|
The creature takes multiple hits, but tough as it is, it still stands after Riceak's mighty hit.
And after Jarlaxle's brutal slash.
And after Jayori's crippling slice.
But is finally downed by Bertha's retaliation, cutting the heavily pounded zombie almost in half.
Caboose is left with mashing the sorry zombie into mush.
- An ordinary morningstar, although it's very wet and smells bad.
- A light wooden shield which is in an amazing condition considering how it has been lying underground in moist conditions for gods know how long
The pathfinders then get to continue their thorough search of the room, mainly the boy's body. Jarlaxle's detect magic does actually find something of interest in a pool of water and rubble; a magic ring. Unfortunately the half-elf lacks sufficient arcane knowledge to determine the magic item's properties.
Furthermore, Jarlaxle detects a stable magic aura that envelopes the entire room, and possible the entire necropolis. It's not very strong, more of a background energy aura.
|
|
As you further investigate the boy's body, you find a small book under it. Because the body was covering the book, it has remained intact and somewhat undamaged. Flipping the pages reveals it belonged to the boy, Grishan Maldris. Now it is no secret that the surname, Maldris, refers to Liberty's Edge's faction leader Colson Maldris.
Other than that the room is vacant. The magical lights continue to illuminate the area. The heavy stone door to the south is slightly ajar.
|
"If this is a member of Colson Maldris' family, he was probably a student at the acedemy." Jayori says solemnly, after retrieving his weapon and examining the young boy's body. "It would seem they did have access to this place, after all."
He frowns slightly, looking around. "Not the best of playgrounds."
"If the energies here were strong enough to create that." He adds, indicating the remains of the zombie. "Then there very well could be other things... Be alert."
He will head towards the door to the south. "Ajar." He points out. "Doutless not left that way by the original creators of this place."
He will open cautiously to see where it leads, though will not lead the way through, as the light conditions are still an issue.
|
Caboose sees Jayori pulling out one of the sconces and decides that he wants one too. Grabbing hold of the next-closest one, he yanks and pulls till it comes loose.
"Oh, I think we can just leave the boy here to sleep until he is ready to wake up. He might get grumpy if he is woken up early, and nobody likes to deal with a grumpy kid. Also, I like this new torch. The fire on it does not feel like it is hot. That means that if I cook with it, I won't burn myself."
Caboose grins widely, obviously pleased with his brilliant idea. He fastens the sconce to his weapons belt as he would a club, and it casts erratic shadows as it dangles and swings about when Caboose follows Jayori to the Southern door, though the effect seems to fascinate rather than annoy the blue-armored warrior.
|
|
"It would appear our path forward is obvious." He says, to the others, peering down the stairs.
"Yeah, I know how to go forwards too! You just walk in the direction you are facing!" Caboose declares proudly, evidently pleased by his insight into the art of "moving forward". "I can't go backwards though. I was told never to do that."
|
|
Before the party ventures forth, they peer at the body, trying to determine its cause of demise. It proves to extraordinarily hard given the specimen's unusual condition. Since the body lacks signs of violence and starvation, the boy must've drowned. This doesn't, however, exclude possible mental trauma that could have damaged the body's autonomic nervous system. All this gets even more technical, and only Sharien can fully comprehend all the nuances of a body's biological functions.
"Poor lad." Deris says with a compassionate smile, "boy studied all night and fell asleep, on his book even." Marlinchen then continues to follow you through the corridors.
A room opens up to the west. Water drips from the double the walls to pool on the floor. Bone shards of a hundred skulls litter the room like shattered seashells. Narrow stairs dive to the north. On the south wall, an open doorway gapes, a carved relief depicting a massive battle filling the archway over the door. The rest of the walls are filled floor to ceiling with nooks that house ancient, but drenched, skeletal remains. In the center of the room sit twelve school children in a circle on the floor. One child seems to be silently telling a story, her arms moving rapidly as she makes scary faces.
Deris' eyes widen, a smug grin appearing on his face. "See? Cassiel's alive and well! Just as I said!" he rejoices as he points at the girl telling the story. Eagerly, he's moving towards the story circle
There is also another room south from the corridor. In the eastern recess there's a partial cave-in, rubble obscuring an elevated section. It seems entirely possible to dig out the debris.
|
Jarlaxle shakes his head sadly.
The poor man. Definitely insane...
