Round 1 at range:
Zombies are at 30 feet for the ranged attack so the DD won't reach. Will use Dol's first roll for a light crossbow which Dol can drop and use DD for his round 2 attack at melee range.
The concentrated fire of Char and Dol drops the weakest looking zombie in the bunch.
Maq casts mage armor.
Round 2 melee:
Dol's DD smashes into a zombie doing some good damage but less than Dol anticipated as he remembers that slashing weapons work best against zombies.
Char slashes at a zombie but misses.
Maq is up for round #2 then the zombies. With ranged touch attack Maq can get either the wounded or unwounded zombie.
cast ElementalRay at wounded zombie
Next Round:
Continuing his streak for dropping weapons, Dolgrin drops his chain flail in disgust Dolgrin, you freaking SLAG HEAD! and pulls out his MW Dwarven Waraxe.
Round 2 zombies attack Char and Maq
The zombie attacking Char misses its mark and Maqej thanks the gods for his mage armor as it turns away a vicious zombie slam.
Round 3
Dolgrin swings his waraxe wildly and completely loses his balance (-4 to hit on your next attack).
Char channels positive energy destroying the wounded zombie and severely damaging the other.
"Sarenrae, destroy this evil!"
DC13
Maqej is up for round 3, one heavily damaged zombie ready to attack if you fail to slay it.
No PA
Ahhh....MUD!
Cast Elemental Ray
The last zombie goes down after being blasted by Maq's elemental ray.
Party's action.
Police up my cornucopia of weapons.
Check the re-corpses for valuables:
Check to see what tunnel they came out of/where they came from:
Sadly the zombies all appear to have been dwarves at one point. Looking at the tracks Dolgrin is certain they came down the tunnel from the lower Halls. The first zombie killed had a large rucksack slung over its shoulder, it was probably a dwarf trying to flee the halls with some food and or valuables in the sack when it died and was then brought back as a zombie. You don't see anything else on any of the zombies except rotting clothing.
By at peace my friends...I'll do my best to restore our home. If time permits bury/cairn them. Nothing left in the rucksack/sack? Is it useable/keepable?
Char can you do anything to make sure they are not reanimated?
Finish the rest and then start tracking down the correct Ben trail.
Dol opens the sack and looks through the contents. There are 5 days worth of dwarven military rations, thieves tools, flint & steel, 2 candles, blanket, and a leather pouch with 50 platinum pieces.
Char: "I suspect if we burned the corpses or cut off the heads then they wouldn't be able to reanimate."
Gather up the gear into my pack. BTW, I've been keeping track of the rations (adding to it) but have assumed that survival rolls were enough to keep us fed day-to-day.
~with a grim look on his face~Sorry friends, but having to kill you again once was more than enough for my tastes.~uses his axe to behead the corpses prior to burial/cairning.
Ready to track down Ben and deal with that impending hot mess...
Dolgrin picks up the faint trail and you head down the 4th passage to the right which slopes steadily downward. The passage varies a bit in width but is generally 10-15 feet wide. The party walks in a triangular formation Dol up front and Maq and Char behind.
Char:
Maq perception check.
Char spots a narrow side passage and when Dol checks it over it looks as if Ben's tracks head that way. Dol also notices a few rat tracks and several sets of humanoid tracks near the entrance. An inhabited cave complex ahead?
The way is narrow, so we will probably have to proceed in file formation for a while. I'll be in front, then Char, then Maqej. Sound fair? Watch our backs Maqej; things could drop in the pot quite easily and a clear get away is one of the best gifts you can give us. If either of you can think of anything else we should do before proceeding, now's the time.
Wait for an answer and then start down the side passage actively looking for secret doors and traps.
I'm going to assume we finished resting for the night.
I'll cast mage armor and make sure I keep an eye out behind us.
(This is the same day you fought the zombies, you had your full complement of spells when you started that fight, but you did cast mage armor and use an elemental ray during the fight)
You move about 200 feet down the passage, after the first 100, you notice the tunnel looks less natural and more like worked stone. The normal dirt, debris and roughness of the caverns is gone and you are walking on flat smooth stone. At this point there are no longer any tracks that Dolgrin can follow. Up ahead about 60 feet the passage forks so you will have to choose left or right, at the fork there is a dimly lit torch set in a wall sconce.
Advance (looking for traps and SD using my amazing dwarven senses finely tuned for things made of stone) up to the split and peer down each passage as far as I can. Continuing to look for any sign of tracks of anything, especially Ben. Take and extinguish the torch.
There are torches in sconces down each hall about 60 ft, look like the tunnels open up just past the torches, could be wider tunnels or rooms, hard to tell from this distance and angle.
From down the left hall, voices in common:
"Porch light went out, damn torch. Light a new one and put it up."
"Wanna new torch, why don't you do it?"
"Cause i'm in charge ya'idiot. Take Groff with you, lotta strange folk wandering the caverns these days."
A large four legged beast starts down the hall, looks kind of like a cross between a giant dog and a bear, the beast is obscuring a humanoid figure trailing behind with a torch.
Wait and see what misfortune comes down the tunnel...
Put the torch back.
