"Down the hole then unless someone sees something they wish to further investigate?"
The party regathers in the partially flooded training room in the east end of the prison building. They form a circle around the gaping hole that was once a shaft for a service lift to the lower level, but is now just an open pit. Pits of melted machinery hand from the ceiling indicating that there used to be more to this that what is seen now, but all that remains is this wreckage. A small stream of water cuts its way across the floor from the pond now encompassing the the east end of the building, and flooding most of this room. It meanders to the opening of the pit, and pours in slowly, creating a soft splatter of water somewhere on the stones 20 ft below in the darkness.
The Dungeon
As they stand around the dark wet hole in the floor, Father looks to each of the others, and decides to act. Some times the best way to overcome reluctance is to just charge in head first and not think about it. He shrugs, grabs the ladder carted in, and begins to maneuver it to lower into the darkness below.
Dungeon:
The ladder sinks down into the darkness without any protest. No sound comes back from its trip down except for the scraping of the wood against the broken stone edge of the old elevator shaft. It hits ground at the expected spot, confirming that the ground down there is exactly 20 ft below.
Dungeon
Ried will lead, drinking his mutagen on the way down.[/ooc]
Dungeon:
Ried descends the ladder after quickly quaffing a strange mixture, one only he knows the ingredients of. He sets one of the group's Ioun torch stones orbiting his head, and the circular light, while disorienting at first, reveals depths and features around him in a way a motionless light would not have done.
He steps off the ladder into thigh deep water, the trickling water falling from above splashing into the surface only a few feet away. The cavernous chamber around him may have once been an underground cellblock, but it has long since collapsed. The crumbled walls are thick with mold and stained with soot, and heaps of fallen stones and charred wooden beams line the area. Water drips and seeps along the walls, collecting in a dark, murky pool in the middle of the room. To the north, the twisted remains of a wood and iron lift lie in a heap in a shallow portion of the pool. A jagged hole in the roof yawns twenty feet above this ruin. To the west, a partially blocked opening seems to open up after several feet into a dark but stable tunnel.
Ried sees nothing moving, and nothing that appears immediately dangerous.
Dungeon
Note Ried now has scent and +13 Perception
Ried will wait for the others to come down, maybe moving about 5 feet to the southwest to look down the tunnel.
Downstairs
Valachi will follow Ried, careful to mirror his footsteps.
Downstairs
Father waits until the men that tend to be in the front go in, but as soon as either Kendra or Delia make for the ladder, he steps in right before them. Primarily Kendra, as Delia knows that she doesn't exactly belong in the front.
Basically, he will go right after both Agnar and Valachi have gone down, assuming Agnar will also be toward the front.
Agnar waits to guard the rear prompting Kendra to move towards the ladder. As soon as she does Father moves to head her off.
Ried moves forward quietly to the west
Just as Father is reaching the bottom of the ladder, Ried catches the scent of something. The area reeks of old fire, charcoal, and smoke, and of water mold, stone and earth. However, just as he is crossing out of the pool he catches the scent of something else; an acrid scent. Not exactly the smell of death, but more like the memory of it.
A cacophonous roar fills the chamber, echoing around the small walls, and sending ripples that border on waves out through the surface of the small pond. A sound of dozens of screaming yelling voices, all bound and twisted together. The voices gather at the southern end of the pool, and coalescing into figures. The shapes are vaguely human, but are made of thick tangles of slimy linen or dripping goo. They reach down into the water and pull up old broken and rusted weapons from within the sand. Broken swords and shields that must have been pulled from the long dead guards now arm the strange glowing monstrosities.
"Undead!" Ember exclaims, "I should be down there too!"
She also cuts in front of Kendra with a soft "Pardon", and hurries down the ladder.
Father steps forward toward the creatures, but realizes that he should wait until everyone is down so he doesn't get surrounded. He steps forward, and assumes a defensive posture for when the creatures approach.
After hearing the shuffling of the undead below, Alistair lets out an exasperated sigh, but begins climbing down none the less.
When he has made it most of the way down, he stops and begins to once again use his warding powers to protect his friends, clinging to the ladder several feet off the ground while concentrating on protecting his allies.
"Whoops, sorry about that."
Ried takes a step to the northwest and prepares to throw a bomb.
[ooc]gonna wait and see where they all end up
Round 1
Ember hustles down the ladder to take a place next to Valachi.
Father stands out in front, making himself a target, but taking a defensive posture.
Delia also scrambles down the ladder, and takes up a position in the rear.
The glowing ectoplasmic creatures amble forward, making their way towards the living, breathing foes in front of them. Hefting their rusty blades and corroded shields they move in for the attack. The glowing green and white energy that seems to seffuse their bodies creeps up their weapons, making them glow with the same sickly light.
"What are they?" Valachi snarls and attacks one of the glowing foes surrounding Father.
;
;
Taking a step back, Ried prepares a bomb and with careful aim throws it at one of the creatures.
Undead, eh? I wonder what kind?
N Medium undead
Init +0; Senses Perception –1
Defense
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp 9 (1d8+2)
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +1
DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +3 (1d4+3 plus horrifying ooze)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st)
Constant—air walk
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB +3; CMD 13
Special Qualities phase lurch
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or haunt (3–6)
Treasure none
Horrifying Ooze (Su): Any creature that is struck by an
ectoplasmic creature’s attack must make a Will save
with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the ectoplasmic creature’s Hit
Dice or become shaken for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is
Charisma-based.[/i]
Father takes a swing at the one most likely to be able to get past him toward those he stands protectively before. The amount of damage he suffered from the attack of the other has weakened his strike, and he misses it by a long shot.
