"Reet. This is more like." Healaugh bounds across the hallway to join Brand and Conall.
You are joined by Melisana. "Well, um, do you think we should press it or something?"
"Aye."
Healaugh pushes the lump of rock.
What had looked like an ordinary wall in the dim light is now revealed to be a secret door, that grates open as Healugh pushes the stone. A whiff of dank air comes from the tunnel it opens into.
"Let's be about it then" says Brand,with Conall's help maybe they can move the boxes to cover the way again, and try to shut the door, to slow any pursuit.
Conall and Brand do just that, stacking the boxes against the secret door to provide some delay to any pursuit.
The group has been searching around the catacombs for a long time now, and although you have no idea of the exact time, you realise it can't be nightfall yet, as that would mean you were all very dead and drowned by the curse.
After only a few feet, the corridor turns southwest and runs straight for what seems an eternity in the narrow dark of the tunnel. It goes on for several hundred feet, and along its course it slightly rises. It makes a final bend before opening out...
You find yourselves in an enormous chamber, with a particularly smooth and partially rough-hewn floor and rough hewn walls. It must be something like 90 by 80 feet, and has several chambers in a niche to the east. To the southeast is a solid brick wall.
In the northernmost chamber you can see nothing, but the next two to the south have large slabs of stone in their centres. On each there lies something that could be a body perhaps.
"Happen we've found Sea King this time."
With respect, Healaugh approaches area 18 and looks at the stone slab.
He bows politely. "Sorry to be intruding your majesty, but we're meaning no disrespect to your rest."
Over his shoulder to the rest of the party he adds, "Don't want to be upsetting him now, do we. Brigid-lass wouldn't like that."
As Healaugh approaches the slab and kneels respectfully, murmuring his apologies, he hears a stirring and to his horror, he sees the body of the king rise up with unseeing eyes.
Viladel has not rotted at all, in fact he looks as alive as any of you. Only his shambling movements and glazed expression reveal that he is one of the undead.
Surprised by the impact of his polite bow, Healaugh loses most of his reflexes.
"Old fool must have wished wrong." he growls, hefting his javelin.
Iniative
Conall
Ynyr
Siobhan
Brand
Healaugh
Body of Viladel
Conall charges the walking corpse and slashes at it, only to have his blow deflected by the mace that the Sea King's body wields.
Having stomped around like a zombie for the past hour or so, deep in his own reflections on how he got here, Ynyr is suddenly confronted with the real thing. He doesn't like the comparison.
Putting on a brave face and getting quite worked up, Ynyr takes out his dagger and tries to tell the zombie what he thinks.
"Do you think it is easy being lost and starving on an island that is going to be blown up by some goddess any minute now? Do you? Can you possibly conceive how much I don't want to be here now? Do what you do, but I've had enough, you know?"
He dives at the zombie and trips over his own feet. Murmuring a supplication to Brigid, he turns his roll into a 20, just to show him.
Attack the zombie king. (1d20+3=11 [turned to a 20 by brigid], 1d4+2=6)
Ynyr, against all seeming odds, finds a chink in the King's armour (for he wears his fine armour still) and stabs hard. The King looks on unseeing as the brave tinker's blade finds its way in.
"Grand shot, our Ynyr"
Healaugh remains appreciative even as he eyes the oncoming King with some apprehension.
Swallowing hard Siobhán steps forward, approaching the Sea King on shaking legs. "I'm sorry your majesty, but it is no longer your time, and you should rest." She tells the unseeing man, reaching out nervously and placing a hand against his chest as a light green glow surrounds her fingertips.
The half-elf bravely faces the walking corpse of the old king, and gently places a hand on his wounded form. A soft glow encompasses her hand, and it increases to spread through the whole of the undead monarch's form.
He slumps to the ground and lies there, now well and truly dead.
The group can hear stirring from the other alcove, and Brand sees a beautiful woman with her dress stained with huge mass of blood on her torso sit up and walk towards him with glassy eyes.
"Old bugger messed up proper with his wishes."
Healaugh sighs, bows politely to the Queen and murmers
"Sorry about this your majesty, but you'll likely be wanting to join your husband. Go on now, send her to her rest," he adds to the javelin as he throws it deftly towards the walking dead.
Javelin attack on zombie queen (1d20 5=20, 1d4=3, 1d6=5)
Fearful that this won't be enough, he pulls out one of his despised pucha-scum weapons for a follow up.
The brave halfling peers round the corner and chucks his javelin at the advancing Queen. It strikes her in the torso and electricity surges through her. She seems only momentarily disadvantaged as she plucks the javelin out and throws it to the ground.
Longsword attack on Queen (1d20+4=13, 1d8+3=10)
Brand grits his teeth to attack the Queen but he pulls back at the last second upon seeing her eerie beauty.
