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Damn it all. These arrows are worthless against this horde. Chloir hears the shouts from below, but doubts she can be downstairs in time to do anything useful. Instead, she looks around on this floor for any objects of light enough to be shoved out of the windows, but heavy enough to crush the undead below it. By the sounds of it, someone is getting grabbed. I suppose I start dropping things there, if I can tell where it is...
Chloir knocks an arrow with a heavy heart. She doubts this will be enough to slow the creature down, but it's one of the few things she can do without being ripped apart in moments.
Chloir nods towards Abraham, and runs towards the pack she left in the inn, grabbing her bow, arrows, and the grappling hook with rope for good measure. The latter may be needed as a crowbar to pry open a window, or to reach the roof. She rushes up the stairs and looks for a way up the roof, or a window that's either not completely barred or seems only loosly nailed shut.
<b>"There's something big out there. If it gets in there'll be no fixing this door even if we beat it. Either we shoot it or we fight it outside. Any ideas?"</b>
As Chloir doesn't think much of her raw strength, she draws her blades and slashes at any undead appendage that's sticking through the holes in the doors
"This is as good as I can pack the stuff. Perhaps it is some small luck that smell of the sewer will be in my feathers for days. We'll be so used to that smell that we might not even notice it on any food that the others will turn up their noses at. At least we'll be well fed when we make another trip tomorrow. Shall we get going?"
Chloir returns to Abelone and Kovar with her bounty of aging food. "Well, there's plenty of food and undead in there. I grabbed these bits for tonight, because I'm not sure if it'll last till tomorrow. The rest is a little too much for me to carry here before the spell runs out, so we'll have to come back for that. I spotted a dozen or so zombies, and they looked ready to burst like the one from before. We should try to pick those off from a distance if possible. Tomorrow, I'll bring my bow. Then maybe Abelone can cast that spell again, and any of us who can climb and attack from a distance can find some nice hard to reach sniping spots to perch on. It won't matter that they can see us once we attack if the clumsy things can't reach us." As Chloir speaks, she tries to package her prizes as best she can, so they won't be spoiled too badly during the trip back through the sewer.
And did Chloir see if the food supplies will be easy to get down in the sewer with the tools and materials available in the warehouse, or would we need to bring some rope, wheelbarrows or pulleys of some kind?
Chloir had hoped for more than a week's worth of food, but at least it would last longer than it had taken to collect. Assuming they would get it. She looks around. A dozen zombies, perhaps more depending on who would reanimate. And if all of them would burst into that putrid mess upon death... This definitely required her bow. And a hard to reach perch if possible. Chloir looks around the warehouse to find a good spot. If Abelone cast the spell again tomorrow, she could get into position before starting the battle. And Kovar might like a spot too. Chloir also looks if some of the almost spoiled food is lying close enough to cover, or far enough away from the undead, to tuck into her bag. She doesn't know exactly what the limitations of the spell are, but good old fashioned sneaking and quick fingers should work.
However nice the spell might have sounded, relying blindly on it seemed like a good way to get killed. With that in mind, Chloir resolved to sneak in as quietly as she would have without the spell. As she slowly makes her way to the building, she checks the exterior from the shadows, and tries to sneak closer to the building. While doing so, she keeps her eyes open for, in order, inteligent undead, traps, living creatures, uninteligent undead, ways in and out of the building and any equipment that might help carrying the supplies to or through the sewers.
Hmm, well, I suppose it would be useful to scout the place out, so we can properly plan recovering the food tomorrow.. Lets make sure we don't destroy any undead inside though. We don't want that vampire thrall to show up there. Abelone, do you need to stay close in order for the spell to work. If not, perhaps it's easiest if Abraham and I go in alone. Even if the spell fails, we can run or hide by normal means quite well."
Ah, I forgot I should have asked about any survivors first. People can get very unhelpful if you forget to ask, no matter how unlikely it is there are any. [B]"That sounds useful Abelone. But I'm a bit worry about that "almost". If there are no survivors still inside, and since I doubt the undead will eat the beans tonight, I would still prefer to wait until tomorrow, so that we are in better shape to fight if it does come to that. And perhaps someone at the inn has a few spare planks to build a makeshift bridge over the... well, the tentacle tank. Because I'm not sure I can still hop across the gap while carrying a whole pallet of beans."
"Before we decide, I would like to know what kind of supplies were in that warehouse. Was there really enough food in there to make it worth the risk? Do you have an estimate for how many day's worth of food for one person were stored there?"
