Bytor studies the eastern wall for a long while. He eventually decides that the intricate eye carving is the focus for some device, when that device is slotted into the pupil. What exactly the device does is beyond his power to discern, but the magic here suggests something from the teleportation school.
Currently the slot is empty, and there is no sign of the device in question.
"Or something arrives here... Honestly, I think we leave this alone and jam the door so that only we can use it. Is that a thing we know how to do?"
"I wouldn't worry about jamming anything at this stage. Without the device in question, it's all moot. Let's not overthink this," Tess says, then looks around. "Where do we go next?"
"I wouldn't worry about jamming anything at this stage. Without the device in question, it's all moot. Let's not overthink this," Tess says, then looks around. "Where do we go next?"
Unrak grunts, then leads the party to the last unopened door.
Augrym does his search thing...
Augrym deems the door safe, and opens it. A rush of hot, foul air fills your nostrils with a noxious stench. Beyond the door, a natural passageway in the rock bends to the east.
Bytor looks around and follows the company as they proceed through the natural passageway.
"Hehe. Let's keep an 'eye' out for something that will fit into that eye. It may even look like a sphere, or an eyeball."
"The change in air is a big deal. It might be gross, but it might also be a way forth." Taranis nods to Augrym to do some scouting.
Augrym gives himself a good 20ft to 30ft spacing between him and the party, depending on their speed. He’s keeping a nose out for weird smells of possible creatures, and keeping an eye out for possible traps as well as possible tracks in the area.
Augrym steps across the threshold and advances down the passageway. With each step, the air worsens, and he soon begins to cough from the noxious stench. PASS
Only a few moments later he rounds the corner into a wide cavern. This chamber appears to have been naturally formed; its ceiling rises 25 feet and is festooned with stalactites. The stink of sulfur and tar are strong, as a huge lake of bubbling black tar dominates the chamber. From rock outcrops here and there on the walls bubble small springs of milky-looking water. Across the chamber, a stony shelf provides purchase for a door stoop before a black wooden door swollen in its frame. The broken stumps of two support posts protrude from the rock of the shelf as well as that of the main entrance near the pool’s edge, showing where a wooden bridge once spanned the inky soup.
Across the lake on the far shore stands a haggard figure, with grey and peeling skin wrapped in tattered wizard's robes. The horror is staring directly at Augrym and already casting spells!
The figure feels oddly familiar...
+2 if Surprise
+2 if Surprise
Surprise!
1. Augrym
2. ???
Round I
1. Augrym, Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. ???
3. Unrak, Bytor, John
4. Xamanthe
If I get anything, I’d like to know if it’ll see me if I go invisible. I will cast invisibility unless you tell me otherwise. And study the target.
”Huntspeople, ready yourselves. A creature reveals itself. If anyone has the means to do so, I need to be able to fly. I will draw an x with my sword so you can find me for the casting.”
Augrym recognizes the tell-tale signs of zombification of a human corpse and casts an invisibility on himself.
In reply, the zombie mage mutters an incantation. A burst of gold sparks erupts around the X Augrym had marked on the ground, and the half-orc reappears (now gilded) just as quickly as he disappeared.
Round I
1. Augrym (WILL), Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. Zombie?
3. Unrak, Bytor, John
4. Xamanthe
Taranis advances and summons forth a Flaming Sphere on the far side, right on the creature.
Tess moves in closer, stopping by Unrak. "Alright warrior, it's time for you to take flight."
She makes a series of gestures that are accompanied by several arcane words. Transmutation magic manifests within Unrak, granting him the ability to fly.
Bytor, if you can hasten Unrak's limbs, now would be a good time to do so."
The flaming sphere appears beside the undead mage, who barely seems to notice as the flames lick at his robes and flesh.
Tess gives Unrak the power of flight!
Round I
1. Augrym (WILL, FORT), Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. Zombie? (13 dmg)
3. Unrak, Bytor, John
4. Xamanthe
Tess moves in closer, stopping by Unrak. "Alright warrior, it's time for you to take flight."
Unrak looks over his shoulder at Tess, grins, and gives a low, satisifed chuckle of anticipation. He then looks over the space to the zombie wizard, sword ready to cut it down!
"I have no means fighting this creature."
Moves back.
Augrym beats a hasty retreat as Unrak gets ready to engage.
Round I
1. Augrym, Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. Zombie? (13 dmg)
3. Unrak, Bytor, John
4. Xamanthe
The zombie takes flight himself, flying northeast and upward until Taranis loses sight of him . Before he does, he notices that the mage's robes now appear to be on fire, but the flames have an oddly green-ish hue.
Round I
1. Augrym, Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. Zombie? (13 dmg)
3. Unrak, Bytor, John
4. Xamanthe
Bytor is prepared to follow the others. He does not step forward into the room yet but instead begins to inspire courage by lifting his companions spirits as they end the room.
