Unsure of what might be approaching Una takes a defensive stance, her legs in a wide stance and her hands up, without taking her gaze away from the trees she speaks with urgency to Kay and Vaken
"Somthing is coming" 

[OOC Initiative roll 19

'As the horrified Una watches, a row of forms move out of the tree line, though the creatures are not moving in any sort of organised fashion. Instead, the creatures stagger or shamble forward, their loose or disjointed limbs swinging back and forth, gnashing broken teeth and jaws, reaching out with filthy fingers to rake the air before them...

Two of the more emaciated creatures have barely any flesh on them at all, more empty bone than flesh and blood. These skelatal creatures rattle as they move forward, driven by some dark necromancy perhaps, their bare-bone arms swinging rusted shortswords wildly out in front. 

Una has never seen the undead before, but her sharp eyes quickly take in the still-rotting flesh and yellowed bones of these dessicated forms. Nothing living could look as wretched as these things Una thinks to herself, nor smell so horrid. 

There are five of the things moving directly towards the sailors, perhaps drawn by the scent of Nern's blood, if such creatures are even capable of smell. Regardless, their intentions are clearly NOT friendly.'

[OOC] Initiatives for the 2 skellatons and 3 zombies 18   10

Current Initiative Order:

Shore Shark's Crew 18
Zombies 14
Vaken 11
Kay 10
Una 7
Skelatons 7
Drannick 6
Unne 5

'The three rotting zombies shamble forward, the one in the centre moving even slower than the others, but standing a good foot taller, it's chunky arms swinging back and forth with audible *whoosh* sounds. 

The zombie to the sailor's far right moves forward directly towards the crouched and waiting Una... but crashes into the target between it and it's intended victim, getting tangled in the now smashed branches and fishing line, before slowly rising back to its feet and ambling forward once more [no attack this round - had to double move to get adjacent to Una).

The zombie that emerged from the trees directly infront of Kay however moves directly towards the seemingly disorientated woman, raising it's wreaking fists infront of its unwitting target to *slam* them down towards the woman torso... Attack: 15 Damage: 3   

The largest of the three rotters shambles forward ten feet to loom over the prone form of Nern and likewise raises its meaty paws, bringing them down at the youngster's head with brutal force... Attack: 6 Damage: 4   Attack: 11 Damage: 5 

 'At the last moment, Kay seems to register the threat and tearing her eyes away from something that only she can see amidst the blood-stained grass, manages to wrench herself away from the creature's blow.

The prone and stationary Nern is not so fortunate - looking up horrified into the dead flyblown eyes of the monster standing over him, he barely has time to let out another, final, scream before the things fists come crashing down into the youth's unprotected head with a sickening *CRACK*. Limbs twitching, Nern slumps back down, into unconsciousness or death you cannot tell.

[OOC] Kay's up then Una

'Something in Unawalyn's voice wakes Kay from her reverie. With moments to spare, Kay notices movement out of the corner of her eye, narrowly avoiding the zombie's lunge.'

'As she dodges backwards, Kay instinctively draws her short swords across her body, slashing at the walking corpse's approaching arms.'

'Still reeling from the horrible vision of Gaut's corpse, and now faced with a literal dead man walking, Kay slashes frantically at the corpse's approaching arms. Despite her hysteria, her blades slice into the zombie's flesh as she lets out a frenzied shout.' "Aaahhhhh! Back! Get away from me!"

attack : 8 damage : 5

attack : 8 damage : 4

Quote from abunny >>

'Something in Unawalyn's voice wakes Kay from her reverie. With moments to spare, Kay notices movement out of the corner of her eye, narrowly avoiding the zombie's lunge.'

'As she dodges backwards, Kay instinctively draws her short swords across her body, slashing at the walking corpse's approaching arms.'

attack : 8 damage : 5

attack : 8 damage : 4

 
'Despite being off-balance from her momentary disorientation, finely honed instincts kick in and the nimble rogues brings both blades slashing across the zombies torso as she spins away from its grasping hands. While Kay's blades connect with satisfying force, neither blow seems to faze the creature in the least.'

[OOC] Kay's off-hand attack does not get the ability mod added to damage, so attack number 2 did 1 damage. Still nicely done!

