Nesserin finds the strength to free himself from the creatures grip. He drops to the ground trying to catch his breath even while his companions do their best to destroy the creature.
Herrick pushes forward and slashes at the zombie but the creature catches the blade with one of its claws and pushes the blade aside.
Gilhaut follows up Herrick's attack with two swings of the blade and as he calls upon Ascheillus the blade hacks deeply into the zombie causing the creature to stumble back. Jak is quick to find an opening and plunges his dagger deeply into the side of the zombie. The blow is enough to cause the creature to drop falling right beside the gasping Nesserin.
Herrick looks down at the creature and shakes his head recognizing that the little clothes on the creature does not match what Cole was dressed in.
Herrick catches his breath leaning against the stone wall of the tomb. "That ... isn't ... Cole ... must ... be ... brother ..."
He then straightens up, sheathes his sword and begins to pick up the undead creature to test how heavy it is.
"Good hit there, priest. Seems your god really came through in a pinch."
Ascheillus protects, he states simply. Now what?
"Should we burn that thing? Do you think it carries anything valuable?" Jak asks unable to sheath his shortsword right away.
Stab it in the heart and then cut its head off with the magic dagger I'm thinking... couldn't hurt at any rate. We really need to find a safe spot to hole up chaps. We're on last legs here. Back at that crypt would seem perfect.
Herrick looks at Gilhaut confused. "Didn't you hear what I said? This must be Cole's brother, the target of our mission. I say we haul his old bones back upstairs and end ourselves a curse!"
"Right. Let us carry his bones away as instructed," After retrieving his thrown dagger, Malthus attempts to lift the corpse, though he isn't very strong.
Herrick looks at Gilhaut confused. "Didn't you hear what I said? This must be Cole's brother, the target of our mission. I say we haul his old bones back upstairs and end ourselves a curse!"
Herrick, Herrick , Herrick, old chap, Gilhaut says as if speaking to someone who doesn't quite understand, his self assurance masking his own stupidity, in the same way that idiots just assume they are always right. We can STILL take the errr... body back. Just after we undead proof it you understand. Besides if Cole turns, you know, "Zombie-ish" too, we want to be fresh.
Herrick shakes his head at Gilhaut. "I agree that we need a rest, but why not take a rest upstairs where we can check on Cole? He was looking to be on his last legs when we left him and I'm worried that a bear or something might take a liking to him and consider him its next meal!"
He then looks down at the undead corpse. "I mean, sure if you want to hack its head off first, go ahead, but let's be quick about it and retreat back the way we came."
Initiative
Nesserin slowly stands up as his breath returns his hand rubs against his neck amazed at the strength of the creature's grip. As the rest of the group begin to decide on their next action Malthus retrieves his dagger and moves to the corpse. Jawn looks at the zombie unsure what to make of this zombie. There is something odd about it.
Malthus reaches out to attempt to heft the corpse when you all watch as the zombie springs up! The sight of the zombie rising up again sends a wave of panic through all of you and you watch as it's eyes this time fall upon Malthus!
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,
just as Nesserin starts to recover he is assailed by some malevolent intent.
Malthus steels his mind against the reawakened zombie. "It lives! But it shall not scare me!"
Fear grips Herrick and Nesserin causing doubt to cloud their mind. They watch as the rest of their companions race to engage the undead creature again. Clearly this was no regular zombie. Would they have the mettle to defeat it or would it continue to raise again and again...
Watching Herrick and Nesserin stand there unsure what to do you all feel the wave of fear fade away. This creature was evil and the way it glared with malevolence at Malthus you knew it had only one purpose: To Kill You All.
Herrick has faced fear in battle many times before. There has never been a battle in which he hasn't felt fear, after all, he's not a psychopath. This fear is different, if feels more visceral, and has a death grip on his reptilian brain stem that won't let go.
Luckily his training kicks in as he draws his sword and drops into a defensive stance with his shield help up in front of him. He slashes at the undead creature, but he does so out of pure rote muscle memory; there is little effort or coherent thought behind it.