"The strength of the huntsmen comes from the unity and the bond we share! Evil will fall under our blades! Rise now, huntsmen and let us vanquish this foe!"
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After Unrak moves. John will advance into the room. If he can shoot an arrow he will. But he wants to make sure Unrak has room to maneuver.
Ooc- I'll need an assist with pog positioning, so Mike can you move John when you move Unrak?
Unrak grins in anticipation, and gives a fist-pump before taking to the air, sword in hand. He grimaces in his usual rage--but with no sound, the lack of his usual primal scream is kind of weird...
Unrak and John head into the room with Bytor's encouragement.
"What's going on up there?" Xamanthe asks, following cautiously and wrinkling her nose.
Round II
1. Augrym, Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. Zombie? (13 dmg)
3. Unrak, Bytor, John (FORT)
4. Xamanthe
Tess moves into the area, following John with the plan of bolstering the archer with magic.
Taranis moves in and redirects the ball of flame towards the creature.
Tess does her best to tough through the smell.
SUCCESS
Under the direction of Taranis, the flaming sphere leaps from its position on the far side to strike the mage from below. The blue fire that wreathes the undead flickers brightly for a moment, but you see no other signs of discomfort.
1. Augrym, Marc, Taranis, Tess
2. Zombie? (13 dmg)
3. Unrak, Bytor, John (FORT)
4. Xamanthe
Double move and study target.
PASS
A small bead of orange glows on the tip of the zombie's finger. He points at the trickling stream by Marc's feet, and the bead leaps down. It explodes into a massive conflagration upon impact.
Round II
1. Augrym (REF), Marc (REF), Taranis (REF), Tess
2. Zombie? (13 dmg)
3. Unrak (FORT, REF), Bytor, John (FORTx2, REF)
4. Xamanthe
OOF
Taranis keeps his body under control, but the unexpected fireball hits him clean in the face.
Bytor maintains his inspiring courage and then follows the huntsmen into danger.
He quickly become nauseated and wonders how the others do it.
Round the Second
+ 7 = a 17 and a 12 = Looks like a hit and a miss
= Fail
John gags in disgust and despite himself retches a bit just moments after entering the room. Then he finds himself blown up.
John stumbles south trying to put space between himself and the juicy targets he is surrounded by currently.
Unrak simply throws his left hand in front of his eyes at the blast of fire, taking some of the edge off the burns. He then closes with the zombie, trying to cut it down.
Bytor and John retch at the sulfurous fumes. Unrak toughs through it to deliver a big blow to the wizard!
Xamanthe cautiously paces forward, and coughs a bit herself. "Is something going on up there?"
SUCCESS
Round III
1. Augrym (REF, FORT), Marc (REF, FORT), Taranis (49/74 hp), Tess (FORT)
2. Zombie? (36 dmg)
3. Unrak (86/98 hp), Bytor, John (43/68 hp)
4. Xamanthe
"Be careful! Come not closer!"
Taranis bounces his sphere up at the zombie . He then readies a sling stone to hurl as soon as the zombie-thing starts casting a spell.
The ball bounces, but finds not its target.
Round III
1. Augrym (REF, FORT), Marc (REF, FORT), Taranis (49/74 hp), Tess (FORT)
2. Zombie? (36 dmg)
3. Unrak (86/98 hp), Bytor, John (43/68 hp)
4. Xamanthe
for
Tess holds back a gag and moves toward Taranis. She places a hand on the leader and infuses him with magic.
Tess helps steady the Baron's aim, as he prepares to throw.
Round III
1. Augrym (REF, FORT), Marc (REF, FORT), Taranis (49/74 hp), Tess (FORT)
2. Zombie? (36 dmg)
3. Unrak (86/98 hp), Bytor, John (43/68 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Adding Bane to his wrist launcher, and activating his Stag’s Helm.
Augrym's shot rips through the zombie! A shower of shredded intestines sprays out the back.
Round III
1. Augrym (69/81 hp), Marc (REF, FORT), Taranis (49/74 hp), Tess
2. Zombie? (50 dmg)
3. Unrak (86/98 hp), Bytor, John (43/68 hp)
4. Xamanthe
A little singed, Marc tries to shoot down the zombie from afar. His arrow is deflected by some invisible force.
Hearing the silence of Unrak's fury, the zombie tries to relocate...
Round III
1. Augrym (69/81 hp), Marc (42/54 hp), Taranis (49/74 hp), Tess
2. Zombie? (50 dmg)
3. Unrak (AoO!, 86/98 hp), Bytor, John (43/68 hp)
4. Xamanthe
with a silent roar, Unrak gives it everything
Unrak's fury slices through the zombie's spine, and the two halves fall into the bubbling tar, slowly sinking into oblivion!
The challenge of effecting a crossing remains. However...
Unrak tries to grab whichever half of teh zombie appears to have any loot before it drops into whatever muck is below...
then, he starts using the remaining duration of the Fly spell to carry folks across to the door!