Chapter I: So, you all meet up in a tavern

[Lance]

This is exactly the kind of thing a map thread would fix

Sanity check: [1d20s12] = 0 or lose [1d3] = 2

[sirravd]

Lance: Hence the new map thread! Stirling: sounds good!

Waiting on Bree-yark

[Lance]

Lance: Hence the new map thread!

The EMPTY map thread. That was my point

[Bree-yark]

This is what I have for a map right now. It seems like the party is in 2 rooms right now. The way I am reading things Mal, Quall and Van Hector are in the 20'x20' room with the door closed.

Harker, Brother Blaive, Endor, and Jacor are in the 30'x30' room. The zombies just entered from the west door.


Jacor

Sanity check = 7.
[1d20] = 9-2

Jacor, horrified at these undead creatures, swings his sword wildly. (we lost initiative so I will wait to actually make the roll.)

[sirravd]

[1d3] = 2
Jacor loses 2 Sanity.

[1d20] = 5[1d20] = 14[1d20] = 11[1d20] = 4
[1d6] = 5[1d6] = 4

The zombies attack with reckless abandon: one against each adventurer in the 30'x30' room. Harker and Jacor fend off their blows, but Endor and Brother Blaive are less lucky. The zombies tear Endor's head off and gut Blaive, then begin feasting on the corpses while their co-zombies menace the others (so any attacks against them next turn will automatically hit and do x2 damage). Upon seeing this hideous spectacle, everyone else in the room automatically loses 1 Sanity.

Roll up some new characters, and put Endor and Blaive in the RIP Thread...

[sirravd]

Also, you can use your previous rolls, of course––just tell me whether the rolls go against the zombies who are eating the corpses or the ones who are still up.

[Bluetongue]

Harker

I thought sure Blaive would have turned them.

I will keep the original attack roll and hit the one attacking me.

"Zombies. Attack them". He draws his longsword and attacks the creature facing him.

Harker longsword melee [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16 [1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9

[sirravd]

Harker
I thought sure Blaive would have turned them.

Nah, they won initiative.

Harker cleaves off one of its arms, but it continues shuffling toward him, unperturbed.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Follows the zombies as they shuffle past the door then attacks on from the rear.

Vann Hector longsword melee (THAC0 19) to hit: [1d20] = 10 damage: [1d8] = 6

Not sure what the others would do but can I suggest Quall does a sneak back stab on one and Mal launches her magic missile on another.

[Bree-yark]

Jacor swings his broadsword at one of the zombies that is up and fighting.

[1d20] = 10

I rolled a 10 but have +1 to hit for strength. Still a miss I think, but probably the best roll I have had so far.

[Hadarai]

Brother Blaive will sling a stone at one of the unengaged advancing zombies, trying his best to stay in the back of the fight.

Sling Attack: [1d20] = 11 Damage: [1d3] = 1

[sirravd]

Blaive died a few posts ago!

Vann Hector attacks the zombie that Harker damaged, destroying the hideous thing; it sinks to the ground with purple blood oozing from its wounds. Quall backstabs the next zombie, and Mal expends her magic missile to destroy it, too. The remaining two zombies barely look up from their meal as you surround them and chop them to bits.

[Bluetongue]

Harker

Looks glum. He had travelled to Helix with the dead pair in the hope of some treasure and glory not seeing friends die. At least it was quick.

"Let us put their bodies in the alcove room you found. Plenty of wood and rags, we can use it to build a pyre over them and set them alight lest in this place they rise to walk the halls. The room will probably collapse over the top if them, burying them here. Better that way."

We have some treasure but weakened in numbers I am happy to withdraw to either camp in the entrance room where Toug and Filbert are or even to walk back through the night to town.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

"When I joined the party we discussed options for our demise. If Jacor swore by Crom to bring our comrades back to Helix for proper burial then as it is still within our power to achieve that, we should do so, not abandon them here in the tombs. Hough the idea is good and would serve me well, but taking them back on the sled and mule could be done."

So if we do that, he will assist in wrapping the bodies in the cloths we find or use their blankets and the large sacks. We will have to use the pulley to lift them up, sleep on the entrance overnight and return in the morning.

[Bree-yark]

Jacor

It will be difficult to lift them out of the tomb, but I think we can manage. Once we get back to the surface we can see what time it is and whether we can make it out of the swamp before dark. Otherwise we can find a place to camp.

[sirravd]

Consensus to return to town?

[Bluetongue]

Harker

We have a better chance of recruiting in town. Plus we need to care for the proper burial if we can. Bringing dead back may not look so good but not leaving folk to rot here might also show we are 'a team' kind of group.

I would think though best is to stay in the room above the entrance hall. Then return in the morning. Cash in the ancient vases and pay off the mercenaries.

[sirravd]

Seems like a reasonable consensus

You return back down the corridor, taking one further turn. Then you ascend the rope.

As you get there, you see a hideous sight. Toug is sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood. His face is up, glassy-eyed: it is clear that he is dead. Beside him are five skeletons; their mutated skulls are torn from their spinal columns; their multifarious, quasi-humanoid limbs are sprawled over the building's floor. Filbert and Tyson are huddled in the corner, both clearly shaken but apparently uninjured.

Filbert looks up at you as you arrive. "Skeletons," he says, unhelpfully. "Came out of the mist. Toug was right, we shouldn't have stayed...I'm never going back here again. I want to leave these Lawforsaken marshes and never come back."

Everyone takes 1 Sanity damage

[Bluetongue]

Harker

Pats the mastiff Tyson on the head. "Good job boy, good job." He can see clearly the guard dog did his duty. He us not sure about the halfling. He came to the group through the mist and he wonders if he didn't as easily evaporate when the skeletons arrived.

It is going to be a slow trek back. Hopefully Quall knows the way better than the rest of us.

I think head to the church and take it from there as the next move.

[sirravd]

Filbert, seemingly anticipating Harker's suspicions, snaps, "I did the best I could––anyone could––for Toug. I fought those skeletons off––look!" His shortsword is indeed bent and marred in a way it wasn't before. "And I can lead you back, too."