"Quieter than you can..."
He’s right about that... We heard ya from three rooms away, Mister Bear!
|
Admonished, Johann keeps his voice down this time. "Well, it does seem like there are several willing to scout. Why doesn't Zag or Fox or Boga then scout to either the southwest and southeast? In fact, it would be good if you are seen. Drag the enemy toward us here in this room, where our numbers can be better put to use."
In French: Why did you kill me, Arc? Was it because I mistreated that whore you fancied at the brothel? Or because of my taunting?... Do not burden these new friends of yours with your past indiscretions... This is between you and I, no?... Was it to see what it feels like to kill a man? To take his life with your blade? I often wondered what it would feel like... Now I know how it feels to be killed, thanks to you, comrade... The ghost disappears, leaving Arc to contemplate the answers to its query...
"I will do it--they will have trouble catching a little fox. I imagine it will work nicely if Zagathoth and Johann hide on either side of the doorway here to surprise them when they come running after me. if we have something small I can cast light on, then someone could tie it to my tail after I transform. A strip of cloth would do."
Once this is settled, the fox will go southeast.
Boga runs his hand through his hair, brushing it back. He looks at everyone, "How about we try this first. If it does not seem to work, we'll try something different. The catacombs, on this level at least, seem to be primarily narrow hallways connecting rooms. I will function as scout. I will be in advance of the party using both Hide from Undead and Detect Undead. Lucius should move up to be 3rd in line behind Zagathoth, but there will be a gap between him and Zagathoth into which I may retreat, if necessary."
"When I reach a room, I will signal a halt as I scan for unholy enemies. If I find none, we can all enter the room, and we will repeat the formation and procedure upon leaving for the next. Sound good?"
"I propose we start by heading northwest."
EDIT: "Well, sounds like we have 3 options. Any others? Any insight or preferences on the 3?
In the form of a fox, with a light spell cast on a stray finger bone and tied to his furry tail to serve him as lantern, Ogon Fox scouts the southeast corridor, which is narrow (5 feet wide) and low (10 feet high), and runs some 20 feet at an angle to widen at a square chamber some 25-feet-square, with 20-foot-high ceiling...
The blood drains from Arc's face at the unexpected sight of his fellow student and one-time victim. He glances around the room frantically as he tries to discern if his fellow adventurers can see the specter, but since no one is paying any attention, he tries to force himself to calm down. No matter how brave a face he puts on, however, his brow still shines with sweat and his hands still tremble with fear.
As the fox enters the chamber, glowing finger bone dangling from its tail, a pair of corpses standing upright in the corners begin to show interest in the trespasser...
[dice=Perception]1d20+11
The adventurers win initiative due to their clever plan of luring the zombies back to the central ossuary, and the slow, methodical ambulation of the quickened dead...
ZOMBIE AMBUSH! ROUND 1!! FIGHT!!
THE PARTY AT WILL!
THE ZOMBIES!
EEEEEK!!
Zagathoth also takes his suggested position next to the doorway. As the fox hurries by he waits for the zombie following it to step in between him and bearman then he hacks at it with his falchion.
,
Zagathoth also takes his suggested position next to the doorway. As the fox hurries by he waits for the zombie following it to step in between him and bearman then he hacks at it with his falchion.
[dice=power attack (flank)]1d20+7+2, [dice=for]2d4+10
Zagathoth slaughters the first zombie that Fox lured past, neatly decapitating it with a sudden swipe of his falchion from around the corner of the archway!
If anything Arc seems to be feeling incredibly jubilant.
If the zombies are still alive after being ambushed by Zag and the bear Quinlan fires a bolt of light at the closest one.
[dice=Perception (Arc)]1d20+3 If anything Arc seems to be feeling incredibly jubilant.
If the zombies are still alive after being ambushed by Zag and the bear Quinlan fires a bolt of light at the closest one. [dice=Disrupt Undead (touch)]1d20+4 [dice=Damage]1d6
Quinlan’s spell lances the zombie with a ray of divine light!
GNNNAAAAAPPP!!!
Johann unleashes his fury on the zombie as it passes by!
[dice=Bite Attack & damage]d20+5; d6+5
[dice=Claw Attack 1 & damage]d20+5; d4+5
[dice= Claw Attack 2 & damage]d20+5; d4+5
Johann tears the undead carcass apart, spilling a mass of coagulated blood, puss, and graveworms from its innards!
Gnap!
The little fox creeps down a zig-zagging corridor to a many-cornered chamber in which a yellow crystal hangs from a silver chain above a brazier...
Out of the six corners of this oddly-shaped chamber leap skeletal champions clad in rusty mail and bearing rusted longswords and wooden shields!
They are happy to chase the little fox into the gauntlet of adventurers awaiting them...
BRINGING BONES TO GRIND!! ROUND ONE! FIGHT!! EEEEEK!!
THE WILEY ADVENTURERS AT WILL!
THE POOR, MINDLESS SKELETAL CHAMPIONS!
OOH OOH AH AH!!
