Milah greets Mirah and Gurin, then looks to Grenz. "If he's at a sanitorium...are we likely to get anything useful from him?"
"Might be worth a shot, since most likely he has at least seen his assailants?"
Khamul walks up, having left his dog at the Rusty Dragon (because getting it through a tunnel could be challenging), in time to hear Grenz'z proposal.
"I thought we had agreed that the ghouls underneath Sandpoint were a threat to be challenged immediately; we were worried about an undead eruption... Going to Habe's will take at least a day."
He turns to the two acolytes, and looks them up and down: "Howdy, you two are clearly churchmen. What holy abilities do you bring to this expedition?"
"Fine by me" - Grenz shrugs as it seems everyone is dead set on their current path - "I am ready whenever you are" - he nods at Khamul.
"It will be a nasty business, regardless."
"We've tried to gather a lot of clues to little effect so far. But clearing out the undead from the sewers will definitely leave our enemy with less tools to use, no matter their plan. I'm for leaving the sanitorium to later." Idun seems to approve of immediate action.
The two acolytes nod as they are introduced. The younger female stays quiet as the young man speaks. ”Mirah and I have been training with Father Zantus for a couple of years and we have learned to heal minor wounds and afflictions. He has taught us a little about the dangers of the unliving creatures that sometimes haunt the area. He said if we focus on our faith, we may be able to give those creatures a proper rest. We haven’t really had a chance to practice that yet.” He looks down. ”We are happy to do what we can to help though.”
He looks at the tunnel with the rest of you. It appears that if you stayed close together, you could fit two at a time down the tunnel, but as it is mostly dug out earth and not a truly stone worked sewer, the width could vary at any time. To fight more comfortably, at least those who are not the size of children, single file would be best.
"I hope everybody's wearing tall boots, because I bet this is going to get wet and nasty. Ready?"
"Ready"
"Halfling boots just don't come that tall! Still, ready."
You begin marching forward, after unlatching the gate. It creeks open and you move along. After only a few feet, the old brick and stone give way to moist dirt walls and mud floors. You have to work to pull your boots free with each step. Even with torchlight, magical and otherwise, it is easy to spot humanoid tracks permeating the floor. Most of them seem to be barefoot except one set that is in boots. As if to tell you that you are going the right way, you hear the sound of wet mud sloshing in the distance.
Coming to a left turn, you see that the digging has widened a bit here and then continues about forty to fifty feet and then narrows again. Beyond that is darkness.
4 ranks +3 trained +1 trait (and another +4 Racial to detect danger not added yet)
+4 dex
"That body twitched! even as he speaks, Khamul skips past Sileven, and drives his longspear into the body.
and a prone target has a -4 AC vs melee
+3 bab +3 champion spirit bonus +1 str
Spirit Bonus +3, Str +1, Séance Bonus +3
Getting up draws an AoO, thus
and a prone target has a -4 AC vs melee
4 armor +4 dex +1 size
Hearing the commotion up front, Grenz whirls around and focuses on the areas behind them.
Almost unconsciously, his stance changes to a ferocious one - that of the Dragon, and he prepares himself in case of an ambush.
On his shoulder, Scourge squeaks menacingly.
+2 if Scourge Bodyguard applies
+2 if Scourge Bodyguard applies
+2 if Scourge Bodyguard applies
----------
Sil hesitates before trying to kill this unidentified opponent. Is it undead lying in wait or recently turned? Is it a poor citizen tied and left to see if the team will just kill anything?
Sil moves forward up to 10' to get a better look at the form.
If it appears to be a poor citizen left to distract them:
"Guys? Try not to kill the civilians, okay?"
If it appears to be another undead thing, and 10' is close enough to attack it, Sill will.
If that's not close enough to attack, or not even to try to identify it, Sil can full move up to 20'.
If I closed with it, it looks like an opponent, and it provokes, then AoO:
Zarque grudgingly hands over the gold, mumbling about highway robbery, remembering to find out later if it actually got turned in somewhere or if he pocketed it.
Then I'd meet up to go hunting.
Down in the tunnels,
Zarque seems quite comfortable navigating down here, possibly because of her size. With the breakout of combat, Zarque unleashed a bolt of molten gold that exploded into ensnaring tendrils of metal.
As Khamul realizes what is going on and Sileven’s elf eyes notice the movement as well, the rest of you start to notice that the mud begins moving and a lot of creatures tear themselves free with howls that threaten to send shivers down your spine. Steeling yourselves, you join in the defense.