Confused and horrified at these moving corpses una Draws the short swrod that dangles at her hip with a flourish and slashes at the creature with one movement before spinning and kicking the zombie in the neck


[OOC] action Attack with short sword Attack: 12 Damage: 7 
bonus unarmed strike Attack: 24 Damage: 6

Quote from wazzupman >>

Confused and horrified at these moving corpses una Draws the short swrod that dangles at her hip with a flourish and slashes at the creature with one movement before spinning and kicking the zombie in the neck


[OOC] action Attack with short sword Attack: 16 Damage: 5 
bonus unarmed strike Attack: 6 Damage: 5

 
'Moving with a lethal fluidity despite her disgust, Una's blade swings out at the stumbling zombie, slicing into its rotted face, cleaving rank flesh away with ease. Like the one struck by Kay however, if the lumbering creature is bothered by its wounds, it shows nothing of it.

The monks spinning double-kick catches the zombie high in the neck before like a flash her foot streaks down low towards the creature's groin. Both hits bounce away harmlessley. Apparently, that particular vulnerability is not an issue for the undead.'

Both skelatons move directly towards the sailors, one closing in on Una, the other Kay, and both, like the zombie Una is fighting, crash into the archery targets blocking the way to their prey. Unfortunatley for the sailors, even though one gets tangled and the other falls prone, both manage to claw their way forward, rising to their fleshless feet to lash out with their rusted blades.

Una, re-centering herself for the attack that she knows is coming, pivots backwards off her left foot, sweeping low underneath the swinging blade to come up close to her foe, preparing to unleash her next strikes.

Kay, remembering the feel of her blades hitting the zombie, sinking in... into soft flesh... the blood... looks up just in time to catch the skelaton's blade across her shoulder and upper-arm, the blow stinging her back into awareness, as her lifes blood seeps from the jagged cut.'

[OOC] Skelaton 1 (attacking Una) Attack: 14 Damage: 6

Skelaton 2 (attacking Kay) Attack: Attack: 19 Damage: 4

'A noise like a slowly tumbling boulder erupts from the side of the now motionless Nern.'

"NooooOOOOOO!"

'With the roared denial, the large goliath stands to his full height, towering over even the larger of the three zombies. As Vaken stands he snatches up his innocuous looking walking staff, which he slams into the grassy hill with audible force. The knotted wood of the implement seems to grow a deeper brown, shot through with rivers of bright green, as though drinking from the soil and vegetation around the furious goliath. Clutching the now Earth-enfused staff with both hands, the scowling goliath brings it smashing down towards the large zombies head, connecting with enough raw force to cave in the top of the creature's skull, bouncing the creature half-a-foot off the ground and sending a resounding echo across the surrounding hillside.'

[OOC] Attack: 24 Damage: 17

[OOC] perception skill check please Kay, Una and Vaken

'Unfortunately, just as with the two zombies struck by Kay and Una, the undead beast does not recoil from the blow in the slightest, instead reaching our with its own meaty fists to try and smash the life from the living form before it. Perhaps surprised by the creature's lack of reaction to the mighty blow he had struck it, Vaken's foe smashes its fists onto either side of his head, blasting the air and breath from the goliath, leaving behind a ringing sound and a throbing ache.

Likewise, the zombie to the side of Una lashes out, trying to grasp and crush the life from the oh-so-close martial artist. Easily evading the creature's outstretched left hand, the half-elf is taken unaware by the zombies right elbow which crashes into her temple with blinding pain.

On the other side of the small but furious battlefield, the zombie Kay struck with her two blades brings them up, preparing to crush the life from the injured woman. Her wounds already slowing her movement, the usually agile waif is hammered by one fist even as the other comes around to connect against the side of the woman's head with near-consciousness-stealing force,'

[OOC] Zombie attack vs Vaken Attack: 16 Damage: 6

vs Una   Attack: 21 Damage: 6

vs Kay   Attack: 18 Damage: 6

'Hearing the *THUD* AND *CRUNCH* of the blows struck against his smaller companion, Vaken looks across to see Kay beset by two foes and, ignoring his own danger and pain, and brings his thick oak staff down like a mighty club at the torso of the zombie attacking the clearly wounded woman. The blow smashes into the creature, almost knocking it from its feet... but succeeds in getting the creature to turn towards the man who just struck it. 

