Combat Round 9
Luca
Dante
Tyrus
Vilstrak 3,
Vilstrak 4,
Vilstrak 5,
Skeleton Archer, 5 damage
Skeleton 1, 11 damage
Skeleton 2, 2 damage
Georgi, 11 damage
Seeing Dante vanish around the corner, Tyrus scuttled back to the end of the coridoor, peering cautiously around the side.
Round 9
Dante takes a deep breath and dashes forward. The archer hadn't seen him yet. If he moved fast, he could get inside the bow's range and strike before it knew what hit it. They could pincer the undead as they tried to do themselves. Turn the tables.
Dante dashes towards the skeleton at a breakneck pace, covering the distance before the skeleton is able to loose an arrow at him.
If the undead archer felt anything akin to surprise, it did not show it. It merely stepped back and loosed the arrow at point-blank range, but the shot goes far wide. The spearman that had waited by the door turns to help its comrade, charging in a rattling clumsy attack that Dante narrowly avoids. The skeleton pursuing Georgi steps forward into the range of the waiting Vilstraks, one of which strikes a powerful blow which severs the necromantic spells holding it upright. The undead soldier collapses into a heap of separating bones and armor.
End Combat Round 9
Begin Combat Round 10
Luca
Dante
Tyrus
Vilstrak 3,
Vilstrak 4,
Vilstrak 5,
Skeleton Archer, 5 damage
Skeleton 2, 2 damage
Georgi, 11 damage
The northern Vilstrak stayed on guard and monitored the entrance - the other two rushed forward, moving towards Dante to help him with the skeletons that still surrounded him. At the very least, they seemed to recognize him as somebody who ought to be assisted as possible.
Round 10
That worked well. Focus was taken off Georgi just in time and now they were the ones with advantageous positioning. He could certainly hold out long enough for the others help. But first he'd try and remove the ranged threat that had been bothering them so.
His blade wasn't very effective against undead but he was sure that strike would at least hurt.
"How are they doing, Luca?" Tyrus asked, worry in his voice but eyes still locked on the passage he defends.
Dante executes an impressive stab, piercing the skeleton's armor - but the blade passes cleanly between the skeleton's ribs, and the undead itself appears entirely unharmed.
The archer, nearly as light on its feet as Dante, steps back again and looses another arrow - this time managing to barely penetrate Dante's spell defenses and draw blood. Its fellow, however, continues being useless.
Luca's Vilstrak's and Georgi, having successfully dispatched one, rush down the hallway to Dante's aid.
End Combat Round 10
Begin Combat Round 11
Luca
Dante, 3 damage
Tyrus
Vilstrak 3,
Vilstrak 4,
Vilstrak 5,
Skeleton Archer, 5 damage
Skeleton 2, 2 damage
Georgi, 11 damage
"Um... okay, I think." Luca said as the two Vilstraks to the west lumbered forward and swung out at their respective targets. They seemed to be in pretty good form at the moment... although you never knew when that might change. The last continued to keep watch by the northern door.
for
for
Round 11
The blow didn't feel solid and that gave Dante an uneasy feeling. He should be able to at least some damage with a magic weapon. But there was not time to think about that. Luca's cavalry had arrived. Dante spins and attempts to take down the other skeleton while it was between him and the summoned ally.
Dante's blow once again pierces straight through with no apparent effect. One of the vilstraks, however, managed to land a solid blow on the archer, shattering bones beneath rusted and rotting armor.
You realize that unless you are able to land a solid blow, damaging the bones of these undead, they'll be able to ignore your attacks - a challenge for your rapier.
The undead continue being largely ineffective against the onslaught of the living and/or the summoned. Georgi drops a mighty blow on the archer, shattering it from shoulderbone to pelvis and sending up a cloud of fine white dust as it collapses back into more mundane death.
