"C'mon, Bessie! Let's make her count."
Rhodes fires a bolt from this sleek crossbow at the creature.
The swirling fog obscures his shot and prevents him from hitting the misty figure.
Trina's polearm makes solid contact with the creature. Her joy is short-lived, as shower of sparks surrounds the blade as it passes through the creature and travels its length to her gloved hands.
A bullet from Smitty's enchanted firearm strikes true.
The creature staggers from the series of successful attacks. It has clearly been weakened. As it drifts back from its attackers, it briefly focuses its attention upon one of the bodies littering the floor. The corpse crackles with electricity and rises from with an awkward shudder. It takes to its feet and looks for the nearest foe.
Sylvia
Rhodes
Jerry
Luce
Trina
Smitty
Caladrel
The foe
Zombie
"Yeeurgh, back to the grave with you," Sylvia cries, pulling a slender vial from her bandolier and giving it an odd tweak as she springs towards the newly animated body, "This isn't the galvanic laboratory!"
She hucks the vial at the sparking zombie.
A sharp, grating Abyssal curse sprang unbidden from her lips as the lightning lashed up at her hands, burning past the initial resistance and leaving black marks on her armor. That was apparently a bad plan.
Trina quickly swaps her gun for the blade and takes aim, narrowing her vision through the mist and trying to focus on the attacking creature.
Sylvia's aim is true. The newly risen zombie bursts into flames and thrashes about on the ground before lying still, its chard remains emitting a dreadful stench.
Trina's bullet hits the mark, but passes through the misty figure without harming it.
Rhodes
Jerry
Luce
Trina (posted)
Smitty
Caladrel
The foe
Sylvia
Trina curses again, snarling under her breath. "Magical ranged weapons! We can't harm it without magic and anything that strikes it directly gets shocked. And spells, if we can spare them!"
Seeing his opponent move away from him Jeremiah presses the attack; "Afraid I cannot do magical or ranged, but I can certainly distract and push forth." he calls in response to Trina's advise.
He pushes Luce forward and raising his sword to a more conventional high thrusting stance pokes forward at the misty form. Whilst the lioness presents rampant and tries to maul their adversary.
In dramatic fashion, Jerry plunges his sword into the figure. A shower of sparks sprays over him, charging the length of his blade. The nobleman holds fast against the searing charge and the misty figure doubles over and collapses on the floor. The glowing eyes slowly dim and go dark.
Jerry slumps forward upon the back of his leonine companion, gasping softly as his smoking gloved hand pats her mane glad of her co-operation.
He looks to the others; "Thanks for the warning Trina, but I guess I got lucky and at least there aren't any more risen corpses?" His eyes dart around uncertainly.
Luce snuffles away from the commotion and flicks her head about the misty room.
"Do we have some more illumination? I find it a trifle stuffy and awkward in here." Jeremiah asks politely; "Mayhaps we can bring a bit of civility and light to the darkness."
Still in badger form, Caladrel moves to the exit of the cave and waits while the others search the room. He sniffs the air trying to discern if there is anything odd lurking further down the tunnel.
"I've never seen the dead come alive from electricity before. It didn't seem to do it any favor against fire, though." Krosh covers his nose to ward off the stench as he looks about the room.
"Yup. Fire fixes most things," Sylvia says contentedly, wiping her hands on her robe.
While the others scout about and clean up after the remnants of the battle, Trina makes her way over to the wispy remains of the mist creature. She repeats the ritual performed earlier, removing her gloves and murmuring a prayer over the corpse while the mouths on her hands gnash and gnaw away at something invisible in the air.
Once that is done, she returns her gloves then makes her way over to Jeremiah, drawing a wand from her belt as she goes. "Hold still, let me tend some of those wounds."
She glances around at the rest of the group while the wand is in hand, seeing if anyone else's injuries need tending.
Holding out an arm for Trina's kind ministrations, he slides from the flank of his mount. "Thank you, most kindly. That was a sticky situation."
"What was that some sort of ghost or undead creature? I wonder what sort of guardian it was, or maybe a creation tool...." he ponders with a glance to the educated Sylvia.