A dreadful feeling of forboding grips Chloe. "Anyone care to wager if that's the warehouse we were heading for? The barkeep's directions suggested that there was only one in this vicinity. Add to that our luck so far, and I know what I'm betting And I for one have had enough close scrapes for one day. If we're going to fight a horde of these things, or look for other places, I need a rest."
Priest keep saying how the gods smile on those who do good. Then why does it seem that whenever I try to help someone, even giving them potions I need myself, my generosity gets rewarded like this? Chloir tries to figure out if there is anything to be done about these infections, besides a quick decapitation.
Chloir makes sure that all her weapons are recovered, then quietly sneaks back up the ladder to place the grate back in its place. No need to make it too easy for another undead to get down here.
Chloir takes up position a short distance from the ladder, on the other side of the sewage, and takes out her two kunai. She doesn't want to waste her only two shots when two of her party members can shoot magic bolts at will, so she readies a single throw for any undead that make it down to the sewer and on their feet. Hopefully, she'll be able to take any of them out before they come close enough to splatter their puss on the living.
Chloir slides down the ladder. "These things burst into puss when they die. Let's back up and shoot them if they try to follow. Kovar, you're best at that so cover us while we get the guy back around the corner. Abraham! Try to get back down!" [Ooc] I marked a safe spot to leave the guy and a good vantage point for kovar on the map
Seeing no way to safely get the man down in her arms while climbing a ladder before the zombies tear his wounds back open, Chloir opts for the faster way. "If you can't catch him, move!" she shouts as she hurls the man at the through of sewage in the middle of the tunnel. She picks a spot close to Munavri, in case he has any tricks up his sleave to ensure a cleaner landing.
As the man doesn't seem to have much time left, Chloir attempts to open the grate alone.
With a strength she didn't know she had, she opens the grate. Activating her predictive senses to avoid the grasping arms, she poors her potion down the man's throat. Then she looks for a good spot below her to throw the man down to. If I drop him in the muck, he won't be happy but at least he won't get hurt as bad...
The exiliating lure of the shadows as Abraham vanishes is a distraction Chloe doesn't need right now. She clambers up the ladder and takes up a position just below the grate. Then she hops to the side so only her left leg and arm, or rather talon and wing, are on the ladder, leaving room for a second person besides her. Making sure her last potion is easily accesible, she draws a kunai in her free right hand while peering at the sprawling mass of bodies above her. She originally planned to stab away through the grate at anything undead and vital in reach, but holds a moment at Abraham's call. [I]Best see who takes the bait, then stab at the leftovers. A dead zombie is as heavy as an undead one, and we don't need more bodies blocking the grate.[I] "Alright, can one of you help me with the grate? The other one, get ready to break this guy's fall, in case we need to throw him down this hole to escape those things."
Poor bastard. But there's no way to get the grate open and picking off on or two of them won't save the guy. And there's no way to get to him. ...at least, not for me. Chloir grabs hold of the healing potion, unused thanks to Abelone's earlier intervention. Perhaps Abraham's shadowstep can go through the grate. But that will leave him up there alone. If the techique is like my own, he'll have to concentrate to do it again to get back. And that guy will still be stuck there, even if Abraham gets him a potion. Chloi still isn't keen on the idea, but she doubts she can think of somwthing better in time. Best deligate. "Abraham, here's a healing potion if you think teleporting up there will accomplish anything. If not, then aim for the guy's spine, that'll make sure he doesn't get put back into his misery."
"I don't think we've gone terribly far yet" Chloir whispers back. As she peers around the corner, she tries to gauge how far they should go.
Chloir hadn't jumped over to help with Abelone's armor, instead leaning against the wall on the far side of the bridge. Her groans and sighs while trying not to put weight on any injured limbs were only slightly exagerated. Once Abelone makes it across and unleashes her healing powers, the injuries are swiftly removed. "Thank you. I sorely needed that. I can't believe how tight that thing's grip was, I could barely get out." She looks sideways at Abraham. That trick where he seemed to turn into a shadow to quickly get away had been quite handy. And it hadn't looked that hard, just an extension of some of her own abilities. I should keep an eye out if he uses it again, see if I can't pick up a few more hints as to how he's doing that.
I don't mind recruiting more zombie-food, but with four of us I don't think it's a must. So I vote neutral.
"You think it still has fight left in it? I thought it retreated because it had enough. Though I'll admit, I'm not about to volunteer to find out firsthand."
"I... don't know... what's worse... The pain... or the feeling of a feces-stained gropping tentacle. If we see another vampire thrall, let's just kill it. A bloodsucker can't be worse to fight than that thing." While muttering further complaints and curses, Chloir checks herself for any broken bones or open wounds which could easily get infected.