End Combat Round 11
Begin Combat Round 12
Luca
Dante, 3 damage
Tyrus
Vilstrak 3,
Vilstrak 4,
Vilstrak 5,
Skeleton 2, 2 damage
Georgi, 11 damage
Luca's fourth summon stepped in, and the two of them began pounding at the remaining undead as fast as they could, determined to crush it into bone dust before it could bring any more harm.
for
for
Somewhat oddly, the one benefiting from Dante's positioning was actually less accurate than the other... maybe it was being lazy and taking the help for granted? Or maybe it was just trying to be distracting as its fellow slammed in. The odds of guessing their inhuman mindset started at "poor" and got rapidly worse...
Round 12
That didn't feel right, Dante mentally sent to the blade.
Indeed. It seems their magic is tied more firmly to the bones than most. I hate to admit it but I shalt be extremely ineffective in this fight, the blade responds.
Magic it is then.
Dante steps back and incants a spell to gather positive energy and drive it into the negative energy holding the skeleton together.
The final skeleton barely evades Luca's summoned otherwordly soldiers, though Dante switches tactics and disrupts it with positive energy.
Concerned with survival, the skeleton is unable to land a blow, but also evades any.
End Combat Round 12
Begin Combat Round 13
Luca
Dante, 3 damage
Tyrus
Vilstrak 3,
Vilstrak 4,
Vilstrak 5,
Skeleton 2, 4 damage
Georgi, 11 damage
Luca's two minions cautiously began to circle the skeleton, trying to move into better flanking positions as they continued to lash out.
for
At times, sheer volume seemed to be the only way they could actually land a blow, but the stone warriors were relentless that way. Back inside the building, Luca continued to be ready to run at the first sign of nearby trouble.
Round 13
Now that Luca's minions had encircled the skeleton, Dante decided to take supporting role. He backs away and continues to harry the archer with positive energy bursts.
"Are... are we winning?"
The skeleton absorbs another blow from the vilstraks, but does not go down. It continues to pursue Dante.
The final skeleton falls as Dante manages to nail it directly in the chest with a beam of positive energy, at last banishing the necromantic curse from the bones.
END BATTLE
As stillness returns to the mist-shrouded street, Georgi lays his axe on the ground and bends over to catch his breath. Even as he does, he removes a bandage from a belt pouch and begins to wind it around one of the wounds on his arm.
"Well, ought to be a while before those particular soldiers trouble us. Not that we can tell them apart, most of the time."
"They... come back even after they're smashed?" Luca asked worriedly, glancing over as the Vilstraks took the time to methodically pound the bones of their foes into crumbled pieces before fading away, their brief minutes in the world not allowing time for anything more. They seemed steady, nearly inexhaustible, while they were here... but they really couldn't stick around for long at all.
"Near as we can figure, yes. We've been destroying these things - and their dwarven enemies - for hundreds of years. But there are always more," Georgi responds.
After all the running, Dante is winded but not terribly wounded. An arrow got past his defenses but caused little damage. He looks down at the inert bones and ponders the latest bit of information. "Has anyone tried removing the bones from the city? Not an easy task, I know, but bones don't weigh a lot. An organized effort could lead to a definite decrease in activity. Also where is Tyrus?" He also ponders a much greater dilemma. His swordsmanship was not cut out for this kind of enemy.
When we met you once changed forms. Can you do that again?"
"Have we won?" asked a quavering Tyrus, still guarding the other exit. "Is everyone alright?"
Once reassured Tyrus comes forward to look at Georgi. "Nasty. I think the risk of infection is significant. Do we have time for me to look at it? How much further are we hoping to travel today?"
Luca waited for Georgi to answer the question. Among other things, they needed to know if he felt things were bad enough for them to turn back, or if continuing forward would be acceptable. They'd survived, but... it hadn't exactly been easy.
"Has anyone tried removing the bones from the city?"
Georgi shrugs. "Not sure. I know they've tried destroying them in other ways, and disenchanting, and de-cursing, and all that. Never heard of anything that made a difference."
"Do we have time for me to look at it? How much further are we hoping to travel today?"