He then stiffens, glancing in the direction of the northern exit, and grab Deris as he tries to move past.
"Beware! I can hear noise coming from the staircase to the north... Hold on a moment, whilst we check that out, then you can go be with your daughter."
|
|
Caboose nods at Deris' assessment of the boy. "See? Told you he was asleep," he says in a told-you-so tone.
When the party eventually finds Cassiel, Caboose begins to follow Deris, then stops when Jarlaxle halts him.
"I don't hear anything. They must be moving very quietly!," Caboose observes. "Oh I know! They must be playing hide and seek!"
|
|
In the flickering light of the tomb, Jayori peers at the children in surprise.
Though unlike back in the classroom, here, he finally gets a glimpse of the spirits they are.
"Ah, now I begin to see." He exclaims, then peers back at Deris puzzled. "But who fuels this one?"
He glances around thoughtfully. "Perhaps the magic of this place holds these here." He reaches out to touch one of the spectral figures, but hesitates and stops before actually doing so.
"It would seem the children did have access to this place before the catastrophe." He adds, quietly. "If this is a reflection from before."
When Jarlaxle mentions the nearby noises, he pauses to listen as well, though can not make out what the half-elf is hearing.
Still, like Sharien, he prepares for danger.
|
|
"Fuel? These kids are not some furnace!" Deris laughs and looks at Jarlaxle, puzzled, "and for what reason are you restricting my access to be with my daughter?"
Meanwhile, Jayori does not find the evil he so desperately seeks.
|
|
"They are not a great many things." Jayori responds distractedly, as he moves to see what or who might be approaching.
"I know they are not a great many things. They are small many things! Thought not that small. They grow up so fast. Seems like just yesterday that we first met them."
If Jayori is going to walk all the way into the room, Caboose will walk towards the ghostly children and wave to them.
"Hello! My name is Michael J. Caboose! Are we telling stories?"
|
|
Riceak will move through the room... seeing the ghostly children and moving past to defend the southern hallway in case of approach.
Riceak hearing the noise from the North, but not hearing anything else will ready his axe in the Southern hallway, peeking around the corner with his darkvision, hoping to get a looking into that lower room.
"There is something coming, Riceak will guard this side while the rest of you check the north."
|
|
The instant Jayori peers down the staircase, his makeshift torch's light hits upon three foul undead creatures, making their way up the stairs. What's frightening is their pace, as it is faster than a zombie's.
The undead cram the right staircase, and only of them gets close enough to make its vicious attack against Jayori.
The paladin can now be glad he has invested in armor; the undead comes very close to scratching the flesh.
ROUND 1
Red undead (0), Green undead (0)
----
Riceak (0)
----
Blue undead (0)
----
Caboose (0), Jayori (0), Jarlaxle (0), Sharien (0), B.A.B.S. (-8)
|
|
Jayori is surprised to see the undead creatures moving up the hallway towards him, even more so to note the speed at which they do so.
He only just barely manages to get his shield up in time to block the lead creature's claw as it tries to strike him down.
"Ghouls!" He exclaims breathlessly, as he fends it off. "Their merest of touches can paralyze even the hardiest of men. We must keep them pinned at the doorway"
"Quickly, to my right, so they cannot flood the rest of the room as I step back."
As soon as both sides are defended, he steps back, jabbing his trident over the top of his shield to strike at the lead ghoul.
, for damage.
|
|
"Quickly, to my right, so they cannot flood the rest of the room as I step back."
"Ok!" Caboose yells as he runs to Jayori's left, only to see the massive Riceak in his way. "Ah....I forgot which side was right."
"Are we meeting new people?" Caboose yells from behind as Jarlaxle fills the last spot in front of the ghouls. He jumps up and down, trying to see who the new people are. "I love meeting new people!"
|
|
As the undead approaches to slice and ice Jayori, Caboose's mighty sword comes down and cuts the poor ghoul in half. Riceak unfortunately misses his mark.
The rest of the ghouls follow, one trying to bite Jayori in the neck.
And fails misearbly, not even leaving teeth marks on the paladin's armor.
The other one tries its luck around the corner against... ...Jarlaxle!
Another bites the... stone wall.
ROUND 2
Riceak (0), Caboose (0)
----
Red undead (0), Green undead (-31), Blue undead (0)
----
Jayori (0), Jarlaxle (0), Sharien (0), B.A.B.S. (-8)