Jawn pushes open the private entrance door. Hey look, its unlocked! He'll then tilt his head with a puzzled expression. Say, did you guys hear that? It was muffled, but I thought maybe I heard someone calling for help... Let's go. Jawn will step inside, but only a step or two. He doesn't have a light source out.
Jawn discovers that not only is there plenty of light inside, there are workers toiling away, feeding coal into a furnace, working a pump, and stirring great pits of noxious stuff with iron rods. They do their tasks woodenly and shamble about in a most peculiar manner. They do not seem to notice Jawn, even though the halfing should be in their field of vision.
Directly to Jawn's left is a closed door. Along that wall is a staircase that leads up to a platform. Heavy snoring can be heard emanating from that out-of-sight area.
Mijanor:
You immediately sense that the people inside are no longer alive. These are zombies, albeit well-preserved and dressed to make them look as if they still live.
In response to Cerinwe, "Aye, knockin' w'uld be fine." He takes a step forward as Jawn pushes the door open and frowns mightily at him, "Lad, I wasn't born 'esterday. Ye opened 'at wi' no permission and 'eir isn't anyone callin' fer 'elp and ye know it!" As he comes into view of the interior, suddenly his expression changes from a frown to outright anger, "By Torag's 'ammer! 'ose workers aren't among 'he livin'! What dark magics be at work 'ere?" Jawn's indiscretion forgotten for the moment.
The undead servitors do not seem to notice Mijanor's loud voice.
"Lad, I wasn't born 'esterday. Ye opened 'at wi' no permission and 'eir isn't anyone callin' fer 'elp and ye know it!"
The playfulness in Jawn's face melts away and he speaks in an low, even voice. Yes, I picked the lock and of course no one was crying for help. I simply have different priorities at the moment. The city is in anarchy and people are probably going to get killed trying to get across the river and away from here, perhaps even more than have been killed by the monster itself. We have exactly four leads in this case, and I intend to follow each of them until this thing is stopped. If we knocked and no one answered, what then? Keep knocking? Return in the morning? How many more might be lost while we delay?
If we are wrong and the master of this business is not involved, then I will gladly issue a heartfelt apology once the killings are stopped. I would even submit myself to the Crows' authority once this is all over if that would be a salve for our friendship. But for now, I am going to check for clues.
Jawn goes to the door on his left discreetly and listens at it if he is not interrupted.
Stealth
Perception
The dwarf shakes his head slowly, "I commend 'ere yer 'eart is lad if'n not yer methods. 'he dark times are when 'he laws o' 'he land be most important. What ye speak of c'n lead to tyranny an' anarchy ina wrong 'ands." He holds up a hand forestalling any rebuttal, "'ave no fear lad. Now 'at ye 'ave uncovered 'is pit o' darkness it be my duty ta put down 'he walkin' dead." He gestures at the zombies slaving away.
The intrepid halfling tiptoes to the door and listens. He hears nothing inside.
One by one the zombies pause and turn their slack-jawed faces to Jawn. They drop their work implements and charge.
Mijanor either stay where he is at (if next to Jawn) or enter the door if not next to Jawn. He will channel positive energy.
Initiative:
Jawn will strike out a Z5 with his mithril dagger.
Hit
Damage if applicable
Initiative:
attack:
possible damage:
Ooo! Roll to confirm crit:
crit damage:
Andrei stabbed one of the workers with his scimitar, then booted it off his blade, ready for the next attack.
OOC:
Initiative order
27 Cerinwe
23 Jawn
14 Zombies
10 Andrei
4 Mijanor
To prepare against the sudden crush of undead, Cerinwë taps waves his wand and shields himself.
Jawn stabs defiantly into the gut of a zombie, which merely looks at it's bloodless wound with a stupid expression.
The zombies claw and bite at Jawn and Mijanor.
Z5 attacks Jawn
Z6 attacks Jawn
Z7 attacks Mijanor
Z3 attacks Mijanor
And all of them miss.
Andrei skewers one of Mijanor's attackers through the mouth. It drops to the floor with a gasp, as if relieved to go to it's final rest.
Unfazed by the undead swarm, Mijanor concentrates and releases a counter wave of life energy.
Will Saves
Z1
Z3
Z4
Z5
Z6
Z7
Z8
The zombie which Jawn stabbed can take no more and collapses against the wall with a thud.
Virtually all of the undead caught in the blast fall to ground. But most climb back up onto their feet or continue forward crawling.
Perception
Jawn:
The dwarf holds his holy symbol high, "Torag's 'ammer will keep 'ammerin' ya 'til ya stay doon zombie."