"Obviously something of the.. uh.. spark-motivated variety. It could have been bound here to guard something or called or generated or maybe it lived here," Syliva opines, pretty much covering all the bases as she sidles over to Trina with a mildly pleading look. "Ow. All my hair is still standing on end." She demonstrates the charge by drawing a spark from Rhodes' ear.
It is best not to strike it with metallic weapons. Weapons enchanted by magic are the best option. Also, their electrical aura has been known to animate unliving flesh.
Sylvia and Smitty search the room and find little to explain what is going on, but they do find some valuables among the detritus on the floor. It is evident, based on the carnage and gear strewn about the place, the a few people (travelers, apparently) were lured here for some purpose and now lie dead.
Some coin purses containing 800 gold pieces in total
A fine compass
A masterwork sword cane pistol
4 alchemical cartridges (flare)
A bundle of lace handkerchiefs, worth about 200 gp
An enchanted dagger (+1)
An enchanted ring (ring of protection +1)
An immovable rod
Alchemical glue
A vial of invisible ink (good quality)
Sneezing powder
There is a locket which bears a family crest. It should be identifiable, or Lord Wallingham could identify it. It lies upon the ground, so it is not clear which of the remains it belongs to.
You also see a scrap of cloth that does not seem to be associated with any of the bodies on the ground. It is a torn corner of a larger piece. It is obviously very old, and from what you can make out it bears a pattern of strange figures. There are bizarre geometric patterns upon a background of what appear to be eyes and tentacles. None of the bodies bear a garment with this pattern, so clearly the rest of the piece from which this scrap was torn is not here.
Letting out a little sigh at the bones and death that surrounds them. "This isn't good, shall we collect the skulls and inter them back at the manor? It could also ensure that they cannot be re-raised; just in case that creature comes back from undeath....again." He adds.
With a quick check of the locket, he holds it with some great care. For the owner will have treasured it and only relinquished it upon death.
Trina on the other hand picks up the scrap of fabric and looks over the strange glyphs and emblems, looking for something at all familiar in the alien symbols. The tendrils under her hair coil around her shoulders, as if curiously trying to peek over at the unusual tapestry.
"Should we take these items? It feels a bit like grave-robbing." He says with a trifle of consideration; "But it doesn't do good to leave items here...." He ponders, looking to Sylvia and Smitty, knowing that they might like some of the equipment.
"There is no sense in leaving supply behind if it can be put to good use by the living," Trina replies calmly. "The dead can make no use of them, and the advantage may be lost to us if not taken when we can. After our quest is over, as we can, if we can, perhaps the remnants can be returned to the next of kin. But until that time, the least we can do is put these tools to use in avenging those this taint has slain."
Caladrel begins to pace back and forth in front of the western tunnel entrance. Each time he reaches the middle of the tunnel, he stops and intently sniffs the air in the direction of the tunnel.
"Thank you Trina, you wise council is well taken. Hopefully we can identify this crest, I know Wally would know them... anyone else?" His finger rasps slightly across his chin.
With the light behind him Jerry nods to the others and starts to move down the western tunnel, letting the transformed Caladrel in front of him, if he wishes. Luce stays hot on his heels, not really liking it down here, her wet nose nuzzling his leg.
Caladrel watches the others gather the items in the cave. Once Jeremiah begins walking toward the western tunnel entrance, Caladrel turns and begins to go deeper into the tunnel. He stays alert for any hint of trouble, and begins sniffing the air for any signs of life down further in the tunnel.
The far tunnel much resembles the one you came through earlier, although it is slightly larger. The air grows colder as you proceed, and always the swirling vapor curls around your feet. You round a corner and can see that ahead the tunnel opens to another chamber. An odd bluish light struggles to pierce through the swirling fog.
Rhodes shakes his head to remove his sudden stupor, then glances around, "Who first?"
Caladrel pushes slowly forwarded and begins to shiver in the chill. He moves to the entrance of the second chamber warily watching for traps along the way. Once he reaches the chamber, he again sniffs the air for signs of life and listens intently for more strange sounds.