Realising the frightening resiliance of these relentless enemies, and beginning to dispair, not for himself so much as for his two allies, the goliath hears yelling and cries of outrage from the bottom of the rise. Barely managing to turn his head during the fray, Vaken and the nearby Una see most of their shipmates at the bottom hastily loading their crossbows, while the rest (those that appear to be holding weapons other than crossbows) are being led up the rise in a mad charge by the roaring Unne.'

[OOC] Vaken's perception 19

Vaken's attack vs Zombie Attack: 20 Damage: 7

'The zombie's hammering blow knocks the wind out of Kay, and after a moment her cheeks puff up. She spits a mouth full of blood at the zombie, then thrusts her blades toward it.'

attack : 24 damage : 6

attack : 23 damage : 2

'Thrusting her blades toward the zombie, she grits her teeth and roars as she tears the blades out horizontally, rending sweeping tears on either side of the zombie's body. The stench is even more vile than Gaut's final bowel movement, and Kay nearly chokes on it, coughing more blood into the melee. She hobbles back a foot, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.'

perception : 8

Una reels back after getting smacked by the undead creature, pushed back a couple of feet Una steadies herself and Lashes out at the zombie that she attacked before. the tip of her blade sinking into it, she pulls it out she pushes her open palm forward to the zombies chest but her hand seems to sink into the wound that she had made his her sword, momentarily getting her hand stuck in the zombie but seeming to do nothing to the zombie 
"This isn't working we need to get away! No no no no" 

Her breath heavy and unstable from the hit that she took she shake zombie bitts off of her hand

[ooc] short sword Attack: 14 Damage: 6
unarmed strike Attack: 12 Damage: 7
perception 18

'Despite the blood flowing from her wounds and the marred flesh of her bruised and quite possibly broken body, the fury of Kay's attacks shred the uncaring zombie, her short swords cleaving through rotted flesh and exposed bone, sending the creature crashing to the ground, finally unmoving.

The zombie struck by Una just stares at her tatooed face in mindless hunger, it's lifeless jaws gnashing towards the monk's exposed throat, as it pushes forward relentlessly.

The skelatons that beset both combatants strike out with their rusted blades, the one facing Una pushing forward as though to run the tall woman through, while Kay's enemy brings its sword across in a slashing blow to her midsection. Unable to avoid the blow and watching the blade streak towards her flesh, Kay does the only thing she can think of and let's herself drop limply to the ground. The skelaton's sword sweeps towards her head... which just falls beneath the blow, though a small lock of the rogue's hair is not so lucky. Prepared for her impact with the ground, the desperate but determined Kay bounces back to her feet, now inside the reach of her horribly grinning opponent.

The fleshless visage of Una's foe, with its *CLACKING* jaws mere inches from her face, distracts the wounded woman sufficiently for the creature's blade to slip through her defence... piercing her side and sliding deep into the monk's torso. With a choked gasp of pain, Una falls beneath the creatures bony frame.'

[OOC] Skellatons attack vs Una Attack: 15 Damage: 5

vs Kay   Attack: 22 Damage: 8

re-rolled attack vs Kay (Lucky feat)   Attack: 12 Damage: 4

'Shouts of concern for new shipmates and roars of anger at these wretched creatures who've attacked from nowhere echo across the hillside, carried to the ears of the combatants on the building wind.'

"Hang ONNN lass, ol' Jart's a'commin' te save ye!"

"FOUL UNDEAD! Unne will SMASH your BONES and DRINK your... DUST!!!"

"How the **** do I cock this thing again? I mean, is it... Did he say... ARGHHH! The PRESSURE is too MUCHHHH!"

"Git DOWNNN in front ye talkin' ooze-spawn - I can't SEE! No? Okay then... so be it! Here goes..."


'The now desperate Kay and Vaken manage to spare a brief glance toward their would-be rescuers.'

[OOC] perception checks for Kay and Vaken, with a DC of 15 or more allowing you to read the spoiler:

 [OOG] The way I'm doing this is that each PC combatant can roll 1d10 for each creature that you're fighting at the start of that enemy creature's turn (the skelaton and zombie who were fighting Una have now turned their seemingly sightless eyes to Vaken). The higher the number rolled, the better the result for the PC. Oh, and beware 1s...

Two zombies, both attacking Vaken - roll 1d10 twice please Vaken.

