Chapter 3: The Enemy Within

[Darren]

EDITED

"Zombies, again," Kalarian mutters, showing disgust that many would find uncharacteristic from a Karrn. He once again extends his hand towards the cage, firing off another pair of glowing darts even as he keeps a close eye on the surrounding area for anyone trying to ambush them.

___________
Kal is casting Magic Missle again on whichever target appears to be least injured. If they appear to be equally injured, he will fire one at each.

Kal is also watching the area around them as much as possible. He doesn't want any surprises.

[mike]

Standing in front of the undead creature, Torhak hefts his axe. He glances briefly over at the woman, but knows that his blade is the best way to help her.

"Return to the realms of the dead, foul monster!"

He takes a mighty swing at the creature.

[Josh]

Grafth makes a mental note of what he has experienced as he races toward the north side of the caged cart. Red light flashes at his belt as he draws his handaxe.

I'm assuming the top of the map is north. Also, has anyone else noticed the Manga Shakespeare Cliff Notes ad banners on these pages lately? Hilarious!

[Ken]

Belarin gives an annoyed grunt as the creature that he struck falls in a bloodless heap. "Necromantic oafs! My words are wasted on their dead grey ears!" Stepping forward and to his left, he fires another red-and-silver blast at the next closest zombie.

Update: The dice server is back up! Belarin gets close enough so that he can take advantage of Point Blank Shot:

Ranged Touch Attack: 14
Damage: 7

[Joe]

Streko has delayed going down. "Undead. Sovereign Host preserve me..."

Finally, Streko makes his move down to the ground. He allows Olladra's holy symbol to flare with holy wrath.

"Undead...time to burn!" His sickle ready in one hand, he is prepared to do his religious duty. His only duty.

[Jeff]

Just a reminder, particularly for the newcomers: during combat, each round will take 24 hours of real time (to give everyone a chance to post their actions) or until everyone does post their actions. So that could mean 1 round or a few rounds passing in 24 hours, depending on when you guys can check in. My Round 1 post for this battle was at 10:40am Eastern time yesterday, so that's when I'll be able to post round 2 again. Sooner, if I hear from you all.

[Jeff]

Round 2

19 = Belarin
18 = Grafth
17 = woman in the cage
16 = Streko
15 = Allies (Ralsor, Amal, etc.)
11 = Kal / Tangat
8 = Torhak
5 = Enemies
4 = Goran
______________________

Belarin's second fiery blast engulfs and drops the very wounded zombie directly in front of the woman. She notices that the fire isn't like real fire; it seems to burn but not ignite or scorch. Strange stuff indeed.

Grafth works his way around the cage, to approach with axe in hand from its northern side. Even as he does, the woman in the cage calls out, ""Ware the necromancer!" She looks tired, and uses her rapier solely in defense, trying to swat aside the groping of the last corpse. "He was just there when I lost sight of him." For a moment, she points with her rapier toward the north, into the dark space in front of Grafth.

But Grafth sees no one there.

Streko heads to the hatch (and is not visible on the map at the moment because he's in transition from top to bottom).

"No, this just won't work," Amal says to no one in particular, though Kal can just make him out.

Two more of Kal's glowing darts of force streak through the night, illuminating a bright path....then blast into the female zombie. The dead woman shakes under the impact but keeps on moving.

Torhak's heavy axe sweeps through the cage in a downward chop, but the blade skitters off one of the bars and only slices through the corpse's clothes. She doesn't notice him in the least.

The zombie lunges at the woman, but she manages to deflect the attack with a swipe of her rapier, and the creature's filthy hands slap into the bars instead.

Refresh...

_______________________________

• Belarin's attack: 14 (7 damage to zombie)
  
• Kal's magic missiles do 6 damage to remaining zombie
  
• Torhak's attack: 2+6 = 8
• Zombie's attacks: 22 (hit, 6 damage to woman), 12 (miss)
  
• Zombie's attack: 15 (deflected by woman's total defense)

[Darren]

Kal's gaze gets cold as he scans his surroundings. He knows his friends can handle the one remaining zombie, so he stands, senses alert, one hand gripping the railing, ready to attack at the first sign of an ambush.

__________
Kal is going to prepare an action to cast Magic Missle on any new attackers that appear.

[Ken]

Belarin's eyes widen at the woman's warning, but seeing her take yet another blow from the undead, he resists the urge to glance around. He hurls another blast of red-silver energy at the remaining zombie, gleefully cackling for the benefit of any unseen observers, "Two fiends fallen yet one remains, next I'll boil their master's veins!"

Ranged Touch Attack: 10
Damage: 8

[mike]

"You annoy me, dead one," Torhak snarls at the corpse.

He swings his axe at the undead creature once more.