"I'll follow Caladrel." Jerry says holding Luce's mane as she tries to sniff after the badger. "Then same order as we entered? That seemed to work well."
"Though I like not the look of that light, maybe a new spirit or an emanation of the corrupting evil - best steel our minds." He says with a trifle formality.
When you come to the next chamber, the swirling fog has thinned somewhat, such that you can see relatively clearly. This expansive cavern has no other exits. The rough ceiling is some 50 feet above your heads and the walls are slimy with algae.
At the far end of the chamber, a jagged window into darkness gapes menacingly. The edges of the portal glow with a purple radiance, and the interior resembles a black sky, dotted with faint stars. The tear in space is not bound by any physical structure; it simply hovers, some 2 feet above the floor.
Two strange beings are inspecting the rift. These barrel-shaped bodies are topped with vaguely star-shaped heads. Leathery wings hang limply among their many tentacle-like appendages. One of them holds with one of its tentacles a strange, crystalline artifact as it prods at the border to the rift.
When you reach the entrance, their tentacles beginning flailing wildly and one of them utters a strange chittering sound in alarm.
Sylvia fiddles with the immovable rod as they march along, fascinated by its ability to hang fixed in space.
Caladrel steps to the side to allow the others to enter the room.
"By jove, what sort of blighters are they?" Jerry exclaims; "I wonder what they are saying?"
"My goodness, how fascinating," Sylvia remarks, peering at the gaping rift, "And hello to you two. What's that you've got there?"
And hello to you two. What's that you've got there?
The beings chitter with alarm and flail their tentacles menacingly.
"Oh dear. They don't seem to understand what I'm saying."
Sylvia tries again, louder and more slowly.
Nodding with agreement at Sylvia's proper way of communicating with these fellows. He leans into Rhodes and whispers softly; "They look a might like sea anemones? Don't they."
Rhodes bumbles along, trying to get a look at the immovable rod before they run across these odd creatures.
Trina
Smitty
Sylvia
Rhodes
Caladrel
Things
Jerry & Luce
As for fighting them, they are just flesh and can be killed. Cold seems to have no effect on them, and they are resistant to fire. They possess considerable strength in their tentacles.
Trina
Smitty
Sylvia
Rhodes
Caladrel
Things
Jerry & Luce
"I wouldn't expect a peaceful resolution here," she says, hopefully where the group around her can hear but the elder things can't, presuming they speak or comprehend Common at all. "These creatures are otherworldly conquerors and opportunists. Sylvia, your fire flasks may not harm them much, and cold is even less effective. I recommend acid if you have it. Careful not to get grabbed - they're stronger than they look."
Information shared, the tiefling immediately shifts her speech into the singsong magical language she uses, weaving her free hand overhead and gesturing in an arc to the group surrounding her. "La beno de la eterna leviĝis sur nin ĉiujn." The group finds themselves feeling bolstered and encouraged, their fears and anxieties about the upcoming fight driven back. Then she takes her glaive in hand, holding her pistol in her tail, and charges.
Caladrel moves to the other wall and begins to transform back into his normal form.
He calls out to the creatures in a louder voice, enunciating more slowly and clearly; He says in an imperial tone - knowing that any educated, intelligent creatures should understand him.
"Ah, well Ms. Trina - we will have to teach these opportunists a lesson in good manners."
"That's so disappointing. Think what we could learn from them!"
Sylvia's letdown doesn't stop her from swiftly downing a tiny vial of opaque, pearlescent fluid. Her skin rapidly thickens and roughens, taking on a crocodilian look, as she pulls an rocklike object from her belt pouch.
"Unless you happen to speak their language or possess some sort of telepathy, I'm afraid that's unlikely to be an option."
"I'm sure they'd be even more grouchy than the form tutors at Imperial. And I'd not like to serve their detention..." he jibes despite the harrowing conditions.
"Ach, these crazy creatures make my head hurt. Or...I got hit on the head, and I don' remember it!"
Smitty looks at the things before shrugging. "I guess Bessie will do the talking for me."