Xanos touches the door frame of the building and whispers a terse word in an ancient tongue. A pair of purplish lines race in opposite directions around the edges, tracing runes that flare for a moment as they meet, warding the door against the creatures outside.
"Fools! Get inside if you want to live!"
Round 4
Initiative 3
Xanos touches the door frame of the building and whispers a terse word in an ancient tongue. A pair of purplish lines race in opposite directions around the edges, tracing runes that flare for a moment as they meet, warding the door against the creatures outside
"Fools! Get inside if you want to live!"
Initiative 3-
The three Aquilonian soldiers closest to the house heed Xanos's words and run past the heroes into the building. They file off into what looks to have once been a sitting room, with windows facing the stone paths outside, and a long three or four person backed divan covered in rotting fabric. There is a large squarish wooden object with two legs and a bench in front of it whose purpose can only be guessed at.
The remaining Aquilonians on the other side of the path strike at the undead before retreating towards the house, they fell one of the creatures. The dead Aquilonian rises and transforms into another of the yellow demons.
Initiative 1
The last Nemedian continues to run for his life as his dead companions return to hideous unlife.
End of Round 4
---------------------
Begin Round 5
Initiative
Bunken 9
Anhur 6
Argoth, Dorin 3++ (whoever posts first goes first)
Yellow Zombies 3+
Xanos 3
Aquilonians 3-
Nemedians 1
Argoth dashes inside, only realizing the possible danger of passing through the magic spell after he's already in. He moves straight back, looking for any enemies inside the building.
Dorin rolls his neck and tightens his grip on his hammer, huge muscles tensing as he readied himself for the inevitable rush of the demons. He bellows a wordless challenge out at them, daring them once again to come for him.
Anhur will rush in somewhere with an open/broken window and put his bow to use.
,
Bunken follows the group inside and also moves to a window, perhaps next to Anhur. "How long will that keep them out?" he wonders aloud, seeing Xanos' incantation.
Attack Bow
Damage
"Sunset, roughly, though a few may manage to push through before then."
Round 5
Initiative 9
Bunken follows the group inside and also moves to a window, perhaps next to Anhur. "How long will that keep them out?" he wonders aloud, seeing Xanos' incantation.
Xanos replies, "Sunset, roughly, though a few may manage to push through before then."
Initiative 6
Anhur rushes in next to Bunken and puts his bow to use through the broken front window. His arrow takes the head off the nearest zombie.
Initiative 3++
Argoth dashes inside, only realizing the possible danger of passing through the magic spell after he's already in. He moves straight back, looking for any enemies inside the building. Reaching the back rooms, he sees through an open doorway to his right the hunched form of a particularly massive undead. The creature is facing away from him. Swollen and broad, its shoulders and back resemble more a gorilla than a man. Its arms too are something off a great ape, long and corded with unnaturally thick muscle. The thing stirs as it hears the disturbance in the house, its hideously small head turning on a tree strump thick 'neck' to regard Argoth with wide-open beady yellow eyes.
Dorin rolls his neck and tightens his grip on his hammer, huge muscles tensing as he readies himself for the inevitable rush of the demons. He bellows a wordless challenge out at them, daring them once again to come for him.
Initiative 3+
The remaining zombies converge on the retreating Aquilonians and the structure into which the heroes are retreating. One of them runs off to pursue the fleeing Nemedian . The yellow fiends manage to tear down another of the soldiers out in the street.
Meanwhile, inside the house the massive brute comes crashing through the doorway charging Argoth.
The nimble mercenary ducks, as the creature's huge fist puts a melon sized hole in the strange, chalky white material of the wall, shattering a mirror that was hanging there. It bellows in a roar of bestial fury, its breath thick with the scent of rotting meat. The aquilonian in the hallway cries out in terror when he sees the creature.
Xanos turns at the sound and looks to Dorin. "Go. I'll hold them here."
Round 5
Initiative 3
Xanos turns at the sound and looks to Dorin. "Go. I'll hold them here."
Initiative 3-
The three Aquilonians outside break for the house, one of them getting in a desperate slash at his former companion, newly risen as the yellow dead.
The creature easily knocks his sword aside, and the soldier stumbles towards Dorin. The other two push past Dorin and Xanos to run into the house.
Inside the Aquilonians push further back, though the one faced with the huge monster steps forward and swings his sword.
The brutish undead slaps it away contemptuously as a man does a child with a stick.
