth -8/54 hp, stable), Unrak (+AoO) (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (grey @ 50 dmg, purple @ 85 dmg dmg)
Tess curses and steps in to fight the newest zombie to arrive. "If you didn't already know, fighting on three fronts is back!"
She swings mightily with her greatsword.
Tess hurries into the fray with a well-aimed slice. Marc swings twice again; the first is off the mark, the second finds it. The company is back to fighting only on two fronts.
Round II
1. Tess, Augrym (40/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth -8/54 hp, stable), Unrak (+AoO) (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (grey @ 50 dmg, white @ 21 dmg)
The warrior is in no condition to consider such strange things as a zombie who cut down a foe now trying to stabilize it, so he simply allows his rage to remain at The Steering Wheel.
Effects: Haste, Inspire: +3/+2
Images: 2
In two mighty strokes (and two of lesser quality), Unrak cuts down a second foe.
Round III
1. Tess, Augrym (40/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth -8/54 hp, stable), Unrak (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (white @ 21 dmg)
Taranis touches the wand to Toth: . the big cat's eyes flutter, but he's still clearly staggered.
Augrym moves into position, studying his new target as he approaches.
Augrym finds his angle, but not before the zombie offers him a fresh wound in return.
HIT
Taranis tends to his companion.
Round III
1. Tess, Augrym (26/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth 0/54 hp, stable), Unrak (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (white @ 39 dmg)
Bytor maintains his inspire courage (+2 Attack and Damage) as he navigates the dangerous battlefield! He takes a five foot step and then proceeds to heal Augrym with the casting of a Cure Moderate Wounds.
"Augrym, we need you to keep fighting. Hang in there, my friend!"
Bytor stems Augrym's bleeding, and some of his wounds close.
Round III
1. Tess, Augrym (46/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (Toth 0/54 hp, stable), Unrak (81*/95*), John, Bytor
2. Zombies (white @ 39 dmg)
John risks big, taking a stride backwards, and hoping to dodge the zombie's attack as he draws his bow back. He punctuates the movement with an arrow to the face:
for
for
for
John puts two arrows through the zombie's jaw, giving it an almost-comical appearance of having wooden tusks. It sways for a moment, then heaves for what is likely to be its last mighty swing.
The dread axe hits Taranis like a freight train, its steel whipping through his hide armor like paper. Tess's mithril fares no better at slowing the weapon down, nor Augrym's breastplate, nor Bytor's thick gut. In an instant, a great arc of blood splashes onto the flagstone floor.
HIT
HIT
HIT
HIT
Round IV
1. Tess (34/49 hp), Augrym (27/78 hp), Marc, Taranis (44/65 hp, Toth 0/54 hp), Unrak (81*/95*), John, Bytor (53/66 hp)
2. Zombies (white @ 83 dmg)
Taranis takes a short step and touches the wand to Toth once more:
Toth stands, but does little else.
Seeing Toth come to, but still being helpless, does not slake Unrak's rage--it amplifies it. And with the new zombie erupting out of the wall to take chunks out of his friends, the warrior is nearly beyond reason. He bellows his outrage and rushes over, but his warrior instinct allows for a shred of thought as he flanks with Augrym
<--if he swings at me, he gets an image.
Use Destined Strike; haste, flank, inspire
<--are you effing kidding???
HIT
Trusting to his spell, Unrak dives for strategic position and takes a desperate swing. The zombie is just barely too off-balance from its carnivorous assault to dodge the blow, and Unrak connects!
The last of the falls in a spray of blood and brains. You are left in an empty room with no visible exits, save the way you came.
Status
Augrym: 27/78 hp
Bytor: 53/66 hp
John: uninjured
Marc: uninjured
Taranis: 44/65 hp
Tess: 34/49 hp
Toth: 5/54 hp
Unrak: 81*/95* hp
Bytor winces at the pain of his wound, but chooses to say nothing, especially after eyeing the wounds on Toth and Augrym.