Jawn calls out Everyone. The man we are looking for is hiding on the platform. Don't let him get away.
"Go git 'em, I'll deal wi' 'ese."
Is the area labelled B3 the platform? How high is it above the main floor? Is there a railing or anything that would obstruct jumping onto it?
OOC:
Looking at the map, there's not much at Andrei can do. He can't move to the vacant square south of Mijanor without getting two AOOs from Z6 and Z7 (because you can't move past a corner.)
There's not much Cerinwe can do.
Jawn can stab at Z6. But Mijanor's next channel energy guarantees all of the zombies will be toast by the end of this round.
Can we assume the zombies Z6 and Z7 miss (the others can only move forward, because zombies have move/action limits), Mijanor destroys all the zombies, and then we move onto the next round?
Is the area labelled B3 the platform? How high is it above the main floor? Is there a railing or anything that would obstruct jumping onto it?
OOC:
The platform (B3) is 10 feet above the main floor. There's a railing that's 4 feet high. Behind the railing is a thick curtain that blocks off the entire shadowed area.
|
Cerinwë inscribes a mystic symbol in the air, half-seen runes dripping from where his fingers interrupt the weaving of reality. He gestures, and screaming cyan bolts erupt into being and tear through the air, leaving the smell of ozone and cinnamon.
[OOC: magic missile at Z8 until it drops. Remainder to Z6.]
1st missile:
2nd missile:
3rd missile:
OOC:
The first two magic missiles drop Z8. The last one drops Z6.
Looks like those magic missiles cleared the way. Jawn is going to do a double move action to reach the stairs and bound up them.
OOC:
Init for the mystery man (not such a mystery, though):
Looks like those magic missiles cleared the way. Jawn is going to do a double move action to reach the stairs and bound up them.
Initiative order
27 Cerinwe
23 Jawn
14 Zombies
10 Andrei
4 Mijanor
Cerinwë's bright bolts annhilate two zombies.
Jawn across the room and up the stairs.
Zombies Z3 and Z7 attack Mijanor. The other zombies move up the hall.
Z3 attack :
Z7 attack :
Andrei barrels past Mijanor and the crowd of zombies.
Z1 attack :
Z3 attack :
Z4 attack :
Z7 attack :
Mijanor unleashes the energy of life itself and destroys every zombie instantly!
Jawn and Andrei:
Numerous tables, cabinets, and chairs in this area make it apparent that this is where much of the
business and paperwork for the Vat occurs. The place is in a deplorable mess and empty bottles of alcohol are strewn across the floor.
Before you is an old man in dirty robes. Or rather, a youngish man whose face has aged beyond his years. "Did the Crows send you? Do you even know what this is about? he yells. "I'd rather die than be taken alive!"
Cerinwe and Mijanor:
From the platform you hear an unhinged-sounding voice yell
"Did the Crows send you? Do you even know what this is about? I'd rather die than be taken alive!"
Assuming Cerinwe's actions do not conflict, Jawn will:
I mean you no harm and I am not a Crow. We are dedicating to putting an end to the monster terrorizing the town. We are here because we believe you are a target.
|
|
Arms folded behind him, Cerinwë casually follows Jawn and Andrei up the stairs, stepping over the zombie corpses with a grace that suggests he barely notices them.
The taciturn elf prefers to allow others to handle conversation. He himself concentrates on observation and analysis.
[OOC: Cerinwë looks carefully around while Jawn is negotiating with the old man.]
Mijanor closes the door behind him and stays where he is, assuming the others can handle the situation themselves while he guards the door in case their quarry tries to make a break for it.
"You? Stop the very spawn of Yog-Sothoth? Pitiful fools!"
He begins casting a spell ...
Jawn will throw his dagger, trying to disrupt his spellcasting.
Attack:
Damage if hits:
OOC:
Concentration Check DC 18 :
Black tentacles burrow up from the floorboards and reach for Jawn, Andrei and Cerinwë. The mage cackles as he goes to the edge of the platform and climbs down.
Attack - MISS
Mijanor sees the man appear just a few feet away. The man is not even aware of the dwarf's presence.
"Ah no ya doen't." Mijanor calls forth Torag's mighty presence to stop the man from escaping. He stays in front of the door to block the mans progress.
Unwilling to leave his comrades to the black tentacles, Andrei raised his scimitar and spoke. "Vatra!" Flames ran along the blade as he slashed at the writhing mass.
Attack:
possible damage: + fire:
Jawn will bolt out of the tentacles, taking the shortest route possible to get free of them, even if that means going over the railing.
