As the assembly works to free themselves, a conversation passes between the Aarakocra and the Thri’Kreen, which none are privy to save Faindriac, who still manages to miss a few of the finer subtleties. A smell not unlike baking bread comes from Kirrish-Kreshk-Skiklik in waves, followed by a scent similar to roasting meat emanating from both Kreen. Perhaps Shenker is attempting to join in the conversation, for he reeks of feces.
As you take stock of your new situation, you can see bleached sand all around you for miles unending, broken only by a rough trade road, the occasional dune, and the quickly evaporating remnants of the storm. The smoking, blackened remains of what might have once been a woman lay nearby, and well as the broken body of an elf, still strapped into the howdah, his body twisted like a hemp doll by the impact.
Checking over yourselves and your belongings (wits, giant hair rope), a shrill scream fractures the silence. An elf flies bodily over a nearby hill, landing at your feet with a bloody squish, thereby granting your burning desire to locate your oppressors. An ear shattering, yet oddly hollow bellow follows closely behind the fluid trickling corpse, and an enormous form, sun at its back, crests the dune: The undead Mekillot, imbued with a simple, hateful sentience and no longer restrained by the soothing influence of the necromant.
Although terribly damaged by the forcible separation of its cargo, it still appears amply capable of both locomotion and malevolence. Its hollow, backlit, red eyes trace the flight path of the elf, leading down to your location. Sensing life, it lets loose another empty roar, and plods inexorably down the hillside, ready to transfer the pain of its existence to you.
searches for a weapon, even an improvised one would be fine,
Aso will take 20 on the weapon search. Scratch that. I'm going to get out of the howdah and go check the elf if he's nearby. I'll take a quick bite if I can. (Edited)
I'm going to get out of the howdah and go check the elf if he's nearby. I'll take a quick bite if I can.
Your hasty search of the elf reveals a bone dagger, and what looks to be a magnificent falchion made of obsidian shot throughout with blood red impurities. The elf tastes mealy.
Mekillot init = 3
The creature is 60 feet away at present .
At the sight of the huge, undead, death machine MalaKi pulls a Shenker.
For everyone:
MalaKi initiative = 15.
Ohhh. Dagger, falchion. Decisions, decisions. He looks around for the least f&+!ed up fighter, and passes the dagger to him. I guess that's Holdrus (EDIT: ok to Zuko if he needs it you two call it). Falchion -2 for inappropriate size. Better than a kick in the head.
The taste of elf blood brings it on.
The sight of the great undead beast fills Zuko with an intense hatred crying for release. I must shake off my exhaustion, so I can fight properly.
Revitalized, Zuko then proceeds out of the howdah.
I’m showing:
KaChik
Holdus
Shenker
Aso (searching the elf) / Zuko (casting a spell)
Malaki
Skarsnikt / Kirrish
Illeya / Radik
Faindrac
Issiki
Mekillot
Sound right?
check
I'll toss the dagger handle first to whoever is the most able, and posts first, right now that is Zuko and Holdrus. The pass will happen next round I assume.
The pass will happen next round I assume.
If I just hold it out handle first they can grab it. But really higher init should be able to search the elf first and get the weapons. When I posted my search I missed your call for us to roll init.
If I just hold it out handle first they can grab it. But really higher init should be able to search the elf first and get the weapons. When I posted my search I missed your call for us to roll init.
Yeah, I hemmed and hawed over that one too. Finally, I figured the first search, plus the travel to the elf and second search was prior, with the pickup and handoff being in round.
How about this. Of the high inits:
So I hold both handles out to Holdrus and let him choose.
MalaKi will delay until after Issiki. If we manage to lay down some serious damage on the beast he will attack with an unarmed strike, if possible. If we can't hurt the beast or a strong fighter type needs a weapon MalaKi will move and search the burned remains of the woman.
Issiki concentrates on manifesting a field of protection around himself, ignoring the antics of his new comrades. He then backs away from the mekillot as far as he can.
This map assumes the party is arranged around the Howdah (escept Issiki, who has stepped away West); they can call out their preferred location on their initiative.
I'm by the elf (on my initiative, will crash in an few hours, I'll check in if the kid wakes me up, just skip me and I'll post my init late--the thing is at least a round away, probably two, even if we move toward it).
I'm not posting until this evening, so my turn I'll kick on the 3 point inertial armor.
Aso grins and shouts to the others.
"D... d... d... do you think Aso can g... g... g... get inside?"
"Move it, Mul, b... b... b... bone or steel?"
this is for my toons init; 12+6 dex -x exhausted +4 improved init = (22-x) if I understand the math right.
Holdrus: 18
Shenker: 17
Aso: 16
Zuko: 16
Malaki: 15
Kirrish-Kreshk-Skiklik: 13
Skarsnikt: 13
Issiki: 12
Thri Kreen: "To Battle my clutchmates"; cast magic fang (if I have a holy symbol); move 25' 20' up angle (flight at 1/2 speed due to exhaustion)at oblique angle to the incomming creature to separate and prepare to flank. (1standard action; one move action)(if no casting possible; 2 move actions following prior pattern.
