Coldwater's Abomination Vaults

Game Master Quentin Coldwater

Kka nods in agreement with the gnome. "I agree Giyozara. Let's see if Lough caan work his magic on Graulgust before we're forced to cut them all down like the evil depraaved brutes deserve." Her mind flashes back to the sight of her friend Tanji's bloodied corpse splayed out on the morlock's makeshift altar to their ghost queen. She feels her anger building again.

Kvit whispers as they move down the narrow tunnel. "And be careful, they've most likely brought in reinforcements or something if they plan on trying to take us on."

Kvit follows closely behind ready to translate and attack if when things turn ugly.

"We have this!" Lough displays the head of the drake "I think our standing with King Graulgust will be improved"

I'm going to have Cherry move their Light spell onto the Healing Wand. This way Cherry can more easily 'turn it off' without difficulty and allows the wand to be ready at hand.

Good ideas about the Light spells. :)

You squeeze back into the narrow tunnel, turn off your lights, and enter the "throne room" once more. Lough throws the severed drake's head at Graugust's feet, and though you can't see it, Graulgust turns even more pale.

"Wha, already? I did not expect you to be so... expeditive. Though of course, you all are in awe of my mighty powers, no? Only natural to obey your master's commands to the best of your abilities. Well then, I think you've earned a promotion! You shall now be the Emissaries of King Graulgust! Go to the next floor down and vanquish the ghouls that resisted the call of the Ghost Queen and decimated our ranks! They shall pay for not listening to Her Etherealness!"

Someone can make either a Diplomacy check or an Intimidation check to see if you can squeeze some more out of the King.

”Excuse me oh great king, whose reign shall surely extend for a thousand years or more under the benevolence of the Ghost Queen. Mayhap you could tell us more of these Ghouls, and how it is they could resist the neigh unstoppable combined might of your eminence and her radiant etherialness. The more we know about these vile traitors to the cause, the more likely we are to succeed.”

Suck up Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

"We accept your title. Emissary Giyozara speaks for our group. As does Emissary Kka. And if I were you, I would listen to Emissary Giyozara, known for his great compassion and wisdom. On the other hand, Emissary Kka - who felled the beast with a single twinstroke! - is known for her cunning and ruthlessness, and as an equal Emissary amongst my group, I strongly advise you to deal with Emissary Giyozara, as it will work out to the best of all"

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

In common, Kvit will let's the others know. "I can practically smell the fear on him. He's probably pretty shaken up about us slaying the drake so soon."

Kka follows Lough into the room and gives the king a good looking over...

Perception (Sense Motive) vs DC 16: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

She can practically smell the fear rolling off Graulgust. It was not enough for her though; she wanted this creature to experience everything he'd put Tanji through before her execution. Kka puts on her game face and sends him the glare that she uses on her most obstreperous customers at the Crook's Nook...

Action: Demoralize with Intimidating Glare vs Graulgust
Intimidation (Demoralize): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 vs Graulgust Will DC

After Lough's little speech, Kka gives a low throaty rolling kaw before adding her kicker. "<Krrrraaaaaww> He's right bub. You do not waant me deciding your faate here. Your only option is to come clean."

Shall we all move our tokens back into the room? I'll start.

Graulgust laughs heartily at Giyozara's flattery. "I like you. I'm glad we didn't eat and/or sacrifice you to our Ghost Queen. you're laying it on a little thick, but I like it. Grazlnek, feed the boy some worms."

You can't see it, but soon several slimy, wriggling things are pressed against Giyozara's face.

Then, Kka fixes Graulgust with a stare that could wither crops. Suddenly, you all recognise the scent of urine coming from Graulgust.

"Er, yes, well, we didn't chat much, but there's a big group of undead librarians that call themselves the Cult of the Canker. When our Ghost Queen called us from the Darklands, we passed through their level, and they immediately started eating some of us! From what we could tell, they're trying to revive someone through foul necromancy. Our Ghost Queen doesn't tolerate that, so we waged a war against them. Many fell, on both sides, but we had to retreat here. And now I task you with avenging the Ghost Queen and slaying these undead abominations!"

”Ah, you have met with her ethereal majesty? Or at least she has touched your mind? Tell us what she was like! Oh please great and powerful king! We, who have never known such beauty, would love to hear her described. How did she talk to you? Did she appear before you? What was she like?”