Khamul’s spear holds the first one in place and as it attempts to stand, Sileven’s blade first removes its legs and then its head before to even gets a chance to fall. You instantly recognize them as creatures like the one you watched turn at the abandoned house. Father Zantus called them ghouls.
Idun appears to have confidence in her friends to handle the fighting, at least for now, and plasters herself against the wall to let anyone else have a clear shot past her with spell or if they wish to rush forward. She rummages through her pack for the alchemical items they have, so that she can tonic or stillgut anyone who gets affected.
Drek's not sure that his help will be needed, and in any case he can't do much, so he keeps his magical energies to cure his friends if they get into trouble.
Sileven 18- Move and Attack
Idun 18- Ready Draw Alchemy
Drek’Thar 18- Ready to Heal
Grenz 16- Readied attack (21/9)
Khamul 14- Move and Attack
Milah 14- Readied Attack
Ghouls 13- Move and Attack
Acolytes 10- Readied Cure Light Wounds
Zarque 6- Golden Burst
Milah readies her weapon at the rear of the line, making sure that no one sneaks in from behind to ambush you in this fight. The ghouls rush forth and attempt to grab at anyone they see, while the acolytes prepare to heal anyone that gets hit. As one rounds a corner, Zarque is ready for it and blasts it with her golden magic.
Sileven 18-
Idun 18-
Drek’Thar 18-
Grenz 16-
Khamul 14-
Milah 14-
Ghouls 13-
Acolytes 10
Zarque 6
Khamul calls out "We need more blades in here, there's a lot of them!", and stabs sideways with his longspear to make space...
+3 bab +3 champion spirit bonus +1 str
Spirit Bonus +3, Str +1, Séance Bonus +3
4 armor +4 dex +1 size
Then Sill will strike at the surrounding opponents with both blades.
Then Sil steps back to the wall, looking to reduce the threat against both himself and Khamul. "A wider skirmish line, at least, would be really good!"
From behind the lines, Drek launches a positive energy attack that impacts one of the undead
Sileven swings his blades in a wide arc, hacking one ghoul down as Khamul holds it in place with his spear and then tearing into another as they close in on him. Before it gets a chance to strike, Drek’thar sends a powerful spiritual burst into its chest and it burns to ashes.
Sileven 18- Attack Solid Red then Green
Idun 18-
Drek’Thar 18- Heal to Harm Green
Grenz 16-
Khamul 14- Spear at Solid Red
Milah 14-
Ghouls 13-
Acolytes 10-
Zarque 6-
Grenz's tactic is the same, but he moves forward to support his companions.
On his shoulder, Scourge threatens any foe who approaches.
+2 if Scourge Bodyguard applies
+2 if Scourge Bodyguard applies
+2 if Scourge Bodyguard applies
----------
Brandishing her blade, Milah charges forward past the others to engage the ghouls, trying to put a line between them and the other casters, standing shoulder to shoulder with Grenz, ready for the next wave.
Sileven 18- Attack Solid Red then Green
Idun 18-
Drek’Thar 18- Heal to Harm Green
Grenz 16- Ready
Khamul 14- Spear at Solid Red
Milah 14- Ready
Ghouls 13-
Acolytes 10-
Zarque 6-
Khamul, now facing two ghouls, dodges out of the way of one, his small stature saving him from being grabbed and dragged off. His spear catches the other one trying to close in on him, but it keeps coming. Sileven is ready for it as it grabs at him instead and he cuts at it, but it moves just out of the way. Milah is ready for it though and she skewers the thing through its head. More ghouls crawl out of the pit ahead, but Sileven’s blades slash back and forth keeping them at bay. More come around the corner to get at Grenz. They seem to be trying to grab everyone...
Sileven 18- Attack Solid Red then Green
Idun 18- Ready to Draw Alchemy
Drek’Thar 18- Heal to Harm Green
Grenz 16- Ready
Khamul 14- Spear at Solid Red
Milah 14- Ready
Ghouls 13- Attack!
Acolytes 10-
Zarque 6-
Surrounded by undead foes, Grenz falls into himself - in perfect balance he throws punches and kicks at the closest ghoul reaching out for them.
Scourge looks menacing and distracting.