[Josh]

After a moment on internal consideration, Grafth falls back toward the cage, peering out into the darkness. He keeps himself out of arms reach of the caged wagon.

[Jeremy]

Goran's face is a picture of ferocious hate. He carefully loads his bow and draws again. He will aim specifically to knock them down, or slow them down for Torhak's axe, among other things.

[Jeff]

Round 3

19 = Belarin
18 = Grafth
17 = woman in the cage
16 = Streko
15 = Allies (Ralsor, Amal, etc.)
11 = Kal / Tangat
8 = Torhak
5 = Enemies
4 = Goran
______________________

Another blast from Belarin's fire sets the remainin zombie staggering back, but as before it responds not at all to any pain, and simply keeps going.

Grafth moves closer to the cage, peering into the darkness. Even with his light-sensitive eyes, he can see nothing in the gloom beyond. From his vantage, Kal sees nothing stir within his field of vision to suggest another enemy.

Streko hastily climbs to the ground, ready with his sickle to advance toward the cage. But even as he moves, Torhak brings his war axe in again, this time hitting the corpse dead center from the side. His weapon lodges completely in its body and sticks. The zombie stops moving and falls limp.

On deck, Goran searches for another target...and finds none that are moving. The battle, at least for now, seems to be over.

Refresh...

_______________________________

• Belarin's attack: 10 (8 damage to zombie)
  
• Torhak's attack: 13 + 6 = 19 / damage is 6 + 3 = 9

[mike]

After seeing the undead creature fall, Torhak immediately starts looking for a way to open the cage. By force, if necessary (and by preference).

"My lady," Torhak says to the woman inside, "are you all right?"

[Ken]

Belarin lowers his hands and takes a deep, calming breath. Taking a few steps toward Grafth, he begins to concentrate, focusing his vision toward the north. "See anything?" he says to the shifter, only now noticing the physical changes in the man.

Belarin will spend the next couple of rounds trying to detect magical auras in the area, hoping that if there is another wizard out here, something on him/her will stand out.

[Jeff]

The woman looks to Torhak. "I am alive, thanks to you and your friends, good dwarf, which is more than I anticipated being at this point." She leans tiredly against the bars.

"Unfortunately, unless one of you has a key, I am still caged," she adds, casting a dark glance to the north. "And the necromancer is still out there, somewhere. An old man in grey robes. I would feel much better if I knew he was no longer a threat."

Belarin begins to scrutinize the immediate vicinity.

[mike]

"We slew a wizard in gray robes," Torhak tells the woman. "Though if he was the same wizard as the one who imprisoned you, I cannot say."

Torhak looks back towards Belarin and the ship. "Did our gray-cloaked villain have a key in his possession?" he calls out.

---

How sturdy do the bars of the cage look? Or the wooden floor of the cage?

If they (the bars or the floor) appear to be breakable, Torhak's going to bash open the cage by force.

[Josh]

"Grey robes," Grafth says, approaching the cage and Torhak, "could this be the man we dispatched earlier?"

Looking up to the imprisoned woman, the shifter's concern is evident. "We must leave here soon. Torhak, can you break this open? I can attempt to pick the lock otherwise."

[Jeff]

The iron bars of the cage are nearly an inch thick each. Thick enough to prevent anyone from breaking out with their own strength, but thin enough that Torhak believes a fine axe like his might succeed against them. The door to the cage is clearly locked...

So the loud, ringing metal begins as the dwarf sets to work, slamming the heavy blade of his war axe against one section of bars. The cage shudders, forcing the woman inside to cling to the bars closest to her to stay on her feet.

_________________________________

Torhak knows it's just a matter of a couple of minutes...

[Darren]

Leaning over the railing, Kalarian calls down, "Hurry with that and get on board. Let's get in the air and get some answers." He then moves to Pel's room to check and make sure the changeling's condition remains the same.

[Ken]

"If a puppet master there was," says Belarin to Grafth and Torhak, "he is gone now, dashed into the gathering gloom ... which is not to say he won't return." He stares for a long time at the woman as Torhak continues to hack at the gradually yielding bars. "I'm eager to get back on your fabulous ship!" he finally says to Grafth. "We have much to say to each other, I'm sure, yet this area seems determined to do us harm!"

He looks around once more, covering Torhak's back as he works on the bars.

[Joe]

Adrenlin seems to be dissipating and Streko stumbles momentarily.

"Perhaps I had best get back on board and have Goran assist me. Who shall heal the healer, I ask thee?" He rubs his holy symbol. Melancholy and fatigue are taking their toll on the halfling.

"Blessed Olladra, give me strength, just a while longer." He climbs back aboard the ship.

[Jeff]

It takes many swings, but Torhak's axe begins to bend the several bars he's been hitting inward. Several more strokes and one of the bars splits clean through. He knows he's going to need to sharpen this weapon again after this...