In common ”Kka, let me butter this guy up before you start making threats. He’s finally giving us some information here! We can do the other thing later. Ghoul Librarians? We didn’t know about that before!”

Kka looks at Giyozara with an innocent look. "Whaat did I saay? It was just a naasty look to soften him up for you. You know... a good guard, bad guard sort of thing."

Graulgust becomes more animated when Giyozara starts talking about the Ghost Queen, and Grazlnek chips in with a few howls of enthusiasm as well.

"The Ghost Queen appeared before us recently! In all her ectoplasmic majesty, she rose before us and said, 'Worms, you are not even worth the dirt beneath my boot. But you can make yourself useful. Prepare the upper levels of my domain for my return. You are all expendable, so I don't care how many of you die in the process, but do know that I will make your life a living hell if you don't obey.' Then, she gave Brachlor a stern look, and he keeled over dead from a heart attack. Oh, the might of our Queen knows no bounds. Like her beauty, mere language fails to properly describe the power she commands. Words need to be invented to describe someone as she."

Back to Common. ”Sounds like we ARE dealing with an actual ghost, or something ghost-like according to the king here. Rose through the floor, made demands, all that. King says she killed one of them with just a glance. There are some spells that can do that but most of them are really complex. Stuff beyond me to be sure, Kvit? Spells that can just leave a man dead with no marks on them? Scare someone to death or just spontaneously make their heart stuff? Pretty high-grade magic, yeah?”

arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

In common, pretending to translate.

"This sounds pretty serious. If these guys are from the Darklands they are a long way from home. How far down does this ruin go?

"As for the ghost, there are several spells and spell-like abilities of ghosts and the like. One that comes to mind, especially with the heart attack story is a Phantasmal Killer."

arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

”Naw, It doesn’t sound like phantasmal killer to me. She might just have some unique spell we haven't heard of before. Who knows. Reasonably sure it wasn’t phantasmal killer though, I think Morlocks are immune to that spell.”

Lol, crit fail!

Luckily it was dark in there so Giyozara couldn't see the death stare Kvit was giving his general direction. "What. You need to stop reading those picture books. We'll talk about it later."

He turns to the others in turn. "What else can we get out of them? I doubt they have any more info unless they can give us a map, or tell us what the green glow is back there."

Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"To be fair, I don't know what it is either. I've got a guess, but it seems unlikely that a spirit of that kind would even bother with minion."

It's been quiet here. What do you want to do/say?

Still in common

”I get the feeling that he’s going to just send us on suicide mission after suicide mission. On the other hand, just, y’know, in cold blood. . . Seems wrong. Like something he would do.” Giyozara says as he tilts his head towards the king.

Kvit tries to get a few more answers before things inevitably go south. "We're going to need you to give us a map so we know what we're getting into down there. And while we're up here, what else is on this floor, like that odd green glow in the northeast.?"

Not sure what else to ask. I don't really want to leave these guys but attacking them suddenly seems morally problematic. Other than those questions I don't know how to resolve this situation. Can we make them come with us as cannon fodder to help us?

"We will go deal with the Cult of the Canker. You will wait here. For as you fear your Ghost Queen with a single look, too you shall know that Kka here has felled a drake with a single stroke. Power is like an ax to a tree. When we return, we can continue to negotiate"

Leaving the head with the morlocks, Lough makes to proceed in the direction indicated. He looks to Kvit "What have you to deal with the undead?"

Kka's lower beak drops in surprise. "Whaaaat the f...rick, Lough? We're just leaving these blood-thirsty murderers alone to go do their dirty work for them? You must be joking. If anything, I thought we were supposed to clear these guys out to give it baack to the mitflits."

She looks at the king a mere 10 feet away from her and wonders what the best way would be to provoke him into a fight.

What is the direction indicated anyway?

King Graulgust smiles as Lough agrees to the task. "Yes, a map would be nice. We haven't explored the entirety due to the war, but I can draw you a map of what we did find."
I'll add that in a separate slide HERE.

"The stairs to the south is where we came to this floor. Connecting there is where we exiled He Who We Do Not Speak Of. North of there is a room filled with mist and tentacles. The big hallway connected to that is the main hallway. South of there is a reading room, and the octagonal room to the northeast is a ruined part of the library. The ghouls were strangely intent on repairing that part of the floor. You're bound to meet several of those undead nerds in those last three rooms. They like their reading, them."

