Operation Hamster - Zombies pt2
The poor village of Gnomegedon lies before you all. Jasper, your friendly ancient elven wizard transporter see's that you are off to investigate and snaps his fingers, "I will go get some help." With a few arcane words he is gone, and then is back a couple of minutes later with Morgan, "Found her on the street. Think she will do? Smelled of arcane magic, and you don't have much of that between you all."
Arisha gives Morgan a hard stare before nodding her head. "She'll do." She says before looking around the village.
Morgan looks to the group "I know my mentor is behind this mission so yes I will help." she pinches the bridge of her nose "Now I wonder if he caused any of this."
"Time ta go find da Gnomes?" The big Ork asks, scratching his right arm. He peers around the bleak foreboding bleakness of foreboding-dom. "Dis is a right shite hole."
Deak chuckles at Baz's vivid description. He says, "Undead are smelly enough all on their own."
Lucy rolls her eyes. "That's how everything looks in Dragonier!" she shrieks indignantly. Then she draws her rapier and dagger. "Best be careful...those zombies we fought. It was a whole family. Adults and kids." She shudders. "If that's so it means the entire village could have been turned."
The village is quiet, with only a faint cold wind in the air. Jasper shakes his head, "Going back to the measuring." a glance to Morgan, "No he isn't behind this, this is Dragonier, he isn't Heth." shrugging his shoulders as he wonders off. There are a dozen houses, all in some state of disrepair, with a big comunal house in the middle.
"That's likely, really." Arisha says to Lucy as she looks about. "I just have a feeling the center house is where everything is centered."
Deak looks around, says, "I'm sure you're right, but I'd still like to check out one or two of the more common dwellings." He strides off toward the nearest cottage.
The big Ork gives Lucy a sour look as the small woman shireks at him. "Oy, right, den where would you be hid'n if you was a dead one of you." He locks his heavy spike covered shield into place on his forearm then draws a massive wicked looking scimitar and takes a few chops with it.
Morgan asks the group "so do you know what might of caused these poor gnomes to suffer this?"
Arisha says, "That's what we're here to find out. And....the family we faced were changed into giants....until they were destroyed. then they reverted to their normal bodies."
The cottage Deak goes to is empty, there might of been some dead gnomes in here at one point, but the bodies were dragged out of here a while.
Arisha says, "This is likely where the family lived before they were turned." She then takes a couple of sniffs of the air."
Morgan hmms "well help me find some of the bodys we can get a idea what it might be. But how giant size did the gnomes get I wonder if it was a enlarge spell."
Arisha nudges Morgan. "First thing's first....lets make sure the town is clear first. Don't want to be blindsided."
Deak says, "No. They weren't converted to giants first. Or at least I don't figure that. Rather, they were killed, and the bones were assembled into giants before being animated.""
GAME: Morgan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 10 DC: 17
Morgan nod to Deak's words as she says a few words of arcane language as she eyes glow blue "that is very much necromancy."
Arisha sighs, rolls her eyes and starts looking around for footprints and stuff.
Morgan says as she is looking towards the outlying houses "I detect magic in that house, have you checked it out yet?"
Deak shakes his head, "I haven't but perhaps we should?" He gestures toward the house as if to say, "After you."
"Dat one?" The big Ork asks, looking where Morgan is pointing, then starts stomping on over. Shield up, scimitar out, spikes on. Green very greenish.
Lucy creeps towards the house, willing to go first if the others let her.
Arisha is right with Lucy...for once.
Morgan follows the group as the lore master is hapy that she might of saved them some time.
The house seems normal, and when you open it up there is a small workshop. Hooks, knives, saws, a few dozen black onyxes and a lot of decaying body parts and a horrible smell that goes along with it. Sitting at a bench, and quiet dead it would appear is a decaying husk of a elderly gnome. Which appears to be the source of the magic.
GAME: Deak casts Hide From Undead. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15
GAME: Morgan rolls spellcraft: (15)+26: 41
The corpse sits there, but as Morgan starts to examine it to determine the magic on it the room shifts a little. The black onyxes raise up into the air and start to crumble into dust. The decaying flesh starts to move on its own and merge into the decaying corpse. Arisha suddenly breaks out into sneezing.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Astaren has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Astaren to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
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GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Arisha is next!
GAME: Lucy rolls reflex: (9)+9: 18
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (8): 8
Lucy's expression falls as she sees the elderly gnome corpse. Then it shifts to a look of shock as he starts to rise. Her expression then settles on determination. Tossing her dagger aside she reaches out with a gloved hand and snatches one of the onyxes out if the air. Her demonstration of emotional range concludes with a pained look. "I th-think it's w-working..." she chatters.
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 21.
It is now Arisha's turn! Baz da Ork is next!