'Ignoring the *twangs* and *whizzing* sounds of incoming crossbow bolts and the furious shouts of incoming sailors, both remaining zombies, tattered flesh hanging loosely from their rotted frames, swing their club-like arms at Vaken from opposite sides, mindlessly seeking to smash the goliath into pulp.

While the hail of crossbow bolts *thud* into nearby targets, tree-trunks and sod, somehow they missed all of the combatants, though one narrowly *whizzes* by Vaken's head. As both zombies begin clubbing the goliath down into the ground, Vaken attempts to twist out of the way, but only avoids the brunt of one attack to fall prey to another. Mercilessly hammered by blow, after blow, after blow, Vaken clings to his staff as he falls into a crouch, before finally toppling to the ground beneath the pounding of the zombies' fists.'

[OOC] Zombie 1 attack vs Vaken Attack: 18 Damage: 2

Zombie 2 (larger zombie) attack vs Vaken   Attack: 12 Damage: 6

*Damage of 2nd attack reduced by 4 via Stone's Endurance.

**Kay is up next and then I'll need a death save (our first of the game) from Una.

'Run, Kay's instincts scream at her. It takes every ounce of her will just to stand. She looks at Unawalyn, remembers how brave she was in the face of bigotry, and how adorable she was once curled up and sleeping. She looks at Nern's crushed body, the zombies slobbering over it, his hopes crushed before he could even set sail, then her eyes fall on Vaken, still drawing breath, but only just. "I don't s'pose ye could keep an eye on 'im..." Lorena's voice echoes, reverberates through her mind.'

'With the little strength she has left she puts her tiny body between the remaining undead and Vaken, standing over his body with her swords crossed. She coughs and spits blood, then speaks. Her voice is low and threatening, her orange eyes filled with determination.' 

"Come on then..." 

'She slides her swords against each, making a sharp grating sound and holds her ground in a defensive stance.'

[ooc] : movement : Kay's trying to put herself in a position to block the undead from getting to her new friends.

action : dodge trying to keep herself alive.

'Turning purposefully towards the poised and waiting Kay with blades raised, the two skelatons begin to hack and slash at the suddenly moving, weaving, dodging young woman. Bony appendages, human limbs and flashing steel combine to form a vortex of chaotic and frenzied movement, as more crossbow quarrels rain down on the area.

Standing protectively over the large crumpled form of Vaken and desperately striving to catch sight of the fallen Una, Kay narrowly avoids a cross-cut from the skelaton to her left, swaying back out of the blade's way at the last possible moment. However, the focus and effort required pull her attention away from her other assailant... which the young rogue turns back towards just in time to see it swing its corpse blade is down in a lethal arc towards her neck. The unholy thing is so close to her that Kay can smell the stale rot of its aged and yellowed bones. The creatures is close, far too close... too close to possibly avoid this time.

Staring up at her seemingly inevitable death, the young woman realises that shes done all she could to survive and to help her new friends, and so is prepared for the killing blow... when the hail of crossbow bolts strike true, peppering the skelatons like the sound of hail on a tin roof. The enemy at Kay's back is struck repeatedly, bits of bone shard flying everywhere, though the undead creature holds its feet. The skelaton bringing its sword down at Kay's neck is struck only once, a single bolt that pierces the side of its skull with shattering force, the things head exploding at the impact, leaving the rest of its now inanimate bones to clatter to the ground.

Kay is swept up in a torrent of stomping boots and strained battle-cry's a half-dozen of her new shipmates storm into the melee, lashing out at the skelaton and two remaining zombies with clubs, daggers and short swords - a disorganised mass of cursing and haphazardly swung weaponry. Above the cacophany, the roaring Weapon's Master's voice calls forth,'

"Face me, foul dead things! By Tempus, I will cleave your SKULLS FOR THIS!!!"

[OOC] First skelatons attack  Attack: 22 Damage: 8

second skelatons attack Attack: 13 Damage: 7

First skelaton takes 13 damage from the hail of crossbow bolts

Second skelaton takes 8 damage from the hail of crossbow bolts

'Both zombies, now swarmed by a motley assortment of sailors wildly and ineffectually lashing out with their weapons, swing their fists in slow but powerful blows.

Amidst a rain of crossbow bolts that, miraculously, miss sailor and zombie flesh alike, both undead horrors connect solidly with their intended targets.

Unne roars in rage as the larger zombie slams both of its rancid arms into his sides with bruising force, bringing its rotted face close, almost as if to kiss the furious Northman.

