Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Ken]

[Source] Dave W. said:

"So, Belarin, I assume you can maintain control of your friend. I assume that would not hold if we assault it."

From the shadows, Belarin says, "HE'S controlled. Anything beyond the flames... no." He says this with some disappointment.

[Jeff]

When Adamant moves into his new position, he feels the heat roiling off the wall of fire. It is uncomfortable, but he knows if he were any closer, the damage would be real. And then the first of the zombies makes it through the bottleneck, shambling in front of the wall and into the blazing heat.

The moment it passes into his reach, Adamant's blade lashes out! Two neat slices cut through flesh and bone, nearly severing one arm. It hangs limply for a moment, then flails awkwardly as it still tries to reach him. The zombie lunges at the warforged but its damaged arm feebly slaps against his shield instead.

Another animated corpse comes lurching behind the first but it can go no further than Adamant. The heat from the wall of fire behind it sets it alight and the zombie sinks to the ground like an undead torch. It lamely flails its limbs but the fire is consuming it too quickly for it to do anything else.

Adamant's attacks (1d20+7=20, 1d20+7=24) (hit, hit) / damage (1d8+4=7, 1d8+4=7) (14 slashing damage to zombie)

Zombie's attack (1d20+3=9) (miss)
Zombie closest to Adamant ends it turn not within 10 feet of the wall of fire so it takes no damage.

The next zombie does end its turn within 10 feet of the wall. Kal's wall of fire deals fire damage (5d8=23)
Zombie's Constitution saving throw vs. the damage dealt to it that brought it to 0 hit points (1d20+3=21) (failure) / zombie is destroyed

12 - Shorak
7 - Kal and Tangat
5 - Syrdan
4 - Belarin

No new wights present themselves.

[Dave B.]

Shorak moves next to Syrdan to get a better angle at the zombie that attacked Adamant. Leveling his hand crossbow, he lets fly a bolt.

Shorak moves 1 square SE and 1 square E.

Ranged attack (1d20+7=25)

Piercing damage (1d6+4=5)

[Jeff]

Shorak's crossbow bolt, while small, is well placed. Its body is already compromised by Adamant's devastating swings, the bolt severs the arm completely that Adamant had near shorn away. The corpse drops to the ground, then lies still.

Dave: Shorak's new position provides some cover to the zombie (the angle of the wall + a little bit of Syrdan), but it's only giving the zombie a +2 on AC and you clearly hit. That said, you also forgot sneak attack! This is what makes Shorak more dangerous than you're letting him be! Because the zombie he's just targeted "another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it" means he doesn't need to have advantage against it to get sneak attack. Anytime Shorak targets an enemy adjacent to one of his friends, he can deal this extra 4-24 damage. Not bad...


Shorak's sneak attack damage (4d6=14), so the zombie takes 19 damage instead of just 5.
Zombie is reduced to 0 hit points.
Zombie's Constitution saving throw vs. the damage that brought it to 0 (1d20+3=9) (failure)
Zombie is destroyed.

7 - Kal and Tangat
5 - Syrdan
4 - Belarin

[Darren]

Kal grins, seeing the situation well under control in this lower chamber. "Keep them pinned at that corner," he says to his friends, then dashes up the stairs. He feels the burn in his legs, but he knows the fight is not yet over. Reaching the top step, Kal quickly targets his nearest enemy...

________________
Kal will move as far up the stairs as he can. I'm not sure if that puts him in a position to be able to use Lightning Orb on any of the zombies. If so, that's what he's going to do. If not, he'll wait for next round. Jeff, use your best judgment about which one he will target. He would go for the cluster, if he can hit them, but if not, the individual one at the top of the steps would be okay, too.

[Jeff]

Even as Kal starts up the stairs, his blood freezes when he hears Rinti scream again!

Lightning crackles at his fingertips as he readies a spell… Reaching the top of the stairs, he looks around frantically, searching for the threat. Rinti flies into him and wraps her arms around him.

“It’s him!” she says fearfully but it's not obvious who "him" is.

Glancing toward the webbing, he sees that most of the zombies on the ground floor have burned already. One of them has managed to free itself from the web spell, but it’s no longer advancing, just standing back, partially burnt and still sticky with strands. Seemingly awaiting a command. Even the badly-burned, very-maimed zombie next to Larest seems to have stopped moving. The nobleman quickly moves away from it, pointing his wand at it defensively, working to catch his breath. He does look rattled for the first time.

“We have a potentially non-hostile visitor,” Sem Darlesh says to Kal, pointing to where Rinti ran from.

