Demian creeps around the room reaching the door with nothing happening.
Demian looks over the door and then (if it is safe) tries to open it carefully and quietly.
"Morthos," Demian says with an amused smile on his face, "seeing that look on your face made it quite necessary"
Raising an eyebrow, Morthos refrains from responding and simply follows after the elf.
Barnabas is happy to skirt around the edge of the room and avoid the mushrooms, and follows in the wake of the others.
Following around the edge and avoiding the glowing purple mushroom seems to be safe as everyone arrives at the door without harm.
You notice Timeon isn't with you. Those with darkvision can see him still at the entrance staring at the mushroom, unable to see anything else.
The door you have come to open to another hallway which leads to another wooden door with another inscription above it.
Beware the fallen for they may rise once more to threaten you
After reading the inscription, "We may yet have to deal with the dead. Shall we?" Morthos proceeds to open the door and look within.
Demian looks back at Timeon and sighs, "I'll get Timeon.."
"Hey buddy, to your right is a wall. Go to that wall and the follow it to your left, staying touching the wall. Take your time. Go slowly and carefully."
Looking back, "Timeon? I just assumed he died. Hm. Pity." Morthos turns his attention back toward the room, returning to the task at hand.
Eowithe joins the others, looking at the new inscription, nodding at Morthos' observation.
She looks up as the conversation turn to the boy's predicament, "Oh, the boy has a name? Why isn't he dead? A plaything for you , perhaps?" she asks Demian.
Demian looks up and to the side for a moment before responding. "Not a plaything, no. He still has the potential to be useful, as well as not yet becoming an obstacle." He shrugs, "Waste not."
Timeon's head jerks around, trying to find the voice whispering to him. Eventually he grabs the vine-covered wall and slowly catches up to you.
Meanwhile the door to the next room is opened by Morthos.
This square stone chamber is lit by a small oil lantern that hangs from the center ceiling. It has eight battered wooden coffins that are encrusted with salt brine, barnacles and dried sea weed. The floor also has patches of water and sand, as if the coffins are not long dragged out of the ocean. A wooden door ahead is barred with a simple wooden bar.
Demian moves forward see the new room.
"Ya know," Demian whispers, "I didn't see any corpses in the last room. I wonder if those mushrooms would have shrieked and woken up these dudes? Maybe we can sneak through this room? I mean, they seem to qualify as likely to have drowned."
"Best be on our guard then. Be quick and quiet."
Barnabas starts heading towards the barred door.
Morthos follows along after the others, keeping a careful eye on the coffins as they move past.
Demian stays behind carefully watching the coffins.
If you are listening out, you hear some rumbling or scratching or something coming from several of the battered coffins.
Lids get pushed off and 3 drowned sailors stand up, holding rusted greataxes. Two of them seem to just stand still in their coffins. A third has angry red eyes and scowls at the intruders. A loud groul seems to prompt the others into action and they point weapons at you.
This barnacle-encrusted walking corpse looks like a zombie, but is dripping with water and gives off a nauseating stench. It is a Draugr! Look out for its nauseating attacks.
A Draugr Captain is more dangerous, having much more experience at sea and retaining some of the class skills it once had in life.
"Timeon! An enemy has arisen to your right! Vanquish it!"
Looking around at the three undead with his typically calm demeanor, "Interesting. It appears you were right, Demian. They now 'rise once more to threaten' us. So be it." Morthos concentrates upon the one with red eyes before slowly turning his focus on the other two, his own eyes gleaming a deep red as he does.
Eowithe nods, "Indeed, they are called Draugr...beware their touch, it may make you nauseated..."
She turns to face off against the red-eyed creature...
"Eowithe is right. Draugers, nasty undead beasts. The captain there is more powerful," Sophia said, already covering her nose in preparation of the stench.
She casually waves her hand towards the drauger in the bottom left of the room, casting Magic Missile.
After directing Timeon, Demian's eyes begin glowing a faint purple.
Barnabas steps up to the captain and starts swinging:
The cowardly Timeon does not move to attack.
The captain and the other nearest Morthos fall under his control.
The rest of you attack the 3rd. It attacks back with its greataxe.
1 more stands up from another coffin with greataxe in hand.
Noticing two of them seem to have succumbed to his innate gift, "Excellent. Now, you two, attack that one," he instructs his newest followers, motioning them toward the latest risen zombie.