The dreadlocked sailor Enzio, who hacking away with a scimitar, appears to be one of the few sailors armed with a decent weapon, has the air driven from his lungs by a powerful blow to the stomach, which drops the tattooed man weakly to his knees as the zombie raises both fists above his head, preparing to deliver the death blow.'

[OOC] Larger zombie attacks Unne   Attack: 22 Damage: 5

second zombie attacks Enzio   Attack: 15 Damage: 7

'Kay blinks with surprise, as the skeleton that nearly felled her crumples from the expertly aimed bolt. Bolstered by her surrounding allies, Kay lets out a ferocious roar and pain screams from every muscle as she rejoins the melee. Her stomach roils and she desperately needs to spit up her own blood blood filling it, but there's no time. Seeing that Enzio is in trouble she turns to strike at his assailant.'

attack : 8 damage : 8

attack : 13 damage : 1

[ooc : oooh and sneak attack procs from adjacent allies yes? +3 damage]

'Plunging her short swords into the zombie's exposed side, Kay flicks her wrists, twisting the blades and trying to force the zombie away from her ally as she pulls them free.'

Quote from abunny >>

'Kay blinks with surprise, as the skeleton that nearly felled her crumples from the expertly aimed bolt. Bolstered by her surrounding allies, Kay lets out a ferocious roar and pain screams from every muscle as she rejoins the melee. Her stomach roils and she desperately needs to spit up her own blood blood filling it, but there's no time. Seeing that Enzio is in trouble she turns to strike at his assailant.'

attack : 17 damage : 7

attack : 13 damage : 1

[ooc : oooh and sneak attack procs from adjacent allies yes? +6 damage]

 
'Fearlessly turning her back on the remaining skelaton who just moments ago attacked her, Kay's blows slice into the foul-smelling zombie with flesh-splitting precision and force... but still it stands, seeminly indifferent to the chunks of flesh that the young rogue has carved from its body.

Enzio, dazed and on his knees, the taste of blood in his own mouth from the incredible force of the blow he took from the rotter, sees Kay bravely attack the zombie that is preparing to finish the islander off. He also catches a glimpse of the almost forgotten skeleton behind Kay, its blade raised high, preparing to hack down the courageous young woman... just as a dark form *SLAMS* into that undead creature, taking it to ground with the sounds of thrashing limbs and splintering bone.

You all hear the Bosun's voice, sounding closer than it was before, call out,'

"Hey, ye wretched maggot-sack! Lookey o'er 'eer... that's it... GAH!"  *TWANG*

'The dwarf's crossbow bolt slams into the zombies already somewhat liquified face with a *SQUISH* and enough force to burst out the other side in a spray of watery brown-black porridge, sending Enzio's would be killer spinning motionless to the ground.

Meanwhile, the helmed Northman Unne, in the deathly embrace of the larger zombie, snaps his head forward with a *ROAR* directly into the decomposed face of his adversary, knocking the undead thing back half-a-foot, before brining his enormous axe back and over in an arching two-handed swing at the momentarily staggered creature, the blow striking with enough force to cleave his foe in half, the massive axe-head connecting at the right shoulder and exiting near the utterly destroyed creature's left hip.

For a brief moment, all that can be heard atop the rise is the sound of panting breaths, coughing and the occassional retch, before the gore splattered Unne shouts in exhultation,'

"Ha! Now THAT is what Unne calls good practice!!!"

[OOC] skeleton's attack vs Kay   Attack: 14 Damage: 8

Skeleton takes 7 piercing damage from the hail of crossbow bolts (destroyed at the start of its turn, thereby not getting a hit off at Kay)

Drannicks attack Attack: 12 Damage: 9

Unne's attack Attack: 7 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

Zombie's con save  8

Larger zombie's con save   21

'Kay throws her blades down and lays on the ground next to Una, trying to feel for the other woman's heartbeat. Her own heart is racing and her body is screaming pain at her. She gives up trying to find Unawalyn's heart beat as the thundering in her head intensifies and she vomits an awful black mixture of blood and bile. Her breathing slows and she struggles back to standing, finding her short swords and putting them back in their scabbards with great effort. When Unne shouts, Kay barely hears it, and shakes her head slowly, hands on her knees, taking in deep breaths.'