Standing in one corner, and casually (as if he’d been there the whole time), is a man in a black and grey robes. He is tall, gaunt, with long unkempt brown hair flowing past his shoulders. In one grey-gloved hand he grasps a curved, bone-like staff that combines a scythe (minus the blade) and a shepherd’s crook. His other hand is directed vaguely toward the zombies in the room, and it appears he is the one who has halted them.

“Foolish,” he remarks under his breath, regarding the state of the room. The webbing, the smoke from the fire, the dust of the zombies destroyed by Kal. Then he indicates Rinti with one long finger. “You are still alive, child. You have nothing to fear from me.”

Rinti quickly grabs at Kal’s cloak. “That’s him,” she says, refusing to even look at the stranger. “The...Lurker Man."

Below, Adamant, Condign, Belarin, and Syrdan see that the zombies that had been trying to press through the corner around the wall of fire have stopped, and in fact begin to shuffle back out of sight again. Through the chill of the candle in his grasp, Belarin can sense a tug in the air like a spider’s sensitivity in a web. Instinctively he knows it’s the exertion of another will upon these undead. Either way, he can feel that the threat is abated for now.

Kal knows his wall of fire will burn for only a few seconds more.

---

Out of turn-based combat mode now (unless any of you wish to press the point), as nothing is actively attacking you.

600 XP has been doled out to each character (already on the sheets)!

[Brian]

Watching the zombies retreat, Condign shouts over his shoulder: "Belarin! Is this your doing?"

[Ken]

"I wish that were the case," says Belarin, starring with confusion at the candle. "Someone or something else is spinning the web." He turns slowly, as if letting the unseen strings of control guide him.

"Back up the stairs, quickly!" He pauses and then glances back at the crypt with the lurking wight. "Do not follow, Crav," he commands aloud to the wight.

__________________

Belarin maintains the candle and the Shadow Walk. I'm subtracting another point of necrotic damage.

[Dave W.]

Nov 20, 2014 17:50:06 GMT -4 Ken said:

"Back up the stairs, quickly!" He pauses and then glances back at the crypt with the lurking wight. "Do not follow, Crav," he commands aloud to the wight.

"Fine, we fallback, but under order. I will hold the rear. Everyone back up the stairs. I'll come last."

"So is this the guide we were coming to find, Belarin?" Adamant pauses as he speaks to Belarin, "Are you well? You look pale, ill perhaps?"

---------------------------------
l assume all this necrotic damage has some sort of visual affect on Belarin... Or maybe Adamant sees more deeply...

[Darren]

Kal grabs hold of Rinti, a protective arm around her, and looks at the man across the room. Then he pushes her gently but firmly away from him, squares up her shoulders, and looks her in the eyes. "You represent Deneith now, Rinti. Keep your head up in the face of fear," he says quietly.

Kalarian steps out in front of Rinti, and gives the man's staff an appraising look. His eyes drift to his own scythe-like weapon propped against his shoulder, and he grins. "People around the city call you The Lurker Man," he says. "What should we call you? Friend, or enemy?" Despite his bravado, Kal feels a sense of relief at hearing his friends clanking up the steps behind him, but he does not betray his feelings by looking back, instead keeping his eyes locked on the Lurker Man in front of him.

[Dave B.]

Shorak turns towards Belarin when he calls for haste and just shakes his head, "I will follow directly. I must retrieve my weapon from the archer wight's chest." The half dark-elf turns and heads in the direction of the fallen undead, his short sword in hand and staying as far from the fire wall as possible.

[Jeff]

Kal hasn't dismissed the Wall of Fire yet, so I assume Shorak wants to wait a little bit longer for it to disappear? Or is he rushing quickly through the heated area in hopes that he can end his "turn" not within it?

[Darren]

Staring hard at The Lurker Man, Kal's concentration slips momentarily, and the wall of fire below fades away.

________________________
Problem solved.

[Dave B.]

Sorry, I posted quickly and wasn't specific as to how Shorak was staying clear of the fire wall, but Darren took care of it, so no problem.

[Brian]

Condign watches Belarin and Kal head up the stairs, while he and Adamant remain to guard the rear, and Shorak moves to recover his boomerang.

No sooner had Kal left than the wall of flame simply vanishes. Raising his shield, Condign waits to see how the undead thing that had been lingering behind the wall reacts.

[Jeff]

When the wall of fire flickers out of existence and the wave of heat evaporates, Condign, Adamant, Syrdan, and Shorak ready themselves. But the chamber is surprisingly bare. The last of the zombies you see shuffling away and down the stairs on the fair side, back into the dark where they came from.

