Mindartis tries to nudge the door a bit, but he's unable to aid. Meadow pokes the door ever so slightly and it groans against its hinges before she stops to see if the guards heard that.
Toro and Khala end their argument and turn in the direction of the door. Khala nods at Toro and begins moving west, hands on the hilt of her longsword when the ever graceful Hopper emerges from around the bend. "Hey, you making noise back there?"
Hopper turns towards her atop his wolf and for a moment she is lost within his gaze. "Er... sorry... my friend and I... just heard you." Khala returns to her post and looks at Toro. "You heard the man. They're inspecting the shipment."
Toro nods and opens the doors. "Right. This way. We'll stay outside. If you need to bring a cart the western entrance is easier to access - it's a bit loud, though."
Jikl and Hopper (with Wolfie) stride into the warehouse and close the doors behind them. They head to the western door and open it for the other Trading Merchants.
The only other attendants in the room are seven zombies, who shuffle along in a predictable pattern. One zombie opens a crate, another one loads the crate and a third seals it. Armbands help you keep track of Workers 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10. Unless you interrupt them, they stay out of your way.
Pinned to the wall is the inventory and records sheet. Black ink marks the sheet indicating what was here and what is gone.
Each of you may choose one way to investigate the warehouse:
- Mercantile Lore to inspect the zombies' behavior and standard warehouse procedures.
- Society or Scribing Lore to inspect the inventory sheet
- Perception to visually inspect the floor and walls.
Fumbus toddles over to a nearby table and has a look at the inventory sheet.
The record sheet is false, there are too many clerical errors within. Could it be the pro-Nex insurgents Toro mentioned?
Fumbus isn't sure if there are any errors at all. Maybe the other teammates can ship in and give their opinion.
Silence hoots softly.
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Meadow glares at the owl.
"I did not mess that up. I just didn't have any grease to stop the squeaky hinges. Don't get all superior on me. You couldn't have done any better. You don't even have thumbs. How would you open the door?"
The argument goes on for some time. Meadow is too distracted to notice anything out of the ordinary.
Fumbus glances curiously at the pair, a bemused expression on his face. "Must be intresting to have an animal to talks to," he mutters to himself.
Mindartis isn't able to find many clues, but Delorn is able to rule out any Nexian interference. Interrupting shipments like this isn't their style.
Seems like you figured out all of the clues you could in this warehouse. Where to next?
Fumbus looks at the owl and tries to make friends with it. "Are yous friendly-like?"
The front door stands ajar as you approach. A lifeless body shuffles past you through the door, Moving just enough to get around you. You notice its armband labeled Worker 2.
Inside you see three zombies in total, moving crates and food around. Workers 2, 5, 7 mill about, carrying crates around the factory floor.
Fumbus nonchalantly enters the warehouse and looks around. He pays little heed to the other goblins around him. He looks curiously at the undead around him, as if, it's his first time to see zombies performing tasks other than shuffling around bashing people.
Fumbus looks at the owl and tries to make friends with it. "Are yous friendly-like?"
Silence ignores the goblin and begins to preen his feathers.
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Meadow frowns at the owl and turns to the alchemist.
"Sorry about that Fumbus. He takes awhile to get used to new people. Here, try giving him one of these." She pulls a small piece of dried meat from a pouch and hands it to the goblin. "He's always thinking with his stomach and he loves this tien barbeque. Get his attention and toss the meat up in the air."
You look around and find only the three zombies around the factory, moving creates around.
Meadow takes a closer look while Silence plays hard to get with Fumbus.
On closer inspection, she notices these aren't zombies-the flesh is stitched together from multiple creatures.
She begins to notice their routine- they grab a crate, move it around, lift it up, then another one grabs it, and moves around a bit more. In fact, she notices they don't really do much more than pass a single box around.
Delorn and his snake take a look.
By now, everyone sees the zombies are passing the same box around the warehouse room.
Fumbus takes the piece of jerky and waves it at Silence. After getting the owl's attention he tosses it into the air.
"Hmmm..." he muses, after understanding what Delorn has shared with the party, "Why zombies playing pass the box all day?"
As instructed, the zombies pause. Worker 5 carefully lowers the box and steps aside to let Meadow inspect the crate. Worker 2 finishes climbing atop a 15 foot stack of crates just as Worker 7 returns from cleaning up some debris from the back. They all come still and stare at Meadow.