"As for this floor, due to our dwindled numbers we haven't explored everything yet either, but through the hallway to the south is my pet, Screechy. Please don't bother him, he has a nasty temper and does not like visitors. Directly to my south are two guards and a trapped room. If you come from this way, they'll leave you alone. You already came from the north, but to the east are more minions, and further east are some brainiacs building a superweapon for me. We've seen the creepy glowing door as well, but my soldiers aren't brave enough to open that door. I've had them put to death as a punishment, but no one else was brave enough to enter, either. The door to the next level down should be to the northeast of here, I'm surprised you haven't found it yet."
He leaves quite a bit of map undescribed, you get the feeling.

He fiddles with his tattered bathrobe as Lough intimidates him further. "Yes, that's the ferocity I'd like you to show to the undead. Save it for them, and do not waste it on me."

Without bothering to leave earshot of King Graulgust:

"Kka! You are the most hot-headed person I have ever met. Can't just go around killing at will, even if you are good at it, even if those you kill are deserving in some way or another. Where would that end? I know you grieve Taanji, as do I, as do we all. But the time for negotiation has not passed, nor do I anticipate it to so do any time soon. But do not fear, for if and when the time comes, and our hand is forced, I will have you back" he points to the worm-sucking morlock here with a clawed finger - menacing to behold! It's black and silver sheen - and continues "For now, our paths are aligned, and so long as there continues to be mutual benefit, I feel the best way to proceed is to accept this task, and when that is done, touch base again, and see where everything stands"

He looks back for support (or perhaps divergence?) from the rest of the party "What do you all think?" speaking plainly, and prepared to listen.

”I dunno Lough, he’s clearly trying to get rid of us. I think he’s just going to send us on suicide mission after suicide mission, and I don’t think he’s gonna let us have the run of the place in between missions. Plus he doesn’t seem terribly stable. I think maybe the misflits would be kinder to us. But we don’t have to just stab him. If we tell him that we let his prisoners go, he’ll probably attack us. If he doesn’t, he’s not as bad as we thought. If he does, then he’s the kinda guy we need to axe anyway. Y’know, for the safety of Otari.”

”I dunno Lough, he’s clearly trying to get rid of us. I think he’s just going to send us on suicide mission after suicide mission, and I don’t think he’s gonna let us have the run of the place in between missions. Plus he doesn’t seem terribly stable. I think maybe the misflits would be kinder to us. But we don’t have to just stab him. If we tell him that we let his prisoners go, he’ll probably attack us. If he doesn’t, he’s not as bad as we thought. If he does, then he’s the kinda guy we need to axe anyway. Y’know, for the safety of Otari.”

An evil glint could've be seen in Kvit's eye if it wasn't pitch black. Speaking to Giyozara he says "Still got that rock in your pocket? I seem to recall an ultimatum they gave us earlier."

Outvoted, Lough adapts "King Graulgust. Your treatment of us, and others, has angered my friends, whom I am prepared to defend. As of now, I am asking you to leave, and if not, will remove you by force. Prepare for fight or flight!"

And with that: Lough draws his Retribution Axe and heads straight for the morlock leader with suddenly violent intent!

"What? Betrayal from my own emissaries? Worm-feeder, attack them at once!"

Cherry Berry: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Giyozara: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Kka: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Kvit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Lough: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Graulgust: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Morlock: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Screechy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Morlock
Kka
Graulgust
Lough -12
Cherry Berry
Screechy
Kvit
Giyozara

Please move yourselves into the room a little more. I presume all this discussing wasn't done from around the corner. :)

Red Morlock drops his bowl of worms, grabs a nearby club, steps in front of Graulgust, and gives Lough a thwack on the head. I'm not moving the minis until you're all in place, but I think he'll need at least one action to get in front of Lough.

Club attack versus Lough: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Bad news is, Lough got crit. Good news is, his Retribution Axe takes the shape of that exact Morlock.

Kka may act! It's still dark, but you have Darkvision.

Not seeing a way to subtly prompt the morlocks to attack them, Kka sighs and begins to sulk. Under Lough's tongue-lashing she drops her head and mumbles something under her breath, "... not hot-headed... eye for an eye... it's just not fair."

