Zelaria looks to the tall young man. "Curious. When we emerged in the main chamber, there was a set of doors open to the moonlight," she says, "but followed your track here. As for this haunting, I suppose I will have to take you at your word. Although, the presence of dead men here provides quite a testament."
"You can try to go outside those doors if you want, but some kind of magic will just bring you right back, otherwise Demaiv and I would be enjoying a drink at the nearest tavern right now. Also, there is no need to take my word for anything, you'll find out for yourself soon enough."
Looking a bit embarrased, Demaiv says: "My mind is cloudy enough!" He quickly changes the subject by examining the room, saying: "The innocent man.. his name was Mord. We have evidence enough to say that he was innocent when convicted, if it is genuine. Several people here were members of the jury." Demaiv proceeds to introduce the remaining members of the jury to the newcomers, but still smiles at Dani when he thinks no one else is looking. "Sir Rekkart, Patrissa, Killian, Halgrak. There was also a halfling but she's gone missing."
Fine with letting the others talk, Adanel would go about searching the room. Perhaps something of importance or use could be found here.
"It doesn't seem like the spirit can be reasoned with, and has already killed three members of the jury, one of which was a gnome who intentionally sent him to the gallows for a petty reason. It also seems that there was a corrupt judge presiding over the trial, and that he influenced the proceedings to damn Mord, though I don't recall his name. Started with a "T"." Demaiv pauses before continuing, looking at the remaining members of the jury." We have to try and find something in the courthouse that will stop the spirit before he kills again." Demaiv glances at Dani with a smile, saying: "Once we're through with this, I'll gladly drink with you."
Smiling at Demaiv, Dani says: "I'll remind you of that when we get out of here." Turning to face the rest of the group she continues: "We still have all of the second floor to search. Shall we finish up looking around out here and then head for the stairs?"
Demaiv notes that Adanel's fairly thorough search did not turn anything up, and so suggests that the group moves on to another room.
If the group consents, Demaiv will move to throw open the next door along the wall .
Dani agrees and follows right behind Demaiv.
Adanel would follow after the two. As Demaiv would move for the door, he would set himself up across from it so that he might view whatever lie on the other side as it was opened.
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Gloom reigns here, and the room scorns light. An unnatural cold pervades this place, cutting right through cloth and flesh. A raised gallows with a noose hanging from its crossbeam stands sentinel in this room where hundreds of souls died either with a quick snap of the neck or jerk-ing freakishly. The air in this dark chamber is absolutely still and unusually cold.
As Adanel and Dani entered, their heads again filled with a vision:
Again you find yourself swinging on the end of a rope as a crowd of onlookers cheers and jeers. Their heartless laughter washes over you and leaves you drowning in a sea of hate, as you desperately try to draw breath with lungs that no longer work. As darkness washes over you, you notice one man in particular smiling at you with a satisfied expression. He is a handsome young man with blond locks and piercing blue eyes, and he fingers a long thin scar, freshly healed, on his lower left cheek.
The silence of the room suddenly breaks when a single creak echoes from the rickety stairs of the gallows. Another follows, and dust shakes from the steps as a figure comes into view. His hands are bound before him and he lurches with a palsied gait as he comes. His head is shrouded in a black bag, hanging impossibly at a right angle off his mangled neck. A sound like an old door hinge or leather dragged over wood curdles from his shredded throat and he reaches for you with arched fingers curled into white claws.
Before you is Mord, and with a baleful moan, he flies at you!
Demaiv pauses to think for a second, and pulls out a scroll, casting Magic Missle, directing it at Mord.
HP 24/24 (1 Subdual)
Feeling he might need himself in tip top fighting form for this one, he would pull out the curative flask and take a swig of it.
Once done, he would take a step to help better position himself so that Mord would have to go through him before getting to anyone else.
On her turn, Dani will attempt to get behind Mord in a flanking position and attack him.
Zelaria, having observed the propensity of much of the current group to engage in melee directly, begins chanting in Thassalonian, and the runic symbols on her left hand blaze violet and leap from her skin, and drift and surround the young man, swirling in particular around his eyes.
Zelaria casts , and the Will Saving Throw to resist has a DC of 16.
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HP 18/24
AC 19 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +4 Full Defense)
"The Dawnflower stands beside me,
her presence is my strength to stand for right.
I stand before evil, anger, and rage,
a rampart standing against the night.
This spirit was wronged in life and death,
bring him before the Lady's breath.
Aesh moves forward if no one stops him, and braces for the assault. (Full defense)
Charisma check
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Mord doesn't even acknowledge Zelaria's spell as he goes to strike at Zelladania, who jumps up over over the undead beast's head, land behind him
Mord does, however, reach for Aesh as the warrior moves forward.
Even though Mord only touches the warrior of Saranrae, his mind begins to reel as voices start to assault him. The screams of women being raped, of babies being murdered, of prisoners being drawn and quartered...
Demaiv's spell does however strike the creature square in the head, causing it to swing.
The unliving beast reaches it's long and gnarled dead hand out at Zelladania.
It also merely caresses her skin, but the touch is all that is needed to cause Dani to see the images that await a mortal whose afterlife takes them to hell.
As he touches Dani, Mord points a finger at Demaiv without even looking at him.
"THAT...ONE..."
A rope suddenly drops from the ceiling, and tries to tie a noose about Demaiv's neck.
But the mage is able to fend off the rope, and it instead falls into a useless pile upon the floor, sinking through it like a hot knife through butter, until it is gone, leaving not a trace.