GAME: Arisha rolls weapon1: (14)+11: 25
GAME: Arisha rolls 1d8+1: (3)+1: 4
Arisha Just goes after the undead, as per usual, and....despite her scratching it....her power doesn't activate this time....
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 18.
It is now Baz da Ork's turn! Morgan is next!
GAME: Baz da Ork rolls weapon21: (13)+11: 24
GAME: Baz da Ork rolls 1d6+13: (4)+13: 17
With a roar Baz charges into combat, shifting his huge form to the left to swing around and flank the rising undead with Arisha. His scimitar lashes out, sweeping around his shield to bite into the monster's flesh. While is glows with destructive power.
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 15.
It is now Morgan's turn! The Zombie Maker is next!
GAME: Morgan casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 10 DC: 18
GAME: Morgan rolls 5d4+5: (14)+5: 19
Morgan holds out her hand in a pointing fashion as five bolts of energy hits the zombie hurting it "crap who made these zomibes knows thats they are doing."
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 13.
It is now The Zombie Maker's turn! Deak is next!
The zombie stares mindlessly as people attack it, not even reacing. Parts of its flesh turning into dust as Arisha hits it, but new flesh taking its place as the spell continue to shape it. Then a voice speaks, "What do we have here... been a while... where is this location and who dares invade the lands of Heth." eyes looking over the part, but still not attacking as it appears to think. More flesh starting to form out of thin air and make the zombie grow larger by the moment.
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 10.
It is now Deak's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Deak has prepared Cure Serious Wounds in a reserved spell slot.
GAME: Deak casts Cure Serious Wounds. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
GAME: Deak rolls CSW: aliased to 3d8+6: (20)+6: 26
Deak moves over to one wounded comrade, Arisha, and calls upon the power of Althea to restore health.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Arisha is next!
GAME: Lucy rolls 15: (12)+15: 27
GAME: Lucy rolls 10: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+15: (2)+15: 17
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+15: (2)+15: 17
Lucy has her gloved hand squeezed tightly shut over the onyx she captured earlier. She doesn't even know if it's still there - the glove is too thick to feel it, and she doesn't dare open the fingers to look. Tears gather at the corner of her eyes. It could be the pain of grabbing the stone. Or the grief at what's happened to the good gnomes here. But she lines up her rapier and stabs the still-growing creature twice through the chest.
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 21.
It is now Arisha's turn! Baz da Ork is next!
GAME: Arisha rolls weapon1: (9)+11: 20
GAME: Arisha rolls weapon1-5: (8)+11+-5: 14
GAME: Astaren rolls 1d20+14: (20)+14: 34
GAME: Astaren rolls 1d20+14: (3)+14: 17
Arisha puts her Khopesh through the zombie...and it falls to dust. However, she does look about. "Baz....Smash these onyx things here." She also looks to Lucy.... "Including the one with her."
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 18.
It is now Baz da Ork's turn! Morgan is next!
GAME: Deak has prepared Cure Serious Wounds in a reserved spell slot.
GAME: Baz da Ork rolls weapon21-2: (4)+11+-2: 13
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (4): 4
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 15.
It is now Morgan's turn! The Zombie Maker is next!
As the zombie collapses Baz pokes it with the tip of his scimitar then peers around the room. "Right, even for me dis room stinks. Wot say we burn it and move on?" There's a pause from the Ork and he seems to realize something. "Was dat zombie talk'n? Whats a Heth?" Then Arisha tells the big Ork to break something and the scimitar swipes through the air and cleaves one of the onyx gems in twain. Then the Ork grunts in pain at the sudden burst of dark energy.
GAME: Morgan casts Dispel Magic. Caster Level: 10 DC: 20
Lucy finally opens her hand, peering at the onyx. "Should we take one of them back? To study and see what-EEK!" she flinches at the wave of negative energy from the one Baz shatters. "Okay, never mind. Just get rid of them!" She drops hers on the table, in easy range of the scimitar.
GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+10: (12)+10: 22
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (5): 5
Morgan says a few words in the arcane language as she sends out a blue wave at the onix thing making it fall to the floor "will be fun to studys these later."
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 13.
It is now The Zombie Maker's turn! Deak is next!
The zombie starts to reform right before your eyes, starting with the head, "That was rather rude, I was talking here. Did your parents never teach you manners?" forming eyes glancing at the broken onyxes and a exasperated sigh, "I suppose if I can't kill you here, I will just have to go murder innocent people until I find you. Can't let your trespasing go unpunished now."
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 10.
It is now Deak's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Deak casts Cure Serious Wounds. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
GAME: Deak rolls CSW: aliased to 3d8+6: (6)+6: 12
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Arisha is next!
Lucy's eyes fly wide open at the voice. Then she frowns. "What you mean 'until you find us'? If you want us, we're right here!" She holds up her hand and suddenly it's filled with her dagger, which she flips around ready to throw. "Show yourself! Or are you too scared??"