She's barely listening to the conversation going on around her when Lough suddenly does an about-face and throws himself at the king. Kka is only momentarily surprised before her reactive brain kicks in. "Sheeesh, Lough! You sure run hot and cold."

As the morlock's club comes down on Lough's head with a sickening thud that suggests a skull fracture and possible concussion, she drops her shortbow and whips out a bandage that she quickly wraps around Lough's head to keep it from falling apart.

Action (◇): Release: +1 Shortbow.

Action 1 (◆): Battle Medicine (Medic Dedication & Assurance:Medicine) on Lough vs DC 15
Assurance: Medicine (Battle Medicine) vs DC 15: 10 + 6 = 16
Battle Medicine Healing vs DC 15: 2d8 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10 hit points healed

I moved the morlock's token one square towards Lough so that it's clear where it was when it attacked Lough. Since the bodyguard moved first, Kka doesn't get flat-footed against it, so the king gets whacked instead. If that isn't acceptable, then we can retcon Kka's stride to a different square next to the king.

Kka then dodges between the two morlocks and lashes out at the king with her shortsword as she slides into flanking position with Lough.

Action 2 (◆): Stride (30 feet)

Action 3 (◆): Strike (+1 Shortsword) with Thief Racket and Surprise/Sneak Attack vs Flat-Footed Graulgust.

Shortsword Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 1 = 29 vs Flat-Footed
Shortsword Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 piercing/slashing damage
Sneak Attack Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3 precision piercing/slashing damage

Wow! another crit. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I expect that the king is about to do bad things to Kka, though he might still be feeling the after-effects of her Demoralize. I'm just hoping that she stays on her feet long enough to provide Lough with flanking.

I moved the morlock's token one square towards Lough so that it's clear where it was when it attacked Lough. Since the bodyguard moved first, Kka doesn't get flat-footed against it, so the king gets whacked instead. If that isn't acceptable, then we can retcon Kka's stride to a different square next to the king.

Nope, totally fair. :) I don't see you've moved yourself on the map, though. You want to flank Red, right? So you're directly south of Graulgust? Moved you to that spot.

Morlock
Kka
Graulgust -24
Lough -2
Cherry Berry
Screechy
Kvit
Giyozara

Kka's shortsword sinks deeply into Graulgust's abdomen. Graulgust looks at Kka, then at the shortsword sticking out of his belly. He blinks slowly, still not fully comprehending that his "heroes" have betrayed him. He then screams in pain, casts a spell, and looks directly at Kka. Kka suddenly gets an intense headache as thousands of screaming voices fill her head.

Kka, please make me a DC 21 Will save versus a second-level Phantom Pain.

Phantom Pain damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 2) = 11 mental damage, and potential persistent damage.

Don't forget, everyone has Hero Points.

Lough, Cherry Berry, Kvit, and Giyozara may act!
You all notice something reacted from the passageway to the south when Graulgust screamed.
Retrieving a stowed object (such as a pebble with Light on it, for instance) is a single action. If you make light, you can remove the black block from the map directly south of you, and open the spoiler tag.

Also, Lough, I see you have your shield and axe equipped. But the axe is a two-handed weapon. I'll let you choose whether you have your shield and claw, or just the axe in your hands.

Yes, that's the right spot for Kka. I was so into posting that I forgot to move her on the map.

Kka suddenly gets a massive migraine and grabs her head with her hand to try and ease the pain. "KRAAAaaaaww!"

Will vs DC 21: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Ugh! I see what you mean about using Hero Points. Let's see if it helps.

Will vs DC 21 - Reroll: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Yep, turning a crit fail into a success is def worth the HP. Looking at the spell description it looks like she takes full initial damage but no persistent damage, and the spell ends immediately. So that's 11 hp and no lingering effects.

As the pain fades, she reopens her beady red eyes and fixes Graulgust with a cold look. "It'll taake more than that to bring down Kka, the draake slayer. Prepare to die."

There might not be a lot of initial damage difference between a fail and a pass, but the 2d4 ongoing does add up, and the sickened is nasty as well.

Morlock
Kka -11
Graulgust -24
Lough -2
Cherry Berry
Screechy
Kvit
Giyozara

Yes, I know I'm skipping Screechy.