Whisper to Char and Maqej Shit, company. Let's fall back and see what in the name of Stone is coming our way.
Fall back the way we came, keeping an eye out for a flanking position.
The party moves back down the passage as quietly as they can until they are about 75 feet back from the intersection. You will be well outside the torchlight at this distance, the torch lights 20 feet reasonably well, and dimly lights out to 40 feet.
The bear-dog beast comes down the passage first followed by the humanoid. The flickering light of the torch reveals that the beast is covered in long dark fur, you can't even seen any eyes through the fur, just a protruding snout with a large set of jaws that you imagine contain some formidable teeth. You also notice some good sized claws on its front feet. The humanoid looks more or less human, though he is a bit on the small side, maybe 150 pounds and 5'6" at most, his eyes seem larger than normal and his skin is very pale but at least the skin could be explained by an extended stay underground. He is wearing breastplate and holds a torch in the same hand as a shield. Looks like he has a sword on one hip and a dagger on the other.
As they arrive at the intersection the man stops to replace the torch that Dolgrin put out and with the lit one he was carrying. The beast continues about 5 feet past the intersection its muzzle low to the ground, the hackles begin to rise on its neck and back, then it gives a low growl.
The man looks at the dog: "Watcha smell Groff?"
Then he squints down the passage in your direction: "Halloo, anyone there?"
~thinking to himself 'Well this would be a great moment to have been more faithful to my prayers and chosen the way of the Paladin...'~
To Char/Maqej I'm going to chance it stay back, stay quiet, and get ready for....well, for anything.
To Humanoid/Groff walking forward slowly hands empty and extended, Hail stranger and friendly Groff. I am a humble Dwarf from the former Halls seeking a companion of mine that came this way. His name is...Ben.
Get within distance that they can see me but I can get my weapons out before they are all up on me and then wait for their response.
untrained
The man quickly turns his head and yells over his shoulder:
"Hey Kiff, we gotta a humble-dwarf up here! Bet you never seen one of them before, looks kinda like the regular kind only uglier!"
He then speaks to the beast:
"Good boy Groff."
The beast continues to growl and you can now see some nasty looking teeth, but it does sit down.
To Dolgrin:
"Stop right there humble-dwarf, Groff ain't too keen on strangers. Never heard of no Ben, your the first humble-dwarf I seen, ain't seen no normal dwarfs in a while neither."
The man continues to stand where he is, slightly behind and to the right of the beast. His shield is held a bit higher but his weapons remain on his hips.
As he talks another man approaches, similar looking and similarly outfitted. He comes to stand at the side of the first man:
"Keff you idiot, that's just a dwarf, but you're right about the ugly part looks like someone used his face as a battering ram."
"My brother's not the brightest torch, what do you want dwarf? We've got supplies if you've got gold."
Tries to laugh in a self-depricating way, No Kiff, your brother definitely had the ugly part right. I've got a face only a mother would love, and a blind mother at that.
Hands still extended as non-threateningly as possible, Now don't get all panicky, but if we are going to trade I'd like to be as plain as possible. I have two companions behind me and I'd prefer them not to become Groff's next snack if that's OK with the two of you. Char, Maqej come into the light where these two fellows can see you clear.
Assuming they don't loose Groff-death all over us: You spoke of trading. I have some goods and coin that I'd be happy to part with for the right exchange. What I'd really like to exchange though is knowledge. Let's start with something simple, eh? What in the name of Hard Steel is Groff? I've been all over the deep for many years and never seen a creature like it.
I come forward with caution. "Hail brothers Kiff and Keff. My name is Maqej."
Char comes forward with Maq.
Kiff: "A flame man and a goblinoid, that's a pair of mighty strange companions for a dwarf, sure you don't got one of them uni-corns back thar too?"
Kiff pats the beast on the head.
"Groff? He's your run of the mill brog, just a pup, ain't ya boy?"
As Kiff mentions the word brog, it seems to stir a distant memory in Dol's head, did he remember hearing that word as part of some legend one of the oldtimers told by fire when he was a young dwarf lad?
Kiff: "Not sure you got any knowledge I be wanting dwarf, you ain't even told us yer name."
Keff: "He ain't, that's the truth."
Kiff: "Least your flame man told us his name. If you want any more knowledge you best be willin' to be payin' with coin."
Fairly said Kiff, my apologies. I am Dolgrin Ironstrike Dark Warden for the Halls, and yes we are an odd menagerie of companions but these are unusual times to say the least. I have coin and goods. What do you offer in trade?
Strain my brain for more 'brog' info
Nothing comes to mind concerning brogs.
Kiff: "Seems I met an Ironstrike once, long time ago...hmmm, maybe, name sounds familiar anyways. Thought you were keen on getting some knowledge."
~his sense of diplomacy now exhausted given that he doesn't think he is going to be murdered for the moment~ Bristling-I'm keen on both. Do you have goods or don't you? I don't know if I want the goods if I don't know what they are, now do I? Maybe your goods are better for me than information, assuming you know anything and assuming that what you tell me is true.
Stares at Kiff flatly.
Kiff stares back: "Be gone dwarf, and take yer friends with ya."