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 21.
It is now Arisha's turn! Baz da Ork is next!
GAME: Arisha rolls weapon1: (9)+11: 20
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (8): 8
Arisha doesn't bother with the zombie this time. She just smashes one of the Onyx Gems. 'baz. Don't worry about the zombie. Take out the jewels, then we'll cave his face in again."
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 18.
It is now Baz da Ork's turn! Morgan is next!
GAME: Baz da Ork rolls weapon21-2: (9)+11+-2: 18
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (7): 7
With a roar the large Ork raises his blade and smashes another gem, then roars louder as it explodes and he's further injured. Flesh peeling back on his face as his armor smokes with the negative energy blasts. His spiked form seems to be driven now solely by rage as it reacts to the negative onslaught.
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 15.
It is now Morgan's turn! The Zombie Maker is next!
GAME: Morgan rolls Knowledge/arcana: (9)+19: 28
GAME: Morgan rolls 1d20+13: (5)+13: 18
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (3): 3
Morgan says "Yes these gems are whats making them." she then tosses her staff at one shatering it.
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 13.
It is now The Zombie Maker's turn! Deak is next!
The zombie continues to reform, but slowing down for each onyx destroyed. The eyes turn towards Lucy, "Oh i am not really here, just a low ranking Lich within the armies of Heth. I am called the Zombie Maker, my specialty, zombies. Also possessing zombies. I will of course be sending some more zombies this way, but I will need to replace the ones that are lose as well. Which will mean killing some people, best way to get corpses." glancing to the last Onyx, "Or you could, just let me kill you here."
GAME: Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 10.
It is now Deak's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Deak rolls Channel: aliased to 3d6: (9): 9
Deak suddenly blasts a pulse of holy energy, revealing himself to any undead, but more importantly, giving the living a little bit of their health back. He calls out, "We need to find the phylactery!"
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Astaren advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Arisha is next!
The zombie turns to lok at Deak, "I hate that spell." his voice dead pan.
GAME: Astaren rolls 2d6: (9): 9
GAME: Astaren removes the timestop.
Timestop by Astaren has left.
Arisha takes a hankerchief....and loudly blows her nose. "ugh. Blasted undead." *HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK*
Looking half dead Baz pants and peers around. "Did we win?" He asks, blinking slowly as he lowers his scimitar and shield for a moment. "I'm start'n ta feel like how it smells in here."
Deak shudders as if disgusted. He says, "So next, the big house? Guys?"
Lucy returns. She looks around at the party members. "Wow, some of you don't look so good - does anyone need a healing potion?"
Morgan sighs "I hate liches and we will not find its Phlactery easly and its going to be well gaurded."
Arisha looks to Deak. "I think all of us need a bit of healing and rest first. Unless you feel like going alone while the rest of us try to recover. Negative energy really hurts."
Deak says, "Oh, Don't I know it. I took all the damage that you all took. Ghe thing is, I only get so much healing power each day, and unless we're going to pop back to Alexandria until tomorrow, we run the risk of being attacked whether we go looking for it or not. You heard that lich."
Deak adds, "Mind you, I'm nowhere near all spent yet."
Arisha rolls her eyes. "Priests." She says as she puts her sword away...and starts to heal people.
After healing, the exploration continues. The rest of the houses and the center communial house are all empty. Not a single corpse or zombie in sight. Jasper makes his way into the village "So... we ready to head back?"
"Are we?" Baz asks blinking. "De monster thing was talking about a Heth. Den dere were gems that exploded and hurt. It was weird. Why do I have to keep fighting stuff dats weird? Wot happened ta just having to chop and stab stuff. Den eat it and put the skull on me belt. Dats wot proper violence is about. Not little black stones that burns me!"
Arisha walks out to Jasper and lets out a breath. "We've got bigger problems. This town was hit by a lich called the Zombie Maker. When we get back, I'm going to need to inform the Absolution of what happened here."
Arisha says, "And what Baz said."
Morgan thinks as her eyes stop gowing blue "how much of this village did you explore?"
Japser stares at Baz for a moment, "You make as much sense as a orc I used to run with, but he was all about finger bones, or was it teeth?" shrugging as he nods to Arisha, "A lich, yea Heth is known to have several enslaved to him." A glance to Morgan, "that depends, how much did you explore?" grinning. "I am only the transport, and doing some ambient energy measurments. You guys are here to secure the area and kill undead. I am to old to be fightning anymore."
Deak rolls his eyes. "Well, we're hardly a big enough contingent to occupy a village in hostile country. We could maybe keep the big house secure, but the 'area'?"
GAME: Morgan rolls survival: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Baz da Ork rolls survival: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Arisha rolls survival: (18)+15: 33