"It had to come to this. I feel nothing!"

Having excused himself from violating an obscure tenet which remains even hidden to himself, Lough eschews diplomacy altogether by the vengeant fury of the axe in his hands as it thirsts for blood!

◆) Step
◆◆) Strike x2

Retribution Axe (+2) Axe vs Graulgust: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 291d12 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 2 = 13
Retribution Axe (+0) vs Graulgust: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 11 - 5 = 221d12 + 4 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 0 = 16

Lough, the Axe is currently keyed to the other Morlock, not to Graulgust. I'll let you keep the rolls, but please decide whether you attack your target of retribution or not. My apologies if it wasn't clear who attacked you.
Also, technically it's dark and you need to make a 50% miss chance roll, but I'll presume you act when someone turns on the light. :P

Going to bed now, so can't respond quickly to Lough's choice. Please open the relevant spoiler tag when Lough has made his choice. I'll update once I wake up.

1d2 ⇒ 2

Action 1 <> Reveal Light source
Action 2 <> Spend a focus point to turn on Dragon Claws
Action 3 <> Cast Shield

Kvit squints against the sudden light. Even knowing it was coming it was still a shock compared to the pitch black room.

Muttering to sneakers "Stay down!"

He's about to cast electric arc on the "king" when he sees the thing shuffling towards them.

Sneakers sees the thing at almost the same time. "what the crap is that?!"

◆recall knowledge Occultism
Occultism (T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

holding other two actions until I know knowledge check results

Lough, what is that result of the d2? Graulgust?

Kvit has a quick think about what the slug-person-thing is, but comes up empty for the moment. Put up a bigger image on the slide as well, for your enjoyment.

Both Morlocks curse and scream as they get struck by the light. Both are blinded until the start of their turn.

... Put up a bigger image on the slide as well, for your enjoyment....

you must have a strange definition of "enjoyment".

Kvit has no idea what the thing was, but he did know it was bad news. "Lough! Kka! We got incoming!

Sneakers peeks out "Oh, that must be Screechy?"

In a near-panic, Kvit tries to slow its advance with by using warped terrain to cover the narrow tunnel in sharp stoney spikes.

◆◆ warped terrain, 10ft burst of difficult terrain, DC18 to interact and disbelieve the illusion

Lough moves towards King Graulgust, and the axe bites deep into his flesh. 27 damage to Graulgust. He's not looking happy, but he's still standing.

Morlock
Kka -11
Graulgust -51, barely standing
Lough -2
Cherry Berry
Screechy
Kvit
Giyozara

I'll do Screechy's Will save as soon as it's his turn again, otherwise I'll probably forget about the result.

Lough hears the slithering sluggery...

"Zoiks!"

Imma bot Cherry Berry, I hope they're doing okay.

Cherry Berry throws an Electric Arc at both Morlocks.
Save Graulgust: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Save Morlock: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Electric damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Huh, their Reflex saves are the same, despite Graulgust being much higher level. Go me.

Both fail their saves and take full damage from Cherry Berry's attack. King Graulgust falls back onto his throne and is no more.

Cherry Berry then casts a Shield spell, just in case.

The remaining morlock screams in pain as the light blinds his eyes, then flails at Kka's last known position.

Club attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
DC 11 flat check to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Well, at least that's a crit out of the way.
Damage to Kka: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

He then tries to bite Kka twice.
Bite attack: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 4 = 25
Flat DC 11: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Bite damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Bite attack: 1d20 + 9 - 8 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 8 = 11

That crit knocks out Kka. She's on Dying 2, I believe, due to how crits work. Kka moves to before the Morlock in initiative.

Kka - dying 2
Morlock -8
Lough -2
Cherry Berry
Screechy
Kvit
Giyozara

Lough and Cherry Berry may act!
That Morlock was a lot more effective than I anticipated. Two natural 20s in a row, though luckily one was wasted on a flat check.

"Your king is dead"

Lough swings his axe wild and with recklessness, hoping to carve down the last morlock before the large smelly creature advances...

◆◆) Strike x2
◆) Recall Knowledge (Occult +6)

Retribution Axe (+0) Axe vs Morlock: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 151d12 + 4 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 0 = 9
Retribution Axe (+0) Axe vs Morlock: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 11 - 5 = 101d12 + 4 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 0 = 11

...have I seen this creature in my dream before!?...