End of Round 5
---------------------
Begin Round 6
Initiative
Bunken 9
Anhur 6
Argoth, Dorin 3++ (whoever posts first goes first)
Yellow Zombies 3+
Xanos 3
Aquilonians 3-
Dorin grins a wild, tooth-baring grin at Xanos and turns on his heel, headed for the source of the crashing. A few steps later, he finds himself face to face with the ape thing, and pauses for the slightest of moments to take its measure. Bouncing his hammer against his right hand with a slap, he barks out a challenging laugh. Here was a fight worth having!
Planting his feet, Dorin takes a massive sideways swing at the monster's head, but the thing's misshapen body causes him to misjudge the distance and the blow goes wide, colliding with the wall with a crash like an earthquake.
Bunken draws a line of sight down a notched arrow and fires it into the mob of undead outside. Not really paying attention to whether or not it hits, he takes a second to glance around the room he's in. "Gotta have booze somewhere in this here... this place is way too stressful."
Attack
Damage
Bunken draws a line of sight down a notched arrow and fires it into the mob of undead outside. Not really paying attention to whether or not it hits, he takes a second to glance around the room he's in. "Gotta have booze somewhere in here... this place is way too stressful."
Attack
Damage
Argoth smiles as he sees the hammer warrior step up beside him. The smile fades as he misses, but the swordsman tries to take advantage of the brute's miss to cut the undead monster.
Anhur lets an arrow fly and considers his options.
"If we should fail this stand, have we any recourse?" he calls out to the crowd in general.
,
"Always." The tall, runescribed man says in a low rumble.
Round 6
Initiative 9
Bunken draws a line of sight down a notched arrow and fires it into the mob of undead outside. Not really paying attention to whether or not it hits, he takes a second to glance around the room he's in. "Gotta have booze somewhere in here... this place is way too stressful." His arrow takes the rotting head off another of the creatures as they advance.
Initiative 6
Anhur lets an arrow fly and considers his options. "If we should fail this stand, have we any recourse?" he calls out to the crowd in general. "Always." The tall, runescribed man says in a low rumble. Anhur's arrow is ducked by one of the oncoming undead.
Initiative 3++
Dorin grins a wild, tooth-baring grin at Xanos and turns on his heel, headed for the source of the crashing. A few steps later, he finds himself face to face with the ape thing, and pauses for the slightest of moments to take its measure. Bouncing his hammer against his right hand with a slap, he barks out a challenging laugh. Here was a fight worth having! Planting his feet, Dorin takes a massive sideways swing at the monster's head, but the thing's misshapen body causes him to misjudge the distance and the blow goes wide, colliding with the wall with a crash like an earthquake.
Argoth smiles as he sees the hammer warrior step up beside him. The smile fades as he misses, but the swordsman tries to take advantage of the brute's miss to cut the undead monster. His sword slices across the giant zombie's chest, cutting through its thick hide with some difficulty. Black blood streams down the monster from the grievous slash.
Initiative 3+
The yellow ones continue forward, gnashing their teeth and growling as they come.
Two of them descend on the straggling Aquilonian and tear him to shreds. The others rush towards the front door of the building. Three of them are almost to Xanos's ward, he can smell them as they run towards his form, blocking the doorway.
The big brute swings at Dorin, as he is the larger, noisier target.
Again, the massive fist misses, this time crushing a small crater into part of the wooden floor.
Dorin, staring down the giant beast-like monster, scoffs over his shoulder at Anhur's concerns. "Talk of failure already? Not today, Stygian!"
Initiative 3
Dorin, staring down the giant beast-like monster, scoffs over his shoulder at Anhur's concerns. "Talk of failure already? Not today, Stygian!"
Xanos slashes out through the doorway with his sword, taking the head off one of the undead crowding there.
Initiative 3-
The dead Aquilonian rises to join the enemy, and the ones inside cower in the back room, looking confused and frightened. The one in the room with Dorin and Argoth is face to face to the monster though, and he tries to slash it.
Again his blow is easily parried by a monstrous slap.
End of Round 6
---------------------
Begin Round 7
Initiative
Bunken 9
Anhur 6
Argoth, Dorin 3++ (whoever posts first goes first)
Yellow Zombies 3+
Xanos 3
Aquilonians 3-
Dorin rolls back a step, hauling his hammer behind him and all the way back to the floor. He brings it around in a monstrous arc, aiming to smash the giant monster before him to the floor.
Argoth ducks behind the huge man and he heaves his hammer at the beast. The swordsman tries to come in behind the hammer with another strike, but the huge blow knocks back the undead creature just out of his reach.
"The coward speaks of failure, but the wise man counts his options!" Anhur retorts before firing another arrow.