Chloir once again tries to wring out of the monster's grip, though taking care not to twist into Abraham's attacks.
After escaping the monster's clutches, Chloir runs behind Abraham for cover.
With her attention on Abraham, Chloir is taken by surprise. She desperately tries to twist out of the creature's grip and retreat.
Unable to break free, she hones her senses and tries to anticipate the tentacles movements, looking for another opportunity to escape.
"Yes, yes, very good." Chloir says as she hops across from the edge of the ledge. "But I wasn't worried about us right now. I was worried about the less nimble among us on the way back, when we hopefully have a big load of food to carry."
After a bit of puzzlement over Abraham's brief spasm, Chloir asks "So, what'll it be? Go back to the inn and fetch my rope or hope the smoke hasn't attracted anything yet and go for the last passage?"
"Anyone fancy a swim?" Chloir asks as her beak somehow manages to form a smirk. She doesn't even want to see the foul muck that must've gathered below. "I left my rope back at the inn. But if we get it, or if someone has one on them, one of us could jump across and tie it up so the others can climb. And if we tie the rope to the jumper beforehand, we can fish them out if the jumping fails."
Chloir nods approvingly at the plan and follows Abraham, sticking close enough to Abelone's lightsource to see at least some vague shapes.
Chloir adopts a solemn position during Abelone's speech, although her thoughts towards the deceased are limited to a quick "Tough luck friend." Her mind is already planning ahead. Best take the left route now. The right route passes to close by this place. She waits until the ceremony is over, not wanting to be the first to speak up and interupt the procedings.
Are the banks of the sewer dry enough? Also, could we pass through the grate once the body is gone, or does it seal off the whole passage?
"I suppose it could. Or the smoke could stay down here, which isn't much better. It would hamper our vision and breath. We could take it up the ladder to the old family hideout and burn it on the street. Not sure if the thrall will be back there though, or how much he'd dislike it. On the other hand... can we even pass through here after we move the corpse? Is there a big enough hole in the grate to admit us? While carrying big sacks of supplies preferably? Otherwise we might be better off setting the fire here and taking one of the other paths south."
Hmm, burning the body... I can work with that. "Can't tell what did this. We'd best be careful. Abelone, do you have any words that need saying or rituals that need doing? Then I say we cremate the remains. It won't be the nicest service, but it's a damn sight better then letting the corpse rot or get up."
"Abelone, can you bring up the light for a moment?" Chloir tries to determine if this being is dead, whether it's possible to tell from the wounds what being inflicted it, and what can be done to make sure it stays dead. Besides chopping the corpse to bits. It'll work as long as the thing doesn't become a ghost, but it's messy work that our priestess and celestial are probably going to object to. Sentimental nonesense, if the gods have a problem with "desecrating a corpse" they can jolly well make sure the thing stays put. But I can't see a debate on that ending well.
Chloir nods, as she can't quite make out the far paths in the dark. She decides she might as well follow the one who can see.
Chloir gets to the ladder they'd taken to the surface on memory, but is hesitant to go in the dark. "Abraham, can you take the lead again? If Abelone has another one of those light spells in her, I'll stick with her in the rearguard."
Okay, are we all in agreement that we go through the sewer then? I assume thatvwe are. If not I'll edit my post.
Are we going back up to the street? I assumed we were going further through the sewers now. I moved myself on the map to as far as we made it on our first go.
"Very well then, let us proceed." Chloir says after a short rest. She makes her way back out through the basement, checkking if the tunnel is still clear.
At any other time Chloir would've been happy with a prize like those tools. But now... "They're nice tools, but right now we can't sell them or smelt them and I don't think we need any furniture crafted. And they make for unwieldy weapons. Unless..."
"On second thought, those things might come in handy. Some undead monsters are vulnerable to such material. If we can put a magic spell on the weapon, it would be a potent weapon against a vampire. We might need that soon"
"Well, we found at least a little food, plus some medicine. We can see if there are any ailments that need seeing to later. We found something less pleasant too. A vampire thrall was collecting zombie corpses near here. I don't know if it'll be back, but be careful inviting anyone in, or getting close enough to be mezmerized into inviting them in." Chloir turns to her companions and asks "I could do with some soup, but what about after that? I vote we venture forth again today. I don't want to waste the day's respite that the food we found gave us."
"On that we can agree. Abraham, once that thing moves on you go ahead and check out what you saw in the shop. The rest of us will get the patient down the drain." Chloir isn't looking forward to tangling with the vampire thrall at all. But she supposes it is acceptable if it happens a bit further from her shelter, at a place she doesn't have to pass by again.
Question: Do our characters know if, and why, it isn't feasible to leave this city altogether?
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