"I am honored to have fought with you all. Those undead were much more dangerous than I anticipated. With your permission, let me offer you what healing I an able."
"Aye. Thank you Bytor. If that's a sign of things to come, we'd best bring our apex predator game."
Taranis taps Toth a few more times with the wand:
Status
Augrym: 46/78 hp
Bytor: 53/66 hp
John: uninjured
Marc: uninjured
Taranis: 63/65 hp
Tess: 34/49 hp
Toth: 54/54 hp
Unrak: 81*/95* hp
"Let us search this area while we recover."
Unrak huffs out his rage, letting it finally drain away. He walks over to Toth, placing a hand on the animal as he is restored to health.
Once the party is backup and functioning, Unrak begins searching the area--starting with their fallen foes.
Unrak finds naught but (large) masterwork battleaxes on the zombies, much like the others in the Valley. Although...
One zombie appears to bear wounds that you did not cause: bruises on what is left of its skin appear to be made by kicks from some sort of hoofed animal.
Status
Augrym: 46/78 hp
Bytor: 53/66 hp
John: uninjured
Marc: uninjured
Taranis: 63/65 hp
Tess: 46/49 hp
Toth: healed
Unrak: 74/88 hp
"Now, what options do we have here for exploration?"
Within each alcove to the east, west, and north is a stone sarcophagus built vertically into the rock, and each is broken open from the inside. There appears to be no exit to this room except for the path back out to the beach.
Tess crouches down to examine one of the corpses. "Looks like we weren't the only ones to fight these things. See that bruise? Looks like it came from some hooves. Perhaps from a centaur?"
"Nice catch Tessaria. I hope whoever caused it is still alive. I'd rather this be a rescue than a recovery. Come now, there's got to be another way through..."
Taranis pokes around the backs of the sarcophagi looking for a hidden door.
Looking carefully, Taranis finds that the northern sarcophagus can simply be pushed, grinding slowly back to open a passageway to the north. The flagstones beneath your feet soon give way to sandy earthen floor.
A wide natural cavern here seems to have been artificially enlarged in places. A vaulting ceiling nearly thirty feet above is replete with a forest of slowly dripping stalactites, while below a wide pool occupies the entire chamber save for a narrow rocky shelf hugging the cavern wall at the level of the river outside. A submerged flight of steps descends under the western ledge of the room, disappearing into the murky depths of the pool. A dry passageway leads north on the other side of the water.
Unrak gathers the weapons together, behind one of the sarcophagi, so they have the option of collecting them later if they're so inclined. He then takes point, sword out.
At the cavern, he glances about, and nods with a questioning look toward the dry path, obviously wishing to try that first.
Bytor follows near the back of the company with his bow and arrow drawn. He thinks about his next speech that will inspire his companions should he need to.
Taranis and Toth also follow...
John fires an exploratory arrow into the middle of the pond, just on the off chance that anything lurking below the surface might reveal itself before the group is bunched up on a narrow shelf...
*sploosh*
"Before we go crossing underground sources of water. Let's confirm this is it." Taranis, et al return and double check the other two sarcophagi.
Sounds good. And...don't we have a portable boat?
Try as he might, Taranis is unable to find any other secret passages out of the sarcophagus room.
"Before we go crossing underground sources of water. Let's confirm this is it." Taranis, et al return and double check the other two sarcophagi.
Ooc - Rule 52 didn't amount to much either. Don't feel bad.
"Into the boat!"
John is gobsmacked to see a small wooden box transform suddenly into a boat. He numbly clambers aboard with his jaw agape.
Bytor, too steps into the boat, but not until after he has secured his bow to his backpack.
"Let's not rock the boat."
The boat makes it safely to the other side, allowing everyone to clamber back out and proceed down the tunnel to the north. After a short distance, the tunnel ends in a similarly-sized pool, with no additional passage on the far side. The sound of the running river is louder here.
"Dead end? Or are we going to need to go for a swim? Obviously the water is flowing somewhere, so..."
Twanggggg...
Sploosh?