As she opens the crate she sees three arms inside, still wriggling around. Each arm has an armband: Worker 2, Worker 5, Worker 7. Wait a minute-
The zombies begin groaning in unison as they activate again, this time groaning loudly and kicking aside crates and fruit as they lunge towards all of you. Seems like you found their little secret, and you'll take it to the grave.
Seems like the zombies were ready to lunge as soon as possible.
The red tinted zombie begins climbing down the box wall.
Meadow is in the range of two zombies, and she is under assault from 4 swings.
Jikl knows electricity will heal it and let it grab people with electric tendrils.
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"Now is not the time to rise up against your oppressors! Which is also not us!"
◇ Cast Lingering Composition
◆ Cast Inspire Courage
Allies get a +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects for 4 rounds.
◆◆ Cast Soothe
Meadow regains HP and gets a +2 status bonus to saves against mental effects for 1 minute.
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As instructed, the zombies pause. Worker 5 carefully lowers the box and steps aside to let Meadow inspect the crate. Worker 2 finishes climbing atop a 15 foot stack of crates just as Worker 7 returns from cleaning up some debris from the back. They all come still and stare at Meadow.
"What's that? You want me to look in the box? Well okay." She looks at the zombies nervously. "Why are you all staring at me? Cut it out."
As she opens the crate she sees three arms inside, still wriggling around. Each arm has an armband: Worker 2, Worker 5, Worker 7. Wait a minute-
The zombies begin groaning in unison as they activate again, this time groaning loudly and kicking aside crates and fruit as they lunge towards all of you. Seems like you found their little secret, and you'll take it to the grave.
"Ewwww...the crate is filled with arms, and they're still moving." She leans into the box for a closer look. "Hmm...They have armbands with numbers on them. Let's see...there's a 2 and a 5 and...hey stop hitting me! Ow! Ow!"
"Lesee how theys like fire!" Fumbus says as he draws a vial from a bandolier and hurls it at
+2 splash +2 persistent
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"Meadow! Meadow, are you ok?"
Hopper looks iritated by the flesh zombie that punched him "Ouch! I guess I am It now, so let me tag you!"
He pulls out a flask of red liquid and tries to smack it at the head of zombie
Then Hopper urges Wolfie to run past the enemy.
Wolfie runs past the zombie, and gets to the other side of the crates. Wolfie begins to growl at the Zombies. There Hopper grabs another fire bomb and throws it at the two enemies.
Jikl calls out to his allies, especially Meadow. She lashes out at the workers before his words can calm her down.
Hopper's first bomb hits Worker 2 Red dead on, bursting into flames. He and Wolfie scoot around the zombie easily and toss a second bomb at the two clustered zombies. He misses but the bomb explodes in their vicinity.
Fumbus feels lucky, but luck wants nothing to do with it.
Mindartis's arrow flies high but Mialee tears the zombie down. The flaming remains flail wildly before coming to a stop.
Zambos (Yellow 2 with 3 Persistent Fire?, Black 2 with 3 Persistent Fire?)
Hopper (12 damage)
Fumbus (2 actions left)
Jikl (Inspire Courage 0/4 rounds)
Delorn
Meadow (8 damage)
Mindartis
Fumbus will attempt to climb onto the crates to get at the other 2 golems...
... but fails to make it onto the crates. Growling a curse under his breath, he runs around the stack, ending up underneath Silence.
Delorn's flame swirls into the golem, burning it but not as much as he hoped. Fumbus continues running across the factory floor.
Delorn and Hopper soon finds themselves face to face with two deadites. They step forward and start swinging.
Worker 5 nearly smashes Hopper off in one blow, while Worker 7 resorts to a mean shove against the crates.
Zambos (Yellow 2, Black 7)
Hopper (23 damage)
Fumbus
Jikl (Inspire Courage 1/4 rounds)
Delorn (7 damage)
Meadow (8 damage)
Mindartis
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"If you wanted us to vacate the premisess, you could have just said so!"
Jiki moves to where he can see the fight better and patches up another ally.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Cast Soothe
Hopper regains HP and gets a +2 status bonus to saves against mental effects for 1 minute.