He bangs his shield loudly against the passage wall twice but does not draw a weapon. You realize that the shield banging is either some sort of signal to alert others of potential trouble or he's bluffing about it. Groff immediately stands his hackles rising again. Keff fidgets nervously and glances over his shoulder back down the tunnel.
I hope the dire rats feast on your bones you fool. May Stone crack under your foot and over your head until Dark claims you.
Slowly back away down the tunnel we came in.
-dang it, i'm not sure what my sense motive skill is. on my other computer. boo-
As we walk away from the torch-lit halls, Sorry friends. That's not the first time I have been ill served by my tongue. It just chisels my stones to hear some torch-needing yokel talk to me like that. If my folk were still in possession of the Halls, I'd come back here with a squad of warriors and wipe their stain from the Stone.
Sighs and shakes his head in frustration, Now what?
-I'll give it a shot, just won't have access to nonlisted skills til I get home-
"Ah, come on Dol"
"Hold good Kiff. I apologize for my friends gruff exterior. He's lost so much and is still a bit raw. We have coin and some masterwork weapons/armor to trade. We would also like to share information. Basically, the experiences we've had...deadly wererats of power and zombie death...we're looking for a lost friend, a small boy captured by the rats...and we'd like to know what you've come across. We've got to help each other to survive in this age."
-give it in my best excited rush of youth voice-
As Maq talks several more men and an even larger brog fill the tunnel behind Kiff and Keff.
Kiff: "Your tongue is sweeter than your dwarf friend's flame man. So I will tell you true, we ain't seen no wererats. Ain't seen no direrats neither exceptin' with Deadeye when he came through a couple days ago, and that was just the one, and it ain't no wild rat, its his pet. Rats don't capture no people they eat'em, sorry bout your boy but he must've been ate."
"That's all I got to say to you flame man, and don't bother comin' back lessen your dwarf friend learns hisself some manners."
Well thank you for talking to me. He'll calm down. He's real nice once you get to know him. We'll trade information and coin in the future. I just know it! Bye doggie!
-I'll give it a shot, just won't have access to nonlisted skills til I get home-
"Ah, come on Dol"
"Hold good Kiff. I apologize for my friends gruff exterior. He's lost so much and is still a bit raw. We have coin and some masterwork weapons/armor to trade. We would also like to share information. Basically, the experiences we've had...deadly wererats of power and zombie death...we're looking for a lost friend, a small boy captured by the rats...and we'd like to know what you've come across. We've got to help each other to survive in this age."
-give it in my best excited rush of youth voice-
great post by the way, you got some good info out of Kiff as a result
The party moves back out into the main cavern as Kiff and the others watch them leave.
Once the party reaches the cavern Char looks at Dol and Maq:
"Dol, you really need to control your mouth better. If it helps go ahead and think it in your head, but don't let it past your lips. Maybe in the future we should let Maq do most of the talking when we encounter strangers that aren't used to your, ummm, manner of speaking. What now? Kiff said they had seen no boy, no wererats and only a single direrat that was someone's pet."
Dolgrin's face contorts into a furty and for a second it looks like he will launch off into one of his typical acidic tirades. Then he takes a deep breath, lets it out, and his face relaxes. Yes Char you are right. The less I talk the better we'll do. My temperment is made for slaying not for speeches.
Dolgrin shakes himself, Well maybe we can send Maqej back later to sweet talk them once things cool down. Should we look for this Deadeye fellow? Char are you sure that the signs indicated Ben was up that hallway? Cunt mouth said he hadn't been by and I don't know why he would lie about that. Tongs I need to kill something...
Char was the one that spotted the side passage, Dolgrin saw tracks consistent with Ben that lead towards that passage. Dol also noticed a few rat tracks and many other humanoid tracks near the entrance to the side passage. Once you entered the side passage it got rocky pretty quick so no way to tell by tracking if Ben actually went down the passage.
Char: "Could be someone other than Kiff was on guard and saw Ben, but I doubt visitors are common, and a surface boy would certainly stand out so Kiff should have at least heard about it if anyone there saw Ben. I say we keep on following the main cavern looking for signs of Ben and we can also keep an eye out for this Deadeye fellow and his rat, maybe he knows something useful. If we find him, mind your tongue Dolgrin. What do you think Maq?"
I say we do it. This is kinda exciting huh!?!
With a surly tone, Not sure 'exciting' is the word I would use. Let's go look for tracks.
As the party continues down the cavern for a few miles Dol finds humanoid tracks but nothing consistent with a boy of Ben's size. Then the party spots another side passage and Dol finds what looks like a couple of Ben's tracks coming out of the side passage and continuing down the main cavern. There are also rat and humanoid tracks in this area. The tracks are at least a day or two old. You would all infer that this side passage leads back to the settlement of Kiff.
You press on for a couple more hours without event and then it is time to set up camp for the evening.
Each of you give me a perception roll for your watch. Dolgrin give me details on armor for the night, sleep in medium and get fatigued, change to light armor, or no armor.
Armor on for watch, off for sleeping (always unless otherwise noted).
What the heck...here it is again