Darn, was trying to have Demaiv remember that undead are weak to healing and have Rekkart Lay on Hands, maybe next round?
Demaiv grimaces. The spell has some effect, but didn't seem to slow the monster. Demaiv charges, growing his claws as he does, and strikes out.
Finding this creature beyond his means, Adanel would try to think of what keeps the creature bound to this world. Was there something about that might hold him to this plane of existence. Naught came till mind beyond the jurors till the rope fell from the ceiling and tried to hang Demaiv. The gallows, perhaps if they took that down, the accursed man would be released from this world.
Taking a wide berth around the monstrous man in an attempt to avoid his grasp, Adanel would move for the gallows.
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Aesh looks around quickly looking for something that can give a clue to lay the spirit to rest.
Perception
If he doesn't see anything, he begins to back away... "Friends, it seems best that we leave this Mord to sulk at his gallows, we can do nothing now!"
Aesh retreats to the door and ushers everyone out before leaving, himself.
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Adanel makes it all the way to the gallows. As he lays his hand upon them, Mord shrieks in rage, and he reaches out desperately to strike the Half-Human.
Mord's hand moves through Adanel's form, and Adanel's head is filled with a vision:
As your head hits the table, and the world goes black, you here a voice.
“Damn drunks. I’ll throw this one at back for ya Jim,"
"The man's got a room Sveth!"
You see a thin, spidery man walk over to you.
"Well, maybe a walk around the building will freshen him up, yeah?"
The bartender wags a finger at him.
"I'll have no such thing! I don't want you robbing an adventurer blind, I don't want that reputation,"
The man sighs.
"Here, let me remove his gear, and you can have it,"
"To do what with?"
"To put it in his room!"
"Oh! That makes sense. I think,"
With that, the spidery man removes Adanel's weapons, quiver of arrows, or his bedroll from his person, and picks him up. You grumble, but find your legs moving as he walks you outside...
And another vision
You see in front of you the same, spidery thin man hunched over a small handheld mirror. His eyes are grey, dull, and grim, and as you watch, he drinks a potion, and he seems to gain some weight, his cheeks develop dimples, and his hair turns white. He then pulls out a white mustache, and with some spirit gum, applies it to his upper lip. He then puts in a monocle, and pulls out a flask and takes a swig. He smiles widely, and looks up...
The undead Mord stands before him, in front of the jurors box.
"Alright old friend. I'm ready. We'll find out who did this to you,"
A raspy sound can be heard.
"THANK...YOU...SVETH..."
The man's voice seems to change as he pulls at the mustache and places a white top on top of his head.
"Sveth? Never heard of him! Name's..."
Adanel pops out of his vision, and he utters one word.
"Killian,"
Hearing Adanel mutter Killian's name, something clicks in Demaiv's head.Damn him! He did this! He poked the hornet's nest! Why?! he thinks."Mord! Stand down, we will seek your justice!" Demaiv backs up to the doorway, waiting for Zella to be through before following her.
Seeing Aesh haul Adanel back, Dani will follow with Demaiv.
Clearly outmatched, with the others retreating, Zelaria begins moving backwards as well, her tiny feet struggling to find their place as she keeps her eyes forward, intent on keeping the man in her sights.
Demaiv sprints towards the main hall, overtaking Dani in his haste.
Dania follows at Demaiv's heels, running right behind him.
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Rekkart follows the heroes, his vision apparently over.
You enter the main chamber to find Killian slowly crawling backwards towards you, his face showing utter terror.
"She...and then it...and then..."
He points into the dark hall, and Rekkart raises his holy symbol as it casts light about you all.
There is movement in the dark.
Wet squishing noises herald the sight of Patrissa’s bloated corpse, her face now a mask of death. Her entrails have been pulled from her own body, and they writhe and snake with a life of their own. The rest of the dead jurors are here as well, and strips of Patrissa’s innards have wormed their way into the back of the dead juror’s necks or into the base of their spines, the bodies now jerking about wildly as they stand. Patrissa’s face remains impassively dead, but one serpentine rope of intestine rears up to regard you ominously, and then the bodies stumble toward you, as the mass of writhing innards coils to spring your way as well.
Rekkart roars.
"Die enchantress!"
Enemies:
Madge, headless Zombie halfling
Tablark, Zombie
Malgrim, Ghoul
Haglark, Zombie
Ebin, Zombie gnome
Patrissa, Lurcher, level 3 Sorcerer
Allies
Sir Rekkart
Killian (Sveth)
Demaiv is shocked by what he sees. Was it Killian or the witch?! Either way! Time to fight!
Hearing the scream, Adanel would snap to attention.
Could he protect no one?
Stumbling a bit as he tried to regain his footing after the vivid scenes, Adanel would run after the others. Having fallen slightly behind, he would arrive to the scene in time to watch as the light unveiled the grizzly scene.
He had failed. How could he possibly protect the one he loved if this is all he could do?
Only one thought would come to his mind as that question crossed his mind.
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Killian stood up, reached into his vest, and pulled out a small vial.
"Eat this ya undead bastards!"
He threw the vial towards the ghoulish Malgrim, the only controlled undead juror who looked like he was intelligent.
Shockingly, Killian missed hitting Malgrim, but the vial still hit the floor just behind the monster, and as it exploded with a fiery flash, it hit many of the beasts.
The slow creatures couldn't move from the blast's radius.