,
"What in Amenti is happening in there??" Anhur asks at the sound of the colossal blows.
Again Xanos thrusts his spear forward at the creatures trying to breach his ward, careful to stay out of the reach of their claw-like hands.
"We are far from Amenti, Stygian. Very far."
Initiative 9
Bunken fires another arrow at the undead outside, aiming for the one directly in front of him.
He'd drunker than he thought though, and accidentally overdraws the bow, snapping his arrow in a fumbled shot.
Initiative 6
"The coward speaks of failure, but the wise man counts his options!" Anhur retorts before firing another arrow, which drops one of the zombies in the tall grass.
"What in Amenti is happening in there??" Anhur asks at the sound of the colossal blows.
Initiative 3++
Dorin rolls back a step, hauling his hammer behind him and all the way back to the floor. He brings it around in a monstrous arc, aiming to smash the giant monster before him to the floor. His aim is true, and he draws on deep reserves of inner power to drive the blow home. His mighty hammer hits the brute on the head, popping it like an offensive pimple, and driving down into the things thick trunk like a mallet into a watermelon. The creature totters and then falls over backward, dead and oozing yellow puss and black blood out into a sickening puddle.
Argoth ducks behind the huge man and he heaves his hammer at the beast. The swordsman tries to come in behind the hammer with another strike, but the huge blow makes his efforts unnecessary. He looks around reassessing the situation.
Initiative 3+
Most of the undead swarm the front door, but they are unable to pierce the ward, piling up against the cracking purple barrier like a mad mob.
One of them runs into one of the open areas which front the building. It begins pounding on the interior door there, a pounding Dorin and Argoth can hear clearly.
Initiative 3
Again Xanos thrusts his spear forward at the creatures trying to breach his ward, careful to stay out of the reach of their claw-like hands. His thrust is ineffectual, grazing one of the monster's thighs as they jostle against the ward.
"We are far from Amenti, Stygian. Very far."
Initiative 3-
The Aquilonian soldiers look like they've gone into shock as their adrenaline wears down. They are staring horrified at the demons assaulting the structure and barely maintaining slack grips on their weapons.
End of Round 7
---------------------
Begin Round 8
Initiative
Bunken 9
Anhur 6
Argoth, Dorin 3++ (whoever posts first goes first)
Yellow Zombies 3+
Xanos 3
Anhur tries to rally the forces, calling them back to arms.
"Take heart, great warriors! Victory is at hand for those brave enough to seize it! Take up your weapons and ready yourselves for battle! For triumph!"
Argoth leaps over the bloated body of the undead beast and he lands right in front of the door. In a single motion, he opens the door and plunges his sword into the walking corpse on the other side.
Attack
Damage
Another arrow shoots from the window and lodges itself in a reanimated body outside; Bunken is now leaning and relaxing against a wall while he fires. "Hey, they're just stupid and lining up right there for like every shot," he says, it almost sounding like a complaint. "How many more are there, anyway?"
Dorin slammed his hammer against the wall, clearing the worst of the monster's gore from it. He looked around and saw no more foes before him, and grimaced. That was less satisfying than he'd hoped - the thing barely fought back.
He hefted his weapon once again, and moved back towards where Xanos was waiting. "Probably more than enough, eh, Doom?" Inflated by his victory, the Aesir impatiently gestured at Xanos to step aside from the door so he could get at more of the beasts.
"If these fools could manage to die less, we might be able to contain their numbers. Hold here. I will seal the other entrances."
Xanos moved to the next doorway, repeating his earlier ward. A flare of crawling purple runes announced it's completion.
Initiative 9
Another arrow shoots from the window and lodges itself in a reanimated body outside; Bunken is now leaning and relaxing against a wall while he fires. "Hey, they're just stupid and lining up right there for like every shot," he says, it almost sounding like a complaint. "How many more are there, anyway?"
Initiative 6
Anhur tries to rally the forces, calling them back to arms.
"Take heart, great warriors! Victory is at hand for those brave enough to seize it! Take up your weapons and ready yourselves for battle! For triumph!"
"Tell us what to do." One of the older looking men says. "C'mon boys, this Stygian rat has a point. We can still die like men."
Initiative 3++
Argoth leaps over the bloated body of the undead beast and he lands right in front of the door. In a single motion, he opens the door and plunges his sword into the walking corpse on the other side.
Dorin slammed his hammer against the wall, clearing the worst of the monster's gore from it. He looked around and saw no more foes before him, and grimaced. That was less satisfying than he'd hoped - the thing barely fought back.