Georgi considers for a moment. "This sanctuary is the safest place I know of anywhere near here. We certainly won't find a better place closer to the tower. Might be we should spend another night here, at least give me a chance to patch up a little. The undead take time to return, so we shouldn't have this trouble again tomorrow."
Georgi leads you back into the safe room. "If we start early and move quickly, we can start up the hill tomorrow. We want to be in good shape before that."
"That seems reasonable." Tyrus agrees.
"Does anyone have any comment on our strategies? I feel that I could have been doing more. Enhancing Dante certainly seemed effective, though."
Later that day, after a meagre dinner only warmed over the tiny fire they allowed themselves, he continued.
"It could be that the undead are the symptom, rather than the root cause. It could be that there is some spell, somewhere, that just keeps conjuring bones and animating them. Conventionally necromantic animations require a body that homed a soul, but it might be possible to use a sympathetic link to summon a departed soul and force it into a simulacra." he pauses "That would take an enormous amount of skill and power, but it would leave a fighting force that could be reused indefinitely."
"Georgi: I can see this place is known and used. Have people tried securing spots in the ruins as waystations?"
"I can enhance my own defenses so maybe a shield spell for Georgi too," Dante suggests. "And there might be a powerful time spell involved. Something overriding any magic cast or damage done to the undead by resetting them back to a previous iteration. Then again, something messing with the time stream like that would be causing a lot of interference. Whatever it is, there is likely a source deep in the city."
"Have people tried securing spots in the ruins as waystations?"
"Yes, there are a few places. This is one of the most well-known. A lot of them are kept secret amongst the bands - places to stash loot and such, so they don't want word to get out. Beyond the inner ring around Mistguard there's a lot of competition between the groups. Sometimes even outright fighting and murder, especially amongst the looter bands. Even so, like I said there are a few places. Common ground, you might say."
"Whatever it is, there is likely a source deep in the city."
"Aye, that's a common theory. I'm not learned enough to have a theory of my own, though. I've heard all sorts. Powerful spells laid by elves or dwarves when they were fighting, curses laid by their gods, or even that the whole city is the realm of some new, evil god born out of the slaughter." Georgi shrugs. "Me, I just try to learn the city's rhythms and live to see tomorrow."
Tyrus tends to Georgi's wounds and is confident that they will be well enough with a night's rest.
The next morning you make to depart again, and this time there are no skeleton's lying in wait for you. "Let's put some haste to it today, my friends," Georgi says. "Once we reach the hill, it's more dangerous and much slower going."
Your guide is able to cajole you into a decent pace. A handful of hours later, you are walking down yet another street flanked on both sides by crumbling building, some of which are several stories tall. "One of the most populated areas of the city," Georgi says. "Almost like a human city in this area."
You turn a corner and find that instead of a street ahead, you are faced with an odd sort of ruin. One of the buildings has collapsed directly across the street while remaining almost bizarrely intact, resulting in a sideways building blocking your path.
"Get torches ready," Georgi says. "And magic light too, if you can. Lots of shades and such haunt this area, but they'll stay away if we have bright light. It's awkward in there, so get ready to help each other."
Summoning light was not one of Luca's talents. There were... shades, huh? That would probably be trouble even for the many creatures she could summon. "Um, I-I can hold a torch..." she offered. For now, that seemed like the best way to help.
"I also have a spell to summon fireworks." Tyrus explains, a globe of light manifesting on the end of his walking stick. "What should I do if we are attacked by shades?"
Dante points a finger into the area and four orbs of light appear and spread out. He flicks the finger forward and the lights head off to the fallen structure. "Covered. Might want to avoid the fireworks though. Even if the shades hate light, the zombies are attracted to sound."
"Light 'em up. Wave your torch at 'em. They're really just a nuisance, unless you're traveling alone in the dark. Never heard of them causing a group much trouble. And fortunately, there's not too many zombies or anything else in this place - they have a lot of trouble managing the sideways corridors."
