Chanelle replies to Haly, "I have seen others carrying something like it as they passed through here, but I do not know why they had it."

"Others had it?" Vanizi says. "I wonder if maybe it's a sort of identification for cult members."  She was surprised when Halyqywn had pulled the thing out, but kind of glad she'd thought to hang on to it. "Just how many have passed through?" she starts to ask, then looks about the room. "Wait. What do you mean passed through? This is a dead end. Where do they go, besides down those stairs."  She points to the steps to the southeast. 

This chamber has four exits - NE, NW, SW, and SE. All have steps leading down a bit...the NE exit probably connects to the watery passage you first encountered. (Map) Chenelle answers Vanizi, "A small group of Humanoids descended into the catacombs several months ago, whispering about strange rituals and secrets. They went through the SW entrance, but I also know the crypt that way was desecrated by them and now swarms with zombies." A moment later, the ghost adds, "Oh, and earlier today I saw a human man flee from deeper within the catacombs, pursued by an individual in a hooded gray robe." 

"Is there anything you can tell us about the other chambers here?" Davis asks her.

(Woops, I was thinking we were in the chamber to the NW... but yea, clearly other exits from the map!) 

Vanizi smiles as the ghost mentions humanoids going to the southwest. Though she frowns again at the mention of zombies. She waits to hear what Chenelle might say in response to Davis' question.  But after she tells the group, "I guess we have to go towards the zombies? That certainly seems like where we're going to find these cultists.  But you don't suppose there's some way around them?"  

Chenelle knows only of the rooms near this chamber - her crypt, the crypt of her partner, the (now desecrated) temple to the SW, water filled rooms, and a large stone door that leads further into the catacombs. 

"Shall we head to the SW then, it seems like it's our best lead?" and then he adds to Chanelle, "Thanks for your help, I hope you can find some rest."

"The crypt of your partner? I'm sorry to hear that it has been desecrated with zombies!  We will do what we can to right this terrible wrong."  Turning to her friends, Haly hoists up her shield and asks, "You all ready?  Let's do this."

And she starts leading the group towards the zombies, a determined look on her face remembering what happened to their friend.

The group decides to head down the southwest passage. There is a 25' long passage that leads to the northeastern wall of what was once a huge and serene crypt. It stands 30' across and 45' long, with another exit in the southeastern section of this wall. Two chipped stone pillars brace the vaulted ceiling 15' above. Tombs are cracked open, and eight reanimated corpses prowl the room. At the center of the room’s western wall is a dirtied and desecrated shrine bearing the image of a blank scroll. (updated map) You may move your character tokens on the map now!

Everyone make a group Stealth check! (To make a group ability check, everyone in the group makes the ability check. If at least half the group succeeds, the whole group succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails.)

Katarina's Stealth - 10

It appears that Katarina is just having an off night.

Stealth: 5

OOC: I somehow lost my token moving it around. :( thanks!

(Vanizi Stealth: 10)

Haly winces as she hears her friends clang behind her, but she tries her best to keep her armor silent as she heads up the group and stares down the mass of reanimated corpses.

Stealth @dis: 14

She gulps as she figures they are going to be looking this way soon...

(3 out of 4 fail, so the zombies hear you! Also, we've obviously lost Aranix-Dragonlouis, so your party is down to 4. Will adjust the encounters a bit and try not to kill you unfairly! So you see six, not eight, zombies =)

Initiative order (I rolled for you to speed this along!)
Katarina (20):
Vanizi (19):
Davis (16):
Halyqwyn (13):
6x Zombies (-1

Katarina starts by doing what Barbarians do best... RAGE!!

Wild surge: 7 (flowers and vines spring up around her, creating difficult terrain for all enemies within 15 feet of her)

She then attacks the nearest zombie with her sword.

Attack: 23; Damage: 9 (magical slashing, +2 RAGE!! damage added manually)

Vanizi will keep her distance as they spot the zombies. Unless Katarina's blow finishes off that zombie, she will target the same one with a quickly chanted Hex (Disadvantage to STR ability checks).  She follows that with a blast of crackling energy, casting Eldritch Blast.  
(Spell Attack: 26, Damage: 6 force + 3 necrotic) 

(Updated map - Post in any order and I'll figure it out in the summary!)

Round 1:
Katarina rages, rushes at the zombie right in front of her (green), and slashes it. Vines and roots burst through the cracked stones beneath her, creating a difficult area to navigate for the zombies.
Vanizi hexes and attacks the same zombie, hitting it with a blast of eldritch energy!
Davis :
Halyqwyn :
6x Zombies

Davis moves into the room and will attack the zombie next to him.

Attack Warhammer: 13 bludgeoning damage: 15

Seeing the difficult terrain, Haly moves in a little closer and then sends a ray of light that opens directly above the zombie engaged with Katarina.  DEX save of 14 or 3 radiant damage.

Round 1 (con't):
Katarina rages, rushes at the zombie right in front of her (green), and slashes it. Vines and roots burst through the cracked stones beneath her, creating a difficult area to navigate for the zombies.
Vanizi hexes and attacks the same zombie, hitting it with a blast of eldritch energy!
Davis moves and to the left, moving south to engage the first zombie in that direction (lt blue). He attacks and lands a solid blow on the undead.
Halyqwyn sends a drop of golden sun onto the zombie (green) by Katarina (DC14 Dex: 10)
6x Zombies:

Green (-21) swings its decayed arm at Katarina (Attack: 16 Damage: 4)
Lt blue (-15) tries to take a bit out of Davis (Attack: 4 Damage: 6)
Red (-0) moves forward and gets close enough to Davis to take a swing at him (Attack: 21 Damage: 4)
Yellow (-0) shambles towards Katarina, but only gets as far as the patch of grasping roots and vines.
Blue (-0) moves towards the nearest intruder - also Davis! It also swings at him (Attack: 6 Damage: 7) 
Pink (-0) also can't move close enough to any of our intrepid heroes to attack them...

Round 2:
Katarina 
Vanizi 
Davis 
Halyqwyn 
Zombies