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The two zombified creatures rush at Kag, swinging wildly with their arms and dragging their claws against his armor and chest, causing significant damage.
Meanwhile, in the shaft, the rest of you hear the sounds of conflict taking place. Merilin leaps onto a different wall, easily climbing past the rest of you. Reishi is distracted by the sound of battle, loses his grip, and slides down several feet, slowing his progress.
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Zeroks quivers at the noise. And for a moment he genuinely considers simply staying where he is and letting "nature takes its course". But it would probably make him look bad, and he still needed these people.
So with a silent annoyance, he continues up the ladder.
Kag will rage (2/2) and then begin swinging his hammer into zombie.
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The sounds of a struggle continue as most of you continue to climb. Voleryn and Zeroks reach the top and see an unconscious Kag on the ground and two pale versions of the green creatures that you fought before, but with blank stares and thick, lashing, dark blue tongues that end in toothy suckers.
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Zeroks makes his way carefully to Kag, pops a health potion, and carefully pours it down Kag's throat.
"Careful there, don't choke. We need you to get out of here."
"Sunnova...Fine. FINE!" bellows Kag as he secures his hammer and uses it to help him reach is feet.
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Merilin manages to bite one of the zombies while absorbing quite a bit of damage from them. "He" backs away a bit to make room for those coming up the shaft and trying to draw one of them away. The ploy works somewhat, though the first zombie follows its comrade. Sensing how close it was to a meal, not only does it renew its attacks on Kag, but even its tongue lashes out at the dwarf, finding its target, and Kag falls again.
The second zombie attacks Merilin with its claws at first. The lights start flickering and, on some unseen cue from its fellow, the zombie turns its head completely in a grotesque stop-motion action and lashes out with its tongue at Zeroks.
Meanwhile, Andretta finally reaches the top and screams at the sight of the zombies. Moving her hands in an intricate gesticulation, she sends twin rays at each of the zombies, but misses with both.
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Zeroks watches Kag hit the ground again, only this time there's nothing he can do for him. Instead he draws his shortsword and attacks the zombie that tore into him.
Zeroks then backs away from the zombie to safer spot.
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Voleryn's bolt of frost hits the zombified creature in the face, giving Zeroks the opportunity to stab it through the mouth. It collapses to the floor as Andretta's magic gives a similar opportunity to Merilin. The second zombie is torn apart and its head rolls off to the side, its tongue quivering in a final spasm before going limp.
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Zeroks moves to Kag to stabilize him. "Voleryn, you got that last potion handy?"
Voleryn passes the last potion over. "We need to find our way out of here, or somewhere to secure and rest."
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Reishi finally reaches the group. Can't stand being late to a fight! Sorry my friends. So much for my elven heritage making me a capable climber, bah!
Seeing Zeroks and Vol tending to Kag he rushes to Merilin. "Merilin, are you ok? I saw you take the brunt of the zombie's attacks. Thank you for helping!" To Vol he says, "I agree, we should find a room to rest in and recover our energies."
As the potion pours down his throat, Kag sputters awake and says "Get back beasties!"
Seeing his companions, however, he will say "What kept you?"
"We found a new friend," Zeroks says while gesturing for Kag to look behind him.
"I do think we're in need of some recovery. Let me scout ahead and see if I can find a place where we can recover a little."
Kag's eyes go wide when he finally sees Merilin, but as Zeroks has diffused the situation, he doesn't immediately begin combat. Kag does quickly stand and secure his hammer and then looks in the direction that Zeroks is creeping, while making sure to keep Merilin in his peripheral vision.
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Having grown up the son of a druid, Reishi is no stranger to animals eating one another. Reishi finds himself both fascinated and nauseated watching Merilin consume the zombie's brains.
"Hey buddy. I see you've developed some new tastes. Who knew sweetbread had such healing properties? Can you tell me a bit about how that works for you? Like, do you choose when to do it or are you overtaken by the need? Whatever the case we will try to restore you to, well, you. I'm grateful to you for coming to Kag's aid. It's such a blessing we found you alive."
Once the creature starts eating brains, Kag will say "Nope. I'm out." and then move away from it.
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"Kag, this is who I was with when we all were taken. Merilin is family to me. He's a good man. The bastards experimented on him and put his mind in this form. We cannot abandon him anymore than we would your family. We need to help him. I know the whole brain eating thing is gross but he did just save your life. Besides, we need all the help we can get getting out of here."
"If I had been turned into a monster (no offense), I'd want you to bash my head in with a rock, or something along those lines."
"From what I've seen of Merilin's abilities, he could likely have torn us apart by now, should he have wanted to. As such I am inclined to trust him for the moment... Though since his instincts seem to have some control over him, perhaps it is better he remain well fed."
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"Noted Kag. Hopefully you'll never be in that situation. Merilin doesn't seem to feel that way and I'm not convinced he can't be restored to his former self. So no skull bashing for him please. Besides, anyone watching you in battle would describe you as monstrous. You are beast with that hammer! You should team up - you split the skulls and Merilin empties them." Reishi chuckles.
"Thanks Vol. I see it the same way."
Kag makes a retching sound at Reishi's suggestion and says "That's disgusting."
"Fine, he's your friend and all, you're responsible for him. He goes all 'I want to eat your brains!', he's your responsibility to deal with." Kag moves to the front of the line and starts looking around.
Zeroks goggles a little at Merilin's appetite, but shrugs it off and gets to work. Better to focus on the task at hand.
When the man-turned-abomination hands him the rods he takes studies them and then tries them on the door.
"Thanks, big guy."
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The door opens easily using the key. The interior of this room is unlit until Andretta enters with her light spell. Four vats sit on the floor of this rectangular room with slanted corners. Each vat is four feet in diameter and four feet tall, filled with a thick opaque, greenish liquid which slowly bubbles, though no steam rises from the top. Next to each vat is a wooden enclosure filled with glass bottles and alembics connected by a maze of glass pipes. These contraptions appear to create the greenish fluid and slowly pump it into the adjacent vats through four, transparent, flexible hoses. Along the wall, there are four sets of normal breastplate armor and battle axes. A fifth set is a suit of half plate armor and a silvered battleaxe. Otherwise, the room appears unoccupied if you'd like to take a short rest.
Zeroks beckons everyone inside and then closes the door. He then moves to inspect the room carefully to be sure there aren't any nasty surprises waiting for him.
"Looks clear to me."
"Someone should take that silvered axe, I'm sure it must be here for a reason."
"Axes aren't really my style. But, hey, knock yourself out, Vol."
Zeroks was a little uncomfortable wearing Reishi's armor, but he had to admit that they were likely to keep the pain off him better than his own leathers. And so he strapped his armor to his backpack and got ready to carry on.
"I'll scout ahead. Be back in a moment."
Kag will look for a container, or even a large piece of cloth, to gather as much of the armor together as he can. He will also shove the silvered battleaxe into an empty loop his belt.
Shouldering his burden, he will say "One of you should probably take point, unless someone else wants to haul all of this around."
Recognizing the similar floor plan, Zeroks decides that the safest thing to do would be to clear each room individually. So he approaches the first door he sees and attempts to open it.
Since carrying to armor is not really an option, Kag makes a neat stack of it near the door the group plans to go through.
"Keep an eye out for things that can make sacks, or sacks themselves."
1: You have the keys.
2: By yourself, or gathering the troops?