He hefted his weapon once again, and moved back towards where Xanos was waiting. "Probably more than enough, eh, Doom?" Inflated by his victory, the Aesir impatiently gestured at Xanos to step aside from the door so he could get at more of the beasts.
Initiative 3+
The dead continue to struggle against the ward, unable to strike Xanos or push into the building.
Initiative 3
"If these fools could manage to die less, we might be able to contain their numbers. Hold here. I will seal the other entrances."
Xanos moved to the next doorway, repeating his earlier ward. A flare of crawling purple runes announced it's completion.
End of Round 8
---------------------
Dorin smashes his way out the front door, while Argoth comes out of the open bay to flank the undead with him. Bunken and Anhur continue to rain arrows point blank from the front windows. In a matter of seconds the battle is over, a pile of black blooded yellow corpses litter the front of the structure. Dorin and Argoth stand amongst them, chests heaving from exertion. For the time being, it seems the Hyborians have bought themselves a respite from the terrors of this strange new world.
Argoth scowls at the pile of twice dead corpses and the nasty black blood on his sword. He tries to flick most of it off, but then resorts to wiping it on grass to avoid touching it. Whatever these things were, they seemed to invade those who they killed too.
"A fight well fought. But now we're left with our original questions. What happened to us and where are we?"
"Well this man-" Anhur gestures wildly at Xanos "seems to think we are 'far from Amenti'. Perhaps he can tell us where we are?" He states, looking to Xanos expectantly and impatiently.
"The rift took us far from what we knew. Whether that means an alien world, or simply an alien part of our own, I do not know yet."
The tall sorcerer looked out across the strange landscape and shook his head.
"Not in two ages across any lands of men have I ever seen the likes of this place, nor have I heard of something like it among the outer realms."
Looking around the inside of the building you can see various bits of of objects with writing on them in strange characters none of you have seen before. In front of the door is a flexible tablet of some unknown material, with the runes "WELCOME" artfully fashioned onto it in short bristly hair. It's purpose or meaning remain murky.
Dorin, leaning on the haft of his hammer, grunts and gestures to the buildings around them.
"Glass everywhere. The people must have been very rich, but I see no one here. Hnh."
Toeing one of the demon-thing's corpses with one heavy boot, he finishes, "Anymore."
"We should set about finding food enough for us, as well as some shelter safer against..." Anhur pauses to consider their assailants. "Against whatever dangers may befall us in this place."
"Agreed. First though, I would know who each of you are."
Dorin nods. "An excellent plan." But then he pauses for a moment, regarding the group as a whole, and his brow furrows, a thought niggling at him.
He raises his head and thumps his chest, one hand holding his hammer balanced upright. "I am Dorin, son of Rogal. Well met in battle." His glacier-colored eyes sweep the little gathering, gauging each of them and their mettle. Far from home they might be, but it was not long ago they were at war. Who knows where loyalties still lie?
Bunken pulls out his pipe, lights it, and then begins rummaging through any cubbies, drawers, and storage places he can find in the house. "Yeah, let's get some food and things to last us a while -- if we really are far from home, we're going to need supplies. I need a drink."
Hearing Dorin's introduction, Bunken passes through the group to offer his hand, puffing smoke the whole way. "My name is Bunken," he says. "Mercenary, archer, rapscallion, and champion ale drinker -- pleased to meet you."
Bunken finds several small packages made of some never before seen shiny material, a paper box with something heavy inside, a smaller much lighter colorful paper box, a bottle of brown liquid, a bottle of greenish yellow liquid, a small paper sack with a knight on it covered in white powder, and a much larger heavier burlap bag with a picture of grain on it. Never has he seen such artistry, though dirty, the various objects are more colorful and the art more magnificent than any he has seen before.
They were in the second small room from the door, and in a closet in the room where Dorin killed the giant zombie. There are many other artifacts of the people who used to live here, but most of them are broken, and none of them look like food. Hanging on the walls are likenesses of people behind pieces of glass that are so realistic they must be magic. There is a great white box with shelves inside, and many more smaller and differently shaped metal boxes and objects. Some of them have a length of black wire coming out of them, only to terminate a couple feet down in two prongs.
What use such objects could have are beyond him, but the artistry that went into to them reinforces the fact that they are on a different world. No such things could have been made by men of Hyboria.
"I am Anhur, once a peaceful Stygian delegate. However, recent affairs have put me at odds with the forces of Xaltotun, and it has been some time since my noble robes have suited me."
The olive-skinned swordsman stares at the others for moment. "I'm called Argoth, from the Sem tribe in Halakh." He pauses. "But the Sorceror has not given his own name yet." He indicates Xanos.