Bummer man. I don’t know when I will be able to get back to posting. When I do I’ll send messages out to all of you and you can reevaluate then if you want, no pressure.
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I know Galin IRL. He’s just in the same boat as me, juggling kids at home and on top of that working nights. He may be incommunicado until life gets back to a version of normal.
OK, well, as is apparent, I haven't posted yet. I don't think that my posting will get any more regular until we get back to normal and GMing is especially taxing the old grey matter for me. Hopefully we can make slow progress rather than none but no guarantees.
I'm still here, feeling much better as well. Its going to take me a while to get back in the swing of things but I hope to post tonight or tomorrow. Can everyone sound off please just so I know who is still active?
Well, looks like the wife and I both have coronavirus. I’m currently using most of my energy to do stuff with the kids. Not sure when I will get back to posting regularly. Nothing serious right now, just worn out.
You all 4 manage to sneak through the catacombs to the next room. The bats rustle some at Torian’s passing, but do not stir into unrest. The doorway opens up into a large open hall. The vaulted ceiling of this vast chamber shows significant signs of damage, with numerous cracks along its surface. In the center of the room, a 10-foot-wide bridge crosses a deep chasm. On the other side, a pair of stone statues watch over the end of the bridge in front of a set of grand brass double doors. The statues depict villagers holding shields and spears.
That's ok. We are probably all rejiggering our schedules anyway with everything going on.
The bats rustle at the harsh sound from Torian's voice as it echoes through the crypt.
With the portcullis open, Dart can easily see into the next room and it looks much like the previous catacombs they were in. Alcoves line the walls but the scent of the room doesn't smell of rot like the zombies from the other catacombs. There is a giant rent in the ceiling of this room much like the one in the room with the frogs but no water is apparent, there is even a small draft. As Dart looks the room over, the ceiling seems to be dotted with small lumps, but they seem to be moving to some degree. One of them moves quickly to unfurl its small wings and Dart recognizes that it is a bat. There look like there are dozens if not hundreds of bats on the ceiling.
Torian does not detect Evil emanating from the pool. Kn Religion or Arcana DC 13: It very well could be Evil, but not a strong enough force to register with the spell. Evil extraplanar creatures and undead as well as paladins and clerics of Evil gods are much easier to detect than objects and places.
Being slow and cautious, Torian inches his way into the chamber. The walls are lined with some sort of mural, but even with a closer look, it is obscured, because it has been heavily defaced. There are long scratches all over the walls, some as though from a creature, and some from a weapon. In addition, the walls are covered in black soot as though an explosion went off in the room. Torian and Dart walk in and looks around. The destruction is impressive but their eyes are drawn toward the pool in the middle. It is black and rank in an unnatural way but it's reflection draws them toward it. They peer at it and their reflections begin to shift. The flesh begins to gray and rot as their forms begin to crumble.
Both Torian and Dart feel a deep, primal fear take over their minds but manage to shake it off and avert their gaze from the pool. They feel their faces with their hands but they are fine, no change has occurred.
Its hard to make much out in the room, not that there is much to make out, its a pretty bare room. There seems to be some sort of mural or bas relief on the wall but its hard to make out from there. The pool is the dominating feature in the room. It does seem to smell strange. There is a foul smell coming from the catacombs, but something here is different, its hard to put your finger on.
Dart checks over the door and it looks safe enough. Torian slowly opens the door to see what horrors wait ahead. The doorway opens up into a long open room. The middle of it is dominated by a shallow reflecting pool and the far end of the room has a portcullis which is raised.
On the south side of the catacombs, you find a closed but unlocked door.
You make your way back to the plague Zombie room. The halls are still the same eerie quiet that they were yesterday, and the day before. In the circular room, you now notice the humidity coming from the east but you ignore it and head west toward the catacombs. You poke your heads in to check the room out, and you can see are the same alcoves that you did before, some occupied, some not. The disgusting bodies of the zombies lay rotting on the floor and the stench is almost overpowering. The catacombs are filled with the alcoves and none of the other bodies rise up to fight the adventurers, but you spot, in one abandoned alcove, a pack. Inside are some rotten rations, a map (detailing the area and pointing out the entrance to the crypt), a potion of cure moderate wounds, a pouch with 13 gp, and a small handbill (of a type typically found posted in taverns). Although faded, the handbill clearly reads as a notice of employment, telling all those interested to meet at “The Ranger’s Lament.” Kn Local DC 25:
This is a popular bar in Tamran, the capital of Nirmathas. The coins match the coins that were found on the body by The Gray Lake.
OK, I'll GMPC Galin when needed. Those things are fine, I just wanted to make sure everyone was still interested. Thanks for responding!
If there is no interest in continuing the game, then I'm not going to push it. I know that I've not been as responsive as I could be so that can make it hard to get in a groove. If you are interested in carrying on, just check in over the next couple days and we can figure out how to get back on track.
Yeah, I was hoping to hear from at least one other. I know Isabella has RL issues going on so I wasn't counting on hearing from her.