Delia tries to get an idea what they are dealing with when Reid mentions undead, but she has no clue. She instead moves up, trying to protect Father as best she can. She focuses on carefully casting her spell, to ensure it is not lost, but her attention is on the creatures too much, and she loses the spell.
** spoiler omitted **
Ember takes a step back and draws her scimitar.
She also raises her holy symbol and the room fills with the power of Pharasma, doing harm to the undead.
"Yes, now that I see them up close ... definitely ectoplasmic undead. Try to avoid the goo, but more importantly, use bladed weapons wherever possible ... limit the stabbing and smashing!" Ried shouts above the din of battle.
Upon hearing the warnings mentioned by Ried, Alistair steps one rung up the ladder, gripping it tightly, and focuses on his defensive wards even harder.
The one hit by Ried's bomb is destroyed after the wave of possitive energy hits it. All the others look ragged, and about ready to unspool back into whatever energy created them. However, they continue to attack with their rusted weapons. One lumbers after Reid in order to press its attack.
Round 2
Ried will 5' step away from any threatening creatures and then pull out his whip attempting to disarm one from 10'
Agnar seeing the odd creatures attacking the group moves forward to take a swing at one of the odd beings. He then says to the group "Is anyone else tried of these creatures in this place?
Agnar seeing the creatures attack the group rushes forward to try to get into the fray with his allies, cursing as he moves. When near enough he says "Is anyone else tried of these creatures in this place?
The force of the strike hits Father so hard she can see him begin to fade back to the other world. She exerts much of her energy straining to keep him present, though not enough to keep him from falling unconscious. The act takes its toll on her and she is soon after wan, and a thin trickle of blood comes from her nose and tear ducts. She also bears injury mirroring where he was struck, as though taking the blow into herself.
She steps away to stand beneath where Alistair clings to the ladder, giving herself enough space to safely cast a spell. This time she targets one of the creatures, as she is certain that if she heals Father, they will just strike him again.
Eyes burning with hatred, Valachi steps over the fallen foe to attack one of the others.
;
;
Now with her scimitar drawn, Ember steps around behind the ladder to get to the front line.
She attacks the nearest undead.
Seeing the battle lines now, Alistair swallows some of his fear and hops down the rest of the distance, moving behind the wall of allies. He tries to line up a shot of magical energies to disrupt the undead abominations.
Alistair's blast of white energy hits the creature and ruptures it from within. The coils of messy, ropy, ectoplasm rip apart and dissolve back into the watery pool. Valachi's claws tear apart the last of them.
Darkness returns to the chamber after the relative light provided by all the glowing creatures. The swirling light of Reid's Ioun Torch is now the only light.
As soon as the last creature falls, Delia rushes back up and infuses Father with restorative energies. It is enough to at least bring him back to consciousness, but he is still about as bad off as she is from taking his wounds on herself.
"How many are injured?" Ember asks. "Come near, and I will heal your wounds."
She pulls forth a wand, and prepares to heal. But first, she allows Pharasma's healing power to wash over the group.
"I'm OK, but this place is starting to get frustrating with the dead popping up every damn corner. Let's press on, to the west."
Valachi nods in thanks to Ember, then moves towards the west exit.
Four dark hallways exit from this large empty chamber, each striking out in one of the four directions of the compass, and each decorated with a soot-caked brass nameplate affixed to the ceiling just above the entrance. A rubble-choked stairway leads up in the middle of the room, while eight skeletons dressed in scorched prisoners’ robes lie on the ground.
As soon as Valachi is close enough to be able to spot them, they start the now familiar routine of slowly shambling to their feat, steaming and smoking, about to burst into flames.
Alistair upon recognizing the danger, quickly moves to tag Valachi, as he lays his hand upon the man's shoulder, he recites a verse, which references the fires of creation. As the last syllable escapes his lips, a feeling of resolute warmth flows from his departing finger tips into Valachi.
Delia decides that, with so many things that catch fire, her best aid comes with something immune to the flames.
Father moves up to stand before most of the others.
Ried is going to delay until they gather closer, bomb in one hand and wand of grease in the other.
Valachi steps back and prepares to fight.
;
Valachi steps back and prepares to fight.
Ember readys her mace, and steps up next to Valachi.
Alistair casts a protective spell and prepares to cast it upon Valachi, when the warrior comes within reach.
Delia summons a fire elemental, and it attacks on of the skeletons. It hit the rising undead, and smashes the bones apart. A flash of fire and explosion are the result of the creature's passing, but the elemental is of course unharmed.
Father takes up a defensive position before his comrades.
Valachi brings his claws up to the ready, and steps back in order to receive the wizard's protective spell.
Ember steps up but cannot quite reach Valachi's side.
Kendra steps forward, and casts Disrupt Undead, holding the spell until one of the creatures comes within her line of sight.
Agnar does not notice the new commotion and instead continues to watch the pool and cave behind you in case of danger.
Round 1:
Still waiting for them to clump up ... take a 5' step back though.
Delia can't do much from where she is in the back, so she just gets closer to the group, drawing and loading her sling.
The summoned elemental, moves to the next closest target, swinging at the thing with a limb of solid fire.
Father waits, his adopted stance one of protection. He doesn't want to rush ahead of the group as they wait in the tunnel for the best time to strike.