Lough's axe misses twice. He also comes up blank regarding knowledge about the creature.

Recovering from her splitting headache, Kka waves her sword menacingly hoping to distract the morlock bodyguard long enough for Lough to chop him in half. Right then, Giyozara fills the room with light and Kka watches in bemusement as the big man ignores the club wielder and makes for the king. "You could've told me you waanted the king's head! Now I feel like an idiot for daancing around with this guy." She shakes her head. "I don't know what makes this guy tick. Probably never will."

And suddenly, everything goes black.

Live by the crit; die by the crit.

[Whaat just haappened?]

She feels uncharacteristically at peace with herself, without a care in the world. All around her is darkness. She sighs contentedly. So this is what it's like to let go of all the pain, the anger, and the frustrations that are her constant companions. It was blissful.

{Don't get used to it}
[What? Who's there?]

For the first time she notices a tall figure standing beside her, looming over her prone body. She frowns. Or is it she that is standing and the figure that is prone.

{There is no up and down here}
[Who are you?]

She looks through the darkness and sees the tall figure better now. It looks like an 8ft-tall black-boned human skeleton with large glossy black raven-like wings sprouting from its scapulae. A 6ft long skeletal tail extends whip-like from the base of its pelvis. Covering its skull is a polished black mask resembling a vulture’s skull through which a pair of glowing red eyes can be seen. In its hand it holds a distinctive one-piece adamantine scythe with a handle almost as long as its own body and featuring symbols from a long lost language etched onto its blade.

Despite the terrifying appearance of the figure, Kka feels no fear. She can't put her finger on exactly what it is, but she gets the feeling that the tall skeleton is female.

{Hmm... You may call me Libitina}
[Why are you here? Why am I here? What happened?]
{It appears that you have been severely injured}
[Ah. How odd. I feel fine. In fact, I feel great]
{Don't get used to it. Your fate is in the balance right now. There is a good chance that you will return to the world of the living. Then you will know pain again}
[Huh. That doesn't sound good. Can't I just stay here?]
{Only until your fate is decided. If this is indeed your end, then I will escort you to the Boneyard for judgement}
[I see. Or do I? Not sure. Do you show up to escort all the dead? That would keep you rather busy, no?]
{I am not the only one that does this, and not many souls require our personal attention. You are a special case}
[Well, that's nice. I think. What makes me so special?]
{Certain souls have trouble finding their own way to the Boneyard. This is particularly true of those who die with unfinished business}
[You're talking about me killing all the morlocks for what they did to Taanji, aren't you?]
{Among other things}
[How long do I have to wait to find out what happens?]
{It won't be long}

Cherry quickly chants to themselves and casts Bless, though it doesn't look like the group currently needs it.

◆◆Bless
◆Shield

Cool bit of RP, Kka!

Lough swings at the blinded morlock in pure rage for what he's done to Kka, but misses twice. Meanwhile, Cherry Berry casts a helpful blessing and shields themselves from harm.

Screechy starts coming closer to the main group. It crosses the warped terrain Kvit conjured up.

Will save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Maybe it's the slimy coating, but Screechy has no problems wriggling its way across the sharp spikes. Once it's wormed its way through the tunnel, it sees the fallen body of its master, and starts a horrible guttural stream of sounds. You're not sure if it's trying to talk, but the pitch twists your insides. Then, in a flash of fury, it lashes out at 1d3 ⇒ 3 Giyozara.

Claw attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
That's exactly a crit. Giyozara, you can decide whether to pop your Shield.

Claw damage: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 slashing
Doubled, so that's 20 damage. Ouch. Luckily I rolled low.

Kka - dying 2
Morlock -8
Lough -2
Cherry Berry
Screechy
Kvit
Giyozara 20 damage, minus perhaps Shield

Kvit and Gyozara may act! Kka may make a flat check to see if she doesn't go to Dying 3 (if Kvit or Giyozara don't heal you first).
Everyone who starts their turn must also make a DC 17 Will save versus Screechy's moaning. It has the following tags: aura, auditory, emotion, mental, occult
On a fail, you're Sickened 1. On a crit fail, you're Sickened 2.