Will do. Take care of yourself/family.
Dart hears the sounds as it fades away just as he finishes talking.
Dart stirs and begins to pull himself together but just as he becomes aware, the sounds begin to grow more distant. Eventually, they fade into the distance and Isabella can no longer hear them.
Dice rolls:
Torian's watch goes without incident. The soft glow from the fountain is comforting as he sits, axe ready at his side as he watches the hallway. As his watch comes to a close, he wakes Isabella gently and her watch begins. Torian drifts off to sleep and Isabella waits, alone with her thoughts as the night goes on. Halfway through her watch, she almost starts to drift off, and thinks she must be imagining a distant clack and clatter. It grows closer and closer and she realizes that this isn't a dream, this is really happening. Its hard to gauge exactly how far it is in this underground maze.
Galin feels the water going down his throat, soothing his aches and healing his wounds.
The 2 zombies are finished off by Dart and Torian, the foul fluids spattered across them.
Torian manages to shrug off the disease, but Dart is also infected. The zombies lay scattered on the floor. The webs remain all over the room with Torian stuck in them.
Isabella, peaking around the corner, gets a glancing hit on the zombie, but it continues to pummel at Torian ineffectually.
Dart manages to impale the zombie on his sword, but it wriggles trying to get to him. The zombies make strikes against Dart and Torian.
Neither of the Zombies are quite able to land blows against the stout dwarf and nimble half-elf.
Galin stabs with the short spear at the webbed zombie, impaling it and it slumps in the webs, no longer moving. The ichor from the wound splatters Galin, but it makes no difference. The zombie near Torian takes a swing at the fleeing gnome, but the attack goes wide.
Reflex saves:
One of the zombies near Galin stumbles back, avoiding the webbing but ending up farther away. The other one near to Galen gets stuck to the massive web of sticky strands while the one near Torian is also uneffected.
Dart's dagger sinks into the zombie but it staggers on toward Galin. The zombies again swing their meaty fists at Torian and Galin. Rolls:
Another fist slams into Galin , and the pustules on the fist burst at the contact, leaking into Galin's wound but no immediate effects are visible
No problem. Hope you're feeling better.
Galin's mace splurts into the zombie's soft chest but it keeps coming at him. The zombies again attack Torian and Galin. The 2 to the north squeeze closer together in order to grasp at him. Rolls:
Galin takes a vicious blow from the zombie before him, but suffers no lasting effects from the contact. Galin's blast of holy energy momentarily pushes the zombies back, and the one in front of him singes at his extremities, its fingers charred almost to nothing but it comes at him still.
Torian’s brutal slash bisects the zombie in a plume of noxious bodily fluids, splattering Torian, but he manages to resist the diseased spray. Dart’s dagger goes wide because of the press of bodies.
Torian's axe swings, hitting the zombie, but it only slices ineffectually through its abdomen and the zombie doesn't even notice. The 2 zombies in front take swings at Galin and Torian with their diseased fists.
The 2 zombies can't manage to get their yellow crusted fingers past the gnome or dwarf's armor. The next 2 zombies push against the front zombies pressing toward Torian and Galin.
The four adventurers listen and look from the doorway. Torian almost trips in his heavy armor, but Dart manages to keep him on his feet. As they stand in the doorway, dart hears slow shuffling too and fro from within the room.
Unfortunately, Isabella’s eyes just can’t get used to the lights and can’t make anything out. Torian however, can tell that there are multiple distinct sources of evil within the room without even going past the doorway. Without actually seeing them with his own eyes though, it is hard to determine the exact number and location.
The corridor to the west opens up into a winding catacomb. Walking down the hall, the smell of rot grows stronger and stronger. The walls are skillfully carved with deep recesses where bodies might have once lain. All that remains now are cobwebs, dust, and the tattered remains of ancient clothing. The stench of rotting flesh is overpowering here, but the source is not evident.
Torian keeps turning the wheel. As it turns, you can hear it ratchet and it doesn't turn the other way. Dart points out a lever on the wall nearby that probably loosens it so it can be returned to its previous position. It takes a minute or two but the wheel finally reaches the point at which it won't turn anymore.
Torian strains, his muscles bulging as he tries to turn the wheel. It doesn’t look like he will manage, but he gives one last burst of strength and it breaks loose. It is by no means easy to turn, but it can be done. While Torian displays his strength, Dart stands next to him, oblivious, while he inspects the chains and wheel. It looks like the chain is slack, and when Torian manages to turn it, it tightens and begins to wind up. It is probably lifting something at another location in the crypt.
Torian looks the wheel over, it looks like it has chains connected to it that run into the wall As it turns, it winds up the chain so something must be connected to it after it runs into the wall. A tentative push on it doesn't seem to budge it.
The last skeleton crumples to the ground as Dart's dagger and sword pop bones off left and right. Finally, the skeletons all lay on the ground. All of them have extreme burns from Galin's surge of energy. The rusty wheel juts from the wall, orange-red corrosion all over it. |