He leads you into the building, and at first it's lopsided nature is disorienting. Much of the interior is intact, and you are forced to crawl through hallways and step through sideways doors. The shadows dance at the lights you carry, and while your immediate surroundings are brightly lit, there always seem to be dark shapes moving just beyond the next corner.
You feel a sort of pressure on your mind, and for the briefest moment terror clutches at your heart - but it passes, and though you still wonder just how dangerous the "shades" might be, you resolve to stick close to the light and your guide, and make it through.
Luca huddled closer to the light than was strictly necessary as she pushed through - and she tried to avoid giving much thought to the willpower that had pushed into her mind for a moment, defensively territorial and refusing to allow outside influences a chance to affect her.
Splitting his concentration between movement and the orbs of light was becoming easier. Normally he'd keep them way ahead to warn them of oncoming danger. Unfortunately it was danger close. Close enough to attempt to invade their minds. A shiver ran down his spin that threatened to make him collapse to the ground but a warmth on his chest drove it away. He looked down at the necklace and smiled. Poor soul didn't know what he had. Dante didn't either but it was becoming more important. "Hang on." Dante calls for a stop after the the mental invasion and sends the lights zooming about into the darker places to drive away any shadows before continuing on.
Shortly after the mental assault, Georgi shakes his head clear and curses loudly. He turns to the rest of you. "Everyone okay? None of ya are running or cowering, so looks like whatever that was didn't get it's hooks in. Good."
The group pauses so that Dante can scour away the shadows ahead with his lights. As always, the shadowy figures give way before it. Doorways to either side periodically open like yawning chasms.
"Let's keep moving. Sooner we get out of here the better." Georgi says.
The group moves on, and eventually you see natural - though, as always, muted - light from up ahead. With another few minutes you leave the crowded darkness behind and emerge back out into the city proper.
"Everyone fine?" Georgi asks. "Things like that aren't exactly unknown here, you might imagine. Glad to see you're all the steady sort, as if I didn't know that already." Your guide points ahead. "There's the start of Emerald Hill. Hard to see through the builds, but one you get up above the first ring it open up quite a bit. And.... yeah, you can see the Tower. Up there." he points.
The tower shows through the mist, though only in patches. Though outwardly it seems normal if in poor repair, even looking up at it gives you a strange chill.
Only a short time afterwards, you turn a corner and Georgi draws you up short with a raises hand. A few hundred feet away, a lone figure sits in front of a building on some sort of chair or stool. By the repetitive motions of their arms they seem to be sharpening something. Whatever they - or it - is, it hasn't noticed you yet.
"Huh." Georgi says. He looks back at the rest of you, apparently hoping for somebody to suggest a course of action.
"...I don't want to find out what they're sharpening." Luca said quietly. Coward she might be - but cowards usually stayed alive a lot longer than heroes.
"I am not looking forward to coming back through that." Tyrus said, shivering and sweating at the same time. "Do we have to go through it to reach refuge again, or is there another on this side?"
"It is only the one?" Tyrus questions "We've faced down worse than that, have we not? Do we need to pass that way?"
"Now hold on," Dante whispers in warning. "There are two types of people that would do something so mundane in an area so dangerous. The extremely stupid or extremely powerful. Both are dangerous. We should get their attention from a distance so we can prepare if they attack." Something out of place like that could also be a distraction meant to draw their eyes from the real threat.
"Agreed," Georgi says. "Anything unusual is bad, out here. Suppose we might be able to get by without drawing it's attention, though," Georgi says to Tyrus as he surveys the rest of the area.
That would probably for the best, and Luca peeked around as she searched for a way to avoid the figure. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to be having much luck - maybe it was the torchlight half-blinding her.
"Not really my forte." apologises Tyrus [b]"Though I suppose I could ask Torble to take a closer look?"{/b]
"If we have an option that doesn't get us closer I vote for that," Dante says, still watching the figure. If they couldn't scout it first he'd vote for avoiding this thing altogether.
All you can tell is that the figure seems to be wearing a somewhat ragged leather overcoat.
Georgi shrugs. "Shout at it from over here, and hope like hell it doesn't attack?"