Unrak manages to save the top half of the zombie. Among its effects are:
+1 dagger
ring of protection +2
Spellbook
fire shield
fireball, fly
acid arrow, glitterdust, mirror image, scorching ray
burning hands, mage armor, magic missile, shield
While Tess peeks at the spellbook, Unrak contemplates the task of transporting everyone across.
"Unrak get the lighter team across and clear the door. Then let's get the rest across."
"Well done, Unrak. You certainly made short work of that zombie."
Bytor takes advantage of Unrak's offer and allows himself to be ferried across. He offers a helping hand as the light ones are dropped off on the far side.
John is embarrassed about his grocery shout. He cleans himself up a bit and swishes some water out in his mouth to clear the bile.
It takes a few minutes, but Tess eventually looks up from her study. "Do we have enough rope that could be tied together? Augrym, I know I saw you with a coil of rope the other day when you were packing your gear. Unrak?"
She studies the gap, seeing what may be the remains of a bridge. "Fifty feet, tied at either end, should allow us to make the slow climb across. If you can do that while my magic holds, using the rope from Augrym, we can get beyond this for now."
"Xamanthe won't be able to make that across, unfortunately. I can stay with her for now."
Tess sizes up the 50-foot span between the torn bridge-posts, and thinks that it would indeed be possible to lash a rope between them. Packs could be slung across, and a careful climb could get one safely to the other side.
"Clear the door on the other side, perhaps Toth can clear with a jump."
Tess eyes the distance again. "That is nearly fifty feet. Are you sure?"
She looks to the others. "With another length of rope I could probably use the bridge posts to form a makeshift clothes line, ferrying packs across. It might make the climb lighter. But honestly, it should not be too difficult if you take care."
"If you don't think you can make the climb, I have a spell that will allow one of you to climb. Let me know if you need it."
Taranis pulls the party aside, "Wait, let me use this token. It is a shame to doom a tree to a dark death, but such is the will of Gozreh."
Taranis then uses his token, seeking to activate it in such a way that the tree spans the bubbling tar, preferably such that branches aid traversing. He waits until everyone is ready, as the tree may sink, then he executes.
In an instant, a mighty oak tree springs into existence and slams its crown into the far side. At the near side, the trunk is wide enough for a man to walk comfortably; at the other end, the branches of the crown offer only a minor obstruction. Even Toth and Xamanthe should be able to pick their way across, if careful.
Taranis and Toth easily make it across without issue!
With the makeshift bridge permitting a crossing, you are once again confronted with a door.
Augrym listens at the door with Unrak before Taranis takes out his token.
Deeming it safe, Augrym opens the door. The passage beyond turns north, then ascends a long, long staircase. At the end of the passage, you find two doors: one leading east, one west.
The party advances up, checking both doors. If they're both clear, Taranis points the party west.
West:
East:
Both doors appear to be safe. Taranis opens the western door. From the vantage of the threshold, the floor of the room beyond looks to be strewn with dirt and bits of bone; after a short ways, the room turns sharply north.
Edging towards the corner, you see that this crypt stretches into darkness to the north. The floor is strewn with rubble and the filth of opened graves. Sprawled on the floor near the northern end, you can just make out the form of a corpse.
"We've had enough surprise fights with zombies. Can I suggest we check the other door first before we walk down a hallway that will most definitely lead to a fight?"
"Yeah, that makes sense. Do it. Do it."
Tess grips her sword tight as the party reverses direction to open the other door. She waits for something to spring out as Augrym swings the door wide...
If safe, he opens it.
This door opens onto a short dais looking out over a large chamber. Thick pillars ascend to a forty-foot-high ceiling, while a wide stone staircase climbs to a darkened gallery above.
The true purpose of the chamber is apparent from the great stone table running across its center. Dozens of seats have been set about this massive affair and propped upon them is a feast of horror. Each chair holds the corpse of a human locked in its death throes, its mouth agape in
anguish, the top of its cranium brutally removed, and the brains within excised.
The pained faces are too difficult to make out from the distance of the door, but...
...but?
Unrak rumbles a growl, and inches forward, sword drawn, ready for the inevitalble trouble to spring...
And indeed, it is inevitable. Before he can get close, Unrak quickly spots four dread zombies standing guard along the western wall. Curiously, they are not eating.
+2 if Surprise
+2 if Surprise
Surprise
1. Unrak (86/98 hp)
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Unrak's instinct is to charge, and his weight shifts...but he thinks better of it. better to strike in force, all together, than to get separated & killed one by one.
Instead, he settles back, lifts his sword to a high guard, and prepares to swing on the first zombie that closes with him.
WARE!! Dread zombies west! Let 'em come!!
Ready action: attack first zombie in reach.
Unrak prepares to hold the line!
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Bytor quickly begins to inspire courage!
”Let the fires of might burn within you all and let that fire consume the undead who come forth now!”
He also draws his bow and prepares to fire.
Taranis enters the room, "Get them bunched up, close together!" He then goes for broke with a vial of alchemist fire which he's been holding on to for too long: for
Toth moves on his master's whistle.
The zombie just averts catching fire, though it is burnt.
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies (Grey @ 5 dmg)
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Tess moves up behind Unrak, placing a hand and bolstering his strength.
"I just knew we'd see more zombies..."
Unrak's muscles pulse with even greater strength.
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies (Grey @ 5 dmg)
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Augrym slides into position behind the column and turns his weapon into an undead bane weapon of righteous indignation.
The nearest zombie moves to engage Unrak, its heavy axe swinging hard for his helm. It crashes into the wall with a dull thud.
MISS
The others begin to close, with one circling around to a flanking position.
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies (Grey @ 5 dmg)
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Current conditions: Str +1/+1; inspire +2/+2
Unrak shuffles forward, ducking under the WHOOSH of the greataxe, and lays into the huge zombie, hewing at thighs like a lumberjack against tree trunks!
Unrak delivers two telling blows! Blood and viscera spray in all directions. The zombie could not weather another assault like that.
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies (Grey @ 56 dmg)
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Marc gets up to the front line and tries to get off a spell, but the right incantation escapes him.
Round I
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies (Grey @ 56 dmg)
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
- Round the First
- Current HPs: 43/69
- Inspired
John bolts through the doors and hooks to his right, then spins around and aims.... (grey)
Attack:
for damage.
John scores a hit! A fine hit! The first zombie falls. Xamanthe follows through the door to take up a fighting stance south of Toth.
Round II
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
"ROAR!"
for
for
for
Taranis casts guidance upon Toth and commands his friend to attack!
Tess takes a step north and begins casting a spell, working through the various gestures to turn a human into a giant...
Bytor double moves across into the room while he maintains his inspire courage.
"Don't let their size frighten you, huntsmen! That only makes them easier to hit. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. We've got this!"
Toth tears into the second zombie as Tess, Bytor, and Taranis continue to bolster the party's fighting power.
Round II
1. Tess, Bytor, Taranis (49/74 hp), Augrym (69/81 hp)
2. Zombies (Purple @ 31 dmg)
3. Marc (42/54 hp), John (43/68 hp), Unrak (86/98 hp)
4. Xamanthe
Stepping towards the closest enemy, Augrym salutes with his "family's" sword and studies the targets around him.