Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[shaidar]

Xenos will enter the passage, but only after the others have got 30' in and not suffered a horrific injury or death.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain mutters as half the group rushes forward into the 'too short for the occupants of the beds' hallway. "Hang on. You'll need a priest, I'm sure. I'm coming."

[silifi]

Sik walks in as well, standing with Xenos as the rear guard.

[subaltari]

Kainaxarthos into the 'too short for the occupants of the beds' hallway.

8ft × 3ft... hmm, he has a point!

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Feeling Cramped
No Idea On Time Or Day

With the only light sources in the group remaining behind in the room, the narrow hallway is extremely dark and difficult to see through.

Drest leads the way inside, a dirty job the Scout has become quite used to by now. In a single file line behind him, others tentatively follow, wondering how a fight would work in such narrow confines.

It doesn’t take long to find out when about half way down the bare tunnel the flickering shadows in front of Drest suddenly materialize into a frightening dark figure.

IMG_2067.jpeg (134.41 KiB) Viewed 149 times

The figure hisses out something in a language the Scout doesn’t understand, reaching out and grasping Drest around his neck with long, shadowy fingers that seem to sap the very strength from his body. (-1 Str)

Actions?

Please remember where you are before you make any impossible actions here.

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C2) FA:1 AC6 9/11
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12 Hooded Lantern
Cyril (Pr2) FA:0(20) AC8 12/12 CLW, DM Torch
Ceana (D2) FA:1 AC5 13/13
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11 Torch
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 14/14

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

DREST! the druid hollers, hearing her companion's strangled cry. "WE NEED HELP IN HERE!" she hollers again as she kneels down and attempts to create a light source.
OM: She has one torch on her back and a hooded lantern at her belt. She will light whichever is easiest to reach and do so in one round.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

"I will bravely hold a rear-guard and make sure our line of retreat stays open."

As the party moves forward, Cyril will stay 30 feet back...although the lack of light will probably cause a problem looking backward.

[Rex]

Drest

Very loudly, "Fall back, undead!"

Fighting withdrawal.

Short Sword [1d20]=18 to hit [1d6+1]=4+1=5 damage

He will try to determine if his hit even hurt it.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain backtracks out into the chamber. How far back in the line was the hissing heard?

"Back out and I'll try to turn it!" He calls to those in front of him.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Will hold his position at the rear of the party and prepare for combat as the others start their retreat.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus also screams: "FALL BACK! Here's too tight to fight."

[subaltari]

Madga backtracks in-line up the passage, but says calmly to the others near her, "I know its speech! The undead asks if its master has returned. Let's get back to the chamber..."

Reaching the entrance she says to Sik: "Hold that lantern here at the opening, or else hand it back to me."

Skavi peers past Drest to see if other shadowy figures appear, before turning and scampering back with the others. Not sure how well the rat can see in the reduced light.

[silifi]

Sik hands the lantern back to Magda, deciding his hands will be put to better use gripping a weapon.

Hearing the description of the creature from those further down the tunnel, Sik suspects evil sorcery, and reaches into his pocket to pull one silver bullet, and readies his sling, waiting for a clear shot.

[Belkregos]

Belloc speks up in a foreign language and commanding tone

(not yet my loyal servant, the design is almost done but there is still work to do, now release the new vassal and show me you have done your duty, lead ahead.)

it thinks it's master has returned, i may be able to direct him

[The_Wanderer]

Belloc
it thinks it's master has returned, i may be able to direct him

Cyril

"A battle of wits with the undead! How novel. It is possible that Kain and myself may be able to turn this foul remnant of life...I will wait here for it to approach."

Cyril backs away from the long passage, torch held high.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Feeling Cramped
No Idea On Time Or Day

Drest tries to escape the clutches of this monster, stabbing his mundane blade into the dark figure but doing it no harm whatsoever. Trying to back away from it proves difficult as well, with the large, heavily armored Akhilleus right behind him.

Skavi peers into the darkness but doesn’t spot any other threats before the rat turns to flee back towards its matron. Akhilleus calls for a retreat, but when he turns to do so, he nearly trips over the kneeling Ceana, who dropped to light a torch so they can all see better in this tight hallway.

Magdal is just barely able to squeeze by the groups Mage behind her, exiting the hallway to join the remainder of party in the mural room. There they wait for the others to lead the monster out to them.

Belloc thinks the creature might be reasoned with, calling back to it vocally in some strange sounding ancient tongue. “Not yet my loyal servant, the design is almost done but there is still work to do, now release the new vassal and show me you have done your duty, lead ahead.”

The creature does not stop its initial throttling of the groups Scout, (-1 more Str.) but it does seem to understand the words of Belloc. It strains its vision up the hallway towards the Mage, beyond Akhilleus and Ceana, who suddenly stands up again with her lit torch, its claws still wrapped around Drests throat.

“Have you truly come back, master Xjel’kha? I have waited so long now. So, so long. How many years have you been away, my master?”

Actions?

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C2) FA:1 AC6 9/11
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr2) FA:0(20) AC8 12/12 CLW, DM Torch
Ceana (D2) FA:1 AC5 13/13 Torch
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11 Torch
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 14/14

[Rex]

Drest

"I can't hurt him! We need magic! Back out!"

Drest will try to wiggle around his backpack so he can remove the magic glass pane. If he can he will break it and try to use the shards to attack with. If he feels the pressure behind him lessen he will back out with the others.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

"GET BACK!" she shouts, trying to step around whoever is in front of her to brandish her torch against the shadow attacking Drest.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"Dammit!" He says as he almost trips on Ceana. He's about to shout again to retreat until he sees most of the group going back the way they came. He'll go back with the rest and try somehow to squeeze pass Belloc, since he's doing the talking right now.

A warrior doesn't understand anything about magics or speaking with the dead. Suddenly, he remembers having taken the Matron's dagger, which might be magical. But doesn't want to fight the thing alone. Hopefully Belloc will be able to convince the ghost to leave them.

[subaltari]

While holding up the bright lantern, Magda moves a few paces into the chamber to leave more room for the burly men running back in. With her right hand she reaches into her small belt purse and fishes out a silver bullet to hand to anyone using a sling. "I have silver! Belloc, methinks it is giving you a test. Make a good guess, magician!"