The Queen's corpse has no compunctions, however and takes a swing at Brand. He ducks her clumsy blow easily.
Conall shouts, "Hold on, we're comin' to help!"
"Now look. Why don't you just leave us alone? I didn't ask to be here did I? All I want is some choice that I can make in my life again you know? And some food perhaps?"
Right now, Ynyr doesn't have much of a rational outlook on life. Perhaps if he connected with one of his targets, he might calm down a bit. He steps up to the queen and let's her have it.
Attack on the killer queen. (1d20+3=4, 1d4+2=4)
The Queen is unheeding of Ynyr's ranting and merely grabs his wrist as he tries to hit her and throws him aside.
Brand takes another swing with his AXE
"Sorry, but it's time to be welcomed into the arms of Brigid!!" He says with the customary increase in the amount of scowl.
axe attack vs dead queen (1d20+5=17) damage (if attack hit) (1d8+3=7)
Healaugh nods approvingly at Brand's decisive action.
Deciding it best to save her other healing spell to help her comrades if it is needed by the end of the day Siobhán acts out of desperation and slashes at the queen with her dagger.
Urm.. attack? (1d20-1=14)
Potential 'mighty' damage (1d4-1=1)
Bravely, the young woman stabs at the walking corpse; the Queen seems to ignore what would otherwise be a very nasty wound to a living being.
Brand sees no choice for it now, and slashing at the Queen, lops off her head. She collapses to the floor, now no longer one of the undead, but very very dead.
Healaugh retrieves the javelin and carefully deactivates if before respectfully placing the queen's head back on her body.
"She'm royalty. Tain't right just leaving her. Happen we'll be laying the both of them out for proper rest before moving on."
He looks hopefully at Brand and Ynyr for help.
"Our Siobhan might say a word or two on their behalf. Then we'd best be finding boat."
DM
You stand in a darkened tomb, with the bodies of the now dead King and Queen of the Isles lying before you.
Brand looks about in horror at the turn of events "Coinneach, you madman, look what you've done here..." he mumbles as if the old fellow could still hear him.
"We're running out of time, we've got to find that boat!" he says gazing around anxiously. He studies the chamber in the dimness hoping there might be something he can use for a light source, to search with.
Healaugh sniffs and rubs his nose on his sleeve, "Ee, 'appen we should be lookin' fer t' boat, reet?" he says in the silence.
"Ah can't see none 'ere. What d'you reckon, Brand, yer a handy fella; where'd they put it?"
With apologies to Brigid, Brand searches the two now redead Regents, for any clue as to where any kind of seafaring vessel might be. "Brigid lass, watch over these two departed souls." He makes a small superstitious gesture as he searches, the kind old ladies use to ward off curses.
He will then search the niches for any clues then the brick wall last.
The King lies in his fine blue robes, a golden coronet on his head, with his Queen beside him, her bright blond hair spilling out on the floor.
Brand investigates each chamber, and finds:
Viladel
Sea King
Tamed the Islands
Laid Low by Pirates
crudely carved on the slab the King was lying on.
On the Queen's is:
Queen Liala
Laid Low by Pirates
Rests Besides the Sea King
again, crudely carved.
On the brick wall is a plaque, it reads:
Here Lies Prince Horodel
Brought Down by Illness
In the Twentieth Year of Viladel's Reign
This is carved professionally.
He also finds that one section of the south wall of the entire complex is smooth stone. There is a lever to the right of this wall.
Brand calls the others: "I've found some sort of lever here, I don't think we have much of a choice as to whether we try it. It's the only thing we can do, besides break into the unfortunate prince's tomb."
Just finding anything lightens Brand's scowl barely percectibly and he's heard to mutter "Oh thank Brigid!"
Healaugh nods approvingly. "Give tha' hand in moment Brand lad. Summat I need to do first."
Now that the King and Queen are properly laid to rest, the halfling picks up the javelin and carefully lays it on Viladel's breast.
"Told Coinneach it were loan, and so it is. Not mine to take but yours to keep your Majesty. Rest well in arms of Brigid lass, you and your lady."
Nodding respectfully at the Sea King, he moves to help Brand with the lever.
As Brand prepares to pull the lever, he calls out "Everyone! get ready to run if necessary, as at least one lever back there caused the ceiling to fall. This time no one gets left behind!"
Then with Healaugh's help he pulls the lever.
He grimaces as the unbearable seconds tick by waiting to see whats going to happen.
The two friends pull the lever, and the wall starts to rumble, and crumble, it's component parts collapsing outward into...
The ocean!
A great blast of cold wind and rain rushes into the chamber, and you can see that it is almost dark outside...