At last the section of bars he's been damaging are so badly twisted inward that there's a gap....large enough for the woman to slip through. When Torhak steps clear, she does so.

She is of medium height, with curling brown hair that reaches just past her shoulders. "Thank you, again, good dwarf," she says with a short but genuine bow. She gives a look at the ship overhead. "May I come aboard? There is much to understand still. For me and, I imagine, for you."

[Ken]

Belarin bows politely and says, "You had best make that request to one of those who remained onboard, my lady." With one last glance at the woods, he starts walking back to the ladder. Then he pivots, points slowly at her hand, and says with a child-like cock of his head and in a pleasant voice, "Your ring ... what does it do?"

[mike]

"You are welcome, good lady," Torhak says to the woman. He helps her out of the cage.

"May I come aboard? There is much to understand still. For me and, I imagine, for you."

"As my friend here says, that is for the captain to decide, not us," Torhak says to the woman. "We are merely passengers aboard his ship."

"My pardons. I am called Torhak Khazardun. And you are called ... ?"

As Belarin asks about the woman's ring, Torhak takes his trusty whetstone out of his belt pouch, preparing to sharpen his axe as soon as he reaches the safety of the ship.

[Jeff]

The young woman looks down at the ring on her finger, a silvery band set with a gem whose color cannot be seen in the gloom, then back at Belarin. She gives him a quick smile.

"This," she says, and with a flourish of her hand, the rapier she'd been holding disappears. "Which likely answers another of your questions: why did my captors leave me armed? Because they didn't know I was."

To Torhak, she responds, "I am Charis ir'Vanatar of Flamekeep*. But perhaps further answers should wait until we are all on board, so none of us has to repeat ourselves?"

After a quick but cautious search, neither Grafth nor Belarin (nor anyone watching from above) finds any sign of the alleged gray-robed old necromancer. It's hard to say if this is the same as the middle-aged grey-cloaked spellcaster who was already killed.

Kal finds Pel as she was; in fact, she appears to have slept through both battles.

Soon everyone is aboard, awaiting in the cargo deck. Ralsor leads the ship over toward the first battlefield, then approaches Streko. "If you wish to burn the bodies, now's the time. After this, we go skyward while we sort things out." The sickle in Streko's hand still rustles with fire. Given a few minutes, he could make short work of the Emerald Claw bodies. Captain Relith, meanwhile, remains unconscious, watched over by Amal and Mist.

While waiting for Streko to repond, the half-elf Lyrandar pilot gives the woman an appraising look.

"Welcome aboard the Thunderhead, lady," he says with a bow and a boyish grin. "I can't promise you ultimate safety on the errand that brought us here, but I can promise you better accommodations than yonder cage...unless...that is your preferred method of travel? I know House Orien has had some setbacks in the face of Lyrandar superiority, but I didn't think they'd resort to that." He chuckles to himself. "I am Captain Ralsor d'Lyrandar of the Windwrights Guild."

Under the laternlight, you can all get a better look at the newly liberated prisoner. The woman, who called herself Charis ir'Vanatar, is of medium height and athletic build, not unlike Pel. She wears a somewhat dirt-stained blue silk blouse, tight black leggings, and a silver brooch on a black ribbon at her throat. It looks like a stylized dragon. Beyond the ring on her finger, she seems to have no other possessions, no armor or weaponry. Even her rapier appears to have gone.

_________________________________

Everyone knows the "ir" denotes a family of noble blood. And everyone knows that Flamekeep is the capital city of the nation of Thrane, "home" of the Church of the Silver Flame.

[Darren]

Kalarian is clearly agitated. So much so, in fact, that he seems to not even notice the presence of a pretty girl. Instead, he speaks in very curt tones. "Everyone get above. We're going to sort some things out."

[Joe]

"Captain, if you can take us back to the first battle site, I would indeed prefer to burn the bodies there than leave them to be used as potential fodder for some Emerald Claw madman. After which I can attend to the wounded and be attended to myself!"

[Jeff]

"Hold that thought, lady," Ralsor says, and disappears abovedecks. Moments later, the airship swivels drastically (forcing everyone to at least hold a hand to the wall to stay upright), and glides back to where the first battle site was.

Ralsor returns and stands in the doorway between the room with the hatch and where everyone else is. "Streko, at your leisure. When we're done here, we'll go high, out of sight." He gives Kal a nod. "It'll just be a few minutes." Then he looks ot Mist. "Mist, please keep an eye on the upper deck and keep an eye out for anyone else unpleasant."

[Darren]

Kal stalks back and forth like a caged animal for a few moments, occasionally muttering a curse under his breath. Finally, he whirls to face the group, looks at them for a moment, then turns and walks to the top deck. Tangat, seeming disturbed by Kal's mood, follows more slowly.