"We should have burnt it!" Jak screams and stabs at their zombie employer again.
"Indeed, friend Jak, I will not make that mistake again." Malthus lunges on one knee and swings his rapier, not taking his eyes off the zombie.
Forget the Rapier Malthus, use that damned dagger!!!, the priest yells, red in the face and entirely too stupid to be scarred.
Nesserin raises his shield and swings blindly.
Herrick hacks the creature opening up a gash across its chest while Jak stabs the creature in the lower torso. Malthus whips out his rapier in an effort to defend and strikes with all his bravado. The rapier sinks into the creature's outstretched arm. Each attack you see barely seeming to do any damage to the re-risen creature.
Nesserin watches the creature close in on Malthus and tries his best to fend off its advance, but he second guesses his attack and misses the opportunity.
Jawn quickly sends a volley of magic missiles each one slamming into the creature.
The creature slams its claw around Malthus' throat immediately knocking out the bard immediately. To your surprise you watch on as the creature does not cease to let go Malthus throat. The portly man dangles before you as watch his life slipping away.
Back to the Hells with you, foul creature! May Ascheillus cast you into the pit!, Gilhaut roars, slashing out with his blade, moving to flank the foe.
for
His swing goes wide as the monster pushes Malthus towards the priest, and he avoids hitting his ally.
Get that thrice damned dagger to Jak!, Gilhaut shouts.
"Jawn! Magic me that dagger!" Jak holds out his hand out.
Assuming Jawn uses Mage Hand to get Jak the dagger, he tries to stab the Z-Cole.
Then, he tries to stab it with his steely shortsword, too.
Nesserin curses his inability to protect his companions. He attempts to swallow his fear as he launches his next attack.
Jak stabs the creature with the magical dagger and you all watch as it sinks deeply into the creature's chest. Stabbing in succession with his short sword it meets some resistance but it does cause the creature turn it hideous face to meet Jak's eyes. All the while it still squeezes the life out of Malthus.
Nesserin finds his confidence and swings his blade trying to hack off the arm holding Malthus. The blade cuts into the creature's arm but it does nothing to end the strangle hold on Malthus.
Still in the grip of fear, Herrick hacks mercilessly at the creature, trying to loosen its death grip on the bard.
Jawn attempts to fire a ray of frost at the creature but it misses. Herrick tries to hack at the outstretched arm but the creature catches the blade with its other claw and pushes it away.
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Malthus dreams of another lifetime in which he's a dashingly handsome, muscular sort.
You watch the unconscious Malthus jerk about wildly as the creature continues crushing Malthus' windpipe.
That's the way Youngster!, Gilhaut cries approvingly as the dagger sinks deep. If it wants the bloody dagger, then we'll feed it to the blighter - point first!
He follows up on his words with a thrust of his own that sinks into dead flesh but the thrust is a weak one...
Gilhaut's sword sinks in but seems to do very little. You watch the creature continue to strangle the little life out of the bard.
"DIE! DIE! I mean... What does a zombie do?" Jak screams then questions philosophically.
Jak tries to stab the Z-Cole but misses in his query.
Then, he follows it with his steely shortsword, which barely nicks the undead.
Herrick continues hacking at the creature with his sword, fear still coursing through him.
Malthus clings to life like he clings to his mother's homemade chicken tenders.
Just like the rest of the party Nesserin continues the assault the relentless creature "Begone spawn of darkness!"
Jak hits again with the short sword but it is clear the blade does little if any damage to the creature. Jawn sends a ray at the creature but with so many attacking the creature his aim just misses the creature.
Malthus continues to fight for his life flailing about even in his unconscious state. Nesserin cuts down on the creature with all the power he can will forth. The blade severs the creature's arm right at the elbow and you watch as Malthus falls to the ground at the same time as the creature drops once again.
When the creature drops again, Jak sheathes his shortsword and falls on his knees. Then, he starts to hack away trying separate the head of the creature from its body with the dagger. "These thing's head is coming off. We should probably burn it. Does anyone have salt? I've heard you're supposed to salt the ashes, too."