Spot for anything I may see: 12+9=21 apply any modifiers applicable.
Spells memorized; 0- create water, purify food and drink; 1- magic fang, endure elements.
"By the Flame! I shall cleanse this world of your kind, undead!" A ball of flame forms around Zuko's right hand, which he hurls with savage abandon at the foul undead creature, all the while his eyes alit with insane fervor.
Ranged Touch Attack 1d20+5=21, Fire Damage 1d6+4=8
Thereafter, Zuko moves further South.
My thanks, small warrior, at least I die today fighting...
Spread out, sentients! I don't know if we can kill this thing!
Radik is jolted from unconsciousness by the roar of the undead beast. Rolling onto his back, he somersaults upright, and with a roar of frustration, attempts to rip through his bonds.
"Quick-quick, softshell. Beast come!"
'DEAD! he can't be dead! He's a ,... Wait. Calm. Focus. Control. It would be almost impossible to sell, he might still be with the elves' belongings. Concentrate, If you are within a mile, I shall find you Cair d'Naif.'
With a visible effort, the man calms himself, and looks at the one who spoke to him. "Thank you. You are right. Calm is required now, not emotionalism. Fortunately, Cair is not a person, but one of my,... belongings. I shall find it later, at a more appropriate time." He rubs his abused wrists, and slowly clambers ungracefully out of the Howdah with the others.
"We are too weak to outrun it, spread out so it cannot step on all of us at once!" The man with the short-cropped red hair calls out. He closes his eyes, and when they open, the irises have turned to shining silver. "The fire cleric has it right! If you have powers, now is the time to use them!"
EDIT-
A scent like sulphur is emitted from Kirrish-Kreshk-Skiklik's pheremone glands as he approaches the road between the howdah and the Mellikot.
Damn, we're in a tight spot! thinks the normally cool and collected halfling.
"Quick-quick, softshell. Beast come!"
"I'm not blind, bug!" yells Radik, still struggling with the the extra-heavy rope used to bind him, "I can see the giant mekillot zombie bearing down upon us!"
The big man gives on last hard tug at his bonds.
"Ronove, give me strength..."
hmm dex 22-6=18 for +4 bonus; 12+4+4 is 18; comes out higher that way; hmm.
Aso, jogs to K15, stands on the big black line, and wonders where it came from. He cuts the air a few times with the awkward weapon then closes his eyes for a few seconds as he bends down to feel the first truly free sand under his feet in what must be ten years--then he fixes his eyes on the Mekillot and starts making a lot of noise.
Falchion
Martial Two-Handed Melee Critical: 18–20/×2
Type: Slashing
Hardness: 10
Damage: 2d4
Weight: 8 lbs
Uncertain how to proceed with a giant undead beast, Issiki waits to see how things will pan out.
MalaKi nods his thanks to Aso and Kirrish-Kreshk-Skiklik. For a moment his imagination runs wild and he wonders which one of those two would provide him the swiftest death. Paralyzed then eaten alive versus raped then eaten alive. He shudders.
(lol) Death BY Zug Zug!!!
Falchion
Martial Two-Handed Melee Critical: 18–20/×2
Type: Slashing
Hardness: 10
Damage: 2d4
Weight: 8 lbs
Zombies need slashing damage to overcome DR, so I figured a weapon was best for the sitch. We can retcon the handoff so I have the Falchion if you want.
Bigger, better, weapon and when all is done I will give it to whoever is best for it.
I took the Falchion instead of the dagger.
"Someone see if the driver had any weapons and arm yourselves! This is gonna get ugly!"
Screaming... talking... crying... sounds of terror and grief...
The elf was barely conscious. If it weren't for the periodic moaning and shifting, he might be presumed dead. The roar of the mellikot roused him to wakefulness, however, and he sat up with a start.
Seeing the assembly of others all around him preparing to battle the monstrosity, the elf quickly cleared the cobwebs from his tired mind.
"...what... what has happened?"
"Prison box fall off beast, softshell. Beast now come back for box."
"s... s... s... search the bodies l... l... l.. long-ears."
Only a few of us are not exhausted, fate, there is one dead elf and one dead woman not yet searched. Oh yeah, your init at +2 is at 14. You are supposed to post your location.
Glancing around at his companions, the elf breathed heavily and began an incantation, weaving his hands around his form in an intricate pattern and slowly fading from view.
Im gonna search the lady if I can.
search roll=13+9-3=19
"Shenker'll frisk ya, kissy lovely,...now let's see what you have all..."
With a brutal tug, the massive human snaps the rope binding his hands. For a second, his eyes flash violet, and his omnipresent grayish pallor deepens. Radik clenches his fists, snarling.
"I need a weapon."
Calmly, he begins to stride purposefully toward the fallen howdah.