Quinlan reaches out a spindly arm and points at one of the skeletal champions. The tielfing's long tail reaches into a pouch at his waist and draws out a long splinter of bone. He shouts an incantation in his native tongue, the usually quiet wizard's voice seems to carry unusual weight. "CUIR ISTEACH!"
The skeleton's empty eye sockets flash for a moment. "Don't hit that one, I'm using it. Oi! Bonehead! Help us deal with these a*!~+@##s will ya."
Yes, that seems reasonable.
Quinlan reaches out a spindly arm and points at one of the skeletal champions. The tielfing's long tail reaches into a pouch at his waist and draws out a long splinter of bone. He shouts an incantation in his native tongue, the usually quiet wizard's voice seems to carry unusual weight. "CUIR ISTEACH!"
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
One of the skeletal champions is now under Quinlan’s control!
Johann’s barrage of attacks do little to deter the fleshless warden!
The Fox begins some finger twirling and arcane muttering, then points at the floor where the room and corridor meet that the skeletons are about to set foot on, and suddenly a thin, greasy black film covers the area.
Aha! The old bones-in-the-pit trick worked great last time, Bear!
"We shall see who runs today, fiends!" Arc's signature crimson cloak billows out as blasts the approaching skeletons with a new spell.
Once again Zagathoth calls to mind the lessons learned from their previous encounter with the skeletal champions, then he chops at the first one through the door.
Once again Zagathoth calls to mind the lessons learned from their previous encounter with the skeletal champions, then he chops at the first one through the door.
[dice=power attack (favored enemy, flank)]1d20+7+2+2
[dice=for]2d4+10+2
Zagathoth’s falchion hammers at the rusty mail, seemingly without effect...
The Fox begins some finger twirling and arcane muttering, then points at the floor where the room and corridor meet that the skeletons are about to set foot on, and suddenly a thin, greasy black film covers the area.
fails...
fails...
fails...
Four of the six skeletal champions slip and fall in Fox’s magical grease!
"We shall see who runs today, fiends!" Arc's signature crimson cloak billows out as blasts the approaching skeletons with a new spell.
Reflex vs DC 13 burning hands saves!
Reflex vs DC 13 burning hands saves!
Reflex vs DC 13 burning hands saves!
Arc’s magical flames ignite Fox’s grease slick, creating fiery, slippery chaos for the skeletal champions!
Boga sees the number of skeletons Ogon has lured into the trap. "We had trouble with 2 before. This time, however, we have no convenient pit! This may take a bit. We'll all have to do our part." Boga casts "Shield of Faith" on Zagathoth. "Receive divine protection, Zagathoth! Keep using Doomcrescent. Just hit them real hard!" Boga moves to a flanking position, either with Johann or Zagathoth, according to what is open.
Meanwhile, in the secret subterranean sanctuary of Nero Antichrist...
The Lich gives commands to his favorite witch, Striga Lucrezia, in Infernal: Take heed, my pet! Do not fail me as you did before, when the accursed Lucky Fools butchered your comrades and you teleported away to save your sweet little rump! I want you to take command of a mining operation in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco... I need a lot of flawless diamonds if we are going to resurrect all of your incompetent playmates... AND Frostfløyen... The white wyrm’s resurrection will require a great number of flawless diamonds of the finest water!
I shall not fail you this time, My Lord! I work better by myself... No distractions or arguments like with the Hounds... Their death was their own fault, not mine... They were arrogant, impatient, greedy imbeciles... This time, when we bring them back from the torment of Hell, they will appreciate Lucrezia’s wise counsel a little more, I think... They will be humbled, which will make them more compliant to our plans, My Lord...
Yes, I am sure the tender mercies of Hell have softened their hard hearts and broken their proud spines... They will be desperate for a chance to escape that unbearable torment and better serve their masters!
A mirthless grin splits the decrepit emperor’s near-skeletal face as he contemplates the punishment the fallen members of the Hell Hounds are suffering in Hell, and imagines their eagerness for a second chance to serve, and how humble and broken they will be after a few years of infernal anguish...
Doomcrescent opens a rend in the rusty links of mail and hews into bone...
Orpheus whistles the old Dorian mode Dies Irae chant as the adventurers do their grim work of laying the skeletal champions to final rest...
Quinlan reaches out a spindly arm and points at one of the skeletal champions. The tielfing's long tail reaches into a pouch at his waist and draws out a long splinter of bone. He shouts an incantation in his native tongue, the usually quiet wizard's voice seems to carry unusual weight. "CUIR ISTEACH!"
The skeleton's empty eye sockets flash for a moment. "Don't hit that one, I'm using it. Oi! Bonehead! Help us deal with these a$~*!~#*s will ya."
The commanded skeleton in the back rank suddenly pushes the only other skeleton not already sliding around in the burning grease onto the fiery, slippery, bony pile!
The newcomer attempts to stay standing to no avail, and as it crashes onto the pile, it looks up at the commanded skeleton with blazing hellfire in its empty sockets...
The commanded skeleton shrugs its mailed scapulae innocently...