She nods in thanks to Nevai, Thank you. They've been here all day. They started gathering late last night. None have broken through yet, but that hasn't kept the others from deserting their post. These two, she waves, indicating the two guards, are the only ones that were brave enough to stay. One of the guards stands at the gate itself, looking through one of the windows, keeping a careful eye on the situation. The other, an older gentleman, stands just behind the acolyte, but doesn't say anything. They both look the part of old grizzled veterans of the guard. The acolyte looks up at the massive gates and nods curtly at Leto's question, I do think they'll hold. At least until something stronger comes along. But, once that happens, the rest of these things will follow after it. She turns back to you, Would you...could you...bring a letter to the church? Let them know we need more soldiers? At least tell them what's happening here. Maybe the High Priestess will know what to do.
Marnarius, just as the woman finishes speaking, you see two black shadowy arms reach out through the wall itself and grab the man standing near the gate about the head. He withers almost instantly and the rest of you see him drop to the ground, a grey dead husk. The two shadows slither through on to this side of the wall and a third fades through the another twenty feet to the right.
Pharasma´s Spiral, what kind of horror is this?
"Well, that is certainly not good. Also, does anyone else wonder if all these undead are trying to flee from something worse than they are?"
Thea casts disrupt undead on one of the shadows.
Thea will once again try to cast disrupt undead on one of the shadows.
"Get behind us! If these things can walk through walls, it'll take magic to hit them!" The slayer closes with the nearest one and cuts at it with his magical kukri. In the confusion he's unable to connect, though.
This looks...bad.
Erei will start singing and draw his spear.
The shadow slides around Marnarius' attack as Nuru steps forward and hacks at the creature with her khopesh. Taking the weapon in two hands because she believes her shield will be worthless against these things, she connects solidly, or as solidly as able, with one.
Leto let's fly with two arrows into the same target and it fades into nothing.
Finally, Almathea's blast hits another. The creature breaks apart for a moment before recovering and reaching out towards Nuru.
The second reaches out towards Bal, the Pharasman priest, but doesn't manage to connect.
The priest responds by channeling!
One of the shadows fades slightly, but both still seem ready to fight.
The final guard steps forward to attack, but doesn't manage to connect with the shadow attacking Bal.
"These are shadows, you must use magic weapons or force to harm them, and they can sap your strength with a touch," Nevai warned.
Nevai stepped forward with his holy symbol of Horus raised high, releasing a flash of light like the rising sun.
"Nuru, here, use my khopesh. The Natron Fang can disrupt incorporeal undead and send them to their final rest!"
Marnarius breathes a silent prayer of thanks that none of the foul creatures hit him, then studies the nearest one and cuts at it with greater accuracy.
Leto focuses on the next shadow, the one still unfazed, firing 2 arrows in quick succesion at it.
Erei will attempt to strike the most damaged creature still attacking.
Almathea will target the same shadow again if it is still there. If not she will target a random one.
If I can crit with this spell:
Sorry forgot to add: Round 2, Initiative 15.
Leto focuses on the next shadow, the one still unfazed, firing 2 arrows in quick succesion at it.
[dice=FoA]1d20 + 11; 1d8 + 11
[dice=FoA]1d20 + 11; 1d8 + 11
Both shadows fade and barely hold together as Nevai's wave of light flows through them. Marnarius' blow dissipates another. One of Leto's arrows silently rips a hole through the final shadow and between Almathea and Erei's attacks it fades into nothing.
Bal, the Pharasman priest, stands breathless. The final guard moves back to the gate to check it. Seems your powers have crumbled a few of 'dem too, he says gruffly, nodding towards the gate, indicating the undead that lie beyond. Still, there's plenty more gathering. He looks down on the remains of his former fellow with a frown. We should burn, he begins, but is cut off as the fallen guard's shadow rises up to attack!
"Another one! Nuru shouts as she scrambles forward slicing upward at the shadow with both hands upon her shortened khopesh.
Incorporeal Subtype: An incorporeal creature has no physical body. An incorporeal creature is immune to critical hits and precision-based damage (such as sneak attack damage) unless the attacks are made using a weapon with the ghost touch special weapon quality. In addition, creatures with the incorporeal subtype gain the incorporeal special quality.
Marnarius closes and cuts at the shadow, but misses.
Almathea casts disrupt undead upon the newly made creature.
Your assault dissipates the risen creature.
That was a close call and a nasty surprise. Just imagine some of those running wild in the city! They would spawn an epidemic of shadows!
Leto wipes some cold sweat from his forehead.
How should we proceed? Let´s make sure to burn all the fallen, is that what you meant? He looks at the priest and his comrades.
And we need to think of a way on how to defend against that horde outside there.
"I'd say you need reinforcements. We can take your letter to the church right away, if you think you can hold out here long enough." Marnarius looks around at the others. "If that's all right with you?"
"With so many coming from that side of the wall, do you think the source might be there? Or just so many dead on that side available to rise as undead, compared to the city of the living?"
The priestess gives you a determined look. We'll hold, she says. But you should hurry. The guard steps away from the gate and nods, solemnly. We'll be here. He turns back and shrugs, As for why there are so many. Could be either, I would think. We've been too busy to wonder.
"I wonder if anyone has gone over there to see if there is a source or someone commanding them."
"We can look into that after we deliver the message."
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I'm okay with message delivery first, but Almathea is right. This is quite a lot of attacking for it to be completely without a hand guiding it.
There are still quite a few odd noises throughout the city. You'll, no doubt, be in danger of running into something on your trip back regardless of how short the trip is. You believe the gate itself will hold, for now. And the knight and guard will be able to handle it...barring another attack by incorporeal creatures.
"Let's all go as quickly as we can. We'll have to trust in the Lady's grace to see us there and back in time. 'Not this year, not yet.'"
"Well some go faster than others. Perhaps at some point we need some magic speeding you up. Let's go! "
Leto adds worth a smile.
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"We'll be back shortly," Nevai assured the guards, then turned and started clanking his way back to the church as quickly as he was able.
As you race back to the church you round a corner and see that several shambling zombies, flesh falling from their bodies, have managed to surround a lone woman. Before you can intervene a soul shaking howl fills the night air. Three hideous creatures burst from an alley. Malice oozes from these stout, hunched predators. Ruffs of dirty feathers adorns their hairless, muscular body just below its crocodilian skull. The creatures tear into the zombies, but the woman is slammed against the wall in the process. They start feeding on the decayed flesh even as the woman lies nearby, bleeding from what appears to be a serious head wound.
Mortals rarely see these otherworldly hunters, and only those steeped in the ways of death know of their existence. They hazily creep into the edges of living mythologies, appearing as torturers of fallen souls or delivering a gnashing end to mortals. In truth, esoboks show a curious neutrality towards petitioners. Only the living— and even more so the undead—catch their eye, while the truly dead have little to fear.
Typically these creatures are summoned and do not appear naturally.
If you approach, the creatures snap and growl.
What i Elysiums name is that? Feathered crocodile hounds feasting on zombies?
"Nevai, I don't want to get between those things and their meat. Can you stabilize the woman without getting too close to the fight?"