The female archer wight lies on the ground, weaponless. Blasted by magic and lightning, she is badly burned. Shorak sees his boomerang still firmly lodged in her chest. And as he approaches her, her white-glowing eyes flicker and fix on him. She is still “alive,” if just barely. She makes no threatening move, only stars up at him in hate.

The other wight, the one that had climbed into the closest sarcophagus, peers out, still staring at Condign. But he, too, makes no move.

Nov 21, 2014 2:17:49 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal grabs hold of Rinti, a protective arm around her, and looks at the man across the room. Then he pushes her gently but firmly away from him, squares up her shoulders, and looks her in the eyes. "You represent Deneith now, Rinti. Keep your head up in the face of fear," he says quietly.

Rinti tries to calm her breathing and stand straight, but she still keeps one fist wrapped around the edge of Kal's cloak.

"People around the city call you The Lurker Man," he says. "What should we call you? Friend, or enemy?"

“I am Heldras ir’Serell,” the necromancer replies. "I am no one's enemy at this time."

As Belarin, still wreathed in chilling, cloying shadows, joins Kal, he looks upon the newcomer. And sees a vague familiar resemblance to another ir'Serell he saw at the gala, the one that Histra referred to as her cousin. So this one might be a cousin, too.

Heldras, the Lurker Man, makes a couple of steps forward and appears to be studying Belarin. "Thestra told me that you would come last night, as you had agreed. She is very disappointed. It is also unfavorably that you would dispose of some of our watchdogs."

[Darren]

"Perhaps you should have someone else answer the door, then?" Kal says with a smirk. He gives a half-apologetic nod, then takes a step back, deferring to Belarin. "I believe this is your appointment."

[Dave B.]

Shorak looks down at the Wight archer. "I'm sorry if this hurts, but I need this back." He reaches down and as quickly and cleanly as possible, he pulls his boomerang free. He backs away just as quickly, making his way to the stairs back up to join the rest of the group.

[Ken]

Nov 24, 2014 12:59:59 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Heldras, the Lurker Man, makes a couple of steps forward and appears to be studying Belarin. "Thestra told me that you would come last night, as you had agreed. She is very disappointed. It is also unfavorably that you would dispose of some of our watchdogs."

Belarin inclines his head ever so slightly. "A pleasure, Heldras. I was unavoidably detained last night on account of being nearly dead," he says simply. "I'm ridiculously punctual unless I've been maimed or kidnapped. I'll apologize as appropriate." He looks around the remnants of the battle here, his nose wrinkling a bit at the smell of burnt zombie. "As for the reception, I thought that was Thestra's way of saying hello." He smiles. "Come now, that was funny. They're not all destroyed, just the ruder ones." The shadows around him disperse. "Can you escort us, please? She and I have to continue our business discussion from last night."

[Brian]

Condign peers curiously back at the undead creature in the sarcophagus, then shakes his head and turns to Adamant. "Whatever these things are, it seems they have quit the battlefield. I suppose we should join the others upstairs. See what kind of trouble lurks up there." With a gesture to Shorak and Syrdan, he starts up the stairs.

[Dave W.]

Nov 25, 2014 6:08:28 GMT -4 Brian said:

Condign peers curiously back at the undead creature in the sarcophagus, then shakes his head and turns to Adamant. "Whatever these things are, it seems they have quit the battlefield. I suppose we should join the others upstairs. See what kind of trouble lurks up there." With a gesture to Shorak and Syrdan, he starts up the stairs.

Adamant looks at the wight his friend refers to, "These are poor souls who need to be sent to their Judgement and resolve their lives. I feel strangely sad for them."

"But you're right this battle is done. As always, a pleasure to fight at your side my friend," the warforged does a short bow to Condign.

"So let's see what new trouble our friends can get us into," he adds brightly as he starts up the stairs.

[Mike]

Nov 25, 2014 11:24:21 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Nov 25, 2014 6:08:28 GMT -4 Brian said:

Condign peers curiously back at the undead creature in the sarcophagus, then shakes his head and turns to Adamant. "Whatever these things are, it seems they have quit the battlefield. I suppose we should join the others upstairs. See what kind of trouble lurks up there." With a gesture to Shorak and Syrdan, he starts up the stairs.

Adamant looks at the wight his friend refers to, "These are poor souls who need to be sent to their Judgement and resolve their lives. I feel strangely sad for them."