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The magical energies summoned by Demian's willpower swirl around the platinum haired elf. He looks around at the state of things on the field of battle and releases the magic upon the lone undead.
The controlled Draugr shamble towards their target. Shackles around their feet slow them. The captain is in range to attack.
Moments later it is put to sleep. It might look peaceful if it wasn't so rotted already.
If any other zombies are still a threat, Barnabas moves to attack:
The Draugr left that isn't asleep strikes back at Eowithe.
Another rumble and another Draugr stands up from its salty coffin just south of Morthos.
Eowithe winces as the Draugr's blow connects, but steels her resolve and counter-attacks!
"Timeon! Would you go over and help out!?" Demian chastised Timeon.
Eowithe starts to feel her gorge rising, coughing she tries to push down the sudden feeling of nausea...
She spits to the side and clears her throat, confident that the worst had passed.
Seeing another Draugr rise, Morthos rolls his eyes in frustration before making his way next to Eowithe, and striking at the undead creature, hoping to take it down.
Timeon just stands there frozen in fear at seeing the dead come back to life.
Eowithe destroys the Draugr, leaving 1 uncontrolled standing.
Morthos and Barnabus head to it and attack.
The draugr under Morthos' control continue to attack their target, waking it from its sleep. As it stands up, they destroy it.
As one is destroyed, another wakes in the north-west corner of the room, standing from its coffin with greataxe in hand.
"I think it's safe to assume that all of these will have an undead in them," Sophia says, throwing an Acid Splash towards the new one that just rose.
Morthos looks back at the newest one and cuts his focus to his recently acquired 'followers'. "You two! Kill that one!" he commands, motioning toward the latest undead to rise.
He returns his attention to the undead in front of him, "Agreed, Lady Sophia," takes a step to set up flanking for Barnabas, and strikes!
Demian, coming to the same conclusion, gathers his will once more.
Morthos and Barnabus destroy their target draugr.
Eowithe moves across the room with the minions of Morthos and the other draugr is destroyed.
The last 2 coffins' lids are pushed off and two more Draugr stand up.
"You two! Attack that one!" he commands, pointing in the direction of the newly risen undead, having them return to the area they just left.
Morthos then turns his focus upon the one nearest him. "Let us see if I can bring another to our side." His eyes glow a deep red once again as he concentrates to gain control over the Draugr.
Barnabas moves to engage one of the remaining undead.
The magical energies summoned by Demian's willpower swirl around the platinum haired elf. He releases the magic upon the lone undead.
Eowithe hesitates before attacking that last un-controlled draugr, waiting to see if her comrade's magicks are sufficient...
The Draugr in the open is controlled, then falls promptly asleep.
Eowithe's attack finishes it off.
5 Draugr are destroyed and 3 are under the control of Morthos. The sleeping one can be awoken easily if desired. All the 8 coffins have opened and are empty. The Draugr possess old rusty greataxes and rotting sailor's clothes and leather armour vests. The captain has a broken wayfinder(1 empty ioun slot) in one of his moldy coat pockets.
The damp coffins hold nothing but a bit of sand and seawater.
The wooden door is not locked and reveals a final short hallway. The door at the end of this hallway is wooden and reinforced with iron bands. It is locked, but to keep something in instead of keep you out. Hanging beside the door on a peg is a heavy iron key that fits the lock.
“Serve thy master well and be rewarded.”
The last inscription and the last lesson for you here.
"Whelp," Demian starts, "You've got some fodder Morthos. Wanna send them in first?"
Morthos looks to Demian and simply nods before moving over to the sleeping undead and giving it a kick awake. "Rise, fool. I've use for you and the others." Morthos moves to the door and removes the key hanging from the peg before turning his attention toward his minions. "You three, keep your axes ready and stand by the door while I open it."
When the zombies make it to the door, Morthos unlocks it and slowly opens it, the creaking echoing loudly within the hallway.
"Everyone, be prepared," Sophia warned, her usual airy tone heavy at what looked to be the end of the road. "And Timeon, be brave, because no matter what is beyond that door, I'll need to lean on you, okay?"
"I am always prepared..." Eowithe responds to Sophia's advice drily, giving the boy Timeon a sideways glance, then moving forward behind the zombies, alert for whatever may present itself.
When the undead are dominated bu Morthos Timeon seems extra terrified. "You're a necromancer! I won't help you!"