|
So with the die cast the heroes make their way to the battered wooden wall. A hell knight there, dirty from blood and soot, watches calmly and then says only, This is your free choice. Our orders are to hold this wall. I will not disobey by one hair. Once in, no one on the outside will come for you. I do salute your bravery. The 8 men in his command all wearily raise their swords to you. Faces show shock and respect and sometimes both.
Getting inside is easy. And once there you find yourself on a large street. There are buildings all around, some intact or mostly so and others burned husks. And there is every state of repair between the 2 extremes.
keeping my out for any movement.
Perception
Narnel fans out with bow drawn and moves stealthily between the buildings while searching for movement.
Perception:
Stealth:
All that was good has forsaken this place, Aidan states the obvious, and Tkurzhan growls his concurrence.
Seneca joins the rest in moving over the barricade. On the other side, he immediately begins looking and listening for any survivors...or threats. Gillamoor, what has happened to my home.
Taedric takes up a careful position and shrugs, spinning his hand and conjuring four spinning balls of light. "Where should I send these?" he asks as Trumps leaps down into the street and begins to sniff about.
....and...
{+Scent}
{+Scent}
Pluchak calmed down, shrank and came back. This whole thing was not good, but he had at least said his piece. He was sullen and withdrawn after, thinking of Alam and the wagons and often looking toward the direction where they came.
|
Abbas stares at the raging growth and shrinking orcblood unable to understand what he talks about.
Eventually he wanders over and squeezes the man's shoulder, "maybe our Lady want us helping the people?" He shrugs not sure if its true or helps and walks back to the front, staff and torch in hand.
DM Only
Perception:
Looking for any sign of survivors or this cleric person. Anyone near the edge of the town (city? how many people lived here before it turned into a ghost town?) would have made a break for the edge, so we need to be in the center somewhere if we're going to find anyone who still has a pulse. Also, obviously, keeping an eye out for signs of diabolic rituals, insane cultists or packs of ravening undead.
|
|
Perception 1:
Perception 2:
Narnel materializes from between the buildings, whistles quickly and points towards the position of someone taking cover. He moves back into the shadows while placing an arrow to hios longbow.
Stealth:
Elinor calls out in a high and shrill (and loud) voice.
"We're human! We're here to help! Stay there!"
She advances, shield up but with her hand out empty and reassuring.
Elinor starts at the strange man-like arrival and looks back to Abbas, pausing. Although he's not the brightest she has become aware his heart is in exactly the right place.
"What do you mean? Purple certainly isn't my colour."
|
|
The creatures remain hidden and you hear no more from them. Here in the gloaming, where the line between night and day is so thinly drawn, of equal indistinctness is the line between predator and prey. Which are you?
And then you hear it behind you, and something crosses the street behind you. It is another one of these craven beasts and again with amazing alacrity it is gone, to the same side as the others and lost to shadows.
So, have you you upset these scavengers and sent them fleeing from you, or are they organizing for fun and slaughter?
Seneca frowns as the creatures dart back and forth. He searches his memory for anything he has heard in his teachings of a peril like these.
|
Bryndyn readies the warhammer he's been using. Inside, he thinks that he hasn't yet struck with it but he knows it is the better weapon. Still, doubt creeps in. As another of the creatures skitter past, he looks at the others in the group and smiles. They are now one with his community - really - both comunities, and he is proud to be with them, even here...
"They look like ghouls, but there is something strange about them. They move too fast. It is possible they are something altogether different, but probably undead nonetheless."
Taedric twitches his hand, directing his spinning balls of light to better illuminate the strange creatures while reaching down to ready his lance. "Let's get a better look..."
"Draugr!" Elinor spits out angrily and reluctantly draws her sword again.
+7 for dungeoneering, more for others.
|
|
Where you are now, the air hangs cool and heavy. The silence is exaggerated, especially when framed by the not too distant siege force. There is no sound of movement and if your eyes had not seen what they did, in this moment you would believe you were alone and unobserved.
The street is wide, and there is cover nearly everywhere that can be obtained quickly. The creatures moved both before and behind you. Shall you wait here to take a stand, if indeed, they come at you, or will you chase the single one, or the pair?
"I think we stick together and keep moving forward. I'm worried they'll try to separate us."
"I agree. Forwards, let them come."
Narnel moves forward with the group, but does so in the shadows moving from cover to cover.
Stealth:
Taedric nods, "It would be prudent tactics to stay together and deny them an ability to flank us, while attempting to ensure we can make use of our numbers and allies in the battle."
I would not worry about allies, I and the pits of hell have that covered. Harlynn states as his eyes cloud over.
Aidan simply strokes Tkurzhan, who sniffs the air menacingly and growls.
|
|
Beside you is a building long burned out, now only a charred skeleton, with a stone fireplace. The next building stands silent, no door on its hinges. The one after that looks like the front of the second story has been destroyed, and it accounts for much the debris in the road, indeed, the debris that these creatures hid behind comes from this wreckage. * The next building is not easy to see.
The next building behind you has large double doors that are open and copious amounts of hay strewn about, and piled in the edges. * The one you passed before that had crossbow bolts embedded along the front of it, maybe something written in green paint, but the script of the language is too obscure to readily read
Moving slowly and cautiously forward you see nothing and hear nothing of the man-things.
That is odd. Harlynn states after reading the writing on the walls.
Seneca makes his own study of the script. "Help us? Deliver us? A prayer to the Prince of Darkness?"
Pluchak stands there silently with his eyes piercing the darkness. He would rather be back in town, finishing their errand to the lady of the tower than in this place being stalked by the undead. But it was bound to happen sooner or later, he might as well fight some of the grave walkers now.
I think it would be wise to find shelter for the night, explorin during the day is one thing when eyes can see under the cover of darkness they have the advantage. We must seek refuge and possibly find a building that a vile ritual can be cast to raise the dead.
Survivors in here will not last many nights, if even one more. I say we press on, for the moment.
"I agree. We can withdraw to the barricade if things go to pieces."