"I don't," Syrdan says. "Were it not for the respect I have for our friend Belarin, I'd burn this entire abomination down to ashes in a cleansing fire. All of these creatures should be sent back to the realms of death."

The elf shrugs, not seeming terribly concerned about who might hear his words.

"A problem for another time, I suppose," he adds in resignation. "But a problem that will not be forgotten."

He accompanies Condign and Adamant up the stairs.

[Jeff]

Even he speaks and turns away, Adamant can feel the chill of wight's touch still deep within him. It makes him feel tired, which is a strange feeling to the inexhaustible warforged.

Nov 24, 2014 17:25:05 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Perhaps you should have someone else answer the door, then?" Kal says with a smirk.

“Had you chosen the correct door, you would not have triggered our defenses at all.” The man’s eyes wander as if this conversation has become exceedingly dull. “That, too, disappoints. Histra assured us that you were a ‘largely intelligent assemblage, with some notable exceptions.’ I begin to see this. And also ‘capable,’ which must be partially true given how many wights you have needlessly extinguished in short order. Thestra will not be pleased.”

Then Heldras gives Belarin a single nod after the warlock speaks. “Follow me,” he says when the rest of your group has come up the stairs. The necromancer turns and moves toward the small chamber in the center of the ground floor of the mausoleum, the one with the singular sarcophagus in it.

---

Belarin still has the candle going, right? That would be 2 more points of necrotic damage by now.

[Darren]

Kal makes a face at the retreating ir'Serrell's back. He folds his arms and looks down at Rinti. "He's not really so scary, after all," he says. "Rather pompous, if you ask me." Kalarian places a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder and waits for Belarin to take the lead.

[Joe]

Streko takes Rinti's hand in his. "Fear not. If any should be afraid in this place, it's those who would cross us. Having said that, caution does appear to be prudent, especially as both Adamant and I are no doubt low on their list of friends at this moment."

[Dave B.]

"I knew there was something about that center room." Shorak says with a shrug and joins everyone else as they follow the necromancer.

[Jeff]

Nov 25, 2014 18:53:06 GMT -4 Darren said:

He folds his arms and looks down at Rinti. "He's not really so scary, after all," he says. "Rather pompous, if you ask me."

Rinti tries to smile, but mostly fails. "He never spoke before. It was creepy."

Heldras ir'Serell drifts into the central chamber as you follow behind (Adamant, Syrdan, and Condign following last, still only just seeing him for the first time). The necromancer stops before the sarcophagus within, gestures with one hand, and the lid smoothly slides back against the wall, revealing darkness within—and soon, when you are close enough, a metal ladder bolted to the wall of a shaft descending into it.

An hour or so ago:

"Yes, indeed," says Belarin with equal enthusiasm. The sing-song aspect of his voice has vanished. "And I hate to dampen your fun, Starg, but I was given directions. So... Quolish said that, once we're on the path and reach intersections, go left, then right, then right, and then down. 'Down' should be interesting."

This, then, appears to have been the proper down.

Before moving further, the Lurker Man turns and looks back—his eyes flick over to Rinti briefly—to regard the entire party. His almost glassy expression lingers on Larest and Sem Darlesh, as if suspecting they're an ancillary part of the group. "We have never brought this many living people into our home." Heldras looks pointedly at Belarin. "You are responsible for the actions of your companions within, as Thestra's invitation was intended for you."

Then he looks at the candle in Belarin's grip, eyes showing a flicker of interest (for the first time). "Distinguish that, before you succumb to it, and before it stirs our guardians further."

With that, Heldras ir'Serell steps back and gestures toward the open sarcophagus. "Proceed."

---

Ken, another point of damage. Are you tracking them still, or should I?

[Ken]

"I can vouch for them," says Belarin, looking across at his friends and allies as he does so. "Stalwart warriors, sages, and scalawags alike. They may not all appreciate your family's priorities, Heldras, but they know the reason we're here." With a conscious thought, he mentally extinguishes the black candle, and his face regains some of its color.

He advances forward and goes down the ladder.

___________________


I've deducted another point from Belarin's hp total.

[Dave W.]

Adamant sees Belarin go down the ladder and turns to Condign. "One of us should stay in the front of the column and one in the rear. I'll stay behind this time if you like."

Adamant will go last down the ladder.

[Darren]

Kal looks in dismay at the ladder and then at his canine friend. He sighs heavily. "Well, we probably shouldn't bring Rinti down there, anyway. Sem? Larest? Are you coming with us? If not, I would ask that you remain here with Rinti. If so, then Rinti, I want you to make your way back to our lodgings and take Tangat with you."