+1 Dodge
+2 Dex
+1 Amulet of Natural Armor
+1 Ring of Protection
+3 Wisdom
+4 Mage Armor
+2 Combat Expertise
+2 Bodyguard Aid from Scourge
----------
Having seen the catfolk's skill with a blade, Sil focuses more to his left than his right.
He looks to slice these undead up as well as he can.
Khamul has to concentrate on the fight in his face now. He drops his longspear and grabs his estoc for a close fight. Taking advantage of his size, he steps under the Ghouls guard and drives the blade into his gut
+3 bab +3 champion spirit bonus +1 str
Spirit Bonus +3, Str +1, Séance Bonus +3
4 armor +4 dex +1 size
Drek once more invokes his energies, trying to create a gap in the undead ranks.
The fight is joined as the party sends magic and steel in the way of the encroaching ghouls. More fall to Sileven’s blades and as Grenz focus his inner rage to a finely honed edge, he lashes out with two dragon claw hand strikes, ripping the throats from two ghouls. Only a few remain, but they show no sign of giving up. Something is propelling them forward..
Sileven 18- Attack Purple
Idun 18- Ready to Draw Alchemy
Drek’Thar 18- Heal to Harm Yellow
Grenz 16- Attack Orange and Purple
Khamul 14- Estoc at Red
Milah 14- Here...
Ghouls 13-
Acolytes 10-
Zarque 6-
Milah holds the line, ready to impale the next ghoul that gets too close, her rapier ever at the ready. The last few close and fight to at least take one of you with them. Though Khamul is fast, one of them does catch him by the arm. Another ghoul closes with Grenz, but Scourge warns him and he moves out of the way just in time. In the distance, you hear the sound of iron grating on stone.
Sileven 18- Attack Purple
Idun 18- Ready to Draw Alchemy
Drek’Thar 18- Heal to Harm Yellow
Grenz 16- Attack Orange and Purple
Khamul 14- Estoc at Red
Milah 14- Ready
Ghouls 13- Attack!
Acolytes 10-
Zarque 6-
+1 (Medium 4) + 1 Con + 1 Racial +3 Spirit bonus
Khamul grits his teeth and fights off the ghouls paralyzing touch.
Khamul, looking for payback, takes another vicious thrust with his Estoc.
+3 bab +3 champion spirit bonus +1 str
Spirit Bonus +3, Str +1, Séance Bonus +3
4 armor +4 dex +1 size
Without a word, but with a smile at his animal friend, Grenz unleashed another flurry of attacks at the undead around him.
Scourge stands proud and fierce!
+1 Dodge
+2 Dex
+1 Amuklet of Natural Armor
+1 Ring of Protection
+3 Wisdom
+4 Mage Armor
+2 Combat Expertise
+2 Bodyguard Aid from Scourge
----------
Sil attempts to reduce the threat, just like everybody else, really.
Idun continues being ready at the back. She tenses when Khamul takes a hit, but he seems to be able to resist the much feared touch of these pestilent creatures, and so she remains where she is.
After more splashes in the mud and the dragging of blades and fists through already dead bodies, the ghouls finally fall, leaving only unmoving corpses in the mud. It takes a moment for the adrenaline to wear off, but when it does, the two acolytes can no longer hold it and whatever they had for breakfast joins the ghouls on the muddy floor. The tunnel continues past these ghouls a bit, and those of you sensitive to such things can feel something emanating from the bodies, but the others confirm that they are indeed down.
Khamul cleans and sheaths his Estoc. He grabs his longspear up from the mud and cleans it on a corpse. He says "There's something odd coming from the bodies..."; he kneels to take a closer look at one of the corpses...
and a further +4 to detect danger
4 ranks +3 trained +1 trait
"Let it out. That's good. This SHOULD disturb you. It should feel like a violation of nature." Sil talks to the acolytes while he tries to clean his blades as much as possible in the circumstances.
He eventually chooses to just keep the in his hands, though, deciding not to push any of this gunk into the sheaths for him to have to clean out later.
Grenz leans on the wall, recovering from the heat of battle for a few moments.
From his shoulder, Scourge sniffs the air.
Khamul looks closer at one of the ghouls. While unmoving, he can see a trace of black energy coursing through where its veins would be. The flesh starts to shrivel as it does so and the energy seems to exit the body and then disappear into the mud. He follows it to the deep hole in the Northwest of the cavern, where all of it seems to be coalescing before disappearing down the hole.
The acolytes attempt to compose themselves. ”Thank you,” Gurin says. ”We are just not used to such filth and unholiness.”